Just updating this project thread as I'm involved in the car too.
So far we've done :
Refurbished Sachs front dampers
New Sachs rear dampers
New Trophy front and rear springs
New rear OEM discs with bearings
New brembo hc front discs
New OEM front wheel bearings
New OEM track rod ends
Hunter geometry setup to near factory spec as possible
Belts done by Birchdown and aircon delete fitted (timing was out prior to this)
RS tuner 98 ron remap
New NGK spark plugs/ oil filter/ millers CFS oil/ OEM Lamda Sensor
Sabelt Renaulsport Steering Wheel
Sabelt harnesses.
Red Top 20 smaller battery with custom made battery box and charger socket.
Rear seat and various items stripout - but not too extreme, still wanting to maintain a road car vibe.
Special order 16 inch x 8 inch Anthracite Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 Wheels with 45 ET and 60.1 bore (so no plastic spigot rings required)
Federal RSR track day tyres
Here's a few random pictures :
The lightweight battery with a custom made aluminium battery box and the obligatory trickle charger socket on a flylead :
Richbrook Slant Top Gearknob and an ebay gaiter with red stitching which looks quite sweet:
Sabelt harnesses with K Tec rear mat finishing things off nicely :
The car dressed in its trackday wheels and tyres and fluorescent mirror casings:
The car actually being pedaled round the track (spot the loose wheel arch liner beneath the car):
My theory was - and I know this may not be a very fashionable point of view on here - but I wanted to see what the car was like with the standard Trophy dampers, springs and geometry, after all that's what all the magazines raved about at the time (unbeatable B road performance etc).
I have to say that in my opinion the car handles just about perfectly. it looks a bit high compared to it's more lowered bretheren but that extra compliance hits the spot for me and the slight angle of roll makes you settle and set the car up for a corner properly for a corner.
Engine feels strong and I've been pleasantly surprised at just how fast the car is.
The only thing I'm less than happy with is the angle of the belts to the rear fixings which is too steep to be safe - and to remedy this the next item on the list is a Safety Devices rear cage with harness bar- and perhaps some more weight saving measures to counteract the additional weight of the cage,