Panda 2012+ Panda 312 Cross, Full Build Story

[mj2k]

I'm enjoying this thread. I've got the exact same car, even the same colour! I've thought about a remap and maybe improve the headlights with better bulbs too.

Can I ask what bulbs those are and are they road legal? Any before after shots of the beam pattern? Also keen to hear your thoughts on remap drivability and performance once you've had it. There's no "real world" info out there that I can find for twin air remaps on a panda.

When my warranty is up mine might be well be going for a visit to the tuner that looked after my old Focus ST500.

That's the biggie, unless the headlights are designed for LEDs they're no longer legal in the UK and will earn an MOT fail if spotted.

As for the whole cold air intake discussion - it will make more difference on a forced induction car since it'll be sucking in air under boost rather than relying on speed to pull it into the engine. And the warmer the incoming air is, the less effective the intercooler is, so the less boost the car can develop without getting detonation. It's why the Impreza STi has a little water spray on the outside of the intercooler - it allows the ecu to cool down the intercooler and thus incoming charge if it's noticing too much detonation (which is an engine killer in a turbo car), and also the reason turbo cars generally feel more lively when it's a cold day - colder air takes up less space so you can force more into the cylinder, allowing the ecu to introduce more fuel and thus get more power.

 

[SaltyBill]

I purchased them from amazon for my supermoto. i had a few extra H4's and i installed them. Legal ? no idea. ive added some photos of the headlight beam. i will update once i get the tune, but so far just with the enlarged intake i can feel the car is allitle faster. So the original intake is restrictive.

 

[SaltyBill]

That's the biggie, unless the headlights are designed for LEDs they're no longer legal in the UK and will earn an MOT fail if spotted.

As for the whole cold air intake discussion - it will make more difference on a forced induction car since it'll be sucking in air under boost rather than relying on speed to pull it into the engine. And the warmer the incoming air is, the less effective the intercooler is, so the less boost the car can develop without getting detonation. It's why the Impreza STi has a little water spray on the outside of the intercooler - it allows the ecu to cool down the intercooler and thus incoming charge if it's noticing too much detonation (which is an engine killer in a turbo car), and also the reason turbo cars generally feel more lively when it's a cold day - colder air takes up less space so you can force more into the cylinder, allowing the ecu to introduce more fuel and thus get more power.

in winter here it gets -10c. Plenty of cold air for this little turbo.
Sounds like the UK has as many rules as Australia ( im Aussie) Cant modify anything without the cops giving a defect ticket... In italy ive noticed you can do what you want , especially up here in the mountains, no one cares. This is the only reason im modifying the car. Otherwise i would not have.

Sorry but the stock panda is quite boring. The intake and blow off valve, so far makes me smile every time i jump in. I am excited for the tune.

 

[SaltyBill]

before anybody writes.
No, the lights do not dazzle oncoming traffic. they are pointing to the ground. Ive tested with my friend driving up the mountain road both driving opposite directions... All good,. No one has high beamed me or giving me the Italian call sign , for the finger.
It took allot of adjustment to get it right.
Its nearly as bright as my wifes LED matrix VW tiguan.

 

[jrkitching]

Can I ask what bulbs those are and are they road legal?

Fitting LED bulbs to a headlight unit designed for halogen bulbs is not road legal in the UK. This probably will (and certainly should) result in the car failing an MOT, and may invalidate your insurance.

From the MOT testers manual:

 

[SaltyBill]

Before anybody else likes to add to the thread...
DISCLAIMER
YES everything i am doing is illegal in the UK. and probably here in italy.
Regardless,
I would prefer to see at night, especially with so many deer ,and wild animals crossing my path every morning and night to a from work. i couldn't care less if the lights were illegal. the modification makes my trips allot safer.




Keep driving your stock panda and watch me turn mine into something special.

 

[mj2k]

in winter here it gets -10c. Plenty of cold air for this little turbo.
Sounds like the UK has as many rules as Australia ( im Aussie) Cant modify anything without the cops giving a defect ticket... In italy ive noticed you can do what you want , especially up here in the mountains, no one cares. This is the only reason im modifying the car. Otherwise i would not have.

Sorry but the stock panda is quite boring. The intake and blow off valve, so far makes me smile every time i jump in. I am excited for the tune.

Ah, if you're not in the UK no need to worry about the MOT

Always fun tuning a turbo car as long as det doesn't kill it, maybe next thing to try would be a decat followed by a remap, though might be a good idea to fit a 3rd party knock sensor before pushing it too far since the twinair is a bit of an unknown entity as far as I know.

 

[SaltyBill]

Ok the tyres i first ordered are way too big... i dont know what i was thinking... I made a carboard cutout and realised that there is no chance in hell i could fit the tyres even with a lift and cutting the plastics.. I have to wait until they are returned and get a refund and order again..
I made a carboard cut out to see how much of the plastic i have to cut for the new tyres i am ordering and its not that much.
The tyre choices i have are either All terain or mud tyres... Im think i would prefer less road noise so ill probably put cooper discoveries on..
Cooper Discoverer A/T3 Sport 2 205 / 70 / r15 or
Insa Turbo Dakar MT 205 / 70 / r15
will fit just right, with a little modification of the plastics.

I lifted the car by 3cm , same as the spring spacer kit arriving. The carboard cutout is 10mm larger than the actual tyre.
I think it will look awesome, There is 20mm clearance from the tyre and the front shock housing. With the spacers i think it will work out..
I will post in a few weeks once i receive them...

 

[chris3234]

I'm enjoying this thread. I've got the exact same car, even the same colour! I've thought about a remap and maybe improve the headlights with better bulbs too.

Can I ask what bulbs those are and are they road legal? Any before after shots of the beam pattern? Also keen to hear your thoughts on remap drivability and performance once you've had it. There's no "real world" info out there that I can find for twin air remaps on a panda.

When my warranty is up mine might be well be going for a visit to the tuner that looked after my old Focus ST500.

If your in the UK no they are not road legal as LEDs retrofitted are a mot failure

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Ok the tyres i first ordered are way too big...

I did wonder!

The standard 175/65r15 tyres on th 4x4 are a tight fit in the arches, and very nearly touch the inner surface of the rear wheel arch. In order to fit the 185 width used as standard on the Cross models, the wheels are different (they sit 5mm further out), to allow that extra tyre width to not foul on the front chassis 'rail' when the steering is turned onto full lock. Anything wider that 195 is likely to not fit, and anything over 65% sidewall profile will be too big if you go over 185 width I suspect (noting that its a ratio, so as you go wider, the same profile 'number' - eg 65 - means the tyre gets much bigger in diameter. Between a 175/65 and a 185/55 that increase is 13mm. For snow use, narrower is better... but I think you know that.

 

[SaltyBill]

i have attached a picture with the exact difference in diameter of both tyres.
ive got 20mm wheel spacers at the front and 16mm spacers for the rear. This should inhibit allitle oversteer.
the tyres will fit . ill make sure of it. I'll be the guinea pig.
I chose wider profile because the handling sucks. really badly. it understeers , i hope the wider stance at the front helps to remove this.

Listen i know you mean well. But these tyres will fit. stop trying to remove the jam from my donut.

 

[SaltyBill]

here a link of me stuffing around while waiting to pick up the kids from school

 

[gar074]

Looks like fun!

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

...
Listen i know you mean well. But these tyres will fit. stop trying to remove the jam from my donut.

I like that phrase No intention of taking the jam, and looking forward to seeing the outcome. Sadly much of what you can do, we can't here on the UK roads, but probably some of us would like to

 

[SaltyBill]

I like that phrase No intention of taking the jam, and looking forward to seeing the outcome. Sadly much of what you can do, we can't here on the UK roads, but probably some of us would like to

I know buddy, all good. I have always been stubborn even in the face of certain failure. worse case scenario i cant do a U-turn without serious rubbing Or i destroy the ball joints, axles etc from ****ing with the geometry...
Ill be the guinea pig.
Fingers crossed.

 

[SaltyBill]

Great news, My spacers and tyres arrived today.... Tyres i had to return , as soon as i get the refund ill make the purchase again..
As soon as i opened the box i couldnt help myself, i went downstairs and started working on the front right shock.... It was actually pretty straight forward. No instructions were sent, and no reply from the company when i asked them for help. typical...
If anybody wants me to make a step by step video on the front left and rear left... let me know..

 

[SaltyBill]

Original height.

 

[SaltyBill]

 

[SaltyBill]

I used these amazing spring compressors i purchased from Amazon.
The front wheel spacers are 20mm thick
rear are 16mm thick.

 

[SaltyBill]

Finished the front right , and i couldnt be more happier... I measured the total height. it was 725mm.. oem was 680mm.
thats a 45mm difference... Im stoked.. tommorow i will finish the rest of the car and take it for a test drive...

If anybody wants me to make a video installing the front and rear spacers let me know...