Lowered, strut braced and colour coded bumpers
Today was a very eventful day. I'd picked up a pair of white, post 97 colour coded bumpers, an aluminium strut brace, and a set of Jamex 40mm lowering springs.
The aim was to fit all these things in one day. I had a mate to help in the form of Podd.
Throughout the day I added layers of spray paint to the bumpers, although they were already white they needed another blow over really.
First things first, jack up the car, the ground was soft, but it wasn't raining.
We removed the two 18mm bolts holding the struts to the hubs, difficult but doable. Then the two 10mm nuts under the bonnet holding the strut tops to the chassis. The strut then pretty much falls out.
Then I whacked a pair of spring compressors on, compressing the old spring down enough to remove the strut top, which requires a deep offset 18mm spanner (which I don't have).
So I walked to the nearest car shop to buy one (which they didn't sell). So I was semi-forced to buy a set of offset spanners for £33. Never mind
With the right tool for the job it was remarkably easy, I whipped off the old front springs and replaced them with the new 40mm springs.
And fitted them back to the car. Along with the front strut brace.
Sadly by this point Paul had also removed the front bumper.
This posed a conundrum. My generator had run out of petrol, so we needed to get some more to allow us to work past dusk. So do we carry on working now, with fading light, or bodge the car together and get fuel.
We bodged on the front bumper, chucked the number plate in the front window and headed to the petrol station. With the front 40mm lower than the rear.
When we came back I reversed the car into the garage, far enough so we were under cover (it was now raining quite heavily). Fired up the generator and set to work lowering the rear.
Rear bumper off. The process of lowering the rear is much easier. Jack it up, unbolt the dampers, lower the rear beam and the springs pretty much fall out. Put the new ones in, and bolt it back up.
Once that was done we fitted the newly sprayed rear bumper and spun the car around to be nose in.
Once the car was nose in, we set about fitting the front bumper.
Job jobbed, and we went to the pub. I was surprised how long it took us, we arrived at the garage at around 11:30am and left about 5pm. Sprayed 2 bumpers, lowered the car, fitted a strut brace and swapped 2 bumpers.
I also rubbed down and primed a small rust spot on the driver's door, but I did a poor job and it'll need redoing with some dry weather.