1999 Honda S2000 JDM
Discussion
My son returned from his early shift today and cracked on with stripping the front suspension this afternoon.
Other than drilling out two brake disc retaining screws (when have they ever come loose?) and of course cutting off the ARB drop links, it all came apart without use of violence or the saw!
The front caster adjusters came out just by undoing them... judging by the internet myths this is the automotive equivalent of a unicorn
You can see they are corroded, but not stuck
So what could have been a three day strip down he did in 2 hours. Result.
Unicorn picture for reference!
Other than drilling out two brake disc retaining screws (when have they ever come loose?) and of course cutting off the ARB drop links, it all came apart without use of violence or the saw!
The front caster adjusters came out just by undoing them... judging by the internet myths this is the automotive equivalent of a unicorn
You can see they are corroded, but not stuck
So what could have been a three day strip down he did in 2 hours. Result.
Unicorn picture for reference!
gary71 said:
My son returned from his early shift today and cracked on with stripping the front suspension this afternoon.
Other than drilling out two brake disc retaining screws (when have they ever come loose?) and of course cutting off the ARB drop links, it all came apart without use of violence or the saw!
The front caster adjusters came out just by undoing them... judging by the internet myths this is the automotive equivalent of a unicorn
You can see they are corroded, but not stuck
So what could have been a three day strip down he did in 2 hours. Result.
Unicorn picture for reference!
That is a real stroke of luck...whilst the the bolts and sleeves don't quite attract the Porker tax you are used to, they are still a bit eye watering when you have to buy a full set!Other than drilling out two brake disc retaining screws (when have they ever come loose?) and of course cutting off the ARB drop links, it all came apart without use of violence or the saw!
The front caster adjusters came out just by undoing them... judging by the internet myths this is the automotive equivalent of a unicorn
You can see they are corroded, but not stuck
So what could have been a three day strip down he did in 2 hours. Result.
Unicorn picture for reference!
I’m now entering more familiar territory, a rusty sill.
What looked like absolutely nothing with no visible holes or crunchy bits turns out to be a bit Swiss cheese once you push a wire wheel over it.
Did some cutting:
Then realised that it goes a bit further than that and is really thin behind the grommet hole...
Luckily all the structure is in really good condition other than that very lower panel.
However I’m going to extend the repair yet further into the end of this panel and where it overlaps the next as that looks a bit crispy for my liking.
The fabrication is really simple, but there is some upside down welding to come which I just love.
What looked like absolutely nothing with no visible holes or crunchy bits turns out to be a bit Swiss cheese once you push a wire wheel over it.
Did some cutting:
Then realised that it goes a bit further than that and is really thin behind the grommet hole...
Luckily all the structure is in really good condition other than that very lower panel.
However I’m going to extend the repair yet further into the end of this panel and where it overlaps the next as that looks a bit crispy for my liking.
The fabrication is really simple, but there is some upside down welding to come which I just love.
So let’s get this hole closed up!
The sill panel is 1.6mm thick and possibly one step up from straight mild steel judging by how it bends.
I’ve used 1.8mm for the repair to compensate as I only have straight mild.
The welding maybe easy, but oh the fabrication isn’t as 1.8 is a bit stubborn. This panel looks simple at first glance but has loads of form to follow the different layers of the sill.
I made the most basic of hammer forms layered up with off cuts to knock the edge over.
Some time later:
You can never have too many clamps:
Welded the little triangle in first and ground it back so the main panel can overlap:
Then onto the main event: Tacked in and started on the spots:
Fully welded:
And ground back:
Just need to tidy the edge of that oval grommet hole tomorrow and I’m calling that done. I’m leaving the welds for the plug welds as they look ok for once
The sill panel is 1.6mm thick and possibly one step up from straight mild steel judging by how it bends.
I’ve used 1.8mm for the repair to compensate as I only have straight mild.
The welding maybe easy, but oh the fabrication isn’t as 1.8 is a bit stubborn. This panel looks simple at first glance but has loads of form to follow the different layers of the sill.
I made the most basic of hammer forms layered up with off cuts to knock the edge over.
Some time later:
You can never have too many clamps:
Welded the little triangle in first and ground it back so the main panel can overlap:
Then onto the main event: Tacked in and started on the spots:
Fully welded:
And ground back:
Just need to tidy the edge of that oval grommet hole tomorrow and I’m calling that done. I’m leaving the welds for the plug welds as they look ok for once
Justin S said:
Another great thread from you, Gary. Awesome stuff. Put one of those engines in a Westfield I built, a few years ago. Power to weight and all that was fun. Just needed a bit of torque to make it crazy.
That must have been great, it certainly ticks every VTec stereotype you’ve ever heard. You spend ages wondering what the hype is then all hell breaks loose at the point I’d be thinking of changing up in the 911! Some parts have turned up so time for something different from welding and grinding.
Started to swap out the suspension bushes this evening, which was fun…
No chance of any of them coming out of the arms without violence! Well one did, but that’s the exception.
I’ve bought some cheap and chunky metals from eBay which give a range of options for tackling this job on the bench.
Then last night the newly wrinkle powder coated rocker cover turned up:
The rest of the bay is letting it down now, but all in good time!
More bushes tomorrow!
Started to swap out the suspension bushes this evening, which was fun…
No chance of any of them coming out of the arms without violence! Well one did, but that’s the exception.
I’ve bought some cheap and chunky metals from eBay which give a range of options for tackling this job on the bench.
Then last night the newly wrinkle powder coated rocker cover turned up:
The rest of the bay is letting it down now, but all in good time!
More bushes tomorrow!
Edited by gary71 on Wednesday 30th June 21:15
It’s fair to say the compliance bushes in the front wishbones had too much compliance…
New Mugen bits are replacing these old OE parts, which although ‘uprated’ look absolutely the same as the OE Honda parts down to the moulding of the part numbers and machining marks…
You can’t buy them separately from Honda though so glad they are available, even with Mugen tax applied.
New Mugen bits are replacing these old OE parts, which although ‘uprated’ look absolutely the same as the OE Honda parts down to the moulding of the part numbers and machining marks…
You can’t buy them separately from Honda though so glad they are available, even with Mugen tax applied.
gary71 said:
It’s fair to say the compliance bushes in the front wishbones had too much compliance…
New Mugen bits are replacing these old OE parts, which although ‘uprated’ look absolutely the same as the OE Honda parts down to the moulding of the part numbers and machining marks…
You can’t buy them separately from Honda though so glad they are available, even with Mugen tax applied.
Just done the same on the front New Mugen bits are replacing these old OE parts, which although ‘uprated’ look absolutely the same as the OE Honda parts down to the moulding of the part numbers and machining marks…
You can’t buy them separately from Honda though so glad they are available, even with Mugen tax applied.
Front rear alignment bolts came out with a bit of persuasion
Front front ones weren't so lucky and the compliance bushes need replacing .. did you look at poly bush options?
Will do them all in due course, but first priority is to get it working and engine back in after rescuing it from 7 years sat in a field with a spun big end bearing ...
Definitely get it running before worrying about the odd bush! I’m not a fan of poly pushes as they feel like such a bodge using the bush as a bearing, so has to be rubber of some form for me. Do it once do it right, even if that takes longer as the budget has to be stretched.
Opinions vary of course and I’d much rather see a car being out and enjoyed with poly bushes than not!
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff