Ben's Garage & Girls (not work safe)

[Chavtastic]

The accumulation of parts for "Hypercalibra" continues. Yes that's the official name... as it's going to be better than my daily driver Supercalibra!

I found £900 I'd forgotten about a few days ago, so splashed out on one of these, as it's probably one of the dearest single part left I have to buy.


I'm going to use it in a Vectra B F23 gearbox. Why? Well in a nutshell it fulfills my requirements for a gearbox. It's cheap to buy and replace (£50), reasonably new, very strong, has a wide variety of ratios available for it (see http://www.opel-infos.de/getriebe/f23.html for full info) and allows me to upgrade to a cable shifter. I've heard the Astra Mk4 cable shifter bolts straight to the floorpan of the Calibra which is nice. Furthermore a 9-3 pedal box may also fit, which lets you run the hydraulic clutch the F23 needs. Beware though, Astra Mk4 F23 are different (top mount engine mount) and therefore harder to use. Ditto any F23 off a 2.2 from any car is useless as the starter motor is in the wrong place. The only hurdles I can see are getting the mounts fabricated. That in itself doesn't look too difficult at all.

Moving on, inside the car will be fairly bare. So far I know I'm having a lightened dashboard, small non-airbag steering wheel, standard clocks, the Recaro seat, harnesses and these:


That's an AEM wideband lambda to ensure the engine is running the right AFR, a Mk2 Astra hazard switch and a boost gauge. I've opted for a Stage 5 setup on the B204 so will need a few extra parts like injectors and a 3bar map sensor but should yield somewhere between 300 and 350bhp... which with lots of grip and traction should be pretty quick! Can't wait to set some lap times at various tracks.

I'm also very happy to have picked up a cheap set of Speedline Alessios in 5x110, ET49. They are reasonably light at 10kg each, and look strong enough to ride some kerbs with.


s****Y gold finish will soon be blasted off and replaced with a neon coloured powdercoat, new decals and centre caps!


And all importantly they clear the 4-pot brakes with 7mm to spare


Caliper to spoke clearance is fine


I'm thinking of some new centre caps as well as these are tatty.

Finally I picked up an offcut of Perspex from a local supplier. They tried offering me Polycarbonate at half the price but I thought I'd pay the extra and get the proper stuff.


This should be enough for my rear quarters, I'll then be looking at replacing the tailgate glass with some.

More soon. I expect to continue accumulating parts for a couple more weeks then begin with stripping the ecotec engine and running gear off Hypercalibra as it stands.

[Chavtastic]

Update time:

I've stripped a Saab 9-3 for various bits for the build. Here's the engine on the deck...


I'm only using a few ancillaries off it, for the B204 core I bought a few weeks ago

I've carefully and methodically labelled up all the hoses, wiring plugs etc for reference


While this little c*nt watched on...


Also off the 9-3 came the subframe, which is nicely galvanised (nice upgrade from the s****Y pig iron standard Vauxhall ones)


Lightweight aluminium lower arms (need a clean!)


Seriously beefy (26mm) front anti-roll bar. Gonna get this powdercoated and polybushed.


I've also liberated this pedal box, which has a hydraulic clutch pedal. Useful for my F23 I'm gonna use


I picked up a low mileage Vectra B F23 gearbox from Middlesborough last week

Casing opened up


Gear clusters were carefully inspected for damage. No missing teeth or signs of damage.


Box semi stripped, old diff vs Quaife diff


Box fully stripped, and casing cleaned and rinsed


Heating up the crown wheel to fit over the new diff


Going back together...


It's an F23CR, which depending on the exact variant is 4%, 9% or 14% shorter than a Z20LET F23 (which is short already). Figures are from memory from when I worked them out last week, I'll find out the definite ratios when I've checked the codes on the box. This should allow me to get close to max speed on the Nurburgring The downside is it should be horrendously noisy and bad on fuel driving it on the road!

Next up was a trip to City Powdercoaters. Here you can see my tatty gold Speedlines in the foreground, plus a wall of decisions!


And the result...


With centrecaps and black Speedline decals...


Not to everyones' taste, but
a) It's a track car
b) I don't care

It's going to be a matt black car, and I'll run with the pink for the wheels and wing mirrors just as a highlight.

[v6 steve]

will the Saab pedal box fit straight in ? might be an option for my track car project

[Chavtastic]

will the Saab pedal box fit straight in ? might be an option for my track car project

I haven't tried yet, but it looks promising. Although I did hear that it hits the heater matrix (not a problem for a track car, just run electric heaters)

[v6 steve]

will the Saab pedal box fit straight in ? might be an option for my track car project

I haven't tried yet, but it looks promising. Although I did hear that it hits the heater matrix (not a problem for a track car, just run electric heaters)

wont be a problem for ours, heater box was pulled out so we could cut out the bulk head

[Chavtastic]

This is my beautiful friend Kim. Enjoy

[Chavtastic]

Update time, I was not looking forward to fabricating a rear mount for the F23 box, but as luck has it, a Saab 9-3 B205 rear mount will fit without any mods


The front gearbox mount is another matter. Calibra F20 one won't fit, nor will the Vectra B mount as that mounts to the subframe. I'm going to try an F28 mount in the next couple of days.

Back inside the car, I finished stripping out the seats and carpets. Easy enough.

The laborious part is stripping off the sound deadening; a tar-like sheet that has to be heated and scraped off by hand from the floor, rear quarters, boot and roof




The residue is then attacked with Tectane brake cleaner and rubbed off ready for paint


After about 3 hours, I'm half done with the sound deadening. I do this between other jobs to break up the mechanical work.

Here's a quick glimpse of the aluminium sheet I'm using to plate over the spare wheel well, which I've been drilling the pop rivets out of. The sheet will sit nicely on the 1" wide lip that runs around the wheel well, and be bonded and riveted into place.


I've also fitted a new pair of track rod ends onto the Saab steering arms I'm using, and greased up the adjusters nicely


And taken delivery of some Superflex inner bushes (well worth it @ £25)


Bushes pressed in


I've also sourced a steering rack brace to further tighten the steering up. Anyone who's driven the Hatzenbach corners at Nurburgring will know it's all about steering feel and feedback!

Next up was some R&D work on the bootlid. I can't exaggerate how heavy these things are!


Bits I'm removing
- Glass
- Wiper & motor
- Wiring loom
- Plastics

Glass carefully removed with a lump hammer


The remnants can then be peeled away with the rubber seal


There's a lip to grind off too, to leave a flat area that I can bond / rivet perspex to


Bare bootlid ready for painting


Matt black paint going on...


You wouldn't believe how much lighter this is!!! I'll add the perspex and it'll be ready to fit.

#1000kg_challenge

[Chavtastic]

More parts arriving today

Genuine Saab oil to get me going and put 500 miles of testing on the car, prior to the first track event (Spring 2015!!!)


Also got some sealant so I can drop and clean the sump and a new filter etc... and new gaskets for the turbo, manifolds etc... engine will have a bit of a refresh before it goes in!


Saab Viggen clutch kit, it's £230 but apparently fine for 500bhp


My wiring adapter loom from Nige. Only two wires to connect, other than that it's plug and play!


And my ECU! Unlocked and mapped to stage 5! Just reading that label makes me mega excited


I have also found somewhere to get a 3" bore exhaust system fabricated in 304 stainless. The plan is to have one silencer box plus the silencing in the backbox. Then, as an additional trick up my sleeve, a decibel insert (for noise restrictions on track). I just need to buy a 3" downpipe prior to this, and that is the exhaust system sorted.

On the chassis front... this showed up too, a steering rack brace to tighten everything up!


And anti-roll bar mounts for the 26mm Saab ARB.


I have also sourced some 17x7.5J wheels (genuine BBS), so the pink compomotives (7J) are up for sale. And just to be even more indecisive, I'm contemplating just getting a set of 8J rims to allow me to run 245 profile semi slicks. Cannot wait to throw this thing round a track

Body wise I have found some headlights with plastic lenses in (lighter than glass) and also fitted some lightweight mirrors (no pics of these just yet)


More soon

[Gargi]

what s a trick,you have double garage?????

[Chavtastic]

This picture says it all. Ecotec engine is out, Saab engine is almost ready to go in, and the car has had a first coat of matt black paint


Also completed is this 5-stud rear suspension unit


With polybushed whiteline anti-roll bar and K-mac adjustable rear bushes


This is now on the car!

For the front I've got the Saab 9-3 subframe and 26mm anti-roll bar back from the powdercoaters and built them up using polybushes. It should be really stiff.


Also got a few other bits done while I was there


On the inside I've been scraping off loads of sound deadening, 3 bin liners and a spare wheel well full so far


And then drilled out the spot welds on the spare wheel well, starting with a centre-punch and 3mm drill bit then working my way up to 7mm with cobalt drill bits


Boot was then painted


And 3mm aluminium sheet cut to shape, and bonded in with silicone. It was then drilled and pop riveted using 3x30mm rivets. This has saved around 10kg in itself. Really cheap way of shaving weight off your car!


I need to mount the battery tray in the boot next, and finish painting the interior.

In the bay, the ecotec engine has been removed along with most other things. The pedal box has been swapped for the Saab 9-3 one




Engine wise, I've recieved my GT3071 turbo and mocked it up on the engine. The compressor inlet is very close to the standard engine mount


But not a modified mount. I trimmed off a lug for the aircon pump as well to neaten it up.


I've also refitted a few engine ancillaries to check clearances and routings etc. over the next week I hope to finish building it all up, possibly paint it and have it ready to go in around Xmas time.

Busy busy busy!!!

[KERR_SE9]

Making good progress there, I'll bet you've saved a lot of weight, I've stripped two cars and the weight/amount of parts is ridiculous!

Seriously need to get my finger out, head gasket still needs done on mine.

[craigyboy]

Plenty of good work going on there mate

[Chavtastic]

Cheers guys

I've started cleaning up the larger rear calipers, the plan is to run 286x20mm vented rear discs




I'll give them a good clean, a coat of paint, some new bleed nipples and fresh pads.

A few more bits have turned up too, Siemens Deka 630cc injectors, LUK slave cylinder, a cheap oil filter (for flushing the engine) and threadlock for assembly.


Slave cylinder fitted means one finished F23 that should hopefully be a key part of how well the car performs! As soon as the engine is done I'll mate them up.


More soon

[Chavtastic]

Okay had a busy couple of days on the car and got a fair bit done!

Engine bay first, it was pretty ditched, so I went about tidying it up. It's never going to be a show car, so it was just a quick job

Started off coating the whole lot in degreaser


I then jetwashed it all off and treated a few patches of rust and drilled out the spot welds for the battery tray, airbox fittings etc

Then painted it the next day, just brush on black


Pulled the wiring loom back through from the interior. It's meant to pass through the pedal box itself, but the Saab box has a smaller diameter hole so I cut a new one.

Anyway, put the loom roughly in position and started adding a few bits like headlights, HIDs etc...


Added a steering rack brace, wow, what a bit of kit. Seriously impressed. I reckon you could pick the car up off that thing! Just a note it doesn't fit the standard Calibra rack, I had to swap to a 9-3 rack to get the correct diameter. You can get a poly rack mount for the other end too for £20, which I'll be doing.


You can just about see where I've added some aluminium plating to the bulkhead. This is where the heater matrix and aircon pipework passed through, I've just used 3mm aluminium sheet and drilled some holes in it for grommets. I figured these will be easy ways to pass wiring through the bulkhead in future. I have a wideband, oil temp etc to add.

Also done is the servo refitted. I used a 9-3 one as it seems to be in perfect condition compared to the Calibra one. This is a common theme with Saab parts, they all seem so much better finished. Just random odds and sods throughout the car are galvanised, painted or just better quality! Also fitted the Vectra B 25mm master cylinder to give a better braking effect.

Bay looking a little more complete. I did the scuttle panel with an aerosol after removing the VIN plates. These just pop rivet back on, nice and easy.


Braking plans are as follows. I've ditched the ABS to save weight, improve feel and make bleeding easier. I'm running new copper lines from the m/c to the fronts, and then down a single line to the rear of the car via an adjustable bias valve. Should look something like this


Back to the B204 engine, I pulled the sump off as they are notorious for sludge buildup

Thankfully just some oil and only a miniscule amount of sludge


The baffle plate comes off with a few torx screws, as does the pickup pipe underneath. Gave this all a really good clean with brake cleaner then applied the GM/Saab liquid gasket (these do not run rubber or cork gaskets)


Painted and back on the engine and torqued up to 22nm


I've also spent a short amount of time removing the casting marks on the inlet tophat and semi knife-edging it for better airflow. Nice easy mod with a few grades of grinding stones.


The 630cc injectors are in, meaning the inlet side of the engine is finished. I've laid the loom on it and appear to have all the plugs accounted for! This was the last one. Coolant sensor.


Going to do the balance shaft delete and turbo pipework next and a few other minor jobs before it's ready to go in!

Body wise I popped the rear quarter windows out, and traced around them with a marker pen onto the perspex I'd sourced earlier. This was then cut out with a fine jigsaw blade and offered up / adjusted as necessary.


All cut out and pop riveted in! I had some rubbers that would have fitted well, but I prefer the raw look of the rivets. There's some black silicone in there too for a stab at weatherproofing... but seriously who gives a s**t? It's a ****.


Need to sort the rear window out next (lightweight bootlid is refitted!) and get my front bumper lightened as much as possible.

[Chavtastic]

Gaz coilovers with custom made solid bearings




Just having a few days break from this, before cracking on. Got plenty to be doing