Building a fast 16v Allegro (now going fully forged turbo)

[edk83]

So I'm planning on spraying the entire underside with shultz this weekend. This last two evenings I've seam sealed basicaly everywhere and all holes are now patched with metal



Just got a tiny bit of metalwork to do for rear brake lines and a bracket then can get spraying. After that I can refit the rear beam and see if this crazy suspension works!

Engine bay is ready for paint prep after the underside is done..



Also have been busy wrapping the stainless Toyo manifold as it will be quite close to the rad.

[darrenh]

toyo as in toyosport ? pondered over their tubes a few times in ebay for the astra.

[edk83]

Yeah that's the one, it's just a direct copy of the standard mgf item so no performance gains but it looks good.
I bought the system mainly for the new downpipe and flexi section in stainless, manifold was a happy bonus.
I've heard of cracked welds on some of the Toyosports stuff but mine looks all good and tbh any stainless can crack.
Good value compared to the price of some stainless stuff, wasn't buying expensive stuff as I cut it all up and remade it to fit my car anyway.

[edk83]

On it with shultz today







I was just going to paint the inside of the fog light resses but a lot of the front panel was already textured so did the bottom section. Then I read the stuff isn't overpaintable oops!

[darrenh]

bitmumen based "schutz" i guess ?

[edk83]

Yeah.... Mate reckons it'll come off with thinners though will have a go this weekend. Got a bit more floor and bottom of passenger wing to fix.

Got the gearbox back on tonight MUST REMEMBER TO PUT OIL IN IT!

[darrenh]

yeah it will wipe off with any solvent, think i used petrol and about 4 miles of blue roll

[strikey]

don't forget gloves!

[edk83]

Lol should have seen my arms after I sprayed it!

box on , Broom handle clutch centering tool must have worked.

[edk83]

So I have been messing with the rear suspension, it does actually work and I'm fairly happy with the height that the spring is engaged, that can be altered with different size spacers on the knuckle. At full droop the knuckle does disengage the shock but cannot come out . The red springs are 225lb mini fronts and far too soft, with the huge lever action of the swingarm I need a very hard spring as a small amount of movement translates to quite a lot of wheel vertical movement. I've put the stock bump stops back on and the shock still has about an inch of travel before it would hit it's own bump stop.

So not totally bad, the shock has more than enough scope to work. I just need to limit the travel a lot more, probably try some 600lb springs or maybe stiffer.

Some clever curse word made them so the spring can be removed without dropping the beam, with about 3mm to spare (not a fluke honest).



Also been faffing with the rear anti roll bar, it does seem to work quite well but bottoms out on the boot floor seam currently. That has been marked for chopping as well as taking some off the end of the roll bar and shortening the drop links slightly.

[edk83]

Chopped some boot floor out so the arb now clears even if the suspension arm is sat on the bump stop both sides





Thats on the bump stop so arches shouldn't need rolling or anything, it's going to be at a usable height not slammed.



Not a bad fit and it seems to work as well, just waiting for the stiff springs to turn up.

Been messing with my center console, Allegro plugs fit on mini switches so lights, hazards will be mini. Rather close fit with the heater box but that can stay. I did check that the zr gear linkage is angled back slightly even in first so hopefully wont be punching the battery cut off!

[edk83]

So today we cut out the windscreen bar, was a bit of a mission with grinder, saw, made up ginder wheel on the drill. Its out though and temp box section fitted to stop the roof caving in!



Getting rid of the corner plates in the A pillars as well, don't think they were very safe.



Added some captive nuts to the top of the Allegro towers so some nice covers can be made later.



Boxed the boot section where the anti roll bar used to foul at full suspension travel.



Some Tig on the fuel tank now I have reinforced mounts





Roll cage windscreen bar is getting a 3.5" curve this week then going back in.

[fogey]

Coming along nicely

[820]

Top work, your making fast progress, love your car and this thread.

[edk83]

Thanks, seems like it's taking forever, two years now exactly since I dropped the original engine out. Can't wait to get the inside and bay painted as 90% of everything will just bolt straight in afterwards.

[logicaluk]

Thats what I'm hoping for to when i get the body finished and painted it should take me a few weeks to get 90% of the car back together and get it MOTed.
Ill keep watching with great interest.
Dan

[igor]

Love this thread.

[edk83]

So today we have been finishing off bodywork and sorted out the roll cage windscreen bar, I can now use the factory rear view mirror and keep the interior light Also it won't try and bash your head in if you left the seat which can't be a bad thing.





Also added some corners in the front wings as decided I'd like to fit some Aerocatches rather than refit the rusty cable and mech, the bonnet tapers off at the edges so needed a way to mount the pins further in.



Engine bay, inside and the boot is getting painted in two weeks so next job = a lot of sanding!

[sridgett]

Looking good

[darrenh]

seems insignificant, but its sound quality-of-life modifications.