Since it's nice and sunny for a change and I have the day off work I've started with the colour change. Started my sanding the top layer of paint off with a little electric sander so the paint will hopefully stick better then got some masking tape out and masked off the sunroof, windscren and back window:

 

 

 

 

 

Then the roof was painted black using 4 can of cheap £1 spray from B&M, chose matte black for some reason. Don't really know why I went matte over gloss at the time but I like it.

 

Then there was the job of masking up for the bats, ball and border and center lines which were then painted on, masking tape removed and it looks like this:

 

 

 

Some white paint got past the newspaper I was holding as a shield though so I may have to get another tin of matte black just to spray over the over-spray. This may never end...

 

Anyway, apart from the over-spray I'm pleased with that.

I'd have them off you in a heartbeat but I've got to book in at Croft

 

Hopefully you've sorted that dodgy looking suspension bush before going on track again too!

Hopefully you've sorted that dodgy looking suspension bush before going on track again too!

Not too worried about that to be honest as it wasn't giving any problems at Bedford.

Hmm. I'd definitely look at getting it sorted. If the wishbone is fouling the the chassis as a result of it then I think it would be an MOT failure. As it was on the picture I'd expect it to at least be an advisory.

Hmm. I'd definitely look at getting it sorted. If the wishbone is fouling the the chassis as a result of it then I think it would be an MOT failure. As it was on the picture I'd expect it to at least be an advisory.

I'll get it sorted, but I'm not in a massive rush, it wasn't mentioned on the MOT even as an advisory and it's only done 1100 miles since that point. If I get a job before the end of this month I will be going to Croft then changing the bush, if I don't get a job before the end of the month I'll be replacing the bush whenever I get a new job then seeing what track-days are on. If I wasn't being made redundant I was going to order a pair of poly bushes at the start of this month, book the track-day at Croft and book the Monte in for a service. But that has all been put on hold. The bush wasn't causing any issues on track or on the way home so one more track-day won't be an issue.

Well good news, got the V5 dropped through the door this morning so all is well.

 

 

Two of them now.

This looks really fun :-) I'm just wondering - how much weight do you think you've shaved off? Off the top of my head, I think the car is somewhere around 1250 kg stock (2755 lbs) and I'd guess you've saved around 200 kg? How much better does it feel on the track, in cornering, acceleration, braking?

This looks really fun :-) I'm just wondering - how much weight do you think you've shaved off? Off the top of my head, I think the car is somewhere around 1250 kg stock (2755 lbs) and I'd guess you've saved around 200 kg? How much better does it feel on the track, in cornering, acceleration, braking?

I reckon it weighs less than a MKlV Golf now, According to Parkers the Octavia Elegance 1.9TDI weighs 1405 KG where the Golf 5 door with the same engine weighs 1239 KG. Going by the back end and everything I think it weight less than the Golf now, and some of the stuff was heavy. Lumps of metal like the CD changer, rear wiper and motor, carpet weighs a ton with all that sound deadening, rear seats and belts. Then all the trim ads up to quite a bit. I aim to get it on a weigh bridge at the local quarry at some point if I can.

 

As I had never driven the car before stripping it out I can't comment on how different it is to drive but I can say I'm shocked at how hard it is to get the back end out on corners, at Bedfore I was going at an indicated 80 (smaller tyres meaning probably 70) around the pit corner and that was the only properly sideways bend there. As far as acceleration goes it is never going to win any drag races, it's got a big heavy engine and a lot of body-work, but it is a diesel, so it has a lot of low end torque and it accelerates faster than my Monte. Puts a bigger smile on my face than the monte which made me feel sad to be fair, but I love the monte for slightly different reasons. Corners, well, it goes round them, it has never stepped a foot off track. But it is a bit boat like. SS Uncrashable ll What happened to SS Uncrashable l you say,well it crashed. But less of that...

Breaking is an entirely different entity, The breaks are outofthisworld (Or Outofthi5world?) constantly out-breaking Lotuses and, well, everything. But was that because they were just scared to crash? 110 MPH into the breaking zone, 200m, nope, 150m, nope, 100m, nope 50m Break, down to 80 slam it into 3rd, bit of tyre squeel as you lift off the clutch, down to 40mph and round, feels like the back wheels are going to overtake the front ones at times because of the weight loss, it gets a bit squirelly but keep it straight and it's great. Used half of its front break pads in one day at Bedford, we'll see what it does at Croft. I don't think it will use as much because my dad is on as an extra driver so it'll be getting thrashed less. Tyre wear was quite bad to, I'm going to try and have a play with the cambre at some point and see if I can get it off them sidewalls a bit.

 

But in the meantime. Time for another oil change. It's done a track-day and racked up 2,000 miles since its last one. Yeah, not much but it was quite clearly not maintained to the best of standards before my ownership and better safe than sorry hey. Whilst I was under their I realized it wasn't just the bumper smashing against the road when I was out testing on the B-roads before Bedford:

 

 

Lucky little sump...

Yeah, with that heavy engine at the front I can imagine that it'll eat up those front brakes and tires pretty quickly, I doubt any adjustments can really change that much...

Yeah, with that heavy engine at the front I can imagine that it'll eat up those front brakes and tires pretty quickly, I doubt any adjustments can really change that much...

Possibly not, but you can but try.

Also poly bushes are on the way for the rear of the wish-bones and I've got a set of rally flaps to fit.

Edited 25 June, 20169 yr by Outofthi5world

the polybushes for the front wishbones will help immensely

the polybushes for the front wishbones will help immensely

Yeah, wish I'd had the money to do them all but I don't so have to just replace the knackered back one on drivers side and do its twin on the other for now.

Looks like a good work in progress there David, remember going round Rockingham in your Monte, was pretty fun to be honest. You still got the Monte or has it been replaced?

Looks like a good work in progress there David, remember going round Rockingham in your Monte, was pretty fun to be honest. You still got the Monte or has it been replaced?

Still got the Monte. Rockingham was my old Fabia, the 60 BHP one, and yes, it was great fun. The Monte went to Snetterton where it ended the day in a tyre wall and the Octy made its debut at Bedford. So far 3 track-days in 3 different cars.

Tiny update on the Octy today anyway, I have these now:

 

 

Wishbone bushes to replace the worn one and its twin. Hopefully I'll be able to at least get the worn one replaced tomorrow morning before the Monte goes in for its service at 1. Then I'm off to Flamingo land on the 29th then I've got the 30th to do anything else I have/want to do then my new job for 3 days and Croft on the 4th

Still got the Monte. Rockingham was my old Fabia, the 60 BHP one, and yes, it was great fun. The Monte went to Snetterton where it ended the day in a tyre wall and the Octy made its debut at Bedford. So far 3 track-days in 3 different cars.

Tiny update on the Octy today anyway, I have these now:

 

 

Wishbone bushes to replace the worn one and its twin. Hopefully I'll be able to at least get the worn one replaced tomorrow morning before the Monte goes in for its service at 1. Then I'm off to Flamingo land on the 29th then I've got the 30th to do anything else I have/want to do then my new job for 3 days and Croft on the 4th

Ah yes! Nearly went off the track a couple of times but it was all in the name of fun! Certainly a good idea to have a designated track car that isn't worth a lot. Plus, you could turn that thing into a beast. I really want to go to Flamingo Land...

Ah yes! Nearly went off the track a couple of times but it was all in the name of fun! Certainly a good idea to have a designated track car that isn't worth a lot. Plus, you could turn that thing into a beast. I really want to go to Flamingo Land...

You're down south though, you got all the good theme parks down there. Honestly Flamingo land aint got nothing on places like Alton Towers. I went down to Alton a couple of years ago and was amazed.

You're down south though, you got all the good theme parks down there. Honestly Flamingo land aint got nothing on places like Alton Towers. I went down to Alton a couple of years ago and was amazed.

True, Thorpe Park and Alton Towers blast most theme parks in the UK out of the water. Though I still have to travel about 4 hours to get to Alton Towers, Thorpe Park's rather close.

 

Plus, who needs rides when you have a stripped out Octy?

Edited 27 June, 20169 yr by Rhys94

True, Thorpe Park and Alton Towers blast most theme parks in the UK out of the water. Though I still have to travel about 4 hours to get to Alton Towers, Thorpe Park's rather close.

 

Plus, who needs rides when you have a stripped out Octy?

Rides are still fun. It appears there's more chance of death on a roller-coaster anyway.

Rides are still fun. It appears there's more chance of death on a roller-coaster anyway.

Rides are great fun! David, that was deep...

Well the car's decided it doesn't want poly bushes. So I respectfully accept its decision.

Well the car's decided it doesn't want poly bushes. So I respectfully accept its decision.

Why

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Why

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

F*****g b***** c****** t****** bolts that haven't moved in 13 years. Will be a garage job because A I can't get it apart and B I don't want to risk not getting it back again, not that I think getting it all back will be the problem but still. And until this afternoon I don't now if I will have the money to send it in to a garage top get it done. It will probably have to wait until after Croft now despite the fact that I have the bushes waiting.

Well the car's decided it doesn't want poly bushes. So I respectfully accept its decision.

Listen to the car, don't do it

Keep soaking it in wd40 every day, or get some heat on it

Yes. 1.9 TDI 110 BHP Elegance with all electric windows, alloy wheels, electric sunroof, 6 CD auto-changer, center arm-rest and climatronic. All for the princely sum of £171

 £171? eBay?