Author Topic: My GT-G40  (Read 112696 times)

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #45 on: May 09, 2009, 06:13:14 pm »
Some pics from AMD :)

Old suspension being stripped


New Gaz coilovers ready to go on :)


Old vs new front strut - look how short the Gaz one is!


Thankfully after the delays on Thursday, it rolled out of the AMD workshop yesterday with the 200 mile trip from Dartford to Cardiff as a test.

I got about 2 miles away before I pulled over and softened up the rear shocks, which had been set to about the same stiffness as the front. I'm guessing because there's no weight over the rear wheels, you don't need them that stiff, even on fairly soft springs. But I managed to get it just right in the first hit which was a pleasant surprise!

Drove the rest of the way back to Cardiff with a massive grin on my face. What a difference! Obviously it's removed a few squeaks and groans that the aged old stuff was suffering from, but what's really different is how it behaves over bumps and lumps on the motorway. Whereas the old kit used to tug at the steering wheel over uneven sections of tarmac, it seems a lot more stable now. And, because the front end is now sat slightly lower than the rear it feels like I'm getting less front end lift. Driving into a headwind it felt a lot more planted than it used to, really really stable.

Ride quality is slightly better than the old kit I reckon, but still stiff, and I can go softer if I want. And it's definitely tightened up the body roll it was starting to suffer from on the old stuff before.

AMD also changed my brakes - I'm now running EBC GreenStuff and USR discs. They're still running in, so I'll save judgement on them for now.

It's slightly lower front and rear, with a bigger drop at the front to get it all sat level and the back end has been leveled out after years of leaning onto the offside rear wheel. I can wind it down about another 30mm if I want, but I don't want to. Never really been the point of this car!

Here are a couple of quick pics of how it's sat now. It's filthy, and I couldn't be arsed to take it to a decent location. I'll take some decent pics when I get time. But these give you some idea!







I might drop the back 10mm or so, I haven't decided yet. Just to get it a bit more level. I'll wait until it's settled first. I also need to get it back down to AMD for corner weighting at some point. It's been laser aligned but due to delays with the bearing there wasn't enough time to do everything.

Overall, very happy with this! The car's driving really, really well. But there is a niggle, as always. It sounds like the nearside CV joint is on its way out. I knew it was a bit tired, but I'm guessing the diff hasn't done it much good!
« Last Edit: May 09, 2009, 06:27:57 pm by Alex »

Offline Dan

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #46 on: May 10, 2009, 11:32:55 am »
Looking good. I would keep the ride height as it is, looks fine ! It might settle and I prefer them slightly lower on the front.

Make sure you get decent quality CV's to replace them.

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #47 on: May 10, 2009, 02:33:54 pm »
I'll probably get them from VW tbh, they're fairly well stressed on my car. Naff quality ones won't last long!

Offline Phil

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #48 on: May 14, 2009, 02:33:01 am »
Lovely stuff alex, what spring rates did you go for?

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #49 on: May 14, 2009, 09:19:20 am »
Because my car was off the road I never got to specify rates, but Gaz supplied 275lbs at the front, 165lbs at the back. Works well too, the front isn't too stiff and the back isn't too soft.

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #50 on: May 23, 2009, 08:24:38 pm »
The G40 made a return to the show scene on the Max Power stand at the Modified Nationals today. I cleaned it twice this week, it was filthy and I missed bits the first time, then my mate Loz, a valeter, came up on Friday for the show to polish and wax it. Looks mint!

Wasn't sure whether people would like it, but it's had a steady stream of interest through the day, plenty of people taking pics of it too! Nice to see!






Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #51 on: July 01, 2009, 03:51:13 pm »
Pic from GTI International last weekend, in the show n shine. I didn't win, but I didn't expect to :)


Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #52 on: July 10, 2009, 03:28:33 pm »
Today is a happy day, my Stack gauges have arrived :)

Here we have four Pro-Control gauges, showing oil temp, oil pressure, boost and voltage. Voltage to be mounted in front of the gearstick (where my boost gauge is at the moment) and the rest will go where the head unit used to live.



