Project Paxo

[Jockstar205gti]

Thought I might add some information about my project 205 gti which has also been featured a bit on Track Scotland (Adam and Fee's website).

It's also the car I'm planning on taking to the Highland Hoon 09 presuming everything goes to plan (fingers crossed). Thought it might be helpful as when people see the car at the Hoon, they'll actually know what the car's about.

Originally I went down to London and bought a H plate standard red 205 1.9 gti. I'd never owned a french car nevermind a 205 so it was all new to me. I drove all the way back to Falkirk from London and the car got me home so I was pleased at that. The car only had 3 owners and 60,000 miles. I loved the car to bits.

I did a few modifications (as well as replacing the bits that failed in a true French style such as the brake master cylinder packing in whilst I was driving it!) but nothing serious and I never tracked the car as I felt it wasn't worthy, being not really all that fast. However, the car made me appreciate why people made a fuss when these types of car were first released.

I wasn't really on the look out for another car, but a chance arose to purchase another 205 which had a 1.9 16V Mi16 engine from a 405 already fitted. The bonus being the car for sale had the same paint colour and black wheels as the one I owned, but a more desirable engine. The owner wanted £2k so I sold my 205 for £2k and did what was effectively a swap for an engine that buying seperately would have cost me more.

The car had a new paint job and also had a nice new "Automatic" bonnet which has the slight raised area in the middle. To say the motor was perfect would have been optimistic. The rear axle was in poor condition, the front brakes were supposed to be GTI6 but turned out to be 306 XSi brakes, and the Spax suspension was past its best.

There were parts missing from the interior and this particular 205 had started life as a 1.6 gti so the rear axle was from another 205 1.9 gti (as the 1.6 gti had drums on the back people swap for a 1.9 axle as it has disc brakes). The car was a bit mix and match shall we say. Even the bottom arms and driveshafts were from a 309 gti to give the car a wider track. Original it was not.

However, I suppose that's the point of a project. If it were perfect there wouldn't be a project.

These are pictures of the car at the French car show 2007. Other than some black Cobra Monaco seats, an Ashley Motorsport 2.25inch rally exhaust system (nice and standard looking) and harnesses there wasn't anything added to the car by myself :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/DSC00003.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/DSC00004.jpg

I'd taken the car around Knockhill once but the car didn't feel great with road tyres, crap suspension and brakes which weren't specced for the track. However, I'd got the track bug and wanted to start steering the car more towards being hardcore.

I decided to stick with the Mi16 engine and focus on fixing the brakes, suspension and rear axle to make the most of what I had. I bought some Bilstein suspension with Apex springs for a sensible drop. At the sametime I bought new drop links, bottom arms and top mounts (they were held together with rust).

Next on the list was better brakes. I bought a high spec kit with approx. 280mm discs with 4 pot calipers and EBC pads from GMC motorsport. I liked the kit mainly because the calipers are sealed properly for road use and I wanted the car to remain road legal.

This pic shows the damper and caliper :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Before2.jpg

Along with the suspension kit the car originally came with a front upper strut brace and I added a 23mm Skip Brown rear anti roll bar to help things along.

Around about this stage I bought my S2000 :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/IMG_2185.jpg

The purpose of this was to give the Pug the freedom to be more track orientated and to give me peace of mind on the the track that I had a spare car if the worst happened and I smashed the 205.

Because I'd made the decision to make the 205 track focused I decided to strip the car interior to save weight. Haggishunter kindly helped and before you ask, it's him in the pics not me :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/DSC00083.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/DSC00084.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/DSC00085.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/DSC00086.jpg

As can be seen from the pictures I'd bought an OMP 6 point cage and painted it matt black. I figured it might just save my life. I'd also added roll cage padding to stop me or my passenger getting a pole to the head. The wheels pictured on the car were bought from the French Car Show 2008. just simple matt black 1.9 gti wheels with Toyo R888s all round bought 2nd hand.

The following are pictures of the axle rebuild :

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00366.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00367.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00368.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00369.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00373.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00376.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00377.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00380.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00382.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00383.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00385.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00388.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00411.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00412.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00413.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00415.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00420.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00421.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00422.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00428.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00426.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00427.jpg

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/haggishunter01/DSC00425.jpg

Suffice to say the axle was making strange noises because it needed serious attention. The new anti roll bar was already starting to rust as it wasn't sealed properly, the bearings need replaced as did generally everything. Someone has jammed my rear brake pipe inbetween the fuel tank and body of the car so new copper brakes pipes had to be made. The rear calipers were also replaced as they were no good. I'd effectively been driving the car with no rear brakes.

A baker bushes solid metal rear axle mounting kit was also fitted as can be seen in the pictures (a lot of flames used to remove the rotten rubber kit). The drivers seat also needed attention as it was collapsing due to the floor of the car giving way under the constant weight of me jumping into the seat. This was welded and fixed. The harnesses were also adjusted and repositioned so they were bolted into the floor of the car. We felt this was safer.

Doing trackdays I'd noticed the EBC pads weren't up to the job. They glazed over and faded after 5 laps of Knockhill so I replaced them with DS2500 pads which proved to be excellent.

I now had working brakes, suspension and an axle that was like new as well as a roll cage and track tyres. I felt it was time to get some track time under my belt with a car that I could almost now class as safe. Here's some pics of various track days :

http://www.circuitexposure1.co.uk/meetings/trackscotland_knockhill_09june2008/content/bin/images/large/_NJD0360.jpg

http://www.circuitexposure1.co.uk/meetings/trackscotland_knockhill_09june2008/content/bin/images/large/_NJD0663.jpg

http://www.circuitexposure1.co.uk/meetings/knockhill_18july2008/content/bin/images/large/_NJD6167.jpg

http://www.circuitexposure1.co.uk/meetings/knockhill_18july2008/content/bin/images/large/_NJD6339.jpg

http://www.circuitexposure1.co.uk/meetings/soc_knockhill_25aug2008/content/bin/images/large/NJD_1749.jpg

http://www.circuitexposure1.co.uk/meetings/soc_knockhill_25aug2008/content/bin/images/large/NJD_2063.jpg

http://www.circuitexposure1.co.uk/meetings/soc_knockhill_25aug2008/content/bin/images/large/NJD_2177.jpg

http://www.circuitexposure1.co.uk/meetings/soc_knockhill_25aug2008/content/bin/images/large/NJD_2230.jpg

The car performed well and kept up with a lot of cars that should have been a lot faster. What let the car down was its gearing and straight line performance. An N/A engine with bad gearing on the Knockhill straight meant a lot of cars left me behind only for me to catch up through the corners which was frustrating. Some links to short video clips of some Knockhill action :

http://s334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/?action=view&current=MOV00461.flv

http://s334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/?action=view&current=MOV00471.flv

http://s334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/?action=view&current=MOV00443.flv

http://s334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/?action=view&current=RS2000.flv

[Jockstar205gti]

I decided I'd got to the point were I wanted more power. I planned on doing more to the Mi16 engine eg. throttle bodies, cams, big valve head. But after talking to some people who had been down that route I soon realised it would mean big money for not a huge amount of gain at Knockhill.

By chance someone I knew had bought a citroen Saxo VTS with a Rotex supercharger kit and was breaking it. I bought the VTS 1.6 16V engine which included the following :

1.6 16V VTS engine
Wossner forged pistons
Rotrex supercharger
Alloy intercooler and radiator
Supercharger oil cooler
DTA engine management
BTB manifold

Engine was then stripped and rebuilt to include a baffled sump :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Engine4.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Engine5.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Engine1.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Engine2.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Engine3.jpg

So out popped the Mi16 :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Before.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/NearlyOuy.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Comingout.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Out1.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Out2.jpg

This is a pic of the forged pistons :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/FirstTry4.jpg

Next job was to find engine mounts to mount the engine. this also had to work with the fact that we were using a 1.6 Citroen Xsara Picasso gearbox. The engine in the next few pics is an old mule engine :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Firsttry1.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/FirstTry2.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/FirstTry3.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/FirstTry5.jpg

It was a pain as the engine needed to sit straight so as not to destroy the driveshafts but in the end we found engine mounts that were a straight fit.

Next was the Quaife ATB diff :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Dif1.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Dif2.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Diffbeingfitted.jpg

[Jockstar205gti]

Baffled sump :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Baffledsump2.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Diffbeingfitted4.jpg

Next task was the exhaust fabrication as the manifold from a Mi16 engine exits from the rear of the engine not the front. Some more pics :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Manifold1.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Manifold6.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Manifold5.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Manifold8.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Manifold10.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Manifold9.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Wrap1.jpg

Manifold was wrapped as above and fastened with metal clips. I found it was easier if you wet the wrap when applying.

[Jockstar205gti]

Swirl pot to stop fuel surge :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/SwirlPot.jpg

Battery box to relocate battery to the boot :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/BatteryBox.jpg

Modification to supercharger bracket as there is a known weakness :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/LPIC5474.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/LPIC5475.jpg

Starting to size things up :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/LPIC5478.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/LPIC5480.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/LPIC5481.jpg

And that's where we are up to at the moment.

I don't have a pic but there is also an ETB digi dash going into the car.

I will update this thread when I can.

Comments welcome.

[Ben]

Very very good read mate, top work. Keep it up :y:

[VTRacer]

looks good so far mate :y:

[AlexB]

looks pretty mint mate

[dannygti]

epic stuff matey.

keep us updated as im very keen on keeping an eye on this..

is it finished? or are you at where the pictures suggest?

[Jockstar205gti]

Loom is being made, some alloy welding fabrication was required for the intercooler.

Using a 1.6 Picasso gearbox which is cable driven so need to make a custom unit for holding the gear stick stuff in place.

Battery is going in the boot so need cable and a new fuel pump. Just a lot of little things now.

Cheers for the positive comments. Probably the most I've had on any site.

[Ryan]

awsome stuff dude.

love old skool 205s that are done right

[dannygti]

what size charger is it bud?
what power are you hoping for?

did you buy this charger setup off a man with a very very quick ax??;)

[Jockstar205gti]

A green goblin? I'd never associate with that crazy man ;)

Not sure on the cahrger size, just know it's good enough for what I am hoping will be 180-200 ATW.

If it sees that it'll be quick enough for me to require new underwear.

[dannygti]

A green goblin? I'd never associate with that crazy man ;)

Not sure on the cahrger size, just know it's good enough for what I am hoping will be 180-200 ATW.

If it sees that it'll be quick enough for me to require new underwear.

i presume we are talking about the same madman (tam?)

if your caris half as quick as his then it will be a machine.

200bhp@wheels is more than enough im feeling. ill be hoping for around that to start with when mine is done. then more power if i need it later. im going to try something different though and use multiple throttle bodies also. should improve throttle response and sound awesome.

[Ryan]

tam and his AX will allways be linked to someone in scotland :P

[Jockstar205gti]

Tam's car has a few more things done so it won't be as quick as his car.

And his main advantage is weight, or lack thereof.

[kirstyhopkins16]

I want your 205 :( lol

[Jockstar205gti]

If it makes you feel better it hasn't turned a wheel since September / October 2008.

I want my 205 as well :(

[Bowey]

amazing stuff man, where abouts are you from?

[Predator_R32]

Absolute pornographic material there mate :y:

[saxostuart]

awsome progress that supercharger is squeezed into there!

[Walsall_saxo]

You've got yaself a really nice car there mate:y:

[laurenceharding]

very nice mate:y:

[Jackman]

This is lovely.

Love what your doing mate.

Pretty much what i'd like to have in the future!

I'm glad you ditched the Mi lump for the TU engine, makes me feel alot better :P

Will be watching this one closely!

[Saxo_theedge]

Great stuff. one to watch :y:

[Jockstar205gti]

amazing stuff man, where abouts are you from?

From Falkirk in Central Scotland.

Cheers for the comments. Will hopefully get the loom sorted on Friday and start getting Picasso shifter in.

[Prickle]

Class stuff man :)

[tommy_vts]

top notch:y:

[Jockstar205gti]

Well it's been a while.

Stuart has been doing a bit more work on the loom. A new cross member has been made to join the chassis legs together which also supports the bottom of the radiator and intercooler.

Tam has then welded brackets onto the bottom of the cross member to attach the supercharger oil cooler.

Fuel pump and supercharger belt have been ordered from GMC.

And Tam is currently putting something together for the Picasso shifter as it would normally sit in the dash of a Xsara Picasso (Civic Type R style) but obviously can't in my 205 :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Gearshifter.jpg

[Jockstar205gti]

Anyway some more pics :

The supercharger oil cooler mounted onto the bottom of the support bar at a 45 degree angle :


http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/SuperchargerCooler.jpg

And two pics of the air scoop to feed the same cooler with air :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Scoop1.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Scoop2.jpg

[Jockstar205gti]

2 pics of the gearshifter in and finished. The two flat metal supports have been bent round the transmission tunnel and cable shifter is now connected.

Check out the sexy Xsara Picasso gear knob and fake ass leather 8)

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Shifter1.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Shifter2.jpg

[Jackman]

This project is sick man!

I'm jealous, Very jealous

[Andy_K]

Some amazing work going on here! Cant wait to see this done :y:

[Adam_Q]

Truly amazing mate! Very nice :)

[kclipston]

so much work and money thats gone into this car is amazing, bet it feels great to race it :D

[Jockstar205gti]

Aye I'm starting to get to that stage whereby I don't want to count up what I've spent.

Then again next year I could be run over by a bus so I'm living for the moment!

[kclipston]

Aye I'm starting to get to that stage whereby I don't want to count up what I've spent.

Then again next year I could be run over by a bus so I'm living for the moment!

Yer looks very expensive, bet you dont regret it though, and why a bus lol touch wood nothing happens to you next year :D

[Jockstar205gti]

Clutch cable now in place which required a tweak as it was too long for the 205 :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Clutchcable.jpg

And gloss black 1.9 gti wheels put back on with road tyres :

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m412/Jockstar205gti/Shinywheels.jpg

[Jackman]

Looking good still mate!

Can't wait to see this running!