Polo-Loco: Harlequin VR6 Polo Saloon Drag Project

[Ryan Image 46]

I have a short attention span so decided that halfway thru the body prep I decided it was time to tackle the exhaust system. The restrictive 1.6 2 box system with cat was taken off (MOT spec) and I couldn’t refit the previous exhaust at I had to chop it to take it off. A 2.5” stainless cat-back single box system from a Mk3 Seat Ibiza 20vt was sourced and I had to use a reducer to mate it to my 2” decat pipe. Was a lot of arsing about and in the end I secured it in the wrong place by about 5 degrees before welding so Im currently waiting on a new sleeve turning up so I can chop and sort it. On the plus side it did fit lovely and seems a great quality system

 

I also made a start of my custom engine cover by chopping up the two I had laying around. Needs a lot more work and plastic welding but I’m getting there slowly with it

[Ryan Image 46]

I bit the bullet and ordered up the Pistachio Green, Flash Red, Chagall Blue and Ginster Yellow paint to start on my Harlequin replica/tribute.

The Polo Saloon was never offered as a Harlequin but I like the idea of it being eye catching when it goes down the strip, should guarantee it gets photos taken and talked about, even if people don’t like it! I’ve only seen 2 other attempts at a Harlequin style on a 6K saloon and neither of them used the right colours or panel combination so this could be quite special when it’s done

Paint cost me £100 and I paid £110 for a 2.5hp 24L Compressor with a cheap paint gun. It’s done exactly what I’ve needed form it so far and while my skills aren’t great and I’m painting in the garage or in the garden, the results are good enough for a first coat to get some colour on the car. I didn’t properly prep the paint, I used an electric hand sander to take the top off then rubbed over with scotchbrite and then wiped with thinners. Gone on well considering

[Ryan Image 46]

Everything all bolted back up again and looking more like a Harlequin than just a randomly painted car. Can’t decide between standard rear lights or the all Red ones. Once I get the roof and rear quarters in pain I may have a better idea. Run out of Yellow so need to get more to do secondary coats and do the bonnet!

[Vag-hag 147]

Good old man maths!! Great thread mate, love the car.

I'm pretty sure I saw this on fb unless of course there is another one around!!

[Ryan Image 46]

Cheers mate! That'll be the one, I hope there's not another VR powered Harlequin saloon out there!

I try to keep the updates going on facebook, always forget to log onto here and do the thread. Nice to read back over the journey so far

[B4VR6 193]

I've just read from the beginning.

Very interesting and a good story.

Keep up the good work. Job well done so far.

[DanChave 98]

Awesome project, love the Harlequin colour scheme

[Ryan Image 46]

Cheers guys! Its certainly kept my interest more than normal. Certainly a labour of love

Just gutted I won't be competing this year, looking forward to RWYB at Big Bang though, chasing consistent mid-high 14s now

[Gwr corrado 189]

Just read trough your write up . Cracking posts fella .

Best of luck trying to get low 14,s it's amazing how much power you need to et in them low numbers . I know a lad with a 700 plus bhp Corsa and his best is 10.2 I think he's trying like hell to get into the sub 10s good to see a 4 door polo alive and kicking though

[Ryan Image 46]

Cheers mate, enjoyed writing it all and always funny reading back.

So long as I get sub 15 next time out I'll be happy, with technique and different tyres I should be able to see 14.5s in theory.

I'm looking at a VRT slow build now and will be looking at nitrous for August and more weight loss.

FWD et gains are deffo hard and expensive! Could do with acquiring a sponsor at some point lol

[c00k 435]

All about power to weight ratio,

And gear ratios when it come to straight line speed in my eyes.

I'd look in to swapping the final drive ratio, and maybe 3rd and 5th gear to. Light weight fly wheel.

If not being used for long drives or daily use drop to under 6kg flywheel. Strength clutch fork, to stop it from bending at high RMP changes.

Loads you can do to get the time down buddy!

Keep up the good build. Like to see where this goes

Edited March 31, 2015 by c00k

[Ryan Image 46]

Cheers mate! Its nice having people interested in it, got a nice small following with it on facebook and people seem keen on seeing it progress which is good.

 

Ive lot a fair bit of weight out of it but still need to look at things like Lexan windows and trimming the insides out of the door.

 

Box wise I keep looking at one of the V5 ones with a TDI final drive in it, also keep thinking about spooled diffs but know the issues Dave Lea had with his to start with! Really should renew all my linkages and sort a short shift, feels like my hand goes from the firewall to the boot as I stir the porridge! I need to work on my launches too, running Toyo R1Rs which are more suited to track days than drag launches. I've only done a total of 5 runs in the car, going form a 16.4 to a 15.2 with a full MOT spec (more weigh, restrictive cat and 1.5" twin box 1.6 exhaust!). As I find the groove with the car and my 60fts start falling it should start to come good.

 

The cars not going to be used on a daily basis, if it is then I only work 3 miles from work so may take it in the odd time. The only problem is for this year I don't have a tow car or dolly so when I take it to Pod from RWYB testing (Big Bang, Bug Jam, Action) I have to drive it from Portsmouth and its a good 3hour journey there in traffic at legal speeds. And I am likely to get noticed in the car by the old bill. Just as well everything is declared, just sent off the V5 to update the colour to "Multi Coloured". Flywheel lightening is definitely on the list!

 

Very quick update, feeling a bit pissed off with it today. Typical isn’t it, the clocks went forward and it’s been wet or windy as ever since! Doesn’t the weather know I’ve got a deadline to work to and it’s not helping me in the slightest!

Wanted to try and lay some paint on the driver side sill and rear quarter, again not prept brilliantly but figured it wouldn’t matter. Cramped confines and a door that kept lifting open in the rain meant I got some paint on but it’s a bit wavy in places, more runs than the England cricket team too which is an arse. Still, good to see a bit more colour on it and lesson learned

 

[Ryan Image 46]

So since the last update a fair bits happened, I totally cocked up with the paint mixing while doing the blue. The rear quarter keeps on reacting, discovered its full of filler and every layer seems contaminated, no matter how far back I go. Got one side coated lovely, then the other side was about 5 shades lighter, Id missed a blob of white pigment in the paint tin and not stirred it properly, live and learn! Managed to get a coat on both sides and that’s all I had left paint wise, the roof will have to wait.

 

I also managed to get a very light coat on the bonnet, again I ran out of paint. I didn’t appreciate how much Id need, I only got half a litre of each colour. It will do for Big Bang, then after that it will serve as a good basecoat to try and get more on. It looks very thin and patchy but again, it was just a case of getting something on there and it looks passable from a distance!

 

Got everything all bolted back up and here is the result, love how it looks now, worth the time and effort

 

 

 

I had a fair few little tasks to do before it was fully recomissioned and ready for use, I had to cut and turn the decat-centrepipe as it was out by about 15degrees and fowling the road! With it all sorted the exhaust was offered up and sat perfectly. There was a slight blow from the decat to downpipe gasket and the bolts were too small so I got some genuine vw ones to get it all sorted. It sounds really nice, it’s a 2.5” single box Scorpion system, it’s got a lovely deep tone and burbles nicely on tick over. Few pops on the overrun but not had it fully open yet to see what its like.

 

There was some cooling issues with the car last time I drove it, it had the earlier style black expansion tank lid which are prone to failure and the blue coolant temp sensor was faulty leading to quite a lot of miss fuelling. I couldn’t get the old sensor out so put the new one in the blank on the coolant housing, Ill deal with the old one at a later date. Flushed the system thru and cleaned out the expansion tank. Some of the coolant had a slight sheen to it but no visible oil, could have been from where it ran down the block/crossmember.

 

Ran the car up and noticed some mayo under the oil cap. The cars only been started up for a minute at a time and taken in or out of the garage so Im hoping this is just condensation and not something worse, need to take it for a good run to see. Having cleaned it off there didn’t seem to be more showing, but there was defiantly some condensation.

 

Had a slight issue with the rear shocks too, they have always banged but the mounts were new, noticed there was a bit of free play in them so took them apart, somehow Id managed to put an extra nut on the top of the coilover strut which was working as a spacer between the two mounts. Explains why it was such a harsh ride. Need to look at the fronts next, you can twist the top plate that bolts thru into the mount, doesn’t seem right. Ive probably done something equally stupid up that end.

 

The scuttle cover also needed sorting, since converting to single wiper it was sort of held in place by a few screws but was warped and looks crap. I sat it down as low as I could and made sure it was flat before riveting it into place. While I had the rivet gun out I finished off the sunroof panel and threw some black vinyl over it to take away the massive silver shininess of it. Looks better for it.

 

I noticed when I was checking out bits that the inner CV bolts were loose on the drivers side, literally finger tight which is worrying but good I discovered it before it dropped off mid-burnout!

 

Waiting on some clips for the roof rail trim, need to secure the rear bumper to the arch liners and a few other niggly little tasks but its pretty much all there. Was tempted to take it to work tomorrow but not sure now.

 

Drove it round the block to see how it feels, good to hear the VR again. Its certainly an attention seeking little car, was getting a lot of looks to the point where I was too self conscious to go to the petrol station. So back in the garage it went!

Edited April 12, 2015 by Ryan Image

[xawierek 35]

Hi, I looked through your topic and I see that I'm doing very hard to achieve a good time with. Maybe instead of losing weight in the motor car funeral.

My time to present you below. Auto fully equipped to merge rubber Yoko.

 

 

Poz.K3 nr1.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6VF6KQ2p73Wa3duNVJuMDA3VXc/edit?pli=1

[VR6Pete 1,455]

Looking good Ryan ! Excellent build! Good luck at Big Bang next week

[Mk3highline 287]

I got a 4.4kg flywheel from ttv racing with a standard Sachs clutch it feels standard it's not a problem in start stop traffic

Only problem I have is that in the wet it breaks traction lot easyer in first 3 gears

Looking good though

You looked in to a wavetrack diff?

[Ryan Image 46]

Been ages since an update, sorta forgotten what’s gone on!

 

I done some more work on my custom VR6 – LOCO engine cover, it’s still rough and needs a lot more time and effort put into the plastic welding, skimming and painting but it’s got potential and will give me something to do on a rainy day when I’m waiting on parts turning up

 

 Decided to junk the throttle body heater as I had already removed the heater matrix and bridged the pipes. Realised if I had done this in the first place Id have not hat to butcher and cut the pipes as the one from the water housing on the side of the block could be turned to go straight into the head, cutting out all the crap I didn’t need

 

Carbon Canister is now gone too

 

Made up some visor strips for my helmet, something I plan on offering very soon

 

 

Drove it to work a few times, loved giving it a good drive in the cold morning air. Got a lot of comments at work, mainly negative from people. I just explained that it was my hobby and passion and that as I didn’t have kids or a mortgage I could afford to do bits I liked

[Ryan Image 46]

Then it was time for Big Bang, my ever supportive girlfriend followed me up earlyish in the morning, took it nice and easy and the car drove beautifully, if getting a bit too much attention. The noise was starting to get unbearable at the end of the 3hour journey but was worth it as I rolled in the gates

 

We got the van set up quickly and I was out within the first 30minutes of the RWYB opening. First run out was one of my quickest of the day and a new PB at the time, took a whole 0.5 seconds off of my ET which was great! Managed to get in 20 runs in total so got my monies worth. Car was faultless all day. Got to race against a few of my mates and had a great time learning more about the car. New PB is 14.7 @ 95mph with a good headwind.

Videos can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PoloLocoDragRacing

 

On the Saturday I got in another 10 runs including some against my mate in his Turbo’d split van and also got to take my girlfriend on her first ever 1/4  mile passenger runs which she loved

[Ryan Image 46]

Back in the safety of the garage I parked up the car and went on holiday for the best part of a month. On returning the car started up first time with no worries and work began on some needed weightless with Bug Jam the goal and an aim to chasing down a 13.999! First the bonnet was single skinned, then it was the doors turn. Will be fitting Lexan Polycarbonate all around (except for the windscreen) so all the runners, regulators and unneeded metal had to come out. Its little bits but it all adds up to thousands of a second and they all matter in the end! The rear window removal was a right arse and I’ve not worked out how to get the bonded in rear side windows out yet without breaking them. Could be fun!

 

I also fitted a solid front engine mount to help with my launches as I was getting a lot of rocking. Should make the drive up there that bit more uncomfortable too (if that’s possible)

[vocey 15]

A lot of work Bryan just need to come racing now

[Ryan Image 46]

Made some really good progress lately but just totally lost all enthusiasm for it at this moment. Not even sure if I care about taking it to Bug Jam.

 

Finally got the rear quarter lights out, it was said it probably wasn’t worth the hassle for the saving and truth be told it wasn’t, look an absolute age to get out and I lost the tips of my fingers due to the schorching heat trying to make the seal easier to cut

 

Decided to get as much of the small bits lefts on the car out at possible, this extended to all the bits of plastic and rods for the central locking. I also junked the two washer jets for a single arm mounted one as the bonnet will be quick release so no good having to unclip hoses every time. Also finished off gutting the doors as much as possible, not an easy task and went thru a fair amount of cutting discs

[Ryan Image 46]

Made up some templates to get the doors going, the rear window was always going to be a bit of an arse

 

 

 Next it was time to get the pins on so I could get full access to the engine easily and also jack up the front to warm up my gearbox and preserve the life of my slicks when parked up

[Ryan Image 46]

Finally got around to ordering up my Lexan and managed to get all the bits cut from one sheet so that kept down costs. Its not pretty but for a first try at doing it all Im quite happy with the results

[Ryan Image 46]

Finally in, I also decided to make up a slide for a bit of ventilation as I still need to drive the car to and from Pod at the moment!

[Ryan Image 46]

Lacking a bit in updates again, not huge amounts going on with the Loco but lots of other bits and life.

I got the bonnet sorted and secure in the end, the car all rebuilt including some useable door pulls so I could get out of the bloody thing, dial in board on the rear window and cut some holes in the bumper in an effort to stop it from acting like a parachute!

 

Made the journey to Pod from Pompey with no issues what so ever and I got straight out and got a total of 20 runs in, not bad for a Friday at Bug Jam! With all the mods I took 0.2 seconds off my previous PB at Big Bang so I’m now sitting around 14.5, however the headwind was even more severe than at Big Bang so I’m still confident it’s quicker than that. I see no reason why it shouldn’t be banging on the door of a 13.9. The solid front mount made a lot of difference and my launches were improving all the time, even my 60fts were down to 2.1 which is a vast improvement. Though my times were quicker and more consistent my terminal speed was down which I can only put down to gear changes and the aforementioned headwind. Was losing around 4-5mph at the end which is a fair bit.

 

And since then its been parked up! Just sorted a new daily/tow car which you can see in its own thread here: