My track Corsa - and so the season ends...

Post by **Mud Dog** » Thu Jan 15, 2015 11:58 pm

Looking very good!

.............. but you're gonna have to give the car a break and cut the grass soon!

Post by **CasKru** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 7:00 am

Looking good

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 7:22 am

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 8:48 am

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 9:13 am

Also had it weighed on a weighbridge today - 860kg

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 9:54 am

Jeepers. Driving this car gives you a complete sensory overload. You feel everything, and all the ambient noise that you now hear with all the sound deadening being gone... Hectic

4x4BEES · Post by **4x4BEES** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 2:53 pm

You must see if can put one of those GoPro type vid's on for us to hear

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 3:03 pm

Will do. For what it's worth, the exhaust is really quiet. I just connected the old 57mm exhaust which has 3 silencers. Sounds like a (fairly) normal street car

rigardt · Post by **rigardt** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 7:58 pm

damn man been following this thread for so long. was actually hoping you would keep the 1.3 motor. I really miss building racing cars. looking forward to your 1st race. must please let us know when it will be so we can come and support !! its big work but also big fun. in any way why kept all 3 silencers ? surely that will rob some performance ??

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:07 pm

As it stands I need to detune the motor to stay within my class- power to weight specs, so the power I lose thanks to the exhaust is really no issue. Nice thing about this engine compared to the 8v is the early torque - should pull me nicely out of the corners

Post by **pietpetoors** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:27 pm

Looks very nice.
When will be your first race?

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 8:11 am

21 Feb :o

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 9:46 am

Worked out based on the car's weight, maximum power to stay in class C regulation is 62kw... will have to check with Ross if it is viable to tune it to so little power. Worst case I'll tune it for class B

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 6:38 pm

You guys would probably not believe what I'm busy with right now - I'm pulling the engine out.

Got a leak on the rear main seal

Post by **Mud Dog** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 7:15 pm

Eish!!!

4x4BEES · Post by **4x4BEES** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 7:21 pm

Damn, sorry to hear that.

Good luck boet

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 11:32 pm

Seal replaced, motor back in. Still need to do the plumbing, wiring and exhaust, then we are good to go tuning sometime this coming week!

Post by **FIRSTGEER** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 6:32 am

Gee Whiz Andre.You'r a bugger for punishment.

Great to see such dedication.How do you keep swambo happy whilst you play in the garage ?

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 9:01 am

Bought her a heluva expensive quilting machine - the peace is worth every cent haha

4x4BEES · Post by **4x4BEES** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 10:30 am

Andre, are you only going to be racing in JHB events or nationally?

If nationally, let us know when you're doing a Cape Town race so we can come and support.

Post by **FIRSTGEER** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 11:03 am

I am about to start my camper back which will be fitted to my hilux after completion.I copy your idea only I was thinking of buying swambo a new lawn-mower to keep her busy

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 12:51 pm

Clever plan that! Please send us the details of where you'll be hospitalised - will send biltong haha

@ Bees - we have one race down in KZN, but all the others are here in GP. Doubt I'll do the KZN race though

4x4BEES · Post by **4x4BEES** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 12:54 pm

In that case, good luck with the season and all for the best

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 4:19 pm

Thanks Bud. Really hope I make it through the season with minimal issues and incidents

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Mon Jan 19, 2015 9:28 am

Thought that seeing as I'm busy, might as well use the opportunity to put new studs in the head on the exhaust side. Also put the front tow rope in place, anchored by the engine mount. Got a plate so I can make the mounting point for the harness in the centre of the car. Drained the oil that I initially put in the motor so that the proper oil can go in there, and also got a 5l of G12 anti-freeze.

Will carry on with it again tonight - should be able to have it ready for tuning by around Wednesday.

If all goes well I might be able to take it to the track this weekend

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 5:00 pm

Boatload to do tonight - going for tuning tomorrow morning

Post by **FIRSTGEER** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 6:42 pm

Let me know which track you'll use for testing so I can send swambo there to test her new lawnmower on that long grass near the pits

ChrisF · Post by **ChrisF** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 6:47 pm

Andre do you use it on the road ?

Just wondering where you racked up the kilos to run in the new oil ....

once tuned that baby surely should drop a few boy racers between robots ...

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:48 am

The car is deregistered, so when I drive it on the road it's skelm haha. I did do a couple of kilos on the road, but not much. This is actually an import motor, so I am not running it in. I am also not a believer of the 'take it easy for 1000km' theory on a rebuild - when I rebuild a motor, I start it, let it get up to operating temperature, then take it for a drive where I gradually load the motor. 10km later I'm back home and changing oil. I've always found the motor makes more power when doing this compared to babying it. There is solid theory behind this process - will see if I can find the article this one bloke wrote who builds competition engines

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:48 am

Late night tonight...

But everything's done!

Went and took it for a drive as well. Took it on the highway, ran it through the gears and everything feels good. Still amazed at how much torque it has low down in the rev range. Heard this really annoying squeak somewhere on the backside, found it was one of the exhaust brackets catching on the body - got that sorted. Also inserted the mounting plate for the harnesses just behind the handbrake lever, but the eye-bolt I have is a bit short, so I'll have to get another one for that purpose.

Other than that it's pretty much ready for action.

Still to do:
Eye-bolt for harnesses
Tuning - happening just now-now
Stickers - willl receive the proofs by Thursday
Fit the proper front brakes and adjust the rear brakes - will do that before the weekend
Make doorcards as the regs state we must have 'em - next week's worry

I think I'm gonna take it to Z on Sunday...

ChrisF · Post by **ChrisF** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:55 am

slaap jy nie ....

also heard that baby-ing a motor leads to a lazy motor.

BIL actually tested this. They had to collect a couple of company cars from PE, and drive it back to Cape Town. One guy did it SLOWLY, driving it in old style. BIL hung back then, then gave it stick, waited for the other guy .. and so it carried on. Back in Cape Town the one that was DRIVEN was notably more alive.

Post by **Mud Dog** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 8:18 am

Probably because he loosened it up by 500 km of hard driving, achieving the same amount of wear that the other one would need 10 000 km's to attain.

Post by **CasKru** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 8:44 am

It could also be that with modern engines, it is actually better to run then hard the first few kilometres as this seats the rings etc better and your motor will be more efficient in the long run.

The old way of first running it in is evidently not applicable any more due to the way the cylinder sleeves get manufactured.

ChrisF · Post by **ChrisF** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 8:58 am

Our Toy products describe the running in procedures on page 80-odd ...

Dont labour the engine at very low revs
Dont run it FULL revs, dont accelerate "hard" for the first 500km

next 500km no top end runs

Thus drive NORMALLY (not boy racer style) from day one

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 9:21 am

CasKru wrote:It could also be that with modern engines, it is actually better to run then hard the first few kilometres as this seats the rings etc better and your motor will be more efficient in the long run.

Exactly it

Car being (de)tuned now. Really excited!

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 9:26 am

Really odd - feels like I'm sitting in the waiting room at a hospital while a procedure is being done on a family member haha

Post by **CasKru** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:04 am

Dodging wrote:Really odd - feels like I'm sitting in the waiting room at a hospital while a procedure is being done on a family member haha

All I can say is... enjoy the results

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:25 am

Alrighty - tuning is done

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Seems my idea of sticking to the Corsa's std intake and airbox worked perfectly to restrict the power to where I want it. Car feels really smooth, good power delivery and lots of early torque. Really happy with the results

So Sunday it is then

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 11:01 am

Forgot to add that the torque reading on Ross' dyno works a bit differently - it's a calculated flywheel torque. His dyno also reads higher than Braam's, so I'm hoping I'll be close to the power and torque limits for class C

ChrisF · Post by **ChrisF** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 11:35 am

Dodging wrote:Forgot to add that the torque reading on Ross' dyno works a bit differently - it's a calculated flywheel torque. His dyno also reads higher than Braam's, so I'm hoping I'll be close to the power and torque limits for class C

those calculations CAN be manipulated ....

now imagine he thinks your gearbox has another 5% worth of losses and tunes accordingly .....

jokes aside - wide open barn door for those that want to "work the rules" ....

Do they have a dyno at the track to check your vehicle ??

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 11:52 am

Ja we are all going for dyno runs on the 8th. They then put wire seals on critical parts to show any fiddling.

I do however believe you will get some guys who find ways and means to bypass the syatem haha

Post by **Haboob** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 12:09 pm

Well Done Andre,
I have resisted making any comment up to now...
You have put a lot of work into this project & I often wondered when you slept...
Thank you for keeping us up to date on your interesting project...
Us ham handsed fellows admire the skills of you fortunate few...
Your wife must be one in a million...
Tony's wife does not even want to come & mow my lawn...
Good luck for your upcomming events...
Maybe us from the outskirts can see you on the box if the races get televised...
Let us know if this is the case, so that we can follow your progress...
I am sure that you can be assured of all our support...
Good Luck and Happy & Safe Motoring...
Remember that the more you practice the luckier you will be...

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 12:47 pm

Thank you so much

The racing will be televised on either Supersport or Ignition. When we get the broadcast times I'll be sure to put them up

Thanks again for the kind words and well-wishes

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 6:23 pm

I think I'll go put the proper brakes on when I get home now-now... Might as well put the semi-slicks on too...

Small job

4x4BEES · Post by **4x4BEES** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 6:41 pm

mmmm........semi-slicks........mmmm

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 9:50 pm

Brakes are done, semi-slicks on

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Got all these stickers lying around, so I thought I'd put them to use lol

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Post by **Mud Dog** » Thu Jan 22, 2015 11:09 pm

Looking good!

Powerbrake!

You should maybe have put the stickers on the car instead .... make it look a bit more like a track vehicle.

See the toolbox is still fairly new ...... probably a bit too heavily laden as well, it flattened that golf shirt and squeezed the poor oke that was wearing it right out!

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:06 am

Hehehe

I'm a bit funny with things like putting stickers of brands on my car... I'll put stickers on the car of blokes who actually sponsor me - all these goodies I had to pay full price for out my own pocket.

Can't wait for Sunday!

Pote · Post by **Pote** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 10:25 am

Where are you taking it for the test run??

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 4:02 pm

Will go to Zwartkops on Sunday

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:57 pm

Did some small bits tonight - nothing too serious

Fitted two fire extinguishers where they would be easy to reach

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Put stickers

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Then just took everything out that doesn't need to be in the car. Can't keep myself from just standing and looking at it haha

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ChrisF · Post by **ChrisF** » Sat Jan 24, 2015 7:20 am

en jy gaan wag tot Sondag om die wa te toets ....

nee wat, Saterdag gaan jy jou mos moeg stap om daai mooi wa ...

hoop als werk mooi as jy hom gaan toets !

Pote · Post by **Pote** » Sat Jan 24, 2015 9:44 am

Dodging wrote:Will go to Zwartkops on Sunday

Ek het al daar gaan marchall saam met een van my vriende. Ek hou baie van die baan..
Ek dink ek moet dit meer gereeld begin doen....

Wurmscooby · Post by **Wurmscooby** » Sat Jan 24, 2015 10:07 am

You have serious skills and alot of time.well done.will watchout for the broadcasting

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sat Jan 24, 2015 7:09 pm

Thanks Bud

Just gave it a wash today, then loaded up and went to check my van and the trailer's tyre pressures

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Ready for tomorrow. Gonna battle to sleep haha

Post by **Family_Dog** » Sat Jan 24, 2015 8:58 pm

^^^

-F_D

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 8:02 pm

First track day done and dusted.

Started off rather poorly - as I pulled the car off the trailer the bumper caught on the ramp and broke. Drat...

Made a quick fix so it looks half presentable and doesn't flap around, then got onto the track after the marshals managed clean up all the litres of oil dropped on the track by a 928.

Car behaved really well, until I noticed the steering wheel suddenly sat skew and the car was pulling left. Got in the pits, lifted the nose and found that the blokes who did the alignment didn't tighten everything properly - annoying... Fastened it and went back on track with the alignment way out. The car turned left like a champ, but didn't do so well going right haha

Managed to run with people that are in the class I'm planning to compete in, so really happy about that. Very chuffed with how the car behaved

Some pics:

Ready for action
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Staying hydrated haha
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Time to go
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I'll post a video clip soon as I can

Froll · Post by **Froll** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 9:08 pm

Dodging · Post by **Dodging** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 9:22 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC0uVPIM_Gc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

4x4BEES · Post by **4x4BEES** » Sun Jan 25, 2015 9:44 pm

You look quite relaxed while driving and the car seems handle quite well