Serious Ph1 172 Track/DRT Build.

[Russ Rallye]

Thought i'd put some pics up of my new project, going to be mainly for Nurburgring use maybe the odd blast round the lakes of a weekend. I've had a Ph1 172 in the past and wanted another for this project, managed to bag this bargain off ebay, by no means the best one you've ever seen but is mechanically very good, had a clean interior and was standard. Bodywork is bad, its been painted badly on the roof, rear quarter and bonnet with scratches on most of the other panels but it's going to be having a full repaint anyway, wont be silver and i dont know of another one the same colour at the minute.

Haven't done a great deal at the minute, just in the process of preparing the shell, all the sound deadening is to come out obviously as are all the random brackets and other metal work. Looking to save as much weight as possible, all doors to be gutted, polycarb windows, heater/ac box has gone, just debating what to do about the dash atm.

Gone a bit mad with the wiring too, stripped everything out of the interior and none of its going back! Only need the basics, keeping the column stalks but thats it apart from a hazard light switch. Gonna redo all the under-bonnet loom as well in preparation for an Emerald K3 ECU.

Haven't really spent any money as yet apart from buying the car, going to order my full cage from Custom cages this week hopefully. I have a spare Recaro Pro-Racer + harness from my Leon Cup so they're here ready to go in. Just trying to budget for buying bits around racing my leon in the LMA Eurosaloons. Sold the original interior bits so thats gone a little way towards it. I'll try and update when i've finished cutting up the interior and get some pics of me welding the cage in the next couple of weeks.
Russ

 

[m0rk]

Nice paintjob on the Supercopa

 

[Ridahz]

All that wiring would have me confused straight away! :S

Love projects like this! Just makes the PH1 even rarer to find a standard 1

Look forward to seeing how this progresses pal!

Good Luck!

 

[Russ Rallye]

Didn't realise you had a 172 M0rk, recognise your name from the SeatCupra forum!
Russ

 

[OLR]

As if i have the seats from that. 6hrs of driving ftl.

 

[m0rk]

Didn't realise you had a 172 M0rk, recognise your name from the SeatCupra forum!
Russ

I defected

But the Clio build looks really interesting - how long will the car be in Daventry for the cage? at least they should be quieter mid season rather than the pre season rush

 

[VibeFliClioGrande]

ahah i was waiting for this to come up

 

[geesus69]

have you posted any pics of your leon on here? i would love to see some detailed shots

 

[Russ Rallye]

M0rk, just gonna order the cage as a kit from Custom Cages, would rather they didn't fit it tbh, i have a man that does good work!
Geesus69, er dont think i have put a thread up, might do one now, keep your eyes peeled in the general motorsport/pics bit.
Russ

 

[Nafoff]

russ if you are interested i may be organising a group buy on cages from caged in the near future

 

[Russ Rallye]

What kind of cages though, not interested in anything bolt in, got to be a proper full weld in.
Russ

 

[Nafoff]

caged are quite a good / well known company and i expect we can have a selection on what we want, so weld in would probably be no problem

 

[Tobs]

looks like gunna be a good thread

more photosssss

 

[Russ Rallye]

Ordered my cage from custom cages today, should be with be in 7-10 days they said, just been stripping some of the metal work out of the shell, seat mounts are out and have got all the spare brackets out of the rear, just on with taking the sound deadening tar out from everywhere at the minute. Will put some pics up at the weekend, hopefully have the shell ready to put the cage in next week in time for it getting here. Pic of the cage to keep you interested.
Russ

 

[Sean.]

nice cage, not cheap though!

i live right round the corner from custom cages

 

[Russ Rallye]

Cage is here now, have checked it all, looks like all the bits are here and have mocked it up roughly. Shell is just about ready to weld the cage in, just gotta take out the old passenger side seat mounts really. Gonna knock some new weld in rails up this week if i get a chance as well. Took a pic of some bits i have collected in the last few weeks to fit as well when i get a chance, some 8mm spacers, stud/nut kit, aerocatches and the old favourite 'Si cup racer' towing eye. More pics coming soon when i start to fit the cage. Hopefully be able to have it all painted metallic grey inside by the end of the month.
Russ

Russ

 

[Ben]

Great update fella. Can't wait to see it fitted.

