K11 Restoration Plan

Hey Guys. Earlier this year me and my partner decided its time to let my deceased mothers car rest, and for us to get a more motorway friendly larger car. We now have a Focus Saloon which I have fallen in love with.

I posted on MSC Facebook that I would be working to a 10 year timeline, which I think is realistic to my budget and time. I am hopeless mechanically but electronically I am a boss.

Here is my breakdown - If you think I need anything flipping around please let me know. I want to keep as much of the original motor as possible. I wont be doing any upgrades on the motor, I wont be putting a turbo etc. I just want it back to Factory default to make my mother happy. I will not be selling this car for as long as I live.

Year 1&2 (Engine & Bay)
- Replace Engine mounts
- Dismantle engine, replacing broken parts and cleaning every part
- Sort the minor oil leak (suspected its the rocker gasket) [DONE]
- replace cross members
- fit revometer [DONE]
- replace broken ass radiator
- Replace clutch

Year 3 (Protection)
- While engine is out clean the engine bay, protect under carrage against rust etc

Year 4 (Brakes, Exhaust, Suspension)
- Replace whole brake system (inc front to back cables)
- Replace whole exhaust for new, possibly a 4-2-1 manifold and a nice sounding but not loud exhaust. [BACKBOX REPLACED]
- Replace whole suspension system

Year 5 (Bumpers & interior)
- Get SR bumpers painted black(or red)
- Replace door cars with custom graphics (Things mum liked)
- Clean the original seats, maybe re-upholster
- Replace sill on the sunroof
- Fit Fog lights (or SuperS bumpers)
- Replace switches for demister/fog/4way
- Clean whole interior carpet

Year 6&7 (Doors, locks & bodywork)
- Replace both doors
- Remove door plastics
- Change door locks
- Get Electric Windows
- Remove boot lock (so only internal paddle works)
- Sort out front wing dent
- De Wiper rear [DONE]
- Sort out all dents, scratches, and scuffs
- Find & fit a roof rack (again super jealous of people who have this:mad:)
- Fit small rear spoiler, nothing massive or ugly, maybe a small wrap-around [DONE]
- Fit custom grille, maybe some mesh, looking at the Nismo grille with the center cut out. [DONE]
- Something different from the steelies I have at the moment, I've seen some of you rocking 5 prongs which looks nice. Maybe some K11 Facelift rims on?
- Replace both number plates

Years 8&9 (Windows & Audio)
- Tint rear 3 windows
- Re-wire front door speakers (upgraded wiring) & replace with Vibe Slicks
- Replace parcel shelf [DONE]
- Amp & sub in, Audio down drivers, power down passengers [DONE]
- Sunstrip across windsheild.
- Get Tweeter Pillars in
 

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h701micra

Deactivated Account
I like the plan :)
Good luck to you. Plenty of info on here to help you through.
10 years is a long while to do it. The only thing I'd do is spend some time first collecting parts. 10 years later and there might not be much to pick at
 
Update - Got friendly with an upholstererer who is now sorting my seats out and door cards :) A nice two tone design, simple yet elegant. Also I've found a local lad who races Micra's, so naturally he is my parts guy aha :') Also! - got very friendly with a couple who cover all aspects of spraying, his misses is more into fine detail and airbrushing, and he is just a professional quality spray artist. So! - The whole entire Dashboard out and ready to get sprayed and protected, aswell as all plastic parts within the car will now be black. From my parts guy I have got a set of SR bumpers (with Fog Lights etc) and side skirts too. Would be silly not to buy his 4-2-1 Manifold and 3.5" exhaust system :') aha - things are really coming on nicely. Wanting to hoist the engine out so replace the front crossmember and sort the front suspension. Engine is sound, we've replaced spark plugs, filters, leads, everything! Even gave the old girl a nice clean :') Head Gaskets off to be sprayed :) along with some top plastics :) Looking for a professional style air intake, I think the mushroom type or cone type air filter look silly, need to find a plastic box or something that fits into the current bay that could house it. So much to do, such little time.

My partner has gone sick too, since May she has been ill enough to not work, however she can't get ESA or anything else, so all of my money is now going on bills :/ However when payday is, £50-£100 WILL go on the car. every month, without doubt.

Cheap ace parts are welcome guys :')

Was also thinking of having something on the car that describes a list of people who helped me out with the car, as some sort of memorial. I've been looking into things I can do with my mothers ashes in the car too, I'm going all in on this one. I'm sure my next Micra will be a rag about :') aha

Also - De wipered this month too :') 1KG lost :')
 
Also found this little beauty on Ebay :') £5 posted :') Works a treat! 10 points if you work out which is the old card :')
 

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funky2nite

Ex. Club Member
I frickin envy your restoration plan matey! My effort has plunged to a darn halt since a year or so ago, when it was broken in by these junkies cos used to work near to their detox clinic. But hands down been dreaming of allocating that much quid for the k11 and get the guts to restore it. I try to do a ton of stuff by myself but normally end up needing assistance, although I get heaps off here. Im sure everyone would stare me in the face if I let them know about restoring the k11 (panel beaters/ mechanics) cos as you all know on paper its not worth a dime. But in reality I love the robustness of its engine it's a pioneered effort in auto manufacturing.

