Budget Saxo VTR Track Car Progress Thread

[Camble]

Since I can remember, I've always wanted to take part in motorsport.
I hounded my parents every day to let me take up karting, however circumstances, time and the expense meant that it wasn't feasible.

I am 20 years old, with 3 years of having a clean license and insurance and fingers crossed the planets have started to align to allow me to "kind of" pursue my dream.

I don't have the most money in the world, so don't be expecting miracles, however I've been keeping me eye out for a decent starting point, with a "Top Gear styled" budget of getting a car track ready for £1000.
I'm a keen enthusiast who has spent a fair bit on tools and equipment for when this day arrived, so fingers crossed I should be able to use some elbow grease instead of labour charges for 99% of the things.


Every day I have looked on the internet, and last week I saw that a Saxo VTR (99) had been relisted due to time wasters who had bid and not showed.
The car was green, a bit rough around the edges but a solid shell and had some goodies already installed.
It has full KW suspension, Magnex stainless steel exhaust and decat, Maxogen sealed induction kit, OMP strutbrace, Fan Override, Fiberglass bonnet and more...
The car was at £126 with only 2 hours remaining, so I monitored it with intent to bid.
It went up to around £200 with a few minutes left and then the bids started flying in. With 15 seconds remaining I stuck a bid of £301.01 in and I got it!
I got it for £265!

I contacted the seller, who was gutted about it's price, however we arranged to collect it on Saturday 27th.
I got in touch with Jord (f0xy) and asked if I could borrow his trailer, which of course he agreed to and everything was set.

We made the 3 hour journey to Scotland to collect the car, as soon as I saw it I knew it was a good buy.
The guy was very friendly, he gave us some spare parts and panels FOC which I was very happy about.

Here are a couple of pics of the car after we loaded it onto the trailer

I'm made up with this to be honest, I have some plans which will get the car ready for track and fingers crossed a decent little runner.

My list of plans are:

• Completely strip interior
• Rollcage
• Bucket seat with harness
• DIY refurb of wheels with semi-slicks
• Fiberglass Headlight CAF
• Steering wheel
• Cut out switches
• General bodywork cleanup

This list I have compiled should be achievable for £1000. There are some other bits I'd love to do if budget allows, but are not vital:

• 406 Brembo brakes
• Polycarb windows
• Full respray (DIY at missus' Dad's bodyshop)

Thank you for taking the time to read through my project starter post, hopefully there will be a lot of updates along the way!
Any help/advice would be very much appreciated as always!

 

[Heez]

Bargain.

Should be a good project!

 

[Scotty-boi]

Absolute steal. Good cheap fun is what it's all about!!!

 

[LeeP86]

Definately a bargain Liam!

 

[Camble]

Definately a bargain Liam!

Cheers dude!
Get that sticker done!

 

[Sam@NP]

Looks awesome, I wouldn't worry about tidying up the body work if its destined for a life on track.

 

[StephenJ]

Very nice mate, can I claim shares in this?

 

[JackJack]

Bargain!

 

[Camble]

Very nice mate, can I claim shares in this?

Haha!

To be fair you probably can!

 

[andywa]

Great buy mate. This should be a pretty good project.

 

[Daz_RT_04]

Cheap as chips!

Ditch the Brembo idea though! There pap!

306 Gti-6 Brake set up is all your need.

 

[welshname]

Looks like a bargain. Good luck with the project.

 

[Ed.innit]

Scrap the respray idea and buy CatCam 708's for £250?

 

[bendee]

sounds like it could be alot of fun mate best of luck with it, agreed ditch the brembos weighty expense larger 306 brakes with decent disks pads and fluid will do. if your racing it does it need a respray? use that money in other areas imo. i have a strut brace for sale if thats of any interest and also a omp lower brace, both work wonders.

 

[Matt_90]

Total bargin!

I am about to sell my 306 gti6 setup off the front of my 106. As I am going to go back down to 14" wheels and use 206 gti brakes, drop me a PM if you are interested.

 

[Camble]

I've been looking at some GTI6 brakes actually, contacted the seller before to see if they'd come down on the price.

I've got to be cheeky with this budget in mind!

I had been watching some cobra buckets with harnesses and subframes and I was outbid at the last second, gutted!

sounds like it could be alot of fun mate best of luck with it, agreed ditch the brembos weighty expense larger 306 brakes with decent disks pads and fluid will do. if your racing it does it need a respray? use that money in other areas imo. i have a strut brace for sale if thats of any interest and also a omp lower brace, both work wonders.

It came with a strutbrace, another decent little bargain addon!

How much are you after for the lower one?

 

[bendee]

25 posted? It's got a few marks on it like you would expect.

 

[cliobritt]

Haha ace!

 

[DanielJames]

Great project, the 283mm brakes are all you need mate.

You can get them from GTI-6's, but also Partner/Berlingos which might be a bit cheaper, and Xsara VTS off the top of my head!

They wont fit under those VTR wheels though, 15" min.

If you want to keep your wheels, the 266mm brakes will go under

If you go for the 283mm I'd recommend doing the master cylinder too, I didn't and the pedal feel wasn't "great"

 

[Camble]

Great project, the 283mm brakes are all you need mate.

