[trackday_prep] 309 Gti Trackday Car

[edbar 6]

The ARB is as factory, could be the angle i took the photo at?

[edbar 6]

Recieved my group buy sunstrip thanks to Oz.

 

 

Should be going on at the weekend...

[guffe 2]

My bottom engine mount is truly knackered so i bought this solid one to replace it.

 

Where did you buy it from? I could use one of those too.

[edbar 6]

Bought it off a member on here second hand. Not sure where it was bought from new.

[shalmaneser 26]

Where did you buy it from? I could use one of those too.

 

group buy here -

 

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?s...0&start=150

[stuart 31 3 Cars]

Hi, wondering if you might be able to help.

 

I've just bought a pipercross filter similar to yours for my twin weber setup but if I put the holes for the trumpets in the centre, the bottom of the backplate (where the filter clips in) will foul on the alternator by about 20mm. I would offset the holes but the new trumpets I have are too big a radius so will then foul the filter.

 

Have you modified your backplate to avoid this?

Cheers, Stu

[edbar 6]

Had exactly the same problem with mine so all i did was to put the trumpets through the holes in the back plate and not bolt it to the carbs. Not sure how others do it but it overcame the problem without buying a new backplate.

[stuart 31 3 Cars]

I think I see what you mean, I ended up just trimming off the offending part of the backplate and the bit of the filter where it slots in, it's held in place well enough still.

 

Thanks for the suggestion though

[edbar 6]

Update.

A few friends offered to help me put the rear end of the 309 back together yesterday after having new bearings pressed in the new beam tube and the new shafts pressed into the xsara vts arms and all being painted.

Also had to put on new discs and pads, handbrake cables, small section of hard brake pipe, new KYB AGX adjustable rear shocks, sandwich beam mounts(tube came ready with solid front tube mounts).

 

As it was when we started, a friend had already loosely mounted the beam but the height was too high at the back so we lowered one more notch.

 

 

Conncting shock (I think)

 

After having alook at the old calipers they were knackered, seals completely gone and i dont want my brakes failing on track so two new calipers it was and pad fitting kit,pads were a real mare to get in, seemed to be fine after a light file to remove some of the paint from the slider surface.

 

[edbar 6]

Rest of pics.

 

James making up the hard lines to replace the short flexi's.

 

The nearly finished article, just tidied away the cables etc after.

 

As the car sits now.

 

Must say a big thanks to Olly,James, Allan and Lee for all the hard work involved in helping me prep the car ready for the PPC mag trackday at mallory on the 1st of may. The car handles so much better now it is unreal. The mounts and shocks and bearings were all truly mullered before the rear end re build which made for an interesting handling car to say the least!

[welshpug 1,661]

wayyy too low for my liking, especially on standard torsion bars.

 

check that the front brake hoses don't kink on lock, mine did when it was that low!!

[edbar 6]

Next job was to fit the sunstrip from the group buy...

 

 

Then straight over to see Josh at St Johns Garage for him to fit the solid lower engine mount.

Knackered original..

 

Lovely new alloy mount.

 

Big thanks to Josh and Matt for the use of the workshop and Josh for fitting it all after hours.

The noise and vibration it causes is quite severe but I am building the car for track work so have to put up with it, but I must say it has made a big difference, better turn in, more traction acceleration and braking and better feel from the car. However traction and front end feel are still an issue to be addressed, so i have ordered new KYB AGX 306 adjustables in a bid to get the front right, after seeing the state of the AVO rears and the improvements the KYB's made at the back I'm sure the fronts are needed. It's great to be making improvements all the time now and be able to use it and feel the difference all the new parts are making, its taking big leaps and bounds towards being very sorted now!

[edbar 6]

Problem I had was that the front springs are so low the rear was running a huge amount of rake angle. So believe me when I say it is much much better than it was and I usually wouldn't make it so low but I'm on a tight budget and with so many other jobs that need to be done I cant afford new springs or torsion bars so it will have to stay like that for a while.

[oz. 2]

Looks like you did a good job on the sunstrip

[edbar 6]

Looks like you did a good job on the sunstrip

 

Not too bad although had a few issues with the drivers side corner not adhering too well due to us holding it too much but looks good. Thanks for the great service. Watching my circuit of ireland rally dvd the 309 works cars have the same sunstrip!

[edbar 6]

After having a few issues still with the twin fans I decided to try and solve it properly and buy a slimline fan, I need one when i lower the rad anyway and the mess that is the wiring that was on the rads when i bought it is givibng grief so....

I went across the road from work to Spal and picked up this.

