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Kirkynut's 2002 1.0 K11 aka - Mickey/The Sh*tbox

I've come to own my 2nd K11 in the last few weeks. My first, a 1999 1.3 Inspiration, I bought a number of years ago now, with the insurance money from my Vespa PX200 scooter being written off, as I decided I'd get a car to stop people from killing me.

I sold that because I had desires for something faster and with aircon, electric windows etc. I know, I know the Inspiration has aircon, but mine didn't work and I didn't get it checked out professionally. It has keep fit windows though.

So I bought a Fiesta ST150. Loved it but 5th gear synchro started to whine and I suspect I didn't keep an eye on a gearbox oil leak and it ran low. Someone damaged the bonnet in a car park where I worked and I started to lose the love for it and owning a mint car that others would wreck.

Then my Mrs became pregnant, which was no surprise as it was via IVF, so I felt I needed a bigger car. I had never owned an automatic before and found an E46 320i with the Mtec1 bumpers. Lows and wheels made that look awesome but it needed the fixing stick every month and was costing me a fortune to keep going.

I sold that and pressed my super modified Suzuki Jimny off roader into daily duties. The MOT was due to run out on 06.10.2020 and the insurance on 28.09.2020, so 2 weeks before I thought I had better have a poke around underneath it with a screwdriver! I knew it was mechanically sound but hadn't had time to check the body and chassis since last year's MOT.

It is very holey and has a crack in the chassis by the rear o/s radius arm mount. It would be a lot of welding to fix, so I've called time on it. It's got a lot of parts that will fetch money, so I'll strip it and scrap the shell and chassis and sell everything I can.

Queue the urgent need to buy a car! ?

I was in a spot and didn't know what to get. I've enjoyed not worrying about people opening their doors onto my car with 3mm thick tubular rocksliders on the off roader. However there's a bit of a bufty in me too.

The Mrs has an 06 Skoda Octavia VRS petrol estate, which is fast, great for family duties and comfortable. So I quite fancied one of those.

There's very few of those around for sale in pre 2009 cam chain issue flavour during normal circumstances, but add a bit a Covid and there's little on the 2nd hand market.

I test drove a Corsa VXR Nurburgring and fell in love but it had symptoms of the gearbox bearing failure they suffer from. That was £8k!

Spending that amount of money on a car that other people will park next to, when I park at the far end of the carpark at Tesco to avoid them and then they rest their trolley on my car before they open their door on it does bad things for my mental health. So I felt confuzzled! What to do?

I looked at a R53 Mini Cooper S that a guy had spent fortunes on as a Lockdown project, but it needed 4 tyres, the wheels were corroded, the stainless exhaust had taken one for the team on a speed bump and been welded up with pigeon sh*t and it needed the oil filter housing gasket changing, which he had but hadn't changed, and I know why - they're a git!

With less than a week to go I was desperate and resigned myself to buying a cheap sh*tbox to keep me going.

I test drove a Peugeot 107 but concluded that there's zero fun to driving one of those.

The Mrs had a Ka years ago and that was fun, so I went to look at one locally. A year's MOT and electric windows with very little rot. That would do I thought! Until I saw it and found that the passenger door top didn't seal where it had been pulled out at some point.

Then the guy said "I've got this little Micra at the back instead then". My little eyes lit up and I approached it with trepidation. It was a K11. It has absolutely no redeeming features though, apart from being rust free, has power steering and a full service history to now on 84k miles.

It is red on some panels, particularly the rear bumper, which has been re-sprayed to a high standard - seemingly on the car by the red exhaust tail pipe! Other panels are pink and the odd bit is down to the galvanised metal. More paint comes off with the pressure washer!

The radiator has a couple of tiny holes but seems to lose only a tiny bit of coolant and it needs new jubilee clips on the low pressure power steering pipes. It needed a new CV boot for the MOT, sorted by the seller.

So full of nostalgia and in desperate need of a car, I bought it. The rose colour of the car likely tinted my spectacles but it must have stained them as I love it!

I pick up a Nissens radiator from Eurocarparts today for £28! I have plenty of coolant and new jubilee clips for everything on the shelf, so I'm happy with that!

The next thing to do is to replace the front tyres. They're old and cracked Dunlops that have hardened and offer no grip at all. Tricky with no abs in the wet!

Then a decision needs to be made. Do I keep it and modify it as a ratty car or save my money for something faster and nicer with electric windows and aircon?

Well that decision is still to be made but I can tell you that I'm currently watching several sets of wheels and some electric window regulators, with motors on eBay, have made enquiries about coilovers and found Gizfab for the panhard rod, should things go that way!

So you've read all this and feel quite hard done-by because there's no pictures yet eh! I'll sort them soon and show you what I've done to personalise it. Until then, close your eyes and imagine a standard face-lift K11 in pinky-red with laquer peel, rusty wheels with no trims and you've seen it in your head.

