Restoration thread, I'm next

Restoration thread, I'm next

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MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Saturday 29th May 2021
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Slowly slowly catchy monkey. It's taking a lot longer than I expected, but in fairness I did say don't rush. The body is on and its with Jools have a new ECU fitted. The plan is to get it back and have a couple of months fun before small body mods and respray/trim.

In other news, may I present a MK3 headlight conversion complete with bi-led projector, halo/indicator and some of the best cardboard design in the automotive industry.




MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Saturday 29th May 2021
quotequote all
geordiepingu said:
That looks the absolute business. Can I please trouble you for a list of the components used to do the conversion or where you sourced the units? Seriously, looks great!
You can. Cowls are from Fiberon. Perspex is also fro Fiberon but via Central TVR?

The lights are
PR353
Bi-LED: Morimoto M LED 2.0 (RHD)
LED240
90mm: Profile Pivot Ring w/ Driver (Switchback)
LED1606
Profile Smoke Rings: 90mm (Pair / Pivot)

They are via retrofitsource.com

Not cheap, took 4 weeks to arrive and had £90 tax added on arrival.

The cardboard was from a Brewdog 8 pack :-)

This means I have no need for the hole where the front indicator lives.

Edited by MuffDaddy on Saturday 29th May 13:48

MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Saturday 29th May 2021
quotequote all
He does. Small change of plan for the ECU, now having the Emerald fitted.

MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Sunday 30th May 2021
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VerySideways said:
Joolz did my emerald back in February. Very happy would be a massive understatement.
There are so many changes and new things, I'm expecting something that feels very different. The ECU and nitrons are probably the biggest up grades.

Did you get a switch for different settings? If so does Jools have three standard settings and any clue what they are?

I haven't had a need to chat to Jools as the guy doing my build arranged it all.

MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Sunday 30th May 2021
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phazed said:
1) Full power
2) Economy, (Ha!)
3) Pops and bangs
Exactly what I was hoping for.

MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Tuesday 1st June 2021
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caduceus said:
I only bonded my mk3 ones in yesterday...wish I'd seen this before. They look great!. Look forward to seeing them switched on. Are they self levelling?

May I ask how much an Emerald ECU conversion is?

Regards
Cad
Not self levelling and I have no idea what I'm paying for the ECU. It's all part of one package. I'd guess around 2K

MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Friday 4th June 2021
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I'm not sure what options I have. Hopefully the car is back at the end of the month so I'll update with details and photos.

MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Friday 20th August 2021
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It's coming home. Let's call it phase one, is complete.

What's changed? From the outside nothing but underneath is all better than new. Pipes, brakes, shocks, tubes, paint, heat shield etc.

Ne new ECU yet, that is phase two. But I wanted to drive it for a few weeks before ECU, bodywork, subtle mods and respray/trim.

I pick it up next week so lots of pictures to follow. For now.

MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Friday 24th September 2021
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369 days later and it is back. From the outside nothing looks different but under the bonnet it looks shiny and new. Except some bits don't because they will be swapped out when the ECU is changed.



So what has changed?

Full chassis refurb
Nitrons
New wishbones
New steel hoses
New ACT pipes (elephant trunk due with ECU)
New radiator andfans
Droplinks
Balls joints
Engine mounts
Engine cleaned and plenum/rockers powder coated
Engine bay foil
Petrol pipes
Brake pipes
Callipers
Clutch
Discs
Full service and MOT
Probably lots more I've forgotten.

I'm getting the build pictures soon and will share those somewhere.

It's going back in at the start of October for some of the following

New lights (LED with shrouds)
New wing mirrors
New boot hinges with much wider opening
New hardtop roof
Respray
Interior trim
Electric handbrake
New audio

and some potentially controversial changes.

Regarding the respray, do I stay with Chrimson Starmist or take the punge and go for Aston Martin Divine Red.

Edited by MuffDaddy on Friday 24th September 15:49

MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Saturday 11th December 2021
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Small update. It's with a very nice man in Chesterfield. It's the waiting that's the hardest.

MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Tuesday 14th December 2021
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VerySideways said:
Very nice man in Chesterfield for the ecu? Oooh, longest 2 weeks of your life right there.
I remember the train journey to collect mine... and the drive home :-D
The very same nice guy. Unfortunately it will then go to bodywork and paint, I'm not sure I'm seeing it again before Easter.

MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Thursday 16th December 2021
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Further update, I'm picking up a fancy new roof this weekend. Something else for the bodywork guys to get busy with.

What do we think a standard roof (both bits) is worth cloth and window both in good condition? I may well have one coming spare in the New Year.

MuffDaddy

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Saturday 18th December 2021
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I picked up the panoramic roof yesterday, even in parts and primer it looks like a work of art.

In other news, first Dyno test was 185BHP before any work. Interesting because it's always felt like it pulls well. That said I have no real benchmark and I generally potter rather than push on.

Slowly slowly.

Bowks

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Saturday 29th January 2022
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Username change!

I feel like I'm letting you all down. The car has been away for the best part of two years minus a couple of weeks between big jobs. In that time the underneath has been rebuilt and a new ECU is in progress.

Everything is taking so long. I'm kind of ok with this, it's being done to a high standard and I trust I'm not being messed around.

In the meantime there is uncertainty at work, so the body mods and respray will be put on hold until that's cleared up.

The up side, I think it's time to have a little fun, I expect to get the car back in a couple of weeks and to spend some time enjoying it. I will take a bunch of pictures and also a video. I can only find one video of an Emerald equipped Chimaera.

Hopefully I'll get to a few events too.

The next stage is body and paint and there are some big changes involved there. I've taken delivery of a panoramic roof, exceptional quality. I've got some bi-LED headlights and full LED tail lights, I'm going a different route with the mirrors.

Of course the job thing may go horribly wrong. If so, I'll have a rat rod TVR, beautiful underneath and tatty on top.

Bowks

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Saturday 29th January 2022
quotequote all
caduceus said:
I only bonded my mk3 ones in yesterday...wish I'd seen this before. They look great!. Look forward to seeing them switched on. Are they self levelling?

May I ask how much an Emerald ECU conversion is?

Regards
Cad
It's only just occured to me. The intention is to make an adaptor to hold the bi-LED. This would replace the entire sealed unit. Hopefully a replicable part for this with faired in lights who are looking for a little more brightness.

Time will tell.

Bowks

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Monday 7th February 2022
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MuffDaddy said:
In other news, first Dyno test was 185BHP before any work.
Now pushing out 253.1BHP. Still have a decent wait before I get to try it out for myself.

253BHP from a 4.0l is pretty good?

Bowks

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Monday 7th February 2022
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R8FUN said:
That sounds excellent. My 5.0 Griff was 285bhp on Jools rollers, which he said was very healthy for a stock 5.0.
I presume you have had the Emerald fitted now?
Fitted and fettled, just needs the cold start stuff sorting.

Bowks

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Monday 7th February 2022
quotequote all
Classic Chim said:
That’s excellent.
What work did you have done to get it to that. The 4.0 is lamented as a bit slow which is often not the case.
Be good to know for others as that’s very impressive.
It's had a replacement cam a long time ago, maybe a little more sporty?

The precast fell out during the ECU install.

It has an Emerald ECU.

Other than that it's standard

46,000 miles since 1994. Most of those at a canter.

Bowks

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Monday 21st March 2022
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Well, I drove it today. For 30 minutes. It pulls, it pulls really hard in every gear from very low revs. No shunting. A few little fettling things and then it's coming home for a bit of the summer. Next stop panoramic roof, spray and trim. Oh and maybe a new cap on the rocker. That orange thing looks out of place.



Bowks

Original Poster:

1,415 posts

206 months

Monday 25th April 2022
quotequote all
It's back. Drove home this afternoon after a few minor fixes.

It's so quick, so responsive and smooth. The ECU change has certainly been worth the money. Also the three way switch to introduce pops and bags is very childish.

Post chassis refurb the steering was notchy. Turn out to be track rod ends, fix and also great. Geo done, may be sitting a little low and a little stuff for me but I'm going to enjoy it for a few months.

Anyone in the South West thinking of going Nitrons, chassis refurb or Emerald ECU let me know. Hopefully I will be at a fair few events.

Any requests for pictures, let me know. Hopefully I should have some more from the chassis refurb soon.

Body looks terrible and interior is also showing its age but they are on the list.

To do,

Fit panoramic roof

Work out why the stereo whines.

Enjoy car for a couple of months whilst considering interior and exterior mods.

New lights

Paint

Trim

Heated screen.