• Please only use these forums for blogs, they are not a discussion forum

K10 First Car "Build"

Eventually decided to do a thread for my Micra, partly for those who may be interested but mainly because I'm starting to forget how I got from where I started to where I am now. This can be my reminder. So. Got my K10 back in April 2014 (When I was 15) for £400 + £120 auctioneer fees. 2 owners, 61,000 miles, 1.0 4 Speed LS in mint and 100% original condition. Bought it with the intention of modifying, upgrading and simply making her perfect when I start driving in September this year and probably pass my test in early 2016. Time wasn't and still isn't my enemy :)...
 
Not a bad find :D
 

Attachments

  • 1432762356716.jpg
    1432762356716.jpg
    128.6 KB · Views: 606
  • 1432762381881.jpg
    1432762381881.jpg
    93.1 KB · Views: 593
First call was to repair the leaky offside headlight, lower with -35mm springs, get some "bright white" bulbs from TKMAXX, and some numberplate light upgrades.

Now one headlight is better than the other. Which still pisses me off
 

Attachments

  • 1432762534462.jpg
    1432762534462.jpg
    32 KB · Views: 541
  • 1432762569298.jpg
    1432762569298.jpg
    99.9 KB · Views: 531
  • 1432762598300.jpg
    1432762598300.jpg
    13.8 KB · Views: 591
  • 1432762622486.jpg
    1432762622486.jpg
    36.9 KB · Views: 547
Bought some wheels, waited months for paint and tyres which have just been done. For the meantime I borrowed some 5 spokes from Mums Honda Beat. Yes, my Mum is cool :p Borrowed the wheels because my old 155 tyres were, well, terrifying, old and worn
 

Attachments

  • 1432762827654.jpg
    1432762827654.jpg
    83.5 KB · Views: 514
  • 1432762901270.jpg
    1432762901270.jpg
    59.7 KB · Views: 585
  • 1432762983435.jpg
    1432762983435.jpg
    75.7 KB · Views: 612
Aside from odds and sods, a passenger side wing mirror, carpets, not much happened till Christmas. A nice, shiny stainless exhaust fabricated from the manifold back (Will post link to exhaust vid next)

Painted my wipers and mud flaps aswell. Its all coming back to me xD
 

Attachments

  • 1432763181484.jpg
    1432763181484.jpg
    61.6 KB · Views: 572
Exhaust video:

Then found that the -35mm springs were soft and the wheels scrubbed every now and then. Fixed that with spring assistors :)
 

Attachments

  • 1432763365478.jpg
    1432763365478.jpg
    56.5 KB · Views: 572
Happy with the exterior I moved onto the interior with a MOMO tuner steering wheel, MOMO Nero gear knob, and some half leathers from a Legacy Turbo that was Dads breaker (One is electric, a little hint of luxury).

Went from this:
 

Attachments

  • 1432763531502.jpg
    1432763531502.jpg
    46.2 KB · Views: 570
Found out the car understeered.. a lot. So bought a strut brace to resolve this issue. I've no idea if its worked but it looks cool. Got sick of a mucky engine bay, scrubbed and jetted it, will be doing the same to the underside and wheel arches at some point.

Then bought some apparently mega rare square side repeaters because I think the circle ones are a bit ugly. Personal preference..
 

Attachments

  • 1432763724740.jpg
    1432763724740.jpg
    83.9 KB · Views: 526
  • 1432763739967.jpg
    1432763739967.jpg
    86.7 KB · Views: 611
  • 1432763761541.jpg
    1432763761541.jpg
    32 KB · Views: 600
Last edited:
Finally got my ENKEI's painted Gloss Black, then bought some Yokohama A539 to go around them and made them fit safely with spigot rings. Looks gorgeous I reckon. Will have to invest in coilovers one day to fix that arch gap though :p
 

Attachments

  • 1432763975439.jpg
    1432763975439.jpg
    101.6 KB · Views: 570
  • 1432763993358.jpg
    1432763993358.jpg
    45.1 KB · Views: 575
  • 1432764010170.jpg
    1432764010170.jpg
    82.2 KB · Views: 600
  • 1432764024002.jpg
    1432764024002.jpg
    58.9 KB · Views: 541
  • 1432764044386.jpg
    1432764044386.jpg
    57.2 KB · Views: 583
  • 1432764061221.jpg
    1432764061221.jpg
    81 KB · Views: 512
Latest modification was a Sony 55w stereo which will be connected to a single 4" Pioneer 60w speaker temporarily, when it arrives on Friday. Can't wait for the bass hahahaha, no. Stereo looks good!

