Freestyle GT Discusion thread

[jason_l]

God sometimes I hate being an old fart, my only concern & it's not just with yours, Jason it's also on production cars, I've just followed a Passat & their rear LED indicators are round the outside of theor brake lights, when the brakes are on you can't see the indicator. Just a concern that when you have your headlights on the indicators will be obscured, but as you will be travelling towards somebody, this may not be an issue.

Alan...

Alan, its funny you should say that because that was my only concern about putting them there. I did think long and hard before i drilled them up but i completely agree with what you are saying. The main reason i went ahead with doing it is because like you say there are similar production cars with the same problem. Most production cars have the front indicators mounted in the headlight unit so are in fact still very close to the headlight. I am still yet to test them but im confident they should be ok. I know what you mean about the passat's as well, very bad design on those lights.

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Hi Jason!
The mk4 calipers fit perfect! The rallydesign hydramech ones are a very similar casting but modified to fit escort rear axels i think.
The wiring is looking good for someone who doesn't have much of a clue. I'm the same, luckily my dad seems to be able to decipher wiring diagrams a bit better than me!
Max

 

[Phaeton]

Taken the cobwebs out of the old post, try it again

Alan...

 

[Steves2580]

Hi Jason,

Sorry to hear about you getting rid of your hairdressers car ;D
She was a nice machine, but you've replaced her with quality and not speed, you can save your licence points for the buggy now ;D ;D

Get the buggy round to the parents place, you know they want you to visit more anyway, and they'll look after it and you when you're there

Chin up fella, don't let the B**tards grind you down!

Steve ;D ;D

 

[Mini Mad Max]

What Steve said! ... I still can't believe our race hasn't finished yet!! I would say we're still neck and neck haha!
Looking forward to more progress
Max

 

[jason_l]

@ Steve, Thanks, i think lol

Plan is to just crack on as much as possible now. Driving a crappy micra sort of helps with motivation though. I actually still live at the parents! The house we bought still doesn't have a proper roof so its not in a liveable state just yet. So if i move the buggy to the parents i should in theory get even more done lol

@ Max, Yes still racing, unfortunately. Pull your finger out and crack on, im planning on doing as much as i can these next few weeks to speed ahaead.

 

[Steves2580]

Hey Jason,

Progress is looking and sounding good!!
I'm not right struck on wiring either, unless it's simple 7 core off a trailer

I didn't think you'd have time, with the house and your other commitments, but hearing it run will keep you motivated ;D

Keep on it, we want to see it at Stoneleigh!!

Steve ;D

 

[jason_l]

Thanks Steve.

Yes i don't have much free time but there is still time to work on the Buggy. I can work on it before work, on my lunch break and i stay on late most days to do a little as well. With the nights getting darker i can't do much on the house during the week, and i don't have any lighting there yet.

Its good hearing it running and makes me want it done even more.

Jason

 

[jason_l]

Right its decision time, do i or dont i sell up???





















Only joking! ;D But im at that stage now that i either continue getting it to a running stage or start the major strip down now for powder coating????Not sure what way to go really. Im probably about a few months off having the thing running and in a driveable state. Need to get driveshafts in, brakelines made/ordered, coolant lines run and a little wiring and in theory i will be able to drive around the private carpark at work. Now do i continue to this stage or do i begin stripping the whole thing down now and getting it all cleaned up, all sharp edges smoothed out and getting it in powdercoat so i can start the final build and then get it to IVA. I still have some brackets etc to weld onto the frame but i can do this now and when its stripped down. I wanted to make sure that the frame was finished before powdercoating so i don't have to grind off powdercoat to add brackets etc but im almost at that stage now where the frame is done apart from the odd hole here and there, rivets bolts etc. and no matter how much i plan it im sure i will end up adding something to the frame later anyway. Although this could be done by bolting/rivetting brackets to the frame.

If i do decide to strip it and get it to powdercoat is there anything i should consider adding before it goes off for powdercoat? Should really get some recent pics up really and a list of what i feel should be added before powdercoating. Thats if i do strip it down?!?!?

Its getting harder and harder to do things like run coolant lines, brake lines etc as other parts are in the way. So what do people think? Any feedback greatly appreciated ;D

 

[jason_l]

Right, these are the parts i think need some sort of bracket/tab/fixing/hole welded to the frame and will require sorting before powdercoat.

* Brackets/tabs for engine cover
* Brackets/tabs for securing nosecone
* brackets/tabs for wheelie bar (if i actually need one that is?!?!?)
* Bracket for oil filter relocation kit.
* Brackets for oil cooler kit (to be added later)
* fixing points for battery cover/footrest piece.
* couple of additional frame pieces to the rear.
* weld on brackets/tabs for engine sensors etc

Im sure there are some parts im missing from this?

Obviously when i have it down to bare chassis i will be checking all welds, filling all holes not needed, grinding all edges, radius corners etc. If i do strip and go to powdercoat then i will need to take powdercaot off in places anyway right? Earth bonding points, fixing panels, brackets etc will all remove powdercoat/paint from a buggy.

 

[Steves2580]

Hey Jason,

SH1T, that first line had me worried!! Thought our race was off ha ha!! ;D

I'd finish it properly before you powder coat! I'd even put it in for IVA before powder coat!!
You are bound to find something that needs welding, drilling or even earthing later on ;D
Only problem with that way, would be stripping down after IVA, that would be heart breaking having to wait to get it on the road in a (possible) finished state ;D

Good luck with the rest of the build, we are all behind you with whichever way you choose

Steve ;D

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Don't joke with us Jason! haha I would have to agree with Steve, Have everything fitted and as it would be as if it were finished before you strip down for powdercoat. That is the only way to be absolutely sure you won't forget something. Even then, after using the buggy for a while, you may find you want to modify it so I think it might even be worth having the chassis painted rather than powdercoated, that way you can touch up/paint any modifications you make at a later date. I'm lucky because my black powdercoat is the exact same colour as Black Smooth Hammerite
Hope to see more progress from you soon!
Max

 

[jason_l]

Thanks guys.

I don't think i will be able to get it done for IVA and then strip it down for proper paint, i would rather have that done before so once its on the road i can just use the dam thing. lol

I was planning on black for the frame and if hammerite is a close match then that helps as i can touch it up here and there. The main problem is im starting to fight for access to get coolant lines and other parts on the buggy so everything takes ages to do. Will just plod along i guess and see how it goes.

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Nice! I would recommened it in black then. Smooth hammerite is slighty glossier to begin with, but it soon dulls down to the same satin tone. I get through loads of black hammerite on mine! haha. Well I hope you manage to find the time to work on it. Do you think finishing for stoneleigh is a possibility?? I want to see the demon finished!
Max

 

[jason_l]

I take it your powdercoat is a satin finish then? I have always planned on going with a black frame and then viper green nosecone, arch's etc. I did wonder if i should go for matt finish or satin/gloss though.

In all honesty Max i won't have it finished for Stoneleigh, there is just too much to do and with building the house i just don't have time. Although if this crappy weather continues then i will get more done on the buggy. Im off for 7 days now with the intention of doing some work on the house. However i can't do anything really, spent today updating the plans to show the building inspector. If its bad for the next few days i may go back into work but spend my time working on the buggy. They won't know whats hit them when i turn up at work. Ha

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Hey jason!
The progress you did looks good! It's better than some of the days i've had without any distractions!
The alloy calipers arent actually golf mk4. It was rallydesign's own i think. They are both incredibly similar apart from the bleed nipple and the hole for the hose are in different locations. I got some genuine VW Audi group calipers and also swapped the handbrake mech brackets across from the rallydesign calipers and mine fit perfectly now!
I spoke to russ as well! Very helpful! I've decided to go for some copper just because its soo much more affordable than flexi hose.
Keep it up!
Max

 

[jason_l]

Hi Max.

Yes its slowly getting there and any progress is still progress.

I keep calling them mk4's but yes they are Rally design ones. Im still unsure if i should finish the rest of the brake lines in copper or braided steel? One thing though, on the mini master cylinder there are 2 take offs, i asume 1 is for the rear brakes and the other for the front brakes? I may use a bias valve as well.

Jason

 

[Phaeton]

Jason,

There is a difference there are several posts about, they don't work the wrong way round. You may have to take the callipers to get them to bleed as the hose looks higher than the bleed.

Alan...

Glad it's an Android & not a Apple Gayphone

 

[jason_l]

Hi Alan,

The picture doesnt really show it but the bleed nipple is actually about the same height. I will get better pics of it on monday to see how bad it is. I will be able to bleed them somehow.

Jason

 

[Lilspeed]

I'm liking the green brake lines a lot! O0

And they do them in orange too!! Hmmmm . . . . . . .

I've got a combination of braided and copper lines on mine due to the pedal box change, and as far as I can see the only real advantage with braided is ease of fitment. Having said that, I bought a small pipe bender from my local Toolstation for a tenner, and was surprised how easy it is to knock up neat and tidy copper lines.
Perhaps if your budget is tight, run them through in copper with view to upgrading at a later date?