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Well, it appears that while following all the steps and guides to painting the valve cover, the finish started to bubble and lift so, wanting to do things correct, I bought a new valve cover from Japan and threw that on. Nothing wrong with the old one, no doubt a bodyshop could have stripped it and sorted it but I just wanted it done right and for me this is the path of least resistance.
Next up, unhappy with the less than perfect finish of my Ralliart mirrors, I'm going to sand them down and paint them gloss black as getting a finish I'm happy with through hydrodipping hasn't been possible.
I also went out to have some fun on the local roads, quick vid of what they're like here (more to follow next month)
Beautiful condition, just perfect. It's crazy how clean the underside is with 50k miles... the engine bay also looks great. Why did you replace the valve cover already? The one in the picture you sent in the engine bay looked perfect!
Also, send more pics of the Defi gauges. Looks pretty good.
Beautiful condition, just perfect. It's crazy how clean the underside is with 50k miles... the engine bay also looks great. Why did you replace the valve cover already? The one in the picture you sent in the engine bay looked perfect!
Also, send more pics of the Defi gauges. Looks pretty good.
Thanks, I will post more photos when I get a chance soon. The valve cover paint was great when I took the photo but a few months (and heat cycles) the paint started to bubble around the MIVEC letters and knowing how hard it is to find a local paint shop that will do a good job I decided to just buy a replacement valve cover and sell this for someone else to try refurbish at a later date. There is no physical damage to it or the gaskets, I just can't stand flaws in the finish of the car.
I have completed a design for a bezel (surround) for the radio and defi gauges and I just need someone with a 3d printer to print it for me so I can put it in place and have a perfect finish to that too.
I'll post a video of the gauges and where they're connected to etc later if you like?
An update on my Evo, other than enjoying it on some fantastic roads I've also formulated the next steps I want to take with it.
I wanted to add a OEM vortex generator and a gurney flap, I also wanted to get a set of the Ralliart mirrors back on after a bodyshop screwed up my last set while spraying them...
Sooo, currently the gurney flap has been thrown on and taped down to help the thing bond propperly.
If you ever wondered what the profile looks like, it isn't just an L shape as I envisaged..
Next up is the Vortex Generator. I managed to find an OEM FQ400 piece from the UK which is genuine carbon fibre, there are some slight dimples in the clear coat which I'm currently internally debating over whether to live with them or to have a body shop sand it down and reclear it to get rid of the imperfections.
You can see the dimples around the light reflections in the pic below, (the scratches are not scratches, just grease from my fingerprint thats been smeared across it while handling it).
Next up and currently awaiting delivery from Japan is a set of Ralliart Mirrors! They're in need of a refurb due to the common problem of the clear failing due to UV exposure, however a restoration bodyshop I know of that does high end work say they can fix them and re clear them without the print surface being destroyed (fingers crossed as these cost alot!)
Took the car to the track this Monday gone, it isn't really a fun car in the dry as it's so capable and neutral, however when the track is wet you can really pitch the car in and induce hilariously long power slides! The vortex generator proved to be hard to stick down but in the end I managed it with a silicone gun.
My mirrors should arrive today and they'll be sent for refurb and I have a set of Ralliart Titanium pedals I bought in a moment of stupidity that are on their way to me...I bid on them and forgot, 5 days later I noticed a deduction from my bank account and I'd won them haha!
New titanium Ralliart pedals arrived! They cleaned up perfect and I replaced the grip tape with some I got from a skate shop. While the rubber pads were not a massive problem, the extra grip these afford is significant, especially when you have a wet sneaker!
I should be getting my mirrors back this week also
...and just like that, the list of modifications I wanted to make to make my Evo my perfect Evo is complete...that being said, I have new slotted rotors ready to go on, a replacement set of Endless MX72 Plus pads and a replacement Defi Oil Temperature sensor wire on their way from Japan still. I'll install these when they arrive along with its 6 month oil change.
Current plans for a Rally themed driving event I've signed up for, the wheels will be plasti-dipped white also. The Ralliart dash and gauges shall arrive in the next couple of days too.
Last edited by banzaievo; Jul 16, 2019 at 07:11 PM.
Feb 20, 2019, 02:16 PM