Keeping all my old bits just incase I can take them into Antiques Roadshow in 50 years and make a fortune.
 

Attachments

  • 1432764286241.jpg
    1432764286241.jpg
    39.1 KB · Views: 552
Car gets washed every weekend, valeted probably once a month and polished about the same, even if it only travels a mile a week, or a mile a month. I don't care, I love cleaning her. She's well looked after!

Decided I'd had enough and was starting to get bored. Beautiful looking car, just missing something in the form of spoiler, skirts and arch trims. Yes, I'm on the hunt for a Super S kit. That's about where my build ends now. Looking for parts.

Refurbing bumpers with sand paper and paint will be the next job. But have pretty grand(ish) plans for the future :) I'll keep you/myself posted xD
 

h701micra

Deactivated Account
There's 1 rule about car suspension in regards to understeer/oversteer
"Its always opposite to what you think" :)
Rear brace (or better, stiffer rear springs) for that understeer

Good to see you've made a blog though, will keep an eye on it :)
 
Quick update. Went on a bit of a black streak. Bought a new bumper that was stored, so not perfect but can't complain for £20. Decided I'd paint my tow eyes while my bumper was off. That turned into painting both sides of the panel next to the rad, both sides of the cross section under the tow eyes and the bar that the bumper mounts onto (insert proper names). These were all painted matt black but I clear coated my tow eyes.

Why did I paint? Tow eye paint was naff and it bothered me that you could see the rust through the bumper. That's gone, I'm happy.
 

Attachments

  • 1436957961089.jpg
    1436957961089.jpg
    80 KB · Views: 536
  • 1436957984198.jpg
    1436957984198.jpg
    54.7 KB · Views: 538
  • 1436957999001.jpg
    1436957999001.jpg
    65.7 KB · Views: 539
  • 1436958052554.jpg
    1436958052554.jpg
    57.8 KB · Views: 540
Pictures are a bit naff. Phone quality and black doesn't go well. Looks great I reckon :)
 

Attachments

  • 1436958328552.jpg
    1436958328552.jpg
    60.9 KB · Views: 526
  • 1436958342479.jpg
    1436958342479.jpg
    56.1 KB · Views: 548
  • 1436958352260.jpg
    1436958352260.jpg
    29.8 KB · Views: 547
  • 1436958362325.jpg
    1436958362325.jpg
    71.6 KB · Views: 537
Damping and spring load adjustable coilovers at the ready, courtesy of www.brightsparkracing.co.uk They look good aswell!

Rears on. Lowered -50mm, could do with raising ever so slightly and rolling my arches. 185mm width tyres are pretty unforgiving. Not to worry. The rear coilovers are fantastic! Very stiff and can be easily softened, perfect. Fronts and arch rolling another day :)
 

Attachments

  • 1445781301901.jpg
    1445781301901.jpg
    46.9 KB · Views: 483
  • 1445781312641.jpg
    1445781312641.jpg
    51.4 KB · Views: 476
I thought I'd forgotten something. Wanted to replace my rear arch trims but Nissan charge £48 each?! Decided I'd work with what I had. Paint, cleaning up the factory adhesive and tigre seal them back on, took a while. But I like the 'original' look, worth it. Don't see them on so much anymore :)
 

Attachments

  • 1445800862208.jpg
    1445800862208.jpg
    31.3 KB · Views: 499
I think you were elsewhere. Didn't even know it was yours. Went blue so quick! Looks bob on. Doesn't even look patchy :) There's a good handful that are with you on that one!
 
New wing mirrors courtesy of Reece Moore and it's completely changed the look of the car, in my opinion. Happy with these.
 

Attachments

  • 1446125058293.jpg
    1446125058293.jpg
    58.8 KB · Views: 507
  • 1446125075362.jpg
    1446125075362.jpg
    67.8 KB · Views: 494
  • 1446125113950.jpg
    1446125113950.jpg
    76.5 KB · Views: 525
Looking good! What coilovers did you use mate? Also hows the ride? I have some K11 front coilovers on mine and the ride is quite harsh

all revealed in this very thread. GAZ


Damping and spring load adjustable coilovers at the ready, courtesy of www.brightsparkracing.co.uk They look good aswell!

Rears on. Lowered -50mm, could do with raising ever so slightly and rolling my arches. 185mm width tyres are pretty unforgiving. Not to worry. The rear coilovers are fantastic! Very stiff and can be easily softened, perfect. Fronts and arch rolling another day :)

EDIT, and I forgot to say tastefully done so far.
I've seen a lot of K10's ruined on this forum over the years.
 
Last edited:
(Quick update) Had some fun with polish. A few nicks, chips and scratches here and there. But I think it's a typical case of if you own the car and know where the naff bits are they stick out like a sore thumb. Doesn't look bad for 24 year old paint though I don't think.
 

Attachments

  • 1449406364415.jpg
    1449406364415.jpg
    83.2 KB · Views: 513
  • 1449406383262.jpg
    1449406383262.jpg
    54.9 KB · Views: 451
Once again, had some fun with some polish. Also clay clothed the paint to remove any contamination in the lacquer. Shiny.
 

Attachments

  • 1452272993864.jpg
    1452272993864.jpg
    29.6 KB · Views: 488
  • 1452273025156.jpg
    1452273025156.jpg
    84.6 KB · Views: 496
  • 1452273055600.jpg
    1452273055600.jpg
    70.1 KB · Views: 466
  • 1452273081695.jpg
    1452273081695.jpg
    79.2 KB · Views: 472
Number plate illuminator units painted, spoiler painted and fitted. Not too sure at the mo, looks a bit much. I'll get used to it, can't grumble, came with all the fittings which is a rare thing nowadays.

Ignore the photo quality.
 

Attachments

  • 1453828035449.jpg
    1453828035449.jpg
    22.9 KB · Views: 445
  • 1453828046471.jpg
    1453828046471.jpg
    35.5 KB · Views: 479
  • 1453828063903.jpg
    1453828063903.jpg
    42.8 KB · Views: 458
  • 1453828078820.jpg
    1453828078820.jpg
    42.2 KB · Views: 444
New 2.25" x 10.5" x 300lb springs to replace the 8" springs in the front coilovers. Can finally have a little more than a -25mm drop. Rear arches need work though to make room for the 185 tyres.
 

Attachments

  • 1457453993044.jpg
    1457453993044.jpg
    57.6 KB · Views: 359
What exhaust is on yours? I know it's custom but how many silencers etc and how loud is it?
Just stainless pipe into a back box. Can't remember the exact measurements but I think it's a 2" pipe into a 2.5" pipe, then into the back box and a 3.5" outward rolled tip. I'd probably say about as loud as your K11 was at Japshow Finale. Maybe a tad louder. It's not shouty at all but can definitely be heard from a good half mile down the road with your foot down. We'll have to have a mini meet somewhere and I'll show you :)
 
Oh aye so just a back box?
Nice, I'll probably just straight pipe the rear section of the exhaust :)

Definitely, if my coilies get fitted before the end of easter I'll come over
 
Tub of 549 Silver mixed up, just need a small brush and I'll touch in stone chips and rusted areas. Get her minted up a bit.
 

Attachments

  • 1458838896186.jpg
    1458838896186.jpg
    35.3 KB · Views: 300
  • 1458838907216.jpg
    1458838907216.jpg
    33.6 KB · Views: 284
Top