Rooky's NX story

[Rooky]

Had a spare hour today so removed the sideskirts. A few bolts came out OK, but a few snapped. Had to be removed so I can remove the wings as previously discussed.
Lots of dirt, rust and black sticky crap.

[themacpie]

the sticky crap does not belong there. Should be clean there, hence the rust you got there now

[Rooky]

It looks like a previous owner took them off and broke all the fitting points, so filled it with that black horrible mastic.
I'll have to see if I can get new fixing points.

[Rooky]

Finally got the front bumper and wings off!!


This was a messy process. A lot of bolts had to be taken off with a grinder. Part of the bumper had bolts so rusty I couldn't get to them to remove so I cut the plastic off around them.

Not sure if parts of this bumper are worth or going to be salvageable.













































I hope nó one minds só many pictures. But they explain a lot better than I can.

[HarriePekel]

It's your post 
We won't enlarge them 
Be carefull with your spoiler, it can be restored, but you won't get another one so easy 

[Rooky]

Going to repair it if I can.
It's the main top support that I'm concerned about as it is made of pure rust at this stage.

[richardwbb]

The front bumper has two long threads with a 10 mm nut on it. Those threads are very long because at fabrication it is easy to install the front bumper because it actually will sit still on the car that way, still the threads are still very long. Those threads might have been corroded and are not really easy to reach. Then if you look nose down to this very long upper thread (you won't be able to see it this way) straight down on both sides is a metal strip with short threads and 10 mm nuts. If you are able to not break those but remove them and this will take some time the first time, then when you reinstall the bumper, the bumper will align with the rest of the car. If there are threads and nuts lost in the process you might end up with a bumper that doesn't align properly with the fender and stay that way. If your car has not had an accident have a look at the linings where chassis parts connect. It is to the millimeter. If you are able to save the parts I described you will have good chance to line things just as neat as they did in Japan. It is really a big difference if not if you are aware of it.

You will able to see the long threads when you peak at the outer and upper side of the back of your headlights. The threads straight down line up the front bumper with the fender. So it is vertical to the car. The long horizontal strip with the plastic bracket that interconnects the chassis of the car and the actual plastic of the bumper, probably won't come off without force. Don't throw away that plastic it is a part of the integrity of the construction. Even the styrofoam is there for a reason. The bumper actually might deform without it.

If you do not find styroform or a plastic horizontal part that seems a bit useless somebody before you removed the bumper in the past. For this strip for the back bumper, you can miss it and non joking I recommend tiewraps. I have the front bumper also tiewrapped. Personally I still would use tiewraps because of ease and I want to be able to access rust, but results might vary and it depends on how strict you want it to be.

[Rooky]

Hey Richard
Many thanks for your detailed reply.
The Styrofoam is still there and in tact. No signs of any crash damage at all, thank goodness.

I don't see the vertical plastic piece you were talking about.
And unfortunately every bolt /screw are so badly rusted that they either snapped off or had to be ground off.
The metal clips are 100% rust.

I'm sure I can repair the cracked pieces of the lower bumper.
But the metal rail at the very top of the bumper is 100% rust and I'm not sure how to fix that at the minute.
I may have to try and fabricate some kind of replacement.

This NX certainly is a bigger project than I initially hoped for. But I want to do this right so I'll take my time and get the main rust sorted first. And then tackle the bumpers etc.

[Rooky]

Well haven't done much in the last while apart from sourcing bit and pieces. Finished the temporary frame and plastic sheet roof to keep the rain, bird poo and bits that fall off the tree of the NX
It all helps.

[HarriePekel]

Think your story made a huge turn around with parts now 

[Rooky]

I'm very excited with the massive parts package. Thanks again Harrie for all your help with those.

I'm pretty sure I have everything to get moving on it now.
Exciting times

[Rens]

Looking forward to see your progress :-D

[Rooky]

Thanks Rens
I cant wait to get more done.

[Rooky]

Not much done today. Removed radiator  and a couple of brackets and rusty pieces from the engine bay.
Coolant bottle removed and cleaned out.
Starting  wire brushing the main bumper protection and think ill treat it for rust and hammerite it. That should keep it all protected for a few years.

[Rooky]

Finally found this stuff!! This was actually hard to find. Every place I rang said they no longer stock it. But I finally have some so I can spray those hard to reach places to protect them.