Lupo GTI from Sweden

[peepin_eyes]

Last weekend I went on a local 'trackday', Gothenburgs sportscar club arranged a sprint race for street cars on a thing that is called Parkbanan (Park track, straight translated). In this city they make many of the Volvos, this is were they started it all many years ago.

Volvo has a great museum where they have many of the cars standing, and to get the cars out sometimes and takes photos of the they built the park track... Its a little track that is 1,8km's long and very narrow, nut great fun! It is placed right by the sea with fields of grass in between the asphalt...

Each and every car make a lap alone on the track and then return to the lastplace in the queue to wait for another run.

31 cars to the start and I ended up being 8th! border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

Photo: PDE

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Beautiful view when the weather is good.

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[peepin_eyes]

That video is brilliant, i really feel like i want to go on a track day more than ever now! Your exhaust sounds nice too!

Thank you! I like the exhaust too, but during longer drives it might be a little too much. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

nice pics again. i wanted to ask you about your sparco seat. is it base mounted? did you buy the sparco frames specifically for the lupo gti, do they fit ok no problems easy to just bolt and swap over from standard frames and seats? lastly did you weigh old frames / seats to see the weight differences? thanks.

Thank you!

The Sparco seat is side mounted. And the seats was already mounted when I bought the car and they used the standard seat frame as a base. They took the whole bit that slides in the floor so you can adjust it, of course there was a bit of welding involved too... So they are still a bitt heavy. You can see how it looks on page two.

Edited May 17, 2007 by peepin_eyes

[peepin_eyes]

I went to Kinnekulle Ring a few weeks ago, lots of fine cars och a real great track, this is the track that I have driven the most, it's the closest one aswell. It's a track that suits these cars that I often tend to own, the ones that lacks power. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

photo: Tobias H

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photo: Tobias H

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photo: 24-seven

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photo: 24-seven

[peepin_eyes]

So this weekend it's time for the best and largest VW-event in northern europe, a 3-day event here in Sweden! WWW.BUGRUN.COM border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

After that I started with the mounting of the coilovers, Jimmy that I bought the car from wanted the old coilovers back to be mounted on his 1,4tdi. So now I have the 'right' gti-coilovers from H&R mounted. No pictures on the mounting, I'm sorry.

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I didn't use the rear adjusters between the spring and the rear axle, so now I got a little lower stance on the car then before. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

Time for an oil change too, you can get a glimpse of the new shiny coilovers here.

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A quick wash of the enginebay made it shine a little more again. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

Edited June 6, 2007 by peepin_eyes

[vworks41]

Sounds good mate.

[Plug]

Loving the on track pic's mate, excellent. Lovely running commentry as well. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />

[Lupo D]

Good one...! style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

D.

[peepin_eyes]

Allright then! Two weeks ago I went to the VW-highlight of the year here in Scandinavia, BugRun. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

The weather was really sunny the whole weekend, and the temperature was 30 degrees C almost all day.

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After all the tents stood where they should it was time for some well deserved BBQ and beer! border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

An early wakeup on saturday morning, time to change tires on the car from street tires to 'R-tires to use on the track later on the day... border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

The photographer seems to have catched my good side that day. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

So after the car was prepared the fun part began, the track opens!

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The car performed very well with the new upgrades (New H&R coilover for a GTi, and the new blue Pagid brakepads).

And after all activity on the track end for the day, it's time for some BBQ again och more beer. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

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An engine from a Golf Limited in a Corrado, 1,8L 16v G60. This car won best engine, a clean install and stock looking engine bay...

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A Volksrod.

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Finnish de-chromeing rattlecan style on the party camp, all good ideas comes after a whole bunch of beer and Koskenkorva... border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

Norwegian 'einser' called projekt rostfrei.

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On saturday evening the party camp were pretty crowded...

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Why not?

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I love this ride, perfect!

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Great looking supercharged Corrado.

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This mk1 took home the mk1 class, a really though class this year with many very good looking rides.

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Norwegian 1,0. A good stretch on those tires...

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Calle Elving won best GTi with his very classy car, this car is in a state better then new, but Calle uses it hard on the track all day and the car works great! Thats how you do it! style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":shades:" border="0" alt="shades.gif" />

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After the prize cermony it was time to go home, one year to the next time... style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" /> The organizers says it came 1440 cars and over 5000 people to the show, I guess thats pretty ok!

