My saxo VTS track project!

[Leigh5T]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)

I've decided I'd post up a bit of a progress blog on my track project!

I know its not a Renault hey...Its french, its a hatchback and it has torsion bars!!

My project started last year when my brother was ready for getting rid of his Saxo VTS.

As i've always wanted to do a track day but never dared take out my 5, The saxo would be perfect.

It was bog standard when i got it (sorry for bad pic)



The whole car was a bit tired but the bodywork is good. The rear beam was knackered, bad oil leak and emmisions were pretty bad to say the least.

As im looking to buy a house This was to be a cheap as chips track car.............

[The new Bill J]

That's the best picture in the world, FAIL!

[Leigh5T]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)

First thing I did was the rear beam.
After speaking to my brother i knew the beam would be bad, the wheel had been scraping on the inner arch for months!!
Got the beam off and.....




decided the best option was to get a lower spec beam from the scrappy and some new bearings then swap everything over. Only cost about £70 altogether so I was happy!



As you can see not an ideal place to work on it!

[Leigh5T]

That's the best picture in the world, FAIL!

Ha ha i know, it was actually a picture of my old camper that i cropped. I dont have any others from when i first got it!

[Leigh5T]

Started to strip loads of stuff out!!



For some reason at this point i decided to make a short shift and gear knob.
I went round the houses a bit to be honest but basically I made a new nylon ball for the gear stick so i could move the pivot point. Then made some collars to lift the surround up to compensate, although i dont think i needed too....oh well!
Oh and chopped a bit off the top too!
Heres a few bad pics anyway.





It took about 2" out of the travel so i was chuffed!

[Leigh5T]

When i first got the car i was literally gonna service it then track it.................obviously that went out the window pretty much straight away!

Now i thought i better get some tyres as the tyres that are on the std wheels were poo. On the lookout for tyres i picked these up.



Still to get some bolts for them as mine are flat faced bolts.....im thinking scrap yard!

[dangerous dave]

lovely, should be a great track car.. my 106 rallye and xsi were amazing little cars so that'll be as much of a hoot..

[Scoff]

cool, where did you aquire the gear knob ? after fitting a new gear lever I'm left with no gear knob and the only type I can find look like they're straight from fast and furious, OR look like they might fall to bits the first time I do a 'real' gear change

[Leigh5T]

lovely, should be a great track car.. my 106 rallye and xsi were amazing little cars so that'll be as much of a hoot..

cheers, Yeah their fun cars to drive. Ive had a few 205's and a drove a mates 106 rallye and...............

[Leigh5T]

cool, where did you aquire the gear knob ? after fitting a new gear lever I'm left with no gear knob and the only type I can find look like they're straight from fast and furious, OR look like they might fall to bits the first time I do a 'real' gear change

Ha ha yeah i know what you mean!
I made it myself mate. Think ill make a nylon one eventually though, similar to the quaife ones. Things are a bit crazy at work at the min though so not got much time to do my "projects"

[Leigh5T]

The next purchase for the car were these



Set of Koni adjustables and springs.


After sorting the beam and getting it back on the car.............which is good fun on your own lol!
it was time for the front end to get some attention.

[Leigh5T]

After stripping the struts down for the konis i decided the bearings should be replaced too so ripped them out!!



Had to take them to work to press the outer race out and grind the inners off the hub!

[Leigh5T]

Cleaned them up and gave them a lick of paint.



New bearings ready to go in



Got the bearings out and new ones in, one night after work.
Here their ready to recieve some nice tight konis compared to the leaking old sloppy dampers that came out!



Oh, any advice on the settings of the konis would be appreciated by the way as i just guessed. Im sure they will be the same sort of settings as the ones for a 5???
Think i set them half a turn back from hard if i remember??
I havent cut the bumpstops either but im convinced they could do with a bit taking off.

[wrightygtt]

Cool project, I've always liked the Vts, they go well, handle awesomely, and although their basically the same car, prefer the looks of them over the pug gti.

[Leigh5T]

Cool project, I've always liked the Vts, they go well, handle awesomely, and although their basically the same car, prefer the looks of them over the pug gti.

Cheers man, Wish it was a different colour though but beggers can't be choosers ay!

[Leigh5T]

A few more bits for the front end, Arb droplinks and strut top bearings.

[Leigh5T]

Errrr........Bit of something else too!

[Sparkie]

it was sent via courier?

[Leigh5T]

it was sent via courier?

It sure was!
Had to use vaseline to get it in my parents hall though!!

[Leigh5T]

Do not remove things unless your willing to face what may be lurking underneath!




Welded a patch on and gave it a quick lick of paint to stop it going rusty. Im unsure what to do with the bay now though? prob just paint it happy black!

I only wanted a bit of bloody fun doing a few track days, lol!
Its all good fun though ay ha ha!

[Leigh5T]

Pretty much half the age of my 5 and pretty much twice as rusty!!

[Leigh5T]

Oh well these things come to test us ay
Grinder oot!!



Welded a patch on and gave it a quick lick of paint but im unsure what to do with the bay now? prob just paint it happy black!



I only wanted a bit of bloody fun doing a few track days, lol!
Its all good fun ha ha

[Leigh5T]

I grabbed another bit of something in between the jobs, to keep me smiling

[Leigh5T]

By this point id pretty much decided to recondition the whole suspension setup.
Whilst it was up on stands the wishbones came off along with the arb.

When removing the ball joints i made a bit of a jig type setup to make things easier.

[TrixNFlix]

Is that a protec or raceland manifold?

I assume your going for polybushes all round too?

[Leigh5T]

I went to remove the exhaust manifold and 3 of the studs were sheared off and 2 nuts were missing!
When i got the manifold off suprise suprise they were sheared flush with the head. Obviously this is why nobody had sorted it before now.
I really didnt fancy taking the head off so i decided to make another handy little jig to keep my drill square.

But hey!.......at least the engine doesnt leak oil!









Was a bit tricky to get lined up at first but once it was, it drilled very easily.
Drilled it straight out with a 6.8mm drill then gently cleared the threads with an m8 tap, job done!

Must clean that engine up though

[TrixNFlix]

That a normal sight Never seen one of these engines that doesnt leak from the rocker gasket!

[Leigh5T]

Is that a protec or raceland manifold?

I assume your going for polybushes all round too?

Its a raceland manifold.
Ive almost done the bushes mate.
Im quite far behind on this progress blog cos ive been posting on the 106 owners with it. Just copying and pasting it accross now

[TrixNFlix]

Sorry forgot to say, Some top work there

[TrixNFlix]

Its a raceland manifold.
Ive almost done the bushes mate.
Im quite far behind on this progress blog cos ive been posting on the 106 owners with it. Just copying and pasting it accross now

Ah cool , are you doing any engine mounts?

[Leigh5T]

After removing the wishbones a while back i decided id have a go at machining my own bushes.
Ive turned polyurethane before and it is a nightmare to say the least, but well worth a go!

I made the steel sleeves first then once id drilled the poly i pushed the sleeves inside before finishing them to diameter. I left them oversized to make sure they were a press fit in the wishbones.
Ive just got to part them off and finish the backs.

Ive no idea what grade the poly is that i used but it is pretty hard but still has give.

Sorry about the bad pics my work phone is lame.



Im pretty happy with the result and just cant wait to see how it performs!




Im pretty happy with the result and just cant wait to see how it performs!

[Arrows]

Thats some quality work you have got there, well done.

[Leigh5T]

Next thing to make were some solid wishbone bushes







I machined the bush from nylon so i'll see how that holds up. If it's no good then i'll try some other materials.

[Leigh5T]

Heres one for the weight watchers

[Leigh5T]

Built them all up the other day, everything went pretty smoothly but the bottom ball joints were a bit tricky to do. I definately wouldn't reccommend attempting to hammer of press them in with a vice! I used a fly press at work and they were very tight. obviously they are meant to be tight so all is good.

[Maxwell]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)

nice project mate......

im supercharging my white mk2 vts

heres link: http://www.saxperience.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97688

[Leigh5T]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)

nice project mate......

im supercharging my white mk2 vts

heres link: http://www.saxperience.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97688

Looks spot on mate, Not looked at the whole project cos its bloody massive!
happened to notice that youve stripped loads of the wiring loom out so you might just be the man to speak to when i come to strip the rest of mine out!

[Leigh5T]

Knocked my cage mounts up. Cage is a bolted type so i think ill just tack some nuts to the underside of the mounts. Is this how a bolted cage is normally mounted?




Just a few more bits to keep the whole project going.

[Leigh5T]

FINALLY! got the sax to my house!
Not exactly loads of room at the moment until i've cleared some more junk.
I can't wait to get crackin again. At least i can work through winter..................... maybe!

[Leigh5T]

Not sure if this brake setup will be up to hard track use tbh but im sure they will cope with a novice driver like me!

[Kenobi]

First time ive noticed this thread. Good documentation of your progress mate. Keep it up. Should we a good lil track car when finnished.

[Maxwell]

nice touch with the wishbone bushes!!!

how much would you be talking for them?? they would look nice on my white vts. private message me a price mate

[markey b]

very impressed with the machining! awesome attention to detail!!

[Leigh5T]

nice touch with the wishbone bushes!!!

how much would you be talking for them?? they would look nice on my white vts. private message me a price mate

I'm not gonna be making any to sell mate sorry. There are companies that sell all the parts ive made or at least similar stuff.
The bits might crash and burn yet anyway

[Leigh5T]

very impressed with the machining! awesome attention to detail!!

Thanks man, appreciated

[Leigh5T]

Was in the garage today rebuilding the carb off my 5 and whilst i was in there i thought i'd get a photo to show the progress on the saxo project!



Yep about 1-2mm of progress!.........Thats right i've decided to turn the saxo into a mould factory!

[Leigh5T]

Made myself some long brass exhaust manifold nuts and studs. Just need some spring washers now.

[rs250nut]

I would not mind working in a machine shop right now, I could make **** loads of parts for my car

[Leigh5T]

I would not mind working in a machine shop right now, I could make **** loads of parts for my car

I've moved into the drawing office now so can't get as much done anymore!
Some other perks to working in there though

[Leigh5T]

Purchased this beaut' too!