Phase 1 project

[Adam CD P1]

So I've been on here a while and decided that it's time to post a project thread as there'll be more progress on this coming soon.

Just a brief introduction:

I bought my '96 Phase 1 1.4 Genoa about this time last year from a good friend who just learned the basics of driving on private land in it.

Before him it was owned by a doctor from new, was always maintained properly and only has 51,000 miles. At the time of buying this I was looking for a d turbo to take apart and start again with as a project, this car came up and no it's not a d turbo but it was the cleanest 306 I could get so I went for it.

After getting it I took it home, cleaned it up and well I stopped right there. I've now had about 5 or 6 completely different plans for it most of which I've been saying I'll get an xud into it and other times saying I'll keep and lightly tune the standard 1.4.

Fast forward to now, I've just turned 21 and am about to hit 2 years on insurance which has made my insurance alot cheaper so the 306 is going on the road in the next month or two. I've got a solid plan which I'm happy with as it's actually feasible time wise as I will be using it every day.

So the plan is leave the bodywork as is (for now), swap a 1.9 xud in with the following: Modded 9mm pump, garret gt2056 turbo (or similar) , arp head studs, hdi con rods, xantia inlet, front mount intercooer and a 3" turbo back exhaust. I've done a few basic things to the interior just taken out the centre console, re located the cigarette lighter to where a blank switch was in the dash and re located the radio to there the drop down cigarette lighter/ash tray used to be.

Pictures to follow.

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Keep in mind the main things I want from this car are for it to be quick, economical, reliable have decent handling and be comfortable within reason. After that I'm gonna go a bit mad on it and try things like taking out the grille and mounting spot lights where it was (idea taken from a few Ae86 Corolla's I've seen). It won't be a show stopper but I will be doing a lot of work on the body and interior, a lot of things will be small and subtle but I do want it to be unique other wise I'd just get board with it lol.

[Adam CD P1]

   

[pioneer DJ paddy]

Sounds like a plan nw get to it lol I may have that inlet ur looking if u don't already have one :-)

[Adam CD P1]

Sounds like a plan nw get to it lol I may have that inlet ur looking if u don't already have one :-)

Tis indeed I started yesterday just washed and waxed it properly. Paint needs a good bit of work unfortunately but that wont take me too long. Oh sweet I'm gonna be heading out to Kilkock car dismantlers in search of the engine and a few other bits when I get it on the road so I'll pm you when I get it to see what you got

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[Adam CD P1]

Just a few photos as she was when I got her.

Much cleaner now and a few changes made here and there

[pioneer DJ paddy]

No problem man just let me no  :-)

[Matt]

Christ that's basic, not even a clock in the dash!

[Adam CD P1]

Christ that's basic, not even a clock in the dash!

I know lol doesn't even have a tachometer. I like the simplicity though it gives me more opportunities for the interior mods I want

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No problem man just let me no  :-)

I will do dude

[Adam CD P1]

Small update:

Engine swap is now being reconsidered due to a 35% rise in insurance prices in Ireland. Also after thoroughly going over the body I'm really not bothered fixing everything that's wrong so that'll just follow along with the theme of the car now lol. Working on something this evening so pictures of that will be up tonight or tomorrow

[Adam CD P1]

Update: Mocking up the dash at the moment. Will post a photo or two when done.

I've been looking at roll cages mainly to improve front & side impact protection but there's tonnes of other benefits to them. I'm interested in this one but does anyone know if or how I can get a cage which I don't have to sacrifice my back seats for ?

Link to roll cage below.

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport...g-weight-2

[RetroPug]

Isn't 500 on a cage plus more to insure a modified car going to just take this project to a point where you've spent a fortune and then in a year or two still end up wanting something quicker? Or where you wished you had just bought a gti or a diesel?

[Adam CD P1]

Isn't 500 on a cage plus more to insure a modified car going to just take this project to a point where you've spent a fortune and then in a year or two still end up wanting something quicker? Or where you wished you had just bought a gti or a diesel?

See that is what I was thinking today lol. I'm seriously thinking of going out and buying a phase 1 D Turbo cause that's ultimately what I really want

[RetroPug]

Isn't 500 on a cage plus more to insure a modified car going to just take this project to a point where you've spent a fortune and then in a year or two still end up wanting something quicker? Or where you wished you had just bought a gti or a diesel?

See that is what I was thinking today lol. I'm seriously thinking of going out and buying a phase 1 D Turbo cause that's ultimately what I really want

In that case I strongly suggest you don't spend any money modifying a car you're not planning on keeping for a long time, as it gets very expensive very quickly and after a while ends up being more than it would have been to buy a car you want more.

You've got a good car that's cheap to own and run, which doesn't really owe you much. I'd be using that to my advantage to save up if I were you.

[Adam CD P1]

Isn't 500 on a cage plus more to insure a modified car going to just take this project to a point where you've spent a fortune and then in a year or two still end up wanting something quicker? Or where you wished you had just bought a gti or a diesel?

See that is what I was thinking today lol. I'm seriously thinking of going out and buying a phase 1 D Turbo cause that's ultimately what I really want

In that case I strongly suggest you don't spend any money modifying a car you're not planning on keeping for a long time, as it gets very expensive very quickly and after a while ends up being more than it would have been to buy a car you want more.

You've got a good car that's cheap to own and run, which doesn't really owe you much. I'd be using that to my advantage to save up if I were you.

These are wise words and the same as my Dad has told me a few times now lol. Yeah I might do that but the itch to modify this one is still there. I'm on the lookout for a d turbo but there isn't much here at the moment mostly just HDI's and I'd rather one with an XUD

[Adam CD P1]

So after thinking about this a lot I've concluded that I need a second 306. I want to build this current car cause I have some ideas which I really like but all of my original plans for a 306 only suit a 3 door phase 1 D Turbo.

