Under the bonnet

[dixiebabes]

Trying my best to make the engine bay look better. I don't want to go too far and make it look blingy. What do you lads think at the mo and what can i replace refurbish to make it subtly better. Cheers boys!!.

[Wedg1e]

Well the whole engine looks rough mate, I'll give you 20 quid for scrap

Apart from painting anything that can be painted (brackets, rocker covers etc.) or polishing unshiny alloy (various bits like the aux. air valve, airflow meter) it's difficult to make a Wedge engine bay look tidy without major rewiring or moving hoses etc.
How about wire wool on the copper brake lines?
Replace all cable ties with new ones of the same type and colour?
Any perished hoses that can be renewed (always a good idea anyway)?
Fit that corrugated flexi stuff over cables etc.?
Generally did muck out of crevices etc. etc...
and when you've finished you can start on my car

[dixiebabes]

Wedg1e said:

Well the whole engine looks rough mate, I'll give you 20 quid for scrap

Apart from painting anything that can be painted (brackets, rocker covers etc.) or polishing unshiny alloy (various bits like the aux. air valve, airflow meter) it's difficult to make a Wedge engine bay look tidy without major rewiring or moving hoses etc.
How about wire wool on the copper brake lines?
Replace all cable ties with new ones of the same type and colour?
Any perished hoses that can be renewed (always a good idea anyway)?
Fit that corrugated flexi stuff over cables etc.?
Generally did muck out of crevices etc. etc...
and when you've finished you can start on my car

Frig it that's my lot it will have to do

Dix

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Dix...Well you could go overboard like me and polish anything that will shine up and then do some detailing say on the plenum but it looks nice and just keeping it clean makes a big difference.
Maybe some blue plug leads and if you are changing any hoses go for blue or mauve to break up the red..Looking good though mate...Ziga

[JVaughan]

Ive just bought some VHT Crackle Black. Plan is to get the plenum off, and give it a coat of Black wrinkle finish, then file back the raised bits ontop.
I have black rocker covers too.

The under bonnet felt has been removed, and I was going to get a pattern made, but the guy hasnt come back to me, so Im either going down the Dynamat route or I might see if I can clean up and re-attach the original stuff.

New Gas struts have been fitted too.

Replace all the under bonnet hoses with Silicon ones, get the swan neck painted in Crackle effect too.

Also take off throttle body, AFM and spray it all with VHT Burnt Copper effect.

Toying with the isea to loose the header tank and overflow and see if I can get an ali one to suit

[mrzigazaga]

You probably know already but if you are spraying alloy then you need to apply some etching primmer first...Or the crackle with crackle..(Before & After please)...Here was a plenum i did a while back for a friend, Also my 280i plenum..Cheers...Ziga
Before:

After:

280i Plenum..
Before:

After:

[TVRIK]

mrzigazaga said:

You probably know already but if you are spraying alloy then you need to apply some etching primmer first...Or the crackle with crackle..(Before & After please)...Here was a plenum i did a while back for a friend, Also my 280i plenum..Cheers...Ziga
Before:

After:

280i Plenum..
Before:

After:

Zig, how have ya got the 350 plenum so shiny??

[JVaughan]

V8 Plenum looks good. My plan though is to replicate what you have there, only in negative.

There is no need to prime the alloy for crackle paint (so it says on the tin).

Im going to be upgrading the Induction system in the next few months, so will be painting the new 72 mm Plenum Chamber when I receive it from V8 Developments.
but will leave the edge of the 45mm ported trumpet base and the 45mm Inlet manifold shiny

Edited by JVaughan on Thursday 22 August 00:12

[TVRIK]

JVaughan said:

V8 Plenum looks good. My plan though is to replicate what you have there, only in negative.

There is no need to prime the alloy for crackle paint (so it says on the tin).

I've got some if that crackle paint from my BGT, got it for the dash, same stuff I think?
Would look good I recon mate.
Rik

[JVaughan]

TVRIK said:

Would look good I recon mate.
Rik

Will see. If I dont like it, it will be coming right back off !

[TVRIK]

JVaughan said:

Will see. If I dont like it, it will be coming right back off !

I keep gearing myself up to get the plenum off, but then get scared in case there is something really important ya need to do
Before ya remove it, is it straight forward?

Rik

[JVaughan]

TVRIK said:

I keep gearing myself up to get the plenum off, but then get scared in case there is something really important ya need to do
Before ya remove it, is it straight forward?

Rik

6 Bolts, disconnect throttle linkage & the other pipes connected to it and the electrical connections (sensors) off it should come. (Maybe a little persuasion to break the gasket seal. When I get around to doing mine, Ill document it

[mrzigazaga]

TVRIK said:

Zig, how have ya got the 350 plenum so shiny??

Hi mate..I started off using some 60 grit sanding discs on an electric drill and then some hand rubbing with some 80 grit..Again hand rubbing with 120g up to 1200g..little bit of dremel work on the inner lines..I could of die grinded the seems off but i wasnt sure if it was just over-casted alloy or outer sealed seems..I then used a combination of soap bars and polishing mops to get a near mirror finish, There is an old technique that i learnt from an old biker friend with auto-sol and cardboard which gives a really deep shine but its hard bloody work so the mops come in handy..I recommend a polishing kit to anyone who intends to do any metal cleaning..Cheers...Ziga

[TVRIK]

JVaughan said:

6 Bolts, disconnect throttle linkage & the other pipes connected to it and the electrical connections (sensors) off it should come. (Maybe a little persuasion to break the gasket seal. When I get around to doing mine, Ill document it

Thanks Jason, I might have another peak this weekend, think I'm still getting used to the fact it's not my day to day car, when I was a kid I had to get any job done in the day!
I need to not panic take my time, thanks again for the tip.

Rik

[TVRIK]

mrzigazaga said:

Hi mate..I started off using some 60 grit sanding discs on an electric drill and then some hand rubbing with some 80 grit..Again hand rubbing with 120g up to 1200g..little bit of dremel work on the inner lines..I could of die grinded the seems off but i wasnt sure if it was just over-casted alloy or outer sealed seems..I then used a combination of soap bars and polishing mops to get a near mirror finish, There is an old technique that i learnt from an old biker friend with auto-sol and cardboard which gives a really deep shine but its hard bloody work so the mops come in handy..I recommend a polishing kit to anyone who intends to do any metal cleaning..Cheers...Ziga

Bloody hell Zig, that's impressive work.............think ill go down the Crackle paint route!

[Trickie Dickie]

Took my plenum and rocker covers to a local (Leeds) metal polisher
and he charged me £150 to do all three

I actually think Zigmeister has got a slightly better finish on his plenum doing his won
but at least I didn't get my hands dirty (or knacker my back as I usually do working on cars)

HTH

Trickie

[mrzigazaga]

All i can say is that it's a lot easier with a bench polisher..I need to find another garage but with a power supply...I had alloy tasting bacon sarnies for a month afterwards...

[dixiebabes]

Looks superb that Zig. By the way i have all the hoses off now if you still want me to send them for templates buddy. Email me if you do!!

Dix

[TVRIK]

Plenum and Rockers off!