2003 STi Black Mica Thread!
 

Ok so picked the new car up Saturday and am chugged to bits with it!!! It's a 2003 STi in black, completely standard save for uprated pads and a beefy battery, according to insurance its a Prodrive model but yet to really know what that means! It's had one owner from new and mechanically has been cherished however I don't think he paid it much attention in the cleaning aspects of ownership!

So it needs a good old detail and I have a few cosmetic upgrades in the post, so far I have only had chance to degrease the car and clean the exhaust due to weather and time however I did get a good shot at cleaning and degreasing the engine last night and I think it came up a treat -

So I started with this -

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/75885993.jpg

And finished with this -

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/2372582f.jpg

Bit of an improvement I would say!

Apologies for the lack of car pics but until I have had chance to get stuck in I won't take any pics!!

Si

Engine bay looks good!

Look forward to seeing more pics, as I'm going to be on the hunt for a Black Blob STi in a couple of months!

Cheers Rick - its a fantastic colour if your into your detailing/cleaning, the flakes in the sunshine are mind blowing!!! Apologies it's just the engine at the minute but since I bought the car the rain has been constantly coming down!!

I have now arranged to get it into a mates unit next week for 6-8hrs detox so should be gleaming!!!

Si

looks nice and clean, blob sti! good choice

Thanks bud, good to get stuck in on a new car and turn it around. The biggest transformation will be the outside!

Si

lol been there and done that now, great fun though, cant wait to see the outcome of yours

i started with a 100% standard car like you
https://www.scoobynet.com/members-ga...-finished.html

Wow!!! Yours looks lovely, you have PM!!!

Si

no pm fella:thumb:

Good choice! :thumb:

Here's mine. I would love to do a few more subtle external mods like tubbytommy's but due to geographical restrictions I'm unable to change the ride height or add a front splitter. :cry: :(

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...12_2_noreg.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...Fozzalot_3.jpg

(Any excuse to post a couple of pics! :p )

What a lovely example!! I hope to haveine looking just as shiny in the very near future!

Si

Love the ride height on that one

Ok so continued on the cleaning process firstly attacking the arches, wheels off soaked with G101 agitated and rinsed, then plastics dressed with Aerospace 303 and wheels replaced. Need to have wheels off again though to clean the barrels of them properly couple of before and after -

Before

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/bd147133.jpg

After

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/dd746c62.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/2c11feaa.jpg

Quite pleased with the results although the struts could do with another going over as few bits of stuck on tar.

Then Tuesday the outside clean started, I don't have any before pictures but have some during and after so here goes -

Washed rinsed first, degreaser lower parts of car with G101 then snow foamed with Valet Pro -
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/5b6b484c.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/5b6b484c.jpg

Which left this

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/32fd8066.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/d2696967.jpg

What then followed was a wash and rinse with Dodo Juice shampoo, then car was treated to Iron X all round which was a great little product, car was rinsed again before being moved inside out of the sun and dried all round using waffle weave drying towels.

Car was then clayed using Elite medium clay with Dodo Born Slippy lube, then every panel was stripped of all previous wax polish etc using Dodo Juice Lime Prime. At this stage you really start to get an idea of the final result which pushes you on!!

The final stages of the clean were Poor Boys Black Hole which was used to seal the paint before the final layer of Dodo Juice Blue Velvet wax was applied and I damn nearly collapsed in the heat!!!!!

So was it worth it, I think so, still needs an all over mop but already it looks ten times better -

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/82f91feb.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/87a50e0d.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/1d56f7b9.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/7b15be86.jpg

So there you have it, it's now gleaming and I am shattered but really pleased with how it came out, there are a few cosmetic bits and pieces I want to sort out, have a new grill badge to fit, debadging I the back, de tango is on the cards then possibly some Tein springs.

Si

nice blob

heres mine

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91...8/2baa74f2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91...8/625bc90b.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91...8/6c4945a9.jpg

stu

That's lovely Stu! Black looks so nice with some time put into it. I so want a set of those later style rims for mine but offset is wrong arrgghh!!!

Been doing a few bits tonight -


Also changed grill badge tonight -

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/eb4bd774.jpg

And did this which was proper scary!!!!! -

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/b021c7a8.jpg

Will post pics of the finished refitted results tomorrow.

Next on my list is some Tein springs to settle it down a little over the alloys.

Si

New improved front end -

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...r/fb057224.jpg

Can't believe how much it changes the look of the car, next up is personal plate which should change it again as I have a shortened plate for the front so should look less cluttered.

Then machine polish and possibly some Tein springs if I can find them at a fair price.

Si