Ibiza Cupra Sport rally project....CODENAME PROJECT: CHAV

'Project Engine' is coming along slowly due to (a) I managed to break my other rally car and I have a rally in 2 weeks, and (b) i'm going to be a father for the first time in 4 weeks, so the boss has been ordering me around and making sure the house is fit for a new born.....something about electrical sockets need fitting or some health a safety rubbish....oh and stairs need bannister rails!!!....really?

Anyway, stripped the 'new' ABF lump down to its bare components now and all looks as to be expected really - not much wear in areas that matter. Mains look ok apart from 1 (4th one along top row in photo) has a bit of pick up so gong to replace the lot whilst i'm at it. Big ends look a big shagged to be fair - no damage to the crank itself, but a decent amount of wear to the shells, so they are getting replaced as a matter of course (daft not to really)












Pistons all look fine apart from slight scratching/wear to the skirts on one side. Seen this before in other engines so doubt it is anything to be concerned about and the bores are lovely and wear free so game on!!







Whilst inspecting the 'mains' to get a VW part number, I noticed another part number and logo - KS obviously make VW's bearings, so will be saving myself a trip to the dealers and buying the actual OE manufacturers instead.





Put all the main caps back in place to avoid loosing them, damaging them, or generally getting anything **** about face when I finally get to rebuild the engine.....next up is to order all the parts and get the block painted.....





......oh and fix the other car, and get ready for our big arrival!!!!!!!

 

Hadn't seen this thread before!

Looks good dude, keep the work up!! Shame about the engine noise but looks like you're on top of it!

 

Ha ha....cheers, I'm sure it's nothing serious, but I didn't want to have to take my engine out and fix it whilst I've got a perfectly decent donor lump sat on my garage floor. Plan is to get this one built up with a few simple modifications along the way, bolt it up to a low mileage 02J box I've got and dump it in with a newer gear selector mechanism. Loose a bit of weight (from me aswell as the car!) and with the 4.2 FD from the 02J box it should feel a fair bit quicker.

Then, once i'm happy with that engine, strip down and inspect the noisy one - and pretty much do the same to that one too so I've got a ready built spare on the shelf if all goes wrong again.

 

http://www.clubgti.com/showthread.php?279927-Our-MK3-ABF-Road-rally-car-build-thread

We should swap notes sometime

I've been so busy with self employment the last year that it hasn't turned a wheel, but I'm making time this winter to get out and give it a few spins out. We're so close to the Welsh border here that there's no excuse.

 

Did give it a couple of runs round Curby last year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-hF3Oa3SYU

 

Good luck with the build.

 

Been far to long without posting anything about this build.....over christmas i will hopefully get my @rse in to gear and make some progress.

I have a very good excuse though....i'm now a dad, so priorities have changed a wee bit!

 

Congratulations to the good lady that did all the hard work and to you for watching

 

Keep it coming. Looks good so far. I am building a '99 Cupra tarmac rally car also, as we speak
Jon

 

Care to share any details?

I'm planning to get this car log booked this year and try a few stage events out......either that or get one of the mini's built to stage spec and logbook them instead.......or aswell????? Having a kid is cheap right? Not going to need any spare cash in the future am I so might as well spend it on rally car stuff!!!!!.....just don't tell the wife!

 

Don't want to hijack your thread, but its not going to be anything unusual.
Just Group A type spec, as far as the budget and supply of parts goes.
Its basically a mixture of F2Stu's old cordoba and a LHD 18T Ibiza trackcar I bought
Jon

 

Good man. I look forward to the next chapter on this Rally car.

Oh MK1jettaGTI, is a good source of OE VW parts by the way!

 

Actual progress folks!!!!!!................





Plan A - to have one of my engines / heads worked on. I have dropped both blocks/cranks off at an engine machinist, and the 2 heads have been dropped off at another specialist to be worked on. I don't intend on getting both engines machined as that would cost mucho , but I figured i'd let the experts decide which block, crank, head combination is the best.

Plan B - Remove the ABS system completely and plumb in new pipework and a bias valve.....need advice on this folks so it is MOT'able.

Plan C - Refurb all the mechanicals whilst the engine is away getting a magic wand waved over it.

Plan D - keep the wife happy!!!!!!!!!



Oh.....and in the meantime I have to sort this mess out!!!!!!!.............





Wasn't done on an event. This happened whilst on my way home from filling up with Shell's finest at the local petrol station. Old bloke pulled out from a side road with my about 20 meters away from him doing 60.......he didn't see me apparently!!!!!

Quite a lot of damage, but fingers crossed it will get put right!!!!!

 

Hope you're OK after that bump! Looks like it was a big hit

What's the plan for the engine?

 

Hi Dave.

Yeh, I was shaken up a fair bit. Passed out on impact but came round pretty quickly once a witness was tapping on my window asking if all was ok, and if I was having a heart attack!!!! No, but my bloody wallet was!!! ha ha.

It's all still ongoing with the insurer's, but luckily the old boy who caused the accident stopped (I didn't actually hit him as I swerved to try and miss everything!) and help his hands up, so fingers crossed the car will be put right.....some time in the next 20 years!!!!!!!!


As for engine - the main thing is getting the head looked at and I suppose the best way to describe it is....'optimised'. I'm not going to fit any bigger valves or anything that ramps the cost up to silly levels. The plan of action is to machine out the ports a wee bit, tweak the chambers, renew valve guides and recut the seats......so generally improve what is already there and gain a bit more power.

Bottom end is staying pretty much standard. I'm letting the machine shop decide which crank and block are in best condition and we'll marry those up together....new rings, shells etc fitted.

I have to retain all the original inlet system as bike carbs are not allowed (shame!) so will have to optimise that somehow. May end up swapping over to a mappable ECU though.

Gearbox - I've got an 02J box with a 4.2 FD that will be going in along with some rose joints to tighten things up.

 

^^You can map the standard ECU by the way.

 

Mmmmmm.......that sounds like a better idea than forking out for an expensive aftermarket job, wrecking the loom, and ending up with a mess!!!

 

I de-ABSd my MK3 16v, it was easy.
Are you fitting a hydraulic handbrake ?

 

Someone has told me that mk4 (I think) alloy golf rear calipers fit straight on the rears and are actually very good with the standard cable handbrake? How true this is I do not know.

But in answer to your question, I will probably be fitting a hydraulic HB......more for pub bragging rights than anything...ha ha.

Can I ask, when you de ABS'd yours........did you just use a T piece for the fronts? Any suggestions for bore size of the cylinder for the hydraulic HB?

 

Been looking through some older photo's of 'stuff' I have squirreled away for future Ibiza evolution and can't believe I forgot to share this lot!!!!

So as well as trying to squeeze a bit more Spanish poke from the ABF, I was also going to put the car on a bit of a diet with some lightweight panels (i'd better loose some weight aswell!!!)

To be fitted are.....

rear opening poly windows

hatch window in poly

fibreglass bonnet

and lightened (ish) doors