[rally_prep] My 205 Gti Rally Car

[alync406 4]

I have been meaning to start up a thread on my 205 for a good while. I had a black 205 GTi 1.6 which I bought in 2007. It was used for doing night navigations (road rallys) before I got it so it had a rollcage fitted, sump guard, fuel tank guard, Cobra bucket seats, harnesses which meant I did'nt have too much to do with it to turn it into a rally car. I used it for doing autocross events and rally sprints mainly.This is a pic of it here --

 

Unfortunately the car came to a sad end in March 2009

A pic of what the front drivers side corner of it looked like after:

 

I was just after buying a white 205 1.6 GTi not long before this which I was planning on just keeping origional for maybe an every day car.

Here is a pic of the two of them together:

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/6424/s013.jpg

 

So after this I decided you use the white 205 to rebuild the rally car. So this then got stripped to pretty much a bare shell. The cage was fitted. Strengthening plates fitted to strut tops,rear axle mounts,engine mount and towing eyes/sump guard mounting points. The car was also seam welded just around the seams on the inside. Plated over sunroof. etc...

 

When this was all done I then cleaned it all down and painted it just the engine bay and interior.The outside of the car was pretty much spotless.

[alync406 4]

So after I got it painted. I painted the rollcage white too, I had to put it all back together.I dont really have much pics of this. I took all the wires that were not needed out of the wiring loom eg. rear wiper/washer, radio,speakers, etc. I fitted braided fuel and brake lines inside the car.Plumbed in fire extinguisher fitted. Omp RS-PT seat, sabelt harnesses.

Here is a few pics of the finished car:

 

This is how the car looked when it was finished July 2009.I dont my first event in it at Cavan autocross but was only finished it the night before it and the ignition timing was not advanced near enough so had'nt that much power but other than that I fnished without a problem. I have done a good few events in it since my best results were a 1st in class in Oldcastle rally sprint 2009 and I got a 1st in class in november 2009 at Cavan autocross on a real wet day . The car has stayed pretty much the same from I built it until now.

 

Spec list:

Engine:

The engine is just a standard 1.6 GTi

K&N air filter

Exhaust is a standard manifold,front and centre sections with a Scorpion backbox

Baker BM engine mounts/gearbox mount

Baker BM silicone hoses

 

Gearbox:

The gearbox makes a big difference to the car.

Peugeot partner BE4 4.53:1 final drive

1.9 GTi 1st and 2nd gears

406 1.8 BE4 3rd and 4th gears(same ratios as 1.9 GTi gaers really but had to use these as the shaft was out of a BE4)

406 1.8 5th gear

Quaife ATB differential

Top speed with this gearing is about 115mph@6750rpm

Standard 1.6 GTi driveshafts

 

Brakes:

Front: Standard 1.6 GTi callipers

Groved brake discs

Ferodo racing brake pads

Braided hoses

Rear: Standard 1.6 GTi drum brakes

Braided hoses

 

Interior:

Omp RS-PT seat

Sabelt harnesses

Sparco steering wheel

Carbon fibre door and quarter cards

Plumbed in fire extinguisher

Handheld fire extinguisher

Batery cut off switch

Braided fuel lines run inside

Braided brake line run inside

 

Suspension:

Front:

Fixed platform coilover front struts

Bilstein tarmac dampers

9" long 2.5" ID springs 200lbs

Concentric alloy top mounts

OMP Strut brace

 

Rear:

Standard GTi rear beam lowered to match front.

 

Wheels/Tyres:

In the pics the car has 306 d-turbo 14" wheels on it with Silverstone rally slicks on the front and Silverstone intermediate tyres on the rear.

I have other sets of wheels with different tyres on them too, 1.6 Gti pepperpot wheels and Saxo vtr wheels.

[tomcolinjones 26]

looks sweet mate, the interiour is amazing all white. gunna have to get that done sometime lol.

[alync406 4]

looks sweet mate, the interiour is amazing all white. gunna have to get that done sometime lol.

 

Thanks.It it tough enough trying to keep it clean but I think its worth it.

Just remembering a few things that I forgot off the spec list. Baker BM solid rear axle mounts, Xsport racing gear rods, bronze gear linkage bushes ( cant remember where I got them).

 

A few pictures of the car at Cavan autocross earlier in the year:

 

And here is a in car video from Cavan autocross too in march this year:

[alync406 4]

I am happy enough with how the car is but now I want to make it quicker .

I have refurbed a rear axle with new bearings,seals,etc and fitted arms off a 306 with disc brakes.I just fitted the bilstein shock absorbers to this beam that I already had in the car.I fitted new discs and carbone lorraine pads.I fitted this about a month ago. Don't really have any pics but this where you can't really see the disc.

 

Along with the new rear beam I fitted a hydraulic handbrake and a bias valve (tilton lever type).

 

I am happy with the difference this has made to the car. The car seems more stable at the rear especially when braking, before this the rear seemed to be stepping out under braking a bit. My times at Cavan autocross where about 2 seconds quicker than the last dry day anyway so I am thinking this is what must have made the difference .

 

I am doing some more suspension mods too. I had fixed height bilstein coilovers in the front which I am changing to adjustable bodies. Here is the only pic I can find which you can kind of see the fixed height bodies

 

Here is my new adjustable bodies.I will have to change to 2.25" springs on these too, it was 2.5" springs on the fixed height bodies. I will hopefully be getting some top spring pans off BakerBm to suit these.

 

To be able to make some adjustments to camber/castor I have got some Baker BM adjustable top mounts and I have got some rose jointed wishbones off KAD.

These top mounts are independantly adjustable for camber and castor.They use a sperical bearing which is the same size as the orgional Peugeot Sport top mounts too (25mm) so should be good and strong.

The rose jointed wishbones from KAD come supplied with red Poly race bushings which I believe are pretty good ?

I am upgrading to 1.9/309 driveshafts too but will probably have to use 306 hubs as the 1.9 hubs are getting hard to get now. The adjustable wishbones should allow me to get the correct camber and run a slightly wider track width too.

[alync406 4]

I fot some new springs to go with the new adjustable struts. I went for a 200lbs spring as this is what I had on the other bodies and am happy enough with it. Did'nt want to go for a harder spring as the autocross I do mostly is a bit bumpy and has some gravel too, and also I have only standard size torsion bars and anti-roll bar in the rear. Just waiting on the top spring pans now to get these fitted.

 

 

So the main thing I am doing to make the car quicker is engine mods. I have got some motorbike throttle bodies ready to fit, had a manifold made up to suit. The throttle bodies are off a Honda CBR 600. I had adapter plates made up for them too so that I can use jenvey type trumpets (42mm).

 

Along with the throttle bodies I decided to get some work done to the head. The head is with SRD ( Mark Shillaber) at the min getting ported&polished. I decided to stay with standard size valves as I don't think there is that much of a benefit going with bigger valves.

For the camshaft I decided on a Newmans PH3 cam, I am getting this from SRD too. I did'nt want to go for too wild a camshaft as the main thing I want is good midrange torque. I am using the standard valve springs too, I dont plan on reving the engine past 7500 rpm so it should be allright. I have got a Baker BM vernier pulley too.

To raise the compression ratio I am planning on fitting XU9J2 flat top pistons. I have got some ARP conrod bolts too.

 

The bottom end of the engine will be getting rebuilt, new main and big end bearings, wil get the crankshaft polished or ground if it needs it but I am hoping it will be OK, did'nt just get it apart yet. I have got a 6 bar oil pump spring to go in. I have got a constella sump baffle to help with the oil surge issues. For the oil cooling I have got a 10 row mocal oil cooler, with termostatic sandwich plate and braided hoses.

[alync406 4]

So as to be able to get a good cold air feed to the throttle bodies I have got a short alloy radiator off Baker Bm. Should also give more room for longer trumpets on the throttle bodies if needed too. The radiator is fitted with a spal fan too.

 

For the exhaust I have got a maniflow(longmans spec) 4-2-1 exhaust manifold. I am not really sure what I will for the rest of the system yet. I am thinking of getting a place not to far away from me to make up the rest of the system might be the easiest. I will be going for just 1 box in the system anyway, there will be no middle box.

 

For managment I will be going for an Omex 600 ecu I think, the place where I will be getting the car mapped seem to prefer Omex anyway so I think it is the best way to go, it seems to be a good ecu and the most of them are around the same price anyway.

I am hoping for approx 150bhp, but the main thing I want is a good midrange torque, no point in having power where you cant use it.

[matt.f 16]

Very nice car mate,will keep an eye on this thread.

Can you put pics of where you fit the oil cooler when you get round to it please,still got mine to fit and will make things easier lol

Edited October 28, 2010 by matt.f

[bensonmi 4 2 Cars]

very nice car, keep it coming

[stuart 31 3 Cars]

Looks like a very nice car, your engine is almost identical spec-wise to mine too! (same cam, std sized valves, maniflow manifold, balanced bottom end, etc).

Mine made just over 150bhp on megajolt ignition and twin 45 webers so if set up right you should see at least that.

The rev limit on mine is only set to 7200 though as it didn't make any more power after that.

It'll be interesting to see what results you get from yours when finished

[alync406 4]

Thanks for the comments.

 

@ matt.f I will take some pics when I get round to fitting the oil cooler, it will be a while until I get round to it yet though.

 

@ stuart I would be very happy with 150bhp so it is good to know that yours made that sort of power with similar spec. If its not making any more power after 7200rpm on mine too I will probably set the limit at something similar, not really much point in revving it more for nothing.

 

I got a call earlier today and my cylinder head is now finished, so I should have it back next week. I will have to get the bottom end stripped down asap and get the engine together.

[alync406 4]

My cylinder head arrived back from SRD today and the Newmans camshaft. Really looking forward to getting it all together and seeing how it performs.

 

Here is a vid from Cavan Autocross from the last time I was out, still with standard power. Finished 5th in class, first FWD in class.

[shalmaneser 26]

NIce drive, how do you get on with the Quaife, everyone here seems mad on the plate diffs.

 

A beautiful blue and white mk1 escort waiting to go at the end of the video, buy must be mad rallying that!

[alync406 4]

I get on fine with the quaife diff. Definately a big improvement over the standard diff. On wet days it is a massive difference, dont have much problems getting the power down (it is only standard at the min though), with a open diff all it would do is spin one wheel. I have beaten Mk2 Escorts with over 150bhp on wet days.

 

It is a nice Mk1 allright. There is some very clean cars rallying, but you may aswell use them and get enjoyment out of them. No point just leaving them in a shed and looking at them like some people do.

[alync406 4]

A few pics of my re-worked head done by SRD.

 

Newman PH3 camshaft 280 degree duration.

 

Got my spring top caps from Baker BM the other day too so should get the topmounts and adjustable struts fitted during the week hopefully as I am racing next sunday. Not going to fit the rose jointed wishbones for the min, will just set the top mounts to max negative camber for the time being I think until I upgrade to 309 driveshafts.

How the top hat will sit in the top mount.

[davidc 0]

Very nice car !!

 

We're not too far away from you, up in Donegal & just finishing off building a 1.9 GTi rally car as well.

 

We have the BBM top mounts too & their a nice piece of kit !!

 

Cheers,

David

[mochyndu 0]

Nice car,keep up the good work

[michael_jenkins 2]

Looks very nice!

 

Out of interest, where did you get the Carbon fibre door and quarter cards from? Or did you just have them made up?

 

Thanks

[Baz 421]

Lovely project & good thread, looking forward to the engine rebuild reports/pics!

[McCann 0]

Very tidy looking rally car! wish mine was sitting like that! Did you notice a big diference when you swapped to discs on the back?

[tdr_1976 41 1 Cars]

Great project thread!

 

I'm currently preparing my 205XS from Road Rally spec, to Stage Rally spec.

 

Out of interest, where have you positioned the extinguisher and cut off swith T pull handles? It's the next job on my list!

 

Keep up the good work!

[alync406 4]

Thanks for all the comments!! Have'nt been on here in a while and progress has being very slow but i will get there eventually!

@ michael_jenkins I got the carbon fibre door cards from performance -trim but see they are not trading any more, there are other places make them i'm sure!

@ McCann I noticed a big enough difference when i swapped to discs in the back but the biggest difference was'nt in the braking it was in the handling! When using 306 arms it gives you more negative camber, a bit of toe in and a little bit wider track so the car is more stable in the rear!

@ tdr_1976 the extingusher is mounted behind the seat. Here is where the pull handles are inside >

Outside you can just see them here in this pic towards the passanger side wiper, i made up a little box for mounting them in

Edited November 18, 2011 by alync406

[tdr_1976 41 1 Cars]

Hi Bud, cheers for that!

 

I've sorted out the floorpan, got it primed and painted today, I'll take a few pics tomorrow and put them up on my project page.

 

Keep up the good work.

[ash mi16 0]

looking good dude

[alync406 4]

Have been getting there slowly with this but dont have many pics unfortunately! The engine is fully built and in the car, the spec is:

ENGINE SPEC:

The crank was balanced along with the fllywheel which is off a XU7JP4 as it has the pickup for a crank position sensor.

Brand new 405 Sri flat top pistons fitted with new liners.

ARP conrod bolts.

All new bearings, mains, big ends and thrust washers.

Uprated oil pump spring.

Baffeled sump.

Ported & polished head with 3 angle valve seats.

Newman stage 3 camshaft.

BBM vernier cam pulley.

Alloy crankshaft pulley.

Maniflow exhaust manifold.

Mocal 10 row oil cooler with thermostatic sandwich plate.

BBM shortened alloy radiator.

BBM coolant hoses

Honda CBR throttle bodies with custom inlet manifold.

Omex 600 ECU.

 

I am probably forgetting some things but that is more or less it

At the minute the engine is fitted but the main thing that is yet to be done is the wiring. I have Stack gauges to be fitted too so am not using the origional sensors, will be making up a seperate little loom for these too and run the starter and alternator wires along with these i think.

I have ordered 50mm long trumpets for the throttle bodies which i think should be ok as it will give me a inlet lenght of approx 400mm, am kinda short on room so might fit a auto bonnet for the hope of more space? Want to fit a ITG Megaflow filter too!

Here are a few pics of the engine in place: