[Kesler]

Over the weekend I managed to find some time to visit Mabel Coachworks to have my new MagSign and number plate installed. It was about time because I bought the MagSign kit several months ago and never had the time/opportunity to get this done. I also needed a new number plate as the heatwave kept melting the **** thing so I would get in the car and the plate would face the sky -_-

With thanks to B&S Bitz for the hook-up, new short UK 3D resin front plate was made and super quickly and it was time to get this all sorted.

I've always liked having the flush clean front bumper so I did wonder whether someone has made a kit that could have the flexibility to have the front number plate attached but also when removed to keep the front end clean. Velcro was my initial thought but then you'd have the other half of the velcro on the bumper. The MagSign kit seems to be the perfect compromise for me.

It has 16 stupidly strong magnets that you fit behind the bumper and on the number plate. They were so strong that when I removed the packaging and they stuck together I genuinely didn't have the strength to pry them apart! With the bumper and extra bits standing in between them I know this would be a decent solution. If only my phone holder magnet was this strong...

As the kit came with full fitting instructions we set to work.

We prepped everything and removed the bumper, then for added adhesion we sanded the inside of the bumper where the magnets would be attached and wiped the area down with alcohol. Taping up the areas to mark out where the plate would be situated and where the magnets will be attached, we continued.

 

[Kesler]

Small update with the 86, for a while I knew the battery was on its way out however recently the battery life has been pretty drastic. Using my CTEK MXS 5.0 I have been able to keep the battery's health afloat for a reasonable while, but I knew enough was enough when I used the CTEK to charge the battery to stage 7, only for it to fail to start the engine after 2 days.

It's had a good run, prior to my ownership it had been changed over from Toyota's OE 48Ah to the 65Ah and in all honesty, it was only very recently that it's given me trouble. It's been pretty decent all the time prior to this, leaving it at airports and garages when I've been away or driving other cars.

After consulting with my friends and fellow owners, I went with the Bosch S4 027 70Ah battery, purchased from Tayna which arrived next working morning. I set to work removing the transit plugs from the Bosch and then proceeded to remove the Toyota battery.

The Bosch S4 027 fits perfectly into the existing battery holder in the bay, utilising all the extra space the Toyota's 65Ah battery didn't need. However, this does pose a tiny challenge when refitting the battery tie-down bar and then the terminals. Due to the larger battery size, the negative terminal fits fine but to fasten the terminal down you'll need to approach it at an angle to screw in.

In hindsight, I should have done the positive terminal, then negative terminal, then move the battery into position and then finally the tie-down bar, but hey-ho, it's done.

To give myself the maximum peace of mind, I hooked up the CTEK to the new battery. Once it was adequately charged I loosened the negative terminal connection to seat it down a bit more and straighten it up as my OCD was be the death of me.

 

[Kesler]

Latest update followed after having the 3M Fast Cut Plus compound passed over the headlights to get rid of the milky stain that returned, I needed a high grade UV sealant for protection.

After a few conversations with detailers, the better product in my situation would be to use the Sonax Profiline Headlight Coating. Packaging indicated a year of protection, so this should definitely help. To be honest, I only wanted one sachet as it does a pair of headlights but the package had 10 sachets inside - in the event that I c0ck this up 9 times.

Applying this is pretty simple; Use a polishing cloth and buff in then finish it off with a pass of a clean microfibre cloth, then leave it to cure for at least 4 hours and without washing the car for a minimum of a week. I decided to do it now as the weather report for the rest of the evening said it would be dry, while before it was simply unpredictable.

 

[Kesler]

I am ready to be laughed at.

The other evening I went out to look for nice areas near my home to grab some new angles and scenery for the 86 and while I thought the woods was a good idea, I didn't expect it to feel like quicksand.

After I took this photoset I packed up and couldn't leave. Spent almost an hour trying to shift it off the super soft earth... Definitely needs a wash for this weekend -_-

 

[Will300]

I am ready to be laughed at.

The other evening I went out to look for nice areas near my home to grab some new angles and scenery for the 86 and while I thought the woods was a good idea, I didn't expect it to feel like quicksand.

After I took this photoset I packed up and couldn't leave. Spent almost an hour trying to shift it off the super soft earth...

haha that was clever

Photo is awesome though so well worth the pain.

How did you take it? There looks to be a lightbar/wand blur on the left side.

 

[Kesler]

haha that was clever

Photo is awesome though so well worth the pain.

How did you take it? There looks to be a lightbar/wand blurry on the left side.

Too clever Thanks Will!

2 exposures and a light but it's a studio light, not meant for this type of shot so yeah stupid little blurry lights everywhere sadly. Still learning how to use it, I was much more familiar and comfortable with the previous light I had but this one is pretty bulky.

 

[Kesler]

Photos of a recent car meet in London Colney. I think including mine and Seb's, there were only 4-5 86s there.

 

[Kesler]

With all that's been happening recently, I've forgotten some of the little dress up bits that I ordered then completely have no recollection on ordering when the postman knocked on the door have been sitting in my study. I decided to fit them after work since I just seem to be doing nothing in my down time.

