The Astra Track Day Car

Okay, so I still have my Mk4 Astra lying around and decided at the weekend that I'd love to try a few track days with it. It doesn't have to be road legal as I will be putting it on a trailer.

It only has a 1.6 engine but I'm not after serious performance just yet, just a bit of good fun. I'll probably strip it out to make it lighter and seem a bit more serious and exciting to the driver.

Maybe in time I'll probably carry out a few modifications, might start with simple power gains. And maybe move onto improved suspension for a better feel.

It's all about the experience with this car, I won't be racing anyone so the more fun I can have, the better.

If anyone has any ideas for it to improve the experience or has any experience in track days and where to start it would be very helpful. Thankyou.

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I bet it looks fabulous afterwards :) do you not have a garage to keep your baby in? I was hoping to have everything done this weekend but its not going to happen.
 
Jakeymd said:
I bet it looks fabulous afterwards :) do you not have a garage to keep your baby in? I was hoping to have everything done this weekend but its not going to happen.
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No Jake no garage I'm afraid :sad2: One of the things to be addressed when I move home later in the year ;)
 
Stay away from Ashbourne, there's nothing here. I aim to move away as soon as I can afford to. :p
 
Ahh, i know. I don't want to get my phone dirty when i'm working on it. I'll try and get some before i start tomorrow, the weather should be better.

This what i'm fitting

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The black lower inlet is off a corsa GSI and the top box is the "powerbox" as they are called, which replaces the restrictive manifold (which i'll try and get pictures of) Also you can see the injectors and fuel rail.
 
Some of the more (much more) expensive ones are better designed. But its not bad for a budget box to be honest. £150 compared to £1000. Its a no brainer, for me anyway.
 
Its not a poor design. A vast improvement on the standard item. But the expensive ones are a little better.
 
Car is nearly up and running. I think id be able to fire it up but not going to until everything is connected. Throttle position wire, egr wire and a vacuum tube to the fpr all need extending then its done. Took plenty of photos yesterday so ill upload them tonight.
 
Jakeymd said:
Ahh, i know. I don't want to get my phone dirty when i'm working on it. I'll try and get some before i start tomorrow, the weather should be better.

This what i'm fitting

DSCF3671.jpg


The black lower inlet is off a corsa GSI and the top box is the "powerbox" as they are called, which replaces the restrictive manifold (which i'll try and get pictures of) Also you can see the injectors and fuel rail.
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Looks smart. Any power gains?
 
Approximatly 20hp and improved torque upto the red line. I csn also safely raise the limit to 7300 but I think ill go for 7000 if and when I get it remapped.
 
Picture update!! I know you've all been waiting for it.

Here's the car as I got to it yerterday afternoon after work.
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Here's the new powerbox with the extension bracket i had made and then the throttle body
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The standard restrictive manifold, I have marked out the internal walls in red and the route the air has to take in blue.

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With the internal runners removed

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The new powerbox in place

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Some new piping

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Almost finished

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Sorry for the small pictures, I took the URL from the thumbnail instead of the full size picture.

Picture sizes fixed
 
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Very nice Jake, what tweaks will you have to do to the air and fuel after the last bolt has been fitted so to speak?
 
Hopefully nothing. The lambda sensor should pick up any spare oxygen in the exhaust and so put in more fuel. Injectors and FPR are all fully interchangable so nothing required there.

Just turn the key and go.
 
Jakeymd said:
Hopefully nothing. The lambda sensor should pick up any spare oxygen in the exhaust and so put in more fuel. Injectors and FPR are all fully interchangable so nothing required there.

Just turn the key and go.
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Sounds marvellous, I hope it all works out for you buddy ;)
 
Cheers mate. Picture sizes are better so you can get a better look ;)

Doesn't make the engine look any bigger though :p
 
T9 man said:
Great thanks, the small pictures were a bit of a struggle for me :embarrest:
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I was struggling too! I am 19! haha.

The new powerbox looks good, and I am liking the performance gains mate. Well worth it then? Have you had a chance to drive it yet?
 
So today, after work, went round to hgv direct to pick up some more pipe as they'd given me the wrong size yesterday. Went to pick up some bullet connecters and some anti freeze. Went the car, cut and fit the new pipe extended the cables that needed extending (which Im not completely happy with yet) did a bit of free wheeling down a gentle slope to the outside tap. flushed out the coolant system, filled it up with lots of squeezing of hoses to get rid of trapped air. Connected the battery. Checked over everything then fired her up!! Just cranked over for about 5 seconds as the fuel rail filled and then BRUM!!! :D I was a little suprised myself :p

Not had much of a chance to test it as its neither taxed or insured but I did get a little go on the rather large yard where I keep it and a private lane/driveway. I emptied all my tool and parts out the back and took her out. Holy Jesus the results are incredible!!! It is so much more responsive firstly. Up to 4k rpm there wasn't much difference but once It hit 4k it felt like a turbo was kicking in and it was away!! Very happy :D
 
Next up is a couple of exhaust components. Decat and centre section with silencer removed. About £70 in total. Not bad in my opinion.

I need some sort of cable tidy to keep all the extended wires in place.
 
New exhaust parts ordered. £68 for a 2" 500mm section with flanged end (decat), a straight through centre section and a couple of u-clamps. All from jetex. Also ordered a breather filter - £3 :D
 
Tasty! Get some pictures up, man! Is there any thought on aspiration changes? I think a SuperCharger will go down lovely.
 
Tomorrow I think. Its not much compared to a custom made Simpson exhaust ;) but it'll do. I also need to move the car from my ex girlfriends to my friends.
 
Thankyou :) its moving along nicely but next thing is coilovers which might slow me down (with progress, not on the track)
 
New exhaust next to old one
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And breather filter
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Exhaust is kinda on but I need more bolts, pipe spacers and u-clamps. So at the moment there's loads of gaps and its really loud and raspy. Hopefully one its air tight and the air actually goes through the rear silencer it'll calm down a bit.
 
Jakeymd said:
Exhaust is kinda on but I need more bolts, pipe spacers and u-clamps. So at the moment there's loads of gaps and its really loud and raspy. Hopefully one its air tight and the air actually goes through the rear silencer it'll calm down a bit.
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Blimey Jake what's the exhaust being held on with then, flour and water paste or something :lol: Once its coupled up correctly it will still sound loud and raspy, you will need to run a couple of hundred miles or so for the inside of the exhaust to get coated with the carbon residue then the exhaust note WILL change.
 
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