Project_5AXO - Reliving my youth!
Discussion
I wanted to love this thread, I really did. It just misses the mark though.
Back in 2001 my first car was loaned to me by my parents (they bought it for my sister, she went to uni, I was given use of it etc, the usual) and it was a 1.1i in red, 1998 R plate, key code immobilises (9681 for the record, my sisters birthday obviously) and 3 stud wheels (were they all?)
I loved it, bloody loved it.
I think I’d have a VTR now as I always wanted one, but it has to be a mk1. I don’t know what it is about the facelift that never fitted with me but those rectangle headlights and straight front bonnet lines are the front end of a perfect car in my eyes. The mk2 just isn’t right.
So I’ll leave you here, I’m joyous that you’ve found your car, I’m envious of all the Saxo’s you’ve loved and lost (damn, supercharged!!) and I’m going to wallow in self pity when driving my diesel E class that I’ve still never really had a small and fast hot hatch. Since I graduated uni my work commute has always been about 20k miles per year so I’ve always had diesels (aside from the I6 Cherokee and V6 RX300) in comfy cruisers.
God speed, enjoy that car, and well done for bringing it back to full health! I love it.
Back in 2001 my first car was loaned to me by my parents (they bought it for my sister, she went to uni, I was given use of it etc, the usual) and it was a 1.1i in red, 1998 R plate, key code immobilises (9681 for the record, my sisters birthday obviously) and 3 stud wheels (were they all?)
I loved it, bloody loved it.
I think I’d have a VTR now as I always wanted one, but it has to be a mk1. I don’t know what it is about the facelift that never fitted with me but those rectangle headlights and straight front bonnet lines are the front end of a perfect car in my eyes. The mk2 just isn’t right.
So I’ll leave you here, I’m joyous that you’ve found your car, I’m envious of all the Saxo’s you’ve loved and lost (damn, supercharged!!) and I’m going to wallow in self pity when driving my diesel E class that I’ve still never really had a small and fast hot hatch. Since I graduated uni my work commute has always been about 20k miles per year so I’ve always had diesels (aside from the I6 Cherokee and V6 RX300) in comfy cruisers.
God speed, enjoy that car, and well done for bringing it back to full health! I love it.
Love this thread! Back when I started driving the Saxo VTR/VTS was the stuff of dreams, along with the Fiesta Zetec S, 106/206 GTI, Corsa SXI/SRI and basically any moderately 'warm' version of the sort of thing we could actually afford to buy and insure. I'd love to buy one of the dream cars of my youth, but for the time being happy seeing that someone else has done just that.
AlmostUseful said:
I wanted to love this thread, I really did. It just misses the mark though.
Back in 2001 my first car was loaned to me by my parents (they bought it for my sister, she went to uni, I was given use of it etc, the usual) and it was a 1.1i in red, 1998 R plate, key code immobilises (9681 for the record, my sisters birthday obviously) and 3 stud wheels (were they all?)
I loved it, bloody loved it.
I think I’d have a VTR now as I always wanted one, but it has to be a mk1. I don’t know what it is about the facelift that never fitted with me but those rectangle headlights and straight front bonnet lines are the front end of a perfect car in my eyes. The mk2 just isn’t right.
So I’ll leave you here, I’m joyous that you’ve found your car, I’m envious of all the Saxo’s you’ve loved and lost (damn, supercharged!!) and I’m going to wallow in self pity when driving my diesel E class that I’ve still never really had a small and fast hot hatch. Since I graduated uni my work commute has always been about 20k miles per year so I’ve always had diesels (aside from the I6 Cherokee and V6 RX300) in comfy cruisers.
God speed, enjoy that car, and well done for bringing it back to full health! I love it.
Totally agree, Mk1 is a much better looking front end. I really wanted one. As I said, finding one is impossible. I found one that was a total basket case and would've needed extensive welding work. Some had already been done which was bloomin awful! Back in 2001 my first car was loaned to me by my parents (they bought it for my sister, she went to uni, I was given use of it etc, the usual) and it was a 1.1i in red, 1998 R plate, key code immobilises (9681 for the record, my sisters birthday obviously) and 3 stud wheels (were they all?)
I loved it, bloody loved it.
I think I’d have a VTR now as I always wanted one, but it has to be a mk1. I don’t know what it is about the facelift that never fitted with me but those rectangle headlights and straight front bonnet lines are the front end of a perfect car in my eyes. The mk2 just isn’t right.
So I’ll leave you here, I’m joyous that you’ve found your car, I’m envious of all the Saxo’s you’ve loved and lost (damn, supercharged!!) and I’m going to wallow in self pity when driving my diesel E class that I’ve still never really had a small and fast hot hatch. Since I graduated uni my work commute has always been about 20k miles per year so I’ve always had diesels (aside from the I6 Cherokee and V6 RX300) in comfy cruisers.
