Tonight I decided to take bockers petrol cap refurb thread and action it. My cap was looking pretty poorly and did not do the overall look of the car any justice - it made it look old!

So ......

Got in after a networking/tour session at The Morgan Motor Company at 7pm (pictures at the end for those interested) and got straight to it (this pleased the wife no end - of course I chose the deaf routine and continued regardless like any husband would).

Stage 1 - The application of Nitromors

Stage 2 - Clean off the Nitromors with wire wool
Stage 3 - Wipe clean with white spirits
Stage 4 - Polish with Autosol and wire wool

Stage 5 - Polish with Autosol and cloth

Stage 6 - Polish with wax


I'm very pleased with the results, thanks to bockers, much appreciated advice.

Nice Aero Morgan



If any of you guys would like to visit the Morgan Factory as a group day out, let me know and I can arrange

Phil

Update - 4 weeks in!

Bought and fitted the front FIAT bonnet badge.

Had the cam sensor replaced

Had a new boost controller fitted in the dash (clock replacement)

Bought and fitted another set of front tower LED's CLICK HERE

Bought and fitted rear brake/running light tower LED's CLICK HERE

Bought and fitted rear high level brake light LED's CLICK HERE

No real problems doing this, really quite easy (how I like it ) the only adjustment needed was for the rear high level plastic as the new LED's would not fit through the holes when reassembling the unit. Just needed a 6 mm drill bit to widen, carried out by hand, no need for a drill.

Pictures below - will take some night shots later. I think the lights are now definitely 'red 'er' than they were and of course the on/off times is a lot faster than the filament type.

No need to fit the resistors supplied with the rear running light tower's. Fully tested, no problems and no strange light on dash.

Front LED tower


Before fitting (501 ultra bright 'blue' filament bulbs were in before)


After fitting


Rear - after fitting - lights on


Rear - brake lights on

Lights at night - good job I did this, as it looks like I will need to fit the resistors as the high level brake shows at night (not in day) with the sidelights on!!!

Trouble is, don't know which wires (two on resistor and three from brake lamp in car) to fit the resistor wires to???

Front side light LED's only


Rears on side light - note the power leak to the high level


Brake lights on


Close up of side light on


I hope this helps others decide on whether this mod is worthwhile.

It's good to document what's been spent every now and again. As from the end of Oct 2009 my costs have been....

Costs to date:
Refurb turbo, Rocker gasket, New centre console facia, fix door, fit door strap - £680.00
20VT mats - £40.00
Leather Interior - £120.00 incl. delivery
Custom 'cat-back' - £250
Purchase boost gauge - £20.00
Refurbed LE wheels with nearly new tyres - £300.00
New thermostat & Forge recirc valve - £130.00
New cam sensor and fault diagnosis - £30.00
New LED dome side lights £10.00
New rear cluster LED's - £10.00
New rear dome LED's for brake/side lights - £25.00
New oil filter - £6.00

Total - £1621

Next week
Custom map - £145.00
New Brembo's and rear calipers - £120.00
Rolling road - £60.00
New wipers - £12.00

Total - £337.00

Free Stuff
Scrub the carpets when the old cloth interior came out - £0.00
Work on body work to bring back to 'as new' - £0.00
Clean up the entire engine bay £0.00

Still needed
Original Clarion HU - ????
New discs all round - £120.00
New Airbox - £25.00
HID kit - £70.00

Total - £215.00

Sold
Old 20VT wheels - £100.00
Old cloth interior - off to eBay soon

Total Cost = £2173.00

Cost of car =£675.00

Minus sold = £100.00

GRAND TOTAL =£2748.00

Mmmmm, wonder where it'll be by summer next year

Hi Patch

Like the led lights - do they pass MOT regs OK before I invest in some?

Yes they will spookone

More stuff done ... this is getting a little bit addictive!

Decided that the window B-Pillars and window frames were looking a little worse for wear.

I had already bought some newly painted B-Pillars from the forum, but, I'd thought I'd give it a go 'in-situ', if this did not work, then I would fit the refurbed ones.

Luckily, I had some Plasticote satin and primer in the garage and some wet & dry sandpaper.

(a) Sandpaper the entire area
(b) rub a thin layer of 'fairy liquid' over the 20VT badge and the key socket - carefully
(c) Mask off the car
(d) Spray primer - 3 thin coats
(e) Spray top coat satin - 4 thin coats
(f) Wait to dry (30 mins) - Dodging the rain
(g) Rub off paint on 20VT/key socket - used a stanley blade (back of) to remove the tricky bits
(h) Wash down area - rub off over-spray with t-cut
(i) Use the back of stanley blade to remove overspray in nooks and crannies
(j) Stand back and admire

Finished job




I now have for sale 2 newley painted B-Pillars (no badges) if anyone is interested? As I never fitted them

Update 30th Oct

The car (and what a car) has had a few running problems, I thought it was running fine, well, to tell you the truth, having read what others said about the coupe 20VT and it's acceleration (having previously owned sports bikes) I thought the performance was OK but not as stunning as I had hoped! Read on...

