[car_upgrade] Platty's Road/track Car Gti-5

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

Ok, you've really done it now. Read through the thread today at work and now I can't resist the temptation to get started. Ive been tinkering with my 1.9 a bit at a time and I now drive it day to day. Previously I had a 1.4GTX which is now stripped due to replacing parts on the 1.9. What I'm now going to have to do is renovate the 1.4 so I can drive it then do the full monty on the 1.9, engine bay, the lot.

 

I have to say that the quality of your work and enthusiasm is matched by a rare few and I really want to acheive the same. Thanks, I think .

[platty 1]

Oh no, don't do it..........You'll spend weeks covered in oil, grease, dirt, covered in cuts and bruises, spend hours working on the most insignificant little things, your bank balance will evaporate, and your girlfriend/wife will leave you.......

 

.......What am I saying..........do it, do it, do it!

 

Seriously though, It's good fun, and you'll get an immense sense of achievement when your done. Best to look at things as little projects. Looking at the whole picture can be a little worrying.

[A2TheA 0]

ive just emmbarked on my own 16 valve project. not touched the car yet but slowly taking the engine apart. bought the engine with a blown head gasket (found the source of that) but gunna give the block and head a skim. then as a college project, do a load of head work. bigger valves, porting, polishing, all N/A. see what figures she ends up bringing to the table

 

reading topics like this one make me really want to get out and crack on with it.

 

super work so far bud, keeping the topic up to date too

 

Aaron

[westy 0]

Wow, fantastic attention to detail Mark.

 

I'll give you shout when i'm next around the area, want to have a look at this up close!

[platty 1]

Yeah, just give me a bell to make sure I'm in Ben.

 

Now, what am I up to?

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and new gear rods and brake fluid

 

[platty 1]

Busy day today.....

 

I was rudely awoken by the postman.......not all bad though.

 

 

Big Thankyou to Rich (DrSarty) for making these for me.

 

Fitted the DTI badges, but the 2.0l badges will live in the envelope until the respray is complete.

 

I borrowed a pallet truck this weekend and with the help of the girlfriend, jacked the car up to a ridiculous height, and slid the engine in underneath. Lowered the car down, bolted the engine to its mounts, and then jacked the car back up. (Having done it both ways on this project, fitting the engine from underneath is so much easier)

 

 

 

As you can see, I have overcome the radiator hose problem I had by sourcing a 32mm wire reinforced flexible hose. Sadly it only comes in a 1 meter lenght, of which I'll need around 600mm

Edited February 28, 2009 by platty

[platty 1]

Fitted the radiator today, so started off by making a pair of brackets to lower the rad to clear the inlet manifold.

 

 

I then had to adapt the bottom rad hose by chopping up the top radiator pipe supplied by BBM.

 

 

I'll have to modify the pipework on the rear of the block as it will touch the manifold if I connect it as is.

 

 

Getting there.

 

 

Another problem is the radiator being fowled, when the engine moves. Whats your opinion on grinding this off?

 

[platty 1]

Any ideas on the above? Any input would be greatly appreciated

 

Today I spent the afternoon on the steering rack.

 

The VTS steering arms are about 25mm too long,

 

So I stripped these off, and replaced them with the 205 jobbies.

Whilst the rack was apart, I removed the remaining PAS part(sorry don't know what its called)

 

I bolted the rack to the subframe, and bolted the subframe to the car to check clearances.

Theres plenty of room, so I sifted through my spares boxes and found the bottom UJ from my last 205.

 

This all bolted straight onto the rack. Now the only problem I can see is at present I have nearly 3 turns lock to lock.

I thought the Xsara VTS rack was 2.4. So either 2.4 turns is incorrect, or in removing the part below from the rack, I have now allowed the rack to travel further, giving more lock. What do you think.

Edited March 2, 2009 by platty

[2052006 10]

Can I ask what you have done about the second inlet/outlet on the back of the thermostat with your coolant routing. Have you just blocked it off with a bung or something?

[platty 1]

Yes, the lower inlet is bunged.

 

[welshpug 1,622]

I didn't have any issues with a gti6 inlet, have you tried it in the cowling properly yet? no need to lower it at all.

 

and yes, by removing the mounting for the ram (which restricts the travel) you have increased how far the rack will turn.

