RobinJI

Mike, you keep mentioning your mx-5 not having space for decent speakers but I'm sure mine had 16cm ones in the doors, which with just some reasonable 2 way components and an old sony headunit had enough punch for quite a few passengers to comment, enough to keep me happy anyway. Maybe my car had different doorcards being earlier or something? Might be worth looking at earlier doorcards if that is the case. With rain repellant stuff, I've just been using rain-x glass cleaner. Ok it wears off fairly fast but I just give the glass a quick clean with it whenever I clean the car and that keeps it topped up enough, it's literally no harder to use than just cleaning the glass. It works well and the bottles still got plenty left after 9 monthsish.

I'm tempted to get some NS2-Rs, but I wouldn't recommend them to Dan really goinoffnwhat I understand he uses his car for. (Hell, I probably wouldnt recommend them to myself thinking about it haha) I'll only have them on a second set of wheels, sod having them as my only option through a British winter. I might also be getting some part warn rally moulded slick for a laugh, just because a friends got some spare. Can keep them as a secret weapon if I ever do anything like Curborough. The ATS that are on my car now will probably get some rainsports for normal road use though. Jardo, don't bark your opinion as an order and people might complain less. I got it because I know you (although its been too long ). But I can see how what you said makes yuou sound like a willy to everyone who doesn't know/understand your mannerisms.

That geo all looks fine really, basically what I'd expect from a small hatch set-up to factory spec. The caster's a perfectly normal angle for a small hatchback, don't worry about it. More would probably be nice, but it's almost certainly impossible to adjust anything but front toe, and a very small amount of front camber, both of which look fine, and if anything airing towards stability. What sort of speed are you talking about it being twitchy at? If we're talking 3 figures it could just be a result of it having the aerodynamics of a car designed for running around town, not blasting autobahns.

Have you got a printout of what the figures came out at? I've seen more than a few places with fancy 4 wheel alignment kit and zero idea what the effects of geo really are. I think I might be going for some NS2-Rs soon, now I'm not comuting in the scirocco. Although I'm probably going to get the center-bores on the MX-5 wheels taken out so I can use them as a second set for the scirocco so I can keep a set with normal road tyres for winter and motorway drives.

Haha, yeah, sorry, obviously one should be fine on a set of those ramps. I seem to have some sort of obsession with pointing out how much BMW's weigh at any opportunity. I am actually aware that they're good cars (well, mostly), it's a weird problem I have They're just so heavy and so small inside, if it wasn't for that I'd absolutely love them. Greetings, looks like satisfying progress, I love tidying things like that lot up, it's always really pleasing work to do. I should do it more... As for the Ferrari noise, there was about 2 points in that video where the revs got really high and it started to sound nice, otherwise, it's nothing too special really. (PS, I wasn't going to watch it, then I read Jardos post which provoked me to press play )

Ever checked out how much a 46 weighs I think NS2-R's will be pretty high on my shopping list for the Scirocco soon along with a referb for my ATS.

I'll be after about £280 for the megasquirt, it's set-up as a plug and play set-up for a mk1 MX-5. I was thinking of adapting it to fit the Scirocco, but I'd rather sell it to someone as a plug and play set-up and start with a fresh kit for the 'rocco.

I'll have a think, haven't got as far as working out prices yet. I might have a set of Mazdaspeed MS-01 wheels spare too.

Speaking of MX-5's, I'm moving on Monday, which is leading to a shuffle around of my cars, and probably breaking my MX-5. (Before I've even got it back on the road ) If anyone fancies purchasing a 6 point cage, MX-5 specific side mounts for bucket seats, a harness bar, an MS2 V3 megasquirt with adaptor harness, a satin black hardtop, an aftermarket exhaust manifold or a viscous LSD, get in touch. I've got quite a few other bits too, but those are the big/interesting bits off the top of my head.

Good stuff, there seems to be quite a bit of variation between makes/models with the cheap coilovers, glad you got good ones. To be honest anything will be better than blown shocks so all's good! That's good you got the rears done too, they're often the most troublesome to fit.

I'm guessing it's a Bertone made X1/9 then if it's not a Fiat? If not then I'd be curious to know what's hiding under the skin. Very cool little cars either way. (Didn't know they were sold as Bertones until reading your post and doing a quick google, I'd have said it was a Fiat too.) Adam, well done on racing, it's a shame the dyno worked out so unfairly but with the results as they are, I guess it doesn't really matter. Good to see the mission motorsport chap do so well, they do some seriously impressive stuff. Duncy, the cheap coilovers on mine are fine for normal getting around, but they're quite under-damped and therefore a bit too bouncy for pushing on, I didn't find them very confidence inspiring. If you're happy with the ride height then I'd personally just buy some new decent quality shocks unless you want to spend out for decent coilovers. Just got home from camping at Retro Rides Gathering, what a brilliant weekend and an amazing show. My decision to deliberately take zero pictures so I could just enjoy being there makes this a bit of a boring post though

Yeah, the block will work fine for a mock up, they're very, very similar blocks between the petrol and diesels. I'm sure the clutch/flywheel side of things is all covered in that thread I linked you to a while back (can't remember if that was on here or facebook?). Sadly a 1.4 will be the wrong pattern, as they're the engines with the exhaust on the front that I mentioned. What you're after's the 02j box, or potentially an 02a from a mk3 or b3/4 passat. Off the top of my head: Mk1/2 Golf: 1.0/1.1/1.05/1.3 are no use to you. 1.5/1.6/1.8 02o gearbox, the block would work for mocking up, but the box is no use as they use a backwards clutch set-up operated by a rod through the input shaft. Mk3 golf: 1.05/1.4 are no use 1.6/1.8/1.9td use the mk2 02o set-up. 2.0 16v GTI's use an 02a box, which is similar to the later 02j and may be of use to you. Normal hydraulic clutch and the starters will end up on the passenger side running back towards the bulkhead. 2.0 8v GTI's and 1.9TDi's I believe depend on age as to whether they're an 02a or 02o, the cable vs hydraulic clutch is the instant give-away. VR6 is no use to you, different bell-housing bolt pattern. Mk4 golf: 1.4 and 1.6 16v are no use. 1.6 8v I THINK uses an 02a, but I don't really know. 1.8 20v, 1.9tdi and 2.0 8v all use the 02j (I'm not actually 100% about the 2.0 8v, but I'd be very surprised if it didn't.) V5/V6 is again completely different. B3/4 Passats use an 02a, as do Corrados. I'm not really clued up on the Seat/Skoda/Polo platforms. I don't know much about 6 speeds, but I think they use a concentric slave cylinder, which could be good/bad depending on space. B1, 2 and 4 Passats use an inline engine, I'm not sure on box codes or anything but the before definitely uses a traditional clutch while I'm not sure on the B1 and 2. These will place the starter on the exhaust side of the engine running along the block away from the cabin, which could be useful?

As long as it's VAG, it's got 4 pistons, and it's exhaust comes out the back of the head then the box will physically bolt up to a 1.8t. So yeah, all the 1.9tdi's come into that, as well as anything else from a 1.5 mk1 golf through to a 2.0tfsi mk5. (no idea about mk6's onwards, but I can't imagine them being different.) Basically it's only the small engines with the exhaust on the front that you need to avoid. (as well as some commercial stuff like LT35s.) As for what will be useful for what you want it for, I've no idea. The only variation in terms of bolt pattern is that later stuff (mk4 on) added some extra bolts between the bell-housing and sump that early stuff didn't have. If I remember right the link I sent you a while back used an 02j box's bell-housing which is the 5 speed from any 1.8/1.9d/2.0 mk4. I suspect Jakes Ibiza will have a 6 speed. (Edit: may be handy to know that longitudinal boxes and transverse equivalents mount the starter on opposite sides: front/passenger side for transverse, back/drivers side for longitudinal. It's position's purely dictated by the bell-housing, you might need to match the flywheel to it but I'm not sure on that.)

Sounds interesting/cool. I'm going to take a random stab in the dark and guess it's aircooled? Skoze: In terms of reading I pretty much stick to here, Retrorides, Speedhunters and a small amount of Audisport (basically just Nicks build thread.) In terms of videos, Roadkill and Mighty car mods are my only real regulars, but I find my self watching a fair few drive/motortrend when they show a subject I'm interested in.

My Laptop or my Intense SS1, depending on the insurance. (laptop if the bike's insured, bike if it's not.) Basically because the laptop's got the most stuff to keep life feeling normal while everything's screwed up, but if there's no insurance on it, then the bike for basically the same reason, as without insurance it'd be less essential/harder to afford, so more worth saving in my eyes. First thought was car keys, but thinking about it, a locksmith to get me back into my car's a hell of a lot cheaper than a laptop or bike. (Or if I'm being an awkward willy, my fireproofs from rallying, so I could go get loads of stuff )

If the bodywork's genuinely tidy then I really doubt you could. There's probably over 4k in parts to build that. You'd have a lot of fun building something like it, but I don't think you'd come off better financially at all. I must say, I love mk2's but that doesn't do much for me. I've never thought big bumpers look good unless they're very oem looking, and in black it'd have to have all the red GTI trim. That's just my taste though. I'd never try any put someone off a mk2, they're a brilliant mix of being old enough to be interesting and cool, but new enough to be genuinely usable day to day. Plus, I like the idea of you getting back into cool old stuff, you were good at cool old stuff. 911's are an odd one for me, I have a lot of love and appreciation for them, they're exactly the sort of thing I adore with a mix of history, motorsport heritage, odd-defiance of the rules and cult status. BUT I could never bring myself to own any watercooled 911 that wasn't an RS, and I'd be picky picky about colour/spec even with aircooled ones. They're a very spec dependent car in my eyes, show me the right one and I'll make a mess of my underwear, but show me the wrong one and I'll completely fail to find any interest at all. I think the 911 I've got the most want to actually own's probably a 914. (OK, it's not technically a 911, but it's close...)

