Death of MK2 Golf #15, Build of #55
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 4:29 pm
It's been ages since I've posted in a forum or put a build thread together so bear with me....
Infact it's not so much a build thread but more pictorial history so probably needs moving to a more appropriate place at some point.
I haven't gone into incredible detail as there are somethings I don't want to give away in the public eye, If you have any questions drop me a PM and I'll be happy to answer
Starting from the beginning, this was my wonderful 8v GTI in '04 very much in it's road trim prime. I'm sitting here looking at this pic and wishing I had this car on the road now & that it would be worth twice as much today with the way that MK2 Golf "tax" is creeping up.
I hold Stuart "Big Power" Staples and my good mate Simon "Woody" Turner responsible for me taking the car to a ScoobyCity trackday in '06. This single day has resulted in a steady decline of my financial health and mental well-being (I think most people refer to this as "motorsport").
Through 2007 to 2012 with more success than I could have imagined I raced in the Golf GTI championship.
The chassis was getting gradually more tired with years of pounding round UK circuits with spring rates that would have made the designer's wince.
In a fairytale ending my pride and joy WON & WAS WRITTEN OFF in the last race of the '12 season where it all started.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V56FhO1wsSI
Not captured on the video is a tap in the drivers door from a spinning car that bent the b-pillar and floor pan.
I was happy to end on a high and hang up my helmet in favour of spannering Ginetta's but a this arrived at my house the following week as a gift from another good friend of mine who happens to dabble in previously enjoyed cars
The "fleet" circa December '12
The car was owned by a junior salesman at a Mayfair Porsche dealership. Some local Gypsies had tried to relieve him of it by shorting out the windscreen blower motor. "Thanks"
Mighty 75bhp 1600cc
Work underway in Jan '13
Living the dream
Even the Catering dept got stuck in
Next time you are on the ClubGTI forum and they are talking about removing a sunroof tray with a spot weld drill tell them they are being a Pussy from me:
Rocker cover off old engine
Cleaner than some places I've eaten
Roll cage time:
I'm not sure on forum advertising rules anymore but here's my bonnet and PM me for a number....
Colin from HCD has been putting together World Championship winning chassis for a friend of min for years.
I'm sorry Custom Cages & Sonny Howard but your bending and welding isn't even close.
Loom out & dash out of the old car.
Shiny things starting to encroach on my deskspace at work
I can't think of a better way to spend a summer's evening....
Just what I needed a VR6 head gasket. The next time some one utters the immortal line " VW Corrado VR6 is a modern classic" kick them in the bollocks for me
Thanks to Andy Warnes Racing for the support vehicle & thanks for giving my tape of chilled folk roots and acoustic music back the other week....
Had to get the office chair in for some motivation
Engine loom in dash loom to come
Passenger reckons it was a bit hot & noisy
Wired for sound
Finally in the garage after more expensive racing exotica has gone and a shakedown engine built from bits under the bench ready to go in
That's more like it
Old school management, old school tuning
First run at Donington in December '13 uncovered a few electrical gremlins which justified the whole exercise, and the car felt good on the new '14-spec dampers.
Things in the championship have moved on from the days of bolting together engines in the back of the van at meetings.
After evaluating all the options available to me I went to Jamie @ J-Tech to put an engine together for me. His attention to detail is beyond belief. I've seen engines from some of the best builders in the country and the lump he put together is well up there.
At the time of writing this engine is the most powerful Championship spec 8v lump to grace the rollers at jabbasport by a long way:
Time to turn attention to the finer details:
AMDesign's rendering:
AMDesign's handy work, biggest difference is the change in race number.
Number change was due to change of series. The original series was sold out to new management. In hind-sight change was a very good decision, sad to see years of hard work go down the drain for previous organisers of the original series.
Ready for Snetterton Round 1 April 2014
Few more for the sake of it:
Infact it's not so much a build thread but more pictorial history so probably needs moving to a more appropriate place at some point.
I haven't gone into incredible detail as there are somethings I don't want to give away in the public eye, If you have any questions drop me a PM and I'll be happy to answer
Starting from the beginning, this was my wonderful 8v GTI in '04 very much in it's road trim prime. I'm sitting here looking at this pic and wishing I had this car on the road now & that it would be worth twice as much today with the way that MK2 Golf "tax" is creeping up.
I hold Stuart "Big Power" Staples and my good mate Simon "Woody" Turner responsible for me taking the car to a ScoobyCity trackday in '06. This single day has resulted in a steady decline of my financial health and mental well-being (I think most people refer to this as "motorsport").
Through 2007 to 2012 with more success than I could have imagined I raced in the Golf GTI championship.
The chassis was getting gradually more tired with years of pounding round UK circuits with spring rates that would have made the designer's wince.
In a fairytale ending my pride and joy WON & WAS WRITTEN OFF in the last race of the '12 season where it all started.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V56FhO1wsSI
Not captured on the video is a tap in the drivers door from a spinning car that bent the b-pillar and floor pan.
I was happy to end on a high and hang up my helmet in favour of spannering Ginetta's but a this arrived at my house the following week as a gift from another good friend of mine who happens to dabble in previously enjoyed cars
The "fleet" circa December '12
The car was owned by a junior salesman at a Mayfair Porsche dealership. Some local Gypsies had tried to relieve him of it by shorting out the windscreen blower motor. "Thanks"
Mighty 75bhp 1600cc
Work underway in Jan '13
Living the dream
Even the Catering dept got stuck in
Next time you are on the ClubGTI forum and they are talking about removing a sunroof tray with a spot weld drill tell them they are being a Pussy from me:
Rocker cover off old engine
Cleaner than some places I've eaten
Roll cage time:
I'm not sure on forum advertising rules anymore but here's my bonnet and PM me for a number....
Colin from HCD has been putting together World Championship winning chassis for a friend of min for years.
I'm sorry Custom Cages & Sonny Howard but your bending and welding isn't even close.
Loom out & dash out of the old car.
Shiny things starting to encroach on my deskspace at work
I can't think of a better way to spend a summer's evening....
Just what I needed a VR6 head gasket. The next time some one utters the immortal line " VW Corrado VR6 is a modern classic" kick them in the bollocks for me
Thanks to Andy Warnes Racing for the support vehicle & thanks for giving my tape of chilled folk roots and acoustic music back the other week....
Had to get the office chair in for some motivation
Engine loom in dash loom to come
Passenger reckons it was a bit hot & noisy
Wired for sound
Finally in the garage after more expensive racing exotica has gone and a shakedown engine built from bits under the bench ready to go in
That's more like it
Old school management, old school tuning
First run at Donington in December '13 uncovered a few electrical gremlins which justified the whole exercise, and the car felt good on the new '14-spec dampers.
Things in the championship have moved on from the days of bolting together engines in the back of the van at meetings.
After evaluating all the options available to me I went to Jamie @ J-Tech to put an engine together for me. His attention to detail is beyond belief. I've seen engines from some of the best builders in the country and the lump he put together is well up there.
At the time of writing this engine is the most powerful Championship spec 8v lump to grace the rollers at jabbasport by a long way:
Time to turn attention to the finer details:
AMDesign's rendering:
AMDesign's handy work, biggest difference is the change in race number.
Number change was due to change of series. The original series was sold out to new management. In hind-sight change was a very good decision, sad to see years of hard work go down the drain for previous organisers of the original series.
Ready for Snetterton Round 1 April 2014
Few more for the sake of it:
( One day i will find an intact one!)
