My Project

[ImBenC]

Hi all, as you will realise im new to these forums, along with owning a SEAT.
I'll start with a few basics about myself, im a 17 year old IT student in the West Midlands area. I drive a lame ass peugeout 106, soon to be my very sexy (hopefully) 1.4 Seat Ibiza Sport that I am currently working on.

The car itself. Well I bought the SEAT around 4 months ago, it was a total write off, I got it at a bargain (Thanks to Ebay!). The seller couldn't claim on his insurance as he was 4x over the drink driving limit, thus he therefore never claimed his car as an official write off.
I dont have any pics of what the car looked like before hand, but basically:

Unrepairable damage to both doors
Unrepairable damage to tailgate + glass
Complete front end damage (bought with no bumper, half a front panel)
Unrepairable front crash bar
Damage to mounting for front panel, the p/s chassis leg?
No headlights
Burst radiator
Damaged air con rad
Damage to both wings
Unrepairable damage to rear p/s quarter
Both p/s tyres blown

Since then in the free time that I've had, I managed to:

Remove both doors including all the wiring loom in one piece to just place onto new doors
Prepped 2 doors ready for me to paint the insides
Replaced the tailgate + managed to salvage all wiring loom
Removed the air con rad
Repair the whole front end of the car, including p/s chassis leg
Replaced the front panel plastics
Refitted new headlights
Repaired both wings
Bodged the water rad enough so I can move it in and out of the garage when need be
Removed inside interior ready for rear quarter repair
Replaced both blown p/s tyres

What still needs doing:

Replace rear quarter (not looking forward to?)
Buy a bumper and refit
Find one more lower light (that fits into the bumper)
Paint inside of doors + tailgate
Replace wiring inside doors + tailgate and then refit interior
Refit doors
Prep whole car
Get repainted
Buy a new water rad and fit it
Fit new air con rad

I hope to keep you updated with my work in progress, I have a few pics of how it looks at the moment which I will update shortly.

If anyone can offer any advice with the work that still needs doing, and whether you think it will be really worth it afterwards, feel free to post.

I'm currently using Ebay to source all of my parts to make sure everything is still genuine SEAT. I currently still need a new Water Rad, Lower Lights (that fit into fr bumper), A FR Bumper, help on refitting bumper grilles.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post


Here is a link to the album of all my current photos as I cant upload them directly to here
img295.imageshack.us/g/img00299201007102015q.jpg/

 

[rf860]

this is very interesting, what year and power output has your 1.4 got? what colour as well?

 

[ImBenC]

Its a 2007, its at 98bhp, and its metallic blue - colour code LW5U

 

[rf860]

Its a 2007, by power output do you mean bhp or the Max. net power (sorry) anyway its at 98bhp, and its metallic blue - colour code LW5U

same engine as mine and poss same colour, is yours dark blue if so its prob ada blue

 

[ImBenC]

same engine as mine and poss same colour, is yours dark blue if so its prob ada blue

Yeah its the darker blue, im just popping some pics onto imageshack wont be a moment.
How do you find your SEAT? Is it as nice as they look

 

[techie]

So the chassis leg was damaged? Did it not need alignment on a jig then?

Sounds an interesting project.

 

[ImBenC]

So the chassis leg was damaged? Did it not need alignment on a jig then?

Sounds an interesting project.

Ahhh so thats what it was
Basically, I dont know how safe this was... But due to the fact im doing all the work at home I just simply strapped a ratchet around the leg, attatched that to the whinch on my dads trailer, and prised it across until it alligned with my new crash can

 

[ImBenC]

Added picture link at bottom of main post

 

[rf860]

Yeah its the darker blue, im just popping some pics onto imageshack wont be a moment.
How do you find your SEAT? Is it as nice as they look

Yeah, it is a good little car it just ashame that there was quite a lot of cost cutting in the car such as the poor quality suspension components, the cheap plastic interior and the lack of sound proofing. Although there is a solution to two of these problems, you can upgrade the suspension and you can sound proof the bodyshell which i will hopefully be doing within the next 6 months. I think you will however prefer it to your 106, build quality should be better! How much did you pay for it if you dont mind me asking?

 

[techie]

Ahhh so thats what it was
Basically, I dont know how safe this was... But due to the fact im doing all the work at home I just simply strapped a ratchet around the leg, attatched that to the whinch on my dads trailer, and prised it across until it alligned with my new crash can

Oh jesus, sounds precise..lol

Regardless if it will even drive safe there is a reason these sort of repairs should be done by an authorised accident repair centre. All you need is a chassis leg to be weakened (straight or not) and in an accident it wont crumple up right.

 

[ImBenC]

Yeah, it is a good little car it just ashame that there was quite a lot of cost cutting in the car such as the poor quality suspension components, the cheap plastic interior and the lack of sound proofing. Although there is a solution to two of these problems, you can upgrade the suspension and you can sound proof the bodyshell which i will hopefully be doing within the next 6 months. I think you will however prefer it to your 106, build quality should be better! How much did you pay for it if you dont mind me asking?

Oh right, would you recommend filling the inside of the doors and rear with foam or something before I replace the interior or? And sure it cost me £1600, ate all my summer savings still though!

 

[rf860]

well don't know if i would go down the foam route, but i think i am going to go for a bulk pack of Second Skin Damplifier Pro when i get the funds together. Your projects should cost you a lot less than having to buy the car with no probs as well!

 

[ImBenC]

Oh jesus, sounds precise..lol

Regardless if it will even drive safe there is a reason these sort of repairs should be done by an authorised accident repair centre. All you need is a chassis leg to be weakened (straight or not) and in an accident it wont crumple up right.

It was a pain in the arse, ripped up half the lawn.
And yeah ofcourse I totally appreciate that. Everything will be checked over professionally before insuring it just to make sure

 

[ImBenC]

Looks promising rf860. Will have to look into it. Well yeah I figured with resprays the car will owe me around £3000, which isnt bad considering its no insurance claim against it and with only 20k miles on the clock. Have updated the pics, have a look

 

[rf860]

looks good so far, how long do you recon till its finished?

 

[ScottHmk4]

interesting project but admin will probably move this thread to readers rides

 

[ImBenC]

interesting project but admin will probably move this thread to readers rides

Would be nice to do so? I didn't realise there was a topic for it untill I posted. /Slap for me for not looking

EDIT: Just had a look at your post on that 1.2 of yours. Mint job mate. Did you get that front bumper complete with grilles? Is it difficult to replace them. Thanks, Ben.

 

[.Phase]

front bumpers are easy, just 6 screws underneather, 5 in arches, 4 in engine bay and 2 fog lights (maybe not may only be on pre facelift)

 

[ImBenC]

Ahh sorted Gotta be easier than the inside of those freaking doors.
Can you tell me what's the difference between the FR front bumper and the Cupra one? If there is any.
Also, how hard is it to replace the bottom grille on the front bumper, I can't find one complete so?
Regards, Ben.

 

[.Phase]

yeah it's really easy, takes 20 minutes!

hardest part is unplugging fogs & temp sensor !

because FR's have a side mounted intercooler the FR bumpers are designed to allow airflow to the side
the Cupra has a front mounted intercooler and therefore has a massive front grill and no side airflow, therefore if you have a SMIC do not fit a cupra bumper!
if you have upgraded to a FMIC then put a cupra one on to allow maximum airflow