Kirkynut
 
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Today has been the first day I have been able to do anything meaningful to Mickey due to work, weather and family commitments. The Mrs went out for the morning and early afternoon, so my 4 year old and I set to it.

Whilst there seemed to be no coolant loss, I was getting the odd whiff of coolant and the radiator clearly had a few holes. So £28 later at Euro Car Parts and I had myself a new Nissens Radiator. Changing that was the focus of today, along with getting photos, checking the front brakes for condition and having a generally good look over what I have bought! I also needed to clean up the mess from years of weeping power steering pipes where the clamps were not tight enough.

Here are a load of photos of my little sh*tbox and where I'm at with it:

Believe it or not - this was actually on Autotrader - albeit I stumbled across it

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Yes, I know £695 is far too much with red and pink paint (and sections of no paint) but I needed a car quick and well - look at it! It's full of character with all of its patina! Crucially it's not rusty on the sills and underside!

All of today's photos are of it up on axle stands I'm afraid as that was all I had time for. I'll do some arty farty stuff another day.

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You can see my £20 Ring spot lights that I have pulled off of my off-roader and put on this to give me some light on the country lanes on the way home from work and to give it a rally car look (well, a little!).

My help for the day:

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I went out to it one evening last week and made sure all the bolts were free to change the radiator so the little man could undo them for me. It keeps him interested:

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So other than adding the spot lights and removing the wheel trims (because I loath them), I have also brought across my klaxon from my off-roader. The little man loves it!

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Here seemed like a good place for the klaxon's button:

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I had this gear knob on my first K11 and kept it. Now I'm glad I did:

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As the car is a bit of a sh*tbox, I bought it a suitable badge:

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As I'm not taking this car too seriously, I thought I'd live up to some stereotypes:

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The car is poverty spec:

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I thought I'd miss a rev counter but I can tell by ear and feel when I'm in the power? band and need to change up and have enough experience to know what I can get away with in changing down in respect of revs to keep it buzzing.

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Chunes and phone calls come courtesy of Sony and I think the old Nissan CD player might have made the bin already!

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I need to upgrade the front speakers and invest in some rear ones. I had a good quality sound in my old K11, which had speakers in the parcel shelf that I uprated with something expensive.

As you can see, it has patina! There must be some stories behind it, although the last owner, a lady called Irene might not have driven it like what I does!

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That's galvanised metal with no paint on!

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The brake pads have loads of life left on them but I would have treated it to new discs with the last set of pads. When they have worn out it will get some new discs too!

Unfortunately the n/s outer CV gaiter is now split. The seller had to put a new one on the o/s for its MOT, so I did wonder how long it would be before the n/s went. I'll get my local tyre shop / garage to change that next week as I need to get new front tyres asap. The old front tyres are just that - old! They're hard and cracked and have no grip! At £50 a corner for my favourite brand - Avons, I think I can stomach it.

With parts so cheap for this car, I'm not sure I'll get something better! £8.50 for a new CV gaiter from Euro Car Parts - and it's GKN, so not rubbish! It means I can justify drinking tea whilst a garage fits it, not me!

I have a code of P0136 though. So a new Lambda sensor is likely the next purchase. No biggie as it doesn't throw an EML other than the odd once but will likely need doing before next year's MOT.

Underneath is completely rust free! So I don't mind the patina look on top as it's only cosmetic and gives the car some character!

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So what next after the running repairs mentioned above?

I will certainly look at the speakers but there's no rush as what's there is doing ok - it's just not as good as I could have or would ultimately like.

What I would like to do is drop it on coilovers and fit some 15" motorsport inspired wheels - like Compomotive CH style but not Compomotive CH's as they don't look great in 15". It would be a bit of a ratty rally car look!

When I say coilovers - I don't mean budget Corsa B's etc. I mean coilovers worth more than the car from Gaz or BC Racing! I want to be able to corner like I am on rails!

That will necessitate a change of Insurance companies mind!

I like patina and a bit of the rat look scene, but not full on ratted out. I therefore have no interest in sorting out the bodywork. If I have to add some prima to stop it dissolving I will but no topcoat. The underside will likely get a Lanolin based product on it to stop the rust coming though.

I love the look of these but they're 17's and are too big for the handling me thinks!

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I've looked at Ronal Turbo's but I'm not sure they're the look I want.

What I ought to do is wait until next summer and see how fed up I get with keep fit windows. Leaning across to open the passenger window might get tiring and I'm not sure I can be fussed doing an electric window conversion.

Having said that, there's something quite quaint and attractive about wind up windows. My son had not encountered them until now, so had to ask how to lower the windows! He is only 4 though bless him - so I'll let him off!

In case you were wondering about the parking sensors - they don't work but are wired up, so one assumes they did work once, perhaps before the rear bumper was painted to remind us what the rest of the car once looked like!

