Photos of the S ....+ message for PIES!

[KentishS2]

I have had a few people ask me to post some photos of my S2 since it has been fitted with different wheels, different rear lights, LED side repeater lights and Audi TT mirrors.

It is waiting for replacement engine, new seats, new hood, possibly the McClaren F1 style rear light panel and a full re-spray!

After this it should hopefully look pretty good.

Pies ....Can you please help me with getting the photos on, can I mail them to you to add to this post?

[shnozz]

here you go chaps - love what you have done so far mate. she looks a beauty.

[penelopepitstop]

That interior looks fantastic

But...hey....no mould and no gay bar!!! Thought that came as standard

[DustyC]

Looks great and those rear lights will finsih the job nicely.
I dont suppose it can go any lower but filling the arches would make it perfect.

New seats needed, why? Those look pretty good to me.

[shnozz]

penelopepitstop said:

That interior looks fantastic But...hey....no mould and no gay bar!!! Thought that came as standard

only on the TVRs likely to end up on their roof

[KentishS2]

Well .....many thanks for all the compliments!

I guess I'm drawn to all the little bits that need doing.

Never seems to be enough time!

[pies]

YHM

[V8Smith]

The car looks superb, I quite like the wheels actually, they look great, what size are they? I look forward to seeing the car at the S Meet!

Mike

[KentishS2]

V8Smith said:

The car looks superb, I quite like the wheels actually, they look great, what size are they? I look forward to seeing the car at the S Meet! Mike

Thanks Mike, it probably looks nicer in the photos!
To be fair, it is very good for a 14 year old car which was all original when I bought it and has done 110,000 miles and had no paint save for a complete colour change much earlier in it's life. I like the S in a dark colour but the dark blue paint marks so easily, so I'll probably go for a lighter blue than it is currently.

The wheels are 17" Wolfrace CAM295, they were brand new and cost me just £410 with new budget radials. This included VAT delivery next day and a set of locking nuts. A real bargain and a quality wheel too.

The LED side repeaters were just £10 from Stoneleigh Kitcar show. Not sure who the supplier was for these now.

I managed to get my new chrome headlight rims to fit, these were about £20 a pair from Anthony Stafford Vehicle Components www.s-v-c.co.uk

Rear lights were around £160 from Direct Car Parts www.directcarparts.co.uk

Carpets were from a company called intatrim, I think this is their number: - Intatrim
Unit 1/2, Trench Lock 2
Telford, Shropshire TF1 5SW
T: 01952641712

I'm looking forward to meeting you and other PHer's at the S meet, I'm hoping that we will get there but we are moving house if all goes well. I'll also need to get my leaking fuel sender and/or new fuel tank sorted before going too far!

[shnozz]

wheels sound a bargain but not too sure on budget tyres. Even the humble V6S is a fairly rapid car and if you intend to drive it anyway near its capabilities I wouldn't fancy doing it on cheapo tyres. Bearing in mind you are throwing a few quid at the car (and even talked about engine upgrades ) I would chuck a few quid at getting some decent tyres on there. You car is only as good as the rubber between all those parts and the tarmac.

just my tuppence

[Podie]

shnozz said:

wheels sound a bargain but not too sure on budget tyres. Even the humble V6S is a fairly rapid car and if you intend to drive it anyway near its capabilities I wouldn't fancy doing it on cheapo tyres. Bearing in mind you are throwing a few quid at the car (and even talked about engine upgrades ) I would chuck a few quid at getting some decent tyres on there. You car is only as good as the rubber between all those parts and the tarmac. just my tuppence

Got to agree with this... not worth having cheapo tyres...

[KentishS2]

shnozz said:

wheels sound a bargain but not too sure on budget tyres. Even the humble V6S is a fairly rapid car and if you intend to drive it anyway near its capabilities I wouldn't fancy doing it on cheapo tyres. Bearing in mind you are throwing a few quid at the car (and even talked about engine upgrades ) I would chuck a few quid at getting some decent tyres on there. You car is only as good as the rubber between all those parts and the tarmac. just my tuppence

I think they were Fulda or Nokia or similar but I know that they are also the manufacturer for more well known brands. Not really bargain basement jobs!

My 145 BHP Passat TDi is running on 18" Audi RS4 alloy wheels with huge Michelin Pilot Sport 150+mph tyres at a cost of £185 per tyre (just replaced 2) ...ooouuch!

But I hear what you're saying!

[KentishS2]

Just thought it is worth adding that I have found the tyres have enormous grip as they are a slightly softer compound. The new set are also low profile (can't remember of the top of my head 45 I think) but it corners like it's on rails now, even in the wet.

