Panda My New(ish) Red Panda 100HP!

[cooperman]

Hello and welcome!!

Great looking panda and cracking millage!! I looked at those wheel nut covers before I changed my wheels as they looked really good!
I am awaiting for koni to get there finger out so I can get the STR.T kit also!

 

[Matt100HP]

Thanks ! I've been lurking around the forum for a while now, but I only got round to registering the other day!

The mileage was one of the main reasons I bought the car, according to its history it barely moved (well, did about 500 miles) for two years, very odd ...

I saw in another thread the other day that Koni reckon it'll be another 4 weeks before they can supply, hopefully I'll have enough money to do at least the rear shocks by then. Now I'm back home I have to go over speed bumps to get anywhere, not fun in the Panda on standard shocks .

 

[Harey]

looks bloody great and in the best colour. where did you get the black caps from as they will finish off my rims nicely?
I purchased mine in march with 22.5k on the clock for £4200.

 

[Matt100HP]

Cheers mate! The wheel nut covers were a good old eBay purchase . Any black, 17mm caps will do the trick. My only advice would be make sure you buy a set which comes with a removal tool, they'd be a right pain to get off without one (I tried to post a link to the ones I bought, but it wouldn't let me).

I'm liking your plasti-dipped wheels, does that stuff actually hold up to daily use as well as people claim it does? Also, how do you go about cleaning your wheels with it on?

 

[Demi]

Hi and Welcome Matt!

u got urself a really low milage beauty there, well done.
Mine is 2010 and it gone over 31k miles now.... but alteast we are not going to sell it! EVER!

 

[Harey]

I'm liking your plasti-dipped wheels, does that stuff actually hold up to daily use as well as people claim it does? Also, how do you go about cleaning your wheels with it on?

TBH I have split the coating where the wheel nuts go from putting them on and I think I'm going to peel it off and spray them Matt black. to clean them I just use soapy water

 

[Matt100HP]

Hi and Welcome Matt!

u got urself a really low milage beauty there, well done.
Mine is 2010 and it gone over 31k miles now.... but alteast we are not going to sell it! EVER!

Thanks, Demi!

If I'd put as much work into my car as you have into yours, I'd never want to sell it either !

My mileage isn't going to stay as low as it is for long , the previous owner might not have driven it much, but I do about 10k per year (it's a 200 mile round trip to Uni and back).

 

[Matt100HP]

TBH I have split the coating where the wheel nuts go from putting them on and I think I'm going to peel it off and spray them Matt black. to clean them I just use soapy water

I think I might give plasti-dipping my wheels a go, I never usually take them off so damaging the "paint" removing/replacing the wheel bolts shouldn't be an issue.

If you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost you to do all four wheels and how many cans did it take (I assume you used aerosol spray cans)?

 

[Harey]

I used 3 rattle cans in total. But make sure you paint calipers before putting your wheels back on(if you dont want to take them off again) as I didn't and they look sh!t now until I can get some hammerite.

 

[Matt100HP]

I thought about painting my calipers when I first got the car, I think they look really good (especially in red on a red car) but I fear making a total mess of it . If taking the calipers off and spraying them wasn't such a monumental waste of time and effort, I'd do that.

 

[Demi]

I thought about painting my calipers when I first got the car, I think they look really good (especially in red on a red car) but I fear making a total mess of it . If taking the calipers off and spraying them wasn't such a monumental waste of time and effort, I'd do that.

By 125ml red caliper paint of eBay, but not a spray can! Just paint like this one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAKE-CAL..._Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item53fa3f7260
And buy 1-2 brushes like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-6-Bro...Crafts_DrawingSupplies_EH&hash=item460da75a74

I used 1/2 inch brush for large areas and a 1/4 inch for detailing.

125ml can did all 4 calipers for me 3-4 coats and still had little left over. No mess, no masking. Took me 2 hours. Lifted my car, on stands, tool all 4 wheels off. Clean calipers with hot water. Brush them, wash them few times. Dry them, let them sit for 15-30mins, then paint. By the time u do 4th caliper, ur 1st one u did would be dry and ready for next coat. Dead easy if u have a steady hand as this paint self levels. Hardest thing for me was cleaning.

