Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18

Thread: Fiat Coupe Track Car

  1. #1
    The Big Man Tom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    11,107

    Fiat Coupe Track Car

    As my old thread appears to have disappeared, here it is copied from another forum!

    I had a converted 16VT Punto GT which blew up in Le Mans, so I had enough and decided to get a Coupe track day car. Bought it as a standard Coupe with a blown engine for £300.

    Its had:-

    -Full strip including sound deadening
    -Battery moved to boot
    -All new D2 coilovers
    -Camber adjustment bolts
    -All new wishbones, ARB bushes, drop links, CV boots
    -New engine
    -FMIC from Punto
    -boost piping from Punto
    -New rear caliper carrier
    -OZ Superleggeras from Punto
    -Apexi AVCR
    -Widget
    -Cobra Monacos x 2
    -Sparco Harnesses


    Only got the one pic as it stands atm, needs a couple of bits doing then have a track day booked on 3rd October.





    I have a couple of pics to add....

    My old Punto GT



    The new Coupe in progress...















    Punto Gt no more!

  2. #2
    The Big Man Tom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    11,107
    Long overdue update time! Copied from another forum so excuse any inaccuracies!

    A few more pics for you. The car completed its first track day at Bedford on Monday with no issues.












    Punto Gt no more!

  3. #3
    The Big Man Tom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    11,107
    Just a small update, getting ready for Bedford SEN circuit for the Evo Trackday on the 14th August.

    Have had a full tracking setup finished, went fo -1.5 degrees camberrrrrrrrr in the end, should make a hell of a difference.

    Have also had the map tweaked, more for smoother running, but the remapped chip just got dropped in through the post. Only minor changes made but its made a small difference.

    Oh, and fitted a new steering wheel.



    Punto Gt no more!

  4. #4
    The Big Man Tom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    11,107
    A few pics from the track day at Bedford the other day, ran the SEN circuit which was pretty good! A decent mixture of tight sections and decent straights.

    The only issue was that I ran out of brake pads by lunchtime! 1.5 track days is about the pads I use limit then!










    Punto Gt no more!

  5. #5
    The Big Man Tom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    11,107
    Small-ish update.

    As the noise regs are better at Snetterton, I thought I would fit a decat (as you do). Turns out the cat I had on there was in a right old state. In the BIN!

    Anyway, fitted it and it ran like a bag of shite, very very rich. Time for another remap me thinks!



    Ive always had an issue with the idle on this car, ever since I fitted the engine. I cant remember if we did the belts (I think we did), but we though we would check the timing marks to see if anything was amiss. The exhaust cam was a tooth out. Doh.


    Inlet Cam


    Exhaust Cam

    So realigned the timing marks and it ran even worse! After cutting off the balance belt and locking the shaft using a cunning washer readjusting method and applying a basic map, it sounded a lot nicer. Still very lumpy at idle but sounded a lot more like my Punto used to.

    We found a couple more problems during the day. The throttle cable was only allowing 60% throttle so adjusted the cable for that, and then had a problem won boost at 4k RPM. Turned out to be the Magnecor leads. Stuck some random leads and some new Iridiums and the problem was gone.







    After a whole day mapping and 25 POWER RUNS! it was finally done. 250bhp and 300ft/lbs torque, with a large difference in mid range torque, which is very noticable on the road. Its pretty awesome when combined with the lightness of the thing! Sounds like a jet fighter at 1.3 bar. Also sorted the idle forever yesterday, as it still wasnt idling correctly. Just dicked about with the throttle position sensor which was well off, as I had adjusted it whenn it was a tooth out so it would sort of idle.

    Punto Gt no more!

  6. #6
    The Big Man Tom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    11,107
    Small update, first track day with more power and torques, made a massive difference. Was at Snetterton on Dec 8th, which wasnt wet, but was VERY slippery! Tried Toyo T1Rs in the morning and R888s in the afternoon and neither were very good!

    Learnt a lot about car control especially coming onto boost coming out of corners, its very easy to lose your ability to steer in conditions like they were.

    Anyway, a shed load of photos from the Club MSV photographer, very similar, but I dont know what ones are better than the others!

    Car made it there and back and did a good amount of laps, suprised quite a few cars I think.

































    Punto Gt no more!

  7. #7
    The Big Man Tom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    11,107
    Time to update this I think....

    I had a chance to get hold of a lot nicer shell for 300, so the reshell was on!


    Bought unseen it turned up with a well known 16VT issue, a knackered exhaust cam.


    Luckily, I have a 16VT track day car which had a decent 250bhp engine in it already, so it was decided the shell swap was due!


    I drove my old Coupe into my friends workshop at 10am in the morning and drove the new reshelled Coupe home at about 9pm. I think that may be a record. The only hold up was replacing the speed sensor which dropped inside the diff casing.


    We swapped all suspension, subframe, engine, rad, gear linkage, fuel pump ECU and exhaust.


    The only bits we didnt change were brake calipers and rear ARB, but they can be done at any time. And as money is earnt a rollcage and decent buckets will follow.


    Anyway, here are some pics after a clean, consider a decent 16VT saved and a bad one off to the scrappers!


    Old Coupe











    Reshelled

















    Some swap pics








    Ill be at Brands on the 16th so should be ready by then without too many issues ( I hope - Fix It Again Tomorrow!)
    Punto Gt no more!

  8. #8
    The Big Man Tom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    11,107
    Time for an update!


    The car is almost complete, finally. Ive got a track day on Feb 22 and the only small jobs to do before then are fit the Carbon Lorraine pads and fit the rollcage that is somewhere between Italy and the UK, and give the inside a spray.


    Quite a lot has happened since the last update, Ive got new Sparco buckets in, completely stripped the interior, fitted new drilled and grooved discs, braided lines, new air filter, new undertray, new coolant hoses, repaired a problem with the electrics, fitted a shortshift kit, oil catch tank, rear ARB fitted, amongst many other things that I cant remember.


    Ive also juts done the tracking and set -2 degrees of camber ready for the track day.


    Ive only got a couple of pictures, Ill get some more the next time I get the car out of hibernation.








    Punto Gt no more!

  9. #9
    The Big Man Tom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    11,107
    The car is now caged and been to Bedford, Brands and Snet and is still going (touchwood)!


    It performed very well on Sunday at Snetterton, its now 270bhp at 1.3bar with 290lb/ft torque so is pretty capable. It was nice to get some R888s back on there as well, meaning it was ten times better round the corners.


    Anyway....


    Some pics:-













    Punto Gt no more!

  10. #10
    Street racing whore! Vern's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    East sussex
    Posts
    5,632
    Loving the new shell mate looks good with that kit on it, you taking it to AI?

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Fiat Coupe, Someone From Here...
    By Mitchem in forum eBay & Pistonheads Links
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 23rd July 2007, 16:39
  2. Fiat Punto Mk2 Full Omp Roll Cage Rollcage Track Rally
    By johnboyturbo101 in forum eBay & Pistonheads Links
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 16th November 2006, 11:26
  3. Fiat Coupe wheels on a Fiat Punto
    By Scouser in forum Wheels, Tyres, Suspension and Brakes
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 11th August 2006, 17:25
  4. fiat coupe
    By scott9951 in forum General Punto Questions
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 4th November 2004, 17:56
  5. Fiat Coupe 20vt Coupe Info On Chips
    By timmyturbo1 in forum Other Cars Discussion and Projects
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 28th October 2004, 14:14

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •