Prawn and BigAls A3 Track Car

[Prawn]

During the day Dad and I had got chatting to some guys who ran a race team.

Stoner Racing 2013 : Home Page

These guys build, prepare, and run a team of race cars competing in a range of different series, and today they had brought along a customer car for the customer to drive as a practise day for the nippon series. Very cool job, and a really nice bunch of guys.

After an hour or so of chatting, it turned out that they were from Basingstoke as well! Small world it can be at times.

After the downpipe crack was found, i got chatting to them further about welding it up and how best to go about it. To my amazement, they invited us over to their workshop this evening and offered to weld it up tonight!

We left Abingdon just after 4pm, and got home and got straight to work removing the downpipe. Into the megane and straight over to Stoner Racing where we met the guys who'd just got back from Abingdon.

I love all places like this:

Downpipe pre fix:

Ends of the crack drilled:

And welded up

Quick coat of VHT:

Absolute legends, I was so surprised that some guys I'd just met that day could be so incredibly helpful

 

[phil miller]

Prawn you have a very good habit of meeting people that are amazing, that tbf is epic, first off they have the best job, second that was so good of them to weld your DP, and i bet you will see alot more of them from now on at track days and the like

 

[Golfyste]

Looks like a good day!
Cant wait to get mine finished and get out on track!
I love it when people come together to help each other out! Don't ten to get that nowadays.
Bet you can't wait for donninton!

 

[Fairz]

Blimey - you don't hang about fixing the car hey!!!
It was great meeting you and your dad today - thanks for taking me out for a few laps
The car is EPIC!!
I have some photos I can upload tomorrow (still at work atm) if you like?
Paul

 

[Prawn]

Ah that'd be excellent Paul! Really good to meet you too mate hope my driving wasn't too terrifying for you
I forget that you're an Audi man too or I'd have mentioned you, brain wasn't working last night though, was shattered!

If you've got any pics that'd be great Paul, stick them up!

off to TPS in a minute to be there when they open to get a downpipe gasket, then I'm going to try and add some brake cooling ducts today as well before leaving for Donington tonight.

Will try and get some video uploaded today if I get a chance.

 

[Prawn]

Looking through the footage, we only got 2 sessions of me driving sadly, the first one out, which was a traffic Jam, and one just before lunch.

In this clip we caught up with the white mk2 golf I spoke about earlier, which was going really well, but sadly it was towards the end of the session and my brakes wern't up for a really decent play, it was great fun following him, and it was very clear he upped his pace when we appeared in the mirrors as he started locking up a few times and throwing the car around a bit more. Not sure who the chap was but my god was he flying!

He indicated to let us past near the end of the vid, but with the brake pedal going long I knew it wouldn't end well so slowed down for a cooling lap before coming back into the pits

 

[s33nyboy12]

Brilliant!

Lol at the fiat 500
NO to the body roll on the mx5, but YES to doing a m3 and the merc! Nice work mate I take it the golf was running a 1.8t lump too his performance appeared similar to yours.....?

Sean

 

[Jason.s]

Seems all the extra work you've put into the suspension and bushes has paid off. You can see how good the turn in is now and how sharp it seems to steer in that video.

 

[Prawn]

So, a few things to fix after yesterday. Downpipe to go back on, brakes to bleed after boilling the fluid, and brake cooling ducts to add to hopefully cure the issue.

I left home at 07:45 and got to TPS soon after 8am to pick up the new downpipe gasket, got home and had a cup of coffee, then refitted the downpipe.

I have to say the 2wd stuff is SO easy to work on compared to 4wd, it took me less than 15 minutes to remove the k04 DP last night, and not more than 20 minutes to refit this morning including torquing everything down and firing the car up. All seems well. I also undid the new centre mount before bolting everything up, so let the exhaust sit in it's natural position, then once happy I clamped the new centre mount down again.

At the back the exhaust has been rubbing on the beam giving an annoying knock slightly. I looked under the back and the wire I'd used to tension one of the mounts slightly had broken away. I sorted this with some enormous industrial zip ties, 2 around each of the back box mount just to lift the exhaust about 6-8mm and keep it off the beam. I fired her up and it's all nice and silent now, so happy days.

