Author Topic: My GT-G40  (Read 112655 times)

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #240 on: August 14, 2013, 07:15:42 pm »
Hard work is done:



On track for Saturday! \:D/

Offline z3i

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #241 on: August 14, 2013, 07:37:34 pm »
Woah! That was fast!
Glad shes all back nicely repaired :D

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #242 on: August 14, 2013, 08:43:11 pm »
Yeah it's been turned around pretty damned quickly. There's some finishing to do and it needs to go back together but the tough bits are done.

It helped getting the tailgate sent up beforehand though.

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #243 on: August 17, 2013, 08:16:35 pm »


It's home 8)

That bumper is going to need a thorough going over but it's looking good!

Offline z3i

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #244 on: August 17, 2013, 08:45:25 pm »
Cracking job! you must be pleased! looks like she was never hit :)
:D

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #245 on: August 17, 2013, 09:39:00 pm »
Yeah, I'm really pleased with it. Relieved this is over with, too.

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #246 on: August 23, 2013, 11:11:31 pm »
So, yesterday I got a chance to take the G40 around Rockingham, as part of the Guild of Motoring Writers 'Big Day Out' event. Essentially it was a track day where journalists, bloggers and writers could take their own cars out on track, do a spot of networking and drive some new models the manufacturers had brought along.

I had only ever driven Rockingham in the dry beforehand, in Honda press cars about four years ago, and that was huge fun. But at the briefing we were warned that the infield section of the track is incredibly slippery when it's wet. They weren't kidding. We'd had rainfall overnight and the track was covered in water, so everyone was slipping around even on the sighting lap.

With that in mind, I left it for about half an hour or so just to let some dry lines form then took the car out for some slow-ish laps. Baby steps, we were told, is the best way to learn the layout. I could get traction, which still surprises me given how awful it was in the wet before the Quaife went in, but the back end was twitching a bit for the first session.



The track got gradually drier through the morning, and my confidence picked up, as did my speeds on the banked section, though with plenty of water either side I decided against going flat out and kept the speed down to a comfortable 90mph before braking earlier than I normally would into the first two turns. The inside of the sharpest turns, the racing line, was a like driving on ice.

Pic by PoloDriver.com - love it!


My fifth (I think) and last run before lunch was pretty brilliant, going around the track following the dry lines and finally making use of the supercharger. Then sadly I hit a snag.

Not a big snag, but a snag.

The rubber ball had come off the top of the 'shift finger'  - the bit which connects the gear linkage between the gearbox and the gearstick, which meant I couldn't get any gears. Luckily it happened in the pitlane.

This completely blindsided me. It's not something I'd ever even considered would wear out, but after 186,000 miles it was cracked, crumbling and I'm amazed it survived a morning on track. Although it's a £10 part, it's not something dealers keep in stock. I bodged a repair job on what was left of mine (gaffer tape and superglue) and with a 150 mile drive home I decided against chancing any more laps in my car.

Not a huge sacrifice, because several manufacturers had brought cars to drive. I ticked this off the bucket list, finally, and still want one:


Kia had brought one of the 'reasonably priced' Cee'ds so I took that out for a few laps, which was good fun. It had done 300 miles by the end of the day, which is over 150 hard laps of Rockingham's BTCC layout, and it didn't miss a beat. Speaks volumes for Korean build quality!


I also had a chance to get a few pax laps in, including a rapid VX220 Turbo, an Evo FQ400 and several with a mate in his MX-5, which was hilarious. Armfuls of opposite lock on almost every corner, made me want something with rear wheel drive.

As a bonus, my car was voted 'car which best captured the spirit of the day' and I won this, which I was really chuffed with!


Then I got a stroke of luck - I'd contacted Mark (aka Big Burt) to see if he had a spare part to get me home, as I knew he was local. He didn't, but he put me onto Pete (StinkyPete) who did, and offered to sort the car out on his drive so I could get home. LIFE SAVERS, the pair of them. Plus I got a chance to have a look around Pete's monster space framed breadvan, which is even more awesome in the metal than pics could ever convey!

