R31 - RB20 = K11 = Mini Mac

Hi I'm Andrew and I've finally got around to purchasing my first micra, something I've subjectively wanted for more than 11 years!!!

I can recall reading about Micras back in the 90s when still at school and everybody raving about how much they reminded them of a mini. In std form they are way to comfortable to ever be compared to a mini, but the fun factor is there by golly!

Having been a mechanical friend to Dens for a LONG time, when I decided that I needed another car, it really came down to finding a Micra that suited what I wanted. Lucky for me, Vince was getting rid of his and 2 weeks ago, I flew to sydney and began the journey of micra ownership, with a 1000k road trip home to get acquainted with my new ride.

Been enjoying the wonders of sunroofs and not having to fill up with fuel every week, but also the wonders of cheap parts from car forums, as I managed to pick up quite a few interior goodies that I needed for a nice sum of $20, which means the interior now looks more like this:

Spot the odd parts out!!!

The Super S steering wheel has started to slip and is just a little too big for my liking, so i raided the shed and have injected a little 31 into my 11 8)

In the infinite wisdom of Nissan, somewhere along the line they decided to change the bracket size for the rear tailgate struts, which had my head hurting a while earlier this week as it's rather heavy resting on it!!!

I also decided that I was through with the auscar alloys and decided I needed to join in the offset warz, so here's my take at flush;




It just lacks the low, the stance, stretch, or anything else that's currently "cool", apart from just rim flush with guard ... okay, I know I fail :cry:

Wheels are BMW BBS basketweaves; 14" x 6.5" +30l which I reakon look freakin great, but unfortunately have a strange lip on the mounting face so don't mount straight; epic fail!!

Soo, what's a boy to do, paint his wheels that what, so here are the results so far with first 2 rims.


Will do the other 2 next weekend when I start pulling gearbox out to change it and the clutch, not looking forward to that, or changing CV boots, or fixing front end damage ....

Gotta love Nissan quality as well, check out my Swiss Special Exhaust Tip


While we're on the subject of little things, what else is different in this photo:

had a look at this car when it was advertised....can i tell you all the things i found wrong with it?????

Looks very nice

Do you have many plans for it?

By all means tell me all the things that you found wrong, that way I can compare with my list of things I need to do.



Looks are very decieving :P Plans are to get it on the road and rego'd in vic and then we'll see, it's meant to be my daily as my 31 is getting close to cop bait here in victoria

Well Magillaz,

that must mean im next to get one.
next time the cam belt breaks in the wagon hey.

A bit off topic sorry...

You have an awful lot of wires in the sky in your part of the world, a shame more aren't burried in the ground.

Don't even notice them to be honest 1275, but it does give us a choice in telecommunications companies unlike our underground stuff.

Nothing new to report apart from it appears I got away pretty much free from damage from the hail. I had left my sunroof open from work earlier in the day so I ran outside to close it and thus moved the car to try and shelter it from most of the hail as it wasn't great seeing it flying towards you into the windscreen!!!

Yo Andrew,
congrats for the purchase, looks stock and clean !
Could you take a good shot of the 1.3 "Super S rear" logo please?
Cheers
Seb

that blue super S in the background looks familiar!

That's because it should be, to you ;) Don't worry - no hail damage to that thing (was safe undercover at the time).

---dens

New Clutch plate arrived; thanks to MickyBBB

Just to sort out flywheel and a new clutch cover ...

Due to delays am now thinking of going all out and light-weight flywheel, new CVs and put the money aside for extractors and exhaust later this year ...

Can't say I really want to be pulling the engine out more than once :P

Please don't forget my request Andrew :p
Cheers !
Seb

i know i was being sarcastic :)

wont forget ... just not been home with suitable light to take a good photo for you :P

Andreeeeew :p

Wooo long time no post ....

So I finally got around to paying someone to get everything done, 2nd hand gearbox (thx dala), new clutch & Jun flywheel (thx mickey) and new driveshafts (thx bursons??). While i was on a roll also had picked up a set of modified extractors, front (thx jon) and rear swaybars plus some other goodies from japan; cup holder, carb style intake + nismo engine mounts.


Nismo engine mounts (yes the micra has better mounts than the 31)




The gearbox install went without a hitch, but due to the existing front end damage (which I haven't got around to fixing YET) the mechanic couldn't fit the extractors as they foul on the AC fan (seriously who needs that fan anyways!!!) so no big bore exhaust yet :(

The sudden rush was due to my attendance at the EXE Crew / Circuit Club Track Day at Winton yesturday, where my goal was to go sub 2:00, which is doable.

Cue lots of this happening around the track;


Mission accomplished with a 1:58 time and lots of entertainment for the crowd as I was curb jumping and lifting wheels EVERYWHERE!!!

Should have increased the rear roll bar stiffness to the 2nd or 3rd hole, but, ultimately this is my daily, and I don't want a snap liftoff-oversteerer when I'm zipping around on quite crappy road tyres; Nankang/Olympic/Good-Years track tyres do not make!!!

As far as tracking again, we'll see, I'm doing a DECA event with Dens on Sunday so shall be interesting trying it out in a Fwd rather than rwd :P

Car will be rego'd in the first week of June and should be pretty again then :)

NOTE: Scratching on front bar was when I was trying to hide the car behind the trees in our front yard from the epic hailstorm that ruined Jons micra :(

Mate, that is an insane picture, looks like you had a ball!

Good to see mate! :)

It's on mang :P That said you'll undoubtedly be handing my ass to me if we verse as I'll be laughing at your 3-wheeling every course, except the backtrack maybe! ..and of course there'll be no pics as I'll be driving and no one else bothers to take them at these events seemingly.

---dens