Time for an update, been on a few trackdays in the £600 Clio, still good fun, managed to get full value from a set of brake pads at Blyton:
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
Put some big 4" ducts on the front and made up some deflector plates, which seemed to help things somewhat.
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
Aside from a crack in the exhaust, and a cv boot held together with gaffa tape (cheers Nige) it's been a solid motor. Managed 180miles at Donnington without anymore than fuel and bump starts :lol:
Anyway, enough of that french filth. Onto Polo progress!
I needed to get the powertrain mounted, just had the c-mount left to do. I used an Epytech 02M engine mount, which was cut and shut to take a 90 shore bush from superflex. Doesn't really move currently, but as the bush is a common size I can swap it out for a lower shore rating in future.
Looks like this:
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
For those not familiar with a Polo chassis (which is most of you because why the f**k would anyone modify a Polo!?) the rear brace is between the track control arm mounts, and will form part of the subframe.
That represents 3 evenings work!
Now the powertrain wasn't moving about anymore, I could address the steering rack. I had already decided a K04-064 was the turbo for me, just it wasn't the turbo for the steering rack, or the chassis leg, or anything else really, I hope it's worth it...
Polo steering rack looks like this:
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
The mounts to the bulkhead aren't great, meaning there's lateral movement in the rack and the linkage on the end to the steering arms adds to the vague steering feeling.
I needed more clearance, so binned the Polo one and went through 3 or 4 different racks (Escort, Aygo, Corsa D) before I found an earlier Corsa one that would do the trick. Most are subframe mounted, and I need it bulkhead, so it's a PITA to find one with the correct width and angle of input shaft to the rack.
This wasn't an easy thing to get right (assuming I have) so copious amounts of measuring were done:
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
After measuring comes grinding:
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
I then offered the steering column up, and did a massive swear:
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
UJ are fairly forgiving, but I was taking the piss expecting this to work!
After deciding not to set fire to the car, I removed the EPAS column I had previously painstaking installed with the Polo steering rack, and cut off the mounts.
How it was:
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
I turned my attention back to mounting the Corsa rack, and did it like so:
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
With that mounted, I then removed the steering column mounts on the dash bar, and mocked up where it needed to be so the UJ angles weren’t terrible:
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
Trial fit of the pedal box to ensure I had clearance:
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
Added two more tubes, triangulating it back to the dash bar:
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
I then needed to remake the connecting shaft between the column and rack, as I was now using all GM parts, this was based on a stock Corsa one, just cut down. They’re crimped splines as standard, something which I can’t replicate, so I pinned it using a 6mm roll pin, and then welded around the shaft and around the pin for good measure (the spline is still fully engaged too)
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
Happier with that than my previous cut n shut, so every cloud n all that.
Cabin looks something like this now:
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
Still got to mount the gear shift tower, and cut the handbrake down, along with splitting the corsa column to accept these:
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
Should still be able to keep the Corsa stalks, which makes indicators and wash/wipe much more intuitive and easier, flicking toggle switches was my least preferred route for standard controls!
Rack gives me the space I need engine side of the bulkhead, and there’s enough room for some heatshielding betwwen the turbine housing and it:
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
I’ve also been fitting a new radiator to support the extra thermal loads this engine will have, a Mk4 Golf aluminium items seemed a good place to start, 42mm core and is literally the largest rad I can fit in!
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
Lots of parts got cut for it to fit, including the headlight surrounds:
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
Untitled by
Peter Strange, on Flickr
I’ll be getting rid of the stock shroud, I can’t fit a stock alternator with it, and the average speed will hopefully be high enough to warrant not having one, just need to ensure the rad is ducted properly.
It fits behind the bumper and grille, so just need to package an intercooler & oil cooler, and I’m done for the cooling pack stuff!
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Peter Strange, on Flickr
Cheers
Pete