Ironically, my repair job had turned the crumbling remains of the rubber ball into a rock solid block of glue and gaffer tape which had latched on so tightly it was able to support the metal bit underneath. I reckon it would've lasted the afternoon, wasn't worth chancing though.


I had a great drive home with the car repaired, it felt really strong, and it's made me a bit more philosophical about things. I'd started the day confessing to Jon that tracking my car makes me nervous, in case I bin it, but I came away feeling entirely different. It'll always be cheaper to take a chance that the G40 will break or get bent than it will to run a second car just in case, I don't tend to take chances anyway and it's plenty quick enough for me to enjoy hooning it about.

Actually, it's a shame not to track it, but I'll be a bit more thorough with pre-flight checks next time around. I can think of more expensive ways to learn that lesson.


Offline gaz g40

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #247 on: August 24, 2013, 09:00:47 am »
Sounds like a cool ass day that mate. Love the bodge job though! Is there anything gaffa tape cant sort out?!

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #248 on: August 24, 2013, 10:43:21 am »
I reckon there are very few things you can't bodge with some gaffer tape.  :D

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #249 on: August 28, 2013, 09:29:07 pm »
Sadly so far I've not had any pics turn up of my car going around Rockingham, but on Sunday I cleaned it and went to a local Volkswagen meet, then took the long route home. Gentle driving, just enjoying being back behind the wheel really.

So have some photos of it looking shiny and sat still instead:



Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #250 on: September 22, 2013, 08:35:05 pm »
Updates are thin on the ground this month. I've had a silly month with deadlines and the Frankfurt Motor Show, so the Polo hasn't changed much. Flew through its MOT (as it should've done) at the start of the month and has done a few local miles since but not much.

I have modified my garage, though:


It's a charging point for an electric car, just in time for this to arrive:


My new long-termer, a Vauxhall Ampera. It's electric for 40-50 miles, then it has a petrol engine which works primarily as a generator to keep the battery topped up. It replaced the Civic I've had for six months, and this one goes back in March.

I like it. The white makes it quite a head-turner, and it's surprisingly quick. Comfortable and very stable at high speeds, too, though it's about 1,700kg (!) due to the battery, which means it's prone to squealing its tyres and feels a little heavy if it's driven with much gusto.

They're a fairly unlikely pairing, mind:


That said, so is my car's semi-permanent stablemate. Caroline's Z4. I'd hazard a guess most would assume that it's mine, and that it's the quicker of the two... :D


It's not going to be around for long, though. We're having a baby next March, so the Z4 is making way for something with five doors and room for a child seat. Not sure what yet, though. Exciting times!

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #251 on: January 24, 2014, 11:09:31 pm »
Haven't updated this in a while, but I guess I haven't had much call to!

My car now has its PPP exhaust fitted. And very nice it is too!


If you're wondering, the branded boost hose will be rotated back around to hide the writing and I'm aware that the red silicone hose at the top is looking out of place, and that the cold air feed needs to be replaced too. Time!

I've had new exhaust hangers made up to replace the Polo ones, and it's been shifted around to get as much clearance as possible. I don't catch the centre box getting into the garage any more, haha!

Subtle tailpipe at the back:


I've not had a chance to drive it in anger since it came back, so I can't vouch for power gains yet but the fit and quality is amazing. Highly recommended!



The rest of the driveway is due for a change. Ampera goes back to Vauxhall in March, and the Z4 is now up for sale for an off-season price as we've just bought a Kia Sportage as a family carrier. Anyone interested in a Beemer for the summer?
« Last Edit: January 24, 2014, 11:24:52 pm by Alex »

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #252 on: January 25, 2014, 09:48:19 pm »
Forgot to post a pic of the manifold pre-fitment.  :)

Offline Yoof

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #253 on: January 25, 2014, 10:11:46 pm »
Shame they don't stay that colour  ;D

Subframe next?  ;)

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #254 on: January 25, 2014, 10:13:59 pm »
Already hunting freelance work to pay for it!

Next PVW update will be the exhaust. ;-)

Baby purchases are going to slow things down this year though.