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Ryan's Micra Blog

Welcome to my Blog.
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If this is your first time reading, there are hundreds of updates here, so you might as well just look at the photos.
I've been adding to this blog for quite a long time now so I figured an update on the original post could be beneficial.
Thanks for everyone who has been reading this so far, and all of the feedback and messages you've been sending me.
If you have any related questions, go ahead and send me a message or if it's on something I've done recently, feel free to ask here. It may also be worth searching in this thread in case I've already covered it at some point.


Key checkpoints:
In the Beginning (Cassie, '02 Early Second Facelift (51-reg): Computer Browser: Page 1 Mobile Browser: Page 1
Buying "Blue Billy", the '95 Early Preface (M-reg): Computer Browser: Page 1 Mobile Browser: Page 3
Selling Billy & Moving home: Computer Browser: Page 2 Mobile Browser: Page 7
Buying the Donor Car, 2000 early Second Facelift (Y-reg): Computer Browser: Page 2 Mobile Browser: Page 10
Eddie buys a '02 Late Second Facelift (02-reg): Computer Browser: Page 5 Mobile Browser: Page 21
Engine out of the Donor: Computer Browser: Page 5 Mobile Browser: Page 23
March G# Model: Computer Browser: Page 5 Mobile Browser: Page 24/assembled 25
Selling the Donor Car: Computer Browser: Page 5 Mobile Browser: Page 25
The engine swap, Cassie (CGA3): Computer Browser: Page 5 Mobile Browser: Page 25
Moved House: Computer Browser: Page 6 Mobile Browser: Page 26
Buying "The new car", '03 Late Second Facelift (52-reg): Computer Browser: Page 6 Mobile Browser: Page 28
Nismo Preface Model: Computer Browser: Page 8/[not assembled yet] Mobile Browser: Page 39/[not assembled yet]
The engine swap, K11#4 (CGA3): Computer Browser: Page 10 Mobile Browser: Page 50
JAE 2019: Computer Browser: Page 11 Mobile Browser: Page 52
Goodbye, Cassie: Computer Browser: Page 11 Mobile Browser: Page 52
CG13 swap with coilpacks, K11#4: Computer Browser: Page 11 Mobile Browser: Page 55
Japfest 2021: Computer Browser: Page 14 Mobile Browser: Page ## dunno lmao
Red first facelift temp car, K11#5, '00 Inspiration (W-reg): Computer Browser: Page 14 Mobile Browser: Page ## add later (or never)
Black CGA3 swap, K11#4: Computer Browser: Page 15 Mobile Browser: Page #?
thing: Computer Browser: Page # Mobile Browser: Page

If you're looking for anything in particular, use the search option on this thread. I've upgraded almost every OEM part available, and done a lot of testing and work with lighting and electronics.

Original post below.

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Hello all!
I was thinking I should post updates on here about what I'm doing with my Micra(s)!
I've already been doing it on Facebook, so I'll link to the album here:
https://www.facebook.com/flyboypuoi...64863022151.1073741835.100000359343152&type=3
This one has far many more pictures and includes general maintenance and events (I hope you can see it).

Here is my first car!:
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She's a second facelift, 2002 (though registered as a 51), with an Activ badge though the paperwork says Vibe, 1.0L. Was about 65,000 miles I think, and seemed to be in great condition (other than big scratches in front of a rear arch), bought from a friend's parents.

I named her "Cassie", due to the cassette player.
 

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I put LED lights in the number plate lights. I've changed these around 6+ times since then and have had some ridiculously bright ones. Got some simpler LED ones now as they seem to be reliable. I find that whatever I put in the left light burns out given enough time.
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Soon enough, something broke. The exhaust pipe to be precise. Broke off at the end of the middle section. In repairing it my friend and I broke the back box too so I bought new middle and rear pieces.
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I then got myself a nice new radio. This one uses a USB stick, which is great as I can have all of my music on it in folders, the radio allocates them to albums. It also displays the song title.
What I particularly like about this radio is that it has no chrome on it.

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At a much later date I broke off my antenna by accident so I only use the USB. Don't like listening to the radio anyway..!
 
There were a few lights out inside too. One being in the air controls box. Again I experimented with many LED units. Currently I have two massive 42-LED units in there (not this picture)
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I resprayed the plastic around the tail lights as they had gone pink!
These were supposed to be red but turned out orange, still I like it. Maybe more so in fact.
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Had to give in to the Nissan dealership to find a replacement rear wiper cap when I noticed mine was missing. Was quite pricey for a tiny plastic piece.
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New air filter for cool points. Also as I chopped the pipes in a way that there was still another opening, I put a mini filter on the other end. Really like this!
If it does make a difference, for longer journeys I put the stock filter back in for dem MPGs.
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As I was moving out, removing the rear parcel shelf again and again was needed. If you remember from before it didn't have a plug, so I just bought one quickly and added it in so I could disconnect and reconnect easily.
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Removed the Activ badge as it seemed to mean nothing, at least now anyway.
Thought I'd make reference to the original AK-11 by putting this on. Not a real one as they're too hard to find/expensive.
Did a crap job however as it was raining for weeks and I was very impatient.
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The front wash jets were getting blocked so I put new "universal" ones in. These can be adjusted relatively easily for some extreme washing angles.
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Finally, I got some alloys. I was told these had just come from a first-facelift Micra. They're 15" though.
Mechanic later told me they're from an Almera.
Still, they look great, and put my speedo to near 100% accuracy.
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I may have just bought a pre-facelift on Facebook for £70...
I however accidentally agreed to a £100 delivery. Damn it!

Needs sill repairs and a new rear section of exhaust. Looooooooooooads of paperwork. Bit smelly though. Full of hay inside.

I unofficially named it "Blue Billy".
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After fixing a few things I added another horn to Billy, because dual tone is great. This was the original from my bike. Sounds loud as a pair.
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As well as in Billy, I put LEDs in the dash for Cassie. These ones are white (though they show with a blue tint).
I also put some in the warning lights (a blue one for high beam).
I put a loose LED in the sport bit, attached to a switch on a blanking panel, for comedic value.
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Swapped the sun visors from Billy to Cassie (and cleaned them!)
These ones are maybe less nice looking but are a better shape. Also now my girlfriend has a mirror!
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Also, not pictured, I put the ashtray from Billy in here too. Previously I just wore a small groove in the blanking panel so it could open (well, come off) to put radio cables in there. Now it actually opens and closes with a spring.
 
The heater fan in Billy only works on full.
In Cassie she could do all speeds except 2. Now suddenly she only does full too.
The resistor packs/cards are burnt out. Cassie's one is so burnt out that a corner is missing. I will attempt to fix this, and if I fail I'll have to buy a new one.
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Right, I uploaded all of those in one go. From now on it should be done in real-time!

To do list for Cassie:
  • Fix fan speed problem
  • Temperature dial clicks and doesn't work properly on cabin air controls
  • Paint the rest of the black trim
  • Repaint the plastic of the tail lights as they've worn off
  • Pillar speakers
  • 1.4 engine?
  • Electric mirrors?
  • Electric windows?
  • Boot light?
  • Boot opening lever?
  • Central locking?
To do list for Billy:
  • Get through MOT
  • Repair sills
  • Repair exhaust
  • Make less smelly
  • Sell
 
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Looks good. Some nice mods there. You did confuse me at first with that Active badge, and no aircon. Check out my blog if you fancy more info.
 
We are micra twins! Looks good in all seriousness haha, I'm contemplating almera alloys myself but I'm torn between that and 8j banded steels, I also have a set of clocks with the Rev counter if you fancy? a tasty change of you ask me, what's next on your todo list then? Any changes power wise?
 
We are micra twins! Looks good in all seriousness haha, I'm contemplating almera alloys myself but I'm torn between that and 8j banded steels, I also have a set of clocks with the Rev counter if you fancy? a tasty change of you ask me, what's next on your todo list then? Any changes power wise?

Right now I'm keen to find some pillar speakers and see how easily they fit. Are those clocks the same style & colour as my ones?
 
I have pillar speakers aswell ;) and what do you mean same colour? They aren't sr ones and don't have leds? They are identical to yours but have a rev counter
 
I have pillar speakers aswell ;) and what do you mean same colour? They aren't sr ones and don't have leds? They are identical to yours but have a rev counter

Ah right, was just checking they weren't those green/blue ones, or the older sets with white needles.
Does it just plug and play in the wonderful way all other upgrades do?
 
Unplug your one and plug this one in, only thing is the mileage reads 113,000? I think? So keep your clocks handy so you can swap them over for your mot to keep it at your own mileage
 
We actually have identical cars, mine was a 1.0 vibe in same colour, made in 2001, I fitted central locking, electric Windows a 1.4 engine, whole new interior in a more suited black/sorta dark grey and green, very similar to our colour of car
 
We actually have identical cars, mine was a 1.0 vibe in same colour, made in 2001, I fitted central locking, electric Windows a 1.4 engine, whole new interior in a more suited black/sorta dark grey and green, very similar to our colour of car

Oooh, do you have some pictures or a blog/diary of all the work you did? Sounds really good.
 
I have, but i am yet to create a blog on here, I'll get it done in the next couple weeks as in beginning to forget what I've done.
Yesterday I chopped the rear springs an easy 50mm drop on standard shocks, probably to low but we will see how it goes, I have new shortened shocks coming, but if it's to low I'll put spare springs In haha
 
So I picked up a soldering iron for the first time in a few years (not like I was particularly good at soldering before), I wasn't even aware that there was such a thing as a gas soldering iron.
Anyway I hacked at both of my resistor packs, exactly as I planned to.

There were several places where the track had broken on Cassie's one, one corner (if you remember from earlier) was completely missing, and as planned I soldered on a piece of wire to bridge the gap (I didn't want it poking out too much as I didn't know how much space there was where these slot into).

Yes, it looks absolutely ruined, but guess what?
It works! Including on speed 2, something that never worked in the entire time I've had this car. (Probably that solder on the right).
I'm so happy with this. Especially right now as we seem to be having some heat wave in the UK.

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I also had a go at Billy's one. Only worked on full before, but I could only see corrosion on that one spot.
That did the trick though, all 4 speeds are working!
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I am very pleased with my work today. I honestly thought I'd just mess it up.
 
So I thought I'd try to clean up the March badge on the boot. It was looking messy as I had put glue all over it and just in general made a total mess.
I thought T-Cut would probably just take off the silver colour, and yes...
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It did.

Anyway, I went ahead and removed it:
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Still some glue or something left there, but I'll have another go at removing that again at some later date.
Goodbye March badge! To be honest I am a little glad it's gone.
All the letters are in great condition though, I think I might spray them black and stick them on the air box or something ;)
 
And while it's hot...
Not a repair or anything, but I applied Turtle Wax to the entire exterior bodywork, from front to back.
Very pleased with the result! Gladfully so as it took me a good hour or so, and that's only one layer!
Nearly used some new glass cleaner but couldn't be bothered. Was going to do more black strip painting too but it was too windy for it.
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