Shiny doesn't always mean something is good.

It looks like it's 3 bolt fitment, I hope your exhaust manifold is.

You'll be fine passing an MOT with the up pipe, the only cat I have is a sport cat downpipe and it passes.

Are you fitting an adjustable rear ARB or just changing the bushes?[/QUOTE]

Nice wagon! That is exactly the suspension set up I'm going for. Thanks for letting me know about the mot. All the same I think I won't get rid of the up pipe with the cat in just yet...
As for the rear arb it's a 20mm version with meyle hd drop links. Changing it has made quite a difference, but to be honest it's mainly emphasised the need to change the suspension as it's pretty tired.

I've no idea. However for £10.50 I'm prepared to risk it not fitting! The welding on it is very good. I had some cheap toyo exhaust manifolds for my ST220, and this up pipe is substantially better quality than them.

Some updates.
 

Calipers re-powder coated:
Before.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...cddd17293b.jpg

Before.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...56d18b54f2.jpg

After.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...12e9fc0ff2.jpg

After.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...9fe995fe95.jpg

Thanks to the excellent service at Cambridge valet services for the fine work.

More.
 

Zunsport grills and hella horns fitted.
Before.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...454209a9eb.jpg

After

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...33e1236c53.jpg

I'll try to get some better pictures when the sun comes out.
Thanks to the zunsport discount codes for these, they've really smartened up the front. The section under the radiator was quite corroded and discoloured, so I wire brushed it and re-painted with black caliper paint. It looks appalling close up but from behind the grill it's now just nice and black.
The hellas are great too. They don't show up too well in these pictures but in the flesh look much better.

Some suspension.
 

I've also bought the meister r coilovers from the group buy. Roughly 25mm drop all round. Set relatively firm (16 out of 32 all round). Alignment done by revivals 59 of thriplow, Royston.
They're great. The first coilovers I've ever bought so I can't compare to any others, but they're compliant enough, eliminated body roll and only a small increase in NVH on poor road surfaces (such as the A505). The car feels superb now, really solid and stable without any crashing.
Before.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...5f152e5bd7.jpg

After
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...12717460d4.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...9c1b0591ce.jpg

Also.
 

A small tidy and clean under the bonnet. Added a slam panel from silver sonic, plus replaced a load of rusty bolts with stainless. Also replaced the radiator brackets and battery claim with less rusty ones. Still needs more work, but an improvement.

Before.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...4b8b7d8f39.jpg

After.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...65aa788b0a.jpg

Next...
 

So next up is a CDF brake stopper (currently lost in the post), then it's onto the engine. So far I've got an uprated HRD fuel pump, and a de-cat up-pipe waiting to go on. Now I need to get a 3 port boost solenoid and some uprated spark plugs then it'll be off to the rolling road for some more power...

One more.
 

Also replaced this kenwood double din touchscreen sat nav.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...6d9593c76d.jpg

With this kenwood double din DAB and Bluetooth unit, which is far, far better.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...63add27bc5.jpg

Debating changing the speakers at some point in the future...

I'm liking that stereo. Have you thought about doing the satin black dash?

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...53f6293af.jpeg


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...7836b9944.jpeg

What was up with the old stereo?

The old one sat nav was years out of date, the touchscreen wasn't very sensitive, 3.5mm aux jack connection wasn't great and the cd player was a bit erratic. I did think about just getting a Bluetooth adapter, but have this fitted wasn't that much more. The DAB and Bluetooth phone connection is great on it and as i live in cambridge and spend a lot of time in traffic having a decent radio is important.

I've thought about it, but to be honest, while I can unbolt and unplug stuff, anything that involves paint or electrics is a bit beyond me at the moment. Yours does look good though. It may be time to learn...

That's plastidip really easy and no prep needed ���� also can be peeled off and no damage to original paint.

Ps. I've just noticed the JDM red hazard light switch. Very nice!

Good to hear you like the Meister R's. Have purchased the same in the GB. Any other impressions?

Other impressions of the meister r's? They're great. They make the car feel brand new. I've done a mixture of B roads with dodgy surfaces, motorways and fast A roads and they've been very good. Like I say the only downside has been an increase in noise passed to the cabin when travelling at speed on poor/rough surfaces. All other times they've been great. No crashing, no teeth or fillings shaken loose and I can still hear tbe radio. On B roads they're superb. However I am comparing them to 10 year old, knocking, saggy, original fitment so can't contribute much to the springs and shocks vs coilovers argument. They're also the first coilovers I've ever bought so can't compare them to HSD or BC's (the other brands I was considering). But having spent £850 on the coilovers, fitting and geo I am really pleased and think of it as money well spent.

