Bravo (Classic) My track Bravo

[Steve H]

Hi guys thought I'd share a few pics and the story behind my Bravo track bitch.
I bought it off a mate as a boggo HGT last year as a runabout and was going to keep it standard, but I warmed to it, and it ended up with a few mods.

500 notes later and i picked this up, taxed and full MOT

Drove it round for a good few miles like it was, dead happy. Bit thirsty for a daily driver but I didnt really care

Then one day I ended up chucking a rod through the block (both sides) and the sump, drove it till it seized and this was the result

Was gonna scrap it but I heard of a cheap coupe going with a half decent motor, had a rebuild etc so a brief trip to wales and I had 2 heaps

And the reason it was cheap

Proper piece of **** car, bent rear end, interior was awful, paint was pink, peeling everywhere, but the engine was mint! Fully documented rebuild, new turbo, gearbox and head

So work began: out with the old

Couple of weeks of evenings and engine was all in and ready. Had a few problems with the wiring and immobiliser, as the bravo one is incompatible with the coupe one, but got round that and had it in and running, dead happy

Excuse the shonky wiring, and zip tied radiator, all fixed now

After a (rare) wash

Which brings us roughly up to date when last week (after a battle with a pain in the arse who was meant to be buying it, who broke it :bang: ) I decided to keep it, and have it as a track machine. Engine is coming out over the weekend for a cam belt, clutch and check up before it gets abused, and I'm gonna give it a quick blow over in white too if i have time, as I realised two things: The car is stonechipped up and looks terrible, and I cant stand the colour anyway
future plans are something like: Cage, Coilovers with concentric top mounts (nasty sus on it at the minute ) poly bushes, adjustable tca's. Engine wise I have a couple of main options, a GT28rs (probably the sensible choice) and aim for 350 360bhp ish, or "the naughty one" (and yes thats my phone next to it ) all run on pectel T6-2000

(its an RS500 Garrett T04-B )

Err. maybe not... not till i get all steel bottom end and forged pistons anyway

Hope you enjoy. Any help and stuff would be great, like where I can get a full cage for it for a start, I cba making the lot

Steve

 

[1.8Stilo]

project and a half you got going there, like it anyway mate

bet it goes like stink ....hope you took a deposit from the n0b who broke it on a testdrive

 

[Steve H]

Thank you mate, nice to get some feedback on it.

Yeah I got some money out of the lad, so its all good there too.

Steve

 

[D4nny8oy]

You can always spot a PassionFord user by the use of the smilie throughout.

What did the diagnostic machine show up in the end, mate?

 

[Steve H]

PMSL ^^

Diags showed cam sensor mate, doing it tomorrow
Then its prep prep prep for the paint, another i think.

Cheers for your help and advice mate, definately steered me in the right direction :slayer:

Steve

 

[D4nny8oy]

Is the cam sensor completely dead (o.c/s.c to battery/ground), or was it the sync error (something like "Phase sensor- synchronisation with revs/ signal not valid"?

The only concern with the latter is how far it's slipped- though I remember you said the compressions were all good, so it's unlikely there's damage.

 

[Steve H]

I wasnt there when it was diagnosed (McDonalds mmmm) I just missed the guy so cant tell you exactly what it was, but the lads at the unit told me it came up cam sensor broken (didnt mention sync). We're doing timing belt anyway and have a locking kit to time it back up. Cranked it over by hand and nothing is touching, and 180psi all over is a good result so even if it had slipped nothing touched.
Will let you know tomorrow when i've run it up and we get it finalised

 

[D4nny8oy]

Good luck, mate. Hope it goes well- just be careful not to damage the sensor when you retighten the cam pulley.

 

[bulldog5046]

nice, i remember this was on ebay recently and it was going pretty cheap aswell!

what are you doing about the top end noise? is it a tappet?

can i ask how you got around the immob issue? i had my ECU decoded which isnt the best idea but hey it works....

Ry

 

[Steve H]

Yeah I had it on ebay twice, kept lowering the price but noone wanted it. Their loss hey
Then a mate of a mate offered to buy it, as I'd just parked it up. He messed me around so much I've decided to finish it off myself.
Yeah its got a noisy tappet but its not got any worse so i'll wait till it goes then it gives me a reason to go nuts
About the Immob, i sent the ecu off for a chip and to get it removed, then had a cat 1 fitted

 

[Steve H]

Just got back in after a days graft...
Dropped the engine, whipped everything off then fitted the cam sensor and new belt. I'd all but finished then the tensioner bolt snapped
At least it didnt do it when we fired it back up!!
So I started stripping out everything from the inside, all trim, all carpets, headlining and sound deadening
Will get pics up tomorrow.

 

[sediciRich]

'Cage, Coilovers with concentric top mounts (nasty sus on it at the minute ) poly bushes, adjustable tca's.'

eccentric top mounts. You wont get adjustable tca's unless you make them, just use camber adjust on the hub end with adjustable top mounts have a look at my racing tipo as its the same underneath and I've done most things handling wise. Cage wise see if you can get a bolt in effort.
Who will do your pectel mapping?
rich.

 

[Steve H]

I'm making the cage so thats covered.
Not sure about the concentric tops, probably just adj tca's, will make them too
What else you done handling wise, any decent tips?
And im not sure on pectel now, not sure cos T6 is a bit dear and motorsport developments have recommended I dont need it. If i use the T4 i'll go pectel i think. Mapping would either be SCS (but they need to make engine mounts for it to go on their engine dyno - £££) of MSD on the road.

 

[sediciRich]

Hi steve, you maybe arent too far away from me welcome to come and have a look, alternatively I am racing at mallory park near Hinckley on Sunday if you want to have a look then.

Regarding the Pectel the reason I ask is G and G motorsport who maps mine are highly involved with Pectel/PI, and Phil who runs it is the most honest and direct operator I know - trusted 100%. Bit of a way though in Horncastle near Cadwell but I find its worth it.

Sounds like you are handy at fabrication so thats good. Yes make the cage yourself, that or maybe try and get a bolt in for a similar car like a alfa 145 and see if it fits. You can use any adj top mount or fixed with sepherical bearing just have some adaptors turned to fit the strut thread (pretty sure demon tweeks had reducers ready for that). I use madeno racing top mounts made for the Tipo platform and the coil overs are adjustable on the strut end for even more camber. The struts are race valved with 550nm springs. Poly bush front arms - but maybe would consider the madeno solid bush kit as the poly's can retract on hard kerbing (they have done already). Cage is triangulated to strut tops - not essential. No strut brace. Seam welded sub frame, sure full shell is seam welded you can see that in my signature link. Rear suspension is the weak point alignment wise. I use madeno racing adj dampers with madeno adjustable spring platforms, spring maybe 600lbs can't remeber, with white line 24mm ARB not sure its doing anything mind. I designed and had made solid bushes to replace the rubber OE mounts to the body. Ideally the rear needs 2.5 deg neg camber and that would be interesting to get. Ultimately twisting the arm from the spring seat to the hub would be ideal but brutal I'd imagine - feel free to work on that idea and let me know if you get there. Car was corner weighted and runs 0 toe out, turn in is really good so I will leave ackermann alone.

make it stiff, make it stop - forget the power chasing and run a std engine, I have around 200 hp - you decide if power really matters.....
keep up the work.

Rich

 

[Steve H]

Thanks rich, and I'm in leicester so i'll pop along on sunday and have a chat. I know mallory well.
I understand the tipo and bravo shells are very similar? does the suspension cross over etc? any other shard parts?
also after some decent suspension, and where do i get the madeno solid front arm kit?
Its going to be a budget build really as I have another project lined up, so any help or advice would be great, I'm a ford man really but doing this as something different.

Steve

 

[Steve H]

Oh yes and I saw these top mounts on an evo... insane!!

 

[jug]

i'd love a 20vT bravo.

i like that colour. my first bravo was that colour and everyone made fun of me. luckily everyone is thick so i ignored them.

 

[jami]

Haha love it Jug :yeahthat:

 

[Steve H]

Do you think its sacreligious to spray it white lads? I never see many white ones, and i think they look ace! Something needs doing with the paint, as its been keyed down one side and the tailgate.

 

[StevenRB45]

Speaking of white bravos and track cars....anyone else spy this at donny? Third car in the line was a white bravo being beasted not very obvious on that photo like!