step one... making my slx a super s

CMF_tris

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ok.. ill admit.. im jealous of all of you out there with a super s... after a mate (campbell) brought home a super s i decided to start to transfor my slx into a super s.

last night started on the mud guards. went to auto one, got some paint that matched ($40 pressed into a can.. pretty good i thought) sanded them up primed them and painted and then thick clear coat over the top.

dried them up over night and put them on today!

they look much better than i expected... the colour matched perfect.. just needs to get a little bit dirty to match exactly

heres some pics...

next up is mirrors, then maybe front bar (unless i buy a super s one with fog lights) and rear bar to get rid of the black bump strip. then all i need is sunroof and rear disks!!
 

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smidge

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nice work mate! i used to work at autobarn and still press up those cans myself... pretty useful! although i'm itching to learn how to use a gun with 2k in it properly for jobs like this! just to get to that next level...
 

CMF_sportsclassic

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hey tris, if you remember a while back i was getting some super s rear wings made of fiberglass, the guy has been stuffing me around for 6 months, but he has finally made a mould, shouldnt be too long now.
i will post up some pics of the wings when i have one finished, thats another step to converting yours to a super s!
 

CMF_tris

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hahah... yeah maybe just weld the doors shut!!

sports - id be more interested in a bonnet cos mine got walked over by some drunk **** and its all ruined...

smidge - yeah would like to get it tinted.. gets a bit hot in the sun.. but i duno if i can justify spending $220 after im bout to fork out heaps for the rest of my exhaust.. can you DIY tint?? without it ****ing up that is...
 

CMF_tris

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ps... anyone painted their door handles?? im pretty keen to make them blue too... will give it a bit more class and make it non-charade spec... pics would be sick!
 

smidge

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tris: i'd DIY them with the glass out (easy!) but the rear window might be a little difficult...

had been thinking about doing it for a video...
 

smidge

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also tris if you want to stock up on that paint, next time i'm mixing some up i'll make you a can or two (probly get two or three cans for how much you paid last time) as i still get staff/trade price

might be worth the drive to bankstown anyway

let me know! i painted the rear hatch handle with can and it still looks fine
 

CMF_asdame

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keep up the good work tris ;P

i installed a super s spoiler on my pre-facelift 98 1.3 SLX and colour matched the bumpers/boot handle (black plastic was an eyesore), repositioned rear wipers and just put in clear side indicators. looks mint now :)
 

CMF_asdame

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keep up the good work tris ;P

i installed a super s spoiler on my pre-facelift 98 1.3 SLX and colour matched the bumpers/boot handle (black plastic was an eyesore), repositioned rear wipers and just put in clear side indicators. looks mint now :)
 

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CMF_LonePhantom

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Good stuff! :)

I painted my door handles myself when I bought my Micra. Had to get new ones because the ones on the car were almost crashed all the way through.

I think I like the rear spoiler you have on you car currently more than the Super S one.
 

CMF_tris

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smidge WROTE:

"also tris if you want to stock up on that paint, next time i'm mixing some up i'll make you a can or two (probly get two or three cans for how much you paid last time) as i still get staff/trade price<BR><BR>might be worth the drive to bankstown anyway<BR><BR>let me know! i painted the rear hatch handle with can and it still looks fine
Click to expand...

that would be sick smidge!! cos i got plans for much more... including bumpers and i need a new bonnet so maybe if im feeling lucky ill do that myself too....

asdame WROTE:

"keep up the good work tris ;P<BR><BR>i installed a super s spoiler on my pre-facelift 98 1.3 SLX and colour matched the bumpers/boot handle (black plastic was an eyesore), repositioned rear wipers and just put in clear side indicators. looks mint now :)
Click to expand...

that looks mad!! did you use a plastic paint for the bumpers?? a mate told me that you need to use a paint that stretches so that when the plastic bends or shrinks/expands it doesnt crack?? cos for the guards i just used propper car paint.. for metal.. with thick top clear coat.. ill havt to see how it holds up!
 

CMF_asdame

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cheers tris. i like to keep my visual tweeks subtle and focus more on handling/performance side

i just used BS9 metallic blue turquoise spray paint from dealership £6 a small can. i simply sanded smooth the black plastic, clean with thinners, primered > painted > laquered the boot handle.

the bumpers were simply sanded, masked then painted. couldn't be bothered to laquer the bumper at the time, no probs yet.

 

CMF_tris

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ahh k sweet!!

yeah im the same.. not going for looks realy.. just thought that 40 bucks here and there would make a huge difference to the overall appearance, as i gota admit, they dont look like a great car at first glance... haha
 

CMF_tris

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mmm probably wana keep it looking stock tho... make it a hell sleeper but just look nice in that all the paint is in good condition and no black bump strips that make it look like a ****ty charade or something.

wana get rid of those wheels... there too 'not stock'. i might spray them black.. or look into getting a new set that arent so bright and different haha.

thanks for the offer tho ay!!
 

CMF_tris

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just thinking while im on the topic i mayaswell write up bout my new suspension bits....

put in a 20mm whiteline rear swaybar bout 2 weeks ago -

it felt much stiffer round corners, maybe could be a little more. but for a street car its good. was thinking that i should realy get the front cos it still had a bit of body roll and was understeering under power alot and it just didnt feel right.however on its way was my castor kit aswell...

whiteline castor/anti lift kit -

after putting this in there is no sign of understeer, car seems neutral in that its not front or rear end happy. handles prefectly, bit sketchy in the wet but i can probably blame my year old tyres for that... still need to get a wheel alignment tho. oh and no rub on the front wheel arch at all aswell which i was sort of expecting after moving the position of the wheel.

overall very pleased with the outcome.. cost me 190 for sway and 115 for the castor kit. not to much money for a very big difference.

one problem.... will need the whiteline link kit soon as i can see cracks forming in the stock links.... :(
so anyone got a set they dont want anymore? cos there pretty exe from whiteline...

 

smidge

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Grille $45
Primer $5
Paint $30 (if you want it can'ed to your paint code, no guarantees it will be perfect match)
Mesh $10
My Time $90 (about 2-3 hours work)

$180

or $150 in primer to paint yourself...
 

smidge

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turbo: in other words, its not worth doing unless people wanna pay for my time

$30 an hour is pretty cheap i thought :D

and a grand IS too expensive for a 'hacked up' turbo kit...
 

CMF_asdame

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hey tris

mine also has a 22mm front and 20mm rear swaybar and yea its one of the best mod ever, completely transforms how the car feels.

the old paperclip bars were awful at high speed as it just understeers and tyres judder towards to opposite kerbside till you slow down to regain grip.

after the new bars, geez it's suddenly a go-kart :)

medium & high speed cornering with light/med throttle and smooth steering is a pleasure, it just turns with neutral balance and remains flat.

powering hard into a tight corner obviously makes it understeer a little as it deals with longitudinal and lateral stresses beyond the tyres grip with a front heavy fwd car (i'm on avon cr322 tyres which grip ok but i think that a balanced handling is needed first before upping the grip levels).
smooth driving technique is essential here i believe.

lifting the throttle under high speed corners gives a slight oversteer (especially with a hard rear bar setting or rain), surprising at first but soon got used to it. (but still a butt clenching experience :p )

tight corners with medium throttle and yanking the wheel makes it turn sharply before the rear oversteers at the corner exit (depends on rear swaybar setting, rain and tyre pressure) and you countersteer. tis real fun

like other people, i prefer to keep the rear 22mm bar set in the middle hole cos the hard setting is too twitchy. front/rear tyre pressure balance also has a big effect. mines 2.5bar front and 2.2bar rear at the mo

tris i must also point, the rear bar tends to drift to one side after few days where the bar ends knock on the trailing arms. so i've clamped on some pvc tube bits near the bushes to keep it centered

also the poly bushes tends to squeeze out the grease, drys up and seizes over time. i often needed to clean n regrease em every few weeks. so i recently tried using silicone lube spray instead, hope it lasts longer

the rusted nuts on the old swaybar drop links were a bugger to get off, had to dremel opposite corners off the nut and chisel it off. then i simply regreased the link joints, retapped the threads, new nuts and hey presto
wasn't willing to spend $$$ on a whiteline balljoint droplink thats the same as the original
 

CMF_tris

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wow.... thanks for the advice asdame

yeah ive found a knocking sound developing in the rear... i tightened it all up after driving for a few days and after that it started.. im guessing its the same problem you have... i also noticed the mounts smearing grease along the bar which would mean that they are slipping. maybe ill have to try your method ay!! did you just put the pvc pipe on the bar next to the mount so that when it moves across it is stopped by the bend??

I also used a ****load of grease in the bushes... but ill have to check out in a few weeks if its dried out...

so your running the stock drop links aswell?? what part of them breaks on most?? cos ive found the cracks around where the thin rod joins to the swaybar mount.. if you understand what i mean... almost as if its the weld cracking if there is one? how could i fix that problem? withuogh buying new, stronger links?

thanks, tris
 

CMF_asdame

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hey

sounds like ur bar is sliding across yeah
check or measure the gap between the swaybar/droplink ends and the suspension trailing arm/handbrake cable, should be equal. mine used to shift across and bang on the nearest handbrake cable when i go over speed bumps.

pic here shows my solution
 

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CMF_asdame

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i used loadsa all types of grease too from supplied white gheu, lithium & copper grease and now silicone lube.
cos of how tight the bushes are clamped in, over time the knurled inner surface of the new bush (prob to help retain the grease) gets worn smooth and then the grease just gets squeezed out under the constant pressure and whenever the bars move.
when grease runs out, the polyurethane just clings tight to the bar.

you could check by unbolting and detaching the droplinks from the swaybar (even without jacking up the car), and try to move the bar ends up n down. if still lubed, both ends should just about move together.

using stock original droplinks here. ain't noticed any faults with em when i cleaned em. just alot of crud n rust over the 10yrs.

here's a pic of em cleaned up
 

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CMF_tris

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next step....

MIRRORS!!

first one done, looks pretty cool, havnt seen it in the day yet though on the car but it looks like it matches alright in the photos!

next one gonna start tomorow then door handles.

didnt realise how satisfying painting with cans is.... as apposed to brushing.... im having alot of fun hah
 

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CMF_tris

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naa not yet.. as you probably know.. its been raining in syd.. dont wana be driving round with holes all over my car where ive been taking **** off haha... had to stuff a plastic bag in my mirror hole all day haha.... but yeah ill probably do that with the door handles!

do you know how to take the handles off?? or anyone??

 

smidge

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yeah, door trim off, then a small 10mm socket onto the two nuts that hold it on

then fold out the metal rod that pulls the door mechanism

will make sense when you've got em out!

sound deaden your doors while you're at it...
 

CMF_Pyro

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I also tried to make mine a super s, i have the seats, the tacho, and painted the rear hatch handle, bumpstrips on the side and doorhandles. Still have to do the mirrors, and get the spoiler. Im pretty tired of all the painting though, it takes so much time, and have so little... But it is one of the best things I did to the exterior of the car.

Talking about painting the mirrors, is there a way to separate the part that sticks on the door, from the part that holds the mirror? I remember I couldn't get the two apart.
 

CMF_asdame

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excellent job tris

great minds think alike :) we have the same model n colour n kit
that's BS9 turquise right?

aye tis great how spray cans turn summin dull into a shiny piece of art

stayed late at me m8s tday playing consoles and so have to drive back home on a sunday midnight. deserted roads, tis fun for testin this wee runner. cane it round corners and it just sticks, luv it.

pyro
its been awhile since takin mine apart so bear with me. the mirror mechanism is held together by an outer/inner cable system similar to bicycles, and a spring tensioner behind the swivellin mirror clip.

unscrew the swivel mech from the mirror casing. at the back, unhook the outer cable from their support to relieve the tension before unhooking the inner cable from the adjustment handle.

then the mirror could be seperated apart
 

CMF_tris

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LonePhantom WROTE:

"Mirrors looking great too. I think it looks fine with the black part because it matches up with the window trim. <BR><BR>Great work! :)
Click to expand...

yeah i agree!! thats why i left it black!makes it look more factory too

thanks!

Pyro WROTE:

"<BR><BR>Talking about painting the mirrors, is there a way to separate the part that sticks on the door, from the part that holds the mirror? I remember I couldn't get the two apart.
Click to expand...

nope... unless you are willing to take the mirror out and pull all the interior of the mirror out... much easier just to tape it up!!

 

CMF_deNs

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There's a little clip behind the window winder that you need to pull out in order to remove the winder. If you get between the trim and the handle you should be able to see it. You can either push it out from one side or pull it out with a hook. Don't lose them though ;)

---dens
 

smidge

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flat head screw driver does the trick too...

don't be scared of yanking the door trim off with the plastic clips that are there, they rarely break... micra trims are pretty easy to get off and dirt cheap to replace if you stuff em up!
 
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