Kirkynut
 
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Do the stereo setting bwfore speakers , I got surprisingly good with my jvc and stock speakers all round

Sent from my LM-Q630 using Micra Sports Club mobile app

I always set the stereo up properly when I fit it. Doesn't everyone? So it's as good as it can be.

I've ordered up some standard sized Avons for the front, to be fitted Monday and I have some Lanoguard to spray under this and the Mrs car to stop rust.

It needs a wash at the moment both on top and underneath as I had to drive it down a Byway to get the boy to school on time one day, due to temporary traffic lights causing mayhem. A bit of rally driving was required!

The gear linkage has got a bit stiff, so I need to get it up in the air clean and grease that up.

I've been super busy breaking my old Jimny off-roader as it's too rusty for another MOT and has lots of expensive bits on it! I've therefore not had any time to even think about K11's.

I am finding the engine noise quite loud in the cabin when I'm in rally mode down a country lane. I suppose it's because I've been on leave and using it more often with someone else in the car, so the music is lower for conversation, rather than just me with the music up loud in which case the engine can't be heard!

I've been spending most of my online time looking at what 4wd I'll buy next, to replace my Jimny for greenlaning.

It's a good work horse though. I'm loving not having to keep fixing my daily like I did the E46. I did love that old Beemer though and caught myself looking at a 330i on eBay last night!

I don't mean this in a patronising way but most of y'all are considerably younger than me, so a Micra is a really good car but I'm at the age where the insurance on my 1.0 K11 is similar to a 330i, so to me I have moments wondering what the hell I'm doing in a 1.0 K11 instead of a sports heated armchair! My bank balance reminds me, as does my body, as I've not spent as much time laying on my drive under it!

I've got some photos I'll try to pop up soon but it's just a pinky-red rusty K11 with a slightly weird and fat 42 year old owner with a fetish for cars everyone else my age think are sh*t and below them.

Kirkynut
 
Pictures pictures pictures :cool:

OK! OK!

Some pictures as it is at the moment:

5 by Kirky Nut, on Flickr

4 by Kirky Nut, on Flickr

3 by Kirky Nut, on Flickr

This is it before I got my dirty little hands on it:

2 by Kirky Nut, on Flickr

1 by Kirky Nut, on Flickr

My son's freaky hand print one cold morning!

6 by Kirky Nut, on Flickr


Other than new Avon tyres being fitted on Monday and I need to sort out a new rear lambda sensor and free up the gear linkage a bit, that's all that's going on with it at the moment!

Driving it about today with ze music up a bit the engine noise seemed to not bother me too much. The Mrs moaned it is a bit small inside for us all, but I suppose we could just use her car - the family car! I like to use mine as I can play my music rather than listen to the sh*t radio station she has on and well - I like driving my car! I have bought her a Parrot, so once I have fitted that in her car there will not be such an issue. a 1.0 Micra is a bit cheaper on fuel than a 2.0T petrol Octavia VRS mind!

Kirkynut
 
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I've been and got some new tyres this morning. Whilst waiting the fitter came and told me he was having trouble getting a wheel nut off.

I went and had a look and the thread is goosed from where the garage that did my CV gaitor a month or so ago must have done it up too tight with the impact gun. I'm pretty pissed off as I should have done the CV gaitor myself but I chose to pay an expensive £120 to not get my hands dirty.

Luckily you can get the studs out and back in without taking the whole hub off and I've temporarily used a Suzuki Jimny stud for the moment but it's not a tight fit. It'll do until I get another. I'll just draw the stud through with a wheel nut, rather than press it through. If I had to take the hub off I'd have been livid. I know I could take it back to the garage for them to rectify but I'd then lose half a day and have to walk home, then back again, when I can do it!

Neither Euro Car Parts or GSF stock or can get a stud! Would you believe it? My local motor parts shop will have a very expensive genuine stud in within a day or so for £9.99! I've chosen this route rather than the internet for speed and convenience really. I have loads of nuts from my Zuke, which have the same thread. If I ever get alloys, I'll get all new nuts anyway!

I've also been under it spraying Lanoguard. That's the easiest rustproofing I've ever done and I reckon likely the most effective!

Kirkynut
 
Meh tyre mechanics and impact guns. That is bad to hear and for me a reconsideration for my tyre address.

Can you please point me to the Lanoguard product you have used? https://www.lanoguard.co.uk/


It's not the tyre fitter's fault to be fair. If he didn't come up against it I would have. It's the garage that over tightened it.

I got this package: https://www.lanoguard.co.uk/product...eoBv3x-gSuGcyvQWw9YKXJh441fn_6GRoCzb8QAvD_BwE

I also got the injector wand but will do that in the summer. I just wanted to protect it this winter. I've got the Mrs car to do yet!