[peepin_eyes]

The rest of the pics I took is HERE, 6 pages...

Edited June 20, 2007 by peepin_eyes

[vworks41]

Looked like agood crack, nice pic's to.

[peepin_eyes]

It's been a long time since I wrote something here, so here comes one or a few updates...

The 26th of June I went to Anderstorp to introduce the Lupo to Scandinavian Raceway, that track is the biggest one in Sweden,

it's also the only swedish track where F1 GP has been held. The last time Sweden hosted F1 was in 1978 on Anderstorp, Niki

Lauda in a Brabham won over Ricardo Petrese (Arrows) & 'the superswede' Ronnie Peterson (Lotus) who passed away after a crash

in Italys GP 1978, he became a huge loss in Swedish motorsport and people still talks about him as one of the best drivers.

Anyway, the thing thats is great is that the track is unchanged since then, very unusual with tracks from that period... The

track has a massive straight and with very banked curves the track is like nothing else in Sweden, the track suits powerful

cars more then Lupos, but I like the track a lot anyway. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

Photo: Samuel S

On my way through the last corner to enter the huge straight.

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Photo: Samuel S

All participants had to use the rear foglight on their cars, that was a good help because you could barely see them whan you

laid behind someone in the spray...

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Photo: PP

One more.

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[peepin_eyes]

The next race was at Parkbanan (see previous page for details on that track) but a lot of rain the day before made the small

track useless... The plan was to try my new set of wheels. I bought a set os OZ Ultraleggera in 7x15" and mounted the Toyo

R888's on them. It turned out that my car was a little to low in the rear for these wheels. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

Tbhe only thing to do was to raise the rear a little, it looked like the car was loaded in the rear anyway... border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

[peepin_eyes]

The next trackday was run by the Swedish GTI club and Opel Sports Club at Kinnekulle Ring (again). This was a 2-day event on

the 7th & 8th of July, so the tent and things like that were loaded in the car. The weather forecast was not looking to good

either for the weekend. The saturday showed it's best side with great weather and warm sun sometimes.

The cars was great and the new tires too! I could recommend the Toyo R888's good grip for descent money! Some pics then.

The Lupo on the tracks fastest part, the 'under the bridge' section, a long straight before a really creepy corner below a

bridge, the corner could be taken flat out with the Lupo (barely), the tacho reads 170km/h straight under the bridge, this is

were I could make up time agains the more powerful cars that have to brake from 200-ish km/h figures. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

Photo: GTIpower

This pic is on the way back where you pass the bridge again, this corner is a little slower, about 100km/h. I'm chased by a

Opel Corsa with a 2L Calibra Turbo engine (I think), and a very nice Golf mk2 16v, and far far away is a Golf mk1 16v on

Weber carbs... border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

Photo: GTIpower

The same corner but from another angle.

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Photo: GTIpower

Lupo again, I think you could spot the differance in rideheight here. I think it looks much better this way.

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I took some pictures when I didn't drive.

A black Polo 6N2 GTI showed up.

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Both the black 944 turbo and the Z3 M coupé were really quick, but the M coupé was a little faster. About 5sec faster per lap

then the Lupo. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

from the saturday from the Z3 from one of the

fastest laps. Amazing pace by Tommy S in the Z3, btw, he's also a Lupo gti driver, he drive a red gti 01!

Exactly when it was time to break up for the day the rain came, and it didn't stop either! But the tent worked great and kept

me dry, so instead of the planned bbq we went to town to eat some descent food Swedish style. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

But I had to try at least, and I was a bit excited abou9t the new tires and how they would behave in the rain and standing

water. Excellent grip I could say afterwards, I've tried tires with worse grip in the dry even! border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

One of the gti clubs must clean mk2 16v's with great history, OZ superturismo for the track, but it looks even better with

its BBS Lemans 8 or 7,5x17" that he uses on the street!

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Time to fill the car and get home to clean all the rubber from the car.

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[peepin_eyes]

The 15th of July I visited a trackday at Ring Knutstorp organized by the Volvo Turbo Performance Club (TPC), great weather

and some amazing cars!

This was a new track for me but I had really looked forward to try it, from what I've seen and heard the track was very good

for us who drive 'slower' cars. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

Looks good this time.

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And on the way out.

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Since the fuel tank is so small 34Litres (I've been told) the range isn't that good, good for you guys cause that gives me

more time to take pics in the afternoon haha.

