I am damn tired...
Just got back from Sg...after 7 hours of swopping things across...
Didn't get everything...but got most of it...
Here's how it went...
Woke up at 4.46 am...brushed teeth...or at least I think I did...got dressed...loaded family (wifey decided to come along with kid)...started drive at around 5.30 after some fumbling to find keyhole in steering column...yawn...
...rolled into Tuas 2 hours 40 mins later (includes a half hour petrol and smoke stop)...so total driving time 2 hours 10 mins...not as good as my Celica but not bad...
...took an hour to get across...grrrrr...autopass card expired...
...got to workshop on the extreme other side of the island...started conversion...
1. Crystal lights are now mine...muahahahaha!...but in the process of tranfering, one of his Philips bulbs refused to light up after...so put in a normal yellow...now have one light bluish white, and one yellow...I think I have a cat with eyes like that...
2. Complete airbox assembly including AFM, tubing with no holes, and box without any cracks...mine is crap... plus a K & N filter...
3. All chromed clips, nuts, bolts, brackets, etc.
4. Changed over radiator...mine is single layered, his is double layered copper heads...came over with both his fans which were in much better condition than mine...
5. Took off his adjustable fuel pressure regulator intending to keep for his new car...then couldn't find his original...so, it went into my car and my stock went into his car. This cost us about 2 hours as his bracketing got in the way of my cruise control wheel on the throttle body. Finally led the piping to the firewall and bolted it beside the charcoal canister...looks very neat...
6. In the process of switchover, discovered that my heater system piping had become so brittle that just touching it caused one of the nozzles that goes into the firewall to crack. So, disabled the heater and plugged up the holes. I STRONGLY suggest all A32 owners do this as it is connected to the cooling system and a crack in that system will drain the rad water, and probably flood the passenger compartment...talk about adding insult to injury...
7. Also disabled the EGR system while we were in there...gives more top end power...
8. Swopped over his beloved machined aluminium pillar strut bar. Can't remember the brand but it's imported, I think aussie made, very well designed and really solid...it's a beauty...
9. Changed over grill. I've been using the 2.0l grill, have a 3.0l one but was too lazy to put it in the car...his is like the JDM grill...and he polishes it often...
10. Changed over the woodgrain AC controller and clock. The AC controller took some work, cos the plugs were different shaped. But the pins were the same. So, a little dissembly, comparing pins and internal circuit boards, swopping over some parts, and it now fits...
11. Whacked up the lips of my rear fenders...on the way down, I found out that despite the stiffness, my hotbits do still flatten out at 180 kmh and cuts the tyre. No big damage, but didn't want to aggravate the condition any more. Inadvertently flared my right fender a little, so will have to take the left tyre off again and flare the left fender a bit to equalize the effect. Will also have to paint a layer of anti-rust compound of some sort to make sure that the chips in the paint or exposed metal on the lips do not rust. Hammerite might be a good idea.
Damn...I wish I had more time...
Missed the chrome door handles and the rear view mirror. Mine is slightly corroded, and I don't know why. Just didn't have the time to swop them over.
Also, sorry Ong, but all his door rubber seals were leaking as well, and he couldn't send his car in without them. Found out that his Konis were about 3 years old, so on their last legs. Didn't attempt them.
Also discovered that his gearshift was different from mine so couldn't swop it across.
Ah well...the chrome door handles I can live without. But I still need a good condition rear view mirror, and a gearshift assembly. On the gearshift, I suspect a wiring problem, but easiest way to test it would be to have a spare. Ong, any luck finding yours? And can you get me a decent rear view mirror?
All in all, a most profitable trip. I felt real bad about stripping my friend's car. He really loved it. But as he put it, better he transfers everything to me than to the scrappers... :sad_smile: