Cupra Calipers Repainted

[darkhorse]

I thought I'd share with you what I did over the weekend. A lot of swearing, a broken punch, and a hammer to the thumb but I've finished up with a decent result:

Front calipers

Rear calipers were done a few weeks back

Pics aren't the best as I took them on my iphone but you get the idea. The discs are Brembo Max and pads are Mintex.

Those of you who emailed AP to tell them the brake caliper design is majorly flawed, how did you word the email to get free pins? My pad retaining pins are pretty knackered and they ought to be replaced.

The Seat Sport calipers had actually started to corrode on both sides, in the same place so I'll be sending photos to AP. The rear caliper paint had bubbled so I had to take them back to the metal pretty much.

 

[great_kahn]

Fronts are stunning, did you hand paint the letters?

 

[darkhorse]

The letters are bare metal (like they are originally). I painted them and before the paint hardened fully, I used a sharp blade to scrape the paint off. Then I used some wet and dry paper (wet) on a block to finish them off.

The rears are just like the fronts but as I said, the iphone doesn't take the best photos

 

[Hartosh1]

Best refurb ive seen so far mate, what paint did you use i like the idea of sanding down the lettering!

 

[great_kahn]

Did yours have the nipple caps on?? Or did you get replacements.

Mmmmm aluminium finish letters.

 

[darkhorse]

Best refurb ive seen so far mate, what paint did you use i like the idea of sanding down the lettering!

I used Hammerite Smooth Red spray. Cost under £10

Did yours have the nipple caps on?? Or did you get replacements.

Mmmmm aluminium finish letters.

The Cupra comes from the factory with rubber caps on but they perish really quickly. The replacement ones are actually Brembo motorbike nipple covers and cost about £1.50 each

EDIT: Seems they were cheaper than I thought:
http://www.moto-racing.co.uk/ccp51/...+Cover&cat=All+Brake+Accessories&catstr=HOME:

 

[cupra.al]

did you laquer the calipers after?
they look very bright good job.

 

[darkhorse]

You don't need to lacquer with hammerite. Three spray coats or one brush coat and you're good to go.

It's worth mentioning that hammerite takes quite a while to harden. If I pressed on the paint now, I'd still leave a finger print so those who do use hammerite, don't go doing any track days for a few weeks after as it'll melt the paint

 

[krussel]

Thats a nice job, well done

 

[joesmad4it]

Nice job mate, inspired me to do mine now. With regards to getting new pins I just mentioned the trouble I had getting out the old ones, actually having to cut one in half and they sent me 5 for free. I was even cheeky enough to ask for rubber nipple caps and I got 5 of them too!

I thought the days of getting something for nothing were well gone!

 

[darkhorse]

Nice job mate, inspired me to do mine now. With regards to getting new pins I just mentioned the trouble I had getting out the old ones, actually having to cut one in half and they sent me 5 for free. I was even cheeky enough to ask for rubber nipple caps and I got 5 of them too!

I thought the days of getting something for nothing were well gone!

Nice one, thanks for that. I'll send them an email at the weekend and hopefully they will send me some out

 

[cupra.al]

hammerite is great stuff but as you say takes ages to harden and it stinks for days after when the brakes are used,might have to do mine in the same way some time.

 

[Gooner_Mike]

I used Hammerite when doing my 312mm calipers. Still have to do the rears at some point though....
Did you do the rears on the car? Did you remove the pads or literally paint what you could see?

 

[darkhorse]

I used Hammerite when doing my 312mm calipers. Still have to do the rears at some point though....
Did you do the rears on the car? Did you remove the pads or literally paint what you could see?

I was doing the discs and pads on the rear so painted them when I took the old ones off (didn't remove calipers). Believe it or not I think the finish on the rear calipers is better than the front but the pic doesn't show that

 

[Modelmakerman]

Nice job on the callipers.

Ive heard about all the problems with the AP Cupra calliper pins, wouldnt a generous coating of copper grease on the pins help?

 

[Hartosh1]

No amount of copper grease or wd40 will get those pins out trust me i tried everything lol in the end i just cut them out!

 

[vroomtshh]

No amount of copper grease or wd40 will get those pins out trust me i tried everything lol in the end i just cut them out!

I used a hardened punch and a fence post hammer in the end for mine