Onto the brake cooling ducts!

I didn't want to obscure airflow to my oil cooler, so opted to let the intake trumpets into the bumper lower down:

Not having a hole saw I attacked it with the drill:

Before finishing the hole off with a drill file and slotting the inlet trumpet into place:

I then routed the ducting as best I could to the brakes, it's pretty tricky routing this, as it needs to have enough movement available to allow full suspension travel, as well as complete lock from side to side without rubbing the wheels. I managed it fairly well I thought, bunching the tube up at places where it needed to be able to expand, and also jacking the wishbone up to normal ride height and steering from lock to lock to ensure it all cleared.

Now in an ideal world, I'd take the ducting behind the strut and aim it squarely at the centre of the bell behind the disc. Due to the driveshafts, arb, and general room in there this wasn't possible, so I've attached them to the top of the hub carrier, and it's pointing roughly half into the centre bell, and half onto the disc surface.

Seeing as the inside pad always appeared to run hotter and wear faster, I think this will work fairly well, but only time will tell!

With that done, we bled the brakes and the master cylinder to get rid of the boilled fluid in the calipers, and now I just need to refit the wheels and test drive it

Just a power steering pipe to sort on Toris polo now, and we're packing our bags for Donington!

 

[Fairz]

Good Work!!
Have an awesome time at Donington
here are a couple of pics from yesterday

 

[Prawn]

Cheers for the pics Paul! They look awesome really pleased with how little body roll there is compared to before.

We made it to Donington, just going to bed now and up early more to come good row night!

 

[MIGGZ]

Good luck today dude.
Thought of doing the brake cooling pipes to, but with the alu pipes from the old vw beetle heater system, they nice and long and flex and mould awesome. Only thing is I don't want to drill into the bumper

 

[Prawn]

Well, today was a whole new level of awesomeness

More later. Tired now.

 

[Prawn]

I didn't get many pics yesterday, was too busy having fun, so here are a few I did take, and I'll upload some track side ones later on

We arrived at Dony and blagged a garage, which was nice

Then Adam arrived in the Mx5, and mananged to get the garage next to us also, neither of us had reserved a garage, so a good start:

The Spires and Al-Clark M3's were on serious form yesterday:

Our very own Mr. Seamons popped along for a ride too:

Niki came along as well as it's fairly local, and jumped in for a few laps, sadly the session was red flagged fairly quickly, but I got a few laps in to show Niki the monster he's helped create

Checked the brake cooling ducts at lunchtime and they seemed to be fine, working well too, although still have fluid overheating issues, but the brakes never stopped working at all.

Quick change of wheels back to the road tyres:

Then a splash and dash at Shell, and home in time for top gear!

 

[Prawn]

it's 5am now, so most of you will be asleep.

This video is currently still uploading, but youtube were kind enough to give me a link for it now By the time you read this is should be live. Best viewed in 720p.

I have loads more clips, including some great laps with Nige in the golf, but I won't be able to upload until I'm home at the weekend. Boo!



Donington Park - Audi A3 1.8T - YouTube

 

[Golfyste]

Looks like you had a great day!
Love the windscreen wiper action
And that bimmer was giving it a bit to much haha

 

[badger5]

2-piece disks for cooler running possibly inevitable dude.

 

[Prawn]

I think you're right Bill, just the cost :'(

 

[Westy]

I think you're right Bill, just the cost :'(

I think you've outgrown the cheap track car you may have set out to create. The faster you get the more expensive it gets

 

[badger5]

I think you're right Bill, just the cost :'(

car goes faster

car needs better brakes

circle of progressive modding

Inevitable

that darned slippery slope!

 

[Prawn]

well it's just had new discs and pads all round, so I think I'll revert back to RBF660 fluid and finish these discs off, then make the unavoidable jump up to 2 piece

 

[S3 Paul]

Are you using the ATE blue at the moment?
Ive got it in mine and think its a major issue to be fair

 

[mikem1]

I was going to use ATE Blue in my BBK build so be good to know if it's not upto the job before it goes on.

