Peugeot 306 Gti6 Track Day Project
Discussion
Hi Gents,
Thought i'd share a little write up on the open pit lane track day @ Bedford Autodrome on Monday...
So with 2 little ones and a hectic life/job etc it came to Sunday night and 12 hours before we are due to convoy down to what was forecasted to be a sunny (or what actually transpired to be rainy) Bedfordshire I started 'preparing' the car...
Tyre pressures, coolant, oil, brakes, - all present & topped up, a good wash & polish and we are ready for the off!
04:30am - Alarm goes off...***** that is early (and I normally get up at 5:30am) but christ that was early
05:10am - Convoy assembled (Stage 3 Focus ST, A very tasty stripped out Leon Cupra with the biggest brakes you have ever seen, and a Cosworth honed, stupidly fast and setup Astra Coupe Turbo) - so yes I was at least 130bhp short...
Remarkably we arrived at Bedford at 07:45am with time to drool over a carpark full of M3's, 400bhp Mk3 Fiesta's, and an Octave VRS with a cone filter poking through the bonnet ?! Sadly its really wet, NOT what the bloody BBC reliably told us but it would certainly add to the entertainment value for spectators
09:00am - Briefing done, 89db at 4500 rpm with Cat was a surprisingly high readout (more than any of the cars in convoy...)
09:30am - On track for siting lap, now i've done Bedford before, it was always reassuringly open and 'safe' but the new additions have added a new and much needed element of complexity and it is a great circuit. It is still REALLY wet and the back of the 306 has already informed me it would like to overtake the front if at all possible!
10:00am - Track open, sit back, watch the nutters get their steam blown off, M4 comes spinning past the pits, and I boldly state "i've never spun here and don't plan to today...."
10:30am - We're off, car feels fantastic, the Satchshift has transformed how the car performs, you really feel the gears through the gearstick, tarmac through the wheel and the chassis through the buckets, its massively engaging and tactile - if bloody loud without any sound deadening.
Anyway, 1st lap out, its wet still, feels good but tyres not warming up that quickly, over confidence, caffeine, and early start all together result in the inevitable, right in front of the bloody pits!!!
It felt like I'd smashed something, temporarily it wouldnt move (or at least it felt like it...) In hindsight i'm annoyed with myself, just crap driving, cold tyres, wet, turned in off throttle but that is why i love Bedford, brushed off, cleaned up and out we went to continue the day
https://youtu.be/vnBrylw5N8E
So the rest of the day went without a hitch, the car, firstly it dried up (hallelujah!) i mean what a car, for a cheap and cheerful track car it was exceptional, with a real minority of cars lapping faster (with the exception of a tuned Megane 260 (thoroughly nice bloke), a handful of bonkers Caterhams, the M4 and a Supercharged Monaro)
Despite a 130bhp short fall, on a fast open track, my little 162k mile, 18 year old 306 gallantly marched around and around the track, using 2 tanks of fuel, and overtaking all of the cars that we came down with, along with loads of Evo's, Impreza's, 911's, C63's and one extremely well driven and v fast Scirocco...
Here are a few clips with the other cars metioned, some of which I am well and truly in overdrive mode but hell that is part of the fun!
https://youtu.be/p7S5TMZi9Ks
https://youtu.be/hPkTiVnUZ9Y
https://youtu.be/ncROLN2VkYI
2 tanks of Super Unleaded later and she was a tad dirty (those wheels were white....)
For anyone considering a 306 as a track day car, getting on track, or heading to Bedford, I cannot recommend all 3 opportunities, an utterly brilliant, exhausting, and exhilarating day in equal measure, bring on the next!
Thought i'd share a little write up on the open pit lane track day @ Bedford Autodrome on Monday...
So with 2 little ones and a hectic life/job etc it came to Sunday night and 12 hours before we are due to convoy down to what was forecasted to be a sunny (or what actually transpired to be rainy) Bedfordshire I started 'preparing' the car...
Tyre pressures, coolant, oil, brakes, - all present & topped up, a good wash & polish and we are ready for the off!
04:30am - Alarm goes off...***** that is early (and I normally get up at 5:30am) but christ that was early
05:10am - Convoy assembled (Stage 3 Focus ST, A very tasty stripped out Leon Cupra with the biggest brakes you have ever seen, and a Cosworth honed, stupidly fast and setup Astra Coupe Turbo) - so yes I was at least 130bhp short...
