johngreen537's Milano EP3! Neuspeed ARB's! Bonnet Wrap!

[johngreen537]

Few little updates, been getting myself a flocker, so probably gone waaaaaay overboards, but loving the effect at the minute!

Firstly, didn't really want to shell out on post facelift door cards, just seems loads of money for fundamentally a bit of red fabric, so I flocked my old ones

Not a bad finish, I'll end up doing it again no doubt just to get it perfecto! But as a first attempt, not bad at all!
Then, moved on to speedo surround! Just wanted some small bits that popped on and off easy enough to play with the flocking machine on! Worked quite well, still needs bit of practive to perfect, but getting there!

Ignore the dust
And, inevitabley, the steering cowling, as next to the flock it looked dull and old. Had a few nasty key marks etc which needed sorting so flocking seemed the logical option!

Again, much dust around, needs a clean Hides the crappy old key scratched plastic lovely though!
Something a little out there in the engine ba anyone!
Flocked.... Plug cover and i-VTEC Cover!

The BMC CDA is in the bin now!
Honda Access JDM Mats... £30 ebay BARGAIN! Couldn't beleive my luck!
They are mint, just need a good clean

And, fitted aftermarket radio, so flushed it in, then, you guessed it, flocked it to finish!

But, like a numpty, I've LOST my guage surrounds! Some now on order, but what an idiot!

Not to everyone's taste, as I'm generally walking that marmite line, but I like it at the minute. No doubt in a few months I'll get a new idea
Bear in mind this is all done in my front room, with google, balls of steel and a bit of insanity

Not to mention, new disks & pads all round, full on service, and general upkeep really!

 

[SicklyPilot]

Flocking hell

 

[johngreen537]

Fluffy cars

 

[Danger200]

I like the flocking actually, all except under the bonnet. I prefered the carbon wrap.

Just noticed carbon gearknob and surround :lol:

 

[Loxy]

Quite like the flocking. It's different.

 

[johngreen537]

I like the flocking actually, all except under the bonnet. I prefered the carbon wrap.

Just noticed carbon gearknob and surround :lol:

lol, the engine bay stuff was just to test the heat resistance more than a permanent fixture. But, it's different, and I like different.
I've seen elsewhere someone flocked a rocker cover, and that was just cool! Problem is, I'd burn my hands stroking it all the time

Gear nob, I had to change as I'm too much of a pussy to get cold hands in the winter, I do 50 miles each way to work and back, so burnign hands in the summer and chill blades in the winter really not my bag! The carbon one just felt nice, so for £20 did the job
Gear surround chrome just looks out of place in the EP3 I think, I hate chrome trim, think i looks utter gash, especially in sporty cars. Just dont get it
I'd have done it in boot polish if I had too

Just done my spare centre console in RED flock, to see what it would look like, in the house, it looks oh so nice, but oh so pimp!
Once it's cured properly I'll stick it in for some pics, but I'm undecided at the minute!

The carbon wrap is nice, still love it, I've got bits and bobs done, all the fading black exterior plastics (wing mirror plates, windscreen edge plastics etc) but only because it freshens up the plastic, as the Milano makes the dulling plastic look worse than it is!

 

[Ash4Lotte]

Hey, what is flocking?? is it easy?? i was thinking of getting the facelift door cards because i like the red trim,would it be easier and same effect if i flocked it?? how would i flock it?? also whats wrong with the BMC induction kit??

 

[johngreen537]

Flocking is millions of tiny 1mm fibres electro statically charged and glued to the surface of the plastic mate.
Not 'hard' so to speak, but you need kit to do it, so it's not the cheapest type DIY job. You can buy a 'suede tex' applicator which gives ok results, but it's not a patch on the electrostatic stuff when you see them together!
To see what / how it is, your little cubby hole to the right of your ignition barrel is the same effect, kinda soft fabric type feel.

The BMC sounded good, but on the best dyno run, produced 12bhp LESS than standard!

 

[Ash4Lotte]

12bhp less!!! how so??? i have a bmc cda kit which came with the car, i did a little search on google and found out they used them on ferrari's and racing cars. I generally assumed they would top of the range especially with their 200 plus quid price tag, how is it worse than standard ??

 

[johngreen537]

I thought it'd be decent too, made a nice noise I'll give it that!
Dyno of the car with BMC on, best run was 184bhp!
Put it back to standard, straight back to 197.9bhp, no other change to car mate!
If you get chance, whack the standard air box on, see if you notice the difference!
Goes to show that expensive doesn't really mean best!

 

[Ash4Lotte]

well i dont actually have the original airbox, i bought the car with the bmc on it, any recommendations for hp gain rather than cutting it like the bmc ??

 

[johngreen537]

Some good old Milano Porn for you boys
Had the old waxer and polisher out tonight, damn Milano looks the nuts in twilight when it's spangley shiney!

 

[johngreen537]

Well, got bored at the weekend, and started looking at my paintwork.
My Milano on the roof, bonnet, boot lid and spoiler is starting to pink. Only really noticable in the bright sun, but it's one of theose things that once you notice it, it's blindingly obvious.

So, got the carbon wrap out again!

Spoiler was the worst affected, so started there. really tempted now to do the bonet and roof.
Got to say, the spoiler is one of the hardest things I've ever had to wrap, and I've done a LOT of wrapping in my time!

When I flocked my dash, like a bafoon I LOST my heater dial surrounds, so picked up the only set at a reasonable price on ebay, but ordered the wrong ones!
Spot the deliberate mistake!

When the were on, the dials (obviously) didn't match up with the nob locations, so I thought, stuff it, I need to have them matching up at least!
Took the dash out, repalced the switch gear... Put it in.... Guess what, climate control only bloody works!!!!!!!

My car has no air con, but when I set the dials all to auto, it actualy regulates the fan speed and the direction to attempt to regulate the temperature!
EP3 climate control (ish) FTW!

 

[Gary8150]

Would never expect the heater controls to do that. So you just changed the knob switches and it worked on Auto???

 

[johngreen537]

Yeah mate, I was gob smacked! I only cahnged the actual switches as the nobs were ever so slighly offset!
I'm 'assuming' there's a thermostat somewhere in the car, or it guesses by air volume and intake temperature?

Either way, when I set the dials to 'Auto' it adjusts the fan speeds and air temps to regulate the temperature!
Not sure how effective it really is, but feels a lot more refined, even if it is psychosomatic

As I paid £4 for them, I'd be interested in getting an ambient air temp reading in the winter (pointless in the summer as my car has no aircon) to see how 'regulated' the temperature is!

 

[johngreen537]

Oh, and just bought a JDM Front ARB...

 

[Gary8150]

Well thats interesting. Must have all the sensors already there in that case. Where did you get your jdm front ARB? Mine was from eightspeed. Was cheapest one I could find.

 

[johngreen537]

eBay rules mate
£59 too, including new drop links and poly bushes
As I say, the heaters do change without touching them, so appear to regulate temp, but without a thermometer inside the car, there's no way of telling if it's 'really' working. Feels like it to me, but I could be imagining it because I hear it working

 

[johngreen537]

Another little update. Anyone seen Fly Eyes Kits?
I was sceptical, but....

Before...

After...

Looks much more aggressive than OEM pre-facelift bright white / chrome lights, and a damn sight cheaper than buying post facelift ones!

 

[C4Doc]

^^ Are they legal for the road?

A shiney milano does look awesomely good!!