Mike

 

[Jason.s]

What you have to think is are you going to be putting it through asmuch abuse as Prawn is. I know people in more daily driver focused cars being taken on track using superblue and its fine. I wouldnt be so quick to dismiss using it. Its still pretty good and its cheaper than others. Prawn is just at the level where its not good enough. Just like the discs...fine for most of us but he`s overstepped the level in which they perform to.

 

[Prawn]

I think Jason has a point here, I've been hammering the car around on the roads at all manner of speeds to the limit of legallity of course, and I've never had an issue.

At donnington, towards the end of the lap I'm braking as HARD as possible (just before the ABS threshold) from 130 down to 50-60 for the chicane, then flat out right back to 125 before stamping on them again for Redgate, down through the craner curve to 100+ and hard on the brakes again for Old hairpin, that's a lot of heavy braking from 100mph+ with little more than 10 seconds between applications, there isn't a road in the UK where you would safely replicate that.

 

[superkarl]

and thinking that ATE super blue isnt cutting it well, super blue and rbf fluid are the two best in terms of boiling point, so you pretty much arent going to find any other that will be superior.

 

[S3 Paul]

I know im nasty on brakes. thats all.
I think over kill on my part is going to be safer than "just upto the job "

 

[Prawn]

A few pictures care of Nick at extreme photography

 

[666markyboy]

I love how little body roll you have :thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[Fairz]

Great photos!

 

[nightroamer]

Great shots there nick

Prawn the car look very stable now. You must be very pleased.

Good work.

 

[Prawn]

I noticed the lack of body roll from the pics too, it's so different to drive now compared to on the old weitecs.

Adam did point out yesterday though that it could probably benefit from the front end being softened a tad, to increase front end grip and minimise it being crashy under braking on bumpy parts of the track, so I'll give that a try at the weekend and see how it feels.

 

[Paradox1]

Prawn you car is actually an Icon for all 18T owners! im sure everyone can appreciate the hard work and effort you have put into this beast! Well done!

I was so gutted I couldnt make it to Abingdon as that's about half an hour from me. nevermind next time eh!

How did you get on with fitting the OMP strut brace?

 

[Prawn]

Why is there no trackday today I've had a day off, it's time to get back on track, isn't it? *sad prawn

Thanks Marty, I must say I was SO happy with how the car performed over the weekend, the downpipe was such a minor issue, and so easily fixed, and if anything it made the weekend better, more exciting, and we made a great new contact as well. We shall be returning to Abingdon again as both Dad and I really enjoyed it. you'll have to come along then. How's the golf now?

I still havn't got around to fitting the front strut brace yet either! haha. must do that at some point.

 

[Paradox1]

Good to hear Prawn, yeah I'm up for these next trackday at abingdon.hopefully I'll be on track too.I've done the door,wing and bumper so its going to the bodyshop this week. Should he back on.the road by the weekend! I can't wait lol1 more think Prawn.I've just brought a 28mm rarb.but nobody can tell me what I should expect. Can you help?

 

[Jason.s]

A completely new car to drive after fitting it thats what to expect lol. And get to love tripoding

 

[Prawn]

Expect awesomness Marty! If it's adjustable, start on the softest setting and build yourself up

 

[Neru]

Are you getting much under steer prawn?

 

[Prawn]

Apologies for all the dead pics at the moment chaps, I somehow used 14gb of bandwidth on photo bucket this month and all my pics are suspended for the minute.

I've upgraded my account to a plus account, but they're having 'technical issues' at the moment so the pics are still not live

On a brighter note: I should be picking up some ADR cams tomorrow

 

[Prawn]

Are you getting much under steer prawn?

Not REEEEEALY mate.

When driving well, and following decent lines, I'm never finding understeer to be an issue what so ever, the car feels really good at the moment, and incredibly neutral.

Understeer only seems to be an issue when pushing too hard and carrying too much entry speed, or going for an apex a little too early whilst learning a track.

Compared to how it was last year, pre bushes / top mounts / rear geo, it's like a whole new car.