Time for a long overdue update! Some of this will be out of order (and highly condensed) as its pretty much everything from the last 6 months!
First up was a new Alpine headunit. Absolutely sick of Fm radio and needed bluetooth so I got this for a good price. Due to the fact that they have a factory amp, you have to buy a amp bypass harness and wire your headunit harness into that. Pretty easy for a great benefit, the internal amp of the HU powers the factory speakers so much better ! (Also wired in a seperate amp and sub for extra doof doof)
Next up was cleaning the 16v head with the homemade coke bottle sandblaster trick. Then off to the shop to get decked and cleaned up, new valve stem seals etc
After that, finishing up the rebuild of the m47 with new bearings, reverse gear and selector. All done in house, took the longest due to the fact that the shipping of extremely hard to find parts takes a very very long time. Keep in mind that the car this gearbox came out of was a 940, which had everything from a 240 adapted to it. So it was bodged. Had to order new clutch pedal, master, slave, clutch kit, hose, and a bunch of other things I can't remember right now.
Next up was wheels (Finally). Was stuffed around for months by PWA, ended up ordering them directly from the manufacturer. 17x8 +15 with a 235/45/17 Bridgestone re003 tyre. Just a PSA for anyone ordering custom wheels for a 7/9, you're safe to go with a +20 offset in this size without fouling on the strut tower. The front wheels sit perfectly flush with the guards now and only scrub on the inner plastic fender lining.
Also have window tint now, makes a huge different on the warmer days, +less grandpa effect.
Finally, time for the manual conversion.
Auto out
Manual in
Also pulled the entire exhaust system out in order to install the new KL Racing headers I have had sitting around for a while, only to find that they don't fit and interfere with the steering column. TDLR don't buy KL headers if you have a RHD car.
Put the stock system back on and managed to fix the god awful rattle that it had previously.
Bought a Sellholm short shifter. Extremely nice quality and best of all, 4 DAY SHIPPING FROM SWEDEN!!!! Couldn't install it until the new centre console and seals etc arrived from skandix (As I mentioned before everything was bodgied from a 240). I must say, this shifter completely transforms the way the gearbox feels, its night and day. So smooth into gear, so direct, no movement, the knob is metal so it doesn't flex under your grip, honestly 10/10 purchase.
And last but not least an update on the b230+16v engine build, got the head back last week and found a hole straight through the port through the water jacket. A bit of a setback but hopefully shouldn't be too difficult to aluminium weld and get back on with the build.
I'm happy with the way it is at the moment and this is the way it will stay for a fair while until the engines all done and ready to be thrown in. Some future plans for it though are a brake upgrade (Already have some pricing from DVS, thanks Ash), bigger sways f+r, and once I win the lotto some Kaplhenke coilovers for moar low and a drivers bucket seat. Cheers all :)
