Hey All,
 
I've been meaning to post in here for a long, long time.  Here goes.
 
This is my 1989 Aussie delivery AW11.  I've owned it for more then 10 years and have always treated it as best as possible.  Ian (IDB Richmond) has done 90% of the work on it.  I've come to the realisation that I'll never be able to sell it.  It's just too much damn fun, and as you see fewer and fewer ADUBs on the road these days, let alone stockers in good condition, the head-turning factor keeps going up.  Such an 80's relic.  The inner city Melbourne hipsters love 'em.
 
I plan to keep this car as original as possible.  Maybe not to RDS's standards, but as much as possible :-)
 
So a bit about the car -
 
-Purchased in 2002 with 130k on the clock.  193k on it now.
-Aussie delivery, build date 07/1989.  One of the last??
-Kept in storage for many years by me while living o/s, and the previous owner also.
-Stainless steel exhaust fitted - Genie Turbo, sounds great but annoying drone at 100Km/h which may look to rectify soon.
-KYB shocks, Twos 'R' us suspension bush kit fitted
-Stock rims recently refurbished to high standard ($$$ about $240/rim) by Advanced Alloys in Moorabbin.  I have a spare set of originals also which are straight but in poor shape.
-Two 'R' us gas strut boot assist fitted
-Previous owner managed to ding the rear quarter which I have had resprayed.  Job is only so/so, won't go back to that panel beater.
-Engine work - entire induction system removed by IDB, injectors cleaned and serviced as well as TVIS system last year.  Just about every seal replaced a few years ago when chasing an oil leak... more big bills.
-Found a brand new AAC valve last year, fitted to correct good old 4AGE idle speed problems
-Recently refurbished and resprayed the front lip spoiler, had to order half from the UK.  Not cracked.  I'm now super-paranoid about gutters and driveways.
 
Next on the list:
-Full paint refurb/wax/clay bar courtesy of http://reflection-perfection.com.au/
-Rectify annoying front-end rattle, possibly sway-bar drop links.
-Air con regas/service
-Reco the windscreen wipers that are in poor shape
-Add underseat powered sub for a little more bass.  No cutting anything original!
-LHS rear side-skith piece in poor shape thanks to previous owner.  On the lookout for s/h LHS side skirt pieces.
 
That's about it.  Would love to meet up with some of you ADUB fans who are keen to keep their cars tidy and original.
 
Maybe see you at the next club event.
 
Cheers!
Rob
Melbourne, VIC
 
 
 
 

 

 
Nice use of disabled parking bay to bring out rim reflection... ;-)
 
 

 
 
 
Stock as stock.
 

 Rims - before and after shot.
 
 
 

Soooo clean.... absolutely jealous!!

Very tidy example.  Perhaps we'll see it in Tassie at the Nationals?  

Just love seeing people care for these cars. You've done well keeping this nice.. :)
 
 

Thanks All.  Yes... I'm planning a trip to the nationals.  Would be great to take it down to Tassie.
 
 

So the rims are refinished a polished metal?
 
That's exactly what I'm currently doing to mine (though mine have a bit of corrosion). Looks the goods!

Looks so clean! Love it 

maj
So the rims are refinished a polished metal?
 
That's exactly what I'm currently doing to mine (though mine have a bit of corrosion). Looks the goods!

yeah - sandblasted and polished back to a high shine.  No clear coat.  I don't think they will stand up well in the long term - I wouldn't put them on a daily driver as polished alloy tends to dull after a while.  Advanced alloys who did the job told me to bring them back to a shine with brasso if they start to fade.
 
Also, the little scallops were repainted in several coats of dark grey.
 
Probably a similar process to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL8EL7Zawzk
 
 
 

very nice, you should be so proud of how well the car looks for being a 24 year old car compared to some others! so jealous of your interior looks awesome! well done!

rainystreets

maj
So the rims are refinished a polished metal?
 
That's exactly what I'm currently doing to mine (though mine have a bit of corrosion). Looks the goods!

yeah - sandblasted and polished back to a high shine.  No clear coat.  I don't think they will stand up well in the long term - I wouldn't put them on a daily driver as polished alloy tends to dull after a while.  Advanced alloys who did the job told me to bring them back to a shine with brasso if they start to fade.
 
Also, the little scallops were repainted in several coats of dark grey.
 
Probably a similar process to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL8EL7Zawzk
 
 
 

Mine look exactly the same as the wheeler dealers ones before they started working on them. I hit them with a 180 grit pad on my drill at low speed and ground off all the diamond cut and aluminum pitting.
Next step I need to get the lip TIG welded and rerolled as a few have a few nasty chunks out of them.
 
I was then going to rub them back with 400, 800, 1200 and 1600 wet/dry, then clear coat them.
Not exactly after a mirror finish, but definitely a polished aluminum look.
I was going to do metallic grey as well for the teardrops, undecided whether I might try a wrinkle paint or not. I'm also thinking about spraying the lip in a metallic silver since I'm not sure if there might be discolouration from the TIG welding, I'll have to wait and see how it goes.
Also thinking about doing the insides of the wheels in white, or again metallic silver, so they look super clean when you peek inside.
Unfortunately I have no center caps but maybe I'll find a good enough set on eBay and spray them to match.
Plans are to only use them for show etc. but the adub always was the weekend car so they might end up being permanently left on.