#1: Track Car GTI Author: trackgti, Location: WiltshirePosted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 3:26 pm ---- Hi everyone!
Me and a mate decided that we wanted to do track days on a budget and as a result, looked out for a cheap hot hatch we could use primarily as a track day car.
We ended up with a '99 206 Gti with the 138 bhp engine. Completely alien to me and my mate as i'm a Lancia lover and all his experience is with mini's! This is the car :
What's are best options regarding modifications on a budget? and what's the pro's and con's of the car?
We were going to strip the inside out to save weight. Fit bucket seats and harnesses. Have a new wheel and boss kit in the post. Fit a k and n panel filter. Quickshift in the post. and give it a service.
I've had a look at some coilover kits, but don't have adjustable damping, can anyone recommend a set they've fitted and are they worth the money?
Thanks in advance
#2: Re: Track Car GTI Author: Mattie-RS, Location: A Track near you ;)Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 3:33 pm ---- Nice choice, some fresh meat to play with on track ;).
I'd wait for Edward or macj to post as they have got the most outta this engine
#3: Re: Track Car GTI Author: Seabook, Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 3:42 pm ---- strip out; get some slick tyre; get some race pad and then start from there.
#4: Re: Track Car GTI Author: shell-vt, Location: durhamPosted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:22 am ---- ide start with a proper plan before you go jumping in the deep end
interior,handling set up, brakes, reliability.. forget modding the engine untill you sort every thing else out...
#5: Re: Track Car GTI Author: D4NTP, Location: Not Leeds or its surrounding areas!Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 9:55 am ---- strip all the crap out, service it, book a cheap trackday and work out where you need to spend the money from there. no point in buying loads of gear for it that you might not need. .. its the way ive done it and it works out pretty cheap but hugely fun!
#6: Re: Track Car GTI Author: macj, Location: EssexPosted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:56 am ---- Some pretty good suggestions there already. If you are not going for the comfort plan I would ditch everything inside that doesnt make it go forwards..... Then it will go forwards faster without spending a penny.
Next sort out your handling. With a lighter car you will need to tweak the ride height a bit. I suggest that if you can, buy the best suspension you can afford. I have Gaz coilovers and there are a lot of guys and gals on here that have Bilstein.
Now go out and enjoy a few track sessions......
#7: Re: Track Car GTI Author: trackgti, Location: WiltshirePosted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 11:37 am ---- Thanks for the suggestions guys
Should get a day on it tomorrow so will update our findings (and dis-mantling). I think were not too concerned about the engine, as stripped out the standard engine should still push us along nicely. I think a good suspension setup and decent brakes will give the most satisfaction.
Before all that though, i think we plan to replace a track rod end, service the engine (k and n panel filter), strip interior, fit bucket seats, harnesses, and momo wheel.
Then looking to do a track day end of October.
#8: Re: Track Car GTI Author: macj, Location: EssexPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 11:51 am ---- Make sure you get a Momo wheel that is 350mm diameter minimum. You will need it when you up the engine power to hold onto the torque steer
#9: Re: Track Car GTI Author: trackgti, Location: WiltshirePosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 11:19 am ---- Update for you:
Stripped everything that we wanted to...
Fitted the boss kit and momo wheel...
New bucket seats...
Bucket seats in, drivers on rails...
We've replaced an offside track rod end, and might replace the other side while were at it, as we've got the quickshift to fit. Fitted k & n panel filter, replaced spark plugs and plan an oil change this weekend. Looking to get some cheap wheels and road legal tyres to use as a second set for track days and look to get the car ready for it's first track day at combe later in the month!
#10: Re: Track Car GTI Author: Addaz, Location: SuffolkPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 11:23 am ---- Nice to see another track car
You can still loose ALOT more weight though
Mine hasnt seen any action just yet as im currently replacing every bush and bearing to make sure she has a good starting basis
#11: Re: Track Car GTI Author: macj, Location: EssexPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 12:07 pm ---- I can see ICE..... get it gone its 4kilos.
Can someone arrange a trackday at Castle Combe, I would love to come
#12: Re: Track Car GTI Author: tomd0801754, Location: MoscowPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 12:14 pm ---- Good start so far...
macj wrote:
I can see ICE..... get it gone its 4kilos.
Can someone arrange a trackday at Castle Combe, I would love to come
I could do...
#13: Re: Track Car GTI Author: macj, Location: EssexPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 12:18 pm ---- go for it.......
#14: Re: Track Car GTI Author: Seb, Location: Under your bedPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 12:19 pm ---- Combe is boring, get on Cadwell or the Snet 300.
