98 talon tsi road racer

[arrowhead]

Well, hi to everyone, this is what I have been working on for the past year, it has gone slower than planned due to of course money and lack of knowledge about these particular cars.
During this past year I have mostly tried to learn as much as possible, even if I have had experience w/ race cars before, never with an turbo or a FWD, I have
raced boats, go karts, motorcycles, always done most of my work and have done fairly well.

I do not fit the average profile of a DSMR, since I could be most guys granpa, or the profile of the racers, but once you have been bitten by the bug, it stays with you.

On to my plans:

Probably a 2.0 motor with my present turbo, small 16g, will try to go with as much compression as possible, ported head, proper clearances and balance, ETC.

Since I can work with fiber I have already done some parts and will do as much as possible to save all the weight I can, I am truly a weight nut, and will try to build the lightest car I have done, I am 110% function and reliability oriented and there is almost nothing in a car that can not be made lighter or stronger.

 

[arrowhead]

one of many to come the being

test

 

[sypherzero]

Sounds like it will be an awesome project! What all do you plan on doing in carbon fiber?

 

[arrowhead]

Sounds like it will be an awesome project! What all do you plan on doing in carbon fiber?

Not much if anything, I have hood, doors, hatch, roof, doing dashboard now, this will only be a track car, do not like to work with CF really, too expensive and I can build fiberglass parts as light as CF, in road racing you are always replacing something on the body anyways.
I do all the glass work myself and I can control the weight, these are race parts, not street parts.

thanks for your interest.

Feel free to comment or any ideas will be welcome.

 

[sypherzero]

Not much if anything, I have hood, doors, hatch, roof, doing dashboard now, this will only be a track car, do not like to work with CF really, too expensive and I can build fiberglass parts as light as CF, in road racing you are always replacing something on the body anyways.
I do all the glass work myself and I can control the weight, these are race parts, not street parts.

thanks for your interest.

Feel free to comment or any ideas will be welcome.

Sorry, I thought you meant you work with carbon fiber, should have asked, haha.

 

[arrowhead]

This is the start.

more pics

At this point the diet is only starting.

 

[dsmtwins2g]

Looks good keep up the progress.

 

[arrowhead]

Looks good keep up the progress.

Thanks

 

[_801_]

Great work so far, It will be awesome to see when you first got the car compared to when your done.

 

[flyineagletsi]

Looking good Mandy! I still think you should convert to awd but I guess I'm a little biased. Cant wait to see the custom fab work. Did you ever decide on a brake setup?

 

[snowborder714]

Have any more details on the plans for the car? Suspension, brakes, body/chassis, etc.

Also, any links/info on how to start working with fiber? I've got some ideas floating around in my head but have never worked with the stuff. I know there is material all over the internet, so just seeing what you'd recommend checking out.

 

[arrowhead]

Great work so far, It will be awesome to see when you first got the car compared to when your done.

Thanks that is why the first pictures were from where I pick up the car I want to keep the progress on pics.

Looking good Mandy! I still think you should convert to awd but I guess I'm a little biased. Cant wait to see the custom fab work. Did you ever decide on a brake setup?

There are 2 evos running in a club and for some reason they have not been able to finish a session I may be wrong, as you well know I have limited exp on FWD OR AWD still I find it hard to make up that weight.

Brakes are still up in the air I might be able to use those huge wilwoods I have but looking at other options.

thanks

Have any more details on the plans for the car? Suspension, brakes, body/chassis, etc.

Also, any links/info on how to start working with fiber? I've got some ideas floating around in my head but have never worked with the stuff. I know there is material all over the internet, so just seeing what you'd recommend checking out.

Working on body first, I knew from day one that the stock brakes are poor so that will be changed.

I have been reading a lot on suspension on these cars, but mostly what is out there I am not happy with, expensive, heavy, and complicated to set up for all the adjustments but I will keep reading about it and when I get to that, I will make up my mind.

Fiber is not hard at all to do I raced boats back in the 70s and learn from there, I buy it by the rolls an 5 gl pails same as acetone and the other products, I can make just about anything out of the stuff.

You can PM me and maybe I can give you some ideas.

Thanks

 

[arrowhead]

Some more pics of the diet

 

[snowborder714]

Do you foresee any issues with the fiber roof and flex? Or do you plan to reinforce it in some way? Also, how do you plan on integrating that into the pillars?

 

[greengoblin]

I would assums he will tie a cage into the pillars etc. to all but stop roof flex.

 

[greengoblin]

Love all the work so far. I assume also that you are not making molds and just using the OEM parts to do the lay up? I would love to se a step by step on how you do this? How do the parts fit since the dimension would be a bit larger? Are you using a chop gun? I'm learning slowly how to do work and try to gain knowledge where eveer I can.

Keep up the good work .

Kevin

 

[arrowhead]

Love all the work so far. I assume also that you are not making molds and just using the OEM parts to do the lay up? I would love to se a step by step on how you do this? How do the parts fit since the dimension would be a bit larger? Are you using a chop gun? I'm learning slowly how to do work and try to gain knowledge where eveer I can.

Keep up the good work .

Kevin

Hey kevin

No chop gun, all is hand laid better control of weight since sometimes I use different techniques and different mixtures on the same part.
I like doing lay ups or overlays whenever possible sometimes is better going with a mold. the roof is from a mold. the hatch is a lay up and the doors are lay ups it all depends on the part, the hood you can not see it very well but it now has two humps , planning on using the second one for a tranny cooler (ducting), but I may need to move it further back, remember these are race parts and no rubber will go anywhere so adjustments have to be made. The size difference is minimal.

Thanks for your interest

 

[motozachl]

fiberglass DSM this is going to be insane....

 

[arrowhead]

Do you foresee any issues with the fiber roof and flex? Or do you plan to reinforce it in some way? Also, how do you plan on integrating that into the pillars?

There is a spot on the a pillar about 3 in from the top this is where the original roof connects to the a pillar, and in the back close to the hacht there is another.
The only metal left is the lips around the roof where my new one will rest.
I did cut down on both of them and enough where the roof rest I have some other pics where is more detailed.

Roof flex I may want more of, what I have tested so far by pressing on the center,
I will reinforce the inside perimeter of the roof.

Thanks

I would assums he will tie a cage into the pillars etc. to all but stop roof flex.

Correct on the cage.

Thanks

 

[snowborder714]

Thanks for the info.

If you have the time/desire, I would also like to see a step-by-step on how you laid up some of the fiberglass parts.

 

[arrowhead]

fiberglass DSM this is going to be insane....

I am insane for getting involved into building another car.

Thanks for your comment.

 

[j-n-g racing]

wow great project im also buliding a race car . what motor are you going to be useing

 

[arrowhead]

Thanks for the info.

If you have the time/desire, I would also like to see a step-by-step on how you laid up some of the fiberglass parts.

Be glad to do it when I get a little time, since I got involved with the race car all my buddies want parts made.

I have done rear 1/4 panel molds for a 914 you can see part of them against the trailer, a lower lip for a Miata, mold against the fence, front cap for a mustang for my son etc.

I am now doing a mold for the Talon dashboard which is going to be a pain.
But be glad to help out.

Thanks

wow great project im also buliding a race car . what motor are you going to be useing

Well go ahead and read post # 1.

Thanks, (maybe).

 

[arrowhead]

Well a couple of people asked about roof flex, and want to make sure we are on same page.

I think the reference was made about body flex by not having a roof, not roof flex,
anyways the roof skin would offer no benefit but the reinforcements around the roof structure would, since I find them a lot sturdier than other cars. I have also remove those.
The new fiber skin I built. it still does not have the flex I want so I may build another one with the perimeter reinforced and thinner in the center lets say.


Dont know if they are the same on non sunroof cars, I have actually been surprised at all the reinforcements these cars have and to me, it would seem pretty solid for a street car, now I have never look that close to factory reinforcements, since a full roll cage has always been built, once the car is going to be used for any kind of racing the roll cage besides safety should be used as a strenghtening structure to avoid body flex.

If I am not making clear please let me know.

arrowhead

These are some of the stuff that has kept me busy.

 

[bmil13]

Can't wait to see how this car turns out and what the final weight of the car is.