Punto GT 'Competizione'

Picked up this last night as I need another steed whilst I wait for the insurance company to stop faffing around and make me an offer :blink:

2 previous owner's, 98k on the clock but standard (for the moment) except a DV, filter and smoked side repeaters. In really good nick for the age apart from rust on the drivers front wing:

However, I'm picking up another wing from Sheffield next week.

 

[turbonutter69]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Car's looking sweet, experienced one of these on the way to work last night, I didn't fully appreciate how much pace they have. Might have to sell the Rover now (or find a Lotus spec' K series)!

Hahaha I thought that when I had a blast in my mates the other month. It was pretty rapid but then again what else would you expect when he was running around 190bhp.

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Pray you never come across a sorted Seb4 then lol. Fitted a short-shifter and new MOMO gearknob this morning. Changing gear on a GT is like stirring porridge but know it takes only a tiny movement as I also cut the gearstick down an inch.

These photos give some idea in the change in movement but it's even better in the flesh.

Standard first gear:

Short-shifter first gear:

Standard second gear (see how far it goes past the edge of the seat?):

Short-shifter second gear (barely past the edge of the seat):

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Also went to fit my polyurethane gearbox mount, spent aaaages undoing the stiff as foook bolts for the mount then aaaages looking for the replacement mount; with no success Don't know where it is, lock-up maybe :amazed: Whacked the old one back on.

Washed the whole car then proceeded to clay, polish (Autoglym SRP) and wax (Collinite 476s) it panel by panel completely by hand. Managed to get the roof, tailgate, nearside rear wing and door and both wing mirrors done before it got dark. Only took three hours :amazed:

Paint was really rough before claying, loads of bonded contaminants.

But I'm happy with the way it's starting to come out.

Just the rest of the car to do tomorrow.

 

[Loz]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

What's a Seb4, is that the turbo chip?
Shifter looks like a good upgrade, do you think you'll have a few moments when you'll reach for the gear knob & it's 3 inches lower than where it should be!

Oooh shiney! Don't think I have the patience to do jobs like that!

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Already driven it a fair bit, the last one had a short-shifter too so I'm used to it. Love it tbh, one of my favourite modifications.

Yep a Seb4 is the next chip up to a Seb2. A good Seb4 on a GT25R can achieve 220bhp+ and a mountain of torque.

 

[Loz]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Blimey, I take it when you get to those figures it's time to start fitting forged pistons and such?
What's the most extreme anyone's taken one of these engines too?

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

I've seen a touch over 300bhp on two cars using the original 1400 8v, obviously with forged internals, headwork and standalone EMS. However that's a big (ish) laggy turbos (GT28RS) and the power band is 5500-9000rpm.

220bhp+ is achieveable with the standard bottom end, running gear, unworked head and just on the Bosch Motronic (which is a very good ECU for what it is).

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Got my eyes on a new turbo. MD103, make 190hp with a Seb4 setup but without the lag of a GT25R and massive punch in the kidneys between 2.5k and 5.5k rpm.

Oh dear, here we go.

 

[pgarner]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

thought this was staying as a daily driver with not much done to it lol

 

[turbonutter69]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

That went out the window ages ago

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

SSQV, with other fittings and stuff but not pictured.

 

[turbonutter69]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

That looks sweet buddy. When you fitting?

 

[Loz]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Why have you bought a hair dryer?
















Looks cool. :bigsmile:

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

:blink: Bugger I thought I'd bought a BOV Don't know tbh it's not a simple as it might seem (is it ever?) as I need to weld the adapter flange to the intercooler pipework like so:

Clearly that's TIG-welded onto an aluminium pipe but I have a steel adapter flange and will use a steel pipe inserted into the top boost hose.

 

[pgarner]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

tis some size

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

It is pretty tonk actually! Despite the casing being cast aluminium. I have some steel boost piping same diameter as standard out back, going to cut a section off and weld this flange on when I get chance. Going up to Morecambe to work on Friday though for an unspecified amount of time (could even be until August!).

Also, my old man was following behind me the other day and said I needed a new orange bulb in on of my indicators as it was just white. Just checked and they're all fine, must be his eyes

PDR bloke coming to work tomorrow to get rid of a couple of dents; one trolley type ding and a bigger one where some absolute t**t appears to have kicked my car a few weeks ago. Can't remember if I posted it up on the forum?

Few tidy-up and service bits and pieces ordered from Fiat the other day too. Should be picking them up tomorrow with luck.

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Picked up some bits and pieces from Fiat after work:



And recieved some genuine Fiat 10mm steel spacers (from the Seicento Schumacher) as I think I might need them to bring the Comp MO's off the coilovers on the front. Pretty heavy to be adding to unsprung weight though so I'll get some alloy ones if I definately need to use them.

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Oh yeah, been driving around blasting some tuuuunes (innit) and I suddenly realised that the sound quality was pretty damn good, they were never standard speakers. Had a look in the front door cards today and they are DLS something or other each with their own DLS seperate crossover, is this setup any good because I don't know much about car audio but they sound good to me tbh.

 

[Loz]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Always a bonus! Did Fiat ever offer an audio upgrade on new cars?

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Always a bonus! Did Fiat ever offer an audio upgrade on new cars?

