Firefrost 180
 

You may remember I recently acquired Staccato's old ZS. It was once a very sorted ZS but had been a bit neglected and was in need of rescuing.

http://dc703.4shared.com/img/VmrUIwm...70580835770811

http://dc227.4shared.com/img/9WV066n...18500508936414

http://dc227.4shared.com/img/ZS3068n...42559274083371

I didn't really have a plan on what I was going to do with it when I placed a bid and was actually surprised I won it. I then had the migraine of how was I going to get it back here from uttoxeter? where could I hire a trailer, who could I ask to help me get it back, when would I be able to get time off work... With everything else I've got on my plate at the moment I was beginning to regret bidding. Then G offered to deliver it for petrol money, I was mighty relieved. My first impression when I saw it was that it was much worse than it looked in the pictures. I always tell people a photo tells a thousand lies and this was no exception. It needed a complete front end and will probably need a complete rear end as well if you really want to get it back to near perfect. I'm not criticising anybody before his pals say anything. I think he actually described the car well enough and still feel I got a bargain. Just its a bit more work than id first thought. So, with this in mind I started trawling the old interweb for any body panels in firefrost. If i wanted to get a complete front end I was looking at £350+. So I thought if im spending that much I bet i could get a whole car for that. So i did, well £200 + £150 to get it trailered. and here it is.

http://dc544.4shared.com/img/R9DRhWy...87597924167585

its a diesel that's a CAT C but still runs and drives and pulls very strong. Took me a bit by surprise having never driven the diesel ZS before. It has all the front end parts i need, plus 4 solid door handles which i'll also need amongst various other bits and bobs. Then when im done i plan to break the rest to finance the project. Its got 17" momo alloys, new rear disks and calipers and looks to be a custom exhaust?

I've already started tearing down the front end of the 180 but found several things that need attention before i could even think about putting the new front end on. Will update as and when but this will be slow due to other commitments.

That will certainly keep you busy.

Bet it will be worth it in the end.

Good luck with it.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Like the look of this, should be a nice wee resto project. Hope you are able to see it through and good luck!

God luck mate .... bit of work there to be getting on with.

It's amazing what you can get for the money if your patient and lucky too I guess. Looks like a good deal...

Best of luck with the resurrection - you will feel a real sense of pride when you've finished :D

Looks like you are ready to rock on the restoration now.look forward to seeing it back to its best.well done on taking the project on.

Good luck with this mate..If you finish up with a spare boot lid let me know!!

So you've gone from having a firefrost ZS180 in need of love to a pristine Fireefrost 180 and a harlequin ZS diesel to sell on.

Good luck.

I've just noticed the sheddist reservoir on the 180, strange location for it.

I may move mine there!
It would stop the tube being so convoluted and kinking.

small update, I actually got both the front wings off today even though you can still see one in the photo. You'll also noticed ive already made a start on detailing the engine bay, inner wings so far.

http://dc529.4shared.com/img/vY3FnSY...38421584394243

But, I also discovered that the engine requires A&E.

http://dc529.4shared.com/img/LLRJvPZ...49025923509583
http://dc743.4shared.com/img/Qo3qZ_E...07900421225701

I'm thinking oil cooler. But there's also evidence of oil around the front bank head gaskets. I'm actually considering saving the diesel and breaking the 180. I can cope with the work I need to sort the body but if its the engine and body its going to be too much for me at the moment.

Crank seal maybe, oil cooler pipes, or it could be cam cover gaskets, it looks like its been seeping for a long time

yes, could be numerous places. Im going to continue the engine bay degrease and clean up the area as much as possible. that will hopefully make it a bit easy to track down.

Clean up the oil, fit an airfilter and run it to see where the oil is coming from, it may only require a simple fix.

Just for those wondering what it looked like when I owned it here are some photos. Think this was around 2007ish roughly.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/bcf3/DSC01013.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/bcf3/DSC01015.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/bcf3/DSCF0191.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/bcf3/DSCF0189.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/bcf3/DSC00794.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...DSC00690-1.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/bcf3/DSC00787.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/bcf3/DSC01457.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/bcf3/DSC01017.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/bcf3/DSC01014.jpg

My God that car went downhill in someone's hands - shame.

Yeah I've owned a few cars - most recently an M5 E60 and two scoobies and this is by far the car I've enjoyed owning the most. I transformed it from completely stock to almost an x-power demo car. I fitted the rear spoiler, full x-power exhaust system including manifolds, itg maxogen, dastek unichip, replaced the fabric interior with full alcantara, iPod stereo, x-power gear knob, genuine x-power mats, yellow stuff front and rear pads, replacement badges, full paintwork correction, michelin pilot sports all round, piper cams, cam belt service, and then replaced the cam and crank sensors just before sale. I got 5.5k for it at a time most were selling for 2.5k but I think the owner between me and the current one had recent baby meaning no funds to maintain anything. I'm heartbroken to see what it looks like now. Even the disgusting state of the engine bay - it would take half hour every few months to keep it clean. No excuse for the half-inch layer of dirt on it.

Few more pics I found...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...psa9aaa20d.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...ps178e763e.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...ps91407fb0.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...ps6465034c.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...ps4c543b6d.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...psbb69033b.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...ps58cd5d02.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...psfeb65f24.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...ps6d8c37cd.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...psc179c6e4.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...ps445a0190.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...ps32de3a65.jpg

Thanks for the photos, makes me more eager to get stuck in. In convinced the main oil leak will be oil cooler pipe but im going to change the oil and filter once I've finished cleaning the engine. If its the pipe I can change that without much hassle. Then I need to change the thermostat. When that's done im considering fitting the LPG kit i recently acquired so I'll have performance and economy.

steve, sure it's not leaking from where the dipstick tube seats into the sump (bit like a john guest fitting)

I have a spare oil cooler and pipes which you are welcome to if that's what's needed to fix it

thanks pal, it could well be the dip stick tube. i have read of some people having difficulty removing and refitting these when they have the belts done. the oil change will hopefully show up where its pissin from. just going to throw a gallon of halfrauds own in for the purpose of identifying, i didnt much like the look of the oil thats in there when i last checked. bet its not been changed that many times since staccato had it.

Really interesting thread Ste - fingers crossed you can restore this 180 to its former glory - such a shame to see it's current state!

any updates on this yet?

not any that are post worthy. matt helped me swap the bonnet over yesterday off the diesel donor car. i need to remove the good body kit from the bad wings and the bad body kit from the good wings to make 2 good wings with body kit. so far only removed the good body kit from 1 wing, what a ball ache that is. i.m tempted to get the shark gill part of the wings hydrodipped carbon fibre whilst ive got them off but not certain yet. they do look good in firefrost so may just keep them original. i will however be painting the splitter part of the front bumper in cellulose gloss black to match the ratech splitter that will be going on and change the mesh to a finer black mesh with pillar box red border the same as my BRG hatch.

it will be slow progress as i am already spread very thin with everything else ive got cooking at the moment. but at the end i should have a nice subtlety modified MK2 180 with all the desired performance mods.

Why and how someone can let a car get into that condition after being a show stopper, it's beyond me.

Poor Derv!!! As well.

Excellent work dear boy, she Will be an excellent specimen of ZS again. Firefrost is still one of my favourite mg rover colours which helps!

Ste, I did forget to mention yesterday about the front splitter, reckon you'd be better off going with plasti dip in black, easy to apply can be done in a day and very little prep.

thanks matt, think im going to give this stuff a go.

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-travel/cleaning-body-repair/specialist-decorative-paints/halfords-plastic-bumper-paint-black-300ml#[object%20Object]

small update. Front end is back together and several minor small jobs ticked off the list.

http://www.themgzs.co.uk/vb/picture....pictureid=1870
http://www.themgzs.co.uk/vb/picture....pictureid=1871

Yay!

Car will be insured this week and final prep for MOT this weekend.

http://www.4shared.com/download/mQsr...3f73&lgfp=3000

http://www.4shared.com/download/JKzo...deb5&lgfp=3000

Finally lol,

I've got some left over bits if you need them, few door handles, a pair of wing mirrors and a front grill

i didnt reaise those images were sooo big.

its took a while but its very hard finding the time these days.

Almost 3 years to the day, she now has a clean MOT.

http://www.themgzs.co.uk/vb/picture....pictureid=1898

Well done !

Great to see another ZS saved, credit to you mate.

Nice one dude

Nice one mate - looking forward to seeing some more photos soon!

Well the diesel donor car will be going tomorrow. Won't be sad to see this go, it's been tucked up the side by the garage for the last 18 months (can't believe it's been that long) but has proved a useful parts bin. It's also financed the entire restoration so far with the parts I've been able to remove and sell. Will put up some pics of the 180 soon.

http://www.themgzs.co.uk/vb/picture....pictureid=1899

http://www.themgzs.co.uk/vb/picture....pictureid=1900

http://www.themgzs.co.uk/vb/picture....pictureid=1901

Good stuff. Nice when you can see the fruits of your labour.