Remarkably we arrived at Bedford at 07:45am with time to drool over a carpark full of M3's, 400bhp Mk3 Fiesta's, and an Octave VRS with a cone filter poking through the bonnet ?! Sadly its really wet, NOT what the bloody BBC reliably told us but it would certainly add to the entertainment value for spectators
09:00am - Briefing done, 89db at 4500 rpm with Cat was a surprisingly high readout (more than any of the cars in convoy...)
09:30am - On track for siting lap, now i've done Bedford before, it was always reassuringly open and 'safe' but the new additions have added a new and much needed element of complexity and it is a great circuit. It is still REALLY wet and the back of the 306 has already informed me it would like to overtake the front if at all possible!
10:00am - Track open, sit back, watch the nutters get their steam blown off, M4 comes spinning past the pits, and I boldly state "i've never spun here and don't plan to today...."
10:30am - We're off, car feels fantastic, the Satchshift has transformed how the car performs, you really feel the gears through the gearstick, tarmac through the wheel and the chassis through the buckets, its massively engaging and tactile - if bloody loud without any sound deadening.
Anyway, 1st lap out, its wet still, feels good but tyres not warming up that quickly, over confidence, caffeine, and early start all together result in the inevitable, right in front of the bloody pits!!!
It felt like I'd smashed something, temporarily it wouldnt move (or at least it felt like it...) In hindsight i'm annoyed with myself, just crap driving, cold tyres, wet, turned in off throttle but that is why i love Bedford, brushed off, cleaned up and out we went to continue the day
https://youtu.be/vnBrylw5N8E
So the rest of the day went without a hitch, the car, firstly it dried up (hallelujah!) i mean what a car, for a cheap and cheerful track car it was exceptional, with a real minority of cars lapping faster (with the exception of a tuned Megane 260 (thoroughly nice bloke), a handful of bonkers Caterhams, the M4 and a Supercharged Monaro)
Despite a 130bhp short fall, on a fast open track, my little 162k mile, 18 year old 306 gallantly marched around and around the track, using 2 tanks of fuel, and overtaking all of the cars that we came down with, along with loads of Evo's, Impreza's, 911's, C63's and one extremely well driven and v fast Scirocco...
Here are a few clips with the other cars metioned, some of which I am well and truly in overdrive mode but hell that is part of the fun!
https://youtu.be/p7S5TMZi9Ks
https://youtu.be/hPkTiVnUZ9Y
https://youtu.be/ncROLN2VkYI
2 tanks of Super Unleaded later and she was a tad dirty (those wheels were white....)
For anyone considering a 306 as a track day car, getting on track, or heading to Bedford, I cannot recommend all 3 opportunities, an utterly brilliant, exhausting, and exhilarating day in equal measure, bring on the next!
Edited by Chr1sch on Wednesday 21st October 15:09
Spent some time getting the car ready for Silverstone next week - she's been washed/polished, oil changed, along with a new set of Bilsteins being fitted, and a faster steering rack from a xsara vts.
It is finally coming together, with the engine really the only part left to have a refresh after the track day next week assuming it survives!
I think she cleans up pretty well for a well used 18 year old French hatchback with 162k!
It is finally coming together, with the engine really the only part left to have a refresh after the track day next week assuming it survives!
I think she cleans up pretty well for a well used 18 year old French hatchback with 162k!
So Monday was Silverstone GP day - in short, if you get a chance, just go - what an experience, what a track!
I'm pleased to report all of the bits I added/refreshed (new vts rack & bilstein's etc) were well worth the money, despite being a very wide, long F1 circuit the Pug was utterly brilliant. The agility and ability to put its power down just never ceases to amaze, running rings around the non-race cars in the twisties...
So it was another early start, checking in at 8am for the Newbies briefing, which was truthfully pretty intimidating given that the car park and brief were full of amazing machinery with full on back up teams, trailers etc etc
Nice drive down the M40 with no sound deadening was a joy lol
The sense of occasion and sheer scale of Silverstone when you are down in the pits is something else, and with my own garage area it really was a bloody impressive setup......AND it was only bloody sunny ALL DAY....in Feb! Happy days...
Some nice machinery in the next garage...
Lining up amongst some very tasty kit!
The first few sessions both in the morning and after lunch were predictably terrifying, with loads of cars on track, but it soon cleared after a good 20 min window.
Had some great fun chasing/playing and i'm pleased to report overtaking Clio's....(although a couple of more sorted race one's did leave me for dust...)
The eagle eyed may also notice the cloud of smoke in the above pic from the morning...it transpired I over filled the oil on Sunday and after a good old slide avoiding a static radical, it promptly smoked its t*ts off for about 5 laps - after that we were all good (thank god)
So the good pics...
Tripod!!!
Believe it or not, this is 100mph in 4th...
As you can see, the weather was amazing, dry all day, however that did take its toll on my tyres, particularly where 2 of the corners off the straights are taken at 90 in 4th...
In the morning they got very hot...
At 3pm the front left threw in the towel after 3 track days...
And finally, a nice 17min youtube vid to demonstrate how the lowly 170bhp gti6 can hang on to Stage 3 Focus ST's and Hybrid turbo'd 300+ bhp Astra Coupe Turbo's!
https://youtu.be/bYSQveHD0y8
All in all an amazing day, the car was fantastic, although I really do want a cage and bodies to finish it off nicely. If you still havent taken your '6 out on track, do it - its bloody brilliant
Cheers
Chris
I'm pleased to report all of the bits I added/refreshed (new vts rack & bilstein's etc) were well worth the money, despite being a very wide, long F1 circuit the Pug was utterly brilliant. The agility and ability to put its power down just never ceases to amaze, running rings around the non-race cars in the twisties...
So it was another early start, checking in at 8am for the Newbies briefing, which was truthfully pretty intimidating given that the car park and brief were full of amazing machinery with full on back up teams, trailers etc etc
Nice drive down the M40 with no sound deadening was a joy lol
The sense of occasion and sheer scale of Silverstone when you are down in the pits is something else, and with my own garage area it really was a bloody impressive setup......AND it was only bloody sunny ALL DAY....in Feb! Happy days...
Some nice machinery in the next garage...
Lining up amongst some very tasty kit!
The first few sessions both in the morning and after lunch were predictably terrifying, with loads of cars on track, but it soon cleared after a good 20 min window.
Had some great fun chasing/playing and i'm pleased to report overtaking Clio's....(although a couple of more sorted race one's did leave me for dust...)
The eagle eyed may also notice the cloud of smoke in the above pic from the morning...it transpired I over filled the oil on Sunday and after a good old slide avoiding a static radical, it promptly smoked its t*ts off for about 5 laps - after that we were all good (thank god)
So the good pics...
Tripod!!!
Believe it or not, this is 100mph in 4th...
As you can see, the weather was amazing, dry all day, however that did take its toll on my tyres, particularly where 2 of the corners off the straights are taken at 90 in 4th...
In the morning they got very hot...
At 3pm the front left threw in the towel after 3 track days...
And finally, a nice 17min youtube vid to demonstrate how the lowly 170bhp gti6 can hang on to Stage 3 Focus ST's and Hybrid turbo'd 300+ bhp Astra Coupe Turbo's!
https://youtu.be/bYSQveHD0y8
All in all an amazing day, the car was fantastic, although I really do want a cage and bodies to finish it off nicely. If you still havent taken your '6 out on track, do it - its bloody brilliant
Cheers
Chris
DanGPR said:
Always had a soft spot for the GTi-6 and Rallyes, it's a shame most of them are dogs now, I wouldn't mind buying one but there's nothing decent available as far as I can see!
Quite a few have been supercharged in the past, but you'd really have to love it to drop a few grand on doing it properly! It would suit the cars character brilliantly though.
Totally agree but I think I'll go the throttle bodies route. I do absolutely love it and will for sure drop 1000's into it over the next few years, but I never plan to sell It, and it's relatively cheap to work on and very much what I want from a track car (light, agile, etc) Quite a few have been supercharged in the past, but you'd really have to love it to drop a few grand on doing it properly! It would suit the cars character brilliantly though.
I'm sure I could buy a
Megane cup or something that would be faster but building/honing the car is half of the fun for me frankly!
problemchild1976 said:
great to see what can be done with some smooth driving and good lines vs some big power and dubious ability 
some of the lines from that astra were v interesting
JJ
Haha thanks!some of the lines from that astra were v interesting
JJ
I found the chicane and right handed on to the new straight pretty hard to link together but that's part of the fun, continually improving throughout the day.
I now need to work out what tyres to go for this time round, I'm tempted to upgrade to Dunlop Direzza's but I gather they are very expensive
problemchild1976 said:
great to see what can be done with some smooth driving and good lines vs some big power and dubious ability
some of the lines from that astra were v interesting
JJ
Haha thanks!some of the lines from that astra were v interesting
JJ
I found the chicane and right handed on to the new straight pretty hard to link together but that's part of the fun, continually improving throughout the day.
I now need to work out what tyres to go for this time round, I'm tempted to upgrade to Dunlop Direzza's but I gather they are very expensive
Update time!
So it has been a long time coming, but lots of improvements, and i'm relieved to say the car is better than ever....
First up:
Needed a new clutch, so along with the new clutch cable its now all new, and the feel, progressiveness of the pedal etc is massively improved, and whilst in there we fitted a new RichW flywheel! (WHAT an impact that has had, engine now revs so much more freely, and coupled with the Satcshift the gear changes now are lightening fast and loose little rpm...) - You can see in vids below
Next up:
Removed all remaining air con pipes AND replaced the power steering pipework we had done with the fitment of the VTS rack....Still not great sadly, getting a horrible feedback when wheel is anything other than straight ahead, i'm guessing it could be the rack now as we've tried/changed everything bar the pump (which was fine before....)
The cambelt....
Well this turned out to be a barrel of laughs...it had only done 8k miles but in 6 yrs so thought it wise to change given its age...as some of you may have read, had a bit of a mishap when the car was accidentally started it half way through the change (with no belt on....)
This lead to a full head rebuild, which has transformed the car, it is now smooth, quiet and pulls harder than ever - so very pleased in the end....
The mechanic used all OEM parts and cleaned up the engine bay, so it is now genuinely like new and so much better than it has been in my ownership
The brakes!
So i am running Billet 300 HiSpec brakes with Tarox G88 discs, previously with DS2500's. After Silverstone in Feb these really glazed over (despite having a good 4mm depth left
) so these were replaced by DS3000's - Utterly amazing is all i can say, you can see in the videos I ate everything up on the brakes, including cars with much bigger setups than me - cannot recommend this combo enough!
Steering wheel...
I couldn't resist, i've never liked the 2 spoke OMP rally wheel so upgraded to a smaller, Corsica wheel - its bloody lovely
So she rolled out of the garage, fully rebuilt the Friday before the trackday on the 19th of Sept @ Bedford Autodrome
I'm massively relieved to say the engine and all of the works completed were utterly brilliant and didnt complain once, despite being thrashed mercilessly all day....that said I did run wide onto the kerbs in the morning which appears to have broken the front left driveshaft/diff and requires further investigation (hence the horrible noises and slightly reduced pace through right handers on the videos below)
The new AD08R's also stood up very well in dry and damp conditions, and certainly have every bit as much grip as the RSR's before them, along with better turn in.
I cannot recommend getting out on track days enough, particularly with decent tyres, brakes and a light(ish) car, it is utterly brilliant and massively rewarding.
Here is the Pug keeping up with new Aston Martins and 300 bhp Stage 3 ST's, Cupra R's with Cages and MASSIVE brakes, and Stage 2 Mk5 GTi's - punching well above its weight...
Aston: https://youtu.be/OfSfzfsomSM
ST: https://youtu.be/i6J50C08ZJ8
Golf GTI: https://youtu.be/oaR9YUXsTc4
Cupra R: https://youtu.be/j1x89sFFjPw
Now its time to sort the cage/shell and bodies - its as ever, the straights that prove frustrating...
So it has been a long time coming, but lots of improvements, and i'm relieved to say the car is better than ever....
First up:
Needed a new clutch, so along with the new clutch cable its now all new, and the feel, progressiveness of the pedal etc is massively improved, and whilst in there we fitted a new RichW flywheel! (WHAT an impact that has had, engine now revs so much more freely, and coupled with the Satcshift the gear changes now are lightening fast and loose little rpm...) - You can see in vids below
Next up:
Removed all remaining air con pipes AND replaced the power steering pipework we had done with the fitment of the VTS rack....Still not great sadly, getting a horrible feedback when wheel is anything other than straight ahead, i'm guessing it could be the rack now as we've tried/changed everything bar the pump (which was fine before....)
The cambelt....
Well this turned out to be a barrel of laughs...it had only done 8k miles but in 6 yrs so thought it wise to change given its age...as some of you may have read, had a bit of a mishap when the car was accidentally started it half way through the change (with no belt on....)
This lead to a full head rebuild, which has transformed the car, it is now smooth, quiet and pulls harder than ever - so very pleased in the end....
The mechanic used all OEM parts and cleaned up the engine bay, so it is now genuinely like new and so much better than it has been in my ownership
The brakes!
