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Grabber Lime 2020 GT Build Thread

WD Pro

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I thought it was about time I started a build thread :like:

My car is due in the UK early May, it’s spec is as follows (info in brackets is for our USA friends) :

• 2020 UK Spec GT (Similar to PP1. Active exhaust and digital dash are also standard).
• Manual.
• Grabber Lime + Black roof.
• Custom pack 2 (Sat nav / 12 speaker B&O / Leather trimmed console).
• MagneRide.
• Recaro.

I’ve been accumulating quite a few bits ready for its arrival, but nothing crazy so don’t get too excited … Mostly visual to keep the insurance down and just to make it a bit more ‘individual’ :sunglasses:

I will list the bits (with photos) as I actually fit them, but in the meantime I will start with the bits I have modified or actually done a bit of work on.

First up is a FP gear knob – bought on holiday in the states as the dealer prices for these in the UK are crazy … :shock:

As supplied I was actually a little disappointed, the finish was rough (as in it appeared to only be partially polished) and the white lettering was poor - the engraving was good but the paint fill wasn’t great. Neither of these bothered me as I already had other plans …

The white paint fill removes reasonably easily (bad photo sorry) :

E91-E6851-D457-47-BA-81-F4-AC3-FF6-BEE9-E1.jpg


The GF thought I had made a right mess of it (I was beginning to believe her) :

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All finished :

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A good few hours of tedious work, but easy to do with a little patience sat in front of the TV and I reckon it’s well worth the time. The GF now agrees I am the best at polishing my knob … :cwl:

WD :like:
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Kristian87

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That's a really impressive job! What method did you use to achieve that out of interest? I've seen some people try to paint the engraved bits before but with results nowhere near as good as that.

Looks forward to seeing the build...
 

SteveS

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Superlative knobwork. :like:
Keep it coming.
 
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Thanks for the comments :like:

If I had more time I could be tempted to offer this out as a service, but the GF and kids would kill me … :cwl:

Red, white or grabber blue car ? This would have defo been done with a blue ford logo and red / white FP writing :sunglasses:

Bullet point process :

• Remove the original white paint : Nail polish remover, cocktail sticks and cotton buds. The paint will go soft and gooey when its ready to be picked out.

• Clean / degrease : White spirit or similar.

• Get the new paint in : Multiple layers as it will thin down as it cures.

• Carefully wet sand with 800 : Only concentrate on the high paint areas.

• Final wet sand : I used ‘well used’ 1500, if I was using new paper I would probably use 2000 or maybe even 2500.

• Let it cure for a few days : high up in the warmest room in the house.

• Final polish : Done by hand using Meguires Scratch X on a MF. This stuff really seems to suit the knob material and works very well (and quite quickly).

During any of the sanding and polishing processes do exactly the opposite of removing a body work scratch. Work mostly across the engraving rather than working along it. You don’t want to remove the sharp edges of the valley like you would want to do if it was a paint scratch.

Hope that helps ?

WD :like:
 

marks

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That does look professional, although at first I did think the second photo was the finished product!
 

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Oh god don’t show me stuff like this ! I thought I was getting the mod bug out of my system but now you’re giving me ideas !

Looks great, I wonder what an orange fury finish would look like !
 

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Great idea and excellent result :like:

Now where’s my old Ford Racing knob................:)

Benno
 
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Next up is the Steeda H pipe. This was again bought on holiday in the states and came back as my suitcase (I travelled light with my stuff in the kids cases lol).

009-E9-EA6-3725-415-B-844-D-A626237-E15-AE.jpg


I inspect everything I buy and the clamps concerned me a little – A few burrs on both the ally and stainless parts were visible and they were on the faces that need to mate / slide together :

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I’m not sure if that would have created a genuine problem giving a false tightness at the correct torque, but it won’t be an issue now as both have been smoothed off accordingly. Ready for fitment :

23689203-DECA-4-EDE-B5-F1-C129-ED553-AA8.jpg


Copper grease on the sliding faces of the clamp (not on the inside where it clamps the tubing) should also help all the bolt torque go where you want it to go and not be wasted on friction tightening the clamp itself.

The H pipe itself was distorted a little (rocked when on a flat surface) and I was surprised how easily it was persuaded to go back to shape. Coupled with seeing a few threads on H and X pipes fracturing on the crossover (not specific to Steeda), I decided to correct the issue by making the full assembly as stiff / strong as the original suitcase resonator that it replaces by removing any potential twisting at the crossover. I am guessing that this mod may also help keep the tailpipes aligned a little better over time as the exhaust wont ‘relax’ in this area now ?

Paper templates :

4860-B965-D9-F5-4-EFE-A46-C-7849-FD79-BB5-D.jpg


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Water cut stainless plates :

0-CA6084-A-2-F04-4963-AA00-85-C8-BA8950-ED.jpg


All finished, pickled and cleaned up :

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B392-F833-2-BC1-4-FD7-A319-BCFF8-F7-A1035.jpg


And still a good chunk cheaper than the UK rrp … :frown:

Well after my knob polishing post it would be rude not to end with a close up (weld) penetration shot ... :cwl:

F828470-C-DFDB-4-CBC-B1-DC-524-D6-A30-DDB2.jpg


WD :like:
 
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Pilgrim/uk

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saw a Grabber Lime in my local dealers at the weekend looks great in thr flesh awesome colour if I was to change that would be the colour I would order
 
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Thank you :like:

I don’t think the colour photos well and needs to be seen in real life, photos look duller and a bit more pastel than my eye sees it. Having said that, some of the YouTube videos seem to capture it quite well, maybe some colour correction / editing has gone on ?

I delayed placing my order until I had been to the states, once I viewed one over there I was sold :sunglasses:

Perhaps it’s just greens and cell phone cameras ? I was disappointed with NFG from the initial photos, but again I really like that in real life - in fact my dealer looked for a stock one in my required spec but couldn’t find one, if they did it would have been a tough choice ...

Both colours are defo ‘marmite’ colours lol.

WD :like:
 

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Some really impressive DIY skills there. You've done a great job! If I was to attempt that kind of thing, the resultant mess would end looking like the aftermath of an experiment involving chimps and alcohol...
 
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Thank you :like:

Just to be clear, the welding skills aren’t mine. I am qualified in mig / mild steel and tig / aluminium but don’t have kit and don’t get to practice anymore - I think I would only trust my mig skills now and that would only be on thick gauge stuff ...

The guy that welded it was a guy I used years ago to fab a SS gate for me :like:

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WD :like:
 
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For anyone interested what’s inside the 2018+ Ford Performance oil separator (another item that came back from the states with me :cwl:) :

A6620-C1-C-6-AC8-42-C6-A330-A522-D0-F49-E0-E.jpg


Underside of the filter :

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Top side of the filter :

C4-DD497-C-FC91-440-C-84-B6-B02-DEF522814.jpg


WD :like:
 
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Getting my Grabber Lime fix whilst I await arrival ...

FC9-B6-A19-7-BA5-4154-A52-E-42-A6-E603-FB26.jpg


Much more difficult than the knob due to the textured plastic and the inability to flat it back and polish, happy with the result through :

7-F8-A1-DA7-B3-D9-40-A1-805-B-822-C4-FFCC95-C.jpg


WD :like:
 
 




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