Gizmo, my Almera GTi

Finished!
So no-one has to trawl through the project thread I'll upload the pics here, and in any case I only have this car now, dont think I'll have more than one again (Not counting Stevo, Tasha's GTi).
This weekend, brakes fitted, brand new TOYO Proxes TR-1 tyres, interior installed, gear linkage fixed, exhaust on (2.5\" manifold and downpipe, standard cat, 2.25\" cat back with 3.5\" exit), and a much needed clean. I'm happy with how she looks now.
Adding up the total cost of the project I think i have spent around £600 including what I sold off the scrap GTi. Not bad considering the shell has 68k and minimal rust (Going to bodyshop in september) and the engine has 50k. It was a lot of hard work by my jap-n-crazy.co.uk friends.
For anyone who doesn't know, I bought the car as a flood damaged shell (No bumper) along with a rusty and non-running red GTi donor car, and we basically created one 'new' car out of the 2, plus the remains of my old SRi.





And compare the interior when I got it:

Now:


MoT tomorrow at 9am

nice 1 Corbs

was good to see it sat there clean and see it driving up the road looking complete

Jim

Nice to see mate.........

Passed the MoT on monday at the great cost of £2 for some side repeater bulbs, and I'm just running it in and trying to iron out the creases. Theres a list of things to do (A mysterious oil leak being one of them) before I modify it further, but lowering is near the top!
Havent sustained it above 4.5k yet just taking it easy first thousand or so miles.

Needless to say though I'm chuffed with it and so happy to be behind the wheel of my own GTi!

really pleased for you mate looks really good i have to say

Good on you Corbs............

Well that was short lived.

Coming off the road today to have the engine replaced again. I have a theory on the engine - the oil leak around the pump/head has starved no.1 piston and resulted in rod knock - hence the engine warning light being on. The leak appears to be getting worse, its using a litre of oil every few days.
Managed to source a few possible engines but going to be fun doing this on my lonesome this time lol!
Ah well, I knew it was a gamble to use this untested engine but at least it got the car on the road!
Might hang onto the engine to give it a going over.

............Sorry to hear that mate...........don't be too disheartened.........

Nah it was always a possibility so not much of a surprise. Just gotta source one, someone's offered me one but they're in scotland! Argh!

Well as you may have guessed by my 'wanted' post my engine had developed a nasty knock as well as the leak.
So I acquired a Primera GT engine and spent all day today swapping it over, this time I was on my own as I am back at my mums house down south. I had a friend help me with his forklift though which was great as it moved true vertically rather than a jib's arc.
Everything seems to have gone ok, I had the engine out by half 1 having started at 10am. Swapping everything over was a pain, nothing was the same! I ended up changing all the mounts, the underbrace, starter motor, alternator, and PAS pump, all of which are different on the primera engine.
But as it sits now the 'new' engine is in the car. Tomorrow morning I need to plumb it back in, top up all fluids, most of the wiring was done today, and I need to attach the throttle body etc. All of which I've got about 4 hours to do before I start work! eek!
Apologies for no pics as I forgot my camera will try and get some tomorrow.

Good man Corb's...........nice to hear your woe's should be over soon.........you goin to Jap Show in it dude........

Dont know yet!

Engine is fitted and running although need to refit manifold tomorrow (Crappy studs!) but its driveable now!
Got a slight water leak from a few torn hoses but will get it sorted ASAP.
Also I think I've killed my rev counter

Be nice to see you there dude ...............

So, the primera GT engine has been in and running for a week now Just a few small things, the starter stopped working so I swapped that for a spare today, think it was cooked!
I also need to swap the temp senders as the primera ones dont seem to talk to the almera ECU, the temp needle is on but does not display a reading and the fan does not come on, so thats tomorrow mornings job...
After thats solved I need to just swap the det sensors, reset the ECU, and eventually put the heaters back in lol!
Whilst I was at my dads over the weekend (Lovely yorkshire roads) I gave the car a quick wash and took her out for some pics:

lookin good dude glad its nearly finished and goin well. that looks like an awesome place where you are aswell