Thanks for your feedback mate, that's good to hear.
Like you, I'm replacing some v old and tired stuff, although as my project grows legs a bit, I will end up replacing a lot of other stuff like ARB's and bushes as well, so it will be a little difficult to discern exactly what's doing what. At least I'll not lose my fillings!
cheers
Iain

Just one more point. My car is the only car in my house. So it's the family transport, daily drive to work and so I needs to be able to do everything. And these coilovers do do everything.
I'm probably going to move onto the engine next, but on the long list of stuff i'd like to do there is a set of new bushes, possibly some alloy wishbones and an uprated rear arb.

Nice - looking good.

Nice to see another 55 Wagon! Mine has had a lot done, as you can see in my sig.

I love it! I use mine as a marketing tool, they hear it coming and then hopefully read the **** on the side :thumb:

Need new shocks though so interested in your comments on coilovers.

Attachment 37308

[QUOTE=StiX;11799975]Nice - looking good.

Nice to see another 55 Wagon! Mine has had a lot done, as you can see in my sig.

I love it! I use mine as a marketing tool, they hear it coming and then hopefully read the **** on the side :thumb:

Need new shocks though so interested in your comments on coilovers.

That's a nice wagon!
I was originally planning on getting kyb shocks and PCA springs, but the PCA's were on 12 week lead time (due to be in around easter) and the original suspension on mine had deteriorated so badly I couldn't wait. So i found the coilovers in my budget with the fewest bad online reviews and hoped they'd be OK. The coilovers work out about £150 cheaper than I could get the parts for the springs and shocks option. If you're thinking about them then don't get the adjustment extenders, you really don't need them. But these meister r's have been great, I am really happy with them. It'd be interesting to drive a wagon with the pca dynamics spring to see the difference. I suspect the pca's may give a slightly superior ride, as they are progressive and closer to OEM height.

Interesting read regarding the coilovers, I opted for the PCA's late last year and it's not the cheapest setup. As you mention above the PCA setup lowers the car slightly, it's very subtle in my opinion. If you want to go lower then the coilovers option is a must, most other springs are crashy and give a poor ride.

Good progress on the car, we seem to be at fairly similar stages so always interesting to see some wagon updates.

I've gone for slightly over the min drop on these. I think the minimum is 20mm and I've gone closer to 25mm. I believe any more than that and I'll need to look at roll center kits. But I've got absolutely no intention of going lower. At the moment I'm happy with the compromise between ride, noise, handling and comfort.
But having spent some cash on the car recently I think it may be a while to the next significant update.

Great looking wagon, ive recenlt had mine from October, has not missed a beat.

Attachment 37058
Attachment 37059
Attachment 37060
Attachment 37061

That's a very smart wagon. I was debating de-tangoing my lights, now I've seen yours I think it might go a bit higher on my to-do list. I was also debating a splitter just like yours...
So how are you finding the wagon compared to the civic?

All of the car was completed by the previous owner - I've really just maintained the car since purchase, it really needs nothing doing to it. I'm reluctant to swap the turbo as it is a semi daily.

The Civic I enjoyed owning, very different to a turbo car, a Vtec engine is something every petrol head should drive at some point, nothing like it out there.

HTAutos splitter bud :thumb: Although it's meant for a saloon which has a slightly wider bumper, so although the fitment is good. It's not 100%....

:thumb:

Just a quicky. Brake Stopper.
 

Just a minor mod. I've added a brake stopper from cdf. It took a while to get here and was fiddly to fit, especially the lower bolt holding the boost solenoid in place. I've also removed the grommets from the boost solenoid mounts, as the stopper could flex against them. And the bolts supplied with the kit weren't nearly long enough to fit all the way through.
So far it's made quite a bit of difference, just driving round town the pedal feels a lot firmer and the brakes sharper. I'd recommend it as a mod, it's cheap, easy to fit and effective.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...8bdc5067a8.jpg


Fitted


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...a4d5c3b7dd.jpg


What was in the packet

Tomorrow, I'll fit the header tank spacer kit.

Header tank thermal spacers
 

Another quicky. I bought a set of header tank spacers from rally tech for the huge sum of £17.50. Now fitted and has to be the quickest and easiest mod I've ever done. Prior to adding this kit I checked and after a drive today the drivers side of the inlet was noticeably hotter to touch than the passenger side, so now these are fitted it'll be interesting to see if they make any difference. On an American subaru site someone said they could drop the temp by 20 degrees. However if they don't at least they didn't cost much and were easy to fit.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...bc7c18371f.jpg


Need to do some more cleaning and sorting under here...