Kirkynut
 
Wow I'll start from there matey. Not sure what garage overtightened it? I can't distilate from text I believe? Some rust there won't help but I disregarded the rust subject but some rust on just the brake rotor does give vibration not starting about torqueing wheels on rust instead of hub hole but that does happen :)
 
My local motor parts shop was on the phone at 09.30 this morning to say they had my new stud in already. So I picked it up on the way to a blood test and fitted it as soon as I got home.

I can now see how good the new tyres are!

I love how small and light the wheels are on this when working on it! I'm used to 30" off roader tyres that are very heavy. This light duty stuff is great!

I measured the size of the lambda sensor to see what size removal socket I need but I'm a bit unsure it will want to come out as the exhaust, whilst in good serviceable condition is very rusty. A 22mm lambda sensor removal socket has been ordered from ebay nonetheless! We shall see!

Kirkynut
 
I did order cheap, it can be roomy so that you know and you will want to keep the lower ring (size quite bigger) stuck in place or risk ripping up your cast iron manifold, break the two first threads trying to take off manifold and become quite stuck. If I could find a suitable header with work (Ga16 isn't a straight fit on a k11) I would take it if price is right and it should be something like 100 coins
 
The other day I picked our boy up from school in the sh*tbox, which he prefers over the Mrs Octavia Vrs! It was raining hard and my wipers were squeeking really loudly and I started to get the hump that such new wiper blades should make so much noise - expensive Bosch ones too!

Then when home I pulled them up off the screen and ran them, just for the noise to remain! Sorry Bosch for blaming your wiper blades - it was the mechanism!

A good dowsing in WD40 through the holes in the scuttle panel and now it's silent.

You've got to love old cars!

Kirkynut
 
He likes folding the seats forward and climbing in. Then once in the back seat he has great visibility in the Micra. He also likes the Klaxon and the starter motor makes a little whirring noise as it starts, which is quite quirky and funny.

The whole car is just a bit of lighthearted fun but I really enjoy driving it. I think if I keep it during next summer with the manual windows or convert them to electric, depending on the purchase and modifying of a new off roader, I might drop the sh*tbox a bit, ideally on BC Racing coilovers, get some interesting wheels at some point and re-cover the interior - seats, door cards and maybe headlining in something funky.

The dodgy paint is part of the character and I like it in a weird kind of way, so no re-sprays!

Kirkynut
 
It is a bit **** on the outside with lacquer peel on the roof and bonnet but rust free, service history and tidy inside £450 delivered. It drives better than my 2001 micra. It does not stop quite as well as it does not have ferodo brakes like my other one. Clutch is a bit stiffer but only done 17k ago. I'm taking all my old bits off the other one to put on it where things have gone over the last two years.
Drives more stable though which I don't understand and is nicer as an old lady had it, she spent 1000's on it and has done 69K on the clock.
I'm quite happy with it though as it is a metallic green.
what about yours?
 
It is a bit #### on the outside with lacquer peel on the roof and bonnet but rust free, service history and tidy inside £450 delivered. It drives better than my 2001 micra. It does not stop quite as well as it does not have ferodo brakes like my other one. Clutch is a bit stiffer but only done 17k ago. I'm taking all my old bits off the other one to put on it where things have gone over the last two years.
Drives more stable though which I don't understand and is nicer as an old lady had it, she spent 1000's on it and has done 69K on the clock.
I'm quite happy with it though as it is a metallic green.
what about yours?
Your stiff clutch is likely the cable. Pop a new one on and it will feel easier.

Mine stops well. I used to get brake fade on my old 1.3 if I was really on it but I've not experienced it yet on this 1.0 but I've not been able to brake that hard with confidence until I recently replaced the front tyres as they were old and had hardened, leaving me with no grip under braking or confidence. Bloody dangerous they were!

It ticked over 88k the other day but still drives well. The handling is good for a standard car but I'd like to stiffen it up bit. I fancy a set of BC Racing coilovers and a Gizfab panhard rod along with a rear arb and maybe a thicker front arb. Time will tell if I do that. I could just go for some Eibach springs and Billies as they always perform well and I want handling over lows, albeit I love stance, it's just not practical on our rubbish roads.

Maybe I'll accumulate some parts ready for my insurance to expire as my current insurers won't entertain mods and I declare everything.

I could get sponsorship from WD40 as that's fixing loads on it at the moment! First the windscreen wipers and now the driver's door lock needed freeing up a bit the other day!

Kirkynut
 
cool.
that project should keep you going during the spring.

Mine had the clutch cable changed on this four years ago with the new clutch.
From reading on hear one of Frank's old comments, sometimes these micra get some sort of problem where the clutch sticks a bit on the shaft and you can't really get at it to free it up. he has a picture on here of a small hole drilled into the bell housing above the shaft. light oil is then dripped onto the shaft and it is supposed to free it up over a period of time. So, during the spring, I'll probably try that as the clutch is not that old old. cheers for the advice on the cable though.

What you might want to check on your micra sooner rather than later is the back off the sills.
i took my quarter panels off mine six weeks ago to check for rust as that is what kills them.
I was glad I did as i found a few little patches of light surface rust just started in both inner and outer side on the driver side, on the bottom next to the seam. Also a little patch on the passenger side.
I treated it straight away. Put some dynax s50 cavity wax in the sills.
if i hadn't got straight onto this, it could quite easily have taken hold at the back of the sills during the winter.
I think I just caught it in the nick on time.
Seeing as yours is the same age as mine, anything is possible..boo hoo ;0(

Anyhow, upwards and onwards with the little ****boxs ;p
 
Next summer I'm going to get the Lanoguard lance into the sills and all of the nooks and crannies. I'll perhaps stick some behind the rear side panels so it runs down between the inner and outer arches etc.

Right now though the drivers front brake caliper has started to seize. I was hoping it was just the sliders for me to free up but it's the piston.

I've wound it in and pushed it back out a fair few times to free it up. It seems to have worked but experience tells me it will start to seize again at some point, so I'll order up 2 new calipers.

I had my best mechanic on it anyway.
20201219_123929 by Kirky Nut, on Flickr

Kirkynut
 
Lol.I start my mechanics off young as well. In the womb is a good time to start them, just as well my misses likes drinking castor oil..;p

Yea. the caliper has just been replaced on this as well. That is the main thing that goes on them and one of the reasons i got it as that is a big job out the way. Brake pads and rear tyres were also MOT replaced. The original tyres on the back seem to disintegrate at this age. The Aussie that sold me the car was gutted that he had to get this done but hey ho. he wanted to emigrate back to Aus and wanted shot of the car.
the MOt is back up on it in march but I can't see it needing much as it has almost a full service history, another reason why I got it.
I have not checked the rubber boots yet but I have noted they were changed four years ago and they are usually the only thing that goes on the MOT. I usually use Blue Print a seem to last 3 to 4 years.

Oh well, spring can't come quick enough for you to get cracking on that cavity waxing..ha ha
 
The brake caliper I freed up was ok but I wasn't happy with it, I could feel it dragging, so some shiny happened!



I got some Pagid discs and pads from Euro Car Parts for about £60, so thought it prudent to do the lot for a full front brake refresh.

I could have gone cheaper as these are the most expensive discs and pads they sell but I have been bitten by cheaper discs and pads in the past where discs have warped and pads have overheated. These don't have vented discs, so the brakes have a hard time if these are driven hard, which might happen a bit with mine! ?

I did these without my chief mechanic today though, so they didn't take as long!

It goes much nicer now without a dragging brake.

The calipers are off of eBay but seem good. Nissan ones are a fortune, so aftermarket calipers are the only option. Both sides together were about £100 and I've had them a while but work and having our boy at home hasn't given me time.

Kirkynut
 
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Cool. i agree, cheap pads don't pay in the long run.
I got a s refurbed Nissan caliper for £60 and it has been good for about four years now, done by company in Brum.

Changed the fuel filter yesterday as my micra wanted to drag me to a halt into the slow lane of motorway at new year. Fortunately there was not any traffic but they have done away with the hard shoulder!
That will teach me for running a new car on almost empty!
Car idles much better now so I guess it had to be changed anyway.

Not sure what happened to the "What did you do to your micra today?" thread on this site, I guess this must be it..:ROFLMAO:
 
Nothing to add recently as I've been breaking my Suzuki Jimny off roader and working.

The Jimny is done and most parts gone. I spent half a day boxing up the last parts to sell and have sold half of those in principle but still have 2 big sets of off road tyres clogging up my garage / workshop.

I do have a big box containing electric window motors, switches and door cards for the Micra which I bought off eBay ages ago but haven't yet had time to even open and check.

Fitting the electric window regulators and figuring out the electrics is for when the warmer weather comes though. Stuff doing anything unnecessary on a car right now, it's far too cold!

I still find thrashing around in my 1.0 sh*tbox fun. It's great buzzing that little engine at just under the limiter on country lanes and the speed it can muster is low but still seems exciting. For those who've not run one of these cars they'll not understand.

I like being able to leave it parked and not care about dents and scratches. The sh*tbox look will be staying but it needs the handling sorting. The chassis has so much more potential. I've got some flat roofs to pay for and an off roader to replace but I would love to spend money on wheels, tyres and BC Racing's finest.

The Chinese rear tyres entertained me recently with a bit of lift off oversteer in the wet. I'd not experienced that for a few years and mashed the throttle to straighten it up with a big grin on my face!

It's amazing how much fun I'm having with a £700 car that was overpriced to start with.

The engine noise can be a little harsh when you're not in the mood for it but that's not often to be fair.

