Big Lum's 182 track car project

[biglum]

I've been meaning to start this for a while but here goes...

Rewind to August when I bought my neighbour mk2 ph1 1.4s. He'd gone off to uni 3 years previously and left his car and his mum & dads. I needed a car to get to & from the station for the comute to the office. It needed loads done but was great stress relief. New brakes, exhaust, battery, servicing, cleaning etc. Finally got it MOT'd and started using. Great fun but needed another project.

That when I started looking on ebay for something more challenging, after a while I found this,

It was a 55 plate 182, after joining cliosport.net worked out with everyones help it was a 182 full fat with suspension cup pack. First job was to assess the damage. I'd driven down to Peterbourgh to get the car and it drove onto the trailer but had no radiator, AC rad, headlights etc. I stripped evrything off to allow the coachworks easier access. Used a friend in Kilmarnock who runs a very clean shop and does very good work.

They knew the car was a project so only work on it when the shop was quiet but did a great job, cutting the front legs off and fitting a whole new front end. I was very pleased with the results.

 

[biglum]

With the new front end on..


This is the point I should have stopped! It was a lovely road car with half leather interior and only 44k on the clock. I blame crispy chris for inspiration but I saw two projects ahead. 1, use all the parts removed from the 182 to update the 1.4s and 2, turn the 182 into a dedicated track car. Hence the reason for my ads selling a complete 1.4 interior.
So far I've stripped out everything inside including the dreaded tar patches. The wheels have been refurbished by another friend with a powder coating business (Carrick engineering) and are on the 1.4. Next was to order a cage. Again using CS members advice and previous experiance I decided against my first choice of a Custom Cages cage and have ordered an Oreca race cage from Ktec. I deleted the AC and changed the alterator to a cup spec, relocating the PAS pump in the process. The power steering hose sensor was hitting the new cup radiator so rather than just bend the pipe, I bought the correct cup hose and spent 6 hours change it over!! sore knuckles!

The 1.4 now has a complete 182 interior bar the dash and the head cloth. The airbag lights were a head scratcher but again CS was a good source of info and the resistors are in and the lights are off.

About to take the windscreen out - another new experiance and will fit a heated version once the cage etc is installed. All the blower unit, climate control, AC etc is in the workshop complete if anyone needs it. Heres the state of the car at the weekend, sometimes wonder if I should have left it alone!

 

[subarufreak]

daimn, you should have stopped ;-)

 

[Russ Rallye]

Nice one callum, look forward to seeing what the oreca cage is like.
Russ

 

[Stu_182]

Nice project mate. What are the plans for the 182? What's the rough spec your going for?

 

[mag1caltrev0r]

Nice, I'll keep an eye on this

 

[biglum]

Nice project mate. What are the plans for the 182? What's the rough spec your going for?

The plan is to build a safe, clean and useable racecar built to a professional standard. This year to get out and learn the tracks and racecraft again with tuition but also the setup and tweeks. Then next year maybe enter a couple of races. Loads of people will say buy a racecar then but this was bought as a bit of stress relief, enjoyment & satisfaction and a bit of a challenge.

The rough spec will be,
Oreca race cage with additional A&B post gussets, Renaultsport 197 seats, steering wheel and harnesses, electrical fire extinguisher, solid state battery isolator, V6 airbox with CAF headlight,cup radiator and alternator, either AST race spec with top mounts or Bilstien suspension, AP 4 pot front brakes with goodridge hoses and foglight CAFs, Orbisound exhaust, Cup wheels with Dunlop slicks & wets, carbon door cards, heated windscreen.

Will update once the postmans been.....

 

[Djw John]

Nice projects mate

 

[Curtis!]

Plans sound great! Will keep an eye on this.

One thing I was confused on was the seats though. 197 Recaro's? I think you'd appreciate the enclosed capsulated-ness of a deeper seat with more head protection!

 

[biglum]

Plans sound great! Will keep an eye on this.

One thing I was confused on was the seats though. 197 Recaro's? I think you'd appreciate the enclosed capsulated-ness of a deeper seat with more head protection!

Sorry for confusion - 197 cup racer seats, deep with head protection as prescribed!

 

[Adam.]

Looking good!

Need to pop round and see it again soon

 

[Curtis!]

Sorry for confusion - 197 cup racer seats, deep with head protection as prescribed!

Awesome!

 

[biglum]

The postman arrived today with some goodies . Unfortunately the cage is still in France so it may be the end of next week before it arrives. Collected my V6 airbox - only £60 including a filter! and also picked up a new header tank cap to finish off the new stainless header tank when it arrives.
Much to do this weekend as I can now work out where the seats, steering column and gearlever are going in relation to each other. Also need to make a template up to mount the ECU back to back with the oil catch tank. Then work out the best place for the dry battery and electrical cut out.
Here's a picture of deliveries so far...


Really need the windsceern out to make everything easier but that's another first!

 

[Adam.]

Oh hi.

When can I get a shot in those seats?

 

[biglum]

Oh hi.

When can I get a shot in those seats?

Patience my friend! We should be up and running by easter. Once the welding and painting is finished there's not much to refit!

 

[Jonny1*2]

Nice pal, what did rsport charge fir seats/runners?

 

[Dave.]

those seats are perfect! as said, how much were they out of interest?

 

[Cro]

Holy sh*t thats a fair wedge you forked out there all in one foul swoop Tasty

 

[Tom@JMS]

392.00 Ex vat per side without frames.

 

[Jonny1*2]

392.00 Ex vat per side without frames.

Fook me. They are £380 direct from sabelt including vat. Only difference is a bit of embroidery. Frames are 50quid a side compared to £125 rsport. Not sure if frames are the same though

 

[Silent_Scone]

quite a shopping trip there. GL with it all

 

[biglum]

Had another delivery! My cage arrived from Ktec, the wheels are back from the powder coaters and the welder has arrived so it's been a busy week for parcels!
Going to start tacking in the cage tomorrow

 

[biglum]

Here's some pics of the cage etc,

I'll take some more once I've tacked it in.

 

[Adam.]

lol no way man, these yours?

Will need to pop up soon for a wee look

 

[Cro]

Is that the oreca cage dude? Interesting to see if it just welds together nicely or needs a bit of work to it. Another nice delivery

 

[biglum]

Yes they were. Stuart had to acid strip the old powder coat off so I wasn't popular but a bottle of whisky always cheers him up!

 

[biglum]

Yes it's an Oreca cage. So far it has been just a case of putting the bars in and tacking them in place. Before I bought it one of the other CS members told me about his probs with custom cages and every bar needing extra work. That put me off CC and I went for this Oreca race cage from Ktec which was actually cheaper at around £650.

 

[Cro]

Nice stuff, get some pics up of it all tacked together. Is there a harness bar or are you putting one in? Looks decent if it all goes together the way you say, do they supply feet and that or are you welding in?

 

[biglum]

They supplied three different types of feet and bolts if you want to bolt it in but it requires welding so once it's in it ain't coming back out. Came with a diagram and all the tubes numbered but no wordage. It's not rocket sience so fairly straight forward. I'm tacking it in then Stuart at Carrick Engineering will do the rest as he's a coded welder. Then it's all getting painted white a la cup racer.

 

[Naith]

interesting build, look forward to progress. the seats are beautiful. may invest in one for thee olde megane

 

[biglum]

Just finished in the garage and most of the cage is tacked in. The tube lengths were all perfect and it was relatively straight forward. Kit didn't come with a harness bar but I'll make one up to go in once the cross has been checked for squareness.

Need to order A and B post gussets and make up the seat mounts next.

 

[Adam.]

 

[Cro]

Is that the oreca race version mate? Nice work so far, gets some pics of the inside for me

 

[biglum]

Is that better?

I think from memory there are three versions of the cage, I bought the middle one. It's on Ktec's web site.

 

[mbarnes]

Looks a great cage. The cup cage plus looks amazing!!!

 

[Adam.]

When you taking it down to Stuart?

Drop me a text if your about one night this week so I can pop up for a wee look

 

[biglum]

Looks a great cage. The cup cage plus looks amazing!!!

did think about the race cage plus but the cross is on the main hoop at the B posts and I'm 6'3" so I need the seat right back which would hit the cross.

 

[biglum]

When you taking it down to Stuart?

Drop me a text if your about one night this week so I can pop up for a wee look

no probs, the 172 body kit for the 1.4s is in at Dandrea's so I'll give you shout once I've picked that up.
182 should be at Stuart's next weekend dending on delivery of stiffners.

 

[Craig.H]

Nice build mate, hopefully see you at knockhill when its finished!

 

[biglum]

Bit of an update from the weekend.
I had the cage which was tacked in properly welded up. While Stuart was doing that I made up seat brackets for the floor with M8 bolts welded in to sit the seat side mounts onto. Also cut and shaped some extra tubing for a harness bar. After a quick clean up I've started a test fit of everything inside to made sure it fits and has just enough brackets bolts and holes. The rest will be cut off prior to paint. Also need to work out where the battery, extingisher and cut-out switch are all going. Then remove evrything and prep for paint.

Did a bit of work on the 1.4s as well,
Before,

After,

Bit of a mix but now has 182 roof spoiler and side mouldings and 172 rear bumper. I've the 172 front bumper, wings and skirt painted and still to be fitted.