Are you rebuilding the engine Nick?

Engine, gearbox, rear beam, new ECU and wiring loom (to give OBD2 functionality).

Then there's the little things, polybushes, wheels/tyres, brakes.

So much to do before next season!

Flipping heck. Are you getting friends to help you with changing the engine & box? Are you re-con yourself or swapping over?

Will probably rope in some mates to help. I'm aiming to recon the engine myself, gearbox I'll be on the lookout for something with an LSD.

That gearbox isn't going to be cheap then! Recon the engine yourself. Are you talking head off, piston rings, skim the head etc or more basic bits?

Massive Turbo helps

Thinking about cams and bike carbs...!

Will shift then Nick!!! Turbo or supercharger would make it into a beast!

You were at forge action day I'm sure?

Yeah that's where that photo was taken, just coming round Quarry

I thought it was you! haha I spend majority of the day over at the esses by tower just before the start/finish straight. We go there at dead on 9 and you were literally the first car we saw go round!

Ha, awesome! You must have had a pretty good view of my mate in the red MK3 stuffing it into the field at the esses haha

Awesome stuff Nick, love Coombe

How is she round there???

Yeah we saw that! The drifting was pretty good to, a good chance to see just how quick they could clutch kick it into the esses.
Yours wasn't that saxo that was smoking? I remember one was

Looks like another good successful track day for you and the Saxo Nick

Yep, that's mine lol. Smoking like a trooper - at random times too. It's oil, but it's not coming from the exhaust, so I'm thinking it could be oil dripping onto the manifold and creating smoke that way, but I'm rebuilding the engine over the winter so it's fresh for next year

Rob - I'm a bit slow, Combe is a pretty fast circuit, but once the engine has been given a clean bill of health, potentially new cams, and decent tyres should speed me up a bit!

Awesome mate

tbh I thought I was going to be the only person from here at combe. There seems to be no locals on here at all!
I was worried that it was going to go bang. One session is smoked a huge amount then next time you were out it barely smoked at all.
I might go out on track next year

It's really strange - listening to the engine and driving it normally on the road, it doesn't sound like there's a problem - it runs absolutely lovely and drives really well.

It's occurred to me that although I haven't done 10,000 miles in it since I bought it, I haven't changed the oil or filter since I got it in Feb '13, perhaps it's just that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0v3K7nETBE


I'm not local to Combe, but the two action days are by far and away my favourite shows/events of the year. Usually travel down on the Friday beforehand, stay in the travelodge on the m4.

I've been to combe 4 times now and was going to go to the rally day that was on today but I thought the weather was going to be bad
It was my first time going to Forge, I'm only an hour and a bit away from combe, is it a good track for 1st timers?
Your little saxo did sound sweet! But I was worried about the smoke for sure

It's not a bad track for first timers - the only issue is the later in the day, the worse the driving standards get.

I'd be inclined to investigate an MSV Novice day at your local MSV track first off as everyone is the same experience level etc

That's the problem, they are all 3hrs+ away. Combe is the closest track

Do Combe, but do early track sessions

Novice only as Nick says would be ideal, Brands Hatch do Novice evenings & yes it's a bit of a drive but take the day off and come up and enjoy yourself. Plus Brands Indy is simply awesome!!!!!