Twin Spark Cup 156 Project

[Brad M]

Thanks I'm enjoying this thread... it's great inspiration to get my twinspark ready.

[warsch]

Might just stick with the standard exhaust in that case as dont want to put in a new exhaust if I mess up the cats or sensors. Maybe do it down the track.

Can't get dry ice as in 5km lock down so went old school with a chisel and hammer. There are a couple of holes in the wheel well that were these square stickers and look kind of factory or could be rust repairs. Either way, if I was to buy a mig welder what type of metal would you use for patches? Can you weld with the fuel tank in the car?

I think all TS 156s in Asutralia were CF2, so only one o2 sensor before the cat. So no downside of getting rid of it in the race car. If just gut it, the sound will be terrible tin can rattle at some revs, but still not too noisy if you keep the rest in place.

Why bother with fuel tank in the trunk though?

[warsch]

Yep, it's confirmed, you have WAAY too much free time on your hands! 

Oh yeah, I'm jealous. My car badly needs some upgrades but all it gets is abuse at a racetrack.

[Beatle]

Not saying you SHOULD, but you CAN weld with the fuel tank in the car.  Panelbeaters and exhaust shops do it all the time.

BUT, you need to fully understand the situation and do a full risk assessment.

When in doubt.....DON'T!!!!

It's not just the tank.  You need to consider fuel lines, vapour/recirc system, what's on the other side of the panel you are welding? etc etc etc. 

Less of a physical risk to your safety, but also consider potential damage to electrical and electronic equipment.  Battery, ECUs etc etc.

[warsch]

Okay so you are saying cut out the cats and leave the muffler?

The welding in the wheel well is a serious question, is it unsafe to weld near the fuel tank? Or weld the seat brackets in near the gearbox? I haven't welded before and come to think most people weld when the car is completely apart. Happy to go with some non blowing up options to fix the holes in the wheel well and ex tow bar holes.

What about dry ice with the sound deadening underneath the rear seats? Can this have an impact on the fuel tank?

That's what I've done with my cat converter. No issues apart from terrible tin can sound. But I can live with that. Easy to sort by welding in a pipe.

Seat brackets are nowhere near the gearbox, there's fuel lines somewhere though so worth checking. But why bother with some holes in the boots? I'd just seal with some sticky tape. Or just leave it as is.

As for welding - it takes time to learn and while I wouldn't mind welding up holes in the boot myself, I surely wouldn't trust myself with seat brackets.

I have no idea about dry ice, but I think it should be ok. Then, I must admit, I am Russian and we tend to just do whatever stupid comes across our minds hoping for the best.

[bazzbazz]

Then, I must admit, I am Russian and we tend to just do whatever stupid comes across our minds hoping for the best.

Oh, you are sooo going to regret saying that one day . . . .

[Beatle]

Then, I must admit, I am Russian and we tend to just do whatever stupid comes across our minds hoping for the best.

You mean like "hey, we have this spare intercontinental ballistic missile... I wonder what would happen if we strapped a guy to the front of it at fired him out of the atmosphere...."   They say necessity is the mother of invention but I don't know that this was actually necessary?  Fun nonetheless.

PS:  The dry ice won't cause any issues.  It's not liquid nitrogen cold.

[bazzbazz]

If necessity is the mother of invention, then surely desperation is the father of it, for I have seen men with a necessity be very clever, yet wondered at how the desperate are driven to be downright bloody brilliant! - Baz


Like - "You stuck your finger in WHAT to stop the bomb from going off!!"   

[warsch]

Headrest bar won't hold the harness. I bought a thick metal plate, put it horizontally against the rear wall and drilled through. Then used eye bolts and nuts. It's not ideal but better than thin headrest metal plate.

Using lower standard harness mounting holes is okaish, but the harness angle would be a bit too steep

[warsch]

I bit of a plug of my recent new PB at QR Clubman config. My friend dragged me around fast corners which helped

[warsch]

The funny thing is, that the car is a tad more powerful (intake mods), much better brakes, 100 kg lighter, but I only pinched 0.12sec off my last PB.

Also, the friend in the front has a similarly upgraded 156 JTS Selespeed but still with all the trim in and he beats me just by being a better driver

[bazzbazz]

With a selespeed? Must be a typo . Not a fan of the selespeed after owning two GTs in selespeeed.

You need to take my selespeed for a "Spirited drive". 

[warsch]

I can see why you would like them when they are tuned correctly but I prefer manual all day for track duties.

I took my JTS sele to the track too. I actually enjoyed it and would prefer it to a manual. Now my car had some issues, one being that previous owners destroyed 3rd gear syncros while driving with semi-broken selespeed, and that JTS is weaker than TS when as is. Both issues can be addressed, but I can't be bothered, especially so that I'm going to race another car next season.

So as for selespeed on the track.

Pros:
1. Never a misshift. I certainly lost a few good laps to getting lost between gears.
2. Rev matching downshifts with no effort. This is a big one - I can't heel-toe so downshifts are rough and take attention off the track. Click and forget is so much better, not to mention the buttery smooth rev matching.

Cons:
1. Upshifts on its own when hits the limiter.
2. The limiter is 5000 rpm lower.
3. Requires some periodical maintenance and possibly repairs. This a minor one, as once you set it up once, you're good for quite some time.

And while its upshifts don't feel quick, it seems like they are on par with a manual.

[warsch]

Yeah I found most modifications are pretty pointless besides brake pads and tyres for track days. But it's hard to tell as you would need to test them back to back and conditions are always changing.

Lots of the upgrades work, it's just that driver mod and seat time beats a lot of them too. Especially shaving off some 4 kg of roof liner.

In my opinion, adjustable coilovers are a must (but you can get away with some sporty suspension for some time), obviously brakes. All the other stuff works too, just does not translate straight to lap times. Polybushes, rose-jointed arms, braces and so on.

[bazzbazz]

Just do me one favor, for your own sake don't place the Fire Extinguisher in the passenger foot well where so many people do. Otherwise you may as well just bolt a 1.5 Kg lead weight there instead, as doing so makes it completely useless.