Don't think so. Standard system sounds pants I know that much. It has a JVC KD-SHX701 head unit in which I'm lead ot believe is an okay bit of gear?

 

[Loz]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Ooooh... I like that! :bigsmile:

 

[turbonutter69]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

The head unit is good buddy. Never heard of the speakers.
The head unit accounts for alot when it comes to sound quality. Some crap speakers can actually sound pretty good with a decent head unit.

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Speakers are good, was going to upgrade the rear but advised there wasn't much point. Maybe a small amp in the future but me likey for now. Summer tooones blud.

Had the pin-holed Radtec ally rad due for the Reaper repaired today (for sod all too so big thanks to West Mercia Radiators) Hopefully the weather stays nice tomorrow for it to go on along with a coolant flush plus new thermostat and header tank. Using the standard GT fan for now as I've lost the pins for the twin Kenlow fans :blink: and the GT one is actually quite good. Going to wire it to be high-speed only too.

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Manky coolant and old rad gone. Horrible condition, run your fingers across it and the fins just crumble.

5 Buckets of this crud flushed through until it were clean:

Radiator and fan out:

Radtec is twice the thickness:

All on with new header tank and fresh coolant:

New 'stat too but didn't take a snap.

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

A pair of THESE came today too! Misses bought them round as I'd had them delivered to her house. £40 is a lot for two water guns but they are absolutely awesome and definately coming to Le Mans! Had a water fight out the front On the lookout for some spare magazines so you can just swap them when you run out of water but it doesn't look like they do them seperate

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Talking of carbon fibre I've been working on this occassionally in my spare time. Might never go on the car, just practice to make some bigger things in the future.

Take some spare standard GT3 wing mirror caps:

Place on a tray the putty up around the edges and any open spaces:

Wax wing mirror cap. Brush epoxy resin on, then support with fibre putty. Leave to dry and pull from tray:

Remove wing mirror cap from your newly created mould:

Now you have a mould:

Edges just need tidying up and the resin on top sanding down smooth as you can see the bits and slight cloudyness on top of the CF. Very pleased with the results for a first attempt. Working with this stuff really does make you understand how strong yet flexible it actually is. Even though it is only a small light part, you can still tell the difference in weight by simply holding the original plastic one and new carbon fibre one. Carbon slaggo!

 

[pgarner]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

nicely done

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Cheers ears. Bought a new jack on the way home from work due to not being able to get a normal jack underneath t'car without driving up onto bricks, which is a pain :blink:

Clarke Aluminium racing jack. Extra low entry (79mm). Noice!

Also, 265cc high impedence injectors arrived

 

[turbonutter69]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Cf is looking good buddy for a first attempt. Nice.

 

[pgarner]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

machine mart has some good stuff doesnt it

are those the ones its only 3 presses to max hight ?

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

machine mart has some good stuff doesnt it

are those the ones its only 3 presses to max hight ?

How did you know that's where I got it from?

Nah definately not 3 presses to max height, more like 9 or 10. 3 presses is about enough to lift the car as high as you'd want it though. Tis only a 1.25 tonner but more than enough for the Punto. My other jack is a 2 tonner so I'm covered.

Lovely jack though:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/ctj1250a-11-4-tonne-aluminium-trolley-jack

AHA! Found the 3 strokes one. Pants compared to mine

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/ctj3000ql-3-tonne-quick-lift-trolley-j

 

[pgarner]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

was looking for a new jack not long ago and machine mart is not far, that and they keep sending me the catalogue.

for some reason thought the racing ones were also the quick style ones ohh well

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

After changing to the ally rad, new coolant and themostat I was happy with the results but decided to take another look and see if I could improve things further. I noticed something that would be impeding air flow through the radiator whilst on the move...

Can you tell what it is yet? Yes it's the big plastic cowling on the fan. Das ist nicht gut! Out with the trusty dremmel....

Also made something up at work the other dya to address the following issue:

Bit of 2mm aluminium plate with a lip later:

A simple but effective cooling plate. The theory behind this is to force air through the radiator as it hits it, rather than up above it.

After a long and spirited drive I'm very impressed with the results. Temperature when cruising sits even lower now and when you boot it and the tmeperature rises, it now falls again much more quickly. Amazing what a bit of head scratching can do!

 

[pgarner]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

simple little idea, how much lower are your temps ?

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Considerably and noticeably. With the original buggerred rad and manky coolant and that it had started to sit just above half with the fan kicking in very often. With just the ally rad, coolant and new thermo is sat about 3mm below half on the move. Now with the cowling cut away and the cooling plate it's sitting at about 5 or 6mm below half when cruising!

I'm confident I can get it water cooling even more efficiently but that's more than enough! Onto the IC and Oil Cooler next.

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Just picked these up from the excellent A1 Wheels in Wolverhampton:

Waiting on stickers from Compomotive and they're out of stock of blue centre caps atm

 

[BAD63R]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

This is coming along nicely mate

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Washed the thing today and slapped some new badges on.

Yuck!

Much better!

Just realised how orange-peeley the paint looks in these pics :blink: Not actually like that!

 

[MasterAuron]

Re: MA's daily driver Punto GT

Is it possible for a mod to move this to the projects section and rename it Punto GT 'Competizione' please? As it's no longer a daily driver and now slightly fettled with :amazed: