Very budget track build

[Clarkj93]

Hi guys, well had mine a while now, it was bought to be a daily that was a great all rounder which it is. Due to covid and new job change I no longer need to worry about a daily ( the mrs's fiat 500 can always suffice if things change lol ).

This is just going to blog my very very slow progress of turning the golf into a track car, I'm currently buying a house so hence the very slow and very budget progress lol but doing what I can!

Here she is when first bought:



And here is a cool pic I took few years ago at 6am at cheddar gorge lol ( great morning drive if any of you are local by the way ):



Had the car at Llandow circuit recently bone stock with nothing but ate type 200 brake fluid. She went well, was expecting it to be a bit of a mess but no was quite surprising. Fair amount of understeer and quite slow to change direction but not bad at all! I had a cool down lap every 3-5 or so laps just to look after the old stock pads and discs.

Winter means jobs to do!

This explains the small hint of surface rust on the sills!



Got some wishbones from an audi tt 3.2, swapped them and kept the tt solid bush



Went to fcm alignment in Bristol, set camber to 1.8 at front and 1.5 at rear. Not exactly race car settings yet but I'd rather increment than go from one extreme to the other. Can honestly say the balance has totally changed from just this alone, well worth mod.

Just changed discs and pads all round, brembo plain discs with black diamond pads. Very budget set up but will give it a trial at next track day!

Swapped pcv valve to a new one with new hoses as had a vacuum leak somewhere, huge difference in throttle response, obviously not been right for a while!

I'm a bit weird and don't really listen to music in or out the car so did a radio delete, took the pic before I slotted it back in place hence it looks a bit loose:



Took some interior bits out just to check weight out of curiosity. Some of you may be interested....
Spare wheel and tool kit: 18.4kg
Rear seats (bench and backs): 29.9kg



Fitted it all back for now but will try and experiment at how it effects handling at next track day by taking stuff out at lunch time maybe.

Just fitted tow strap because why not. Its an adjustable trs one, bolted to furthest bolt away from radiator that ties crash bar to chassis. From what I've found its safe to do so as it will only be used to load on a trailer via this. And well... if I'm wrong... its just a piece of tin at end of day lol!



Will be taking it to Llandow again hopefully in April. Next job outside of maintenence is going to be suspension, likely coilovers and probably b14 from bilstein. If you have some suggestions for a budget track build though I am all ears!! 

Feel free to offer suggestions/opinions or criticise me for doing everything wrong and half arsed lol.

Hopefully the wallet allows some more updates soon....

Cheers!

[Mekaniko]

Nice project, regarding the suspension I would go for something more track focused as KW V3 maybe? HSD monopro?

Remove the ineterior is OK, but maybe I would wait for it unti is mor a track car as for me the GTI is a good ClubSport compromise and can be confortable and efective at the same time.

Keep posting!

[Clarkj93]

I would love to but cannot really justify the cost of them right now.... and suspension is on its way out so thought b14 might be a good ok priced alternative. Maybe its just worth waiting until I can get the good stuff on there though.... rather than do a half arsed attempt.

I don't know much about hsd. Do they make a set for the mk5? Cannot seem to find a set after a quick Google search anyway...

[colesey]

Maybe BC Racing / Relentless could be a better value option? The adjustable top mounts will give you more camber which is beneficial for track work.

[Mekaniko]

I would love to but cannot really justify the cost of them right now.... and suspension is on its way out so thought b14 might be a good ok priced alternative. Maybe its just worth waiting until I can get the good stuff on there though.... rather than do a half arsed attempt.

I don't know much about hsd. Do they make a set for the mk5? Cannot seem to find a set after a quick Google search anyway...

B14 is an excelent suspension you will never regret, but as you say that you are on budget just check for more options track focused before the purchase.

[shannon-ob]

Good to see another track build, and one so close to me!

I have BC Coilovers on mine and they've been great.

[Clarkj93]

I've been following your build thread, very impressive mate 

[shannon-ob]

I've been following your build thread, very impressive mate 

Thanks man, appreciate that! Some big updates to come once all the parts get here...

[Clarkj93]

So after hearing the new lockdown regulations. Booked in to Thruxton for 15 April with Trackdays, if anyone here is attending feel free to say hello. Bought a couple cubes of quantum 5w30 a while back, where as now wish I got a more motorsport orientated 5w40 oil... so will do a pre and post oil change just so use it up basically!

 Bought a magnetic sump plug, never used them before but seems a popular thing to do:



Also got a can of liqui moly injection cleaner, used redex a few times and not noticed any difference but i hear people raving about this one so thought why not its under a 10er so.

If anyone here is a bit of a fuss pot with pressure guages like me then found an ideal solution, I had a sealey digital guage which was accurate but the quick release connector was a nightmare I found, so essentially I bought another guage to swap the connector a clip on chuck one instead.
 Basically bought these two here https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/sealey-tyre-pressure-gauge-digital-with-swivel-head-quick-release-tst-pg98-seatst-pg98/ and  https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/sealey-tyre-pressure-gauge-with-clip-on-chuck-tst-pg6-seatst-pg6/ and took the secure fitting clip on chuck from the latter and with a 14mm spanner and a pair of grips and a lot of force wound it onto the digital one so it was air tight. Now I have an accurate guage with a solid connection and a bleeder valve :)

[shannon-ob]

I bought a Gold Plug sump plug for mine.

If it was me, I'd probably be selling that 5W/30 and buy 5W/40 for track.

Have you looked in to the BC or Relentless coilovers? Very good bang for buck!

[Clarkj93]

I bought a Gold Plug sump plug for mine.

If it was me, I'd probably be selling that 5W/30 and buy 5W/40 for track.

Have you looked in to the BC or Relentless coilovers? Very good bang for buck!

I was 50/50 about the oil tbh... the fact that someone else has mentioned it has convinced me to change! Just ordered millers nanodrive 5w40.

Yeah I have, they seem to go for a bit more than b14 and tbh I've read a lot less durability issues from bilstein than I have bc racing which is kind of swaying me.

[shannon-ob]

Good choice with the oil mate.

I've had my BC's about 2 years i think now with zero issues - and i thrash the car. Mother has had them on her scooby for about 9 years, only thing that's ever done was a top mount, it was being daily driven for about 6 years!  Just clean them every now and then and they'll be sound.

Either way good suspension/brakes are a great mod for these. Brakes for mine was a great one to do. Standards just didn't cut it for me. Plus, quarry corner at nearly 130mph with little to no brakes is not fun, at all.

[Clarkj93]

Is that the br series ones then or others? Do they come with top mounts for the mk5 gti then? I'm sure i read its manufacturer/model dependent as that would save getting some uprated ttrs ones additionally which was on my list of things to do...

[shannon-ob]

We both have the BR series that came with pillow ball top mounts. On the golf was only the fronts and had to swap the rears.

[Clarkj93]

We both have the BR series that came with pillow ball top mounts. On the golf was only the fronts and had to swap the rears.

Did it come with adjustable drop links as well? Some of the pics I've seen looks like it has front drop links but not rears?