Do you guys have the possibility of opting for a 'classic' car title in the UK?

Here in Malta a car must be 35yo or over and be majorly in stock spec plus in good nick, and once it gets classified as such, annual license fee becomes a joke. But apart from that, a restored stock micra IMHO I think deserves a sterling title of being a classic. mine turned 21 this year.
 
Hey funky2nite, Thanks. I have spent a while thinking about the Micra which was my mums and how I'd like to take it back to Factory default with some subtle mods. I don't have alot of spare money each month, I tend to try and do two things a month towards getting the car done, when money is tight I tend to do easy things like this month I'm doing the grille into a Nismo style one, I've got a friend who is amazing who helps me with it all, he brings vast knowledge and has saved the car and myself from myself :L For a classic car in the UK I think its 25 or 30 years, so mine's half way there already :3 Love your dash btw, I want mine doing in brite white, but maybe fit a dimmer :? i'm not sure.
 
I've just updated the first post showing what's being done / done, I think my timescale was incorrect greatly, however it all works towards the same goal :') Need a blooming garage!
 
Here's the work done on the Grille. It was just an original grille but I wanted a Nismo style. So I've dremmel'd the middle out, fibre glassed it and now the long job of sanding it back :')
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Another update - The grille is nearly done, all holes are filled in, just need sanding down. Also I've sprayed my blocks black again (just for the shiny effect) I've also sprayed the needles yellow to make them stand out, was also getting bored of the manky white they had gone. Pics to come when its installed :)
 
I'm so lucky! My friend who lives local (and breaks Micras) sold me SR seats & Bumpers for £30 all in :')

Almost cried. Got the seats fitted and the new clocks after some paint. Here are some photos of the parts in my front room. Spoiler should be attached tomorrow, and bumpers hopefully soon too! Grille will be added when bumper is done. The only issue I have is the bumper lights, I don't have anyway to turn them on (without changing stalks) So I am considering cutting the H4 power to the main head lights and adding those onto the circuit, so when the headlights are on dipped, the bumper lights will be too, however when I do full beams, the bumpers wont get brighter. (hope that makes sense) - I have to do some research to the H4 bulbs. 3 contacts, which I think is Ground, Power1 (dipped) and Power2 (main beams) - I'll only need the Ground & Power 1. But anyway here are the terrible photos taking up most of my front room, more photos when attached to the car :')
 

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Got my LED lights for the boot :) Anyone else put them where they are on the other picture?
 

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Didn't like the thought of spending an hour wiring up those LED strips in the boot, along with hiding wire with existing wiring so I replaced the 501 in the boot with a LED bulb, Much brighter, aswell as my interior light too!
 

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Also tomorrow (Hopefully) going to attempt to kill the Dip Dim Issues which makes my LED sidelights look crap. I've found a few different posts on here about the Dip Dim setup. This is my collection of information which you might need. The Dip Dim box is a cigarette pack sized grey box located in the drivers footwell not too far away from the fusebox. It has two connections (1 x 4 pin and 1 x 6 pin). Photo attached is my notes so I don't look like a mong sat there with my iPad. All you have to do is connect pins 1&5, and 3&6. This should mean when you have your car ignition turned on and the sidelights turned on (light stalk pos 1) the H4's wont dimmly come on, they will stay off meaning your side lights will be on alone :) Horrah! I'll let you know if it works well tomorrow (Hopefully...)

Also the other two photos are from another user on here who helped massively with uncovering the issue and how to bypass.
 

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Got the spoiler back, this is the sparkle :) The Grille is nearly done, just getting some more lacquer :)
 

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Grille is done today, hopefully putting on the car today. Also got some adhesive for the spoiler as I don't have the mounts :/
You don't need the mounts for the spoilers mate, I've glued a few on using stixal, never had a problem.
Also you need to cut the bolts on the spoiler to get it to sit correctly, then stick the bolts as well.
 
They normally have two bolts at the top, and two butterfly fittings on the sides, the side ones are stuck on anyway.
That makes it an easy fit mate. They are stuck on in 4 places, look for the old glue lines and use them.
Leave a gap on the top line of glue to let water run out. You'll see a small opening on the top for this.
 
I have looked and found this regarding mounts, just finding the clips or just going to stick it on :?
 

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Right guys, long time and no posting. I've recently moved back to Nottingham after my partner of 5 years was unfaithful. This is a good move for me as I have time to save hard and have a garage too! This is the progress, I've stripped the bumpers, boot trim, interior except the dash and drivers seat, front end halfway done, all light clusters off, bonnet. Photo's show alot. The plan is keep stripping until the car can be sent off to get the rust sorted.
 

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A little more on the stripping, Progress is slow because, well its cold af. I am hoping to have it not finished but road worthy in July for Japshow so some of you can see my little runabout :')

Apologies for all the rubbish, however he does have a friend in Crime, the Henry :')

Also in other news I've been helping my friend get her Mini back on the road after a rear end crash.
 

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Unfortunately in September of 2017 I moved in with my friend to help save money over a short period of time. The place he had chosen did not feature a garage, so the Micra went to a lovely chap from Sheffield. I hope to own a Preface 1.3 LX/SLX/SuperS one day!

Thanks to everyone who paid attention, came and helped me and most of all, kept the cigarettes coming!
 
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