My project cars thread. Maestro fettling

[Matty]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186695767404?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=TQXAI-l_S6G&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=svwv9r4orxa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Have you or @grogee seen this absolute fittun yet? You've got the unit, got the fleet. Now you need the support vehicle 🫡

[JMotor]

@Matty

I maybe dumb.

Not I'm not that reckless! 😆 

The current Maestro was already a silly purchase! 😆 

Tidy van though. Another Ledbury assembled one. Rare to see a W reg motor.

[Matty]

Looked well on the Irmschers in fairness. Big wheels tho it'd need dropping on them to avoid looking like a Clubman D 😁 

[JMotor]

Monster truck Hai! 😂 

Perhaps I should raise the front a little bit, get some adapters and fit those wheels. Would look neat enough.

Helps the wheel design is from the 80's. 

 

[grogee]

57 minutes ago, Matty said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186695767404?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=TQXAI-l_S6G&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=svwv9r4orxa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Have you or @grogee seen this absolute fittun yet? You've got the unit, got the fleet. Now you need the support vehicle 🫡

It rings a bell, I remember thinking late reg madness. I seem to remember there being quite a choice of vans available (for big money) at the moment. 

I would happily pilot a Stro van if I needed a van, at least I'd know how to fix it. 

[Matty]

Without wanting to sound a complete bellend the vans are a very cohesive bit of styling. But then I always thought a maestro hatch is a smart car 😃 

[vulgalour]

22 hours ago, grogee said:

No arch panels available unless you're very lucky. I think someone on the Maestro forum used arches from something else but can't remember what. 

Mine was done with 1 arch panel and 1 front wing used to create the outer lip. By a professional person - not me, although I supplied the bits.

@vulgalour has done videos on arch replacement - his was red, too

The Golf arch solution is the one you see most commonly cited.  For mine I used a splice Maestro front wing arch for one side, and a Montego rear arch for the other side, also slightly spliced and tweaked.

From the Maestro playlist, for the front wing as rear wing solution, there's a short series starting here:

 

For the Montego rear arch solution, there's a short series starting here:

The whole playlist starts here:

Hope that helps!  Apologies if I've linked this in here before, I feel like I probably did.

[JMotor]

Took the coilover out. Turns out they rammed a VAG top mount in there. 

Both collars are properly knackered. Mind made up now.

Coilovers are going in the bin. Seen a fella who breaks them on the Monstro FB page. He'll be getting a message tonight.

[Matty]

Been out in mine today and put me thinking about yours. You've got quick cars like the Corsa and Altezza so for the Maestro I'd stick with the A series.

Alright mines overbored but it's only got a balanced bottom end and a relatively tame cam and big single. Whilst no A outside of a race engine is ever going to be a rev monster a good 1275 in a relatively light car can be a little flying machine. They just have such a flat meaty torque curve.

[JMotor]

@Matty You are absolutely right.

Also had a good think about the car today and I absolutely don't need another involved project. Rather not mess with it at all.

It serves me better put back to stock and kept roadworthy. 

[Matty]

Whatever you do with it, kept in decent fettle it's a very usefull an car to take the load off your other stuff. Whilst being utterly charming at the same time. Fair play pal it's some fleet!

[JMotor]

4 hours ago, vulgalour said:

Hope that helps!  Apologies if I've linked this in here before, I feel like I probably did.

It does! 

Lets me see how others have tackled the same problem. Not a bad thing at all.

Can't recall you posting the links in this thread. Possibly in another one. However it doesn't hurt to share them again.

I think a combo of front wing and Golf sections should see the arches good again. 

Will settle for a solid repair that looks reasonable, not 100 percent accurate. 

[Matty]

28 minutes ago, JMotor said:

It does! 

Lets me see how others have tackled the same problem. Not a bad thing at all.

Can't recall you posting the links in this thread. Possibly in another one. However it doesn't hurt to share them again.

I think a combo of front wing and Golf sections should see the arches good again. 

Will settle for a solid repair that looks reasonable, not 100 percent accurate. 

@vulgalours video guide is a goodun. He certainly doesn't fuck about when stuff needs doing. Puts me to shame a bit in fairness 😁

[JMotor]

Oh! 

Nearly forgot about those rear lower top mount bushes! 

So the ones I bought are for a Jaguar.

They measure out at 67mm outer diameter, 20mm inner diameter and 20mm thickness. Not exactly the same. Close enough to work I think.

NAM1181 is 24mm thick, 18mm inner and 68mm outer.

Part number is CAC949465P, Rimmer Bros were the cheapest. 

 

[JMotor]

I have all four struts for the Maestro.

Yay!

Less gooder. The rubber top mount for the front struts is missing. Fudge! 

