Willie

LCR Track car
Aug 6, 2004
8,939
1
Sunny Scotland
I bought my 2003 LCR as new with delivery miles on it for my 27th birthday, happy birthday to me, lol

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I loved the shape, the style, the speed and above all it is black, which we all know is the best and fastest colour.
I bought after 6 months of test driving, internet searching and magazine reading to ensure that this was the right car to cover all bases. AND after 5 years it still does everything I want and wanted it to.
So over the years I've been very slowly upgrading bits that fail or wear out.
The first being the Pirelli P Zeros were changed for Good Year Eagle GSD3's and now Assymetrics. For the winter I bought Michelin Alpin 2's, these were fantastic and allowed me to use the car every day in the winter where the GSD3's I couldn't even get out of my drive.
Handling has always been my main objective in a car, so the S3 strutt brace, Neuspeed ARB, dog bone mount and LCA rear polyflex bushes were all fitted with geometry done also. This made a huge difference to the handling, turn in was shapened, wheel hop was vastly reduced and understeer was replace by a little oversteer, which was nice:)
Noise and power wise the air box was replaced with BMC CDA CAI kit, a Forge Eliminator DV was fitted and the full set of Forge black turbo and intercooler hoses was fitted. I tried the Sprint Boost thingy , I really like it and still do.
I now have the forge LCR FMIC which with all the other power mods have made a small amount more power and boost but have made a big difference to the intake temperatures so all the power is still there even on hot days (in Scotland?? lol)

So in the past year I have decided that the LCR's life is about to get a bit harder. I'm slowly changing it into a fast road/track day car.
My clutch went recently so this was changed for a Spec stage 1 with Steel SMF.
When sifting through www.vwvortex.com I have come across various handling mods to help me get the best out of my LCR on the track. As we al know a FWD car is never the best choice for this but i plan to make the best of this with mods. So a GB was set up with a company in America who supplies uprated engine mounts, amongst other things;). The GB went very well and these were delivered to me on Friday. The kit consisted of a 25% stiffer transmission mount, engine mount and dog bone mount. The transmission mount was fitted on Saturday (cheers Craig, your a star!!) with a mate, this was very easy to fit. Along with this the top mount bushes were changed in all four corners as I was getting alot more banging when travelling over bumps.

So this weekend I had a big box of bits waiting to go on. Outer CV joints, top mount stuff, service stuff and uprated mount stuff.
I went to back off the 30mm nut to change the CV joints (which was supposed to be torqued to 240 ft-lbs) and couldn't back it off, even with a 3 ft scaffold pole!!! So that didn't get done.
As for the service, when I got to the sump plug I noticed a drip of oil coming from it and oil in the under tray, AND it was pretty much hand tight!!!!
So when fitting the new plug I realise that the threads in the sump were stripped.........:censored:
So today I've got intouch with Jabba about a baffled sump, with GSF about a new oil pump with ancilleries.
This will be changed by myself and Craig ASAP as I'm s####ing myself about this popping out and loosing all engine oil.
Anyway, this is the story so far about my track car build, I'll keep it up to date as I go along. any help or tips would be appreciated on this.
when researching this project I found it very difficult to find out any information about setting up the LCR for the track so hopefully as this project develops it will allow others to get an idea whats needed to get the best out of it for the track







Cheers dude.

Car spec

Engine 1.8 20 VT 210 BHP AMK

Green Cotton Dual cone induction Picture of these pieces, Cone and elbow trial fit Forge FMIC Forge 007P 4 BAR FPR Full set of Turbo and Intercooler hoses Phenolic gasket Stage 1 clutch with lightened Steel SMF Autotec Wavetrac differential Gear box fitting threads More detailed thread with pictures to follow 3" Blueflame DP, de CAT and 2.75" CAT back stainless Steel exhaust Full Custom Stage 2 remap

Handling

KW varient 3 coil overs lowered 20mm front and back with bump at 1 turn and front rebound 1.5 turns and rear rebound at 2 turns Rear Neuspeed 28mm ARB set to stiffest setting (redressed with new kit) New fitting kit fitting 23mm R32 front ARB and bushes Front S3 strutt brace Rear LCA Audi TT roadster bushes New top mount bushes and bearings Superpro competition bushed Dog Bone Mount Vibra-Technics Competition Engine mounts Toyo Proxes R888 front and GYE F1 Asymmetris rear Pictures of tyres Buying and fitting tyres Lexan windows Weights of windows, Fitting kit and pictures

Braking

Powervane 2 piece 330mm x 28mm front discs with DS3000 pads EBC Ultimax Eliptically grooved rear discs with Pagid pads Goodridge Braided brake lines Fitting of these RBF 600 fluid
last RR 288 BHP, 300 FT-LBS at Wallace performance. Stage 2 with supporting mods Solution to alarm going off when driving also car randomly locking and unlocking 1/4 mile day at crail On return from SCN CPoP, after initial strippage Strippage Second track day, first one on Knockhill, SIDC day Rolling Road session at Wallace performance __________________

wow mate, what a write up...will defo be following this too. huge respect for turning t
 
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Willie

LCR Track car
Aug 6, 2004
8,939
1
Sunny Scotland
Cheers dude.

Car spec

Engine 1.8 20 VT 210 BHP AMK

Green Cotton Dual cone induction Picture of these pieces, Cone and elbow trial fit
Forge FMIC
Forge 007P
4 BAR FPR
Full set of Turbo and Intercooler hoses
Phenolic gasket
Stage 1 clutch with lightened Steel SMF
Autotec Wavetrac differential Gear box fitting threads More detailed thread with pictures to follow
3" Blueflame DP, de CAT and 2.75" CAT back stainless Steel exhaust
Full Custom Stage 2 remap

Handling

KW varient 3 coil overs lowered 20mm front and back with bump at 1 turn and front rebound 1.5 turns and rear rebound at 2 turns
Rear Neuspeed 28mm ARB set to stiffest setting (redressed with new kit) New fitting kit fitting
23mm R32 front ARB and bushes
Front S3 strutt brace
Rear LCA Audi TT roadster bushes
New top mount bushes and bearings
Superpro competition bushed Dog Bone Mount
Vibra-Technics Competition Engine mounts
Toyo Proxes R888 front and GYE F1 Asymmetris rear Pictures of tyres Buying and fitting tyres
Lexan windows Weights of windows, Fitting kit and pictures

Braking

Powervane 2 piece 330mm x 28mm front discs with DS3000 pads
EBC Ultimax Eliptically grooved rear discs with Pagid pads
Goodridge Braided brake lines Fitting of these
RBF 600 fluid

Last RR 288 BHP, 300 FT-LBS at Wallace performance. Stage 2 with supporting mods
Solution to alarm going off when driving also car randomly locking and unlocking
1/4 mile day at crail
On return from SCN CPoP, after initial strippage
Strippage
Second track day, first one on Knockhill, SIDC day
Rolling Road session at Wallace performance
 
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DOLBY

Active Member
Jun 24, 2006
2,934
98
North of London
www.facebook.com
wow mate, what a write up...will defo be following this too. huge respect for turning the LCR into the beast it should of been. will give most people that own a LCR valuable info about all the upgrading mods we can do to improve every aspect of the cars dynamics....
 

wild willy

Full Member
Aug 4, 2003
2,323
0
Wales
Nice spec Junior, but why no remap. :shrug:
Did you know you can get oversized sump plugs for this very purpose.
 

jamiebennett81

Guest
so technically as my spec is bigger than yours:p....mine can be a track car too?:D:lol:
 

Willie

LCR Track car
Aug 6, 2004
8,939
1
Sunny Scotland
Nice spec Junior, but why no remap. :shrug:
Did you know you can get oversized sump plugs for this very purpose.
I've been aked alot why no map and TBH I don't really know
I am happy with the power and getting the power down so never really got around to it. I started out thinking that I wanted to maximise the breathing etc of the standard map to see what I can get out of it and so far i'm really happy with the power and torque etc. when I finally get on the track I might change my tune.
As for the sump, I know its possible but as far as I'm concerned it need to come off to drill and tap. So what I'll do is get a new one, fit this and redress the old one with an over sized plug and sell it on.
 

jamiebennett81

Guest
no problem, if yours was mapped on the track it could quite possibly be the perfect Leon for me. But depends what you want out of your set up, perhaps its numbers;)

no its not getting mapped on the track now, worked out too expensive and a more well known vendor is able to do the job now :)
 

Willie

LCR Track car
Aug 6, 2004
8,939
1
Sunny Scotland
Well as my post in the MK1 section when servicing my car at the weekend I found a few problems, sump threads being stripped and gear box corrosion the other

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There is also evidence of this on the clutch housing mounting bolts aswell. I was into Seat today and they had a look at this and have never seen this before. Pictures were duelly taken and sent to Seat technical. Thankfully I've never had any gear box work done so hopefully Seat will have to stump up for a new one.
When under the car it was noticed that the drive shaft seals seem to be leaking aswell so this will be fixed when gear box is done.
AND the sump plug is definately leaking son need this done ASAP. this coupled with the fear that I might have to pay for the gear box has changed my mind about the baffled sump. I just cannot justify the extra cost just now.
 

Willie

LCR Track car
Aug 6, 2004
8,939
1
Sunny Scotland
Well due to the possibly inpending new gear box the baffled sump is on hold and an OEM Seat one will be fitted with a new oil pump and seals. Jabba were initially very keen to supply me one of their sumps that they now make in house but since the initial contact there has been no more feed back on price or delivery dates. Unfortunately this seems to be a trait.

So all bits should be arriving tomorrow for fitting in the next few days along with new ARB bushes that have been knocking for a month.
Still waiting for Seat to get back to me on the gear box issue. Hope the guys who make the decisions got blown off recently and are in a good mood:)
 

Bloooor

Guest
I don't have an LCR yet but when I eventually get one I want to turn it into a track car! lol Maybe not full on track car more of a fast road setup so I am very interested about your progress mate :)

Keep it up dude!
 

Willie

LCR Track car
Aug 6, 2004
8,939
1
Sunny Scotland
I don't have an LCR yet but when I eventually get one I want to turn it into a track car! lol Maybe not full on track car more of a fast road setup so I am very interested about your progress mate :)

Keep it up dude!
Yeh bloooor,
Thats the aim for my car too.
Hopefully the steps I'm carrying out will allow more to be understood about the handling and perfect track set up.
 

RobDon

Pro Detailer
Do you mean you're preparing your car for trackdays ... not actually turning it into a track car?

One of the very first things you'll need to do is upgrade the brakes ... yes the LCR has Brembos but they're not good enough for serious track abuse. At the very minimum new 2-piece grooved discs all round, steel braided brake hoses and racing fluid.

The LCR suspension also needs replacing with a good set of adjustable coilovers. As for trackday tyres the best ones I've tried are the Hankook RS2, above that you're looking at the Toyo R888 or Dunlops.
 
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