God speed, enjoy that car, and well done for bringing it back to full health! I love it.
Mk2 was the next best thing and although it doesn't look quite so special it's the same car underneath! Substance over style!
Hopefully you keep looking back here despite the vomit inducing front end.
Shnozz said:
Evo Sean said:
The silvery/blue was Icelandic grey. An absolute arse to colour match! Never again!
If I'd had it my way I'd go for a red one again (Citroen Venetian Red)
Mine was that colour although I always wanted the blue. If I'd had it my way I'd go for a red one again (Citroen Venetian Red)
Found that zinc plate episode fantastic, good Dad cameo too. Not found any other good walkthroughs through the whole process, so really enjoyed it. I liked the spray bottle to really stop the cross contamination, and the tank heaters.
I too have a plating obsessed dad, but on the smaller side of things for his own restorations. You guys knew it already, but if you blast things you'll get the matt finish. It's hard to beat a wire wheel on a bench grinder for cleaning up bolts, usually quicker than blasting too. I started doing it before getting mine plated by the company I use, their tumbler seems to only be 80% successful.
Also, there is a way of calculating the exact amps you need. Your kit supplier should be able to give you a mA/cm2 number. You then calculate the surface area of the parts your putting in. Might help you get an even more consistent process than you've already got.
Enjoying all the updates! keep it up
I too have a plating obsessed dad, but on the smaller side of things for his own restorations. You guys knew it already, but if you blast things you'll get the matt finish. It's hard to beat a wire wheel on a bench grinder for cleaning up bolts, usually quicker than blasting too. I started doing it before getting mine plated by the company I use, their tumbler seems to only be 80% successful.
Also, there is a way of calculating the exact amps you need. Your kit supplier should be able to give you a mA/cm2 number. You then calculate the surface area of the parts your putting in. Might help you get an even more consistent process than you've already got.
Enjoying all the updates! keep it up
alexcrosse said:
Found that zinc plate episode fantastic, good Dad cameo too. Not found any other good walkthroughs through the whole process, so really enjoyed it. I liked the spray bottle to really stop the cross contamination, and the tank heaters.
I too have a plating obsessed dad, but on the smaller side of things for his own restorations. You guys knew it already, but if you blast things you'll get the matt finish. It's hard to beat a wire wheel on a bench grinder for cleaning up bolts, usually quicker than blasting too. I started doing it before getting mine plated by the company I use, their tumbler seems to only be 80% successful.
Also, there is a way of calculating the exact amps you need. Your kit supplier should be able to give you a mA/cm2 number. You then calculate the surface area of the parts your putting in. Might help you get an even more consistent process than you've already got.
Enjoying all the updates! keep it up
Thanks Alex, we tweaked the process somewhat for later parts but for us the best process was to bead blast any muck off, then hit it with a wire wheel to bring up the surface to something acceptable. I too have a plating obsessed dad, but on the smaller side of things for his own restorations. You guys knew it already, but if you blast things you'll get the matt finish. It's hard to beat a wire wheel on a bench grinder for cleaning up bolts, usually quicker than blasting too. I started doing it before getting mine plated by the company I use, their tumbler seems to only be 80% successful.
Also, there is a way of calculating the exact amps you need. Your kit supplier should be able to give you a mA/cm2 number. You then calculate the surface area of the parts your putting in. Might help you get an even more consistent process than you've already got.
Enjoying all the updates! keep it up
Agree on the mA/Cm2 number. My dad was furiously doing the maths (In imperial) to work out amps per square inch. Bolt threads really add a lot of surface area. I think we got to an acceptable point and had some great results. I think our success rate was higher than 80%, only the odd part didn't plate.
Happy with the results though.
Quags said:
Excellent project good luck with it.
I had a Supercharged VTR back in the day, was a rep for SSC in the south east and had a small feature in Max Power for my sins...
Mine is the green one:
I think I remember your green S/C one. Always looked dead understated.I had a Supercharged VTR back in the day, was a rep for SSC in the south east and had a small feature in Max Power for my sins...
Mine is the green one:
Glad people are enjoying the flash back to their own past!
Little teaser update and following on from episode 7
1. Underseal has now been applied, here's proof of me mixing it
2. My Axle turned up too. Fully rebuilt by AxlesByStef. It looks incredible and will look great against the fresh underseal coat ive applied
Episode 8 should see a few things go back on the car!
1. Underseal has now been applied, here's proof of me mixing it
2. My Axle turned up too. Fully rebuilt by AxlesByStef. It looks incredible and will look great against the fresh underseal coat ive applied
Episode 8 should see a few things go back on the car!
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