These really are stunning quality, I can't wait to fit them!!! :)



Offline cheddarcheese

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #53 on: July 13, 2009, 04:22:57 pm »
Very nice a bet they set you back a bit :)

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #54 on: July 13, 2009, 04:30:56 pm »
£550 for the four! :o

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #55 on: August 05, 2009, 12:30:57 am »
Still got some tweaking to do to get them sat perfectly, but nearly there!




Offline cheddarcheese

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #56 on: August 10, 2009, 02:18:01 pm »
looking good m8!

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #57 on: August 20, 2009, 09:05:51 pm »
Recorded this weeks ago, but only just off-loaded it from my camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j46nKn5xJI

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #58 on: October 27, 2009, 12:25:52 am »
As you may know, I missed Saturday's rolling road day, but it was only half of my weekend's plans for the Polo.

After a year of new additions I've been itching to get the car out and find out how it deals with track driving. So I signed up for a Mazda on Track car control day, run regularly at Finmere Aerodrome near Silverstone, to get to grips with it somewhere out in the open.

I'm really impressed too. This year's additions have made such a massive difference to the way it drives. Wet or dry, the diff finds any grip there is and pulls the car out of the corner. Fan-bloody-tastic. Every G40 should have one :)

It found grip when the track was this shitty first thing, which was amazing. Pre-Quaife the car would've spun the inside wheel and slid forwards off the track. It'll still pull wide if you drive like a cock, but if you apply a bit of thought it's very capable.


I wasn't pissing about through the corners, quite often pushing too hard to see where the limits of grip were. I need to work on my 'serious driving face' though! :)


End of the second straight, setting up for a tight hairpin left, looks good and stiff under braking...


And one from the first course (shorter, tighter corners but slower)


It's no faster in a straight line, of course, but I've tamed the power a lot since its last trip out on track. I reckon point to point it's a considerably faster machine now, which is pleasing!

Unfortunately I bottomed out coming through the exit of the fast track too quickly, hit a pothole and managed to snap my lambda probe in half.  :o Strangely the car's running better now than it was before though, so it obviously wasn't right.

I'm feeling a little bitter about Saturday if I'm honest. I was keen to find out what power the car's putting out, it felt really strong all day on Friday. Instead I spent the day at home wishing I wasn't. I'd assumed our lousy expenses department had pulled their thumbs out of their arseholes recently, but I'm still waiting on the £125 which was meant to go into my account last Friday. Due to arrive this Friday now, which is two days after pay day. Yeah, thanks. :(

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #59 on: January 30, 2010, 01:49:02 am »
Progress has been slow over the winter, the G40 hasn't left the garage since mid December partially due to laziness (it's blocked in with mess) and partially because my road was frozen up.

2010 is looking positive though. It's due to go into Perkins Automotive before the end of Feb for a fresh coat of paint and a bit of resto work which I've been putting off. There are a couple of blobs of rust coming through which won't get better with time, the smoothed aerial hole on the wing has dropped and one of the rear arches isn't sitting flush with the bodywork.

The rest of the work is tiny niggles, like the windscreen which was badly fitted after a rock smashed the old one and the rear window which is the only one which isn't green tinted glass. It's all stuff I've just ended up leaving, but it will get sorted this year.

I'm going to strip all the exterior trim this time and renew the b-pillar vinyls, and assuming I can find all the bits in my parents garage I'll fit the tilt/slide sunroof I've had for about 5 years!

I've also sorted myself out with a new set of wheels. Something tough but show-worthy. Got a while to wait for them though, they're not out yet. :)

If all goes to plan it'll resurface for an appearance on our stand at the Modified Nationals, then I'm planning to head out to a few more summer shows with it. I'm not out to build a show-winner, just a smart and usable fast road car with good paintwork. :)