 

The original set up..

 

I had already tried to tidy the wiring previously so all i had to do was unbolt and remove the heavy knackered fans and put the nice light new spal in so no major dramas and so far so goo working fan again.

 

Went to Derby this morning to pick up a Magnex manifold from Herman. My original system is rotten and not sure how long it will last so decided to get the Magnex and a custom centre section as a low budget upgrade.

 

Its in great condition so thursday night ill get down custom body repair and start porting it and re-welding the head-manifold flange.

[edbar 6]

Decided i needed to tighten up the horrible gear change and front end so a phone call to Skip Brown cars later.

 

Group N gear linkages and top mount rubbers, they are so much stiffer than standard its unreal. Stock rubbers are easily squased in your hand but these you can barely move.

 

Having had a go at fitting the linkage rods this morning after a bit of cutting the short rod is on but the ball joints are a differant size for the longer rod, although I have been supplied new joints that would mean cutting the old ones off and tapping new threads etc which with the box in the car will be a right mare! So still have a sloppy shift!

 

Had a chat with Dell at SBC about my dipstick being constantly blown out after some advice and a quick check turns out my dipstick was broken. Got a new onr and all is now good.

 

Also talked oil specs and as recommended will be using shell helix 10w 40- stocked at work so i can get at a great price.

I havent been happy with the front end since I've had the car, feels like the front shocks arent doing much and I have no idea of their history so....................

 

Get that lot fitted one night during the week.

Then next saturday the 309 is booked in to have a 2 1/4" system made up using the magnex back box and manifold.

[Rich_p 23]

Are they 306 shocks you mentioned getting earlier?

 

Be carefull if fitting as I fitted some coilovers on friday and it looks like one of them might be a 306 unit and the drop link and brake hose brakets are in the wrong place.

 

a 20 yard run down the road resulted in a wrecked tyre from the droplink braket rubbing it and a bent drop link!

[edbar 6]

Yes they are 306 fitment. Thanks for the warning, been told that if you mount the drop links the other way they will work so ill give it a go and see how i get on......Fingers crossed!

[edbar 6]

Time for another update as a lot has been done since my last post.

Took the car to Leigh Jordans and had him and allan with me to replace the front suspension.

 

Knackered avo shock again the rods stayed compressed and top mount on the one side had come apart.

 

New front with KYB AGX adjustable shocks, new drop links (old one were fine but had new just to refresh), Skip Brown group n top mount rubbers, new top mount bearings and nuts/washers.

 

The handling has come on so far now, the avos on the front and back must have been doing practically nothing just bouncing around corners on the springs. With all the chassis work we have done the car really grips hard and is so much more stable it is like night and day from before the upgrades and repairs.

 

The drive shafts were both knocking alot so bought a new pair and again went over to Leigh Jordans to fit them and get the manifold on and old system off in preperation for the new centre section.

 

Old system full of rot and holes!!

 

Magnex 4-1 which i ported at custom body repair earlier in the week..

[edbar 6]

And had Russ re-weld the flange..

 

Fitting the manifold...

 

And the new drive shafts fitted..

 

Then yeasterday had the new centre section made 21/4" straight to the magnex tailbox..

 

The exhaust note is still quiet so dont think i'll have any trouble on track and seems more willing to rev so all good!

Must say a huge thankyou to Olly,Leigh and Allan for all the late nights and weekends they have put in recently to get the car ready for mallory on the 1st May ppc trackday.

Also got the car booked in at Aldon Automotive for the Rolling Road tuning session on Mon 26th so will hopefully pick up more power and smoothness!

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

I'd get rid of the green stuff pads mate, they're W@NK!

Not being a pr*ck here but alot of people on here wouldn't touch them, including me.

 

I had them all round, caused endless problems of juddering, brake fade and they all scorched themselves within a few weeks of heavy use. My brand new EBC turbogroove discs were ruined.

I'd stay well clear.

 

Get some Mintex 1144/Ferrodo 2500 or similar, give EBC a miss.

 

Nice 309 by the way, becoming a rareity. In the best colour aswell

[edbar 6]

Not overly struck on them either but they will do for now. Will probably go for ferrodo Ds range as i can get them through work. Thanks for the advice though.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Are those brake flexis staying like that? They look far too stretched at the caliper end in the photos, and will be even worse as the steering is turned!

[miamichris 9]

Are those brake flexis staying like that? They look far too stretched at the caliper end in the photos, and will be even worse as the steering is turned!

 

What GLP said, those flexis should be behind the strut not in front of it!