The 105bhp Track Flatarch; 18months out.
 

Contents:

Page 1 = The beginnings,
Page 2 = Smoked headlights, new grille, new driveshaft, new front components
Page 3 = 106 Gti Leathers
Page 4 = Aero wipers, stay 3 stud?
Page 5 = MOT fail and VTR wheels
Page 6 = front Four stud hub conversion
Page 7 = Front lowered and service
Page 8 = New rear beam, lowered, bolton abbey, green panel filter
Page 9 = VT wishbones and GTI Arb, Supersprint system fitted
Page 10 = The VTR engine is fitted right before the MOT and the hints aren't picked up on ;)
Page 11 = Parts purchased, engine shot
Page 12 = Powerflex engine mount, new steering rack, 266mm's fitted, the story continues...






About time I got down to it and did one of these, even if it is 1:00am.

I've owned two saxo's in my driving career and coming straight from a 206 2.0 gti (my uncles) it felt a tad strange but soon developed to love the car. My First car the unamed white saxo became thoroughly loved.

I first found my first saxo at Auto direct car centre in Roade. She was going for £1900 with a years warranty. We got the car down to £1500, however we then spoke to another owner of the garage (the husband) and he bumped it up to £1700 as he had already sold it (although he told us he'd save it, strange eh? ;) ) As I was receiving a substantial amount of Birthday money for the car I bought her at the asking price (stupid I know)



The car was not without her problems, for a starter the horn refused to work unless it was a hot day, the airbag warning light constantly flashed, the brakes were on the way out, and something rubbed in the wheel arch, oh and she had a interior water leak (Rain water).

The problems were to be "fixed" by the same garage and after 2 months still no word, continued to chase them up, but in the meantime i was building ideas for modding my poor 1.1, although not as lovely as a VT* she was to last me for 3 years till university finished...

The numerous cleans
 

I grew so attached to the car that I would not stop cleaning her, 3 times a week 3 hours a time. The girlfriend began to get worried, however she loved it as I refused to let her see the car unless it wasnt clean, and If I ever was to take her out my car had to be spotless.



My friend and I began to regulate modifying sessions, but work got in the way. We then travelled from Sunny Northants to Swanage in the summer term and the saxo held the motorways and A roads well, much better than my friends 306, I got a few phone calls that he was losing too much petrol after 4000 revs and wasn't too happy.

The petrol consumption was lovely in the car and kept me so happy saving me so much money when everyone else I knew spent so much.

One sunny evening I took the car for a drive and it soon became nightfall and a few photographs were in order:

Heaven through to hell
 

I had became a taxi service, in my few months of driving people loved travelling with me and loved my little sax. Then the worst thing that could of happened... happened. (click here for full info)







Completely distressed another saxo was not the way forward for me...

I didn't know what to do.. then i began to strip my saxo and parts became up for sale

I learnt so much in stripping the saxo that I felt I hadn't lost everything, I am now in the middle of preparing for engine removal which shall be... interesting :y:

I searched for a new saxo and my luck soon came to me through the form of the "friday ad"

The new 1.1i
 

I went to Rushden not far from where I live, and viewed a new saxo. And although very nervous I felt safe behind the wheel of a Saxo! (as the last one saved my friends and I)

Although the red sax has a minor scratch in the passenger door and the handbrake needs tightening (doing this week) it was spot on:




(sellers on the left)

I soon got the car home and immediately got my mk1 smoked rears back on and gave her a thorough clean removing the sweets and chips stuck to the carpet, I also put my old wheel trims on.




The plans now begin to pile up. First I took her for a little photoshoot.

... the vow
 

I took the car home that night and that day I had moved my old white saxo onto my grass front drive (this would be where my red saxo would go) I parked next to the white saxo and still quite emotional I ensured myself that It would never happen to the red saxo now nicknamed by the gf "Bruce" (she doesn't want the car to be a girl) Looking at them side by side kinda gives you a idea as to what I mean.





Onto bigger and Better:

So let the modifying begin (green = completed, red=yet to be done)
There was a list here, needless to say it has become negligble and nothing was really followed! :fcuk: :y:

I can say one thing, Welcome to the slowest progress thread :y:

not done much then mate ;) hehe

should be good when done though bud!

thanks, still trying to put ideas together, but with university occupying my wallet it's a tad hard. Gunna get the small and subtle out the way first so I have my sense of satisfaction there, last thing we all want is another ripspeed Chavved out saxo :n:

Good write up, nice plans.

good progress thread:y: looks really smart:)

ashame about the first saxo, the new one looks mint - very nice colour too.

Good things come to those who wait...;)

Plans sound good... Go for smoked angel eyes over smoking yourself though; and maybe dewiper instead of changing...?

I've thought about dewiperring, however I use my rear wiper far too much and the last thing i wanna do is reverse at work/home into someone and lose another saxo :n: I've thought about smoked angel's but £95 for the set at the moment looks like a christmas Pressie-future purchase. But as said I don't want to oversmoke ;)

thanks :y:

Also, you don't have to paint the rear badges mate... You can just T cut them, which make's it an uber cheap mod...

I know however I think T-cutted badges look dark greyish rather than black. Plus I have two sets of the badges so I'm not fussed :y:

Going to spray the badges this evening :A:

lower it and stick a vt kit on it, and your away.

good progress thread

Good plans :y:

small update 28/11/07
 

I've had the badges sprayed for over a month now sitting in my room waiting for the best moment to fit them to the car, the time came, I thought I'd wait to do my assessment and get these on (still working on assessment :n: )

The badges look so nice on the car, although removing the sticky mess from the last badges was a hell of an ordeal :panic: But they're on and I Really am quite happy. Looking at backboxes now to sort out the rear to perfect her.



As can be seen wiper still needs to go. Saw a blue 1.1 with a silver VT* kit on round Northants today, want to get the black VT* kit on, however my acceleration won't be brilliant against my mate at Santa Pod next year. Flat arch ftw?

Definitely flat arched ftw.

flat arch for sure mate:y:

nice colour! (same as mine :p )

plans sound good, if you go for the vt kit then i'll have your bumpers off you as mine arn't colour coded :oops:

just keep it subtle and it will look sweet! :y:

Photoshopping ideas
 

Ok I'm not brilliant at chops but had a go, So I:
lowerred my car around 40mm all round (looks lower at rear I know)
and found some nice wheels dependant on price I may be buying,

What does everyone else think, fave pic and why?

white wheels.


Colour coded, with white wheels.

thinking of the wheels to be sprayed black too^^^


two tone sax, sprayed half the doors, probably going to be pricey :n:


two tone black wheels


all comments are welcome even suggestions on improving my awful photoshopping :y:

I think it looks good in the 1st pic. Lowered with white alloys:y:

Black bump strips ftw! What about one with gloss black bumpstrips but still red on bottom?

Driveshaft fitted
 

Some of you may know that my insurance company has banned me from doing any exterior modifications and those that enhance performance in any way, so I have not bought the wheels :n: However in september I shall be renewing my insurance and doing everything at once (lowerring, wheels, and exhaust) In the meantime I'm going to focus on that won't affect insurance.

Also you may remember that I have just fitted my new driveshaft. I was well chuffed that I had done it myself. However the gearbox drain plug got cross threaded! :wall:

Once that was sorted I needed to give the car a drive and I did that today, so a little photoshoot was in order as it was such a nice day. The cars in need of a clean though













I'm not a photographer or anything but the driveshaft was thoroughly tested :y: and everything was Smooth.

FLAT ARCH.....FTW LOL yeah your car looks nice and clean black badges look good to:y:

Stay Flat arch matey and you will be all good :P

Will do dude, you're a inspiration to us all ;)

I'm going to go about smoking my headlights when the weather is warmer, along with fitting an older style MK1 grill (needs spraying, in bedroom atm), fitting 106 mirrors then concentrating on the ICE-But I'm tosh with electrics.

Nice mate, Looks exactly the same as mine, and tbh never try to put a VT kid on
a 1.1 yourself, ive learned the hard way :P Actually dont put one on atall, looking at yours now makes me want to rip mine off!

nice bit of progress there mate cars looking spotless !

Nice mate,black wheels

Found some a while back, annoyingly they stopped selling them :n: I'm tempted to go for some nice second hand and refurb them in time for fitting.

Had the nicest feeling driving into leicester yesterday. My car was the cleanest for a good mile till a car left a car wash at the side of the road-but still; my sax was lovingly hand washed :p

So agigtated really want to find some nice wheels and get her lowered. Only another 7 months to go... :panic:

Some new bits
 

So just the other day I ordered some new front comps with the advice from pred. Cheers for that dude :y:

they came on wednesday:



excited like a little kid I wanted to set them up so today with the help of pred again I got working.

And although originally put off by the fact the tweeter would stick out I settled on them like this:



I can't wait till saturday to get them set up and playing. Watch this space I'll tell you how good these SBL's are :cool:

Good progress.

how much did they cost? nice thred.

the SPL dynamics crossovers were from car audio direct and cost 69.99 :y:

May as well do a little update anyway whilst I'm here.

Yesterday I had a house full of fumes and I was worn out from a shed load of sanding... but:





from the two images you can guess whats going to happen to the car. :p

Pretty basic stuff but it's going to improve the cars look so much.

Old skool mark 1 grill ftw.

New front.
 

After having a few days off Uni and work I decided it was best to get spraying some bits that needed doing. The smoked indicators are just on the way ;)





I forgot to write about my new part for the sax I bought from Snewham a while back.

My OMP strut brace :A:



It'll be fitted in september :y:

strut brace looks nice mate.

SEPTEMBER ? lol, why wait 5 months, wack it on now :S