SaabCentral Forums banner

Paul Olivers Build Thread, 04 Vector

31K views 179 replies 41 participants last post by  derekwilkinson 
#1 ·
Hello, after seeing Alexdrops and Xtopherr's build threads i figured i would start my own. I bought my car back in january so not alot has happened yet but i do plan to slowly make intersting changes, alot of them wont be typical off the shelf things.

Spec as standard:
Sat nav, 6 cd changer, 7 speaker system, leather interior, that kinda thing.

photos from when i got it:






Seems to be a well cared for car, with near perfect bodywork.

First thing i did was order new bulbs throughout. Bought an Hid kit, warning cancellors, chrome indicator bulbs throughout, blue led foglights, led sidelights and led interior bulbs.


I installed a sub, boston ba35s, sony 6x9s and infinity 6.5s. I also sound deadened my front doors.


I wanted Leds in my speaker grilles and door handles like on my old audi, so i installed those too:





I then decided i didnt like my blue fogs, so ditched them in favour of some yellow ones, i also fitted nice new numberplate surrounds:



I then fitted new filters all round and ditched the nasty pirellis in favour of some lovely vredestein sessantas.

Couple of days ago i fitted reverse sensors as my parents wanted some and offered to get me a set! So i now have hidden ones that work with an electromagnetic strip, they are really good! No ugly reverse sensors sticking out...no photos as well...theres nothing to take a photo of!

Plans:
*Fit an aero spoiler, or make my own as id quite like something slightly different
*Build a duplex system, i have 2 nice milltek tips ready for it as well as the boxes, just got to build a y splitter next and cut out my lower valance.
*M5 lip spoiler to go at the top of the rear window
*Lowering springs, think i will go with eibach.
*3 point subframe brace, home made.
*Strut brace, again home made.
*Leds in the rear door handles, and in some cubby holes
*Leds in the ceiling dome
*Blacked out headlights
*Colour code bump strips and door handles
*Respray the black wing mirror plates
*Spray the wheels a darker colour
*Get the RX8 2010 maps for my sat nav
*Vinyl wrap my roof either black or gunmetal
*Carbon wrap some interior parts, and perhaps my grille surrounds upfront too
*Tint indicators and rear lights

So yes, lots of little things, not after changing it performance wise much as its the crappy 2.2 tid engine and its not ever going to be anything good!
 
See less See more
9
#8 ·
Sabas way of sourcing power is the easiest, my way is the best if you are going to run quite power hungry speakers/subs.

On a 4 speaker, you really need to get some door speakers in for some midrange upfront! mine sounded weird when i disconnected them briefly!
 
#9 ·
Right, i had a little bit of a crash last night, back end spun out on sheet ice and i ended up ditching my saab. Luckily i was going slow enough not to cause any major damage and my airbags didnt go off! Bit of a bummer as i was genuinely going slow, just obviosuly not slow enough and unfortunate not to be able to recover it. Dragged the car out with a tractor and i have a smashed drivers skirt, broken bumper and a bent wing, got off quite lightly considering the thing was nearly vertical! Car drives fine and seems straight apart from that, which is a relief.

So this morning i phoned up saab asking for prices on the bust bits, got as far as getting a price for a skirt (ÂŁ420!!!!) and didnt even bother asking about the rest. Secondhand parts seem near impossible to find, let alone in my colour. I have collected some fibreglass and i am now about to wash down the car and get removing the broken bits, get it roughly repaired so its driveable/ half tidy looking and then when i have time, sort it all out nicely and respray it. Really quite gutted as i havent had the car long and its the first time i have had an accident since i passed 4 years ago.

Seeing as its going to be resprayed, im hoping to do something with my splitter to make it look a bit more interesting/aero esque :)
 
#12 ·








So thats the damage, doesnt look THAT bad, but would require a new bumper and skirt to make it right, which is costly enough when you start getting paint involved too.

New black badges and pearlescent indicators look nice though!
 
#13 ·




Skirt was split all the way down, pretty messy



All cleaned up:)



Started fibreglassing the bumper, temporary fix just to keep this one going til i can afford another one



Gaps closed alot, looks alright now its fitted



Skirt being taped up so its vaguely held togther...



LOADS of fibreglass went into it and its nearly done! one more hole to fix, but i had to get everything refitted as i needed the car!

Doesnt look like much to most, but its a bit of a heartbreak for me, i have only just got the car and it has put me into a large financial difficulty buying it alone, as well as having to carry out repairs.
 
#17 ·
Its extremely depressing how a stupid little crash at about 15-20mph can cause 1ks worth of damage to make the car look like it should again.

Looks familiar...



Keep your head up, it sucks but you'll find the parts you need eventually. Found my new bumper (even painted!) on eBay.
Yeah im gonna keep my eyes peeled for a new bumper as this one just isnt worth repairing fully, its secure now and straight, so at least the cars useable. The skirt im determined to rebuild though!

I like the look of the LED's in the door handles, reminds me of BMW ambient lighting.

What is your camera rig? The wide angle (fisheye) pictures are awesome.

Sorry about the crash, I'm sure you'll be up and running in no time.

Bryan
My Cameras are:
Sony DSC-W130 compact

Nikon D80 SLR
Nikon SB600 flash
Nikon sb24 flash
Samyang fisheye 8mm f3.5
Sigma 13-35 f2.8
Nikon 50mm

and a load of other old lenses and cameras, but thats my main kit right now :)


Going to get the skirt off again today, finish fixing the hole, sand it down a bit and get all the cracks grooved, filled with resin and smoothed again :)
 
#18 ·
Got the skirt off and it would seem the resin and glass didnt really bite into the corners enough, and i refitted the skirt when it wasnt totally dry...school boy mistake! Some bits werent attacthed well enough, so i tore off the old fibreglass and started redoing it, looks a whole lot better not, and has way more glass and resin than last time. I also tilted the skirt so the resin got into the corners more, and grooved out the cracks so they bonded better! Fingers crossed that works...
 
