[race_prep] My 205 Project - Road Legal Rally Car

[Guest LIL_CLAIRE_1.9]

Thought i would start my own project post of what i've been doing with my 205. First of a bit about the car, I bought it of my b/f who originaly bought it just over 2 years ago. A completly standard 1.9 miami on a J plate, well it had a big exhaust on it but was rotten. We got the car home and started to sort out a few of the probs with it, mainly wiring probs, whilst doing that he removed the rev limiter from the ECU and put the car back together and got it working fine. The next time he drove it the bottom end gave out lol, should have kept the limiter. On further inspection the oil looked like tar and the rad was also blocked plus it had 145000 miles on the clock. He parked the car in his garage and thats where it has sat for 2 years. He was going to sell the car because he wants something else so i decided to buy it of him and turn it into a road legal track car, mainly cause it looks cool but also for fun.

 

So we started of by stripping it out completly, pulling out the wiring loom, fuel tank, rear brake lines and fuel lines and some of the engine appart. Next up was to chop out the rust we found and weld in fresh steel. Also started chopping out bits to save some weight. Car is booked in next may to have full roll cage made up and custom dashboard so there isnt much rush because we cant put it back together until that is done. Here are the pics so far:

 

This is what it looked like before we started:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...geot205GTI1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...geot205GTI2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...geot205GTI3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...geot205GTI4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...eot205GTI12.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...geot205GTI6.jpg

 

Pulling the engine appart:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr.../EngineBay1.jpg

 

Interior stripped:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...234/Inside1.jpg

[Guest LIL_CLAIRE_1.9]

Dont need a exterior passenger door handle or lock so started getting rid of those:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...sengerDoor1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...sengerDoor2.jpg

 

Same thing for the boot, dont need rear wiper or washer:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...34/BootLid1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...34/BootLid3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...34/BootLid4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...34/BootLid5.jpg

 

Welded up the hole in the roof for the airel:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...m1234/Roof1.jpg

 

Car will have an in car tank so dont need the original tank or the hole in the floor or wheel arch so welded them up:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...rWheelArch1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...234/Inside4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...234/Inside5.jpg

[Guest LIL_CLAIRE_1.9]

Not having any heating so welded up the hole under the scuttle panel where it draws in air for the fan blowers:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr.../EngineBay4.jpg

 

Started chopping a few bits out of the interior, dont need some of the strengh points as it will have a full cage that will be taking most of the abuse from the shell:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...34/Indisde2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...234/Inside3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...34/Inside10.jpg

 

The fuel tank will be in the car but i would still like to be able to fill it up from the original filler hole, so copped up the original filler neck and will modify it a bit in the future, also had to chop away some of the structure bit of the shell to get the access that i needed so after i chopped enough away i got some nice thick steel and added back to the structure to keep it from flexing to much:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...234/Inside9.jpg

 

Under the rear seat area was really badly rusty, so we chopped out all the rust, dont need any of the bolts or mounting points so it wasnt much of an issue, then made new plates up and welded them in:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...234/Inside6.jpg

 

Where the original brake line clips go through the floor where rusty so thought may as well clean them up and just weld up the hole since the plumbing will all go through the car anyway we wont need the holes:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...234/Inside7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/chr...234/Inside8.jpg

 

Will post more updates as they happen, thanks for reading.

[paul205mi16 4]

A fair bit of welding there then, And alot more to do with the cage ETC..

[easypug 0]

What is this car going to be used for? No door handles on a track car isn't really a good idea.

[cybernck 400 1 Cars]

Not having any heating so welded up the hole under the scuttle panel where it draws in air for the fan blowers:

surely that way you won't have "cooling" (fresh air) coming in either?

[Rally Slag 0]

Car will be road legal but is going to be a rally car basicly. Engine will be completly standard inside and using a 4 branch manifold, group n exhaust and alpha weber gold kit which we allready have, and possibly a lightweight ally flywheel, but havent decided on that yet, hoping for around the 145-150bhp mark at the flywheel though. Gearbox will be the standard 1.9 unit but with quaife ATB diff. Suspension going to be using coil overs up front and seriously considering a turreted rear set up because i've heard good things about it. Brakes, rear will be standard but fronts will be 307hdi 283mm units.

 

Going to be doing all the welding my self, i will be seam welding the shell but i've got this week of work and after 2 days of welding that so far my hands are completly sun tanned and in pain so i will be leaving that for now lol, i just wanted to make a start on the rust removal and trying to get the car waterproof incase i have to leave it outside of the garage one night.

