'02 N16 Almera Twister

Hey all I bought the car back last July as a cheap summer runabout. As a student I don't have that much money, so no major mods, but I would like to keep it nice.

It's a 2002, Tornado grey Twister model so I've got AC (luke warm) but steel wheels and around 132,000 miles on it.

Here's a picture the day after I bought it:
3516amo.jpg


It wasn't well cared for, it's been hit in the back and sides. So back light replaced and bumper brackets straightened. But whilst giving it a good clean found 2 random drive belts, part of a sewing machine, a hindi CD and a very mouldy fiver!

The drivers side was full of broken glass, with the rubber bits buckled and the door card trim broken, looks like a dodgy DIY glass replacement TBH.

You can see it in this pic:

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Over winter it sat in the garage whilst I was at uni, but I gradually replaced bits here and there. New ariel, wipers, door card armrest/trim, new wiper motor (they wouldn't turn off), new boot trim, new brake shoes.

New white sidelight bulbs:
2s6rqs7.jpg


Slapped on a chrome tip from my old MGR
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Also, sticker:
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Whilst back over February managed to get some front foglamps, really making the front end nicer:
ng1tad.jpg

Ironically, they're very foggy and need cleaning out.

Had the recall done back in March so my passenger's face will be less damaged in a crash, hopefully.

Today I replaced the remote stick with a less faded one I got free from the scrapyard, old one for comparison:
28tx21h.jpg



Future plans:
- Alloy wheels (OEM probably)
- Sport model shocks and suspension
- Light tint on back and sides
- Electric mirrors
- New boot lid
- MKII front and rear lights
- Simple spoiler
- MKII rear wiper
- MKII instrument cluster
- Leather gaitors
- Colour coding wing mirrors and side rubbings
- GB plates
- Get rid of squeaks and rattles and general tidy up

Thanks for reading about my boring little car! ;)
 
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Welcome along.

Nothing wrong with a boring, reliable daily driver. Still looks good despite what sounds like a bit of a rough previous life and your list of planned mods will make it even nicer.

Had a couple of tornado grey N16s, wasn't keen at first but it's a colour that polishes up nicely and grew on me.
 
Welcome to the madhouse car looks tidy and as said mods will put you in good stead. Check the earth to the engine as have had these go on mine & affect fuel consumption and starting the car. Also when your ready for OEM alloys drop me a pm as have a set without tyres up for sale.


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Welcome along.

Nothing wrong with a boring, reliable daily driver. Still looks good despite what sounds like a bit of a rough previous life and your list of planned mods will make it even nicer.

Had a couple of tornado grey N16s, wasn't keen at first but it's a colour that polishes up nicely and grew on me.

Thanks, it's a surprisingly 'deep' colour concerning how light it is, hides dirt like silver but looks shiny enough when it's polished.

Welcome to the madhouse car looks tidy and as said mods will put you in good stead. Check the earth to the engine as have had these go on mine & affect fuel consumption and starting the car. Also when your ready for OEM alloys drop me a pm as have a set without tyres up for sale.


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Thank you too, where abouts is the earth? I'm still learning the mechanical side of ownership.

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Worked on it a little more today. Debadged,

Before:
htepex.jpg

After:
1619tv.jpg

Not too sure on it, but a spoiler should set it right.

Also repaired a blind eye, sooo much easier to remove the resevoir to get access:
23vc6tt.jpg
2ed6nwk.jpg


The blowers were really weak sauce, so I checked the pollen filter and sweet jesus:
10igyo7.jpg


I vaccuumed it and left to soak in detergent and stain remover, since there's much debate to what effect these actually have so for the time may aswell save money (even though there only £12 or so), but the water coming out is purest black.
 
The earth goes from the battery to the chassis underneath the battery tray then to the engine block check the connections and make sure the wire isn't breaking or thinning as affected my mpg until it finally broke.


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Get new pollen fiters from eBay. Only a few quid and the mucky ones will be restricting blower flow and potentially harbouring all sorts of nastiness if they are not changed for a few years.
 
Get new pollen fiters from eBay. Only a few quid and the mucky ones will be restricting blower flow and potentially harbouring all sorts of nastiness if they are not changed for a few years.

Good shout, I've ordered one, thought they would be more but cheap as £5 delivered!
 
Were the ph2 lights a direct fit?

Yes and no. You have to switch the wiring across so get the connectors if you buy the Ph2 lights, this is simple as it's just same colour to same colour then routing the spare earth to anywhere on the chassis.

On the body you have to cut out a piece of metal that holds the seperate indicators, using tin snips and a file this easy too. The last step is to hacksaw off the plastic tabs that hold the bumper just under the old indicators.

Here's a guide - http://www.almeraownersclub.com/threads/how-to-remove-bumper-and-lights.19316/

Send me a PM if you go ahead and have any questions, I did it less than a month ago so it's fresh in my mind. /corbs/
 
Man speaketh the truth. It was a simples mod I did it too a good while back, I do have ph2 connectors also. Spacers are 15mm I've bumped my f/s thread for you too bud.

DSCF1431.jpg
 
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