Dedicated Track Car Progress Thread

[trublustu]

:thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:

Started first turn of the key

Cadwell here I come..
Oh yeah...

 

[aaron86]

:clap: :clap: :clap:
Well done mate, see you there

 

[trublustu]

Today is my lads 18th and yesterday was my daughters 17th.
Busy weekend!
But I`m sat chillin now, looking forward to Cadwell on Thursday.

As the car has just had a new engine, I thought I`d `take stock` and list my mods so far, and write something of a wish list..
So far...

Lightening -

Spare and tray off @15kg
Interior trim, soundproofing and audio removed. @15kg
PAS/Aircon removed. (incl pumps) @15kg
Fiesta 56Ah Battery 5kg
Stripped heater and dash 18kg
some brackets removed.
rear wiper motor gone
washer bottle gone
Headlights `emptied` probably 2kg. plus the bits ive forgotten about @5kg
giving me @75kg weight savings

Power -

FRP cams airbox and map,
Full Milltek,
Flowed Mondeo TB and MAF,
removal of PAS pump.
Short throw gear linkage

Handling -

Gaz Gold coilovers
Lower front and rear strut braces,
`Black` rear beam bushes,
`Black` front wishbone bushes
FRP rear wishbone bushes
278mm V6 Mondeo brakes
253mm Focus rear disc brakes
3 sets of F1`s (best wheel)

Aero -

Geurney flap,
Splitter/undertray
`smoothed` (ie- washer jets, indicators, wipers, ariel, rear jet, rear wiper all gone/tucked in),
panda ear mirrors,
aircon rad out to open radiator up

Theres other bits too that have come and gone..

If only for the time and money..
(in no particular order)

Buckets and harnesses
FRP plenum
Lightened flywheel
Focus clutch
Diffuser/canards/spats+
Race engine mounts
stiffened beam and zetec-s arb
LSD
MSA roll cage
Polycarb windows
Carbon/fiberglass panels

probably be seats next

*updated 26/7/15*

 

[kenner2002]

Good luck at Cadwell on Thursday dude, will you have the camera set up inside again?

I am liking the list of mods, its giving me ideas lol

 

[trublustu]

I will have my camera up and running,
it`ll be interesting to compare performance to my last visit (before cams and map)

Every time I read my list I remember something else, it`ll probably grow yet..

 

[trublustu]

Ooh, I`ve found new goodies for my wish list...
http://www.acwmotorsportplastics.co.uk/ford-puma.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There`s a couple more kilos :lol:

 

[trublustu]

Well that was all a bit of a damp squib..
My attack of Cadwell never happened :-( thanks to my Epic breakdown getting there
http://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?f=138&t=27757" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
so there`s not much to report on the car,
Except..

I did get to drive the car a little around the circuit roads
I can say that the new engine and cams have transformed the power of the car
It has loads more go. so much that at the low speed I could go I was struggling to get it down!
although to be fair the tarmac was cold and greasy in the extreme.

I do have a clutch problem though.
I pressure bled the clutch a couple of times.
But it fails to operate fully when I press the pedal, meaning it will not go into gear while stationary
although it will start in gear with the clutch down, once moving I can change gear.

Any ideas...

 

[TGPlayer1]

Clutches are a bitch to bleed Stu, even with pressure operated stuff it doesn't always work, it'll still have air in it I bet. If not then the slave has gone.

 

[trublustu]

it operated fine before the blow-up.
I know they`re a pig to bleed, i`ll have a good old go with the pressure bleeder again,
possible on lower pressure (I had it on about 27psi)

 

[trublustu]

As I whiled away my Easter Sunday afternoon lounging in the garden,
I spied my cut-down dash tucked away in a corner.
so...

I whipped out my dashboard, being as careful as I`ve ever been to keep all the clips intact.
then it was just a natural progression to remove the fan and heater box in order to get out the last of the soundproofing.

The stripped full dash weighs 10.5kg, my cut-down 4kg.
with the heater box and soundproof felt, I have just shaved 15.5kg out of the car (including the weight of the new dash)

There will be a couple more kg of the bitumen soundproofing and a kg or two of redundant loom to remove too.
I`ll sort some pics tomorrow.

It`s almost weighbridge time...

 

[trublustu]

I finished off my dash fit today.
The last of the tar-like soundproofing came out. As a word of note, the stuff behind the heater box is a pig to get out. It`s sort of double layered and takes some scraping.
In total I`ve shaved 18.5 kg out of the car which is some more nice free speed, although I think earplugs may be in order from now on..

cut down dash 1

• trublustu
• Apr 6, 2015

I took the opportunity to strip out a bit of un-nessesary wiring too, more to tidy the thing up rather than the 750g it weighed!
I also stuck my Lockwood dial instruments in too. An hour or two with a milling bit on the Dremel will finish the dash off.

cut down dash 2

• trublustu
• Apr 6, 2015

I just need to clean the tar off with white spirit and i`ll have to find something else to modify...

 

[trublustu]

Well the car is all back together and looking good to go..
although the gear selection issue http://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=27971" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
is stopping me playing out tomorrow at 3-sisters

but another rather handy upgrade part has come my way :grin:

frp wishbone bushes

• trublustu
• May 3, 2015

They`re FRP rear wishbone bushes
which thould be about a hundred times better than the rather sorry looking flo-flex which are fitted at the mo..

 

[trublustu]

Apologies firstly for lack of photos. I really must sort myself a decent phone..
Anyhow, nice day for car prep..

I`m really really pleased to report that my clutch issue has turned out to be a knackered concentric slave,
new one will be on Tuesday
Whipping the box off took 2 1/2 hours (with a couple of fag/brew breaks).
I`m getting quite efficient at it. Although..
I managed to dis-engage the N/S cv joint, so had to dismantle it to pop it back in, I hate that grease..
plus I need a new clamp ring thingie!

With the rest of the afternoon (it is Sunday) I fitted reconditioning kits to the front calipers.
They are 280mm Mk1 V6 Mondeo jobbies and were fitted as they were, to get the new braking system up and running.
When I renewed the pads I found very uneven wear, and the side with less wear was a pig to push the piston in.
Both dust seals were off and the pistons looked like crap.
So for twenty quid a side, I ordered new pistons and seals

I found there are two specifications of front brake on the Mondy donor car.!
If you do this 280mm brake mod, make sure you get the reg of the donor car for ordering pads etc.

As the wishbones are nearly off, the new bushes will be going in before the end of the week too.

Happy Days..

 

[kenner2002]

I bet you cannot wait to get back out there and give the car just run around the track, is Mallory park your next track day?

 

[siju]

As I found out it is probably easier to undo the N/S central hub nut and remove complete the N/S driveshaft with the gearbox. This way you don't have to mess with the CV grease!

Nice progress!

Alex

 

[trublustu]

Hi kenner, The car is looking good, still two feet up in the air with bits hanging off it!
But once i get the clutch cylinder it should be a simple enough job putting it back together (again)
It is Mallory next for me, next Thursday..

I normally do leave the driveshaft in siju, but in a fit of stupidity i pulled the shaft and popped it out.
They go back in easily enough, I just gotta seal the cv boot back up...

 

[trublustu]

The gearbox slotted back on with no issues and the clutch problem is cured :grin:
still doesn`t feel 100% but i`ll bleed it some more and see how i go.
The car is actually a lot more civilized at low speeds now it has the cams to match the frp map.
With just the map it was lairy from tickover!
On the streets near my house I wasn`t about to test the car at it`s limits, that`ll come tomorrow at Mallory.
No time to get the FRP wishbone bushes in, but they`ll be fitted before the next outing.

I have my camera set up for tomorrow so I`ll post some vids when I get back

Oh yes, one more thing..
Now the heater box and soundproofing have gone, earplugs are a must :-D

 

[trublustu]

I had a good day at Mallory Park yesterday
The weather was fantastic and the car ran like a dream (up to a point!)
I have a vid of me hanging onto Pumajays car, which was on semi-slicks and had no passenger, so performance wise, all looking good.
This vid is "processing" here`s one from earlier with an empty track to go at.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vp899ZEAYs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The fastest laps were around 58 seconds, I really need some 888`s :?

I dont know whats going on with my idle, it hunts, revs up and generally doesn`t want to tick over. I`m not overly concerned as on full chat it behaves well,
although...
Heading into the Esses at @100mph my brakes failed suddenly (my buttocks still haven`t relaxed!)

I thought i`d blown the rear cylinder so took off to an autofactors in Hinkley (at lunch as the paddock is in the middle of the track) to buy a new slave cylinder.
I should have stripped the drum first (was bloody hot though) as it turns out my shoes (quite new) had worn to nothing and "fallen off" the piston and wouldn`t go back together.
Damn, game over! I still got 120 miles in before it went pop..

So, I`ll be finding and fitting some Focus rear hubs with 210mm discs as they are so much easier to check and maintain.

 

[trublustu]

Here`s one of my best vids yet

http://youtu.be/tRTsKbznvNA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There are half a dozen clear laps with good lines then I steam past fifteen cars in a dozen or so laps,
yielding to just two cars..

I think I fancy wearing my driving god hat today :-D

 

[gezhenry]

Jeez Stu that was mightily impressive !! r u off 3 sisters today or having a tinker I mite come down I better bring my incontinence pants along Wi me just in case!!!!