In terms of bike racks you can just use anything that'll work on a saloon, which is most of them really. I did it a few times when I had mine as a daily, same rack I'd always had worked just fine. Could also look at something like a 924 so you can just about get it inside if you want.

The spigot takes no loading in use. It's purely a centering device to make sure the wheel bolts up central. You're right that the bolts don't take any shear loading, they're 'just' there to clamp the wheel to the hub face, but they clamp it with enough force that the friction created between the hub face and the wheel is more than enough to hold the wheel stationary under any loading you'd manage to put it through. So as long as the wheel's centered properly it's fine not to have the spigot there, as once the bolts are torqued up, the spigot's job is over and it's not doing anything. If you're sensible in how you do up the wheel bolts, the taper on them should center the wheel anyway, which is how some cars like classic mini's get away with not having a spigot at all. Trouble is, if the bolts are extended through a spacer, then they're not going to center the wheel as well because they'll have more movement in them. If the car has studs you can get away with it, if it has bolts, I wouldn't go over 10mm without them being hubcentric or you're likely to have wobbly wheels. (The simple proof of the fact the spigot doesn't take any loading's the fact it's a loose fit, if it was designed to be loaded it'd have to be an interference fit to avoid fretting leading to failure.)

It sounds like he's doing ok all things considered, but still not exactly perfectly fine. Ligament/tendon damage in his knees from the dash and a few broken ribs purely from the deceleration. I don't know the exact list but it sounded like that was the worst of it. Sadly the tendon damage sounded like it's going to take a while to heal up. Pretty nasty really. Real shame.

ClioTurbo's run by a chap called Andrew isn't it? He built a 1.8t vw engined Clio a while back and I was chatting to him about getting the rev-counter working from his megasquirt, not sure if he ever got to the bottom of it but he seemed a nice guy. Small world. Paul, I'm not sure about building another. The current plan seems to be to buy a car that's already rally prepared. It'll more than likely still need alterations making (most cars that have been looked at aren't in the right category so would need an engine change to get back in class C.) I'm not sure about what exactly the deal will be with financial comeback, really the focus has been on sod all other than the people involved until the last couple of days. It sounds like there might be some hope, but it's still to early to know. As for megasquirt, yeah, it could be adapted to run on either engine, although it depends what coil-pack set-up you wanted to use. If you used a normal toothed wheel CPS on the Porsche lump, and either ran a twin coil-pack wasted spark set-up or EDIS, then it'd all swap over to a 1.8t with just a change of HT leads and a few swapped over plugs for temp sensors and things. You could make it plug straight into both engines, but it'd mean altering the board a bit to add the extra coil-drivers for the COP set-up the 1.8t's run. My main concern would be how easy it'd be to fit electrically fired injectors on the 924 engine, it may be a fair bit of work if there's no parts bin options. Otherwise it seems a sensible option. I quite liked making mine too, it was a nice little project. Oh, and yeah, you'd have to get the immobiliser coded out, although it'd probably be no more

It really does suck. As for the Impreza, that's under investigation by the MSA. Going the wrong way on stage is taken very seriously for obvious reasons. I really don't know why they were, just that they were.

Cut springs are fine as long as you don't go mad, it's when people chop a third of the spring off, with standard length and rate shocks that the complaints come. (Obviously not all springs can be cut, some aren't a constant shape.) Also yeah, some are wound progressively. Paul, you could build a Megasquirt for £250. Just saying. Some of you may know I've been co-driving in a south west championship this year. I was co-driving for a friend in his dad's old rally car that we'd dragged out of the garage and recommissioned. My friends dad was also doing the odd rally, but not in a specific championship. Last weekend his dad was competing in a tarmac rally down in Cornwall and half way around a 4th gear corner he was confronted with an Impreza coming the wrong way at speed: 140mph combined impact speed. Amazingly everyone got out alive, although they're all pretty beaten about with various broken bones/cuts/other injuries. It really does go to show how strong these cars are once they're properly prepared for racing. This is why I wince every time I see a 'track car' that's treated power as more important than a roll cage. It's also why I'll be adding a fair bit to the cage in the MX-5. I'm fairly sure that at least my friends dad's life was saved by the roll-cage being extended through the bulkhead to the strut towers. All this stuff really is essential. It's certainly shaken me a bit, seeing a car that I've co-driven in a few times and helped build/maintain for a few years now get so completely devastated. Scary stuff.

It can and has been done quite a bit, especially using the ECU set-up from older Saab turbos. There's a fair bit of info out there about it, but the Saabs use a nice set-up with boost control and the option of knock control. Although it'll depend on the engine you're wanting to run, a megasquirt may well end up cheaper/easier than adapting the engine to use the correct sensors for a factory system if it's not already similar to the new system.

Yep. I've done it a few times, they've always been fine about it, I believe it's pretty common practice.

Just get them to Email you it and print it out, most companies have no problem doing this for exactly this reason.