Kirkynut
 
My rear wiper worked when I bought it but you had to switch it off in the position you wanted it to park in as it stopped when you switched it off.

This didn't really worry me, it was something I could fix in the summer. Or so I thought!

The other day the rear screen was filthy, so I flicked it on... nothing. Just what I wanted in -2°c!

Well today is a rest day, so I thought I'd have a look. I wiggled the rubber boot that contains the wires between the boot and the body and it briefly burst into life. Only briefly though.

At least it was as expected and the wires were broken in that boot.

I pulled the boot out and found someone has been there before me with a crimp connection on a new bit of wire that had failed, as they can.

So I looked a bit deeper and found another broken wire too. That explains why it wouldn't park then.

My soldering iron struggled in that low temperature with a light breeze over it too but I managed to solder them together. It's not the first car I've had to do this fix to but I've never had to do it when it's -2°c!

Now it not only works but it parks itself too! My fingers are so cold they don't work mind!

Kirkynut
 
Had the same experience at minus two fitting spark plugs on the weekend. They had not been changed for 9 years along with petrol filter and heard horror stories of them not coming out after that time. So, thought I bets get them out with a can of plusgas to help smooth their journey.

Anyways, what is usually a very straight forward job turned into a pain with the plug socket deciding it preferred life holding onto spark plugs and the rubber insert in the plug socket thinking the same/ All, due to the cold I suspect.
However, put the original ngk's back in to replace the Bosch that many on here say have given them trouble.

Result!, the engine starts after just four revolutions and the idle is very smooth. After me completing the full service, the mighty micra seems to run well and can't see any engine issues, which is a relief when buying another car.
 
Had the same experience at minus two fitting spark plugs on the weekend. They had not been changed for 9 years along with petrol filter and heard horror stories of them not coming out after that time. So, thought I bets get them out with a can of plusgas to help smooth their journey.

Anyways, what is usually a very straight forward job turned into a pain with the plug socket deciding it preferred life holding onto spark plugs and the rubber insert in the plug socket thinking the same/ All, due to the cold I suspect.
However, put the original ngk's back in to replace the Bosch that many on here say have given them trouble.

Result!, the engine starts after just four revolutions and the idle is very smooth. After me completing the full service, the mighty micra seems to run well and can't see any engine issues, which is a relief when buying another car.

I'd best replace my spark plugs in the summer as I don't know their history really. Service stamps don't really tell you much information!

It's running sweet now though, so I'm not going to rush!

I'm looking to get another off roader now I've broken my Jimny and sold all the parts. I'll save a bit more for that as I'm in no rush and will wait for Lockdown to end before travelling to see some Discovery 2's.

That means no mods on the Sh*tbox for a bit though.

Kirkynut
 
I went through the big box of stuff I have for the electric window conversion last week and getting a universal loom off eBay is going to be the easiest solution. One has been ordered off eBay now.

I have the battery off the Jimny I broke in the garage, so I can have it set up off the car ready to fit when it arrives.

Someone opened their door on the Sh*tbox whilst I was eating my McDonald's the other day. Being able to shrug your shoulders and not care was a great feeling!

Kirkynut
 
The universal wiring loom for the electric windows arrived today. I've had a quick look and it looks simple enough. The hardest part will be figuring out what pins do what on the original Micra switches so I can use them, then getting the wiring into the doors, through the grommets. Nothing too tricky.

I'll look to have it all working on the bench tomorrow, ready to fit at some point.

I think I'll do it through a relay that's fed with an ignition only live. I've had fun finding one of those in the Mrs Skoda Octavia VRS today in preparation for fitting a Parrot as she won't allow me to fit a decent after market head unit.

I've just ordered some Rockford Fosgate front door speakers too. I've read that the wiring is possibly already there for rear speakers, so I might have a look for that tomorrow too. Then I will be able to fit some good old fashioned 6x9's on the parcel shelf.

I've looked up parcel shelves with rear speakers in for the K11 but they invariably have the slot for the centre brake light, whilst mine is up too and they're usually just shy of £40 on eBay!

I might consider making my own from MDF but might just put holes in my current one and stiffen it with MDF. I don't have any 6x9's yet but recall throwing some out last year! Pratt!

Then I need to get inventive on the interior. The new door cards need covering in some fun fabric and the seats might get some home made funky covers.

The foam in the driver's seat has worn though, so I can feel the frame through it. It's not uncomfortable but not right. I'm guessing the seats are cheap enough to replace if I can be bothered.

I was thinking about anti-roll bars the other day as mine has terrible body roll but somehow grips and grips. I hadn't really thought about them until then. Mine appears not to even have a front one! Something for me to look into if I really start to mod it by lowering it at some point.

My eBay search history has 4x100 wheels on it too. There's some rare and sexy old rims out there but people want silly money for them and can't tell you what the centre bore or offset are.

I ought to remember that I'm saving for another greenlaner in the form of a Disco 2 but I kind of want to play with the Sh*tbox a bit!

Kirkynut
 
Just put the car through the MOT. Was a tad apprehensive as it was the first MOT on this car, I have had for six months and a new MOT place.
I sailed through which I thought was great for a 19 year old car. Just advisory on a bit of play in the lower ball joints, which the MOT guy said if replaced would get it through the MOT the next time.

glad I got this then as gumtree seems to have a drought of micra, just four.While six months ago there were 50 plus countrywide. Maybe it is just a seasonal thing.



Here is a micra for sale that had a sunstrip sticker in jap that tickled me. Bonus points for being able to translate. The word starts with S******.!
 
Just put the car through the MOT. Was a tad apprehensive as it was the first MOT on this car, I have had for six months and a new MOT place.
I sailed through which I thought was great for a 19 year old car. Just advisory on a bit of play in the lower ball joints, which the MOT guy said if replaced would get it through the MOT the next time.

glad I got this then as gumtree seems to have a drought of micra, just four.While six months ago there were 50 plus countrywide. Maybe it is just a seasonal thing.



Here is a micra for sale that had a sunstrip sticker in jap that tickled me. Bonus points for being able to translate. The word starts with S******.!
S#!TBOX, love it :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
Today I fitted the electric windows so that the Sh*tbox is a bit more usable as the warmer weather comes.

I got the electric window regulators with motors, the wiring loom for the doors from the car they came from and the electric window door cards, albeit they had got damp and now dried out.

I was never going to leave the door cards boring grey as they are, so I've covered them in some Avengers print fabric for my boy, which he has said are - Epic! He loves Hulk!

I've also fitted some quite expensive Rockford Fosgate front speakers, which sound awesome!

I've been saving hard for a Disco 2 to replace my off roader but there's nothing locally and I think that I might start saving a bit to put into the Micra/Micky/The Sh*tbox, for wheels and lows, ready for when the insurance expires.

The electric window conversion was easy enough. The regulators bolt in like the old ones but have the motors on. I used a universal wiring kit as it's easier to wire it. I'm pleased it was ok!

Photos to come...

Kirkynut
 
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I said photos to come so here they are:

9s0hEiN.jpg


Zu3eo1s.jpg


OGk3X4U.jpg


Sorry they're a bit dark but taking the photos was an afterthought, after cutting the grass and washing the Sh*tbox.

So on the hottest March day ever in the UK, we enjoyed having the electric windows open during a couple of short journeys we had today. Of course, my boy wanted to go in Mickey (the child friendly name for the Sh*tbox), rather than the Mrs' Octavia VRS!

Even though this is the first car he has experienced that had wind up windows, the novelty of electric windows in the Sh*tbox has him gripped, and all he wants to do when we stop is make them go up and down!

I managed to use the original Micra switch on the passenger side but got bored trying to work out what pin does what on the driver's side door switches, so just used the switches in the universal wiring kit that I got off eBay for that side. There's loads of the same kit for sale on there if you search for it.

I switched them via a relay that is fed by an ignition only live out of the fusebox, using a piggyback fuse holder. So quite simple to do.

I think the hardest part of swapping over to electric windows was finding the door cards and regulators with motors in on eBay from a breaker. I was lucky to look at the right time. I don't think they come up often as I had been searching every now and then. Most K11's had keep fit windows.

If I lower the Sh*tbox, I think it will have to be on coilovers (BC Racing or GAZ Shocks) as lowering springs will not be low enough for what I will want and I don't want cheap ones or cut springs. It's just spending more on suspension than I bought the car for and then the same with wheels and tyres if I do commit to modding it is a bit strange to me, but I'm not sure I care. Parts and wheels can always be sold on!

Kirkynut
 
I think I have scored another point in playing "Hunt the micra S h i t box" game, but my japanse is not as good as it used to be. This one's called OG Boris.

Looks like a good base. It's no longer available. Did you buy it?

Kirkynut
 
Looks like a good base. It's no longer available. Did you buy it?

Kirkynut
I'm looking for an automatic but that one looked fast. Had to take this one six mmonths ago, as things during lockdown were not looking so promising. I like the car though.
just sorting out the clutch, and ordered a boroscope camera, to drill into the clutch casing and lube the clutch. Hopefully this will sort the heavy clutch as me old bones and heavy clutches don't mix..:rolleyes: Also, I really don't want to get a garage to split the gearbox, even though I have a spare on the other micra.

I thought you made the sh*tbox saying up but it started off in Australia:LOL:
 

r-reg-sr

-------
Site Supporter
I'm looking for an automatic but that one looked fast. Had to take this one six mmonths ago, as things during lockdown were not looking so promising. I like the car though.
just sorting out the clutch, and ordered a boroscope camera, to drill into the clutch casing and lube the clutch. Hopefully this will sort the heavy clutch as me old bones and heavy clutches don't mix..:rolleyes: Also, I really don't want to get a garage to split the gearbox, even though I have a spare on the other micra.

