#1: Seb: VX220 Project Author: Seb, Location: Under your bedPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:04 pm ---- Well, I can finally be bothered to write something up. Considering the last one was lost with the site, had no enthusiasm to write another up
Well, bought the car in August 2009, looking a little like this:
206 Hiding in the background
Took it to Kemble Airfield for a quick blat:
Replaced the standard plastic ended radiator with a pro alloy one:
Took the V off it while doing the rad change (still not sure if I like it)
Forged conrods:
Really bad picture of an Eaton M62 Supercharger sat on the floor:
Some other kits I had in (bought 7 in total from the USA and passed them onto VX guys here):
Packed up in the snow:
Got some new wheels on order as I needed new tyres and felt wrong not to get new wheels when it would only cost me about £200 more (£100 if I count in the sale of my old wheels).
TD Pro Race 1.2s designed by Thorney Motorsport and Rimstock to perfectly suit the VX. Comes in 7Jx16" fronts and 8Jx17" rears. Saves about 3kg per wheel on weight too.
Have a full Milltek exhaust on its way too. Downpipe, precat, sports cat and backbox included. Have some Eibach track springs too, stiffer but without the need to have pillows on your seats when you drive around the countryside roads or hit a pothole.
Now just have a couple parts for the charge cooling system and the odd part to get things in motion and start taking bits apart in about a month or two when I get back from France.
New Wheels!
Clean laminova cores and manifold:
S/C all sanded down and keyed ready to be sprayed now.
Washers and o-rings are from laminovas.
100A alternator there too as the 120A one is too large to fit on alongside the charger and larger inlet.
Charger is now cleaned and sorted, along with my rocker which a friend did for me. In two minds about the whole colour thing though, but will see how we go, calipers should be red soon so maybe it will work.
I've painted the calipers to go with it. Kind of like them.
Lettering looks a little odd from this angle, and it was hard to do, but still looks alright.
Here's how everything stands in my end room
Lights came out (as they are getting black coated lens surrounds as it looks a little meaner and gives me something to do) and most of the front clam bolts were out too
Then took to removing everything inside, that included mats, centre consoles, side pockets, carbon sills and rear shelf, and of course seats.
Exposing the bolts to remove the rear clam:
New coilovers ready to go on, 425 front spring rate 475 rear
Undertray is very dirty as it's not had a clean for about 3 months, and when I fit my diffuser I'll give it a good clean. Wheel arches will be cleaned out when I set the ride height later in the week, when the springs have settled.
Yes, most things are dirty and I do need to give them a clean, but unfortunately that's not the prio right now!
Made a bit of progress on the interior. Fitted most of the floor carpet section. It just adds a little warmth to the car and makes it more welcoming for a daily drive. Side bits are still loose for now as I've not got time to do the rest.
Took the front clam, bonnet and rad surround off to drain all the coolant down.
Got my standard lights which look like this (silver lens surround):
Popped them open, masked them off and sprayed them similar to the VX/T lights (black lens surround), and resealed again. Gave me something to do when it got dark.
Did little jobs like mask off the black mesh on the bootlid, front clam mouth and the bonnet vents and showed them some black hammerite so they are nice and shiny again, no pics of them finished though.
Started on the real work now, enlisted the help of 2 local friends as there was way too much work for 1 man over the 2 days I have this weekend.
Rear clam had to come off.
To expose the engine and exhaust, including chassis.
Now you see why they are called big kids go karts, under that body work there is very little to them with the ridiculously short wheelbase and hardly any weight outside it at all, can just about see the rear clam on the lawn in the background:
Bits started coming off, inlet manifold, exhaust etc.
In the meantime work was having to be done at the front, chargecooler and twin fan fitment:
Chargecooler header tank in the engine bay:
Fitted with the normal engine rad and surround back in place, chargecooler pipes leading into the sill to the rear:
Rocker off:
Head off:
Pistons:
At this point the sump had to be removed and drained of oil, to get at the crank to remove the conrods so the pistons could slide out. No pics of the inbetween as I had my hands full.
Pistons out:
You can tell the difference between the new larger forged rods and the old cast thin ones.
See straight through the bores to the floor:
At this point I noticed that not only did the cams look brand new, the bores didn't have a single score mark on it and Neil (who has built about 10 of these engines to different specs) said it looked almost new and not even run in. Previous owners have kept/serviced it very well.
Pistons and rods back in, gave the pistons a very brief scrape (so we could see the directional arrows they have imprinted on the crown - wouldn't want to put them back in the wrong way!!), though you can be fairly rough with the surface of a piston as it does see some fairly large explosions and high temperatures.. just don't touch the bores!