#19 ·
Just got 2 skirts and a bumper with all the parts fitted on still for 160quid, just got to find a courier
then its saving time for a respray!
 
#21 ·
Yeah i know, they wanted 50quid for the pair of skirts, and had already 'sold' the bumper for 90 so i offered them 110 for it and payment now, so they accepted!

They seemingly know nothing about the value of the car parts, so i may buy several other bits :)

How bad is your skirt? i have made a fairly good job of mine so far, they arent too difficult to repair and come off mega quickly!
 
#22 ·
sorry to here about your excursion Paul :cry:


I have been looking at the door switch illumination for you, it seems that the lighting is all controlled via can bus :evil: how ever the LED in the lock switch in the drivers door is powered by an external wire and its the white wire, this will mean that you will need to feed a wire through from the door other LEDs


hope this help
 
#23 ·
Thanks Boxman :)

So if i take a connection off the door lock switch, i should be able to power my leds properly? At least that solves the drivers door quickly! Its hardly difficult getting the power over too, so maybe i shall just do that!

Decided this afternoon, after looking at prices of spraying the bumper and skirts, that i am going to do it myself. I have pretty limited and minimal experience at it but i think i can make a fair effort.

Here are 2 cars i have done for friends:

Before:


After




And i rebuilt and sprayed this for a friend:

Before:






After:





Im hoping to make a slightly better job of my skirts and bumper though, spend far more time on prep and try and get it looking as nice as possible! Need to invest in a decent spray gun that doesnt leak too...
 
#25 ·
Right, well i still haven't received or sprayed my bumper and skirt yet...

Ordered and done a few new bits and bobs, nothing too special but hopefully it'll all look good when fitted!

M5 lip spoiler ordered, to go on top of the rear window
Yellow lamin-x ordered for my fogs
LCR splitter ordered for the front
3m carbon vinyl ordered for interior
n/s wing mirror ordered...some pleb hit mine
Saab front plate holder ordered to replace broken one from crash
Bought some pressed numberplates from a car show this weekend
Fresh oil and filter
Painted my brake calipers gunmetal
Repainted my mirror bases as they has gone a grey/white colour and corroded
Found some alu pedals to replace my plastic ones
 
#26 ·
Started cleaning up my milltek exhaust tips and gathering up parts to build my duplex systemAnd finally im hoping to order some wheel spacers in the next few weeks too!



photo shows my millteks (before clean), reverse sensor kit that i recently fitted and new plates :)

Fitted the rear plate (waiting for the front holder to arrive)

Resprayed mirror bases

Car needs a damned good clean and polish, really havent had the time since getting the thing :cry: too many other jobs to do!



To do soon:
Fit new parts!
Refurb the wheels, yet to decide what colour!
Spray new bumper and skirt, also hoping to colour code the bumpstrips and handles at the same time
Build that duplex system...on a budget :cool:
 
#28 ·
Car looks great! I really like how the mirror covers came out! Could you give me some tips on how to take it out pleaseee! Id like to take them out and either paint them or cover them in the CF wrap and some advices would greatly help!

Thanks
Alex
 
#29 ·
Hi Alex, its a really simple thing to do!

Remove door card (pull of plastic from handle, undo 2 torx screws, pop open door card, disconnect wiring at back)
Pop off the interior plastic that sits behind the wing mirror plate
Undo the electrical connector at the back of the mirror plate
Undo the 3 torx screws, make sure to hold onto the mirror when removing the last bolt!
The wing mirror will now be free :) i didnt bother to remove the cover and glass, i just masked it all off cos im lazy!

Front plate holder, yellow Lamin-x and new wing mirror glass arrived today :) Get those fitted tomorrow!
 
#30 ·
Hi Alex, its a really simple thing to do!

Remove door card (pull of plastic from handle, undo 2 torx screws, pop open door card, disconnect wiring at back)
Pop off the interior plastic that sits behind the wing mirror plate
Undo the electrical connector at the back of the mirror plate
Undo the 3 torx screws, make sure to hold onto the mirror when removing the last bolt!
The wing mirror will now be free :) i didnt bother to remove the cover and glass, i just masked it all off cos im lazy!

Front plate holder, yellow Lamin-x and new wing mirror glass arrived today :) Get those fitted tomorrow!
Awesome man! Thanks a lot. Ill be checking back to see how it looks.
 
#31 ·
Right, had a bit of a bad one, found my workshop had been broken into and most of my tools are gone...so off i toodled to get a new socket set and a grinder to get me going again and on the way home, my turbo died! My replacement arrives tomorrow and i shall fit it asap. Bit of a bummer!

I received my m5 spoiler today :) shortened it to fit the rear window and started painting it up tonight, its looking gooood! Also got my new front plate and holder fitted, as well as the lamin-x on my fogs, nice:cool: I also started on my budget duplex exhaust system, built myself a y splitter pipe out of scrap stainless:D got a selection of back boxes to choose from now, just got to find out whats suitable. Hoping to have some photos up tomorrow once she is running again.
 
#32 ·
Turbo is in :D only took 30mins to install :eek: so easy, and my m5 lip spoiler thing is on too. Running a beaut again.

I did say i'd get some pics...excuse that my car is dirty, and my front bumper is an eyesore ;oops: also excuse my lack of decent photos, i haven't touched the camera properly in ages and i have never used off board flash for cars before:cry: Fog lights arent turned on as one of my bulbs blew literally as i rolled up to park...









 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top