The last few months (and some fresh new piccys)

[alanbradley]

Hi folks,

Really just a quick note to apologise for my lack of participation over the past few months. I've been working away from home a lot (if you're going to be in Manchester then ask for restaurant recommendations...) so when it came to the weekends all I've done is try to catch up with life-in-general and so haven't had a chance to get out and about as much as I'd like. As well as that the VX was off the road having failed its first MOT and then hanging about waiting for brake parts until I could get them fitted (didn't happen in the end, despite my best efforts) and/or find a suitably sympathetic MOT* tester ( )

Anyhow, I'm now closer to home during the week and so less frazzled at the weekends, the Vehicross is running like a dream having been used near-continuously since before Christmas and I have every intention of being at WAY more off-road events than last year.

In preparation I've made it all nice and clean (okay, a friendly local Ukranian did it for a small fee - it was cold out...) so I thought I'd share some piccys:-


New, grippier seats. Needed sight alterations to the standard subframes. The originals are now safely stored in my garage loft. Even these have seat covers to protect them fromt he worst of off-roading muck.


And in the darkness... Nothing beats almost 400W of illumination - I really must fit those extra ones I have for the roof crate...


Unusually shiny - the sand trays were ont he roof "just in case" but fairly hit the fuel consumption. One of my mates was driving it over Christmas when i was away in france and claims to have covered just 70 miles on £50 ($US 80.30) of petrol at low speed in the snow. He's always sorer on fuel than I am though...


I need to get my friendly steel fabricators to run up a bar for between the fow bar mounts with a pindle/NATO hitch int he middle and a pair of hefty towing eyelets I've acquited. shoudl make "extraction" much easier...

Oh and I've finally got rid of most (but by no means all) of the sand & crud that was plastered over the underside at the VX meet.

I hope you're all well...

Cheers,

Alan

*Ministry of Transport - the MOT Test in the UK is a test of roadworthyness that has to be assed annually by all vehicles over 3 years old.

[Sprey]

Sweet pics, Still love your new seat!, Once i finish a few more mods something ill look into possibly.

They look a simular shape to the stock recaro? what would you rate them in comfort to stock?

I get a sore back after awhile of driving and my head never touches the headrest lol, maybe my fail driving position?

Must admit love the fact the lower part of your vx is like 2 tone kinda, tinted indicators and your (new?) 2 tone wheels that match the body etc looks choice dude

[alanbradley]

Cheers for the kind words.

I have actually fitted the pair of replacement Recaros - I just happened to find that piccy in my photobucket account and thought it was worth sharing. I think they're out of a Mitsubishi Evo or Honda Integra originally. The fit fine in the space, but don't even consider access to the rear seats - they have a tilt mechanism but its really ineffectual - even more so than the one on the standard seats. I've taken my back seats out too so that's not really a problem. One of these weekends I'll get around to starting the unit I want to fit in the back - I have all the parts.

Shape wise, they're much deeper than the stock bucket, and the bolsters are really firm - access can be uncomfortable if you can't open the door very far. Its a case of "one buttock, head in, second buttock and make yourself comfy". I thought about installing harnesses (you can see they're "harness ready") but decided that as I find harnesses in other cars a pain when I'm not wearing them (they flop about you have to sit on buts of them) and when I'm wearing them ("Can't reach aircon controls... Steaming up...") I decided agains that. Instead I have acquired a pair of CG-Locks that hold you in place without limiting upper body movement.

I've always had the same problem with my head not touching the headrest so I must share the same fail driving position as you. These ones are actually worse as they're designed to be used with a helmet. I have seen little Recaro-branded cushiony things on Hondas with these same seats but simply can't find them on the 'net. If you do please let me know!

Lastly the wheels... They were inherited from my mate's Pajero when its engine died. They're proper split-rim SSRs that have had the centre removed, powder coated and rebuilt. I tried to half-heartedly sell them over the summer but have decided that I like them too much. I normally post off-road pics on here where I've swapped these ones for the chromed steels as they have knobbly tyres and won't get buckled nearly as easily.

I've also had the rear windows tinted for that drug dealer look but mainly so people couldn't see what I was carrying in the back. I really just need to find a morning when the weather's decent so I can do the front brake pads.

Next on the list, by the way, is a snorkel. I've found a place that prepares rally cars who think it "sounds interesting" and I'll see about a front belly pan there too. Naturally, I'll pass on anything that may be of interest. They're currently doing some refurb work (they restore VW Campers too) on a mate's Baja Beetle and they seem more than competent. I just want the insurance of someone else cutting holes in my car's metalwork...

Cheers again,

Alan

[Ldub]

VERRRY NICE !!!... x 2

[handeeman]

Alan that is sweeeeeet! Love the look. Kinda threw me at 1st, no JDM mirror.

[don moore]

i like the rack on top...???

[alanbradley]

Cheers again folks.

Yeah, mine's missing the JDM mirror - I don't know why but it may be because it was brought to this country when it was quite new. Or it may be because it got broken - there is overspray on that wing...

The rack on top is just a generic one mounted on some cheapy bars - it seems to work though!

A

[Sprey]

Sounds like those seats fit me fine i basicly throw my self into the vx lol.
Kinda mean but funny, near everyone for the first time hoping into the vx seems to hit there head, i try not to laugh after i tell them mind your head!.

For the cushions, ive seen the odd ones around, tho duno if there legit ot anything. prob could custom make one the same for bugger all $.

Weirdly enough ive never noticed that you didnt have a Jdm mirror anymore until someone finaly realised! far out!

[LittleBeast]

NICE

[alanbradley]

Thanks!

I've just noticed we both have the same car combo although my RX8 is standard bar an HKS panel filter:-


lso, today I bought a pair of isuzu-branded head/neck cushions on e-bay. Here's the link :- Clicky

Cheers,

Alan

[alterastro]

I'd love to swap my seats as my head is too close to the roof and I must have a wide *** as it gets a bit uncomfortable side-wise afer a while! Anyone know of any that slot straight in, let me know!

Alan - if you're contact is serious about a snorkle, then count me in! I'd love one that looks good (not some drainage pipe etc!) and I'm sure there are some guys here that would like one too

Nick

[pbkid]

dig the lights alan...

[alanbradley]

I'd love to swap my seats as my head is too close to the roof and I must have a wide *** as it gets a bit uncomfortable side-wise afer a while! Anyone know of any that slot straight in, let me know!

Alan - if you're contact is serious about a snorkle, then count me in! I'd love one that looks good (not some drainage pipe etc!) and I'm sure there are some guys here that would like one too

Nick

These seats actually have ne sitting higher - I think the trick would be to make (or have made) some lower seat frames.

The "looking good" is one of the reasons I'd like to have it done properly, as well as the "don't want to go cutting holes in the hard to replace panelling" - its not something common like a Paj!

Here's a linky to Outermotive's site - Clicky! - what it doesn't tell you is that they started out as a rally-prep company, run their own (immaculate) Mk1 Golf rally car and only ended up as camper restorers by accident. I'm REALLY impressed by the work they've been doing on "Bob the Beetle" for Lorne (clarky) and you know from Paj Owners Club how anal he can be about stuff...

I like the lights too. People are under no illusion whether they've been flashed or not!

A