Drive it like you stole it.....

Kidsgrove Valiant

Active user
Sep 10, 2004
56
0
Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent
Non Cougar related I know but I do own one as well.

Well got me ikkle Pug out again for some track action at Oulton back in November and after only about 2 sessions, this happened...

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Son and heir was driving at the time and basically conrod no 2 decided to shatter. Probable cause is oil starvation even though we had a baffled sump etc. The rod flew out of the front smacked the starter motor which put a big crack in the gearbox housing. The bits also carried on forwards putting many holes in the rad. It went in style at least.

As they say though onwards and upwards. New donor engine already ben delivered to Pug specialist for a complete re-build and this time going the dry sump route.

If anyone is interested I will post up progress. I apreciate its not cougar related but I know there are some petrolheads here who do appreciate things of a mechanical project type thing....
 
Non-Cougar related pics are always welcome on here so no worries on that front.

Hope it get's fixed without too much expense.
Feel free to post more pics on progress - I'm interested and I'm sure others are. :wink:
 
TBH expense isnt the key issue it is basically a hobsons choice if I want to continue with a Track Vehicle.

The repairs will cost more than the car will ever be worth but the end result will be a excellent condition pug 205 with complete track set-up including a dry sump (never have the oil starvation issue again). It will be pushing 210BHP again with 160lb/ft from 3K onwards to 8K. I just love the buzz from track days and to get another vehicle of a similar spec is rare without buying an ex rally spec motor.

The car will also be having a quaffe diff added for even better cornering than it has now, cannot wait.

The MI16 engine is renowned for its design problems with the orignal 1.9 engine hence why Peugeot actually replaced it with a iron block 2.0. For the 405 BTCC vehicles which achieved great success they used the route (and the same manufacturer) that I am going. I am going to fit a Pace developed dry sump system which will give excellent pressure and scavaging around track and never give the old problem of oil starvation due to air being sucked up the pick up pipe around long sweeping corners. The new engine will be more or less exactly that new. The only parts being reconditioned is the crank which will of course be reground and the actual block itself, all other parts are being replaced with new peugeot genuine parts and of course the obligatory ARP rod bolts just so it doesn't fall apart at 8K. I will be able to salvage the twin 45's from the original which gives it lovely instant power and a tone to die for.

I will post piccy's up for sheer unadulterated mechanical porn...
 
3 month later

Well its taking a while but getting there. I wish I could say this is all my own work but this rebuild is well beyond my capabilities. Engine ripped out and scrapped, only bits salvageable is cams and timing cogs!

Managed to source a good block and the rest is new apart from a reground crank. All other internals genuine Peugeot items. Pace dry sump is the equipment as was used on 405 BTCC vehicles and manufactured as required.

Whilst engine was out gave the engine bay a good seeing to. As always with a 20 year old car there was rust. Mainly from accident damage not repaired correctly and rust set in on a crumpled area behind N/S headlamp area.

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Decided to lose 15Kg
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Pace kit going in

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Cant wait to get her back.

Going for initial setup on MOnday then onto running her in.

:D :D :D :D
 
WOW!! That's some top work there fella, definitely want pics of it all back together too :D You should get someone to video your road test and stick it on Youtube! :wink: I love proper pics of cars being restored/rebuilt. Just a shame when I did mny Cougar I had no photographer to hand as I was upto my elbows in grease! :LOL:
 
V6SINGH said:
WOW!! That's some top work there fella, definitely want pics of it all back together too :D You should get someone to video your road test and stick it on Youtube! :wink: I love proper pics of cars being restored/rebuilt. Just a shame when I did mny Cougar I had no photographer to hand as I was upto my elbows in grease! :LOL:

I wish I could say it was all my own work but alas not. Would love to do a complete resto job one day. My aim is to kep this for about another ten years and then acquire a Triumph GT6 and do that from scratch. I can weld, and do bodywork but do not have the room or time at present.

I will video the first track day once back out there and put a link up. Here's a bit of action on a damp day at Oulton.

http://www.tuneruk.com/media/show-videos/Oulton-Park-205/index.htm

This was one of the first my son did in the car so forgive us for being a little careful :D
 
Well all is sorted and today I got her back from final tune after running her on for a thousand mile. She is running like a dream and pulls like a train from 3.5K onwards. Reaching peak torque and power lower in the rev range than previous engine, all the better means I can limit this engine down to 7.2K without affecting its performance.

Anyway this is the final run she did as you can see it's quite apparent when it comes "on cam"

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Is it only used as a track car or do you take it out on the road too? The only reason i ask is that its still got all the dash etc in and if it was a track car id just remove all of that extra weight :D
Good work though, i bet that thing flies. Its like a 200bhp tin of tuna on wheels... no weight in those things.
 
It is fully road legal as I do use it as a weekend toy as well. Weight wise its down to about 800Kg's so we are looking at approx. 260BHP/Tonne power to weight. My son took it for a run earlier this evening and described it as such for his forum.

"Just been out for a bit of a run and blast in it. Took ages get the oil up to temperature (~80degs) then I was a bit disappointed with the way it went, it pulled, but it certainly wasn't startling although I didn't really get chance to stretch it's legs.

When I finally got some open road I was able to open it up, oh my what a change! From 4500-5000 revs the bowels of hell open up and the countryside is sucked in through the trumpets. It just screams "I'M SO ANGRY RIGHT NOW AND I'M GOING TO REV LIKE A FECKER!!!!". Absolute animal, nothing more to say!

Scared a few bystanders too..."


Very Clarksonesque...... :D :D