Bodywork
As with most things about the Robin Hood, they don’t fit, and the stainless steel panels are no exception. A lot of improvisation is required and we also found a lot of swearing helps. There is a very good article on the RHOC Northern site which explains in great detail how to fit the side panels without ‘popping’ the panel. Seemed very straightforward, couldn’t see what the problem was, then ‘POP’ blast, we had a very nasty crease in the nearside panel, now we know what they were on about, further cursing didn’t seem to help at this point. Made sure we followed our Northern friends as instructed and the off side went with out that nasty ‘Pop’ I see that Joey also suffered this indignation, but it doesn’t make me feel any better.
The rear mudguards that come with the 2B Plus kit are part fibre glass and part stainless steel, as I intend to paint my car when it is completed I didn’t like the idea of the join on the rear mudguards where the fibre glass and stainless steel meet.
I had a look on ebay and won the auction for a pair of rear guards off an S7, they came with a nose cone 2 cycle wings and the stainless back panel, not bad for a winning bid of £50, my son Gary picked them up for me from Trowbridge when he was in the area.
I have placed them in position and they look good, not fitted yet, waiting for my new alloys so I can set the ride height, seen a number of hoods where the gap between the top of the wheel and the wheel arch is far too big, so will set this carefully
Have now collected my alloys from Rochford Tyres in Southend, very good service, good prices and helpful.
Update May 2011, working on rear wheel arches, rear back panel and the underside valence. Because I fitted the wheel arches lower than designed for, the back panel was higher than the bottom of the arches so I had to put in a filler piece. This worked out well as it gave me somewhere to position the rear fog and reversing lights, leaving the back panel uncluttered.
I also made a holder for the number plate and fed the cable for the number plate light through the cradle which holds the spare wheel. The high level brake light was fitted and the cable run inside the roll bar so no unsightly cables.
Just a note, the number plate is on retention at the moment but I will remove it before the IVA, the car can be, and should be, driven to the VOSA Centre with no plates, you must have a fitting positioned for the plates but none fitted as the kit is not yet registered.
Also worth pointing out, even though I hope to get an age related plate, I will not be issued with the one that came off the donor car, I will be issued with a new age related plate and then I transfer H15 KYT to my hood.