You can get them from GTI-6's, but also Partner/Berlingos which might be a bit cheaper, and Xsara VTS off the top of my head!

They wont fit under those VTR wheels though, 15" min.

If you want to keep your wheels, the 266mm brakes will go under

If you go for the 283mm I'd recommend doing the master cylinder too, I didn't and the pedal feel wasn't "great"

Thank you Sir.

Which wheels did you have with the brakes??

 

[Hixle]

Good work, absolute bargain!

Not fancy sticking a 16v in there?

 

[Gandi69]

What tyres do run on this?

 

[Camble]

Good work, absolute bargain!

Not fancy sticking a 16v in there?

I'll run this engine into the ground. If it ever needs a new engine (or I get more funds ) I'll definitely swap it for a 16v.

What tyres do run on this?

I've got normal roadies on there at the mo mate, I'll get some R888s or something similar

 

[DanielJames]

Thank you Sir.

Which wheels did you have with the brakes??

I had either Saxo VTS, Speedline Chronos or some 15" steels through the course of the time I had with the car.

They're a tight fit, even with 15's.

Looked best behind VTS wheels IMO.

 

[Camble]

Good work, absolute bargain!

Not fancy sticking a 16v in there?

I had either Saxo VTS, Speedline Chronos or some 15" steels through the course of the time I had with the car.

They're a tight fit, even with 15's.

Looked best behind VTS wheels IMO.

How did you find them compared to standard setup mate?

Did you get uprated brakelines or just keep standard?

 

[DanielJames]

Much, much better than standard VTS brakes mate, I imagine your VTR ones will be even smaller than the VTS ones too?

What happened to me was I had a Mk1 VTS with the 283mm brakes, and then I bought a Mk2 which was standard. I couldn't believe how bad the brakes felt in comparison so I swapped the brakes over. Standard lines and master cylinder.

My mk1

Mk2

If you do get a 16v conversion make sure you get a Supersprint exhaust on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOylVbCN18k

They don't sound bad on the 8v's, but much nicer on the 16's.

Need any help give me a shout!

 

[Hixle]

I'll run this engine into the ground. If it ever needs a new engine (or I get more funds ) I'll definitely swap it for a 16v.

Good plan regardless mate, I'd imagine that despite being low power, it'll be a right laugh on track.

Glad to see you're going for a different brake set-up, the one thing I remember about my mates old VTR was how scary they were as standard!

 

[Westytce]

266mm 206 gti brakes worked well on my Vtr as did the 106 rally box. So much fun. Get some billies it to.

. John at gmc motor sport,( Scotland) will be able to help you out with the set up and any parts you need, or tweequed automotive in Alton are brilliant at setting these cars up.

Lots of info on sax-p forum. That brings back some memories... Lol.

 

[DanielJames]

Lots of info on sax-p forum. That brings back some memories... Lol.

Ahhh SaxP, the place where geeks, enthusiasts and chavs all somehow get on together lol (perhaps you have to be a geeky enthusiastic chav to own one)

 

[Gandi69]

Bigger brakes are a great idea but dont discount the standard 247mms with a good fluid and decent pad - RCL series, DS3000 and such providing its not a road car. Plus the discs are cheap to replace

 

[Westytce]

Ahhh SaxP, the place where geeks, enthusiasts and chavs all somehow get on together lol (perhaps you have to be a geeky enthusiastic chav to own one)

The 106 / saxo was a very capably car. So maybe you need to understand cars to appreciate. It's French just like renaults....

 

[DanielJames]

The 106 / saxo was a very capably car. So maybe you need to understand cars to appreciate. It's French just like renaults....

Don't think you need to tell me that pal, I've had 2 VTS' and a 106 GTi

 

[Camble]

I've picking up a pair of Sparco bucket seats with saxo subframes today from a lad I know.

Got the pair for £130!

 

[Camble]

Picked up the seats today. Made up with them, just need to clean them.
The one pictured is absolutely mint, the other has a small tear on the side which I will use as the passanger seat and get repaired when funds allow.

Here is a pic of one in the kitchen (please excuse mess in the background)

 

[Camble]

Yesterday the bucket seats went in.

Had a pain getting the bolts out of the old subframes but nothing a braker bar couldn't sort.



Put the seats in, however when I sat in them I realised that I'm a little too short.

I can reach the pedals, however I have to slightly stretch to press the clutch right in.



They're OMP Saxo subframes.

Surely someone else has had the same problem, so what would be the best bet?

 

[StephenJ]

Cusion

 

[Camble]

Cusion

Fu*k you

 

[StephenJ]

Any progress on this then?

 

[Camble]

Today, after having to wait a very long time due to the house move, work etc, I was able to borrow a trailer and bring the car home.


The battery was dead as it had sat untouched for 6 months almost, but I got a battery charger as an early 21st present so I managed to sort it and it started straight away.


We loaded the car onto the trailer and headed home.

There are a few bits I need to sort very soon. I need to get the undercarpet sponge out as it's wet and stinking the car out. But more importantly, I yanked the handbrake up and it snapped the cable :/ so I need to buy a new one ad fit it.

 

[Ash']

Great little project!