2001 Saxo VTS track toy

[simonsaunders]

The running list... Updated with a couple of new jobs and ticked off some old ones.

Parts ordered for:
Brake fluid change
Coolant / change

To do:
Order and fit some EBC Yellowstuff front pads
Clean it
Order and fit washer bottle cap
Reset service indicator

Live with it for now:
Adjust door mech (non-adjustable - needs pro)
Look at electric window switch (prob needs replacing, can adjust mirror externally anyway)

Completed & status:
Take a look at the front discs. Done. They are like new
Remove spare wheel and carrier from under the car. Done - sort of. Unless the car is on ramps, or you cut it, you can't get the carrier off. Spare removed and hanger safely secured.
Give the tyres a proper once over. Done. Rear passenger is legal, but might not be after Goodwood! Rest all lovely.
Source and fit new wing mirror
Refit door trim
Source and fit new arch trim
Buy some new clips for the arch trim
Oil change - done
Find radio code - done
Sort out a means for mounting a camera - made one
Drill some ventilation holes behind the plate. Done.

[Assenracing]

A+ for the getto camera mount

[simonsaunders]

I had a bit of a debate with a mate about the camera mount - with people that I trust when it comes to these things.

Having the camera mounted on the rear seat, facing forwards will give acceptable, but not great pictures. Mounting it to the driver's seat was an option, but there is a big question mark over safety - especially in a rear ender. If only the passenger seat headrest clips were intact!

Thinking about some different options and thought that the back-seat passenger grab rails might make a good option.

They have two beefy screws in them and are clearly designed to take a load. I had some more umbrella shaft (oo-er) and had some bits of plating and brackets knocking around.

With the passenger side grab handle off, I set to:





The brackets are actually designed for holding spades and stuff in the shed, are 1mm thick and the limbs have a rib in them so they are quite rigid. Even more so when the are all screwed together. Need to change the screws for dome heads, as the countersunk ones make me cringe - but I didn't have any to hand. Will also give it a paint to smarten it up.

I plonked my iphone on the mount for a test view:



Much better.

If there is a pax, I'll probably just swap to rear facing rather than trying to sneak a view past their head.

Oh, and the camera will probably be suspended upside down. I've had to film like this before and it is easily corrected during editing.

[simonsaunders]

Also been shopping...

Self explanatory...



Was surprised to see the Talbot logo on this? Was new, but could have been kicking around for years. Feels like it is made for the cheapest plastic in the world.



Been picking up a couple of gear linkage parts as and when they have come up online. 6 different parts to replace, located 4 of them at a good price - new & genuine. Didn't fancy any quick shift items or similar. These are 3/4 parts I've ordered - others are in the post.



Yellowstuff - £60 delivered. Loads of vendors at the same price, but these came for JJC Race and Rally via eBay and were delivered very quickly.



Hopefully this weekend will see this all fitted. I'm a bit apprehensive about changing the brake fluid. Done it on motorbikes a few times, without issue, but first time on a car. I've got a pressurised bleeder and will follow the manual, so I'm sure it will be fine.

[dan-sport]

Good progress mate, I really recommend the internal quick shift makes such a differene and as sad as I am I like the look of it too.

[simonsaunders]

Originally Posted by dan-sport

Good progress mate, I really recommend the internal quick shift makes such a differene and as sad as I am I like the look of it too.

I think that the Satchshift looks grey too. I'm still not sure if this one is staying, so not really throwing much money at it - but that would be the logical upgrade in due course.

[simonsaunders]

*looks great

[simonsaunders]

What a wanky day!

Only managed to find more jobs today, not actually tick any off.

Started by planning on changing the coolant, wasn't desperate, but thought that I may as well. Looks like it has an aftermarket radiator, with no drain screw and the clips on the lower hose were at an awkward angle and I just couldn't get to them without taking half the car apart. Banged a test strip in, came back fine, **** it, that will do.

So to load up with dot 5.1. Wheels off... What's this? A 19mm bolt, strange, the rest are 17mm. One random wheel bolt, flat, not tapered like the others. At least the thread is the same and the wheel undamaged, but that can go in the bin and have ordered a new one.

Brake bleeder on... What a mother****er! This is not my friend:



I think that it is faulty, as the valve on the bottle will just not manage the pressure properly... All it does is leak air, which stops it working. Having not used one before, it was hard to know what a good one looks like. Anyway, reached the 'faulty' conclusion after a lot of messing about.

Thought that I would bang in the EBCs, reached round the back of the front driver's side caliper and it was greasy as ****. The CV boot looks new, but has become disconnected - probably due to the lack of a cable tie holding it on. The boot itself looks tiptop, but just not where it should be. I don't have any CV grease, so put the wheels back in and put it back on the ground. Fortunately the disc is not contaminated, nor the existing pads.

Cocking cock and bloody bollocks.

Ordered up some CV grease, a new wheel bolt and started the process for sending back the brake bleeder and ordered up a new one. I really don't want to admit defeat on that bloody brake fluid, even though I know I could run down to UB's and have it all done in no time.

Have a day off next week, so will try it again then...

As much as today frustrated me, I do enjoy working on cars and I'm glad that I found the CV boot and dodgy wheel bolt now and not later.

[Assenracing]

Chin up you will get there and all this agro will be forgotten on your trackday

[Samp]

I tried one of those bleeders after 30mins of dicking around I rang my brother and he came over and pressed the brake, might be easier to rope a mate in rather than struggle with one of those.

[Assenracing]

Originally Posted by Sam

I tried one of those bleeders after 30mins of dicking around I rang my brother and he came over and pressed the brake, might be easier to rope a mate in rather than struggle with one of those.

A+ pumping the pedal always works best

[simonsaunders]

Originally Posted by Assenracing

A+ pumping the pedal always works best

I was of the impression that ABS cars had to be pressure bled?

[simonsaunders]

Today was a much better day! Brakes done (EBC Yellows, dot 5.1 flushed through), CV boot sorted, new wheel bolt fitted.

Used a Gunson Eezibleed for the fluid change - worked perfectly.

The to do list is looking reassuring small and cosmetic.

To do:
Clean it
Paint camera mount (stole some paint out of Dad's garage )

Live with it for now:
Adjust door mech (non-adjustable - needs pro)
Look at electric window switch (prob needs replacing, can adjust mirror externally anyway)
Coolant flush

Completed & status:
Take a look at the front discs. Done. They are like new
Remove spare wheel and carrier from under the car. Done - sort of. Unless the car is on ramps, or you cut it, you can't get the carrier off. Spare removed and hanger safely secured.
Give the tyres a proper once over. Done. Rear passenger is legal, but might not be after Goodwood! Rest all lovely.
Source and fit new wing mirror
Refit door trim
Source and fit new arch trim
Buy some new clips for the arch trim
Oil change - done
Find radio code - done
Sort out a means for mounting a camera - made one
Drill some ventilation holes behind the plate. Done.
Order and fit some EBC Yellowstuff front pads
Order and fit washer bottle cap
Reset service indicator
Sort CV boot. Done.
Order and fit new wheel boot. Done.
Brake fluid flush.

[simonsaunders]

Sorry - lazy cross post from another forum - that was Friday...

[MuZiZZle]

I like this, you seem to not be shit

[simonsaunders]

Originally Posted by MuZiZZle

I like this, you seem to not be shit

Thanks, I think.

[simonsaunders]

So that to do list... Empty! Car is all clean, packed and good to go for Goodwood on Saturday Literately just have a few batteries on charge for the video camera, fill it up and drive to Goodwood.

The next list will be post Goodwood and hopefully not too long! But the list might include 'fit cage' if all goes to plan as I have a lead on a rally car being broken for spares...

To do:
Nothing for now!

Live with it for now:
Look at electric mirror switch (prob needs replacing, can adjust mirror externally anyway)
Coolant flush

Completed & status:
Take a look at the front discs. Done. They are like new
Remove spare wheel and carrier from under the car. Done - sort of. Unless the car is on ramps, or you cut it, you can't get the carrier off. Spare removed and hanger safely secured.
Give the tyres a proper once over. Done. Rear passenger is legal, but might not be after Goodwood! Rest all lovely.
Source and fit new wing mirror
Refit door trim
Source and fit new arch trim
Buy some new clips for the arch trim
Oil change - done
Find radio code - done
Sort out a means for mounting a camera - made one
Drill some ventilation holes behind the plate. Done.
Order and fit some EBC Yellowstuff front pads
Order and fit washer bottle cap
Reset service indicator
Sort CV boot. Done.
Order and fit new wheel boot. Done.
Brake fluid flush.
Clean it. Done.
Paint camera mounts. Done.
Adjust door mech (thanks to Gareth's good advice)

[simonsaunders]

So I left Goodwood with 3 clear instructions from Gareth, my mechanic friend and the organiser of the private track day at Goodwood:

1. Get that steering wheel on there (Gareth gifted me a rather hideous Momo steering wheel that he found when clearing up his yard - apparently it is just the thing for a Saxo... Whatever is he suggesting?)
2. Get that cage in there (a mutual friend is breaking a road-rally 106 that I'm going to plunder for parts).
3. I want to see this on 2 wheels everywhere.

Anyway, that was the end of the day. Let's start at the start - which was more like the day before.

So I finally got insurance sorted out over Friday lunchtime. Bargain £150 TPFT. Decided to take this to the shops... Flat battery. Stuck it on the Optimate and it all looked good, but I wouldn't really know until Saturday morning.

Got up at 6am for Goodwood and the car started first time, perfect. The 100 miles to Goodwood from Kent was the first time that I had really driven it since purchase. All seemed good! Although the radio reception isn't great and there is nowhere to stick my phone / nav. Must get a cradle sorted for the phone / nav.

I was hoping to bed in the brakes on the way down, but the roads were too wet, so I decided to do that on track.

So... on to track. As I lined up for the first session, I dawned on me that (a) I'm really rusty on track and (b) the car was a complete unknown entity. As a result, my pace started very slow and slowly picked up as I knocked some rust off my driving and built up some faith in the car. Come the final couple of sessions I was happy to abuse it a bit more with the confidence that it wasn't going to fall apart.

Issues? The check engine light came on during the second session. Double checked everything and carried on - everything seemed fine and so it proved over the next 80-odd track miles. My seating position isn't ideal either, with my helmet skimming the roof. There was a slight vibration at an indicated 110mph but it wasn't too obtrusive and felt like a wheel balancing issue. I just didn't brain it down Lavant and this wasn't an issue.

Straight line performance is OK, braking OK, handling seems neutral, gear change is very sloppy (but I didn't miss a gear), steering feels a little sloppy. Tried it with and without the bumper ventilation holes open - they definitely helped keep oil and water temps down (the car has factory gauges for both), which was helpful as oil temp nudged up to 3/4 on the later sessions.

Immediate plans? Will keep it at least until the MOT expires in Feb 2015. Will pick up some additions as we go along - like the cage, some seat mounts, a steering boss, etc. Might need a new rear tyre too - will check that soon.

I'm also going to invest in having Gareth give it a good once over - just to make sure that nothing critical is in the process of failing.

Will book myself into Brands in December on the Mazda on Track day and probably something for October. I quite fancy Rockingham, but I'll see what cheapies are around!

Getting busy:



Getting warm:



Getting ready:



I purchased the pro photos, so might stick up a few more in due course.

Oh, and the only thing that I would have done differently is having Gareth give the car a good once over before Goodwood. Probably would have gone harder, sooner if I had the extra confidence of his seal of approval!

[Gabbastard]

Ah the old jack under the door number. I had the same issue with my old R5 GTT, although Im not sure the door had sagged that much. Good effort!

[Rossp]

looks like you're having a lot of fun - I'm genuinely quite envious!

If you plan on tracking it a lot, a 13 row oil cooler will be a sound investment. As will decent pads and a brake fluid change lol