Number 11 in the diagram. Spoken to the fella who sold me the struts, he's going to look for them. Not his fault, I should of asked. 

Need a back up plan anyway. So, I explored another idea I had seen from other Monstro pervs.

MK3 Golf mounts. Will have to get creative with fitting them as of course it's not going to be straightforward. Cheap enough to not care if I ruin one. I'll report my findings either way if it helps anyone else in the future.

Still. FFS, this Maestro! 

Pure daein my tits in like!

[grogee]

2 minutes ago, JMotor said:

I have all four struts for the Maestro.

Yay!

Less gooder. The rubber top mount for the front struts is missing. Fudge! 

Number 11 in the diagram. Spoken to the fella who sold me the struts, he's going to look for them. Not his fault, I should of asked. 

Need a back up plan anyway. So, I explored another idea I had seen from other Monstro pervs.

MK3 Golf mounts. Will have to get creative with fitting them as of course it's not going to be straightforward. Cheap enough to not care if I ruin one. I'll report my findings either way if it helps anyone else in the future.

Still. FFS, this Maestro! 

Pure daein my tits in like!

You win so many cool points though. You'll be fighting them off with a shitty stick! 

[JMotor]

Or they'll put me in a nut house! 😆 

Why in the hell do I punish myself with these things!?

[jim89]

14 minutes ago, grogee said:

You win so many cool points though. You'll be fighting them off with a shitty chopstick! 

FTFY 🙂

[grogee]

21 minutes ago, JMotor said:

Or they'll put me in a nut house! 😆 

Why in the hell do I punish myself with these things!?

Because 

[Matty]

Funny as fuck though that the default answer for nla Maestro parts is Golf. First arch repair panels now top mounts. You'll be telling me they share a gearbox next 🤣

[JMotor]

12 hours ago, Matty said:

You'll be telling me they share a gearbox next 🤣

They used those inferior VW gearbags on the 1300's. Otherwise it would of been too epic of car for a mere mortal to handle!!

🤣

But yeah it is pretty laughable that the VW parts bin is being raided. Because the parts situation for Maestros is comically bad. 

Think it's in the spirit of BLARG to at least make shit of said VAG parts to make them fit.

[Matty]

Shite backup though. Mechanically I'm sorted for band new bits all day long. Panel and trim is a bit harder but the club is ace at getting stuff remade. My dad's Spit is everything down to a rivet brand new next day. Shame the same can't be said for the last of the old guard.

[JMotor]

It sadly is @Matty.

Then these things weren't held in that much regard. There was a fair bit of stock about, however it was cleaned out years ago. Even some parts like dampers aren't being reproduced by the aftermarket now.

I had a play about with the car today. Sacked off those coilovers for good. Fitted the stock UK spec fronts.

We have actual ride height now. Polo 6n top mounts fit with "some" modification to them. 

The front dampers are knackered so I'll have to just suffer and buy a new pair. On the flip side, I now can move the car about again.

Rears need their dampers changed. So I'll do that before fitting them. 

[JMotor]

Back at this tonight.

So that's it on standard suspension all round. Front is waaay higher than it should be. It will settle, but not by a huge amount. 

Not worried, fix that later. 

Rears. Well...

The lower shocker bolt seized to the inner part of the bush.

I was not in the mood for playing.

It was rotten shite anyway. Full malkie with the sawzall!!

I sliced up the remains of the lower bush and peeled the rubber part until the centre could be seen. Then vice grips and some heat got the two telt to separate.

I need a beer now!

[Matty]

53 minutes ago, JMotor said:

Back at this tonight.

So that's it on standard suspension all round. Front is waaay higher than it should be. It will settle, but not by a huge amount. The bigger wheels these have make it look taller as well.

Not worried, fix that later. 

Rears. Well...

The lower shocker bolt seized to the inner part of the bush.

I was not in the mood for playing.

It was rotten shite anyway. Full malkie with the sawzall!!

I sliced up the remains of the lower bush and peeled the rubber part until the centre could be seen. Then vice grips and some heat got the two telt to separate.

I need a beer now!

Ah but. Progress all the same. And it looks mint. Proper car that. 

[JMotor]

You're right.

It is progress.

Does look better too. Feel happier about it being back to stock height. Weird for someone who likes lowering cars 😆

[Split_Pin]

Definitely looks better standard.

Don't worry, it's an age thing, I used to always have to lower my cars when I was younger 😅 

[JMotor]

Oh golly gosh! Remember it was hard going when an old motor of mine was on GMax gear.

But it looked the part when out cutting laps of the toon.

[Split_Pin]

8 hours ago, JMotor said:

cutting laps of the toon.

Same as me both in suspension brand and activity 😂

[JMotor]

Quick runabout and it's helped settle the front ride height down.

I can live with that.