VX 2 Calais Build (2020-2023!)

[Fu Manchu]

Step 2 - more cleaning! Plus - first job under the hood - change out the rocker cover gaskets - super easy and I got to see how things looked in the valvetrain.

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Where have I seen this before? Hmm. The grill for the cabin air intake is still available new and they are cheap. I found some on eBay.
I pulled the wiper assembly apart and relubed the ball joints. The scuttle on yours looks way better than mine did.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Time do a quick fix on the headlights to make sure I can pass roadworthy. The drivers side is always the worst! Below is after doing a pretty rough and ready sanding job. Then I wacked a few coats of Septone acrylic clear on them. For anyone who wants do this, I would avoid the Septone and either go for a U-Pol or Color-Spec Crystal Clear , or even the SprayMax 2k Clear for the best and longest lasting results.

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If you look closely, you can see the runs in the bottom left side of the one below!!

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Mine were done with clear coat before I bought it. The clear was going yellow and slightly hazy. Repco do a coating for them. Was staggered at the improvement even after sanding and polishing. Got the coating on and you’d swear they were new.

hopefully those don’t yellow off. They look the shizz right now.

 

[gr33nbastad]

Mine were done with clear coat before I bought it. The clear was going yellow and slightly hazy. Repco do a coating for them. Was staggered at the improvement even after sanding and polishing. Got the coating on and you’d swear they were new.

hopefully those don’t yellow off. They look the shizz right now.

I actually picked up one of the last pairs (that I could find) of genuine series 2 headlights - they will go on when the car gets resprayed and these will be spares. These will definitely yellow again with just the cheap acrylic clear. I'll get some headlight protection film on the new ones, and do these again with 2K clear. Also.. I have the grill for the cabin air (just took it off for cleaning), but I was going to get a new one from eagle auto parts as the foam was all crumbly - but they were stuffing me around with postage so I left it off my last order.. but I did pick some new old PBR calipers !!

 

[krusing]

Time do a quick fix on the headlights to make sure I can pass roadworthy. The drivers side is always the worst! Below is after doing a pretty rough and ready sanding job. Then I wacked a few coats of Septone acrylic clear on them. For anyone who wants do this, I would avoid the Septone and either go for a U-Pol or Color-Spec Crystal Clear , or even the SprayMax 2k Clear for the best and longest lasting results.

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If you look closely, you can see the runs in the bottom left side of the one below!!

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If you want to get the Runs out,
Use "T-Cut" just on just that area, (T-Cut is a bit Old School)
Its a great fine cutter.

 

[gr33nbastad]

Next step - replace these rusty rotors, pads, and a brake flush. Also did all the front bushes including sway bar bushes - photos were taken before the superpro control arms (had a professional do those - couldn't get the ball-joint out! ) . By the time I got finished busting off 20 year old Holden thread locker on all the caliper bolts I was wrecked and didn't take any after photos with nice shiny rotors! Since these were done I have picked up some new calipers that are clean and fresh! I'll get around to completely refurbishing each corner - cleaning out the wheel wells, cleaning or replacing the shocks.. etc.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Not often you see someone with the wheels stashed under the rockers. Good Saftey. Well done.

I’m getting flash backs looking at this thread

 

[Fu Manchu]

When you did the flush, is bleeding the abs required?

 

[krusing]

Next step - replace these rusty rotors, pads, and a brake flush. Also did all the front bushes including sway bar bushes - photos were taken before the superpro control arms (had a professional do those - couldn't get the ball-joint out! ) . By the time I got finished busting off 20 year old Holden thread locker on all the caliper bolts I was wrecked and didn't take any after photos with nice shiny rotors! Since these were done I have picked up some new calipers that are clean and fresh! I'll get around to completely refurbishing each corner - cleaning out the wheel wells, cleaning or replacing the shocks.. etc.

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When I replace Rotors , or
get them machined, and get them back,
I spray them a High Temp Matt Black Paint,
So the Brake Dust isn't so obvious.
[For the Record, No, I don't Spray Paint my Callipers Brembo Red ]

 

[Fu Manchu]

Those Ryobi lights are the shizz.

 

[gr33nbastad]

When you did the flush, is bleeding the abs required?

No, I was careful to make sure I had the reservoir well filled when bleeding each corner. I had read that it can cause problems - the only problem I had during this work was not remembering to tighten the radius bar bush bolts at the front!!!