Nissan Micra k11 - Mandy goes to a new happy home.

ThePog · March 11, 2022

Trust me, when you got that phone call it wasn't anything like as subtle as you made out, you practically skipped around the corner of the shed. If Hannah had been looking she would have known instantly....

yoeddynz · March 11, 2022

It's a good thing she was preoccupied by gazing at your devilishly good looking man features then or I'd have been scuppered.

yoeddynz · March 11, 2022

Wow :shock: ....

Nominal · March 11, 2022

44 minutes ago, yoeddynz said:

Wow ....

Do you need an intervention?

ThePog · March 11, 2022

Yea this shit has gone too far, time to pull up hard.

yoeddynz · March 11, 2022

Its got the Polish k11 foamers foaming too...

ajg193 · March 11, 2022

I'm failing to decode what those Facebook guys are saying

kws · March 11, 2022

57 minutes ago, ajg193 said:

I'm failing to decode what those Facebook guys are saying

Thought it was just me having a stroke reading those posts.

Nominal · March 11, 2022

57 minutes ago, ajg193 said:

I'm failing to decode what those Facebook guys are saying

Just now, kws said:

Thought it was just me having a stroke reading those posts.

You have failed the K11 Code Test!

igor · March 11, 2022

I guess there's a fetish for everything.

kws · March 12, 2022

I dont understand the ins and out of Micras but i quite like the look of Martha. Shame i dont have the space or money for another car.

JBlades · March 13, 2022

On 12/03/2022 at 10:34, kws said:

Thought it was just me having a stroke reading those posts.

That's disgusting! These cars have feelings

Roman · March 13, 2022

On 12/03/2022 at 10:34, kws said:

Thought it was just me having a stroke reading those posts.

Based on comments, definitely more than one person was having a quick stroke looking at those pics

Sanfiddy · March 21, 2022

On 12/03/2022 at 10:34, kws said:

Thought it was just me having a stroke reading those posts.

These poor K11's must feel so objectified!

EpochNZ · March 21, 2022

You might want to dial that back about 20% there......

yoeddynz · May 14, 2022

Martha is now in fine fettle and about to go up for sale. But before I do a listing I thought i'd do an update here.

She went up on the hoist and I removed all the front bumper/lights/guards etc.

The rust that she had failed her last wof on was all along the bottom of the radiator support - probably the most typical place for NZ k11s to rot.

Cut it all out and let in new steel. Pics explain it easier..

Phew. Done. Gave it a good coating of paint. Then while the guards were off I cut out the rotten corner on one and let in new steel..

While up on the hoist I gave the underside a clean, check over and quick tart up with some of the ever magical CRC Black Zinc 'new car in a can'...

Then the surface rust around the windscreen. It looks like it had been flagged for rust, the previous owner then started cutting away the sealing trim around the screen and gave up. I cleaned it right out, wire brushed it back, painted a POR 15 type inhibiting paint around the full perimeter. More pics..

Then masked the car up and gave it some sparkle with a can of colour paint. It came up fine. Nothing flash but far better than what it was like when we got it plus now solid. There was a dent on the drivers guard, 'fixed' with poorly applied filler. I did my best to tidy it up, feather it in and paint it with the small amount of patience I could muster up and its improved but certainly something that needs more love.

Then this stupid bloody sticker...

Heating it up, very carefully, allowed me to peel the 'JDM scene' off without leaving a trace.

Hannah spent some time tending to the usual little surface rust spots k11s get under the rear boot seal and add some aluminium tape over the holes that we've learned through experience can allow water in..

Se also replaced the brake pads for some almost new items we scored from the wreckers...

yoeddynz · May 14, 2022

We had fitted the spare wheels from Molly but one was worn so a good tyre was sourced and fitted. Then we took her for a wof and she flew through with flying colours. There was a chip in the screen that was noted and we already knew about however it was not in a zone that mattered.

Still, just to be sure, we had our friendly glass man squirt some of his magic goo into the crack while Hannah watched with keen interest...

While he was there he also tended to a tiny chip on Minkys screen.

The wof pass was about a month ago. We've been driving her about and watching for any issues and the only one that I noted was how slow she was to heat up. I suspected a removed thermostat and had mild alarm bells ring however she never used water nor heated up beyond normal. I pulled the thermostat cover off (noting that there was still factory grey sealant present) and happily discovered that there was still one in there, stuck open and looked to be the original Nissan item..albeit very stuffed..

I swapped in a spare we had kept from Molly and it heats up properly now.

She drives really well. Very peppy, seems to be as thrifty on fuel as they should be too. Handles well but very stiff on what seem to be even stiffer springs then whats fitted to Minky. Really fun on the right roads but a little tiring if you're just wanting to cruise A to B. We've taken the squeal free wheels that we'd swapped on, fitted them to Minky and Martha now wears Supercats on the front for maximum squealing delight

So that is that. Took some nice photos of her the other week. We will now list Martha up for sale tonight on Trademe (because its free car listings tonight) and see what sort of interest there is. I'll pop an advert up on here too.

With luck the next rather special K11 that we have been told might be heading our way will actually come to be. Quite excited about it but I wont say anything more in case it doesn't happen. If it doesn't then at least I might get more done on the Imp..

yoeddynz · May 24, 2022

A month or so ago our friendly local wreckers gave us a heads up on a K11 cabriolet they might be getting in.

"Its owner had a whoopsy, smashed the front guard in and needs a bit of work. Reg and wof'd. Would you be interested in it?.."

"yes" was the obvious answer.

They collected it today, gave me a phone call and we were at the yard as quick as a flash. This beauty greeted us..

First thing we both spotted were the wheels. Even covered in dirt they still looked new. Pretty nice look and we thought they'd suit a yellow car better. Good tyres too. 185/55 15 are about 10mm bigger OD then the 175/70 13s we currently have on Minky and Martha. Might have to try them out for size... if we bought the car that is. Best check it over and not get carried away.

Looked over the rest. Needs a guard, bonnet needs straightening in the front corner, headlight bracket is broken and the windscreen is cracked. Cant tell on the rest- test drive will show up things but the chassis legs looked ok. I think the guard/light/bonnet took the brunt of the shunt. Worst thing is a smashed drivers side window. Not exactly one of these cabs on every street corner so that could be a search as its quite different in shape. But I could just throw a plastic one in for now. Wing mirror smashed off, no doubt into many little pieces. Again - not the same as other k11s.

Checked the windscreen size and it appears to be the same as a bog standard k11. Phew.

We had a quick skim over the rest of the car, because in our minds we'd already 'bought' it by now - for the wheels alone and little dose of shits and giggles to even just own it, sample the k11 drop top life and have a laugh no matter what happens. YOLO.

1.3 with only 126k on the clock. Neat.

Oh. Nissan N-CVT slushbox. Not so neat but how bad could it be?

Ka-ching. Sold! I'll drive it home.

We grabbed a guard and wing mirror (I'll cobble together something that satisfies the the legal requirements of having both mirrors but it might not look pretty) and put our name on the screen that remains on the k11 we've now been robbing for quite some time.

I fastened the loose guard liners with cable ties, checked the coolant (oooh -strut brace!) and kicked the tyres.

With the top lowered (its electric!) I cruised off into the evening sun, the huge exhaust tip droning away, enhancing the wonderful monotone revs holding of the CVT.

Watching the gauges like a hawk (oooooh - a full tank of petrol. $500 k11 was suddenly only $374 * ). Temp sat bang on. Everything works. Steering seems fine. Doesn't pull. Wheels seem ok. No shakes there. But wow- scuttle shake. Not terrible but noticeable.

Main thing is its fun! Heater works sweet as which was a good thing on another crisp clear and cool Tasman evening in winter (apparently winter. I'll stick with late summer)

Once happy that Mandy, her name decided almost as soon as Hannah had paid for her, was not going to lead me off into a hedge or die in a cloud of steam I was able to relax and just enjoy the ride.

I felt no need to drive fast. I cruised along, noticing many looks from other drivers, no doubt wondering what the backstory was for the funny little car that looks like a March k11 but is a drop top and has one front side caved in, no bumper, a headlight hanging at an angle and its mirror smashed off.

I fumbled with the stereo. Does it work? Ooh the previous owner had left a cd in it. What's going to be this evenings music???

Bruno Mars.

Bloody perfect! I cranked it up loud and rang my fingers through my hair.

Hannah took some pics as we cruised to the beach for a photo shoot.

Sadly the sun was gone from the beach so took some pics near the forestry..

Drove home. Parked it inside because no side window and a frankly threadbare looking roof does not a rain tight car make.

More pics. Its better side (like...has a mirror)

The modified exhaust looks terrible and sits too low off centre. Friend at wreckers wants it so we'll put a stock on in place. Less CVT drone for better living.

The donkey up front...