Track Car Advice? Suspension??

[scott180gtb]

Right

I'm after a lot of advice for my track slag so I'm going to start a mini build thread to hopefully get some good advice along the way. I know there is a lot of guy's on the forum with a load of experience so I guess I'm hoping to tap into all this knowledge.

I have sourced a shell that I'm half way through sorting out the rot.

The first question I have is the removal of the bitumen sound proofing on the inside of the floor plan. Do you lads remove all this stuff for weight saving? I have heated sections of it up and scraped it off the front factory pads. Do I just keep peeling it all off from the tranny tunnel, rear bench area etc?

Second can any of you post up some pictures of your sunroof panel delete? I'm thinking of just pot riveting the roof with a piece of aluminium for ease.

I'm also going to need some advice on how to plum in my fuel sell. I have bought a second hand one off the zone and will need some ideas with the fuel pump, lines etc.

Any pictures/advice would be a great help.

Thanks

Scott

[e21Jason]

For the roof if ever want to compete int he car the pannel needs to be the same material as the roof.

Split the sunroof cassette to just the top skin and reverse the tabs 180 deg and use polyurathane windscreen bonding to refix the sunroof skin to the roof

Fuel cell plumbing depends a lot on the fuel as some take in tank pumps, have inbuilt swirl pot etc

Jason

[scott180gtb]

Thanks

I will post up some pictures of the fuel cell. It has foam inserts to help with fuel starvation. I'm clueless when it comes to swirl pots/pumps.

Thanks

Scott

[agent006]

The tar on the floor comes out last, it's weight in exactly the right place, low down.

[UweM3]

Second can any of you post up some pictures of your sunroof panel delete? I'm thinking of just pot riveting the roof with a piece of aluminium for ease.

Scott

Please don't do that!

there are plenty of threads about sunroof delte, use the search.

Basically you single skin your existing sunroof and tack weld it into the hole and fill the gap with screen mastic.

[spic]

with regards to the tar i used a heat gun to remove most of it and the little bit that was left behind i just hit with the DA.

[oldroydsr4]

For the sound deadening removal I used a a heat gun and scraper. However this is a serious pain in the arse, the easiest way is to use dry ice, this allows removal of large slabs with little hassle.

In regards to the sunroof, I removed the whole tray and left a 15mm lip around the aperture, I then bonded a carbon fibre panel in place.

[scott180gtb]

Thanks for the advice. I removed all the sound deadening today with a heat gun. I used petrol to clean all the glue off. Feel great now!

I'm going to use anti slip paint for the floor area.

How much of the bolt on sound proofing do you leave on. In particular the stuff that sits under the dash and under the front bulk head? Does the dash rattle about with all the sound proofing removed? The car is only going to be used on the track so comfort is not an issue.

Thanks

Scott

[MillRat]

How much of the bolt on sound proofing do you leave on. In particular the stuff that sits under the dash and under the front bulk head? Does the dash rattle about with all the sound proofing removed? The car is only going to be used on the track so comfort is not an issue.

Thanks

Scott

None. Why have it if it is not needed? While you have the dash out to remove the deadening, get rid of all the unwanted electronics, like the radio and speakers etc....

I have also removed my heater unit, but we don't have the low temperatures here in Australia. It maybe wise to leave it in if you suspect the windscreen fogging up may become a problem.

[ross_jsy]

Just a little tip (although a bit late now) for the bitumen. I started with the heat gun method, but then found it just came off in huge slabs with little residue left behind when it was cold. My garage was about -2 at the time though so you may need to cool it with ice.

For my sun roof, there is a local guy over here who is a big part of the rally scene who makes sun roof plugs. Hand beaten round a form he made are are £100 fitted. If you are interested I can see if it is cheaper for just the panel and send it to you?

Don't forget to rip out the sound proofing in the engine bay. Although it's a lot easier with the engine out.

[scott180gtb]

Thanks for the advice. I haven't tackled the sunroof tray yet. Is the sunroof plug made so that you can weld it in? Have you got any pictures?

The car is a bear shell at the minute so all the engine sound proofing is out. I will stick up some pictures of my progress soon.

Thanks

Scott

[scott180gtb]

I have been looking into suspension for my budget track weapon. I am thinking all polybush rear arms with Billy B6 inserts. I have a set of eibach 40mm drop springs in the loft and the anti roll bars as well. Will this set up do for a M20 325i with a track virgin?

I know you spend ££££ on Gaz coil overs but I want to keep the cost down a little.

Let me know what you guys think

Thanks

Scott

[Mikey_Boy]

Polybushes everywhere you can...! Before I went down the route of Gaz coilovers, I used a Koni sport kit (springs and shockers) with Eibach anti roll bars and found it fine for trackdays. Best mod is getting more negative camber at the front - again, I used Eibach top mounts before going the Gaz route... Also, ensure your geometry is set up so that you feel confident with the car - now there's a can of worms to be opened!!

Also, fit a quicker steering rack - this is a real must - e36 or (even better) z3..

[spic]

I just fitted the koni sports to my track car and they feel good, getting a little under steer at the moment though so need to do a little work geometry i guess !

[Barx325i]

reduce unsprung weight as much as you can & if you're sticking with glass find some windy windows, as electric motors weigh a ton...

[UweM3]

reduce unsprung weight as much as you can & if you're sticking with glass find some windy windows, as electric motors weigh a ton...

but they can come in handy with a cage and door cross.
Or you need to open the door to wind you window down. Not very practical on the cool down lap

[Black_Potato]

Very little weight in the leccy door motors, id leave them in.. try opening a window winder on the otherside of the car when its behind a door bar and/or your wearing harnesses.

Re heat proofing, if its right hand drive id suggest removing it all but then re fitting the metal part of the manifold heat shield. If not you can make the area by your left foot hot enough to melt your shoes, no joke.