Newbie with a Mk2 Swift GTI rally car

Hi Guys,

I'm Chris, I have just signed up to the forum as I have recently bought / rally a MK2 Swift GTI. Some of you may know the car - It was my fathers (Andy), I know he was/is fairly active on the Swift forums. He has now retired from rallying (maybe just temporarily!) so as soon as the opportunity came up then I jumped at the chance to buy his car from him.

I have done 1 rally in it so far which was a mixed success - we went for a test and were setting top 10 stage times (in a field of 75 cars which included some very quick Ford Escorts, etc). I snapped a driveshaft on the 5th stage which dropped from 6th overall & battling for the class lead to well down the field. The shaft was replaced in service but unfortunately on the following stage the bonnet came up and cracked the windscreen meaning we had to retire. I was happy with our pace during the stages so am confident to really push on the next event.

The car is highly modified, decent cams, bottom end, worked head, throttle bodies, etc all built by a company called Toovey Race engines in Cannock. It runs an SQS racing 5 speed dog'box and combined is a fantastic bit of kit. It has a full multi-point WRC spec T45 Custom Cages roll cage fitted, GAZ coil-overs all round, Wilwood 4 pot brakes, as well as the other associated parts required for rallying. It has had a massive amount of development put into it and it really is a fantastic little car.

Future plans include changing the ECU to an OMEX 600, Launch control, full Stack dash, strengthened driveshafts and some Carbon Fibre goodies.

Frustrating bit is I recently had an accident at home involving an Angle grinder and my left inner thigh - 3 days in hospital and it will be around 6 months until I'm back up to full strength means I probably won't get a chance to use the car again this year!

Anyway, thanks for reading through the above, any questions then please ask. I have tried to attach pictures of it from my Photobucket account but for some reason it won't post them.

Thanks, Chris.

Hi Chris,

Say Hi to Andy from Atchi.
You forgot to say lightened flywheel with a Suzuki sports pressure plate!
Your Dad did buy few bits from me including LSD.... I'm sure I sold him Cultus camdshafts also...

Tell your Dad he is getting too old for rallys now.
I will be too old by the time I finish my car. I got mk1 Gti again but this time it will be AWD turbo.

You have moved to Telford now? I shall visit sometime soo as I do go there few times already.

Cheers
Atchi

Hi Atchi, I will pass on your regards. Yes he is living in Telford now, hoping to come back down south ASAP.

Ahh yes I remember him buying bits from you - it now has a Gripper plate diff in it and different cams.

Sounds like your car will be a bit of an animal!

Regards

Chris

Andy butcher aka vrsswift/swiftmotorsport?

Gary

Hi Gary, yes that's correct, I'm his son.

Thanks

Chris

Nice one, he put alot of effort into that car

Well as I'm able to hop around on one leg I have made a start on a few bits for the rally car. Old ECU and loom has been taken out and sold, new ECU and custom engine loom is on order. My Race Technology dash has arrived (http://www.race-technology.com/dash2_2_31.html) so today I took the original binnacle out, trimmed up the dash surround, made a cardboard template for the backplate (which will be in carbon fibre) and retro fitted it to see how it would sit. Cant wait to get it in and setup!

The carbon floor tray for the drivers side has arrived but needs a bit of trimming first before its bolted down as it sits very close to the clutch pedal. I have also made contact with the company who make the dog'box and they can do some updated shafts for it for a very reasonable price. I have been in contact with AT Power throttle bodies too who are looking at designing a set of purpose made throttle bodies for the Swift engine. I am waiting for the design and pricing to come through and will go from there.

Sounds expensive :-) 
Did your dad ever get round to fitting that old trs gear shifter i sold him, alloy base and adjustable throw?

It's on my list of things to do, does look like a nice bit of kit, it's currently a nice ornament in my garage! Did you have it fitted at any point?

It came on my current gti, its a ex grp n car and it had lots of bits like that but a near std engine, box and brakes, i sold most of it as i already had the same or better 
Your dad had the wheels aswel :-) , 14" yellow revolutions

If i remember rightly the shifter needed modding, the original owner just put an oe gear stick in there and the ball was stopping it from getting 2nd easyly and it mustv been like that since the late 90s
So the ball needs grinding down or get a stick made 

I made one similar a few years ago, i also put bronze bushes called oilons in all the linkages, the feel of the shift is realy nice 

https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/11473969@N02/8113638598/

Hi Guys

I'm after a new inlet manifold gasket if anybody has one or can point me in the right direction?

Thanks

Chris

For those of you in the UK, the Suzuki will be on display on the Samco stand at Rally day on the 19th September if you wanted to come and have a look around it. For more information please see http://www.rallyday.com/9-rallyday-news/79-rallyday-2015

Rally car and various spares now for sale - see classifieds section.

Thanks

Chris