 

[Matt100HP]

By 125ml red caliper paint of eBay, but not a spray can! Just paint like this one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAKE-CAL..._Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item53fa3f7260
And buy 1-2 brushes like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-6-Bro...Crafts_DrawingSupplies_EH&hash=item460da75a74

I used 1/2 inch brush for large areas and a 1/4 inch for detailing.

125ml can did all 4 calipers for me 3-4 coats and still had little left over. No mess, no masking. Took me 2 hours. Lifted my car, on stands, tool all 4 wheels off. Clean calipers with hot water. Brush them, wash them few times. Dry them, let them sit for 15-30mins, then paint. By the time u do 4th caliper, ur 1st one u did would be dry and ready for next coat. Dead easy if u have a steady hand as this paint self levels. Hardest thing for me was cleaning.

Cheers for the links ! For under a tenner, it's a mod which makes a surprising amount of difference to how the car looks. I'm assuming Admiral don't need to know about something so minor?

I'd have to do the calipers two at a time...I only have two axle stands .

Also, slightly random question but you seem knowledgeable, how essential is a torque wrench for taking off/refitting the wheels? Because, well, I don't have one...

 

[Demi]

Cheers for the links ! For under a tenner, it's a mod which makes a surprising amount of difference to how the car looks. I'm assuming Admiral don't need to know about something so minor?

I'd have to do the calipers two at a time...I only have two axle stands .

Also, slightly random question but you seem knowledgeable, how essential is a torque wrench for taking off/refitting the wheels? Because, well, I don't have one...

Yeah, this mod is very cheap, just needs ur time and some elbow grease
My Front calipers had some rust on them so I had to apply rust removing gel on them few times before painting.

U dont need torque wrench. Just tighten wheel bolts when finished Star or this case Cross order. Dont tighten any of them all the way. Just do each one hand tight then go over in the same order harder then repeat tightening them harder still. Do them hard but dont go pushing it till u go red. Let paint cure for at least 2 hours before driving. Also re tighten all bolts after a drive. Then check again a 1-2 weeks later.

 

[Matt100HP]

Yeah, this mod is very cheap, just needs ur time and some elbow grease
My Front calipers had some rust on them so I had to apply rust removing gel on them few times before painting.

U dont need torque wrench. Just tighten wheel bolts when finished Star or this case Cross order. Dont tighten any of them all the way. Just do each one hand tight then go over in the same order harder then repeat tightening them harder still. Do them hard but dont go pushing it till u go red. Let paint cure for at least 2 hours before driving. Also re tighten all bolts after a drive. Then check again a 1-2 weeks later.

I've got until the end of September off Uni, so finding a couple of hours to clean and paint my calipers shouldn't be any issue .

Cheers for the advice about the wheel bolts, it's much appreciated. Is the same true for the top and bottom bolts which hold the rear shocks in place? Honestly, I've only ever taken the wheels off a car (a Fiesta) once and that was to clean them before it was sold. I never considered a torque wrench until I was looking into things more seriously with the Panda.

 

[cooperman]

I've got until the end of September off Uni, so finding a couple of hours to clean and paint my calipers shouldn't be any issue .

Cheers for the advice about the wheel bolts, it's much appreciated. Is the same true for the top and bottom bolts which hold the rear shocks in place? Honestly, I've only ever taken the wheels off a car (a Fiesta) once and that was to clean them before it was sold. I never considered a torque wrench until I was looking into things more seriously with the Panda.

Best practice would be to torque them dude just to give you piece of mind if anything. Once you buy one it will always be something you will use and you just rule out that doubt of if you have over tighten or under tighten things.

 

[Matt100HP]

Best practice would be to torque them dude just to give you piece of mind if anything. Once you buy one it will always be something you will use and you just rule out that doubt of if you have over tighten or under tighten things.

That's what I thought, to be honest. I don't want to damage my wheels, or worse, have one fall off while I'm driving !

I'm guessing something like this will do the trick:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/reversibl...tracking url&gclid=CL7D7oCghbgCFTIQtAodploA9g

 

[cooperman]

That's what I thought, to be honest. I don't want to damage my wheels, or worse, have one fall off while I'm driving !

I'm guessing something like this will do the trick:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/reversibl...tracking url&gclid=CL7D7oCghbgCFTIQtAodploA9g

Yeh that will do the trick!!