I can verify this as when my TP & fuel pump were playing up it almost cut out on a roundabout and I put my foot down and suddenly off I went at great speed whilst on right lock on a damp road and the rear end didn't budge. My previous set of 15" Pirellis were not as impressive. True to say that they didn't have as much tread!

[tubbystu]

But waht speed rating are your "cheapo" tyres?

The contact patch is allm you have holding you on the island !!

my tuppany bits worth

Stuart

[bridgdav]

Kevin...

I've look at your car quite a few times today....

I keep scratching my head when looking at the wheels, IMO they look too modern for the car..

Maybe its because I see this type of wheel on Mondano's and Vauxies..

You must have seen my postings on new wheels, I'm yet to find an after market wheel which I think suits the 'S'...I've been through all the photoshop thing and looked at loads of sites...

You have a lovely car but.....

I don't really know why I'm typing this post as it has no relevence to the topic, for which I apologise, but, I had to say it....

Dave

[RichardR]

bridgdav said:

Kevin... I've look at your car quite a few times today.... I keep scratching my head when looking at the wheels, IMO they look too modern for the car..

I know what you mean Dave - I think it's the profile of the rubber in relation to the gap between the tyre and the arch.

The larger wheels with the lower profile rubber look great on the T350, Tuscan, Cerbera etc. because the arch hugs the wheel, but I think the standard-fit 60 profile rubber works better on the S where you have the larger gap.

Still interesting to see an alternative design in use though, and the TT mirrors look good from what I can see of them (looking forward to largers pics - Pies? ). Any chance of posting some detail about what was involved with fitting them?

[Pies]

RichardR said:

[quote=bridgdav]Kevin... (looking forward to largers pics - Pies? ). Any chance of posting some detail about what was involved with fitting them?

Ive sent mail

[KentishS2]

RichardR said:

bridgdav said: Kevin... I've look at your car quite a few times today.... I keep scratching my head when looking at the wheels, IMO they look too modern for the car.. I know what you mean Dave - I think it's the profile of the rubber in relation to the gap between the tyre and the arch. The larger wheels with the lower profile rubber look great on the T350, Tuscan, Cerbera etc. because the arch hugs the wheel, but I think the standard-fit 60 profile rubber works better on the S where you have the larger gap. Still interesting to see an alternative design in use though, and the TT mirrors look good from what I can see of them (looking forward to largers pics - Pies? ). Any chance of posting some detail about what was involved with fitting them?

Thanks guys for the opinions. I do know what you mean but I had decided that I was going to modernise my S and the wheels were carefully chosen so that they are not too modern for the car. You have to also bear in mind that the S is a retro styled car anyway, just walking around the back will bring to anyones attention a set of Ford lights that are not particularly in keeping with the rest of the car.

I originally bought a set of Chimera type wheels for my S and I decided they were too modern with the flat 5 spokes, I disliked them as soon as I put them on, although we are used to seeing them on the later S models.

I do agree that the profile of the tyres is a little low but it does retain the same rolling circumference on the 17" alloys as the original 15" OZ alloys. To change this would also change the gearing of the car a little and make the speedo read incorrectly.

Regarding the mirrors, I had complete Audi TT units. I cut off the old mountings to release the origional S mirrors arms and ground the cup shaped fittings on each door flush to the door. This had to be done very carefully as it is easy to go throught the fibreglass with a course sanding disk!

I then cut the alloy mountings of the Audi TT units with an angle grinder to the same profile as the door, this had to be done very carefully a bit at a time. I retained the cup shape in the door to pack out to achieve the best angle for the new mirror mountings. The mounting has a paint finished plastic cover over the base/arm to finish it off but this was now the wrong shape for the door and the mirror. So, I covered the door with tape to protect it and put a sheet of course sanding paper face outwards on the door and used the door as a sanding block to achieve the correct profile for the base of the plastic cover. I found that this wasn't perfect and that the covers stuck out at the bottom slightly, this was easily fixed by drilling two small holes beneath the mirror and fixing with two self tapping screws to fix each cover in place. The end result was pretty good and you can see far more than with the original bendy arm mirrors.

I didn't take any photos and to do so now would mean taking the mirrors apart again which I'd rather not at the moment but when I have the respray I will need to do this and will take a few then to post on the site.

[KentishS2]

I forgot to say that the new mirrors are tinted and fold back which comes in handy when passing Volvo drivers.

The mirrors also have the capability of being electrically operated and heated.