FTO AUSTRALIA

This afternoon I will start working on the car including;

- Manual conversion
- New shockers x 4, springs x 4, front top pillow mounts
- New suspension bushes, swaybars, droplinks, etc...
- New Slotted rotors and pads
- New braided stainless brake lines
- New ignition cables and spark plugs
- New ICE, 2/3xsubs, 2xamps, 1xcap, etc...
- Might as well get around to adjust the tappets

I probably have few more parts in the garage that I cant remember of.
Most of the diy is there already, let me know please if anything is missing,

Will keep this thread as a diary and ask questions as needed, assuming will take around 3-4 weeks all up, an hour or two a day.

*empties PM inbox*

Righto....

mxysxy wrote:This afternoon I will start working on the car including;

- Manual conversion
- New shockers x 4, springs x 4, front top pillow mounts
- New suspension bushes, swaybars, droplinks, etc...
- New Slotted rotors and pads
- New braided stainless brake lines
- New ignition cables and spark plugs
- New ICE, 2/3xsubs, 2xamps, 1xcap, etc...
- Might as well get around to adjust the tappets

I probably have few more parts in the garage that I cant remember of.
Most of the diy is there already, let me know please if anything is missing,

Will keep this thread as a diary and ask questions as needed, assuming will take around 2-3 weeks all up, an hour or two a day.

nice max whats the deal mate...r u bored?

I had all the parts close to 6months now, waiting to go in,
Since I am planning to do the man g/box conversion, I though I might as well put the shockers in, might as well the bushes, might as well the brake parts, .....

I am in holidays at the moment till 8th Jan, so plenty of time

mxysxy wrote:I had all the parts close to 6months now, waiting to go in,
Since I am planning to do the man g/box conversion, I though I might as well put the shockers in, might as well the bushes, might as well the brake parts, .....

I am in holidays at the moment till 8th Jan, so plenty of time

yeah me too...might drop round for a beer next week..

Sounds like a plan I will definately want to pick your brain about it all, I am planning to do all of the above to my car, when I have the dollars. The main thing i want to upgrade is the brake discs and shocks, and get some decent strut braces for starters.

Reckon you could possibly take some pictures and do up a DIY Guide as you go?

DIY for shock / spring replacement is already in the DIY section

Just realised posted this to the wrong thread

mxysxy wrote:Pretty much all the information is on the net,
DIY: Replacing shocks and springs
http://www.ftoaustralia.com/modules.php ... pic&t=8761

Gearbox removal
http://www.ftooc.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=39835

Manual g/box conversion - Although hasn’t been finished yet very good guide
http://www.ftooc.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=61352

I been taken off all the interior parts for the conversion.
Also jacked up the car, removed battery, tray, CAI, etc...
Removed wheels, one of my wheel was stuck to the car, had to kick it literally 1/2 hour,
I was working on taking of the struts but got stuck with the droplink bolts,
Also broke 6 cheap-arse sockets, lots of swearing and bought some kincrome gear at the end. It is expensive but the difference is incredible

Also taken off the struts and pulled it apart this morning,

Good luck with the conversion mate!!! I should be testing mine next week as I only have a few finishing touches to do

Theres a write up and pix here for the DIY

http://www.ftooc.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=61352

martgpx wrote:Good luck with the conversion mate!!! I should be testing mine next week as I only have a few finishing touches to do

Heyyyy, nice to see you hear Mart,
Yeah, I have started, but holding myself to go any further untill your testing is successfuly finalised. There is plenty of other works anyways.
Something happened to my UK account btw, I cant seem to be able to log in, as soon as I submit my login details, its just a blank white screen and nothing happens, cant log in. I will contact you through AUS site in the meantime,
Thanks for great help

Have also managed to get 4GA power cable thrugh the firewall without drilling.

