Ets2k9's Saxo:Is now in bits 30/03/2008 - Saxperience

ets2k9 · 11th November 2006, 10:23

Hi,

I've been meaning to do one for a while but most of the people are probably sick of seeing it. SO I held out on the idea for a while

It has seen many changes so this could be quite lengthy.....

Chapter 1: A Ropey VTR for £1500

The Saxo was purchased after an unsuccessful ownership of a Fiat Punto GT3, I'd had enough of cars especially modified ones so I just wanted a cheap and quick run around.

I'd looked a loads of Vtr's and dabbled with the idea of Vts but didn't fancy the insurance at the time, after seeing possibly the worst Saxo's in the country I came across this little beauty.

What that picture doesn't show is that it has one alloy wheel missing and the three remaining ones are all battered to hell in an attempt to move the locking wheel nuts, which they did rather well as each wheel only had three bolts. There was also a crack in the bumper, odd fog lights and lots of stickers in random places.

It also came equipped with lexarse lights :blink:.

Your probably wondering why I opted for this bag of crap???? ........Well amongst its faults was a decent little car it was fully coloured coded, only had 60k on the clock and drove really well.

It also rather suprsingly had an immaculate intenterior B) not to mention a full MOT & tax.

This is how the car stayed for months and months I didn't even wash it :huh:. I had no intentions to do anything to it and thought I'd been cured of my modifying disease.

I'd like to say that was the end of the story but I'd be lying............

Cheers

Steve

ets2k9 · 11th November 2006, 10:50

Chapter 2: I'll just change the wheels.

The wheels were in a right state as I mentioned this wasn't helped by me not cleaning them for 6 months so I tracked down some new Vtr wheels (Ebay) and picked them up from Wrexham.

The car looked instantly better and was cleaned for the first time in its life with me.

Now as some of you may know once you change one thing it leads to another, then another and so on.....but I really hated the lexus lights so thought I'll just change the lights.

I picked up a set of mk2's for £20 which worked really well some people even prefer them to my current set.

Once again I'd like to say that was the end of the story but I'd be lying............

Cheers

Steve

ets2k9 · 11th November 2006, 11:20

Chapter 3: I love the AA

All was well the car was looking nice but was starting to suffer from a few common citroen problems, irratic idling, cutting out and the kangaroo petrol syndrome.

The majority of these faults were sorted out and I thought I was back on track with my partly modified dream...........We decided to take a weekend away we usually take the girlfriend's car as its not as loud as the Saxo but as its an MGF (at the time) its pretty low on storage.

So off we went in the Paxo all was going well the exhaust pipe was keeping us entertained along with all the other the squeeks and rattles we've become use to..........then all of a sudden my car sounds like it has a flat four Impreza engine, all the power goes and I'm forced to limp into the hard shoulder not wanting to see what suprise waits underneath the bonnet.

I popped the bonnet to see a spark plug flopping around on the engine bay like a dead fish

After sitting at the side of the road for an hour or so the abuse from Corsa owners was getting to me.

but thank fully the AA arrived to diagnose the problem.

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!

The car had decided to shoot it spark plug rocket launcher stylee and ragged the head whilst it was on a suicide mission.

I decided on a radical solution to this problem

Once again I'd like to say that was the end of the story but I'd be lying............

Cheers

Steve

jacko18 · 11th November 2006, 11:24

yeah i no exactly how you feel mate, i bought my vtr from a guy who had it sitting on his garden for nearly 18months,the grass was growing around the car! all the arches were hanging off and it was in a general mess, the roof was green!! but now after some hard work iv got a super clean vtr that only has 79 on the clock ( thats nice for a R reg) and its never let me down! a bargain at £900, all i can say is the lad i bought it off was clueless to the little gem he was sitting on! cheers budy!!!!!

ets2k9 · 11th November 2006, 11:43

Chapter 4: The repair

Not the prettiest of engine bays or the healthiest either.

The repair bill was going to cost a couple of hundread quid and the brother in law (AX_Beefy) had just fitted a gti engine into his 1.1 AX....I'm blaiming you Beefy

You can see where this is going can't you

A solution in my warped world would be to change the engine.

Once again I'd like to say that was the end of the story but I'd be lying............

Cheers

Steve

ets2k9 · 11th November 2006, 11:57

Chapter 5: The new engine

I'd been offered a few tired high mile vts's engines but wanted to put something alot newer in so I made a few calls and tracked down a mk2 VTS in a local scrappy.

She's a looker

but had a mint 24k engine with gearbox loom and everything you could wish for.

After a long day at the scrappy me and Mark (Bro in law) dumped all the parts in the back of my Saxo and left dropped them in my dad's garage, he was so impressed

I tried my hand at motorbikes in an attempt at giving up cars but sold it in the end to fund my Saxo project.

Once again I'd like to say that was the end of the story but I'd be lying............

Cheers

Steve

Japman · 11th November 2006, 12:13

Whats the rest en

ets2k9 · 11th November 2006, 12:19

Chapter 6: Always do your homework

Before any engines were being exchanged both myself and Mark spoke hours talking to numerous people, we tried to find out everything we could before we did anything.

Mark in particular dedicated his life to reading wiring diagrams as as the mk2 vts into a mk1 vtr isn't quite as simple. It suprises me how many people set about an engine conversion without really knowing what they are doing.

I dont claim to be an expert (thats Mark's job

) but I really advise doing some research before removing anything.

Anyway now that I have got my warning out of the way and Mark was reading another wiring diagram, I set about making things look pretty.

The rocker cover was looking pretty rough after sitting in sunny Walsall for year so I set about making it shine, this was an easy but time consuming affair that just involves a hell of a lot of sanding

But it does give a great result:

Once again I'd like to say that was the end of the story but I'd be lying............

Cheers

Steve

Robbo · 11th November 2006, 12:25

tell us more, this is an interesting thread!

ets2k9 · 11th November 2006, 12:31

All in good time it takes ages to write each chapter up, just be patient.

Japman · 11th November 2006, 12:45

come on est lol today will be good

Johnno · 11th November 2006, 12:55

this is a good read, but its taking ages! lol

ets2k9 · 11th November 2006, 13:04

Chapter 7: It pays to haggle.

Research was still taking place so I set about making more things look pretty

The vts didn't come with a key so I need to get the ECU unlocked http://www.the-ecu-doctor.co.uk/ kindly did this for me after I agreed to give him £150.

I had agreed to pay for the car on the basis I had everything I needed for the conversion this obviously didn't happen with the car not having a key

However all was not lost as the bloke did me a deal on these badboys:

They looked pretty shit in standard form not to mention ride height:

I had an idea how I wanted the car to end up so decided to spray them black.

There is a huge long thread on how I painted them for all those who are interested but here is a snap to get your juices flowing

I love the look of the wheels and will post pics of them on car later on in this neverending story.

You'll be glad to know by this point we have done all the resarch for the conversion

Once again I'd like to say that was the end of the story but I'd be lying............

Cheers

Steve

ets2k9 · 11th November 2006, 13:05

Quote:

this is a good read, but its taking ages! lol

I'm trying lads but I have to do other things today not just write my life story.

K-R · 11th November 2006, 13:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by ets2k9

I'm trying lads but I have to do other things today not just write my life story.

Don't lie....

Japman · 11th November 2006, 13:41

lol we are all waiting hurry up!!only jking mate take you time,im gonna start a theard on mine soon

popsi · 11th November 2006, 13:43

lovely jubbly!!!
quiet an interesting thread!!

com on...cary on..!

rushy_23 · 11th November 2006, 14:12

Nice read Steve, love progress threads really get you hooked. Would slap you some Rep but your hogging all mine already so I cant send any more.

SteVTR · 11th November 2006, 14:45

nice going steve i wont pester you for the next chapter like the rest of them as i've followed your cars progress since you put the vts engine in it but it is making good reading for a cold shitty saturday afternoon

Andyt · 11th November 2006, 18:09

Good thread! I thought you had coilovers going on it?