JonL's 8v budget track toy - now going to be a race car! ;-)

[Diamond Hell]

If it's for track use I wouldn't go for T1-Rs - it doesn't matter how well worn they are, they'll cook up on the track, if you've got the suspension well set up and you're trying.  T1-Rs would be a good road tyre and wet-weather track tyre.

The molded (not cut  ) Toyo R888s will see you right on the track and you'll be surprised how well they'll last.  To be honest, if you have to buy one set of tyres and it's not your only car, get a set of R888s.

If you've got calipers that bolt direct to the hub then I think you have 239mm front discs, not 256mm discs.

[JonLeeper]

I'm not too worried that it is the small discs as I was planning to change them anyway.  I have just been offered the entire front set-up off a Mk3 Passat for very little, as long as I take it apart, so will, hopefully, get bigger brakes and a wide track set-up for very little.  I will then clean up and sort the Passat stuff before fitting to the Golf.  I will then need to shoe my new 15" wheels as the current 14's will not fit over anything bigger than the current 239mm discs. 

As for tyres I am planning to have at least 2 sets of tyres, when I can find another cheap set of wheels, one for road and wet use and one for the dry track.  I was thinking that T1-R's or the new Dunlop Direzza 03G's would be good for the road/wet set-up and save some 888's for the dry track.  For the road wheels I would need the speedo to read true so would be looking for the OD to stay the same as the current 14" fitted.  Not sure what this means for the size but will have to go and find a tyre comparison site and work it out.  As for the 888's they would not need to be constrained by the same parameters so could fit any size, even going larger than 15" if that added any value.  What is the consensus on optimum tyre size for a dry track?  Also where do people buy their tyres from and do you get them sent to you and then fitted elsewhere?

Many thanks,

Jon

[Diamond Hell]

VAG OEM 14" wheels will fit over 256mm brakes.

For track I'd go 195/50 R15 in either Toyo R888s or Kuhmo V70s - both highly rated.  The Kuhmos are supposed to last a touch longer and have stiffer sidewalls, so will give a bit more feel.  They are more expensive though.

I think you'll find the rolling radius of the 195/50 is the same as the OEM 14" spec tyres and wheels, as their section is more than 50%

195/50 R15 offers you probably the largest range of good quality and motorsport oriented tyres.  There is no reason to deviate from it.

Camskill for tyres, or find a local friendly Toyo dealer who should be able to help you out.

[JonLeeper]

 

Anyone get the impression that I am a little happy?  Yes it passed it's MOT so is now road legal.  It fills with water every time it rains, the seat definitely needs changing as I cannot drive it properly as it is and I am seriously considering putting the heater back in as I need a de-mister at this time of year, but it is road legal!

 

[Horney]

Wahey!

Deffo put the heater back in. Mine broke and on a wet trackday had to get my Dad who was passanger to keep wiping the screen for me, not good! All fixed now though as it was just the directional flap stuck to blow all the air into the footwells.

You interested in coming to the No-Rice meet next wednesday night in Guildford? It's a vw meet in the halfords/BK car park from 7pm. Always plenty of MKII's and I'll be there in mine.

Nick

[JonLeeper]

Thanks mate, I'll have to find a working matrix so that might be difficult!  Has anyone put a mini heater into a golf?  They are generally accepted as the smallest lightest easilly avaliable system by the kit car cognosci.  I might well come and join you on Weds, depends on if i can get to strip this Passat some time over the weekend or if I have to use weds to do it.  Anyone fancy giving me a hand?

[Horney]

A heater matrix can be picked up for £30 new from GSF, they're a bit of a ball ache to fit though. Not hard, but just fiddly and annoying. I wouldn't bother a mini heater as the extra effort of getting it to blow on the screen correctly would out weight the slight weight benefit.

Where's the Passat located? I might be about tomorrow or sunday to give you a hand but I do need to try and get the wheel bearings done on my Corrado over the weekend.

Nick

[JonLeeper]

Passat is in Guilford, somewhere, I was looking at one of these, http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/electric-demist-heater--demst-309-p.asp, but if it is just a question of getting a new heater.  The trouble is there are no controls and the pipes must have been blocked off somehow.  It might be just as easy to blank off all of the holes in the bulkhead and fit 1 or 2 of these.

[Horney]

Humm so the whole heater box had been removed from yours? If so that's a pain. I had to replace a broken one on a MKII once and got a complete set up from a scrappy car (all MKII's are the same for heating). Those heaters look OK though, but the MKII system in good working order is very good.

Not sure I can give you a hand with the passat as I've got a fair bit on and Mrs Horney is poorly and moaning I'm not looking after her properly, ha ha. So much for me enjoying my days off work!

Nick

[JonLeeper]

Yes they have stripped everything out completly!  The upper dash is still there with most of the switches but the vents, heater box, controls and switches, matrix everything esle has been removed.  I think that it will be a real pain to get the original to fit and will probably just wire in the electric ones.  Water is getting into the cabin through the doors, obviously, and through a number of holes left in the bulkhead.  I am going to start by sealing all of these and, hopefully, getting the interior watertight.  I will then mask off the doors and fit some sort of doorcard.  The next step will be to remove the seats and finish cleaning up the floors before fitting some sort of floor cavering to level off the floor.  I will then have to look at what seats I refit.  The list of jobs just keeps growing!  At soem point I will simply book a trackday and go enjoy myself whatever condition the car is in!

If you could spare a bit of time on Sat I would appreciate it but understand that domestic issues always have to come first.

Jon