Ford Taunus TC2 - now Trackday car

[Arieke]

Re: Ford Taunus TC2 Rallycross

A nice ride along with my car. I removed my rear spoiler and my top speed went up. From 150km/u to 165km/u max speed in 4th gear. What a spoiler can do actually, I didn't notice any los in traction. So spoiler stays off.

Now hopefully next time i can get more top speed in my car. Going to change rear diff from 3.78 to 4.11. Top speed will be lower in 4th 150km/u but hopefully 5th gear with 4.11 will still pull to more speed then 165 :-)


Ride along

https://youtu.be/s_tnx6gVTkI

[Arieke]

Re: Ford Taunus TC2 Rallycross

In September we did an other Trackday at Zolder. It was verry good weather, nice and sunny so I was ready for a 2 hour session. Only the session was cut short. I heard a ratteling noice, something like bolts hitting something. Went on and off couple times for checking what was wrong and yes we found it. The doughnut between gearbox and propshaft was shot. So we had to give up. So no real testing with the 4.11. I Tried couple faster laps but doesnt feel as fast as a 3.78 gear.


Meantime I did get my hand on a 3.45 for the koln axle. Maybe that will feel even better then a 3.78

The doughnut was shot, couple people were telling me, you have to make a aluminium one. Oke good, but a friend drives a BMW e46 on track with me and they also have the problem that the doughnut brakes. You can order an aluminium one from race shops. So I borrowed his old rubber doughnut because I didn't have alot of time and gues what the bmw one is the same as the ones from Ford 98mm spot on. So I ordered one from a race shop here local. But that will be a winter project because I maybe need a extra joint in the propshaft, aluminium doesn't flex.


In oktober I got an invitation for driving on Zolder for Charity event. I got lucky with the bmw doughnut.
The event was the childeren age of 10 and up. They were allowed to ride along for 2 laps on circuit. Alot of childeren and alot of cars. At the end of the day we were allowed to drive a hour free just for us. So been hoping all day for dry weather and that nothing brakes.
In the day with the kids was fun. Some kids liked my car. Even one found it cool I use my cellphone as track timer. He never saw that before.

So at end of day it was dry, little bit wet on the track but no problem. So I took my chance to test the 4.11 gear ratio and yes, I rather like the 3.78 in. So happy testing.


Winter project will be installing the 3.78 back in there and make a spare axle with the 3.45 for testing eventually. Will be making the doughnut and propshaft.


And some people complain how I drive with my tires. In the begining of this year I installed bigger brakes all around. But on the front 13 inch wheels wont fit. So I installed a 25mm spacer. Like on the picture here below, it doesn't look nice. So I Sold al the 13 inch slicks and wheels. And next year it will be all 15 inch around.

Only one thing I do regret is. I got 260mm disk with adaptors, now that I will be using 15 inch wheels I could have installed 280mm disks. But yeah, I will first get my propshaft fixed.

[Arieke]

Re: Ford Taunus TC2 - now Trackday car

a small update.

Today I swap the axle back to 3.78. Did the swap in less then 6 hours in my garage and the car just on stands. So good job I think.


Only thing that changed from last time I ran this axle it has a heavy spot. When I turn the tires by hand there is one time its a little heavier. Didn't notice that last time, but could be it was last time to don't know. Didn't take the axle apart just straight swap. Anybody advice? Things to check or just see and leave it?


We be going back to Zolder on the 7th of december. See how it goings.

[Arieke]

Re: Ford Taunus TC2 - now Trackday car

Last update for this year.


7th of december was a no go. Sadly, other thing needed to be done.


For the heavy spot in the axle. Still don't know what it is. I changed everything, bearings, diff housing, pinion bearing and whole axle. Stuck every thing in an other axle and still heavy spot. So I put everything under the car. It wil be like that.




I did this year +-400km on track. My front brakes pads are oke, (yellow ebc) the rear almost gone but are green ebc. Now the rear will also have yellow ebc.


