Prawn and BigAls A3 Track Car

[finesse]

 

[Prawn]

Haha, cheers Tim.

Finesse, what's the faces for matey ?

 

[Prawn]

Think I've sorted some brakes for this now too

Found a set of ATE big brakes for the mk4 platform.

Alloy 4 piston calipers, with what I believe are 38 and 40mm pistons, ATE braided hoses to suit

326x30 2 piece discs with alloy bells

All that's missing is the carriers. I'm going to contact ATE direct and see if they fancy selling me a set. if not, I'll be looking to get custom carriers made up.

 

[JS1500]

Nice, nice, nice...

 

[S3 Paul]

I remember ECP had these in a while back... I was offered a good deal but didnt fancy even higher bill for new discs than i already get for the brembo set up.
Look realy nice though

 

[Prawn]

yea, I know what you Mean Paul.

being a track car, it'll do less than 5k a year, so if the discs last 4 years I'll be pretty chuffed

Considering how cheap I got the kit, it's well worth it!

 

[Plunky]

you kept the brakes quiet mate! when did you get those?
Still waiting for that bloke with the engine mounts to reply!

 

[Prawn]

Haha. Hadn't sorted them when I saw you yesterday mate! Was still waiting on info about them

Should be pretty good when they're on. Glad I managed to get 2 piece discs to keep the unsprung weight down

 

[badger5]

Well, Nothing has been done to the car since the new year, but I've been very busy collecting bits for when I next go home!

In the last two weeks, I've aquired:

A rebuilt ibiza O2J gearbox, with a quaife ATB limited slip diff.

A full set of 256mm vented rear brakes from an S3, along with a spacer kit to mount to 2WD rear hubs. new discs and pads

A set of INA track density engine mounts

A set of Weitec Hicon GT coilovers to replace the Jamex crap that's on at the moment.

A poly bushed R32 front ARB

And a HUUUUUUUUUGE jetex cone filter. Even bigger than the 80mm neck ones Bill sells

Happy days, can't wait to fit it all in the next month or two!

hehe, you sure?
i have this as well...

next to the usual FR08001 S3's use

 

[Prawn]

hahahaha. that's epic Bill!

dan that I'm getting it from had two insanely huge jetex filters. I'll get a pic tonight when I get it. Not sure which one I'm blagging off him!

 

[666markyboy]

Love this thread reminds me of when i stripped out the interior on my old Audi Coupe, it was like someone had bolted on a whole range of performance gear and then had it on the rolling road.. the difference was night and day....couple of questions for ya Prawn

You've obviously mastered bleeding the brakes.... what technique are you using and have you any tips ??

And secondly ( slightly off topic ) what engine do you have in that Mini thats sat in the garage ?? i used to tinker with them in my youth and rebuilt a full Clubman that i really wish i had kept.... it went like stink , had a Cooper S box , 1380 with Avonbar head , 649 cam , Webber 45 (stuck through the dash) High lift Rockers ultra light steel flywheel the lot.... had to put the 'S' box on because it cracked a standard box in half just by dumping the clutch too hard off the line .... happy days

 

[<tuffty/>]

Chaps.

Does anyone know anything about the gear selectors/shifter units on these cars?

I know the older AGU's have a different cable end on the box, and cannot use the TT short shift because of this.

Is it possible to fit the TT short shifter onto the box? I can't imagine the output spline would have changed.

My plan was, to get a later gear selector from a newer car, to allow me to use the TT short shifter. The linkage on the car at the moment is terrible, there is so much slack it's just a joke.

Also, provided I maintain the anchorage points at the box for the cables to work, is there any reason why I couldn't bring the shift cables in through the bulkhead, and mount the shifter inside the car and slightly higher up for a more comfy change? I made an internal shifter setup for the Mini, which brought the gear lever right up high, and it's one of the best things I've done!

Not sure of the fitments mate, Bill might be able to advise a bit there but he has mounted the shift unit on top of the tunnel inside the car rather than in its normal in the tunnel position... we are fitting an Ibiza cable selector to the Mk2 Golf currently in the workshop having a GT30 fitted to it... not sure of the advantages of this tbh but I know a man who does lol...

<tuffty/>

 

[badger5]

closer to zee driver..

 

[<tuffty/>]

^^^ what he said

<tuffty/>

 

[Prawn]

Love this thread

You've obviously mastered bleeding the brakes.... what technique are you using and have you any tips ??

And secondly ( slightly off topic ) what engine do you have in that Mini thats sat in the garage ??

Cheers dude! For bleeding the brakes I've just been using an EZbleed, and working my way closer to the master cylinder, ending with doing the cylinder myself. Seems to get great results for me on both A3's.

As for the Mini, it's actually a very similar spec to what you just described!

1380cc swift tune block
Swift tune miglia spec A+ crank/rods
Kent 296 scatter cam
MED road comp head
1.5:1 roller tip rockers
45DCOE on 5'' steel inlet
billet flywheel/backplate
Jack knight SCCR box, JKD SC drops, JKD X-pin diff

Recently ditched the coil and dizzy in favour of a mappable megajolt ECU running ford edis coilpack and Edis module. made an insane difference. It's currently putting out just under 120bhp



Bill and Paul, thanks for the gear selector info!

Bill: am I right in thinking I can move the shifter wherever I like so long as the solid bracket on the box remains the same? Did you just bring yours through the bulkhead above the tunnel?

 

[Prawn]

OK Bill, fair enough. you win

Mine looks about the same diameter as yours, but nowhere near as long!

Still pretty huge though. Just need a 45 degree 70-80 reducer off the maf and it'll place it exactly where the battery once lived.

 

[badger5]

what size neck on that one?

 

[Prawn]

100mm neck on that one Bill, with an alloy conical reducer down to 80mm. Will go onto my a3 MAF with 70-80 45 degree reducer for now, then an 80mm coupler onto 3'' maf when I go hybrid later in the year

 

[Plunky]

Nick, any luck getting more info on the shifter setup?
After feeling the AUM shifter, my AGU feels sooooo sloppy!
Surely, Just finding the whole setup from a newer mk4 based car and swapping them over will rectify this?
Does anybody know when the gear shifters were changed over to the better, "tighter" feeling shifter?

 

[Prawn]

I've bought a newer shifter and cables from an AUM mate, which I'm waiting for, then I'll get them fitted.

I know AUM's have the later tighter shifter like mine that you tried in the daily.

I also think some late AGU's had it too. it seems like the ones with the clip on ball/socket ends are the ones to get. They won't fit the AGU shift tower on the box though, so you'll need a later shift tower.

You can get the TT short shift that'll work for about £20 from audi. That's my plan anyway.


Does anyone know if you can remove the gear selector from inside the car? or does the exhaust and heat shield have to come off to get it out?

 

[<tuffty/>]

...Does anyone know if you can remove the gear selector from inside the car? or does the exhaust and heat shield have to come off to get it out?

Drops out from the bottom IIRC

<tuffty/>

 

[Prawn]

Balls. Wrong answer! but still, cheers Paul

I don't REALLY want to drop the exhaust, simply because it means getting under it on my drive.

Unless of course, I swap it over whilst the box is out for the LSD. That'll be the way to go I think

 

[Plunky]

where did you find that? just off ebay or something similar?
What should i be paying price wise?
I've read somewhere that the mk4 golf r32 shifter is the one to get?

 

[Prawn]

R32 shifter is no use to you, as it's 6 speed mate.

I found mine on ED38, from a guy who was selling a complete AUM conversion and didn't sell the shifter.

Paid £35 posted for it. So nout to lose!

 

[Plunky]

that makes sense!
cool, think i'll have a trawl around ebay for one!
whens the track slag in basing?

 

[Prawn]

should be up here feb 24th matey, and be up here until April 9th when I'm off to the Castle Combe spring action day You should come along! Can get free entry with a mate if you're interested?

 

[Plunky]

sign me up! im definately interested! can take the a3 for its maiden track day with me

 

[finesse]

prawn whats happening with the R32 shifter

 

[16Klappe]

whens the track slag in basing?

I'm bringing it home from Plymouth on Wednesday night

Hey Prawns, catch me on MSN and link me to your harnesses please.

 

[Prawn]

Yup, car will be here wednesday night, then the work will start in a few weeks time!

In other news, I've had this for the weekend:

Formerly pretty epic running about 290bhp from an aggressive stage 2 with WMI, although sadly now returned to almost standard for sale. I've had many of the bits from it for the A3.

Been doing a few bits and bobs on it for a mate whilst he's working in America.

Very nice car it is too. Must look into cast wishbones for the track car!

 

[sportstractor]

Yup, car will be here wednesday night, then the work will start in a few weeks time!

In other news, I've had this for the weekend:

Formerly pretty epic running about 290bhp from an aggressive stage 2 with WMI, although sadly now returned to almost standard for sale. I've had many of the bits from it for the A3.

Been doing a few bits and bobs on it for a mate whilst he's working in America.

Very nice car it is too. Must look into cast wishbones for the track car!

I can vouch for how quick that car was.

I really wouldn't go for cast wishbones, atleast if you do smash it, it will bend wishbones rather than screwing the subframe.

 

[crazychris]

coming along nicely prawn, whats the engine spec so far and how much power is she running giving me some good ideas for my agu lump lol

 

[Prawn]

hayes: the cast wishbones are for the geo mate, so much more camber and castor running cast wishbones, and subframes are cheap anyway!

Chris, it's a full stage 2 AGU setup, ko3S turbo, turbo back milltek, FMIC, Forge 007P, jetex filter, and all silicon hoses. the map is a custard code stage 2 at the moment, although that'll be getting changed for an Rtech special at some point

Rolling road results have varied between 242bhp and 225bhp at worst (when running correctly), torque has varied between 255lbft and a max of 292lbft at JKM, of course it's all down to the dyno lottery.

