Thanks Craig, just doing it how I like em.... The colour is going to stay Tornado Red, looking as OEM as posible, did think of a 911 GT3rs type stripe but can't think what it should say so i'll probably just leave it stock looking. Done a little more today, not much. Plated up the hole in the floor and made good the back panel with a little Homage to the Leon doner car. Remember the hole?.... Well, its gone. Used a small section of the leon back panel that had the Seat S embossed into it. It'll be covered by the bumper, but i'll know its there thanking the Leon for giving up its good stuff for the greater good. Also started a list on the garage wall, stuff to do before paint.... too much I think, when will it end.
Not got any work done over the last couple of days but have been thinking rather deeply about the fit and finish I want to achieve. Had the guys over from the paint shop on tuesday and got some figures from them today...... Its gonna drain my resourses & push back the deadline making the rest of the project a bit of a slow burner but I've decided to have all the paintwork done.... Inside, outside and underneath, think its what she deserves.... what do you think, let me know.
Had a read through the whole thread after you were telling me about it today and wow, exceeded my expectations by a longshot (and my expectations were high anyway ). The attention to detail is fantastic and the seats and dash already look like they're supposed to be there! Any idea when its going for paint?
Well I couldn't fall asleep and stumbled across this thread and all I can say is wow. Alot of thought and stunning workmanship going into this project, can't wait to see how it continues to progress up to completion.
Started stripping doors of all there trims along with the bonnet & tailgate, should have some parts off to paint before Christmas and the shell done just after..... just need to raise another four grand so I can finish it to my ideal spec..... Ordered the induction kit and a Varley 40 Gel battery with mounting box today, got a bargain set of Eibach spring delivered today... thanks ebay again. Gaz, thank you, just trying hard.... Off out into the cold for another fun filled evening...
inspiring work pab, fabrication is awesome, makes me want to pull my finger out and get on with my golf!! hope the end product is rewarding! matt
Well the build updates have been a little slow lately, real life has been getting in the way. I'v stripped the doors, tailgate, front wings and bonnet ready to go to the paint shop and i've moved back into the engine bay to get that finished. This is by no means anywhere near finished but I've temp fitted the Silicone TIP and started to re route the boost pipes. Got some elbows and an induction kit coming tomorrow, and a Forge Dump Valve coming soon. After mounting the original Leon air box I've found too many space issues so i'm going the cone filter route. Also fitted the hydraulic clutch pipes straight from the Leon with a little bending to shape in places. The next step is the power steering, option one is to stick will the Mk3 Rack and get some custom pipes made as i'm using a Mk4 Pump, Comp fitting one end and Banjoy fitting the other. Or option two is to modify the subframe to allow the Leon/Mk4 Rack to be fitted, this will allow the std Leon pipes to be used and might get me past the steering joint being too short problem I have. I'll keep you posted on that one. Had some more goodies arrive today, Eibach Pro Springs and a Varley Redtop 40 battery and holder, don't let anyone tell you the Varley batteries are light, it weights a ton.... I put pics up soon.
More work tonight, didn't start til about eight but got a fair bit done. The silicone boost pipes I ordered came today, so its on with fitting those. Started with the intercooler to throttle body. But joy of joys the intercooler being central in the car didn't give me enough space to get the 90deg elbow to miss the chassis leg so I had to extend the intercooler mounts and move the intercooler 25mm to the left of the car. With that done I could then fit the pipes, I've got T-bar clamps but I'm not fitting them until final assembly. The intercooler has 3" outlets and the throttle body is 2.5" so I used a 90deg 3" to 2.5" reducing elbow some 2.5mm ally pipe and a 45deg 2.5" elbow. I had to trim the back edge of the 45deg elbow to allow the pipes to line up. Happy with that I then turned to the turbo out boost pipe. I've already decided to use the std 2.25" pipe off the turbo but couldn't get 2.25" to 2.5" couplings so I made my own with some stainless pipe. Just removed the rubber pipe, trimmed the end and set to welding. Pipe re-fitted. Just got to couple that up to the other end of the intercooler now. One slightly annoying thing is i've had to loose the front fogs due to the near side boost pipe to the intercooler, more picks to follow on that.