Multi layer head gasket on, shorty after, the head went back on
Was just comparing the new S/C (left) to the old N/A (right) throttle bodies to see the difference, fair amount in it!
For now the rocker and breather could only be placed on, as my water pump was fubar'd so Neil is bringing me another tomorrow (and hence we couldn't fit the timing chain), along with a spare exhaust manifold as mine had a little crack in it.
Packing up for the day.
So the girlfriend came round, had a look over the rear chassi, decided didn't look nice enough and proceeded to sand, brush, and paint it for me because I was knackered:
First job was to pop on another exhaust manifold as mine had a slight crack in it due to them fitting a small 'precat' after the manifold which causes it to warp shortly after cold starts.
Timing chain on and rocker on properly:
Inlet on:
Alternator and custom made idler for the charger belt:
Wiring to be sorted:
Sorted!Injectors & fuel rail on. Tried to keep as much of the 'factory' look as possible:
Into the block:
Chargecooler pipework:
Charger on:
Filling up the coolant systems and attaching the throttle body:
Milltek and heat shield on:
Bleeding the systems:
All of us three working hard:
Most things back together:
Rear clam back on:
Lights in:
As you can see the ride is stupidly low at the moment and it's hacking me off! I really need to sort it out but I hardly have the time to at the moment!
The leak is thankfully gone now (I hope) and as such will be ready to go as soon as I can raise the car a bit and soften the dampers a few clicks, I've done them 10 front and 16 rear which is mental, going to take them to about 7 front 14 rear I think.
Rolling roaded on 04/05/10 at 256bhp and 223 lb/ft of torque at 6580 rpm.
Had my windscreen replaced with a black surrounded one minus the previous dents.
Dirty, as usual, but brakes are nearly bed in and tie rod is holding well.
Last edited by Seb on Thu Sep 02, 2010 7:03 am; edited 16 times in total
#2: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: Bailey, Location: Finding Dr. RobotnikPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:23 pm ---- Beautiful car mate
#3: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: Seb, Location: Under your bedPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:30 pm ---- Cheers mate.
Also forgot to say, note the wing in the 6th picture on the black VX'R' used as a beer shelf
#4: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: Alan_206HDi, Location: Hatfield Heath, HertsPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:31 pm ---- Not a massive fan of the car, but it looks nice. Similar type car to the Lotus Elise?
#5: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: Bailey, Location: Finding Dr. RobotnikPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:33 pm ---- Same car as the elise just different shell. It's not as popular just because it's got a vauxhall badge but it's an elise in disguise
#6: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: Seb, Location: Under your bedPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:34 pm ---- Yeah, same chassis as the Elise S2, except more reliable/quicker engine model to model, less insurance, and easier to stick superchargers on
#7: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: Bailey, Location: Finding Dr. RobotnikPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:38 pm ---- What spec you got under the bonnet? You done much to it? What insurance group is vx220
#8: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: Seb, Location: Under your bedPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:41 pm ---- It's the standard model, 2.2L with a 0-60 of about 5.6ish.
It's a high insurance group, but won't cost you as much as a Civic Type R or even something like a Clio 182 Cup (Or at least it didn't for me, I got higher quote for both of those cars than what I'm paying for my VX!)
#9: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: Bailey, Location: Finding Dr. RobotnikPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:05 pm ---- Nice that's rapid! I would love to own that car. The one with the black alloys looks mint as
#10: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: t1mmy, Location: ReadingPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:36 am ---- Looking good Seb, it'll be even better when the charger is fitted.
#11: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: jimmyfloydreturns, Location: SittingbournePosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:15 am ---- Looking good Seb!
Love those wheels you have. When you planning on getting the charger on?
#12: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: NorthantsBen, Location: Raunds, NorthamptonshirePosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:35 am ---- looking good
i do have a little thing for these cars
#13: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: Seb, Location: Under your bedPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:36 am ----
jimmyfloydreturns wrote:
Looking good Seb!
Love those wheels you have. When you planning on getting the charger on?
Cheers mate, picking the wheels up on monday I think and the charger is probably going to be mid april, mainly because my friend isn't around to help me until then!!
#14: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: Quarmbo, Location: Bristol & LeicesterPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:40 am ---- Good thread Seb. Whose VX is that in the background with the spoiler on? Has he done the supercharger conversion already?
#15: Re: Seb's VX Thread Author: CD-B3, Location: Salisbury / New ForestPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 3:24 am ---- I don't suppose you're from Bournmouth are you Seb?
Saw one of these the other day, sounded great
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