djgritt Cavalier XEV Track Car Project

[Gaz]

After spending a year like this;




Its time to move it on.


Plans are;

Morette Headlights with Cold Air feed
Rollcage of some description
Stripped interior excluding Dash
Repainted Bare Metal interior - Gun Metal Grey
2x Bucket Seats
Harnesses
Plastic Windows - bar Front/Rear windscreens
Polybushing
Uprated Dampers
New (well, different) Alloys - keeping with 17"

That is all for now, other than the bodywork issues needing sorted, which is LONG overdue!


Work so far;

Parts;



Fitted;






And in the car from 3 angles; (Excuse the FILTH!)





Will update this as and when more things happen! :Cool2:

Today i fitted 2 of the replacement 17s, mainly to see if they looked ok before i committed to refurb and fit new tyres.

IMO, they look pretty good in the metal, better than the photoshop Dest kindly did, where they did look a bit iffy TBH!

The Engine at the moment is not planned to be changed. Atall.

The ONLY reason i would consider changing is if it blows up past reasonable repair, in which case a 2.5 V6 will go in instead.


At the moment, my engine is admittedly needing attention, i have a possible dodgy Cylinde rhead, and the car hasnt been serviced for an unacceptable period, but, in that state, it produced a VERY smooth power curve, and more torque than a standard XE should.
When RR'd i didnt have a cold air intake, and i also had a cone filter that i hadnt cleaned for around 6 months, or more, plus with the above mentioned, i cant really argue with the result.

Once it has been fully serviced and the head checked and replaced if needs be, it will be a lot more productive, and im totally happy with it as that.



But i do see the arguement of using an engine with more output as standard... Its just not gonna happen here, unless is HAS to...
Well, got bored this afternoon, so started stripping the Trim etc out.

Started at the rear, only did a little because ill be doing more tomorrow when im at missus's parents, where my shed is.

Tomorrow - Aiming to get the boot empty, and the headlining, and finish the bits i did today;



Then ill do the rest (floor carpet, front doorcards, sound deadening, etc etc) next weekend, as we have the bonus of that bank holiday!
So now i have to get some fresh paint on them, and some new Toyo's.








Oh, i washed it too, first time since Castle Combe in April... :O

And just a random front end shot.





Oh, and hopefully the strippaging can start in about 2 weeks, as im off to order my shed tomorrow, hopefully...

Well, due to absolutley SHIT weather, didnt get much done today, did most of it though;

Boot is clear of trim, but found the floor carpet soaked, so need to find where the water is coming in before i paint the metal in there;



Got the Headlining out, as well as the A and B Pillar trims, and the Sill Trim;







Wanted to do the rear doorcards, but as i said, shit weather stopped this, they would have got soaked, i could do all the stuff i did by staying inside with doors shut

But, its coming along slowly...

Did the 2 rear Doorcards today;



So that is the rear end pretty much complete, just a few fasteners to take out, and a coat of Gun Metal paint to finish...

after the carpet and sound deadening removal of course

The only pics i have of it from Castle Combe... So far;





Just waiting for anyone else from VxON who went and got pics... So i can poach them... lol

[djgritt]

Cheers matey, best do more to it to add to this thread soon...

[dazzlersri]

sweet car, check the seals around your rear light clusters - mine leaked like mad.. refitted them with some silicone, havent leaked since !

[djgritt]

sweet car, check the seals around your rear light clusters - mine leaked like mad.. refitted them with some silicone, havent leaked since !

Cheers, will try it eventually...


Anyway, some updates,

Did a rear brake overhaul (Only Discs and Pads), has brought the efficencies right up, and i can now feel the full effect of the 288s up front, which is good! Should be much nicer when i get some 308's instead...

Following the brakes, the car had it's MOT, which was better than expected, thogh it failed on a Bottom Ball Joint and Inoperative Number Plate light. New Wishbone and Bulb cued that, and its all ticketed up again!


Also, am looking into doing an Autocross event in the next couple of weeks, and i also have another RR session to attend in just under 2 weeks. Will be good to compare against results from a couple of months back, after a fair bit of servicing and all my changes/additions since the last RR...

[cavyman]

looks cool if your selling that roll cage gives us a bell

[madjim]

thats an awsome looking cav you have there, also have to ask where did you get the cage from?

