My Very Own Premier 118NE: Modifications & Upgrades

[Ilangop]

Cotton fabric seat covers

Found a cotton fabric which with a pattern very close to the company fitted seat & inner door panels. The tailor did a good job and highly satisfied with the outcome. Also got a new rexin piece for the speaker board behind the rear seat.

 

[Ani191]

Re: Megasquirting The 118NE

Hey Ilangop. The vehicle looks amazing. The seat width of the front seats is really good. The cars are known for their comfort right..!

 

[Lameassonwheels]

Re: Megasquirting The 118NE

Is the car running in carb setup only or else the MPFI conversion is successfully completed?. I think you have mentioned only about painting and other cosmetic mods only in your latest posts. Did I miss something?

 

[Ilangop]

Re: Megasquirting The 118NE

Is the car running in carb setup only or else the MPFI conversion is successfully completed?. I think you have mentioned only about painting and other cosmetic mods only in your latest posts. Did I miss something?

Hi, The car is still running on Mikuni Carb. I was not convinced with the MPFI rail I customized on the 118NE manifold. Working out another option at the moment. This project is a long term commitment, so apologies for keeping you guys waiting.

 

[Ilangop]

Side mirrors for 118NE

The quest for an indigenous, low cost, readily available option for a side mirror for my 118NE started after the original side mirror in my car was broken by the menacing kids in our society. Though the universal side mirror would have solved the problem functionally, I wasn't convinced in fitting them up for the reason that the mirror orientation is little tilted towards the ground whereas they fit well on the door shoulders of Padmini & Amby. My requirement was simple, no new holes in the door for a new mirror. Hence I started looking adapting commonly available mirrors on to the base of the broken 118NE mirror. Here are the trials.
1. Maruti 800 mirror - Somehow with great care I was able to remove the glass from its housing, unbolt the housing from the mirror base. Got an aluminum adaptor base turned in a lathe to mount the M800 mirror on 118NE mirror base. Seemed like I was close to success. So tried to gentle pry out the glass for the opposite side. This time the mirror got cracked. SO I stopped here concluding that the success rate in removing the mirror intact was too low.
2. Tata Nano mirror - There are 2 types. A cheaper variety where the mirror housing is supported on the stem by a ball joint and adjustments are very much like a motorcycle mirror. Other type is quite complex for this adaptation. Bought the first type and separated the mirror from its stem. Seemed like the 118NE mirror base would need some level of cutting and machining and hence dropped this idea too
3. WagonR & Omni mirrors would fit, but at the place where the 118NE mirror fits. A friendly shop keeper returned my money back :)

Still I had kept my eyes open scanning for a side mirror from another vehicle. Spotted Piaggio Ape and Avenger mirrors which were very much close to 118NE side mirrors in their shape. Since it is a chrome plated part a pair of Avenger mirror was too expensive for the budget I had fixed, I eyed on the Piaggio Ape side mirrors.
Went to a tempo parts shop and to add to my confusion, there were 2 types. One with socket for a ball joint in the back side (the ball is a part of mirror stem) and other with a ball and a small stack with a nut (the stalk fits in a square slot in the mirror stem). As they cost only Rs40/- each I took 1 of each type. Decided to go with the second option which came with the ball joint included. Bought 2 mirror stems, chopped them off at the required length. A friendly lathe guy machined 2 cones to adapt the stem to 118 mirror base. Welded the 2 parts and again got them levelled on the lathe. The rubber protectors from the Ape mirror stem came handy in hiding the weld job and the nut behind the ball joint. The result is evident from the attached pictures.




The rubber base for the mirror are from my old broken mirrors. Had 2 extra pieces. So got a mirror for left side as well. Drilled similar 8mm holes on the left doors, placed the mirror base rubber with self-locking arrangement and fitted the mirror for left side as well.

 

[Rahul401]

Re: Megasquirting The 118NE

Your car looks awesome. I am a big fan of 118 NE since my childhood. The car is known for its superb suspension which can put some latest expensive cars in shame as well.

Is that a Vijay Super beside your car in the last picture? It is looking cool too. Have you started an ownership thread of that too?

 

[Ilangop]

Re: Megasquirting The 118NE

Your car looks awesome. I am a big fan of 118 NE since my childhood. The car is known for its superb suspension which can put some latest expensive cars in shame as well.

Is that a Vijay Super beside your car in the last picture? It is looking cool too. Have you started an ownership thread of that too?

Hi Rahul. Thanks for the complement.
Yes, 1983 Vijai Super. Little pimped from original specs - VM24 carb + upjetted, CDI unit, home-made Clubman Exhaust, Somender Singh's grooved head, Upsized sprockets, Full DC electrical system. Little noisier than stock silencer, expecting it to touch 110kmph due to upsized sprockets. But patiently waiting for engine run-in.

 

[Rahul401]

Re: Megasquirting The 118NE

Hi Rahul. Thanks for the complement.
Yes, 1983 Vijai Super. Little pimped from original specs - VM24 carb + upjetted, CDI unit, home-made Clubman Exhaust, Somender Singh's grooved head, Upsized sprockets, Full DC electrical system. Little noisier than stock silencer, expecting it to touch 110kmph due to upsized sprockets. But patiently waiting for engine run-in.

Wow. Thats a lot of modifcations. My father also had 1983 Grey Vijay Super which was sold in 2004 post his retirement. The first scooter I drove was Vijay Super hence I asked. I didn't cross 70kmph as it was a stock engine and only 2 wheeler for dad's commute to office. The best part of the scooter was balance as the engine is placed in center.

Sorry for going off topic

 

[glomus123]

Re: Megasquirting The 118NE

Nice to see several upgrades. I am following you in other forums as well and every time you are a big motivation! Great going. Waiting to see the NE with the MPFI upgrades!

 

[sid devil8055]

sir very nice diy sir thease mirrors can also be fitted in s80 also

 

[Ilangop]

sir very nice diy sir thease mirrors can also be fitted in s80 also

I used the mirror base from the old & broken mirror of 118NE itself. It is a convex mirror and hence happy with the field of view though it is smaller by a few mm in all sides as compared to OE mirror. And the shape too matches almost.
Though I haven't seen an SS80 so close enough, looking at some internet pictures it appears like this mirror could be used. You just need to use the mounting base from the old mirror, else get a base too fabricated.

 

[Ilangop]

Crank Position Sensor & Electric Fan for Radiator

Though it appeared like there was lot of space available under-hood, it was really a hectic task to squeeze an electric fan for the radiator & the crank position sensor.

The Radiator Fan.
With the help of a friendly scrapyard guy I sourced a Fiat Palio fan first. But the shroud was too large to get accommodated in the available space. Though the scrapyard guys don't have a buy-back or a return policy, he was enthusiastic in helping me because of his young age. His dad would have not entertained this. The very next day I had returned the Palio fan and looked for a slimmer fan. Condenser fans were the only option left with. But they all were push type fans placed in the front side of the radiator. So, again I had given him a disclaimer that this will be exchanged if it doesn't do my job. Went home with a Ford Fiesta condenser fan.
At the first trial I was able to slide the fan smoothly (rather with meager difficulty) in the space available. As we all know, any retro fitment doesn't go without compromising on something. Had to get rid of a few fins from the fan shroud to give way to the water pump pulley. Also pulled out the fan from the motor, flipped it and fitted back on to the motor shaft to get the direction right. Got a steel bracket made out of 2 wheeler luggage box clamps. Fitted them all and wired it through a relay & a piano switch. In the meanwhile while the radiator was out, a bung for the M800 thermoswitch was welded and closed with a dummy cork for now.
For now the fan operates through a relay and a switch controlled by the driver (me ).





Crank Position Sensor:
After lots of brainstorming I was somehow able to squeeze the crank position sensor of Hyundai accent in the location shown here. Did a paper mockup first and then got it laser cut on a 1.6mm MS plate. Got to wire it with the ECU and understand if it picks up signal.



After confirming that the clearance between sensor & toner ring was between 1 & 2 mm, shut the bonnet and went for a spin.
It was 00:30 and the temperature was less. The fan cooling was sufficient. The next day took out the car into the city at 13:00 when it was 38 deg outside. With 2 people onboard the temperature needle was still under half mark. This made be happy. Haven't tested it with AC, might have to fill in the remaining space behind the radiator with another small fan which kicks in with AC on, though not sure.
-Ilango

 

[Ilangop]

Premier 118 NE Door stop strap roller replacement

After repeated complaints from my better half that the door doesn't stay open during ingress & egress, I had to take up this work on priority. Rather used this opportunity to spend some time working in the 118NE.
The culprit was the worn out Nylon bush which is supposed to hold the door in place when fully opened.

A friendly lathe guy got the nylon pulleys turned. Used 6mm cotter pins in place of the factory fitted rivets. And with a packing of grease now it is ready to go into the car.

 

[incarnation]

Thats some nice work going on with the 118NE kudos to have still preserved this car. so is the MPFI thing ready or are you still working on the project.

 

[Ilangop]

so is the MPFI thing ready or are you still working on the project.

Working on preparing a small wiring harness between the ECU and relay box. Purchased Teflon coated wires as per the specs mentioned. Located a place inside my car to mount them. Moving ahead in snail pace. This being my only car & the monsoon showers showing up, can't afford to down the car more than a couple of days for such experiments.