Travis Bickles VTR8 project, updated with pics.

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

In the pursuit of power to weight the 406 estate is being broken, ive been looking for a 306 to drop the 8 valve turbo in. I wanted to drop it in a 106 but that would be a bit more work. So after a couple of stellas i ended up bidding on a citroen xsara vtr for a laugh, and won it for £155

So i figure it will go in as easily as it does in a 306 as they are almost the same car and should be pretty nippy being a good 500kg less. The plan is to strip the xsara out and use it as a bit of a track day tool.

[steve_earwig]

That sounds like fun Don't forget to take some pics

[omega]

will watch this with intrest

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

I wont be leaving this forum, its too comfy
I pick it up wednesday, from port talbot south wales its got a nice great big scrape on the near side rear quarter that i need to sort out but hey you get what you pay for lol. It has a 1.6 TU engine which might find its way into the mrs 206

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

The boys on the CXOC are a little sceptical about the 8 valve turbo, they dont sound impressed my it being "only 145bhp" and it looks like mine will be the only one they know of with the conversion. The VTS and pug GTI6s engines are 20brake more as
standard and very good rev happy engines but the key point is the tuning potential BHP per £
To get 220bhp out the gti6 engine costs a sight more than for the 8 valve turbo

[FarmerPug]

cxoc is the xsara club
i though that was where id go when i get a cx

but it sounds like a good project you have got yourself.

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Well theyve been done to death in 205s and a lot of 306s and since i couldnt find a dead gti6 cheap enough its sister car the xsara seemed the next logical choice, well that or a zx but theyre ugly
Ive never really been struck on the xsara they seem a bit plain but its a VTR so no one will expect it to be quick
Reminds me of the 406sri, it looks exactly the same as an LX just with alloys fogs and horrible sri grafiti all over the seats

[highlander]

The D9 SRi is a much nicer car all-round than the D8 SRi was.

Half-leather seats, leather door cards, metallic blue dash trim (instead of fake walnut), and a nice 2.2 litre petrol (which develops more HP than the 2.0 turbo from the D8 SRi) or a 2.2 HDi (which can be de-FAPed and remapped to give 180 HP, a la Doggy's car) as your engine choice.

I went to look at a D9 SRi, but it was shafted - it had been very badly mistreated, and the engine wasn't happy at all. Shame.

[andymacg]

sounds an interesting project there chap, dont forget the piccies

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Well, i picked it up today, spent 5 hours on 3 diferent trains down to south wales
What was i expecting for £150? A months T&T and insurance sorted on the walk from the train station, Was i feeling confident or what carrying only my sat nav, some spare bulbs and a couple of screwdrivers, did a very thrashed and abused VTR await me? But what i was greeted with was a genuinely nice couple in their 40s and to my complete surprise a pretty good car
Oil level spot on and good colour, water on the level and good anti freeze content, no oil leaks, most of the electrics work (its french so wasnt expecting much )
Four good tyres, and a new looking spare with original tool kit, even the locking wheel nut socket was there
I paid the money and shared a brew with them while the paperwork was completed. They even left a sony CD player in the car for me to enjoy on the drive home
I set off from port talbot at five PM, straight to the nearest petrol station, i didnt trust any of the gauges yet. It drove as good as the impression it first gave me, engine quiet, no exhaust blows, heater working fine, up to temp, gearbox good, steering felt good, suspension quiet apart from a front drop link on its way, steering wheel straight.
I was confident enough to brave the M4
280 miles later im well happy Okay it has a mahoosive dent on the pass rear quarter, but who cares it was £150
Besides im thinking a WRC wide arch kit would cover that up, but theres the sleeper look out the window

Look out for pics tomorrow, it does need a clean though
And it just goes to show that not all ebay cars are death traps and sellers are not always scammers.
I might run it till the T&T are up then start the stripping and transplanting, D8 dash in there maybe?

[STALLED]

Sounds like a good project!

I wonder how much the internals of the XU10TE are good for, without it self imploding in a cloud of molten metal? What gearbox do you plan on using - BE3 or a ML series?

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Most of the danish ones ive been looking at are arunning 250+ on stanmdard bottome ends. Was just going to shove th 406 gearbox in for now.

[steve_earwig]

The standard tubby is an ML, which also handles the turbo diesels and the 210bhp V6 so I'd think it' fairly tough...

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Well ive made some progress with the stripping, I felt kinda sad decommisioning the stealth wagon There is no rust any where. The seats are all out along with the rear carpet.
Ive labelled up all of the wiring loom plugs, Those electric seats are well heavy
Most of the back end has been sold now.



With the tailgate off and the interior missing its amazing how much clearence there is under the rea arches, These estates are very heavy indeed.



Plenty of room in there now!



Just the dash to take out and the front loom to tackle


Complete with 14" wheels and drum rear brakes Still for 150 quid cant complain.
And this is something i have to sort out



And this is the new project
The Xsara VTR 8 Valve Turbo or VTR8VT, or can anyone come up with a catchy project name?

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

And this is the side that needs some work


And this little 1.6 TU will soon be home to the 8VT


Interior is not an unpleasant place to be, but could be improved.