Have had this year a of couple times problems with the propshaft. I have had it build 8 years ago and it actually doesn't work. I keep schredding the hardy disk between gearbox and propshaft.

After an afternoon of looking we found out what was wrong, the angle that the hardy disk had to do keeps braking it. So first I thought was fix my propshaft. But the person at the shop said, its worn out. So yes then I need an other one, got myself a nice shiny one piece propshaft and alot beafyer then the other. And it fits! So hopefully no more problems with hardy disk. Oh even better, don't need it anymore!

[Arieke]

Re: Ford Taunus TC2 - now Trackday car

a small update.

I got rid of all my 13" tires in the winter. Sold every one of them and made a bit profit, to do a small update. Got a set of nankang AR1 with a set of 15" wheels to fit them on. I liked the 260mm + mondeo + yellow ebc up front with on the rear 220 disk and calipers with green ebc. Now the rears have yellow ebc. The fun part with 15" wheels there is more room for bigger disk!

Got some 283mm Cossy disks. Found somebody to make the brackets so the mondeo calipers fit the 283mm disks. Caprisport did this kit with mondeo calipers so did the same.


Here are the 260 mm








Here is 283mm







Hope for better stopping power because of those bigger disks, didn't change anything else. My next trackday will be on the 15th of march. I'm hoping for a dry circuit to test the new AR1 if not the R1R will be on the car.

[Arieke]

Re: Ford Taunus TC2 - now Trackday car

With the world wide pandemic that is going on at this time. We were alloud to enter a Trackday at Zolder. Normally I was going in March to Zolder but that didn't happen.
Circuit of Zolder got some brand new not sticky tarmac. In the couple weeks in the covid month of april they went for it.

I was one of the lucky few that were alloud to go.

Here some nice pictures. A couple things got changed nice last time I drove. Bigger front discs. 18 front ARB, 1 piece propshaft, new AR1s semi slicks with goldish rims.



















I had a blast, was a good day. No rain really just a couple off drops. I got a black flag because my exhaust was to loud 101.8 DB, only 98DB alloud. Had to fit a thing in the exhaust and it was oke. the thing in the exhaust kills 5hp and couple of DB. Its time for a new rear exhaust box. Been told that i sometime have flames coming out of the exhaust. The insulation isn't that good anymore. But, everything was working when the car was back on the trailer so thats a verry good thing. The tires did oke. because of the new tarmac they do not grip that good. They were shirping in the corners. Overall it was fun.

On the 3the picture you see verry good when I turn my negatieve camber is gone. When I go straight the car has negatieve camber.
Now I have a couple months to think about some stuff. Longer lower wishbone or shorter upper wishbone. Will think about that. My next trackday is in July On Spa.

The brake upgrade from 260mm to 283mm, Must say they are better. I can brake later so thats a good thing. With racechrone I can track my course and some of the laps I had 1.34G for braking. with the 260mm brakes I did manage 1G. So there is a little bit better.

[therealpinto]

Re: Ford Taunus TC2 - now Trackday car

Cool!

As I said, working on the camber correction curve can do wonders.

Gustaf

[Arieke]

Re: Ford Taunus TC2 - now Trackday car

Was looking at video from Trackday in july. My fastest lap till now, Check it out is you like

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGgiLIXiEi0&t

[Arieke]

Re: Ford Taunus TC2 - now Trackday car

double post

[Arieke]

Re: Ford Taunus TC2 - now Trackday car

Always been struggeling with going faster with my car in corners. The problem is the car loses grip at certain speed because the tire is turning on the schoulder. I already made some camber bolts but with no avail.

So after alot of thinking and doing nothing, I got bored. Was tired of throwing away decent tires.





The shoulder wears out. because when the car turns, the suspension setup gives positieve camber when cornering. So I needed to change that.


So here is what I tried to do. Did some work. Removed the wishbones from the front axle. The left one the bushing was worn out. The track control arm nut from the suspension was also lost. Yes it could have a effect on tires, but doesn't change the facted that the car has positieve camber.





I tried and cut up some wishbones. Must say it was a hell of a job. Was verry fun, getting the ball joints out was the worst job.
So this is how it all ended up









Was verry glad with the welding. They already held out for 2 hours on the track So lucky me.



This was the old setup. A small difference




Here I have it all installed. I got alot of extra space.





The other problem I ran into. Had a bit of trouble getting them here. Jeej Brexit... But after a while they came. They needed a little bit of tweaking. But all setup and ready




So I got alot of extra camber, our I hope so. I got the wheels lined out. a little Toe out like before.




So I already drove 2 hours on track. In the beginning I wasn't sure, track was a little bit wet so i couldn't get the same cornerspeed as when its dry. But came verry close, normally can get 115km/u and now it was a little bit wet and got the car to 110km/u. So think its a improvement. Last year it was raining so the speeds wear not so high as now. So we will see next year.


Now the car is at a friend of mine. He gutted all the electrical wires and going to install everything new, dashboard and switch panel. Hopefully done so we can test some more next year

[Arieke]

Re: Ford Taunus TC2 - now Trackday car

Long time ago I updated here.

So in 2023 we did an engine refresh, after 10 years it would maybe need some attention. That took most of 2023 actually. New engine block with pistions with a little more compression ratio. But same head and cams. So power would be the same 200hp.

It wasn't only the engine, I had somebody flock my dashboard. it covered up all the holes that i made over the years in the dashboard. Because of the roll cage the windscreen needed to be removed, but it was cracked, so installed an other front windscreen. Got it installed without cracks in it.
The other thing my dad helped me install was a front splitter from a granada. So its was to big, but we made it fit. I got some black bumpers and with the front splitter it looks alot better on the car.
Also made a axle ratio change verry importend 3.45 instead of 3.78. I changed the rear disks to from 220 from the mk2 fiesta to 240mm single disk from a escort mk4. (if i could fit sierra 240mm vented disks)

In 2023 I did 3 track days and got better times on Circuit Zolder. Went from 2m07 to 2m03. I don't know where those seconds came from but the car felt faster everywhere in the corners. So the front splitter and the axle ratio help out. Maybe in winter 2024-2025 upgrade for even better splitter.




After my first trackday in september 2023 I had the change to buy a much powerfull engine. The same Ford scorpio 2.3 16v engine. Only this one had 296hp with 295nm of torque.(and extra 1200rpm in the rev range) And a much better exhaust and an dta ecu running 2x 50 throttle bodies. Honda k20 pistons, rods and bearings off course. Valve and springs are from the same K20. So an honda in a Ford engine redline at 8250

So yes 2024 again... change an engine again. We need again alot of changes. A special made custom exhaust malifold. I couldn't install my engine drive servo pump so needed to change that with an electric servo pump from some citroen. Works good. Changed some stuff on my radiator with an electric waterpump because the previous owner milled that part off the block. Also needed a injection fuel pump.

Of course did again a diff ratio swap to 3.89 so it could get the same max speeds in the gear with the higer revving engine. Better front brakes? 291mm jag disk with Fiat coupe Brembo calipers with ebc Blue stuff. All new braid rims and the rear have now 225 in stead of 195. Hopefully good for 300hp. Front will be upgraded to 205 when the last set of 195 are wornout.


4th of September will be the first trackday will take place. I shall start carefully with an extra 100hp under my right foot.

[Arieke]

So Its almost the end of 2024. A Year with fun and a year with bad luck.
My 300hp engine broke a camshaft for some reason.
So I swapped it out and installed my old 200hp eninge back in. Changed the rear end. because its easyer to change axles then pinions.





here is what happends.

http://arieke.be/TS/mycompetition/2024/nokkensas.mp4

At the moment it will take a bit before i take the engine apart. First going to get my old engine new oil and some fixes so I can Drive it next year. And somewhere in March or so I will be taking the engine apart to take a good look. And hopefully fix it.