So I guess that's just that. 1.4 Genoa is staying as a 1.4 Genoa and I'll (eventually) find a 3 door Phase 1 D Turbo to work on too.

[Adam CD P1]

Small update: Hopefully getting this  the road as my daily very soon. Ripped out quite a lot of the plastics on the interior & tidied things up with a friend yesterday. Also mocked up where I want everything in the dash, pretty happy with it

Wheels & suspension have been decided upon too.

Definitely keeping this car now. It holds sentimental value to me at this point so I don't mind putting money into it so tis project will more or less continue as originally planned

[bashbarnard]

be aware that the subframes are diffrent on the tu engined ones to the xu engined ones for gear linkages. just bolt a gti/xud one up for ease. good luck with the project the gt2056 is a good turbo may not hold together so well with hdi rods if you hoon it all the time though. seem hit or miss. save up and forge it then you have the added thing of always being able to put more power in if need be, this is just my opinion
though. take it or leave it.

[Adam CD P1]

be aware that the subframes are diffrent on the tu engined ones to the xu engined ones for gear linkages. just bolt a gti/xud one up for ease. good luck with the project the gt2056 is a good turbo may not hold together so well with hdi rods if you hoon it all the time though. seem hit or miss. save up and forge it then you have the added thing of always being able to put more power in if need be, this is just my opinion
though. take it or leave it.

I fully agree with you. I would like to bolt an xud in but I've read a few threads of them blowing up as you say there a bit hit and miss and I can't really afford to be blowing it up as I do alot of mileage and I wouldn't like to be blowing it up at the far side of the country for instance lol. I do like the little 1.4 tu for now I'm just gonna lightly tune that and then when I have something decent to bolt in I'll go with that

[Adam CD P1]

   

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That happened on Saturday. Lots more space for what I want to install now

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[Adam CD P1]

   

Small update: Not too much just took the rocker cover off to have a look, definitely needs an oil change. Cleaned the inside of the rocker cover and the plate that sits on top of the rockers. Gonna do a decent amount of work on this on Friday then order some parts next week and maybe do the exhaust then too

[Adam CD P1]

So, finally an update on this. Progress has been slow till today. Last week the ecu went kaput, the fuel timing messed up and there's a haze of problems with it. I checked everything over and it's just time for it to go. This engine is going to be used in another project and I'm currently looking for an xud9te engine, gearbox, loom, tank etc a full conversion for this car. When something suitable turns up within budget, I'm going to purchase it and set a weekend aside for the swap to happen. For now though, things have been coming off the car and the old TU lump in prep for it to be moved off and an xud swap to happen. Pictures to follow from todays progress.

[Adam CD P1]

Right so after a long weekend of study & revamping my room I'm able to get some progress up on here of my car. Front end's off and the intake & exhaust manifolds are off, ecu's out and fuel lines have been tied off etc so pretty much ready for this engine out and xud in. I found a place that'll sell me all the bits for the conversion so in the next two/three weeks I'll be buying all the bits to swap in   

First the bonnet off

   

Friend of mine helping out, getting the rad out.

   

Nearly there.... I was keeping positive after ripping the front off my car lol

   

And we finished with this

   

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Well, that minus intake & exhaust manifolds. Took us 10x longer to find the two lower bolts when taking the front off then it did to get it all off lol

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At the moment, I'm planning things like new engine mounts, fuel lines, gear linkages etc. Would anybody be able to point me in the right direction ? I'm gonna go for the hdi 'box and fit a new uprated clutch while I have all of that out to cope with the extra power I'll be adding.

[pioneer DJ paddy]

Good work so far bud keeper up Lol wat power u looking for any way if it 150 160 bhp a new valeo clutch would do that's wat I have never had a problem 

[Magenta Sunset]

who's the person with the nice bum?
(Got their foot in the bay pic)

[Adam CD P1]

Good work so far bud keeper up Lol wat power u looking for any way if it 150 160 bhp a new valeo clutch would do that's wat I have never had a problem 

I'm hoping for around that figure. Half decent vnt should see that if I'm right ? Or a tdo4 ? Ah sweet how long do they last on that sort of power ?

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who's the person with the nice bum?
(Got their foot in the bay pic)

 That would be one of my good friends Rhys he's a nutter lol he's a good help though

[Magenta Sunset]

Good work so far bud keeper up Lol wat power u looking for any way if it 150 160 bhp a new valeo clutch would do that's wat I have never had a problem 

I'm hoping for around that figure. Half decent vnt should see that if I'm right ? Or a tdo4 ? Ah sweet how long do they last on that sort of power ?

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who's the person with the nice bum?
(Got their foot in the bay pic)

 That would be one of my good friends Rhys he's a nutter lol he's a good help though

nice. keep up the good work!

[Adam CD P1]

So if you have seen my E46 diff mountings thread you'll know that the daily has to be replaced now. So it'll unfortunately be a few weeks till I get the bits for the swap on this car but hopefully it won't be long. Have to have a good reliable daily so lol

[Adam CD P1]

Ok so I thought I'd post an update on this now that there's some direction being taken. Basically, I'm getting rid of this car this week and getting a d turbo. This car is a 1.4 petrol and yes I can swap the engine and body parts over but it's never going to be a d turbo so I said to hell with it and I'm just gonna get one and save myself a massive amount of hassle. I have lots and lots of awesome ideas including a hydro handbrake (bare with me on that it'll take explaining) and some other touches. It'll be an awesome build and with much more ease as the right engine and right amount of doors will be on the car from the get go.