New Year, New 205. Road Legal Track Car Full Rebuild

[Malc 45]

Got myself a new 205 this week, it's a 1989 F plate non sunroof model. I previously had a perfectly good 1991 black sunroof model road going GTI, but decided last week to strip it and build a road legal track car. Thanks to Mac crash I picked this one up for the cost of a bottle of malt, thanks for this, very much appreciated. Anyway I have decided to put a build thread together for this motor since I never done one when I built the black 205. Most of the parts off the black one will go over to the new white one, spec will roughly be as follows:-

 

2.0L 16v supercharged (250BHP) engine and Xsara VTS box with LSD

309 beam with 21.3mm bars and 24.9mm ARB

Bistien group N shocks

Lotus brakes on the front n standard rears

Cage buckets etc

 

Anyway before the build I have quite a bit of prep work, welding etc on the new shell, attached some pics. So far I've stripped the motor fully to assess what is required, mainly welding on the floor pan, three holes in the front and two in the rear above the tank, so that's been removed. Going to seam weld the shell and once I have the cage, add some extra bracing here and there. Anyway any comments/advice along the way is more than welcome.

 

 

 

 

[Ams 23 1 Cars]

Another year, another beast to build. Looking forward to seeing this on the road Malc.

[Malc 45]

Spend a couple of hours out in garage today, pulled out the big boys toys and did a bit of welding, three holes in the front and one in the rear. Not done much welding in the past but happy enough with the results, still more to be done, however once I get my cage I will no doubt have more strengthening to do with base plates etc.

 

 

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Send the wife to Ibiza for a week to help push it on a bit! ????

[Tom Fenton 1,526]

Whilst you have it stripped, clean all the sealer out of the bulkhead seam and stitch weld it.

[Malc 45]

planning to do that Tom, also stitch weld along the sill on both sides, any other areas you would suggest stitch welding (boot floor etc)

[Malc 45]

Small update, mainly been grinding, cleaning, cutting steel and welding over the past few weeks, the floor pan was like a Swiss cheese once I got into it (not as tasty as cheese mind you) Now got the strengthened top mounts welded on,

The OMP cage I bought from Mac Crash as also been installed, however rather then just bolt this in, I made up mounting plates and weldied the whole cage in. I am going to add in some extra bracing, (cross door bars) and harness bar etc.

 

Excuse the poor pictures, will get some better ones once the cage is complete, strength plates also ordered for A and B pillars. Welded up the bulkhead seam and also seam welded the subframe, a few parts away to get blasted at the moment, as giving everything a tidy up before installing.

 

Slow progress overall, however another few weeks of welding, painting and then the fun starts.

[johniban 59 1 Cars]

love a good track car build

[Malc 45]

Done some more to the roll cage tonight, the OMP cage is transforming into a more substantial cage, put diagonals in the main hoop, cross door bars welded in, harness bar on the rear and strengthening on the A and B pillars. Still a few bits to finish before cleaning and painting. However quite happy with the results so far.

 

 

 

 

[Malc 45]

Cage now finished and painted the interior, I do like the bright white interior, however I get the feeling it will be a nightmare to keep clean, especially when refitting the dash, seats etc.

 

 

Also got the engine bay painted and pedal box refitted, I do like a bright engine bay for working in, last one was black and very dark, nightmare so see anything in, hoping to keep this one as clean as possible, including tidying up the wiring loom etc

 

 

Lastly got the underneath all welded, primed and painted, with the help of my trusty engine hoist, I made up a makeshift strut brace, and hoisted the car up on its end, I don't have a spit so this was the best option. Now all nice and clean ready to start bolting things back in. Hopefully get the subframe painted this week so I ca start on the front end.

 

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Looking good Malc!

 

It looks bombproof!

[Mac Crash 78 1 Cars]

Good effort, Malc... thought you'd been quiet recently ;-)

[Malc 45]

Cheers, not had much time lately hence the slow progress, hopefully get a some time over the next week or so, planning to get the engine and box in this week, along with the front suspension, steering rack etc. Need this in before I weld in a new front section for the radiator and intercooler, I was hoping to lower the rad slightly so to duct more cool air in for the filter, also got myself a 306 battery box, plan was to make a air box out of this, and also tidy up the engine bay.

[Malc 45]

So decided to pull my finger out as not done much for a while. Got a good bit sorted this weekend, and skipped work for a few hours this afternoon, yeah I know what kind of company does'nt give me Easter Monday off!!

 

The rear beam is now on, along with the rear calipers and shockers, also rear brake piped with longer flexi's going inside as running the pipes internally, I still have to pipe the front but still waiting for my bias valve to arrive, so that's put a brake on the brakes for the meantime, pardon the pun. Anyway got the front struts on along with the front calipers. Missing some nuts for the struts at the top, may replace with some new ones but need to check the size as not an M size. Anyone know offhand the size?

 

 

While at the rear, I fitted my fuel swirl pot and braided lines, piped this to new solid lines running in the original position. Also fitted a secondary fuel pump under the boot (due to noise) and wired this feeding the wires through the rear where the brake lights run, nice and tidy, just need to re-wire the relay with some new connectors.

 

 

Another job done was to drop the engine and gearbox back in. I found and old engine sitting in the corner of the garage looking sorry for itself and thought about cleaning and painting it to make it look good, but then thought does that make it faster?...........no, so in it went with grime and all. well I gave it a wee wipe to be fair. Also set about putting in a new wiring loom, well a mix really of a phase 1.5 and phase 2, stripped it of everything not required, electric Windows, Central locking, radio/speakers etc etc. Still working on this as trying to make it as tidy as possible. also installed the radiator, intercooler and charger cooler (welded to the intercooler) and the engine oil cooler. All this fits behind the standard grill and bumper (with a little persuasion), I have done away with the fog lights though and meshed them to give air to the oil cooler.

 

 

 

 

Lastly thinking about using a 306 battery box I got to make an air box, I wanted the ECU covered hence the reason I got the box, and my battery is re-located to the boot so a perfect place to fit my air filter. Has anyone done this in the past and what's the thoughts??? I never did like my air filter above the starter and getting all the hot air from the radiator so toying with this idea. A bit fabricating to do, but will see what I can come up with.

 

[welshpug 1,623]

strut top mount studs are metric, m7.

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Hope that radiator will be up to it behind the cooler!

 

Didn't realise this was going to be super charged,p, gives me some pointers!

[Malc 45]

Thanks WP, didn't have M7 nuts need to get some.

 

Allye, yeah the rad is well up to it behind the charger, used this same set up for a few years and on many trackdays. I did look into lowering the rad but after measuring I wasn't gaining anything so left as is. I did have concerns when first fitted but it's proved its self to be fine.

[Gman 29]

Perhaps use a cossie intercooler - much smaller and still up to the job, but would free up some air to the radiator.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

I might have some M7's somewhere, I'll have a look. They aren't the same DIN number as originals and a tad shallower but they should be fine. They were murder to find and expensive for what they are. How many have you lost?

[Malc 45]

Too late ordered some M7 nuts this morning, thanks anyhow.

 

I did think about a Cossie intercooler, at the time couldn't find one, however may keep an eye out and switch over at some point.

[johniban 59 1 Cars]

makes me want a charger!

 

Does it make any difference the swirl pot not being rounded? i always thought they were rounded to 'swirl the fuel',

[Malc 45]

No difference at all, I used to get fuel surge below half a tank of fuel, with the above set up, I can run it dry (or as close as) with no problems.

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Are you using a 306 or 205 inlet?

[Malc 45]

Can't remember which it is, had this set up since 2013, possibly 205 I think. It's blooming tight to get on with the bolts, I know that.

[Malc 45]

Well spend a few hours on the car today, mainly fabricating brackets, and modifing my wiring loom also making my new airbox from a 306 battery box. Got the exhaust fitted eventually after a few attempts. It was on my last motor but was never 100% happy as it never sat right and continually lost rear exhaust mounts, so I fabricated a new Center bracket and removed and re-welded the rear bracket, now fitting snug and very solid. The exhaust is fully welded from the down pipe all the way back so a pain to fit on your own, I have a small flexi welded in to give some movement and save it cracking under stress. Trial fitted the rear bumper and delighted with the result. Also wanted to fit an FIA kill switch so removed the clock in the dash and did a bit of work to make it fit in to look as if it was supposed to be there. Will get some pics up later.