Hi all, Spent the morning doing some more fine fitting of the front bumper, don't have photos but I had to trim the bumper mounting bracket on the passengers side and take out the fog lights to allow the boost pipes to clear. Gonna blank off the fog light holes before she goes for paint. Then it was onto the engine bay again, made a bracket and mount to carry the boost pipe from the turbo as it was un supported, i'll post photos of that soon. The main job today was to sort the steering out, after much thinking I've decided to fit the Mk4/Leon rack. Not sure if thats been done before? First job was to remove the rads & pipes etc and pull out the engine and box. Then it was off with the subframe and Mk3 rack. Differences in the two racks. The Mk3 rack is in front. The idea behind this is to kill two problems with one conversion. If the Mk4/Leon rack works I can use the pipes and it will couple to the steering colomb. The mounting holes are much further apart than the Mk2 or Mk3 racks so it was back into fabrication mode. With everything measured and centre lines for width and the fore & aft position set it was quite simple. Drill the subframe on the marked position 8mm for the top then drill the bottom 14mm for a tube insert to stop the subframe from crushing when the rack is tightened up. Weld in the tube, grind/sand it up (repeat 4 times) and bolt it all back together. Tube held in place with a long bolt. Grinding process. All back in place. Just need to clear the bulkhead for the steering joint.
Back at it again tonight, getting a buzz from the push to the finish of the fabrication and mocking up stage, starting to become a reality now. The engine and box went back in again tonight so I could fit up the power steering pipes, coolant pipes, boost pipes and vac pipes..... too many pipes, got the air con pipes to sort yet aswell!!! Steering joint connected and tested, had to make a small cut in the bulkhead to allow clearence, should seal up easily. Power steering return pipe fitted in this one. Brake servo fitted. The rest of the boost pipes. Tidied up the DV pipes and the heater pipes, couldn't resist fitting the engine beautification panel. Nearly finished in the front.
mate ya a legend, so much effort gone into this project already, and so fast too, been a great read and learnt alot too, top thread mate
Ta very much Had a mental evening sorting the air-con pipes out, photos will follow, got a lucky break from my local branch of Pirtek (hose people), they made me a new power steering hose up and had it ready for collection tonight so its now fitted.... yeay steering is complete, and they also said they could joint the air-con pipes so thats why the rush with them tonight, i'll update soon.
Been a gentle one tonight, got the air con pipes remade today again used my local Pirtek branch. Fitted them and then started to list what is left for the engine bay mock up... Need a couple more Water pipes & fitting Forge DV, ordered & not here N249 Valve blank off plate, ordered & not here Servo vac pipe Catch tank & pipes, tank arrived today Exhaust pipe sections for new down pipe, arrived today Drive shafts, not essential to mock up ABS pump & mount Blank up spare Vac pipe holes Fit the Inlet manifold beautification panel mounts Boost pipe support brackets Not really very much left. Then its shell prep time. OK, pics of the almost finished engine bay. Can't wait til everything is cleaned & painted so I can fit it for real.... Air con pipes, need to fab up some support brackets. More over the weekend.
Early start this morning, got all my scrap together for a big old tidy up, then NigeP came over for the tyres he'd bought off me (nice to meet you Nige) then it was back to it.... Simple jobs today, tidy up the garage first then on to making brackets. New boost pipe support bracket. Fitted the engine breather box and then re fitted the boost pipes a little better. Because the Rads are closer to the engine in the Golf then when in the Leon the bracket for the front engine beautification panel was hitting the fan housing. Simple mod with the grinder saw it fitted. Makes the engine bay look just a little more complete. Then I re-fitted all the front panels just to make sure everything clears. Sleeper?? Tomorrow its newark Autojumble, so should get some stuff there, then when I get back I'll build the new 2.5" down pipe and fit the ABS pump. Laters.
Some great fabrication and thought going into this one. first time i've looked, but I'll deffo be back following the updates.
Absolutely unbelievable! Really enjoyed reading that, havn't read this thread before.. will be keeping a keen eye on it. Well done, keep up the fine work...