 

The passenger door wont have an exterior door handle, it will have an interior handle though. The drivers door will be keeping the exterior and interior handle.

 

As for cooling inside the car, we will be using poly windows for the rear screen and both rear side windows but as the car will be road legal the door windows will be able to go up and down, but will convert to manual windows because the electric regulators weigh more. If i can use poly windows for the doors in place of the original glass and still have them wind down then i will do this. Car will run a heated front screen to get round the misting up problem of no heating.

 

Basicly its going to be a fun road car that we can take to the track and have a bit of a play with, nothing serious in competion use because it simply costs to much and then becomes time consuming, we just having a bit of fun.

 

Oh and a guy who works next door to the place i work builds dragsters and race cars for a living, he is doing the cage for me which he will make him self and also fabricate the dash, he is fully booked till next may so its booked in for then but gives me enough time to get it ready for him, plus i got a good price lol

[SimonJ 2]

You'll never get through scrutiny without a door handle. Change the cwp also. Good luck.

[welshpug 1,622]

hmm, so what happens in worst case scenario when you roll the car onto its drivers side, and the marshals want to open the passenger door?

 

Also as mentioned where is fresh air going to enter the cabin?

 

I'd suggest you get a copy of the Blue book and have a good read.

Edited May 22, 2008 by welshpug

[Batfink 201]

a door can be easily swapped if the car will actually get used for competition so no real problem there.

Fresh air can be just a couple of holes in the polycarbonate.

 

I doubt polycarbonate will look that good after a couple of uses of winding down the windows as its going to scratch so you might as well just ditch the winder mechanism altogether.

 

If you are going to build the car to possibly be used in competition then you really do need the blue book as you may find a lot of what you plan will make your car inellegable for many types of racing...

[Rally Slag 0]

like i said above, it wont be used for proper competition because we simply cant afford it with the cost of tyres, fuel, getting a trailer etc etc. It will be used on the road and possibly track days.

 

Yeah thats wot i was thinkin about the windows because i know they scrach easy, will probably just keep the glass in the doors, being a road car im going to need to be able to open the windows, there for we have the ventilation problem solved.

 

Simon>>>wots a CWP?

[SimonJ 2]

Hi,

Crown Wheel & Pinion or Final Drive.

1.9 one is too long for, well, anything almost! Too high a top speed as you will never use it and one from a 1.6 (or if you are using it for circuits a complete 1.6 box, you'll never use the too-short first gear) will improve acceleration. One from an Mi16 is even shorter but maybe too much so depending on the circuit.

Loads of threads on here about it.

[Anulfo 22]

Hi,

Crown Wheel & Pinion or Final Drive.

1.9 one is too long for, well, anything almost! Too high a top speed as you will never use it and one from a 1.6 (or if you are using it for circuits a complete 1.6 box, you'll never use the too-short first gear) will improve acceleration. One from an Mi16 is even shorter but maybe too much so depending on the circuit.

Loads of threads on here about it.

 

 

So are you suggesting in the midst of competition,at the start line pulling away from a standing start....in 2nd gear????

[Rally Slag 0]

ok then thanks for that, i'll read more into it at some point, got enough to do for now though lol

[Anulfo 22]

Thats it Rally slag, im assuming that you want the car to be useable normally.If you start playing around with final drives then sure you win be quicker off the line but you will revving the hell out of the engine at motorway speeds.

[daveholman 0]

I'm pretty sure it won't pass an MOT without a passenger side door handle. My dad's was ripped off when someone was breaking in and it failed cause of it. It limits the access of the emergency services and as such can put you and your passengers at risk.

[SimonJ 2]

So are you suggesting in the midst of competition,at the start line pulling away from a standing start....in 2nd gear????

 

 

No, I've re-read my post and I don't think I said that. I was referring to track days (racing not planned for this car I don't think) and I guess first gear isn't an issue on track days, wheras for some competition a 1.9 first gear is a major benefit.

[Rally Slag 0]

well im a mechanic for a living and work in an MOT station so it shouldnt be to much trouble getting it through lol but TVRs dont have door handles on the outside now do they, they electric opening

[bea5ty 0]

Not having any heating so welded up the hole under the scuttle panel where it draws in air for the fan blowers:

 

Id be careful with not having a bolwer, you'd be screwed if the screen mists up on a trackday!!

[Rally Slag 0]

having heated front screen m8, gona be posh lol