Fitting an LSD now to try and get more of the power down!



the car finally arrived up in basingstoke last night, my mate drove it up for me from Devon, which suited us both nicely.

it's going really well, boosting strongly, although the brakes seem to have totally given up now, I knew they were shoddy, but they've almost totally stopped working now! might be time for a new master cylinder whilst I'm at it.

Just as well these turned up this morning then I guess:

 

[Prawn]

OK, now I'm sad. Centre bells and hoses for the brake kit are incorrect!

In talks with ATE about trying to source the correct bells and hoses.

I think think of Bills alloy bells, but I'm assuming the chances of them being compatible are almost 0

 

[J B]

Theres some top work going on here prawn wouldnt mind seeing this! :thumbsup:

The brakes look s**t hot too shame about the bells and hoses how have they managed that?

Where abouts in Basy are you?

 

[Dani_B19]

Where did you source the brakes from nick? How come the bell's and hose's are incorrect?

 

[Prawn]

J B, I live just by Kempshot sainsburys, where abouts are you? If you're local you're more than welcome to pop over for a look around and a ride!

Brakes came from a guy on SCN Dani, bought but then realised they didn't fit, was told that only the carriers were mixed up, but it turns out the kit is for an e36 instead! Calipers are the same though, so I just need new bells and hoses now and I'll be good to go!

Just got to try and get some sense from the muppets at Eurocarparts !

 

[Plunky]

crap news about the brakes mate...im sure you will work something out though!
exhaust is all done on mine now well chuffed with it, made need it adjusting slightly though when i get a new rear valance

 

[Prawn]

Finally got a day to work on this at long last today, and got a fair old bit of stuff done. Big thanks to Bob (Robbob) for comming up and giving me a hand! Always nice to have some assistance, and even better when they're actually capable!

Early start, and an immediate fail.

Whilst at home over xmas, I was unable to find the locking wheel nut key. I assumed a the time it was up here in Basingstoke. It wasn't.

A quick trip to audi, and some persuading with a hammer and the wrong key, and they were off.

Once home, we got up on the the stands and whipped the wheels off, then set about ripping the old rear coilovers and 232x9 solid brakes off. Didn't take pics at this point, as we wanted to get it done.

Stuck the 256x22mm rear on, with the 4WD calipers, and a spacer kit to line up the calipers over the discs:

These should help balance it out a tad when the huge fronts eventually go on

Popped inside about 11am to say good morning to my Girlfriend, and caught Bob slacking, think he was cleaning the old coilovers, which will be going on his Leon next weekend:

Round to the front and we whipped the front struts out. This was remarkably easy for a change too. Usually they're stuck solid in the hubs, so it was nice to have an easy set to do for a change.

(our mate Karim popped over on his GSXR750 as well to say hello. Seen here hiding behind the car

Whilst I was pulling the suspension off, Rob started to fit the new Jetex air filter I'd picked up. He removed the airbox, and was greeted with this underneath!

The standard mount had totally destroyed itself! No idea how this has happened, but I'm damn glad I had a new set of mounts ready go to in.

Stanbard 200k rubber mounts came out, and they've been replaced with some INA/034 Motorsport Track density mounts all round. Made an incredible difference to engine movement. never imagined they'd be so stiff!

Onto the drivers side engine mount, and annoyingly, one of the alloy threads in the mount on the block stripped on refitting. Almost no pressure on it, and it just pulled straight through. That'll need an Helical. Anyone know the pitch? It's M12 I'm sure, but no idea on pitch. Anyone got any idea?


With the engine mount drama over, We dropped the front subframe, and fitted my TT Eibach 22mm adjustable front ARB. These go under the shaft rather than over, so should eliminate any rubbing issues you can get when used on anger usually. Just waiting on a 28mm neuspeed rear bar this week now.

New coilovers went in fine, Weitec Hicon GT's, LCR spec (tabs on front struts) with LCR top mounts (much harder than A3 top mounts).

So, it's currently up on stands still, awaiting a bleed of the brakes, but I can't drive it yet, even if we do fix it, as I found this crack in one of the discs today:

I knew they were shoddy, but didn't realise quite HOW bad they were. Still, the Black diamond discs and DS2500 pads currently on there have covered over 60k! so Not too bad don't think.

Still be stripping then painting the wheels tomorrow to get it back on the ground, perhaps fitting my LCR splitter if I get the chance, then hopefully the on going front brake saga will be over soon, so I can get some 4 pots on it and actually take it for a spin!

 

[Prawn]

Ohps. Apparently the electric sander at 8am isn't appropriate on a Sunday! I didn't think it was that loud at all. Seems I was wrong!

Ah well.
Before:

First two wheels after 30 mins each with the sander:

If I crack on, I might even get these in colour by the end of the day, so long as the weather holds out!