ZS VVC track car project
 

OK, I've said for years its not about power, its about driver ability and chassis/cornering ability...so here it is...money where the mouth is...no willy waving of v8's, v10's, turbo's or superchargers here!!!

This is my little shoestring budget project.

A £250 car with a roll cage that hasn't turned a wheel on the road in 6 years. Some of you may recognise it from here http://www.zscentral.com/phpbb/chris...t2802-675.html

The plan is to carry on with what Chris started, with a few changes.

1800 VVC engine - may push the boat out for a remap!!!

The Z&F remap (and I assume superchips one too) raises the rev limiter to 7450, as the torque hasn't dropped off cliff edge, it still makes power, the reports are around 174ish bhp in a healthy engine, a nice gain from the 156bhp it left the factory with, but the factory cars really only revved to 7k (they hit 7300 once for the 0-60 press times, then the ecu would limit it to 7k)

Assuming the remap is worth 170bhp, that equates to a nats whisker off 189bhp per ton.

strip it and the target is 900kg.

polycarb windows, DIY to keep the cost down

plate the hole in the roof where the sunroof was!

Arch work to allow a wide track or wide rims, the car will accept 9J x17" rims running 235 tyres without rubbing on the arches.


It's a real shoestring budget, fortunately many parts that will be used have been donated. These parts were removed from a track car when it was built into a race car, they were removed for a reason, they are junk!!! But hey ho, they are free!!!
Corbeau race seats (I'll exclude these from the junk comment)
GAZ coilovers
Camber adjusters front and rear
accord type R brakes (good, but not lightweight)

The plan is lots of hard work, with minimal new parts. The windows for example will be cut with a jigsaw from an 8x4 sheet of polycarb, this will save money, although the rear window will be formed and fitted professionally.

The car is a mk1, the plan is to mk2 it.

possibly do a hybrid front bumper, a mk2 bumper that mates up to the mk1 lights? - what do you think? not sure myself.

It'll never win on the drag strip, nor the power circuits, but being an 1800, its light up front, so I'm kinda hoping it won't handle too bad.
Target circuit times are:

Mallory, 55.something!
Donington Nat 1m25.something
Oulton Park 2m5.something

maybe a bit atomistic, but its something to aim for.

Time for some hard graft, and most important of all, LEARN TO DRIVE!!! driver coaching/tuition is a must.

Awesome plan .... Look forward to reading about your progress with both the car and the learning how to drive it !!!

Sounds a cracking project!

If you need seals for the polycarb windows, I used www.sealsdirect.co.uk for the MGB as we made/fitted our own windows in that.

Got a low mileage decent vvc 160 lump for sale if you are interested? From an '03 TF with 33k.
Was destined for my Lotus but plans changed!

Lotus Elise VVC engine loom too

an area of roof cut from another silver car and pop riveted on.

The union Jack flag should make it go faster...all fast cars have a union Jack!!!? At least it disguises the metal plate a little.

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...pse7a0cc13.jpg

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5078debe.jpg

282 front brake calipers vs the twin pot 300mm Honda Calipers

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7e11f516.jpg

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps78cd649d.jpg

hard work and elbow grease, removing all the sound deadening material, then painting the inside.

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps69361e02.jpg

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...psa6cb0315.jpg


Chris had hand painted the roll cage with Hammerite.

Lots of work sanding the brush marks out, the only part of the car that has seen a rattle can - the cage!
Trying to paint over rattlecan or hammerite with proper automotive paint requires a barrier to stop reaction.
In this case, it was easier to stick with rattle can type paint, this project is a shoestring budget and I didn't want to spend money on the primers required to stop the paint reacting with poly base/2k.

Word of warning here guys - its better not to go down the rattle can route in the first place. The paint is rubbish and often ends in regret (with the exception of proper 2k paint thats been put in a can for those without spray equipment)

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps69361e02.jpg

This is where I'm up to, the MK2 conversion...

I was lucky enough to lay my hands on a 1-piece fibreglass front wing, its not made to the same insanely light weights that are used on the race cars, but beggers can't be choosers, non-the-less, its still lighter than the steel version, super strong and FREE!!!