I thought you made the sh*tbox saying up but it started off in Australia:LOL:

you could loosen the clutch cable adjustment nut so biting point is lower on the pedal having to depress clutch pedal less helps
 
I'm looking for an automatic but that one looked fast. Had to take this one six mmonths ago, as things during lockdown were not looking so promising. I like the car though.
just sorting out the clutch, and ordered a boroscope camera, to drill into the clutch casing and lube the clutch. Hopefully this will sort the heavy clutch as me old bones and heavy clutches don't mix..:rolleyes: Also, I really don't want to get a garage to split the gearbox, even though I have a spare on the other micra.

I thought you made the sh*tbox saying up but it started off in Australia:LOL:
I've no idea where the saying came from originally, it's just an accurate description of my Micra!

Progress is slow but it's getting there!

Kirkynut
 
Something that I've not mentioned on here, which I keep meaning to and then forgetting is that I've previously mentioned the eml coming on and giving a code for the rear lambda sensor causing an issue.

I've checked the emissions data sheet from the last MOT and it's fine. Bearing in mind that the eml started coming on soon after I bought it and I checked it for codes soon after I got it home and it had none, it was a bit weird.

Now I've had this before on the Mrs old E46 325i and had the lambda sensors tested and swapped about but that gave the same code for the same lambda sensor, despite another one being there. My mechanic was an recently ex BMW technician with BMW diagnostic kit and he knows his onions. He said that the catalytic converters on those never fail, so refused to change it. Sure enough, the emissions were fine too. The solution was to stop using Tesco petrol.

Then I had exactly the same issue with my Suzuki Jimny but had already started to use other petrol, so that was solved too.

I was therefore suspicious of the Jet petrol from the petrol station up the road to us, which is as cheap as Tesco.

Given I've come from a 2.2L BMW E46 320i auto, to a massively modified Suzuki Jimny (really uneconomical) to a 1L Micra, my fuel costs are much lower. As such, I can afford to put in BP from an expensive petrol station on my way home after late shifts once a fortnight. My fuel bill has still halved!

Guess what! I've not had an eml or even any codes since I've run a couple of tanks of BP through it!

Kirkynut
 
I forgot to mention that my other issue of 5th gear being tricky has now gone as I've used it a bit! So I've not had to get my hands dirty lubricating the linkage, it just needed using!

I have bought the Sh*tbox a present or two that are being sent to me in the post! I'll pop some pictures up when they're fitted!

Kirkynut
 
forgot to mention undo clutch cable enough for clutch pedal to fall to the floor. you will have to push pedal down manually. then tighten clutch cable nut until gears engage well enough
OK.thanks. Hopefully can look at that this weekend or next weekend. Cheers..;p
 
I'm a little disappointed today as I've bought front and rear standard arb's, knowing the rear would need mounts fabbing up but expected there to be holes for the front to just bolt up to.

Well no, there's none. There are 2 studs on each side that must go through into the front footwells in the location where the arb brackets would bolt to but nothing under the carpet for me to replace them with bolts.

Now I could grind the heads off of these and drill through but they look like they hold a stuff in place that looks structural for the suspension, so I'm not mucking about with it.

It's a shame as I wanted this to be a really good handling car and was going to get BC Racing coilovers too. I don't see the point in that without the arb's to compliment them.

I'm not about just show ( albeit I do like show ), I want go too, in the form of handling too.

So I have to have a think now.

Kirkynut
 
A couple of days ago the electric windows packed up. I'd not long converted them to electric, so I know the electrics for them well.

I thought I'd got a dodgy switch but then the other night I noticed that the lights on the switch weren't on. This led me to think it could be a power or earth issue instead.

It turned out to be an earth issue I believe.

The wiring kit required me to add a spade connector to a connector block for the earth for the window switches. This must have started to not be such a good connection, so I've routed it around the connector block and all seems fine now.

I ordered new switches off ebay and they arrived as I was putting it all back together so I changed them to be safe.

I now have windows that open again!

I'm still loving this little sh*tbox, despite this pain of an issue to sort out.

I think the next thing to sort us rear speakers but still would like some BC Racing coilovers and alloys.

It's just a shame that the arb's were not to be though.

Kirkynut
 
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6x9's ordered for the rear shelf, along with some spacers to mount them in on top of the shelf instead of in it.

I've researched the wiring off of the little yellow and white plug behind the side panel in the boot and will make up a little loom from that to them as getting the original wiring from a car with speakers in a parcel shelf was going to mean paying for a shelf too, when I have an idea for a retro look for mine. It's not tricky, I was just being lazy!

Kirkynut
 
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