Right.....

I think sometimes when building a car, with an ultimate aim in mind, you have to start with something as close to your intentions, before starting the build.

I haven't done that....

I have had my octavia for nearly 3 years, and until only relatively recently, I left it near standard.

I wanted a fast road/track car. In my opinion, this is not an ideal target for a MKV platform car to achieve.

So, I pollybushed the entire chassis prior to going to the Nurburgring in May, fitted the NQSBBK and with the coilovers and rear roll bar that were already on there, I had a go. Car performed well, but the track revealed some weaknesses. Mainly the OE exhaust which snapped off from the turbo on the last lap, and left me with a 10 hour drive home with NO exhaust. I replaced this with a full milltek system which luckily I had already purchased as I had intended to upgrade.

The suspension was so soft, that the car was rubbing its head off when cornering, the arches were modified as much as possible for clearance, and I confess, I got carried away while it was in there, creating the visual monstrosity the car is now. I fitted whiteline front roll bar, which helped considerably. And a nice set of BC coilovers, with front camber adjustment and adjustable damping. These, however, created their own issues. Running the car at the correct spring rate and ride height, caused contact between roll bar and control arm, and occasional contact between body and driveshaft......

The front subframe had been creaking for a while, so i ordered a tyrolsport locking kit for the subframe, and a pair of adjustable droplinks. Hoping this would tackle both issues at once. It didn't... And the subframe locking kit is the biggest fight I have ever had fitting aftermarket components to a car, there is absolutely zero tolerance when fitting, the subframe is literally mm perfect to centre, great when its done, but a real challenge to achieve.

So the shorter links didn't help, so i fitted some superpro roll centre correction ball joints. No more bottom arm contact, but still driveshaft issues. Booked the car in with a good friend to have the chassis notched. Before this could be done, however, the driveshaft had seen more than its lion share of abuse, and the CV joint exploded. While at it, I replaced the shaft entirely with a solid shaft from a diesel, identical length and weight, but thinner. The car could then have the notch done.

As the car stands now, the chassis prep i started back in may, is now only just coming to fruition. And believe me, there has not been a weekend free that I haven't had to mess about in some way or another fettling the car.

What have I ended up with....

Polybushed front and rear axles with anti lift

Whiteline 24mm adjustable front and rear anti roll bars

Oz superturismo 17x8j et35

Goodyear eagle f1 225/45/17

BC Racing BR Coilovers 30 point adjustable damping, 10kg front 12kg rear spring rates,

Camber adjustable pillowball front top mounts

Porsche Boxster s callipers, dimpled and grooved disks, ferrodo pads

Braided front and rear HEL brake lines

Arch liners removed

Arches modified for clearance

Front Strut tops and scuttle modified for top mount access

Interior stealth strip

Carbon Recaro profi side mount seats

Custom seat subframes, fixed passenger seat, drivers seat on runners

Diesel drivers side drive shaft

Tyrolsport front subframe deadset kit

Adjustable front droplinks

Superpro front rollcentr/camber adjustable ball joints

Chassis notch

The car of course, now handles extremely well, and will **** an inside rear wheel fairly consistently through fast corners. Something a MKV platform car will only do normally just before it lands on its roof. But it has not been without sacrifice, and the car so far has cost a small fortune. I will ofcourse, be continuing the build, as I have the last few bits for the K04 conversion to gather, and the car will be a fairly well rounded package. I have another trip to the Nurburgring in October, which will be a nice chance to test the car's progress, and also set the roll bars and suspension stiffness up.

My advice to anyone wanting to build a fast road car, who has a MKV platform car, frankly, would be sell it and buy something else.... I certainly wish I had.

Dale

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I pass this car every tuesday going from pelsal to walsall and when i didnt see it other day i did wonder if you sold it. Im glad your still building this and would love to see it finished

Fresh back from the Nurburgring, this is the cars second venture there, and a hell of a lot has changed chassis wise since the last trip. I had the alignment set for the 10 thousandth time prior to going and one little thing that made a great difference to turn in was being able to widen the front track. Using the superpro ball joints at maximum neg camber, and the top mounts adjusted to reduce it, effectively pushes both top and bottom of the wheel outwards, while still maintaining around -1.5 camber. The scope for adjustment from damping, roll bars and geo makes all of the heartache at least count for something! I think a few more track days are needed before I decide the suffering was worth it!

So, now the winter is approaching, I'm hoping to get one, maybe two, more track days in before the car gets rested and I finally take the plunge and get the K04 on. After that, the DTM style will be in full swing, front splitter redesign, wide arches and slicks. Keep em peeled [emoji102]

Dale

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https://vimeo.com/142550733

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In preparation for a lot more track work next year, and in keeping with my OCD over the car and spec, I've picked up another set of O.Z Superturismo's in identical specs to my current wheels. (5x112 17x8 ET35) These will be refurbished, probably remain silver, and have some track rubber fitted in the new year.

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Do you find the 17's better than 18's on track? I was considering getting 17's but thought it might be more tyre flex with the bigger profile

Do you find the 17's better than 18's on track? I was considering getting 17's but thought it might be more tyre flex with the bigger profile

I find the 45 profile better in nearly all aspects if I'm honest. When you lean on the tyre the progression on the limit is far more predictable. I always found 18's would disappear upon loss of traction, where the 17's allow for much more on the limit fun.

You wont regret the change. And the difference in ride quality is another matter.

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Whats quicker blue waffle or red waffle :P

Haha the red mk3 is diesel. And unfortunately not mine. We have mk4 Clio rs as a daily.

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Haha the red mk3 is diesel. And unfortunately not mine. We have mk4 Clio rs as a daily.

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Haha. Blue one catches my eye everyweek with that spoiler haha

Loving this thread!

Loving this thread!

Thanks mate.

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As some eagle eyed classified browsers may have spotted, a few critical parts of the build of my car have been advertised, and sold.... The reason is, I've finally decided to move on from the Octavia,

Why.

I brought the car 3 years ago, as a technician on minimum wage, working in a Skoda retailer. (Dont ask) I had sold my old Fabia vRS and wanted to jump back in to the brand. I couldn't afford a good one, if I'm honest, so I bought one broken. Tatty... and broken.

We were renting a house, just had our daughter, and I knew that if I could get it running right and tidy it up, the car would be a great family run around. Which it proved to be. Providing 30,000 trouble free miles and smiles. It's done house moves, tip runs, been sick in, rescued me from boozers when I've had a few too many (partner at the wheel) and generally been a solid family servant.

Not too long ago, I got a new job, which completely transformed our lives for the better, we brought our own house, got a second car, and I thought modifying the Octavia would be a good idea. If you had told me when I got it, that it would be like it is now, and take me across the continent, embarrassing all manner of far more expensive machinery.... I would have laughed, but turns out, it did.

The partner landed a better job, so we got a new car.. '64 plate Clio R.S. and just driving this once, put all sorts of doubts in my mind about the Octavia. Hot hatches have changed a lot in 10 years. And can do so much more out of the box than they used to.

The little one starts full time school in September, and the partner uses the Clio for work, so I now need something that I can use for the school run, AND track days.... This lands me square at the feet of a modern hot hatch. In making the Octavia able to handle track days, the compromise is just too extreme for road use in my opinion...

I will be here while parts from the car hopefully make it onto your projects, and hopefully give you a fraction of the joy I've had from this brilliant little car.

Thanks for reading my blog over the years guys.

Dale.

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Sorry to see it go :( always made me smile this car when i passed it weekly on just how big the spoiler was :P

Whats the replacement?

Hear, hear, Brother!

My weekender (not my Octavia- that has the responsibility of being my daily driver, so will remain lightly modified) put me in the same boat: too extreme and impractical for daily driving- with fuel consumption up around 20litres/100km, hard suspension, and the issues with fouling plugs in traffic, I know exactly where you're coming from...

It's a real shame to let it go, but you do what you must.

I've become somewhat philosophical about my cars recently, and will be selling my weekend weapon soon to finance an investment.

On the plus side, as you said: cars have come a long way in the last decade- there'll always be the opportunity to buy another toy down the track (excuse the pun), which is more competent to start with when funds/lifestyle allow...

Enjoy the process: drive the hell out of it and move on. I believe your priorities are in the right place for what it's worth...

Happy travels!

Mickey

No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy

Edited 12 January, 201610 yr by MickeyB

So aside from the obscure stuff. The majority of the car is sold. And the shell is now pretty much ready to be scrapped. Unless anyone needs a sub 100k, 2 owner shell with clocks, service history and log book?

Anyhow. This means the end, possibly just for now, of my contribution to the forum. Briskoda is an awesome resource for all Skoda owners and it's been a pleasure to be a part of. A pic of the not so new car to finish off I think...

All the best guys.

Dale.

Edited 20 February, 201610 yr by Turbobell

New car looks very nice. Thanks again for all the bits!

Looking for std parts if ya have any