5 GT Turbo 11 years later silver bullet comes home

[Duncan Grier]

Yep same Lotus Elise/exige S2 & Vx220 rack positioning. I need to extend ends by 25mm each side due to my increased track (front & rear) done to accept 5 pot engine and dsg (shame really as if I used the s3 tfsi and 6 speed manual have the mounts and shaft drawings from the conversions I did in the vx220) but that would have been far too simple and miss out on 5 pot noise noise and super fast dsg

In stock form raiser plates are used to give adjustment, and I will probably leave a bit more for playing with ride height setup

While some thought for mounting needed still - it will fit (he says with confidence lol) more the servo after be fun, and make sure angles to steering column well within range etc

Welcome any thoughts or feedback @Steve Swan

 

[Steve Swan]

Basically the inboard rack pivots are just above the lower wishbone mountings and I guess the outboard ends are in the same basic relationship. If you can move the Rack up and down on shims, you'll be able to find the sweet spot. Having longer track rods will help as the longer (swing axle) will alter it's effective length less than shorter rods. The humble Hillman Imp and later Vauxhall's used a centre mounted track rods to minimize the changing length thing ...
Watching with interest...

 

[Duncan Grier]

Thanks and was hoping a bit longer was better than shorter which your view supports and not something I have messed about with historically

My setup is aligned to upper wishbone mounting not lower but same thing really

 

[DaveL485]

The humble Hillman Imp and later Vauxhall's used a centre mounted track rods to minimize the changing length thing ...

The logitudinal 21 setup is the same, the rack joins the track rods in the middle of the car. Much better.

 

[Duncan Grier]

Ok, so after going over all options I could see working photo bombed our resident metal working master @Mark_L to get some validation, given a thumbs up on option A got on with measuring, cutting and making joy.

Going to weld uprights bases to subframe (welded some 2mm squares onto ends to keep nice and honest) and then needs gussets etc to give the extra strength and look at bolting to bulkhead as I want to retain option to drop subframe and lower section in one.

Not too much more needed taking of chassis rail which is a bonus and can see a few easy option to put strength back in

Measurments all good which is the most important bit....

Quick look at servo and think will need spacing out 60mm but will see.

Started to use my temp suspension bit of box to determine pickup and looks like it will slot in just fine.

 

[andybond]

Will you have to go through some sort of car reclassification when you get this all working?

 

[Duncan Grier]

Thankfully made no changes to any key structure areas, suspension setup or put a big engine in the back seat area

Yeah expect full on pain of IVA looming but need to get built 1st and see if can register against donor vehicle year or full new registration.....won't know until speaking but in world of EV voodoo sure they will make it easy for me lol

Track attack in it once working first

 

[Duncan Grier]

3hrs in the blink of an eye....time goes far too quick when having fun

So got on with spot welding brace plate and seam welded sides, top done after that top section in. Part welded in the pickups and few extra tacks on outside.

Measured up and drilled out holes for rack mounting, need to do shim plate still but made longer for adjustment but also elongated bit bigger than bolt size to give fine tweak.

Cut out hole for suspension/spring top mount, as per pics box bit correct angle but need to take a bit more out to fit Mr Nitron but want to add a bit of strength 1st as everything not braced yet.

 

[andybond]

Any ideas roughly how many hours you have in this so far?

 

[Steve Swan]

Will you brace the rack towers?? I know they are pretty robust, but likely to flex just enough, to make you wonder what is going on when loaded. I know fools and children should not see something half done, just a curious lad really..

 

[Duncan Grier]

Do not worry @Steve Swan sir roll cage plan will tie into that area and also tie the whole front end together and brace pickups, etc. Just a bit of chicken and egg at this stage to what is needed prior to cage works but very much on my mind

 

[Duncan Grier]

Any ideas roughly how many hours you have in this so far?

I need to think on that one and an intersting question maybe best left alone lol.

I had an estimate of 3000hrs for the build of which sounds crazy but let me validate as while a lot of time spent since the start, of course the multiple short bursts is not the most efficient approach and it is not what I do for a living - definetly more a new 'opportunity' and makes an engine conversion seem quick and easy

 

[andybond]

It was more of an idle question really from me. Curious at to the investment.

I, like you, never tally up hours or costs. Something are just better left alone.

 

[gordini stu]

Mate your definitely mad ,bloody clever but mad , I can’t seam to get passed a project being worth less than you spend , I take my hat off to you , and appreciate all your skill and determination and to be fair your updates are better than watching the telly and would never want you and many others to change , keep up the good work it’s bloody fantastic .

 

[Duncan Grier]

Thanks @gordini stu often think stop spamming the forum with your few hours progress and photo bombs ......but glad it's keeping a few of you entertained by my madness and helps others try something new. My kids often say to do a YouTube channel of the build and bore the world with my detailed joy but too far in now and cant see it helping speed the build up in anyway

Tune in at 6pm to see what today's 3hrs of fun was

 

[Duncan Grier]

Sunday fun day update....

Got thinking about chassis leg gussets, braces and cutting bigger holes

Settled on some 40mm box plan or another layer of 2mm sheet on side as per random pics will revisit

Then changed next job of working the steering rack and cutting out the back to allow access, gave it a blast of primer and welded a cap in

Then rack back in to check access and get hole enlarged, bit of cad and some 2mm sheet almost ready to weld in

 

[Duncan Grier]

Your 2hr Monday quota

Got rack access side finished off and welded in, cut out other side, measured, cut and bent read to go in. Quick tidy and lick of prima, finish other side next time

No particular order of photo bomb

 

[Duncan Grier]

Squeezed couple hours in....not much but other side welded up, measured, bolted in rack and bit more measuring to check all good.

Removed a bit more to allow damper/spring so can make brackets and think about beefing up a bit until cage goes in.

 

[Steve Swan]

Just need to keep on grinding on. Then one day there's nothing left to weld.. Then the trouble really starts...

 

[Duncan Grier]

90mins = steering rack mounts welded in, and removed other bits of excess metal in the rack arms space which worked out all will weld backs when subframe dropped next.

Rack moves in and out smooth and looking forward to getting final mounts made and in.

Having a measure up of ARB decided a custom one makes most sense and can build in the extra width and make mounting easy and save any further subframe cutting.