I had ordered a set of LED side marker indicators since I recall mine were slightly damaged. I had to do some digging around to find what I wanted as surprisingly there were a number of side marker styles available online. Ultimately I wanted a clear lens to keep in line with my OEM+ theme, so I settled on this set with the 3 LED stripes. I also bought a cheap battery tie bar to replace the tatty OEM bar.

Removing the OEM side markers was a pretty simple exercise, I shan't bore you with going through it all (you can search the forum or Google it, it's a 2 minute job) but the only confusing element for me was which way I was positioning the new side marker to twist back into the car. Thankfully I took a photo when I twisted to remove the original set so I had a reference.

OEM side marker removed, amber filament bulb removed and new side marker fitted, checked for polarity (simply by pressing the unlock button on the key fob to see a flash) and re-fitted.

 

[Kesler]

I recall seeing my battery tie bar was a little bit tatty and ordered one to dress up the engine bay. Simple, yet effective.

 

[TomsGT86]

Latest update followed after having the 3M Fast Cut Plus compound passed over the headlights to get rid of the milky stain that returned, I needed a high grade UV sealant for protection.

I've noticed my headlights have gone reallyyy cloudy recently, can you share how you did this as it looks to have been effective, i've seen many ways of doing it just wanting to know the best route.

 

[Kesler]

I've noticed my headlights have gone reallyyy cloudy recently, can you share how you did this as it looks to have been effective, i've seen many ways of doing it just wanting to know the best route.

Thanks Tom, it was super easy as the 3M Fast Cut Plus compound is pretty aggressive so all you needed was a fresh polishing cloth and do it by hand, you'll see the difference almost instantly. I could have left it at that but I'm conscious about it returning quickly if I didn't give it some sort of UV protection, so that's where Sonax came in to help.

 

[Kesler]

Doing some more partnership work with Amplify Detailing, I had a great opportunity to wash the car on a nice warm sunny day and with the car in some shade for once. As it's for social, the iPhone X will suffice for now.

The latest collection from Amplify:

• Amplify Shampoo
• Amplify Snowfoam
• Amplify Wheel Cleaner
• Amplify Trim Dressing
• Amplify AquaResist
• Amplify AquaProtect
• Amplify Glass Cleaner
• Amplify Interior Cleaner
• Amplify Ultra Soft Detailing Brush set

Today's focus was their AquaResist, something extra to add in during the maintenance wash. This is a super quick way to add a layer of protection to the bodywork as well as topping up the hydrophobic properties that the 86 may be running low on over time.

So it's super quick and super easy. All I had to do after washing the car is after the rinse, didn't use my drying towel. Leaving the car wet I misted the AquaResist over the body panels and gave the 86 a final rinse before reaching for the drying towel. Instantly saw and felt the difference, it leaves a really silky feel.

Working with Amplify Detailing is part of my project to support small British business and we all know small shops have taken the worst hit during this pandemic. I've tested every product and if I didn't like them, I'd let them know and won't tell you about it, it's one of those things to highlight I am not paid to give good feedback, only honest feedback. I've done the research so you don't have to

And it's just as well, the team at Amplify are doing a sale where everything is 20% off - including kits. That's a huge saving so worth it if you're looking to stock up on your car cleaning armoury. What's more, they're offering free delivery with any order over £20, which isn't hard to do but helps when you're looking for quality and value.

So if you can, do help them out

 

[Will300]

Got any pictures of the brush set?

 

[Kesler]

Got any pictures of the brush set?

Hey Will,

I was using the number 12 earlier:

Here's a photo of the set:

There's a quick video to show how soft the bristles are:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAw1b4JHVNp/

And my personal review on them:
https://keyfobandgob.com/amplify-ultra-soft-brush-set

 

[Kesler]

A nice little winning package arrived via the postman today, my box of 500 assorted trim clips arrived so I could replace the tatty ones on the 86 I felt with the amount that's available and the convenience, £10 was a great price and it also came with a set of trim removal tools.

After this I felt like going for a drive in the 30°C heat.

 

[Rich196]

Looking great, have you got a link to the trim clips

 

[Kesler]

Looking great, have you got a link to the trim clips

Thanks dude, of course - here's the link to the trim clips and all the other goodies: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392296470981

 

[Rich196]

Thanks dude, of course - here's the link to the trim clips and all the other goodies: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392296470981

Spot on I noticed when it was on the ramp the other day a few missing. Thank you!

 

[Kesler]

Spot on I noticed when it was on the ramp the other day a few missing. Thank you!

Hehe, happy to help!

 

[Kesler]

Over time I felt I could have done a better job wrapping the interior door grab handles, so I ordered a roll of Alcantara and set to work.

Using the trim removal tools I recently received I went to pry the grab handle trims off the car and took them indoors to unwrap.

Using man-math and measuring by eye, I planned out the amount of Alcantara required and had the heat gun at the ready.