Ceylon's 2002 Innocent Blue FD

[Ceylon]

Engine bay is nearly clean again after the respray, took some scrubbing. That blue dust got everywhere .

I've still got a load of bits to tidy up like wipers, scuttle panel and odd little bits. I've got a whole bunch of Mazda bits on the way to finish it all off and bring it up to standard .

Also imported a few more bits for the car, I think that's it for big visual changes now really. Had the steering wheel redone locally, pretty pleased with it. More red stitched OEM goodness on the way to make it all match in better.

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[Ceylon]

Bunked off work early as I'm owed silly amounts of time in lieu .

Here are some pics of the install and a comparison size wise to the stock FD back box.

IMG_3596 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3595 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3603 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3597 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3601 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3599 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3605 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3604 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3606 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3607 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3610 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3609 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3613 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3612 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3614 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3608 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3615 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3616 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr


This is the only performance mod on the car, standard downpipe and cat are in place, she sounds exactly as I wanted. As always it sounds a little duller in the video than it does in person, but this gives you an idea of the tone :thumbsup:.

You can just about hear my phone face plant the floor at the end of the video, got to love jogger pockets...

 

[Ceylon]

Couple of more treats for the FD arrived this morning . The other half of my Mazda order has been delayed .

WP_20171023_10_17_57_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

SR goodies .

WP_20171023_10_18_06_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

 

[Ceylon]

Fitted a couple of the interior bits. Moved the chrome handbrake button over, prefer it to the black plastic stock ones.

IMG_3645 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3647 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

IMG_3658 by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

WP_20171023_16_26_24_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

 

[Ceylon]

I'm driving the car around atm as I'm trying to empty the fuel tank so it's not so heavy when I drop it. I like how it makes this 1 series look large .

WP_20171026_07_56_27_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

WP_20171026_07_56_47_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

WP_20171026_07_56_55_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

The car is pretty filth, hasn't been washed in weeks .
It also looks like it's set up to do some green laning , new coilovers should address that soon :thumbsup:.

 

[Ceylon]

Package arrived from J-Auto today, much thanks to Roy (cib24) and his old man for sorting me out with these :thumbsup:.

WP_20171027_09_47_19_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

So the car is going full super pro bushings, with new oem bushes for the rear lower control inner bush.

I'll be running 4 J-auto pillow balls and 2 new oem pillow balls, all with new oem seals. I'll use the oems for the top mounts and J-auto in the lower control arm.

Now I'm just waiting for a few diff bits, gearbox bits, drop links, ARB bushes and a few suspension boots from Mazda and it'll be coming apart :thumbsup:.

 

[Ceylon]

What could possibly go wrong .

 

[Matt]

Absolutely stunning FD, love the subtle changes and attention to detail!

 

[M@r]{]

Absolutely cracking FD. Have you considered putting some spacers on there? In this picture it looks like it would make a great difference, particularly the rears:

 

[Ceylon]

Yeah I tried some 15's and 20's, but the result was a bit too much poke for me, especially with fresh soft paint at the time, it'd make me paranoid ! I think some 10's would work well, but I don't really want to fit longer studs and would rather use bolt on spacers, not sure if any brands make bolt on 10mm spacers these days?. When the rest is all done maybe I'll have another look at it, it's all in pieces and up on stands atm .

 

[Initial-d]

Great job on the restoration, looks amazing!
Love the new pedal instead of the stock plastic one.

 

[Ceylon]

So this was the extent of snow we got in Somerset:

tn_WP_20171210_15_51_26_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

Very disappointing I must say.

So the winter project is well under way and the end is sort of in sight .

tn_WP_20171219_10_12_47_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

tn_WP_20171220_12_03_45_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

tn_WP_20171220_13_10_16_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

tn_WP_20171220_13_47_49_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

All the bolts etc are in good shape. After plating they should last well .

tn_WP_20171220_11_15_26_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

Everything is being painted with epoxy, few more coats to go on these..

tn_WP_20180110_18_27_33_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

tn_WP_20180110_18_27_50_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

tn_WP_20180110_18_27_59_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

tn_WP_20180110_18_28_10_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

Picked up a few more SR bits, because it is so close to being full SR spec that it would be rude not to .

tn_WP_20171213_18_16_12_Pro (2) by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

tn_WP_20171220_19_39_08_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

I've been pretty bad at taking pictures recently, I've actually done loads more, just haven't taken pictures of it all. I'll catch up this weekend if I get time .

Tonight the diff is being stripped to swap the crown and pinion from a 4.1 final drive to a 4.44, new seals, crush tube etc. This will be the second attempt, this time with a proper bearing press tool, I got stuck last time trying to remove the bearing near the pinion gear, there isn't much to go on with a press without risking damage to the bearings, so I didn't risk it. Fingers crossed that'll all be fine tonight so I can crack on with the gearbox bits and start slinging the car back together soon .

Other bits done that I don't have pictues of:
New tie rods.
New track rod ends.
New rack boots.
All suspension arms have new pillow balls and super pro bushes, all joint boots replaced also.
New brake lines.
New wheel bearings pressed in.
New rear brake dust shields fitted.

Hoping to get the arches and underside painted over the next couple of weeks. Still got the fuel tank to go too. Getting there, though .

 

[Chris_Ward]

Those pictures of all the running gear being pulled bring back memories of doing it on mine Hopefully you only have to do it the once though!

 

[Ceylon]

Yeah none of it should have to come off again for a long time, touch wood...

Every cavity is injected and anything accessible is cleaned with a salt remover, scrubbed clean and epoxied.

It is a bit like deja vu from doing my old UK car, except no rust or welding .

 

[JoeLanger]

That's it now, never see the road again!

your putting coats of epoxy on? I only did one coat was thick enough, you spraying?

 

[tomCTR]

So annoyingly clean this car lol

Awesome work mate, proper job!

 

[Ceylon]

That's it now, never see the road again!

your putting coats of epoxy on? I only did one coat was thick enough, you spraying?

Haha, I was a bit worried about that when I sorn'd it .

I'm thinning the epoxy down to make it go on smoother. Painting most of the stuff with a brush, only spraying epoxy when doing the cavities with a cavity gun and nozzle. I could likely get away with one coat, but going for the belt and braces approach .

Subframe just needs cavity wax injection then it is done .

tn_WP_20180113_14_44_44_Pro (2) by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

So back to the diff work..

This tool worked great in the press removing the pinion bearing .

tn_WP_20180112_19_25_42_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

All went fine, the backlash and tooth engagement are spot on, happy with that

tn_WP_20180113_16_30_03_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

tn_WP_20180113_17_04_29_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

tn_WP_20180113_16_29_52_Pro by Tom Kinsman, on Flickr

All swapped over to 4.44, new oem pinion and driveshaft seals, crush tube, painted and ready to fit....At some point .

 

[Chris_Ward]

And an RX8 diff cover if I'm not mistaken?

 

[Ceylon]

And an RX8 diff cover if I'm not mistaken?

Yeah this cover is fitted to some late model rx8's .

 

[Ceylon]

Front arches have been cleaned with salt remover, marine cleaner, rust converter on any surface rust, then epoxy. Steering rack is now all back together with new bushes, tie rods, boots and track rod ends .

Should be able to start putting the front end back together after another coat on the arches . Then it is just gearbox work and finishing off the painting of the rear end.