Edited March 3, 2009 by welshpug

[platty 1]

Difficult to tell from the picture I know, but its not the inlet fowling, its the sump (well the huge wedge that comes out to meet the gearbox.

 

It looks like part of the casting, so I was just going to run a grinder across it.

 

I might have to get some stoppers machined up to fix the rack problem then. The ram and its mount have gone binward. Either that or I'll see how close the wheels are to the body on full lock now(I bet they fowl).

[taylorspug 7]

Just grind that edge of the sump casing off, ive done it a couple of times now for similar reasons.

[timmsy19 3]

Coming along nicely Mark.

 

Im wondering how i havent noticed this thread before.

[platty 1]

Just grind that edge of the sump casing off, ive done it a couple of times now for similar reasons.

 

Cheers Dan, I was holding out for someone to say 'get grinding'.

 

It is coming along nicely, even nicer after the weekend

[platty 1]

Well I've been out messing with the car once again. I've chopped up the fan cowling a little to allow it to fit with the rad now being lower. I also dug out a spare fan I had and have cleaned that up and fitted it to the cowling. (twin fans)

I've taken off the lip on the back of the slam panel, as the inlet manifold would fowl it otherwise.

 

Been on my back once again, scrubbing another wheel arch with a wire brush ready for painting, Other than that, very little has happened this weekend. Mainly becuase I was in petrolhead heaven on Saturday, droowling over Dans 205 and other interesting machinery in the workshop.

 

I have added a couple of major parts to the jigsaw, which shall be revealed next weekend

 

Oh and Maxi.......Preview's anytime you want

Edited March 15, 2009 by platty

[taylorspug 7]

Im getting a kettle in that workshop soon, its becoming quite a hit with forum members and the least i can do is offer them a brew!

 

Would be really interested in seeing your car soon, it really does look very impressive, certainly one of the nicest builds on the forum.

[platty 1]

Haha, cheers Dan. Any weekend will be cool.

 

But seriously.......I make no point in hiding my admiration for Espen's car, and thats what I use to motivate me. If it wasn't from the advice given by all the Pitcrew and the Team Managers (although Anthony is trying to scupper my plans ), and fellow Drivers, I'd have absolutely no confidence in doing what I'm doing!

 

Cheers all.

 

Mark

Edited March 16, 2009 by platty

[maxi 36 1 Cars]

Cant wait to see it in the flesh mate! Good to meet you at the weekend, shame you didnt go out in Dans motor, its an experience!

 

Maxi

[timmsy19 3]

Haha, cheers Dan. Any weekend will be cool.

 

But seriously.......I make no point in hiding my admiration for Espen's car, and thats what I use to motivate me. If it wasn't from the advice given by all the Pitcrew and the Team Managers (although Anthony is trying to scupper my plans ), and fellow Drivers, I'd have absolutely no confidence in doing what I'm doing!

 

Cheers all.

 

Mark

 

coming along nicely once its done we'll have to have a meet down this way. dont for get the pics of the new part once done. should look spot on.

 

Although every time i see Dan's car makes me want to rip my engine out and start again.

 

Maxi when am i gona see yours in the flesh

Edited March 16, 2009 by timmsy19

[platty 1]

Graham, Im already working on it. I should have a few teaser pics for the weekend. And yes, a south meet has got to happen. I'm hopefully seeing Maxi's Carbon monster at the weekend, so more drooling for me

 

You need to stop looking at Dan's motor, its illegally clean!

[platty 1]

I know how you all like pictures......

 

A couple of the last days work.

 

Fans have been fitted into the cowling.

 

 

Anyone know what these draw? I need to get a relay to power the second one via the shunt box.

 

You can see from this picture, the clearance I now have between the slam panel and inlet manifold.

 

 

Toyo's turn't up today......Only 3 mind . 4th one has gone 'missing' with Business Post.

 

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

Where and for how much were the toyo's. I'm getting some swanky new wheels from tony205 and some of those would be mint, (if there were 4 that is!!)_~

[miamichris 9]

looking really good Platty, keep it up mate!

 

How did you choose between the toyo's and the parada's, i'm completely torn between the two at the minute, some people seem prefer one and some prefer the other!

[platty 1]

Chris, I had the same predicament. I had advice from a few forum members talking about Prada's jekyll and hyde performance when its damp. Have a read through the group buy thread talking about cheap Prada's.

 

Mhyphenl, they cost £123 delivered from a guy on ebay. Ears Motorsport