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps05184037.jpg

the rest of the kit is standard mk2 stuff

A bit of arch work allows the car to run really low and a really wide track, just to give you some sort of idea, this will run 9" wide touring car rims with 235 wide tyres WITHOUT RUBBING.

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0edf8ba3.jpg

No big spoiler on the boot, the boot (bonnet) aero catches are going where the spoiler would sit...who needs that useless ornament anyway???

Its having a polycarb rear screen, so I wasn't bothered about masking up the glass!

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7bdd0253.jpg

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...psc90606d0.jpg

262 rear brakes fitted too

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3cabd604.jpg

It may seem odd having a cigerette lighter in a track car, but its a perfect power supply for a data logger, tyre inflater etc.

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6a2680f6.jpg

seat brackets that bolt straight to the mounting holes of the MG floor - that saved a whole load of fab work and messing about.

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps805163f8.jpg

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8666469d.jpg

Should make for a very capable car on track. I've diced with a chap running a ZR VVC on throttle bodies, not as quick as the ZS but then I would expect the ZS to handle slightly better.

Oooh I like those brakes. I guess you've not had much chance to test them out yet?

not on this car, but I've had the same setup on another ZS a while back, the brakes are very very good, progressive and well balanced as it was designed to work with essentially the same rear callipers and doesn't suffer fade, this setup has been around for years, but only a few cars have bothered with it.

Nice one Mark, looks a great project and will give many a surprise on track Im sure..

that sounds like a vhpd 190 conversion - if he'd blanked off the VVC mechs and put a 285 cam in?

The factory built 190's as used in the trophy championship are fast, they got every last bit of out the chassis.

Generally, the front running 190's are a few secs per lap quicker than a ZS, but it all depends who is driving!!!

A cold day today, but managed to cut the front wing and fit the front arch bodykit, just hope it bonds OK in the cold

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7f578d6a.jpg

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8c359f88.jpg

Just the sills to fit and then onto the front end, bumper, headlights etc.

Apparently the chap has spent in the region of £8k on the engine, as most talk to be taken with a pinch of salt, but you never know. It did sound very good the last time I saw it but considering the amount spent I felt he was seen off as my zed was alot quicker over a lap. As you say, the car is only as good as the one pushing it along. Just highlights that too many focus on power (they forget torque) and see the handling and braking as a secondary feature.

I've grown to be quite bored with my own ZS for quite a while now and many times would have liked a change but having been offered a pittance in part Exchange or No one wanting to buy a car with an engine swap unlisted with the DVLA
I feel like it's something that's tied to me so can't get rid of.
Will be replacing my wife's car this year and looks likely best thing for the ZS is to make it another Track car

ZS VVC FTW...

Register the engine change?

I skipped to the end of this so already thought it had been MK2'd? Cant believe how much you've already managed to get done, only wish I could work at your speed.

I'm certain it will be a very capable track car when you've finished with it.

I doubt it

Am I missing something here?

why register the engine change? its a track car, it will be trailered about, whilst I may MOT it and use it on the road at a later date, I'll think about it then, but its still an 1800 as on the log book.

The biggest change is lack of seat belts, rear seats, glass etc!!!

I wasn't talking about your project Mark but this.

gotcha!!!

But don't put him off, I would love to see a ZS only race series one day, I think they are cheap, capable and a great basis for a race car!

todays progress
 

Fitted the skirts today, I would have painted up a different set had I noticed these ones have the long bracket on them which doesn't leave indentations on the skirt where the short brackets fit! Bit to good for a track car!

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5a897adc.jpg

Skirts fitted and back on the ground without wheel spacers - it really shows how low it is and desperate for a wider track and wider rims!

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps13f90a7a.jpg

The proper 160 exhaust manifolds mated up to a 2.25" scorpion exhaust from a rover tomcat of all cars, just needed the centre box hangers relocating.

People go mad paying 500quid for KV6 Janspeeds, yet many VVC ZS conversions just don't bother with the correct 4-2-1 manifolds that the VVC has...they just bolt up the standard 120 mani...I can't get my head around why people cut corners, especially when the VVC mani is for nothing!
(I didn't fit this today, just having a rant!)

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...psda7611bb.jpg

Bled the brakes again, for the umpteenth time, this time with the calipers off and the bleed nipple pointing northwards - there's either air in the system somewhere or the damn things need a good bedding in, but I don't want to be bleeding brakes on a shakedown

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps61b7bc91.jpg

and finally wired up the washer bottle, the car didn't have one when I got it and I may want to fit some brake cooling ducts and the standard washer bottle is right in the way

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...psaba5316f.jpg

Loving the washer bottle idea....may have to nick that one off you!

love a good project :) must be cold out

Was thinking the same myself. The missus was expecting me to be working on the zed during the break. -4 today so decided to do something warmer!

I had already gutted the doors, today's job; to see if a door card can be fitted to the drivers door with the door release mech.

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7998fccd.jpg

bit of a prototype, trial fit, seems to work :)

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7c418986.jpg

Next onto gutting the bonnet - weight loss, and what a horrible job this is, it would be easier to make a fibreglass bonnet!!! Cutting through the sealant/bonding is really hard work, then your left with it all to grind off...

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9178cdb2.jpg

Grinding off ready for primer

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...psd88e6f77.jpg

ordered this yesterday, probably the best thing anyone wanting to be 'quicker' can do!

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...psa077d1c0.jpg

lsd and semi slicks are the best track mods by miles.

I'll be running full slicks.

slow progress, with only 1 mk2 bumper with bodykit left, we decided its now time to make a fibreglass mould of the bumper bodykit, with another 2 mk2 bumpers with no kit, the fibreglass parts can be added so there are spares.

Gel coat applied, waiting for it to tack off...

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps15e18398.jpg

Fortunately the rear arms I have are complete with spherical bearings, so none of this nonsense with bushes wearing out after 3 months, this is a skunk2 bush.

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3a913a9a.jpg

That bush hasn't done well at all!
Is that from track use or (hopefully not) from road use?

tyres have been mounted to the rims, 2013 clio michelin slicks, the 2013 tyre was the last of that compound before it was revised with a harder compound for the last 2014 season.

They are well used slicks, but these tyres cost pennies compared to list 1b tyres and in the dry are pretty amazing.

The first time I used these tyres was on a completely standard ZS a few years ago, it was a perfect day (hot) and on the snett 300 circuit the times showed 2.27.5 best, but consistent 2.28 & 2.29's.
It was timed by the TDO and the data came through 2 weeks later, thus circumventing the 'no timing allowed on a track day'!

I thought nothing of those times until I recently analysed data for the snett300 and started to question the 2.27 times, wondering if they had been mixed up with an M3 or something.

The data I studied showed how hard it is for some race cars to beat that time...

Now I don't know if the times from those years ago are incorrect or not, but I do remember the little clio slick being amazing.

In the standard ZS it didn't take long to send them thread bare on the edges, the car had no camber!

The moral of this little story is...

Perhaps the best money spent is in sorting out the geo of the car.

Decent camber adjusters (forgetting the kamikaze crap on ebay) fr & rr will set you back 300+quid.

There is so much more of a gain with some geo and grip than there is in some coilovers and lowering the car.

Anyway, in a few weeks time we should get the car out for a shakedown and if the weather's good, we'll see how these old clio tyres do.

The front spat is out of the mould, shame to paint it really, weighed in at 186g.

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps022ce05e.jpg

Front bumper painted and curing.

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps130a3c80.jpg

Headlight refinished

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/...ps64fdfcc7.jpg

No toothpaste or sunfactor 50 has been used in refinishing the headlights!!!

Front end to build up very soon...

The spat looks lovely, don't paint it!!

too late, its primered!!!

Got me thinking, the mk2 boot lip spoilers would look damn sexy in genuine carbon fibre, problem with all that vinyl crap is; it looks just that!

That is beautiful.
Are you taking orders?