 

[YorkshireDaz]

That cage is awesome!!

 

[f0xy]

Nice work!

If the cage is anything like mine was from customcages be prepared to have quite a bit of playing around with some of the profiles they do on the pipes :dapprove: I had to modify the footplates quite a bit too before welding in

 

[Russ Rallye]

Been there before foxy with my DC2 which i put a custom cages cage in, was a pita with missing tube, wrong length/profiled tubes. Thats why i kind of mocked this one up to check all bits were present, everything else i can sort later if i need to reprofile the the ends.
Russ

 

[f0xy]

know the score with them then lol, cool

 

[Russ Rallye]

Seems they can do very little right tbh 2 mates recently have bought cc cages 1 for a 306 and 1 for a teg and they both had issues, how hard would you think it would be to send the right bits after they've paid good money for what is a built to order cage!
Russ

 

[f0xy]

Yep, I was nearly at the point of sending it back but I had it lying round for so long I couldnt be bothered. Luckily I had some spare lengths they sent me so profiled my own parts that were originally crap and it all went well...

Good luck with fitting it, will look forward to the pics

 

[Djw John]

Why do you keep buying from them if they are dodgy?!

Looks like it'll be a proper build. Any more pics of the Leon?

 

[Russ Rallye]

John, not sure really, suppose the end result is worth the hassle you can have. Search in the motorsports section there is a thread about my Leon in there mate.
Russ

 

[Djw John]

Ah right, fair enough. Clearly handy enough with a grinder and welder to make up for their shortfalls.

Will do bud, cheers

 

[Russ Rallye]

Small update, spent a couple of hours doing a little bit this weekend. Hopefully cage will be going in next weekend, tried the main hoop in for size and its proper tight! Going to fab a bracket to hold the steering column in a more favourable position once the seat is fixed it, cable tie isn't permanent! Have made my seat rails up for 25x25mm box, just need to cut some strenthening plates for the sills/tunnel. Have gone to town on the drivers door too, just need to do the pax side to match, there'll be carbon cards to finish them off after.
Russ

 

[DannyR]

I will be watching this closely for ideas as next year mine is going even more all out

 

[powey]

Wont lowering the steering column stress the shaft?

 

[Jay Payne]

^ mines been like it for 2 years and its fine. Cup race cars had columns lowered too

 

[Russ Rallye]

Yeah, its just on a universal joint anyway. No different to having it lower on the standard adjuster only will be slightly lower. Gonna fit a proper quick release boss while i'm at it, splined fitting needs welding to the standard column.
Russ

 

[powey]

I love the seat, how much it weigh?

 

[Russ Rallye]

Not a lot, about 6kg without mounts. Should be light seen as they're £1200+ each new!
Russ

 

[Russ Rallye]

Started on the cage today, not done a great deal but got the fundamental bits just tacked in, the footplates, main hoop, front + rear upper sections and half a door bar each side so the cage is in the correct position, everything else can be tacked to it now and then properly welded up. Came across a couple of issues, had to lose 10mm off one leg on the main hoop as they were different lengths and wouldn't fit, had to shorten the dash bar by nearly 30mm and reprofile the end and it looks like the rear strut brace is profiled wrong and wont be long enough to alter i dont thhing so may have to make a new one up, apart from that going not to bad, will hopefully get a big chucnk done tomorrow/monday. Few pics.
Russ

 

[Whiteley]

Coming along well

I have an OMP cage in mine, no end of issues with that too fitment wise.

 

[f0xy]

his is customcages

 

[Whiteley]

I know, just another case of these 'made to fit' cages not actually fitting. I don't think many will have been designed having even seen the car in question.

 

[wookie]

My omp cage fits really nicely, just the feet mounts which were pointless sending with it

 

[Djw John]

Good stuff. Im determined to learn how to weld, its the one thing that's really holding me back these days. Well, that and cash!

 

[powey]

will they be actually welded to the rear turrets? cant make out if theyre tacked in the pics