Grahams81-Leon 4wd, Big Turbo - Back in the saddle :-)

tyrer

OEM
Jun 6, 2010
1,991
1
This will be a monster when finished, arches are a great addition I'm sure once all painted with the wheels etc it will be very imposing on the road.
 

grahams81

Active Member
Oct 14, 2010
1,165
6
County Durham
Thanks for the comments lads, i picked up a low mileage audi TT complete back axle from Newcastle the other day. Bought it on ebay for £200, quite pleased with that, got a prop aswell for £35.
Just need a 4wd 6 speed now and the chassis rails where the trailing arms bolt on and the boot floor etc

Once i get back of me hols im gonna pop down the stealers with the part numbers and price up new panels then i will weigh up using new panels or cutting up a s3 shell in a scrappy.

Think i would prefer to use new panels, also it might be usefull for those that are wanting a bit of 4wd themselves.

So long for now - back to my lying around in the sun.....bored !
 

grahams81

Active Member
Oct 14, 2010
1,165
6
County Durham
Mate how much was the wings and where did you get them from ?

They were £190 delivered with the arch set from -

http://www.car-body-kit.co.uk/seat_leon.html

The wings needed quite a bit of trimming to get them to fit on, there gonna need a bit of further work to get them fitting good enough prior to paint. i havn't got a LCR front bumper yet either, im thinking of a fiberglass one as i think i may go straight to hell if i cut up a genuine one...

Back off me hols now so gonna start stripping the shell down, i've also emailed Tristan for prices for all the panels required.
 

Willie

LCR Track car
Aug 6, 2004
8,939
1
Sunny Scotland
They were £190 delivered with the arch set from -

http://www.car-body-kit.co.uk/seat_leon.html

The wings needed quite a bit of trimming to get them to fit on, there gonna need a bit of further work to get them fitting good enough prior to paint. i havn't got a LCR front bumper yet either, im thinking of a fiberglass one as i think i may go straight to hell if i cut up a genuine one...

Back off me hols now so gonna start stripping the shell down, i've also emailed Tristan for prices for all the panels required.

Try David at SereMotors for prices too.
 

grahams81

Active Member
Oct 14, 2010
1,165
6
County Durham
Well Tristan got me the prices of all the panels for the 4wd conversion, as expected it was really expensive at £1950.
So i've been upto VeeDubs near newcastle and they are gonna let me have the back half of a S3 shell for £250.
Really happy with that, There gonna cut the shell for me and i will have to hire a van to get it to my house the start chopping all the bits off it i don't need. Gonna pick it up next weekend. :)

Thanks Again for the comments lads.
 

gdjohny

Crazy Mechanical Engineer
Dec 25, 2010
815
0
Kettering
Great thread. Great idea with the engine internals. Taking the engine to 2.1 L will make a lot more power and torque plus there is not many cupras build like that
 

grahams81

Active Member
Oct 14, 2010
1,165
6
County Durham
Well it all seems to be coming together at the moment - i picked up my S3 half shell today, well chuffed. I also got my engine block back from the machinist.

I'm aiming to build the bottom end of the engine up this weekend as i have just ordered a 3 in 1 Plasma Cutter - Arc - TIG welder offof ebay for £260, so may aswell wait till next week and then fire up the plasma cutter and cut all the excess crap off the s3 shell.

Pics will follow tommorrow.
 

grahams81

Active Member
Oct 14, 2010
1,165
6
County Durham
Well i started building the engine up this weekend, Saturday was wasted by picking up the s3 shell but managed to get the cylinder head started.
I've managed to get the exhaust valves installed with the dual super tech valve springs and titanium retainers, i fitted new OEM 3 groove collets.
Couldn't do the inlets cos i only ordered 20 collets (thought they would come in matched sets but are supplied in halfs)

Pics -

Here's a pic of the supertech valve springs & retainers -

DSC00606.jpg

DSC00605.jpg


So after doing the exhaust valves i overhauled the exhaust hydraulic lifters, just tapped them on the back of a vice until the cylinder assembly came out then cleaned them out and rebuilt them with a bit of fresh oil, they move really nice a freely now.

I also painted the block with gloss black engine paint from Halfrauds, looks really nice now well happy, its a shame you can't really see any of it once the engines in.

DSC00640.jpg


Spent about 2 hours this morning cleaning all the swarf out after boring / honing and cleaning all the paint off the mating faces.

Shiney Inner Block -

DSC00627.jpg


I also installed the ARP Main Bearing studs and loctited them in -

DSC00630.jpg


Installed the Calico main bearings and piston oil squiters -

DSC00641.jpg


I used the squirters that came with the APX block as they were slightly different to the AGU ones i was planning on using, the screws are also different, i cleaned them all and blew them through and checked the check valve.
Spot the differences -

DSC00629.jpg

The APX ones on the left and 1 AGU one on the right.

Was planning on getting the crank in but the missus invited her mother round for sunday dinner so i was dragged out the garage kicking and screaming....

But not before i managed to drill and pin my TDI crank for the Integrated Engineering Crank Pulley.
DSC00633.jpg

Quick tip for anybody using the IE pinned pulley - i didn't fancy just holding the pulley and drilling (not accurate enough for me) so i marked on the side of the pulley with a marker pen where the pilot hole was -

DSC00642.jpg


i then nipped up an old crank pulley bolt, i then marked the bolt where it was inline with the mark on the pulley and cut a lump off the head of the bolt to give access to drill the pilot with the bolt tightend up -

DSC00643.jpg


Can't wait to get back from work next weekend and finish off the bottom end.
So long for now and thanks for reading.
 
Last edited:

grahams81

Active Member
Oct 14, 2010
1,165
6
County Durham
Here's a quick peak of the quattro TT axle i got a while back -

DSC00637.jpg


DSC00636.jpg


And the new addition to the driveway - Half a Audi S3 !!!

DSC00639.jpg


DSC00638.jpg


Going to hopefully finish the engine off then start the 4wd conversion but the chance to get the plasma cutter out may get the better of me....
 

m0rk

sarcasm comes free
Staff member
May 19, 2001
27,787
33
Clanfield, UK
Are you going to cut the Leon shell on the driveway?

Just wondering about bracing & moving the shell about while you weld it back up
 

grahams81

Active Member
Oct 14, 2010
1,165
6
County Durham
Yeh i was planning on getting the shell up on maybe 6 axle stands - 4 on the normal jacking areas and 2 on the rear panel, i really want to make sure its nice and sturdy / settled before i chop anything out.

Also i was thinking of welding in some support bars to strengthen it just in case anything moves when i remove the boot floor / rear frame rails.
 
SEATCUPRA.NET Forum merchandise