robertj's LCR. New track toy in the garage

robertj

weight is the enemy
So, I thought it about time to post up my long overdue readers ride thread.
I bought my LCR in March 2005 at the same time that I joined this forum. It was my local dealers demonstrator and had just 2800 miles on the clock.

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Car in April 2005

Having studied the various mods and improvements on here I made a start on some simple ones almost straight away with the Fabia rear wiper and the bonnet seal. I also picked up a VAG CD changer on Ebay as Seat had dropped them from the Spec in lieu of the Tracker.
The car remained pretty much standard for the next year with just some tints being added to the rear side windows to keep the sun off my daughter in the back and keep it a bit cooler. I had bought a complete set of tints but have never got round to fitting the rest! Maybe one day.
Brake pads were the first serviceable item to require attention of course and the first set I fitted were Red Stuff. And these were what I took out onto the track for my first trackday in the Leon in September 2006. I had done a few trackdays before in other cars but the Leon really cemented my passion for getting out on track because it’s such a great car on track even unmodified. Every time I have had the Leon on track which has been at least a couple of times a year since then people have always commented on how quick it is. (although over the years it has gotten quicker anyway!)

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The E30 M3 in the background belonged to my mate. The 2 cars (mine standard at the time) were well matched. He's since bought a 993 911 C2 to keep up with me!

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If any of you subscribe the the Club MSV news letters you may well have seen my car as they often use it in promotional shots advertising their track days.

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This was taken at Brands Hatch on my first outing on track with the LCR

Modifications have trickled onto the car over the years, mainly as my wife drives the car during the week for the school run so it has had to stay relatively practical. Otherwise it would probably already be a stripped out track car!
I can’t remember the exact order that a lot of the changes took place but the most significant improvements have happened over the last 18 months or so.
The general order and list of changes is here;
Bonnet seal
Fabbia Rear wiper
Number plates changed with smaller one on front
Grooved discs all round Ferodo DS2500 pads on rear, Yellow Stuff on front
(Did have DS2500 on front but only lasted 6 months and 2 track days)

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Brembo refurb ala SCN guide (needs another one now)

Wheel Refurb at Pristine Alloys in Bedfordshire. Fantastic job but not cheap.
They now need doing again as my wife has an aversion to curbs!
Powerflex Dogbone mount bushes
Forge DV
K&N panel filter and drilled and smoothed airbox
Debadged
Aero front wipers
Then in September 2008 and being out of warrantee I took the car to Jabba for a Cat back Milltek and a custom remap.
After that there really is no going back! The car mapped to 273bhp and 290lbft which I was pleased with considering the mods done to that point.
Another couple of track days and a couple more cosmetic tweeks, (C2 aerial, silver bulbs in the rear indicators) oh and the obligatory N249 Bypass and a year later the car was back at Jabba for a set of KW Clubsport coilovers, Neuspeed antiroll bars, (28mm rear, 25mm front) and polybushes to the front wishbones. This was on top of a cambelt service at the same time. (An expensive visit!)

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At the same time I purchased a set of Black Team Dynamics ProRace 1.2s with R888 tyres solely for trackdays.

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Fortunately Luke at Jabba races an LCR in the Britcar series so I asked him to set the car up for the track and give me road settings too so I could return it to a more comfortable ride for my wife (still doing the school run in it!) and also for the winter.
Again, the car was transformed and on the track will peg more exotic machinery without any trouble. 993 and 996 911s being part of its staple diet now!

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So in the last 6 months it’s had a couple more cosmetic tweeks, namely tinted side repeaters and matt black mirrors to keep the theme going with the black wheels. I tried carbon mirrors first but wasn’t too happy with the results and they didn’t look like they would last long so bought some new shells and sprayed them instead. I’ve also been messing around with a 3” cold air feed to the airbox which so far has taken the place of the front fog lights. I’ll post up more on this once I’m happy with it.
So going forward I think the next mod will be a FMIC and then, provided I can get my wife into a different car I shall change the down pipe and fit a race Cat and probably an induction kit before getting Jabba to map it again, but at the moment those mods would just make the car too noisy for her to drive every day. (It already raises eyebrows amongst all the Chelsea tractors in the school carpark!)
Finally, this week I have at last ordered a Forge TIP and a yellow spring and service kit for my DV. Routine stuff really but just never got round to getting these up to now. But now I have this thread I'll probably want to do more just so I can post updates. Damn You SCN!!!
 
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mattdavies

Pre-Facelift Bumpers FTW
Jan 24, 2009
88
0
Maidenhead
Looks good, Im now starting to warm to LCR bumpers. I would love to have a Car from practically new just so i can treat it right from new and not have to correct of people mistakes.
 

robertj

weight is the enemy
It's definitely nice to have paintwork from the start that isn't covered in swirls. The car has never been through a carwash and always been regularly waxed.
But it has still suffered with the usual stone chips so I will hopefully get round to having the bumper and bonnet resprayed. I wish I'd had it Armourfended when it was new, that would be paying dividends now, but hey ho, the car's meant to be enjoyed not wrapped in cottonwool!
A friend of mine had an immaculate 964 911 a couple of years back, he came with us to the Ring for a weekend and wouldn't even take it on the track for fear of it getting scratched! Not my idea of fun.
 

EL

Forever Alive
Mar 17, 2008
2,931
1
Bickley, Bromley
I see you like your track days. You should get a on board video to capture the fun!! Car looks great, those 888 tyres are the nutz!
 

robertj

weight is the enemy
Thanks EL

I've been thinking about a camera for a while now and thought I might go down the "bullet" camera route. but now I've bought an HD video camera I just need a good headrest mount.
The next trackday I'll try and organise it and get some video posted.
 

DOLBY

Active Member
Jun 24, 2006
2,934
98
North of London
www.facebook.com
good thread buddy,
i like the modifications that you have done. I know you have the clubsport version, but i have KW variant 3 coilovers and i would love to feel what they are like on the track. Buying them just to drive on the road (atm very uncomfotably as they are a bit brutal lol),...is not 'my' idea of fun also.

Is the cat back a bit more rorty than standard btw?

what does the wife think of your modifications? :whistle:;)
 

robertj

weight is the enemy
good thread buddy,
i like the modifications that you have done. I know you have the clubsport version, but i have KW variant 3 coilovers and i would love to feel what they are like on the track. Buying them just to drive on the road (atm very uncomfotably as they are a bit brutal lol),...is not 'my' idea of fun also.

Is the cat back a bit more rorty than standard btw?

what does the wife think of your modifications? :whistle:;)

Thanks Bret,
you're right the Clubsports and V3s are certainly "firmer" than standard ;) even once adjusted to their softest setting. And yes my wife does complain about it from time to time. It's my subtle way to gently persuade her into getting another car. (today's discussion was about a new Polo actually. It's slowly getting through!). The funniest thing is when my 6 year old daughter's friends are in the car and they complain about the bumps. My daughter tells them firmly, "it's because its a sports car". Good girl!

In seriousness though I only bought these KWs so I could play with the setup on the track and learn a bit more about the dynamics of the car. and originally intended to get the V3s like you but Jabba had received the Clubsports by mistake from KW so offered them to me at pretty much the same price as the V3s. How could I refuse. They have a very sexy purple anodised adjustable top mount too!

The Mliltek is as you say a bit more rorty than standard. a nice burble at idle and then at full chat it sounds like it means business without sounding like a local chav's fiesta with a dustbin hanging out the back!

Sorry about the verbal diarrhoea
 

robertj

weight is the enemy
These arrived in the post on Friday

As well as the 50mm ones advertised on EBay which will fit the standard LCR alloys I also ordered a set 44mm for my ProRace 1.2 track wheels.

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44mm on the left, 50mm on the right

And today fitted the smaller ones.

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very pleased with the result. (its the little things.....)

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The original centre. Not offensive but it still had to be done :)
 

Willie

LCR Track car
Aug 6, 2004
8,939
1
Sunny Scotland
Alright Robert,

Cars going in the right direction, just a little push with the missus toward the Polo and you can lose 100 Kgs easily.
Keeping tabs on this one to see how you develope the car
 

Indy

MK1 LC Red Devil :)
Sep 8, 2005
200
0
Uxbridge
Cars Looking good and KW's are the right way to go.

What offset are the Team Dynamic's?
 

hoggy90

Full time sexaholic
Nov 14, 2009
689
0
Scotland
looking good robert :) i can only afford the 1.9 tdi because of insurance but hopefully this is how she will look when im finished:)