Scirocco Track Car Development...X-Flow Conversion preparation

F26/R40 psi

Some more developments today... I spent yesterday wrestling with a 40 year old jag, but managed to paint my new grille too - coat of etch primer, then sprayed black hammerite. Looks much better in black. Unfortunately some random bits of paper stuck to the grille, and stopped the paint from hitting some of it. The shape is quite pleasing though, and strangely familiar


Today was spent on the track car. Racing battery and master switch is now fitted - saving about 7 or 8 kg, and getting rid of 15kg in front of the front wheels.

I'm not happy with the switch panel I knocked up, but time is short at the minute. It's 'recycled' from a seat subframe - it's the seat pan that the base cushion sits on.

 

Looks great in black Mike. Im liking the nurburgring on there too.

 

Today's update....

Popped into GSF for some shorter oil filters - thanks to Hotgolf for the info!

Tonight I drained the oil, changed the front pads (from EBC greens to Mintex M1144). The car is on G60 brakes, so has lots of stopping power for its weight - M1144 should be enough.

Also started fitting the oil cooler (which is what the short oil filter is for). I'm leaving the oil/water cooler on there, and adding the 13 row cooler - which is actually the same one the engine ran with when it was in Claire Tippet's (now Chris Eyre's) VW Cup Mk1. Engine and oil cooler re-united. I love a happy ending!

The pics show why you need a shorter filter - the standard one is only about 1cm from the crossmember/mounting bracket - if the engine moves around you end up with a burst filter, oil all over the road, a dead engine, and a big bill from the Nrburgring for track cleaning.

Mocal thermostatic sandwich plate fitted... pipes are on too - just need to mount the cooler to the body, fill it with oil, and hope it doesn't leak!


Will try to do that tomorrow, before I go to work.

 

Enjoying this thread and please keep the updates coming!

2 questions though ...

1) what oil filter are you now running?

2) Why are you changing from EBC greens to Mintex 1144? I wouldn't run a Mintex pad if my life depended on it .... had nothing but problems with them and my pad of choice for the road / occasional track use being the EBC green! Very curious why you have gone in the opposite direction.

 

Good to see the cooler going in!

It ran without the water-oil cooler when I had it, so that must have been a retro fit by Mr Brown or the subsequent owner.

My two-penneth on the Mintexes is they're fine. I used to run 1144s. EBCs simply just have higher market profile these days, and I've run those too (greens and yellows).

 

Chris - what was the difference in the Greens and Yellows? I've got the greens fitted at present but interested to know how they compare to the Yellows.

Oh, and good progress on the Rocco Mike

 

The yellows are a bit more aggressive (reds are in the middle). Bit squeaky, and they're a disc metal grinder no question, but great for upping standard brakes to instant hard trackday durability.

 

Interesting with the Mintex, seems to be a marmite pad!!!

My experience of them (all on Minis not VWs I have to say) is very bad but I know others that swear by them.

My experiences have been

pads breaking up in less than 500 miles
mismatched pads in a box
aweful feel from cold (not really a problem for a track car but lethal on the road)
and hugely noisey.

The only negative I can give for EBC from my own experiences are that the life is quite poor. Again for a trackday car that isn't much of an issue.

For the road I use Ferrodo pads where there is a suitable compound available, EBC otherwise.

Like many things with car tuning, horses for courses!!!

 

1999 Polo 1400 8v Filter. I'll post a pic. It also has a handy 30mm nut on the end, for easy removal.

I know people whose EBC Greens have fallen apart on trackdays (friction material fell off of backplate), due to heat. The ones on there are also squealing like mad. Most of the serious rally types I know wouldn't touch EBC Greens. Mintexes are fine if you bed them in properly.

 

When I bought the car it wasn't running an oil cooler at all. The water/oil one was fitted by me, along with replumbing the cooling system. Also, the way the cooling system was fitted by the previous owner (one water pump outlet blocked off), the water didn't circulate unless you had the heater full on. Not good!

 

Oil cooler is now mounted


Shorter filter


Cooler is mounted on 'cotton reel' type exhaust rubbers - I wanted to protect it a bit from vibration.


Lots of room now, where the battery used to be. Used a simple junction box to join the live wires. I've set this up so, if I need to, I can pull it all apart, and refit another battery in about 10 minutes.

 

It's on, oil filled into engine, leak test done, run up to temperature (see the high tech test materials).




The 'Ring grille is back on, for added scene points

Just a 'few' more jobs to do tonight, before it's ready for the 'Ring trip.

 

Last update.... last night I put a proper thermostat back in, as oil temps were struggling to get to 80 degrees C with the chopped one, jacked up the back suspension (so I don't drag the exhaust off on the Ferry) and re-hung the exhaust. Then I packed the car so I'm just about ready to go.

This morning I had some of the R888 tyres swapped around and rebalanced, so I've got the best ones in the right places. Filled up with petrol at lunchtime, and Just have the clothes bag and helmet bag left to go in. With a bit of luck, I might even give the car a quick wash before I go.

 

+35 bhp

 

Good work Mike, coming along nicely

 

Post 'Ring report is as follows:

The car went well - only problems I had were a self-adjusting tickover, a sticky clutch cable (heat related I think), and the oil is still getting a bit hot. Best time I did was 9:26 on a drying track. Next jobs are:

- Sort out the tickover screw (there's a big plug of blue hermetite over it at the minute)
- Move the oil cooler so it gets more airflow (or cut holes in the bumper)
- change the rocker cover for a less rusty one
- a bit more fiddling with the home made throttle linkage.
- lighten the bumpers a bit (maybe just the front, as the rear of the car is V light already.



Then we're onto the major winter jobs:
- Megasquirt conversion
- Plastic Windows
- Fit Direct brake master cylinder & delete servo/linkage
- Rollcage
- Top Mounts (maybe)
- Change gearbox, and add lightened flywheel/comp clutch.

More updates soon...

 

What gearbox plans you got?

I know of a close ratio 020 with a Quaife diff and Sachs clutch that will probably be coming up for sale towards the end of the year.....

 

Liking this project, looking forward to seeing the winter plans put into place. If you want any MS help i live fairly close.

 

Plan A is a rebuilt 2Y on standard diff and ratios.

Plan Q sounds interesting though, depending on price, and more info. Do you know what diff ratio it is, and what the original 'box code is?

 

I may yet take you up on that. I'd still like to have a look at your one (eventually!)