I bought my old EE9 back! link to first resto update 5-2-16

[Stu-VT]

I am over the moon this weekend.

I had to sell my EE9 3 years ago almost to the day. (here's the original body resto link from 2007 viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5590&hilit=start+to+finish" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )

The new owner always promised to let me have first refusal but loved the car so wasn't planning on selling for a long time.

I recently moved house and had a thought during the process 'i hope the VT doesn't come up for sale for a while' mainly as we were broke!
Then last weekend, 4 weeks after the move I had a text, would I like to buy it back!

I have one of the most understanding wife's there is, so I asked for some photos of it and brought it home yesterday.

The old owner used it daily, and looked after it so well its almost freaky. It was fully serviced once a year religiously, its exactly as I sold it. Mugen mR5's are still immaculate, 4-2-1 one peice header, exhaust system, alloy radiator.

If it wasn't for a couple of extra stone chips and small rust bubbles I wouldnt beleive it had been away.

Credit to the previous owner, he looked after it amazingly well and as the car has sentimental value to me (having been in the family for years) I cannot thank him enough.

It was weird driving round the corner and seeing it there, it was weird seeing the folder of receipts and seeing my hand writing on the older ones, and weird to drive it again. Certainly a unique purchasing experience for me.
Mechanically it seems perfect still.

Plans are clean it up, touch up the chips, underseal it again and enjoy.
When/if I ever have spare cash after buying this house I would like to change the suspension, fit a different steering wheel and ultimately put black DC2 Recaros back in as it used to have them, but thats a long way off.

Heres a couple of pictures from the previous owner.




And at home on the drive. Where i washed it in the rain this morning and had the neighbours thinking the new bloke is a bit weird....

[sabvtivtec]

Good to hear you've got it back

[Tahir]

Great news Stu!

[Ben_theEFking]

As I said yesterday Stu, really pleased for you mate

[walsh123]

Awesome man ! Glad to see you reunited with the Vt was and still is such a nice example

[Stu-VT]

Thanks all, done 250 miles in it this week and it doesn't miss a beat, runs smooth and quiet.

Putting it in for an MOT tomorrow morning to see what its like overall and especially underneath. I wax oiled the rear panel and sills before I refitted the covers when I got it back from the body shop all those years ago so should be ok.

Desperately needs the rack end bush doing. I have the bush but think I'll see if one of my mechanic mates will sort it for me. I've read up on it and don't fancy it.

Dill on here is sending me a rear wiper motor, mechanism and arm as it doesn't look right with the bung in the hole in my opinion.

Progress will be slow, need to build a driveway at the end of the garden, we have a garage and drive off to the left of the garden, but one of the neighbours realised I had my Beetle in the garage and this on the drive. Apparently I am "pig ignorant"
Fair play, we have 2 cars out the front with everyone else (neither of which fit on the 1950's car size rear drive) so we planned on doing something.

Meister R's and DC2 Recaros will have to wait......

[Stu-VT]

Fresh MOT as of today, no advisories either which was a nice surprise. I looked underneath with his inspection light and its not bad at all. mainly factory underseal holding up well except where I waxoiled the sills before putting the covers on about 6 years ago.

I'll give it a coating of waxoil underneath over winter.

So glad its survived well.

[dill]

Waxoil is a Hondas best friend!

[Stu-VT]

This is probably going to be a thread of incredible boredom for you all, but until money recovers it will be small gains.
However, I enjoy cleaning up cars, and motorbikes and I have the stuff in the garage, so this is really maximum results for no money at the moment.
If you are used to Tahir's, Ben EFKing, and AaronEk amongst others, then you are about to be sorely disappointed!

The car had been used daily for 3 years in all weathers, so its understandable that things have got dirty. To be honest when I owned it previously it was garaged and I never took it out even if I thought it was going to rain.
This was ridiculous, so this time it will be waxed and undersealed but I won't be as precious about it this time. I plan on using it and enjoying it.

I'll slowly be cutting back the paint, polishing and waxing when I have the odd hour in the evenings.

Unfortunately this will be Sorn'd at the end of the month as my motorcycle broke down the day the new owner was coming to get it, so we are broke at the moment. The wife is extremely understanding so I still have genitals attached.
To be fair its the first time I havent been able to sell something to justify another toy straight away.

Anyway, onto the recent progress.

The rear quarter windows were removed, then the moss was removed with baby wipes (they do everything well! inside and outside the car) then T-cut, polished and waxed. Window rubbers were cleaned, and treated with Auto Glym rubber treatment, the interior plastics were treated at the same time to cover all tricky areas while the window was out.
Obviously done both sides.

Before


After,


Next, I removed the rear spoiler, used baby wipes to clean the moss off, and also to clean the area around the boot hinges and around the tailgate rubber. I also fitted the rear wiper motor and arm after painting it satin black. (Cheers Dill!)

Before


After


While the spoiler was off I T-Cut, polished and waxed it and treated the underside plastic before refitting. I forgot pics but image a standard spoiler thats really shiny and makes the roof look a bit yellow.

The previous owner said he had never opened the sunroof in the 3 years he had it. So I gently opened the sunroof, cleaned the area around it, polished the pop up spoiler thing, cleaned out the runners and regreased. I forgot the before pic but it was just dirty. Still makes me feel good seeing it all clean and spangly.



I cleaned under the rear lights and between the rear bumper and filler panel, but I couldnt get pictures.
The bumper paint has yellowed with age, so if I can't restore the paint, I may have to get them painted, same with the front bumper.

Thats all so far. Until next times enthralling instalment.

[dill]

Nice work stu, most people wouldn't bother with stuff like this. I think these little things make all the difference and make a good car great as well as helping to keep them clean and keeping rust at bay!
And your welcome, I'm glad I could help with the wiper.

[Tahir]

It's the small bits that make ALL the difference.

[Aaron-EK]

As Tahir said its the small things that count. I love the MR5's I've also got a set proper old school

[EE9 CVC]

Good maintenance work to be doing, like you I also enjoy doing things like that and having the car clean even in the area you can't see.

[Ben_theEFking]

I done exactly the same when I got the EF9. It's the little things that make a huge difference overall.

[COSWORTH]

Its the third time you've owned this car now?