Joe at County Cruising has basically been my 'mentor' with turbo charged cars and my coupe since I have owned it, anyway, he went out for a drive in out and told me it was not performing as it should, (Taking it for a test run after fitting the new thermostat and sensor and forge recirculating valve) I thought OK, that's interesting (*thinking* just what can this car do then?), one thing was for sure, so I was told, it needed looking at.

It was booked in with him for 'further investigation'....

Left the car with Joe last week, he took the car for a diagnostic, fitted a new cam sensor, as identified by diagnostics (quick check for boost leaks), check EBV, Nothing....

Next, he changed the turbo (he had already replaced this for me as the old one was shot) and once again run diagnostics. Nothing...still performed the same ... again, I thought it was OK, he told me it was not! He did this free of charge!

Next, replace the cat and check entire engine bay pipework,check the oil cooler and then, problem solved!

I arrived this afternoon to pick up the car, "take it for a run Phil he say's", with a smirk on his face, "put ya foot down on the straights", OK says I.

So I did ..... and my god! It was like a rocket ship, I mean, up to 2500 it is fast, then, suddenly, all hell breaks loose! Power like a rocket and sh*t, change gear, in what seemed like a blink of an eye.....I was truely shaken, and I ain't no drama queen!

Fantastic, is all I can say. What a car.

So, update to what's been done (some told to do by Joe and some requested from me)

- Fitted new thermostat and sensor
- Fitted Forge Recirculating Valve
- Replaced the 'hose of death'
- Fitted new catalytic convertor
- Installed PRV, set to 'safe' boost at 1.1 bar
- 1 hours diagnostics
- 1 hour solving boost issue
- Installed chrome dial rings
- Installed boost gauge in place of clock

Great stuff, and now I need to get to know the car all over again...

Ready for install, not yet done

1. New Clarion 'original' Head Unit - from Fiat Coupe Spares
2. CD changer - from Fiat Coupe Spares
3. New standard air box - From Fiat Coupe Spares
4. New rear 'high level' brake light (few lights not working - not bulbs!)

Hi do you still have the B pillars?

If so are they in excellent condition and how much are you looking for?

Sold mate! Sorry!

What was the cause of the lacking performance in the end? Did you and Joe narrow it down? Hee, hee, when these things work well, they are one big adrenaline rush!

Having been down to Flea today for a stage 1, it seems that there is a problem with the wiring between the cam variator and the relay (up to the relay is fine - open circuit error). I need to carry out a continuity check as presently the VVT is not working correctly!!

Should be sorted soon with a bit of luck! However, it's not really affecting performance. She is a beast now!

Glad to hear you've got your car back, I saw it again on Friday as they were cleaning it up - Fanbloodytastic

Update 2nd November


Second hand set of very nice silver Brembo's purchased.

New (second hand) calipers fitted on rear and second hand (as new really) rear discs - rubbed down and then painted the rusty non-used parts of the discs with silver hammerite smooth, to see what happens. I hate the look of rusty discs!

Stage 1 map installed by Leighton . Nice smooth power on the way home. Boost set at 1.15 bar thanks to FC Performance

Didn't have the rolling road dyno carried out - funds are running low but Leighton thinks I'll be making approximately 240 bhp

Slight issue with cam variator with an open circuit error logged (see above). To be investigated further at a future date.

New Clarion Stereo purchased (waiting for arrival)

New PRV boost controller fitted by Leighton (I now have a bleed valve for sale)

That's about it for now, loving the new found power and performance, just need some new HID's then start saving up for a special spray job and a body kit.........

Update - 5th Nov

Spent the past hour or so cleaning up the second hand Brembo's bought from Flea. Mixture of Autoglym Cleaner Wheels & Autoglym Machine Cleaner.




Deciding that the best way to learn how these things are put together is to do, after cleaning them, there are a couple of seals gone on one, the other is good, but I am going replace the seals and then get them fitted professionally via Joe.

There actually in very good condition really, may not bother to paint them.

9th November

Cleaned and painted second hand rear calipers silver, simple job, wire brush, white spirit, paint!

Took the pads out of the existing Brembo's as I had horrendous brake squeal from the N/S front.
- Remove pins, retaining clip and pads
- Retract caliper pistons
- Thoroughly cleaned all components - including, calipers themselves and pad guides within the calipers
- Copper greased all components - pads on back and sides, clips, pins.
- Replaced
- Test drove - aaaaaahhhhhh! The sound of silence!

This post has now been moved to the Projects section