So i am running Billet 300 HiSpec brakes with Tarox G88 discs, previously with DS2500's. After Silverstone in Feb these really glazed over (despite having a good 4mm depth left
) so these were replaced by DS3000's - Utterly amazing is all i can say, you can see in the videos I ate everything up on the brakes, including cars with much bigger setups than me - cannot recommend this combo enough!
Steering wheel...
I couldn't resist, i've never liked the 2 spoke OMP rally wheel so upgraded to a smaller, Corsica wheel - its bloody lovely
So she rolled out of the garage, fully rebuilt the Friday before the trackday on the 19th of Sept @ Bedford Autodrome
I'm massively relieved to say the engine and all of the works completed were utterly brilliant and didnt complain once, despite being thrashed mercilessly all day....that said I did run wide onto the kerbs in the morning which appears to have broken the front left driveshaft/diff and requires further investigation (hence the horrible noises and slightly reduced pace through right handers on the videos below)
The new AD08R's also stood up very well in dry and damp conditions, and certainly have every bit as much grip as the RSR's before them, along with better turn in.
I cannot recommend getting out on track days enough, particularly with decent tyres, brakes and a light(ish) car, it is utterly brilliant and massively rewarding.
Here is the Pug keeping up with new Aston Martins and 300 bhp Stage 3 ST's, Cupra R's with Cages and MASSIVE brakes, and Stage 2 Mk5 GTi's - punching well above its weight...
Aston: https://youtu.be/OfSfzfsomSM
ST: https://youtu.be/i6J50C08ZJ8
Golf GTI: https://youtu.be/oaR9YUXsTc4
Cupra R: https://youtu.be/j1x89sFFjPw
Now its time to sort the cage/shell and bodies - its as ever, the straights that prove frustrating...
Rensko said:
May I ask how you "accidentally" start a car half way through a timing belt job? Sounded expensive!
I have so much love for the GTI-6. Couldn't afford one in my younger days, so I wound up with a 406 which I was planning on doing a J4RS swap in to. Never got around to it - that induction note is like no other!
Very innocently, he's a good mate who was going around other jobs and it got rolled out one day half way through and unfortunately instinctively started it when he jumped in to put it back on the rampI have so much love for the GTI-6. Couldn't afford one in my younger days, so I wound up with a 406 which I was planning on doing a J4RS swap in to. Never got around to it - that induction note is like no other!
The car is better than ever and the quality of his work second to none so im all good with it, the new head and fly together have made an incredible difference
So time for an update, albeit not a massive one
First off the car hasnt moved in month as we've finally moved into our new house, and alas that does mean the spending on the Pug has to stop for 2017. I do however now have an epic 3 garage man cave with double height, so long term i'll get my 2 poster and create my own little motorsport team lol
I now live relatively close to the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb, so for my sins, washed the car at 7am in the rain and went up there last sunday, she scrubbed up well
Great selection of cars!
In the meantime it passed the MOT, and now its the mission to get it ready for Bedford again on the 27th of March, and then Coombe in the summer
First off the car hasnt moved in month as we've finally moved into our new house, and alas that does mean the spending on the Pug has to stop for 2017. I do however now have an epic 3 garage man cave with double height, so long term i'll get my 2 poster and create my own little motorsport team lol
I now live relatively close to the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb, so for my sins, washed the car at 7am in the rain and went up there last sunday, she scrubbed up well
Great selection of cars!
In the meantime it passed the MOT, and now its the mission to get it ready for Bedford again on the 27th of March, and then Coombe in the summer
Edited by Chr1sch on Tuesday 19th September 10:53
Small update, im an absolute sucker for carbon, its always been way out of reach for me as this is a 'budget' track car build...anyway, a carbon skinned GRP bonnet pops up on fb for £180, its not perfect but it saves me 12kg's and frankly is about as clean as the rest of the car.....i've fitted new bonnet pins, latches and recessed sections, and I bloody love it!
Ties in nicely with black bump strips, black HiSpec brakes etc...
Bargainous, now time for a track day or two!
Bonnet by Chr1sch1, on Flickr
Carbon Pug by Chr1sch1, on FlickrMorganP104 said:
Chr1sch said:
Frustratingly the new driveshaft hasnt solved the vibration issue on cornering as per my other post, however i'll follow the advice and see where we get to. In the meantime it passed the MOT, and now its the mission to get it ready for Bedford again on the 27th of March, and then Coombe in the summer.
Apologies if someone else has already mentioned it, but could your problem be a failing wheel bearing?Sadly i've sold the car now and hope to get another project on the go once ive made the transition to my new job towards the end of the year
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