205 Si rally project

GRAHAM WALLIS

Well-known member
1000+ Posts
Fellow Frogger
Joined
Aug 2, 2000
Messages
11,487
First stage is done and the cage is installed, photos attached, thanks Matt and Rob.

The idea is to build the car in stages and try not to have it off the road for any great length of time, for instance the wiring will be upgraded and simplified under the bonnet but I see no need to change anything for the rest of the car.
I have taken out around 50kg (not including the passengers seat, around 15kg more) and still have a little to go, air con compressor and condensor, lightweight starter and smaller battery (mounted in the back) are the main things left. The radiator fans are pretty heavy maybe fit a single lighter fan.
The cage must be pretty light, I felt a big difference with the 50kg plus seat gone and it doesn't seem to have changed much with the cage in.
The cage will be something less than $2000 but haven't got the bill yet.
Graham
 

Attachments

  • DSC04841_1.JPG
    DSC04841_1.JPG
    89.7 KB · Views: 767
  • DSC04842_1.JPG
    DSC04842_1.JPG
    81.2 KB · Views: 634
  • DSC04843_1.JPG
    DSC04843_1.JPG
    99 KB · Views: 668
  • DSC04844_1.JPG
    DSC04844_1.JPG
    93.8 KB · Views: 810
  • DSC04845_1.JPG
    DSC04845_1.JPG
    80.2 KB · Views: 683
Last edited:
Graham,

You can send them through to me and I can reduce them up if you want.

Matt
 
First stage is done and the cage is installed, I have photos but still haven't been able to reduce these to 100kb, only if I want to send them in an email, can someone help please.
Graham

Hi Graham,

Download and install irfanview a freeware util.

Right click image and choose "open with irfanview"

From top menu select Image then resize-resample

From then it's follow your nose to resize- 1024 x576 is usually around 100k.

Then file/ save as with a different file name.

Really quick and easy, but beware of over writing original file!

cheers

Rob
 
What sort of suspension mods have you made?

Nothing as yet, the roll cage was the first step.
I do like the Si set up though and the car handled exremely well when I drove it on forestry roads when organising a rally recently. The softer suspension gives better grip on slippery surfaces and the back wheels stay on the road better. On the rough stuff it felt a lot better than the Pajero that we checked the route in.
You can buy handling kits (bushes) for this suspension as there is a 1.4 rally series in the UK.
Main problem that I can see is that the suspension may bottom out more on holes and ruts, due to softer spring rates.
Anyway, I'll give it a go and if no good simply fit the GTi subframe and rear beam.
It is getting an XU9J2 from an early 405, this will be the next major step but at the moment I'm preparing a 404 to compete in the Classic Outback Trial starting in Forbes on the 21st.
Graham
 
First stage is done and the cage is installed, photos attached, thanks Matt and Rob.

The idea is to build the car in stages and try not to have it off the road for any great length of time, for instance the wiring will be upgraded and simplified under the bonnet but I see no need to change anything for the rest of the car.
I have taken out around 50kg (not including the passengers seat, around 15kg more) and still have a little to go, air con compressor and condensor, lightweight starter and smaller battery (mounted in the back) are the main things left. The radiator fans are pretty heavy maybe fit a single lighter fan.
The cage must be pretty light, I felt a big difference with the 50kg plus seat gone and it doesn't seem to have changed much with the cage in.
The cage will be something less than $2000 but haven't got the bill yet.
Graham

Graham, more details on the lightweight starter please...
 
Graham, more details on the lightweight starter please...

A lot of Peugeots, particularly 306s, have these starters.
They are geared and possibly have ceramic magnets as they weigh a lot less.
Apparently they are used on the diesels as well, amazing considering the size of the old 504 diesel starters.
Graham
 
Great project Graham, lots of photos thanks!

decent cage there, interesting about the weight loss effects too.

Isis
 
Graham, I agree your cage looks very well fitted at the front - might have to do the same but it looks like I might have to remover the roof lining to get it tucked up nicely.

Isis
 
Graham, I agree your cage looks very well fitted at the front - might have to do the same but it looks like I might have to remover the roof lining to get it tucked up nicely.

Isis

Yes, my roof lining is removed, not an issue for a competition car.
Graham.
 
Cage cost

Paid for the cage today, closer to $1500 than $2000 so very pleased about that.
Graham
 
Brakes

Went to fit a set of 405 brakes that I had lying about.
Discs fitted perfectly but the calipers were the wrong offset, damn!
I find this a bit strange as I believe GTI6/307 brakes bolt up OK to the Si hubs.
Oh well, I'll just fit base model 306 brakes. I eventually found such a car at Imlach's (Centre Rd), not the tidiest wrecking yard, and unbolted the brakes.
These turned out to be have brand new unused rotors and pads.
How did this come about? It had had a front ender so I'm thinking they installed the new rotors and pads, forgot to pump the pedal to get the pads to again contact the discs, then ran into the back of someone when the pedal went to the floor?
Anyway, good value for me at $112 the lot and they fit perfectly except that the 13 inch rims touch the calipers, a 2mm spacer would fix this if I decide to run on the 13 inch tyres the Excel boys use.
Graham
 

I won't be venturing on the bitumen where most of these crashes seem to occuring.
I have fitted Koni yellow front struts and GTi rear shockers in the past few days.
I have ordered (from the UK) strut tower reinforcement plates, handling kit (bushes) for Si front suspension, group N strut tops.
I reckon the softer suspension will work well on dirt, particulary at the rear which will have a fair bit more travel than the GTi set up.
If it doesn't then I'll have to fit the GTi K-frame and rear beam.
Hopefully I can get started on the XU9J2 engine soon.
Unexpectaedly I spend the last two days navigating in a Mitsubshi Cybourg (ex Molly Taylor) in the Victorian round of the ARC.
I turned up to spectate and got co-erced into navigating for a guy whose co driver had pulled out.
Good experience with another type of FWD, revved to 8400 and cruised on the highway at 6000!
Graham
 
Unexpectaedly I spend the last two days navigating in a Mitsubshi Cybourg (ex Molly Taylor) in the Victorian round of the ARC.
I turned up to spectate and got co-erced into navigating for a guy whose co driver had pulled out.
Good experience with another type of FWD, revved to 8400 and cruised on the highway at 6000!
Graham
Ah so that was you. I noticed a Wallis in the times and wondered momentarily if it was you. Then thought 'nah, that wouldnt be Graham'

Looks like i was wrong - again.

BTW the co-driver that pulled out is a mate of mine. Bloody small world :D

Matt
 
Ah so that was you. I noticed a Wallis in the times and wondered momentarily if it was you. Then thought 'nah, that wouldnt be Graham'

Looks like i was wrong - again.

BTW the co-driver that pulled out is a mate of mine. Bloody small world :D

Matt

Ask him why he pulled out, Barry said it was because he took one look at the twisty Victorian roads and became nervous.
Barry drove OK on the fast stuff but was slow in the tight corners, just didn't want to know about the handbrake and applied the power too late.
We did get some 205 style power on oversteer in the wet on Saturday though.
Realistically the only cars we could beat were the Hyundai i30 and the Commodore, all the rest except for the works supported Honda were 4wd turbos.
A bit quicker on those tight corners would have seen us beat the Commodore but probably not the Hyundai Diesel, 400nm of torque I believe!
Graham
 
Ask him why he pulled out, Barry said it was because he took one look at the twisty Victorian roads and became nervous.
Barry drove OK on the fast stuff but was slow in the tight corners, just didn't want to know about the handbrake and applied the power too late.
We did get some 205 style power on oversteer in the wet on Saturday though.
Realistically the only cars we could beat were the Hyundai i30 and the Commodore, all the rest except for the works supported Honda were 4wd turbos.
A bit quicker on those tight corners would have seen us beat the Commodore but probably not the Hyundai Diesel, 400nm of torque I believe!
Graham

I know why he pulled out, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't for that reason. The Victorian roads don't bother him considering he just won Classic in Targa High Country :D

Either way it would have been a good event. I may even be there myself next year :tongue:
 
Top