#15: Re: Track Car GTI Author: Addaz, Location: SuffolkPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 12:23 pm ---- Cadwell is the actual mutts nuts
Though be it, i havent been to many others but for the shear fun factor you cant get much better
#16: Re: Track Car GTI Author: macj, Location: EssexPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:16 pm ---- Cant do Snett til after the rally
#17: Re: Track Car GTI Author: Mattie-RS, Location: A Track near you ;)Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 3:22 pm ----
Seb wrote:
Combe is boring, get on Cadwell or the Snet 300.
Tom you realise Combe is other side of country to us?
Anyway Tom your coming with me to Cadwell, Blyton, Rockingham and that next year
#18: Re: Track Car GTI Author: Rob2859, Location: HalifaxPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 6:25 pm ---- Get rid of your air-con unit they are pretty heavy.
#19: Re: Track Car GTI Author: trackgti, Location: WiltshirePosted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 12:32 pm ---- Well i'm pleased to report the car went faultless on it's first outing at combe saturday ... www.youtube.com/watch?v=dckasU94YgY
I was really quite suprised with the handling, it always seemed to be quite predictable and balanced, and turned out to be a pleasure to drive on track. Only things to think about was the occasional knock briefly at random times which seemed to be from the offside rear, although everything looks fine, I suspect it could be the rear shock (?).
Considering everything is still standard, the brakes and suspension held up pretty well, but fade was noticeable after some heavy braking over 5-10 laps, which I let cool down for a bit before going back out.
And for the eagle eyed of you, will spot some 1.9 gti 205 wheels with 205/55/15 tyres I managed to purchase from ebay, luckily they got delivered just in time to check they fitted and were perfect for the track day, I think these have still got more tread on them after the track day than the road set of wheels!
Thanks for the help and suggestions so far guys, i'm sure i'll have plenty of questions to ask yet!
#20: Re: Track Car GTI Author: macj, Location: EssexPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 12:46 pm ---- Glad you had fun.... so you got the bug now???
#21: Re: Track Car GTI Author: xfiredark, Location: Peoples Republic of South YorkshirePosted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 2:22 pm ---- Good to see another track tool on here! Seb and Addaz are right, Cadwell is excellent. Donington is a close second though. We appear to be on similar budgets. Just got mine running sweetly with a full service, new front discs and pads front and rear. I use Mintex 1144 pads, that should help you with the fade problem. They really are very good, not cheap though.
I'm in the process of increasing the stability by lowering and stiffening. Instability in quick direction changes is my only criticism so far. Experience the Gooseneck at Cadwell to see what I mean!
#22: Re: Track Car GTI Author: trackgti, Location: WiltshirePosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:05 pm ---- I already had the bug for track days with my other track car, that i've been there, done that on, lots of development and money spent, but the 206 is hopefully going to be cheap and cheerful! Apart from the great initial costs for seats, subframes, harnesses etc hopefully it'll be a cheap runner and give a lot of enjoyment.
We don't really have great plans for the car at the moment, but a timing belt change, cheap coilover set and some decent front discs and pads will be next for it!
I think were wait until the new year to get on track again, give us a month or two to do odd jobs and gather some money up for it after xmas is over.
#23: Re: Track Car GTI Author: Edward, Location: In the garagePosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 3:10 pm ---- If you haven't already done so the air conditioning gear weighs 10kg...easy to remove too. Just need a shorter belt from the dealer.
#24: Re: Track Car GTI Author: trackgti, Location: WiltshirePosted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:11 am ---- Well a last minute decision was made last week to do a track day at Brands Hatch, i'd never been to the circuit never mind drive round it, but what a circuit It was a hell of a drive from wiltshire and back in a day but worth the experience.
Car went as well as can be expected, even though it's still just a stripped out road car it wasn't the slowest out there and because so many people seemed to be early on the brakes, the brakes didn't really ever fade as they weren't being punished constantly getting slowed down in traffic and making us look good.
Car didn't miss a beat and only lost a sidelight bulb throughout the whole day. www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V7RO-gSP0I
Now that is the last track day of the year, were looking at replacing the bearings on the rear axel, new rear discs and pads, coilovers and some front track pads and discs to match.
We are not responsible for comments posted by our users, as they are the property of the poster
Interactive software released under GNU GPL,
Code Credits,
Privacy Policy
Membership:
Latest: 
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 17126
Online Now [73]:
Visitors: 72
Members: 0
Staff Online Now:
Page Views:
General
