when i was living at my mums i was able to spin a few cars around, good as i had the citigo daily and a petrol fabia or two which i was fixing up in the evenings. but when i moved out the lack of space, and the inherent fact the landlord was a bit sceptical about me doing it has meant i cant unless i rush the work while he is away (travels alot with work)

edit, enough off topic!

Ben, since its been mapped, how has it been on the road? how is it to drive?

Yeah I'm lucky to be at home still with a large drive! How is it though Ben?

Yeah I'm lucky to be at home still with a large drive! How is it though Ben?

i haven't been at home since i was 18 so money has always been the stopper. Having a little boy has also changed the whole time/money/practicality balance.

hmmmmm in short its a animal. I have driven cars that have had much more power but this has a massive fun factor. On the road it can be driven in two modes, nice and steady which gives up to 45mpg on a run, the map is nice and smooth. Give the loud pedal a stomp and it literally fly's (well almost) i find myself deliberately looking for unsuspecting people in cars worth alot more than a 1.4 fabia. Anything like a Astra vxr or alike haven't stud a chance, some think its funny others not so much. The only thing i have had pass me was an BMW M1 even a Boxer 'S' wasn't up to the job. The power delivery is brutal under hard acceleration, those who saw it at Blyton park will know. It stops and handles very well with bags of grip due to the Jabbasport RARB, the only thing letting it down is the open diff. Everything on the car is hidden (black cooler and hidden tail pipe etc) so the satisfaction of driving on the road and people thinking its just a fabia with a broken down pipe is nothing short of smug. I know on paper its not a race winner etc, but its extremely good fun to drive which is what its all about. Don't no any figures as far as 0-60 is concerned but it will break 160mph.

Of course on the road it is driven with the up most respect for the speed limit etc and the silly stuff has only happened on a track or a private road  

Wavetrac LSD is good for road use too if its a daily driver. Or for out and out track I would possibly look at a kaaz plated unit, I swapped from a wavetrac to a kaaz and was impressed with both but the wavetrac wouldn't hold the torque once it was hot.. Kaaz comes with crown wheel bolts too and I got it from co ordsport(partsbox)

Thanks for that. Any idea about a dry steering rack?

either strip it and take the ram seals out of see if something else vag will fit? but be carefull with messing up bump steer if you use a different rack, I believe there is a non power rack fitted to some eastern european fabia's or at least autodata has different toe settings for non pas car..

saxo pump works ok or relocate the skoda pump to somewhere else, I wouldn't want a lsd and no power steering!!

Interesting I was looking at a 1.8t conversion for rallying but they just don't make the power with a 32mm restrictor fitted to them and packaging of the hot bits is tight..

As Felicia16V said, there was a 1.0 MPI (smaller version of the 1.4 8V OHV engine) which was sold in the eastern block without PAS, however that would be for a LHD car. Im not sure if they made one for RHD use.

 

I dont know what is involved in doing it, but would it be possible to strip down a LHD Non-PAS rack and to transplant its bits into a RHD PAS Rack so you can convert it?

No doesn't work like that I tried with a Felicia quickrack. The helical cut on the gears means the pinion can only point one way.

No doesn't work like that I tried with a Felicia quickrack. The helical cut on the gears means the pinion can only point one way.

 

just proves i know nothing about steering racks haha

And proves I had forgotten the slight problem of eastern European cars having the steering wheel on the wrong side lol..

many thanks for your input you two lol

carbon fibre goodies in the making 

Carbon fibre goodies? That sounds good

Carbon fibre goodies? That sounds good

One of the perks of working in composites

Oh cool, can you make replacement panels?

What parts are you making for your car?

Oh cool, can you make replacement panels?

What parts are you making for your car?

Technically yes but atm just keeping it basic for mine. The bits I'm making so far are just a coil pack cover (you can get them from the states but was a easy moulding to show the work experience lad the other week) and a fuel rail and injector wire cover. I have a battery box to make before combe and some other bits. It would be rude not to having access to the facilities etc and plus looks the nuts in the sun next the the Electric Orange under the bonnet

Sounds great. Would you be interested in making some other bits?

Depends on the complexity really mate but can always have a look

Methinks you have a new side line perhaps as I'm sure the forums can keep you busy on doing some varied pieces all over.

Methinks you have a new side line perhaps as I'm sure the forums can keep you busy on doing some varied pieces all over.

Well if anyone wants anything doing the least i can say is no. Made a few sets of custom wheel adapters and varies other bits and pieces on the past

Well if anyone wants anything doing the least i can say is no. Made a few sets of custom wheel adapters and varies other bits and pieces on the past

Thanks, I saw your car at Blyton and was very impressed with the vehicle both in performance and the professional installation and appearance of it. So kudos to you my friend you definitely have a lot of skills to do what you have done with it.

Thanks, I saw your car at Blyton and was very impressed with the vehicle both in performance and the professional installation and appearance of it. So kudos to you my friend you definitely have a lot of skills to do what you have done with it.

Cheers mate its my first car build and chuffed to bits with, the long nights payed off.

Cheers mate its my first car build and chuffed to bits with, the long nights payed off.

That it has, lets just say I think it has inspired quite a few more people to do what you have done. But even more so to do little bits more to their own car.

 

hmmmmm whats going on here. for a change i can bring the car in the workshop to make life easy

Were you still using the standard comfort seats?

Were you still using the standard comfort seats?

i was until i gave up on them