[djgritt]

Got the Cage from a friend, who had it in his Cavalier Turbo

If it comes up for sale, hell be getting first refusal, then it'll be advertised if he dont want it

BUT, i dont intend to have to strip this atall, its either staying with me , or being sold as it comes

[Gaz]

Any progress im really enjoying the sprit of this car

[djgritt]

Not recently, since getting it through the MOT

Not much left to do though i dont think;

Chasing a Bucket Seat at the moment
Needs more of the interior painting Black
Polybushes

And then ill look into sorting some of the bodywork


Then i need a garage to store it...



But, you are the first to ask after it recently... is that healthy for you?

Had a few persoanl things to sort out recently, and my Octavia vRS should be back from repairs soon, so thats kind of distracting me...

[Rich P]

this car is in tv mag

[djgritt]

this car is in tv mag

Yep it sure was

Not a proper faeture though



Due to stupid ideas coming into my head, im unsure if the project is to continue - it might be refitted with everything to make it a roadcar again - currently unsure

[djgritt]

Nothing happened with this shed recently... Until now


Ordered these today (Pair), had my eye on them all month, was waiting for payday



Ordered with the mounting hardware too obviously

Then, i ordered these (Pair) from Chris Astley Motorsport;





Seats and Mounts should arrive Monday, and Harnesses early next week - then next weekend, i'll be aiming to fit it all, weather depending - if not then a week or so later, as ill be working abroad for a week from the 4th May.

Also have a new Cylinder head waiting to be despatched to me, and Alternator due to mine failing, and my head just being shite TBH.

Then it's a case of de-rusting the brakes... - Re-insuring the heap, and retaxing it - then it'll be back on the road

[Cavyman_130]

those seats are lovely mate, looking forward to see them in the car

[djgritt]

Seats arrived today - they are VERY nice in the metal

They are a little tight around my flab though...

Subrames and Harnesses should arrive by Saturday, so should be fitting them all then

Need to get some Steel plate and Eyebolts too...

[Paul]

That looks really really good! Will you get it all done before PV (this year!)?

[djgritt]

That looks really really good! Will you get it all done before PV (this year!)?

Probably

But i'm not going - PV is shite

[Paul]

That looks really really good! Will you get it all done before PV (this year!)?

Probably

But i'm not going - PV is shite

I dont know, that will be my first one

[Gaz]

That looks really really good! Will you get it all done before PV (this year!)?

Probably

But i'm not going - PV is shite

I dont know, that will be my first one

Mine too i always manage to miss it.

[Squig]

ahh a trio of PV virgins what a crowd we'll make... race you to the trade stands Gaz

[Gaz]

I'll get a big magnet and stop you.

[Squig]

won't work mate there mostly surgical steel and silver

[djgritt]

Managed to wangle the afternoon off today, so got on with some stuff with the car, especially as it was such good weather!

So;

- Both Cobras Fitted
- Front Seatbelts removed
- Lower eyebolts fitted (outer extremities)
- Rear doors (inside) painted Matt Black
- Inner Bootlid painted
- Most of the boot painted
- Flooring under seats painted

Unfortunately, due to not knowing or suspecting that i would get the afternoon off, i didn't have my camera with me, so pictures tomorrow

Stuff to do in the near future;

- Harnesses (when the EVENTUALLY arrive from Chris Astley Motorsport...)
- 4 remaining Harness Mounts - Inner side mounts, and rears - require Drilling, sandwich plates, bolting up
- Remainder of interior painting - front door inners, roof, rear shelf; finish boot, finish front wells


Then it's a case of Retaxing & Reinsuring it, then getting it up to my Uncles to have a replacement Cylinder Head and Alternator fitted

Then some minor details, ie Brake Caliper colour, passenger inner Headlight removal,

Should all be ready for Billing by then, it's my target as i really want to go to it this year

[Paul]

I will judge by pics if you dont mind

[Gaz]

sounds like its gonna be fun.

[djgritt]

Pictures of what i've done this weekend;



Painting of the Rear - only painting the areas covered by the Doorcards as these are all that can be seen when doors are closed, plus it can be hidden by the cards if needs be in the future;








Cobra's (from inside and out);











Harness Mounts (2 of the 3 Points anyway...);

Rear Points;



Outer Points;





The car overall;