Here is the photo of my Cusco pillow top mounts,
See how passenger side is all the way flash left to the mount, but driver side has a distance;
Should I make them look equal before putting them on? or while alignment done they will be able to change it?


also, I realised that driver side pillow mount is missing a small screw, where there is only one. Would this cause an issue? should I contact cusco to chase this up?


Last question;
I have ABS in my car, and factory struts have additional bolts for the speed sensor. The new struts from KYB dont have these. Any suggestion around how/where to mount the sensor brickets, there are two of them?

mxysxy wrote:[
Heyyyy, nice to see you hear Mart,
Yeah, I have started, but holding myself to go any further untill your testing is successfuly finalised. There is plenty of other works anyways.
Something happened to my UK account btw, I cant seem to be able to log in, as soon as I submit my login details, its just a blank white screen and nothing happens, cant log in. I will contact you through AUS site in the meantime

I shall be testing mine on the 4th of January. With all the xmas stuff I have had to leave it alone for a few weeks I have very minor stuff to do and then connect the battery up and test etc. Lets hope it all don't go BBBAAAAAAANGGG!!!

Do you want me to PM one of the moderators on the UK site to check your account? I can find out if there is a problemo

You can PM me thro the Aus site, I do look on here regular but don't post much to be honest

EDIT!! I have seen your posts before but you have a different name on here and I never realised!!!

I am having real trouble undoing the driveshaft nuts,
Spent a whole day trying to undo the driver side, still no good,

Tried to heat it up with hair drier, no good,
Braker bar, no good,
I tried to raise the bar with 8ton hydrolic jack, still no good!!!

Any suggestions?

mxysxy wrote:I am having real trouble undoing the driveshaft nuts,
Spent a whole day trying to undo the driver side, still no good,

Tried to heat it up with hair drier, no good,
Braker bar, no good,
I tried to raise the bar with 8ton hydrolic jack, still no good!!!

Any suggestions?

need more leaverage...need a masive extension bar...otherwise we need to suss out the oxi-torch stuff.

Dont be oxy torching them it'll warp sh*t outta the thread. Pneumatic tools are the best (ie a rattle gun.)

If not, as KJ mentions, BIG breaker bar over socket extension is the key. It also actually easier to crack lifting up rather than pushing down too. If possible try & drop that side of the car so the hub assembly is on the ground enough with enough weight on it before doing so. That way it saves any movement from the rack or pivoting in the strut assembly.

I had problems with mine on the driver side. Use a longer bar. I had a bit of 1" square box section on the socket about 5ft long. Big balls time !!!! Put the wheel on the ground if you can.

Max. I have tested my conversion today, it works a treat. Just a few bits to finish off in the interior, buy 4x tyres, MOT test and tax then she's back on the road officially

Don't give up mate

martgpx wrote:I had problems with mine on the driver side. Use a longer bar. I had a bit of 1" square box section on the socket about 5ft long. Big balls time !!!! Put the wheel on the ground if you can.

Max. I have tested my conversion today, it works a treat. Just a few bits to finish off in the interior, buy 4x tyres, MOT test and tax then she's back on the road officially

Don't give up mate

Fantastic news!!!
I was holding off till the good news from you,
Will get into it fully now,

Will try to find a bigger bar to get more leverage today,
My sister is sick of pressing the brake for me, I had to bribe her to do it

if it all turns out good want to come up to sydney and do mine for me max?

Bennoz wrote:Dont be oxy torching them it'll warp sh*t outta the thread. Pneumatic tools are the best (ie a rattle gun.)

If not, as KJ mentions, BIG breaker bar over socket extension is the key. It also actually easier to crack lifting up rather than pushing down too. If possible try & drop that side of the car so the hub assembly is on the ground enough with enough weight on it before doing so. That way it saves any movement from the rack or pivoting in the strut assembly.

yeah i was totally sus on this oxy torch stuff...just we didn't have a long bar...or pipe extention...once he gets one he will be fine. Yeah we also though a rattle gun also..

I thought you were using an extension bar? Where did you get a breaker bar from? I thought you wanted to borrow mine.....