One of the best hot hatches right now, Renaultsport Megane 225, a bit big and a turbo to much for me to like it...

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Very many peolple on this trackday. The variaty of cars is also great för being a Volvo meeting. border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

Since it was a Volvo meeting there were also a lot of great Volvos, several Volvo 850's with totally amazing engines. This

gut Leif for example, he's got this almost stock looking car with a whopping 720hp, in a dailydriver! border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

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When this car passed by on the straight it looked like the 300hp M3's stood still!

And the sound the make with the 2,5L 5cylinder engine is awsome, almost like the old group B Audi S1.

Check out this dyno-video to hear it sing! border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" class="linked-image" />

An Audi S3 proved to be quite fun to lay behind he pulled away on the straight, but when it came to the twisty stuff I was

right back at his tail.

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A GT3 battle...

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A favourite of mine is the Renaultsport Clio V6, I've had the fortune to be a passenger in one once on a very rainy track,

but I could imagine how fun they would be on a dry track.

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The M3 coupé that they shot the in car movie from.

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Well thats it for today then, a lot of writing today, this took almost all day! style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":o" border="0" alt="ohmy.gif" /> style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Hope someone enjoy the pics and to se how it looks on swedish car meetings, and you have to tell me if you want more pics of

other swedish carshows (I go to a few).

[micky c]

Lovely Lupo GTi style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":shades:" border="0" alt="shades.gif" />

A great thread here, had kept me entertained for half hour on its own!

Some lovely cars in those pics, VW, Ford & Porsche are my faves and I've owned at least one of them all style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":wub:" border="0" alt="wub.gif" />

[Lupo D]

Very Impressive Pics style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="B)" border="0" alt="cool.gif" />

D.

[vworks41]

Really good thread, nice one.

[peepin_eyes]

I'm having a bit of a trouble with the Xenon of the car, so if anyone have any brights ideas to help me out please check this thread out. I can't get the lamphousing out without removing the frontbumper, and the frontbumper is stuck even after I have removed all visible bolts... I'm glad for all the help I can get.

Edited August 21, 2007 by peepin_eyes

[mik3y]

Wow!! excellent thread very well written and thought out, loved every page lovely car too thank you!!

[mik3y]

Love this picture, sign of a brilliant day out!

[Lupo D]

Love this picture, sign of a brilliant day out!

Love too...!

D.

[SiiMo]

Excellent looks like good fun would love to do a track day in mine

[peepin_eyes]

Long time since this thread was updated...

The 25th of august I wnet to 'Parkbanan' in Gothenburg to drive a sprint race again , this was sprint number four in the little cup they run during the summer months.

This was the first time i tried the new Toyo R888 on this track, and they sure was great! I also removed the rear seats as usual but aldo the passenger seat this time.

The first time of the day was 4 seconds faster then the time I got then driving the course in May!

I did a 1.40.64-lap, that made the little Lupo the 7th fastest car that day, an I was amazed to see the little car be faster then a lot of quick cars. The cars that were quicker was two Caterham sevens, two Mazda mx5 and a very fast Z3 M-coupé and a 2,7L (300+hp) BMW motorsport M3 E30.

And some pics of the hooligan shoppingcart.

It rained a little the first hour of the race, that made my times a little better aswell...

Photo: 'PDE'

Photo: 'PDE'

Parked next to certain cars the Lupo GTi looks like a huge car... This is Stellans Renault Alpine A110, a great little car, Stellan drives a Lupo too, a 3L.

[peepin_eyes]

Next up, a trip abroad to meet our Nordic VW-Audi neighbours!

My friend Mika and I planned to go to Norway to their autumn trackday at Rudskogen in the south of Norway, this is not along trip since we live pretty close to the border. We have something like 220km's to the track so that's not so far. Anyway, I've talked of doing this trip for years but my there has always been some other things to do that weekend, but this time I talked to Mika and he was very interested in doing the trip since he wanted to try his Corrado 1,8T (former G60) after the conversion...

So we left home in the early hours, it was a very cold morning for being September, cold and very foggy.

We took the small backroads to the the big E6 that leads us to the border, watch out for elks running out from the forest.

It got colder the closer we got to Norway...

But a cold and foggy morning usually turns out to great weather later on.

Time to fill up the Corrado, Mika drives it on E85-fuel, a very popular fuel here in Sweden and great for performance engines aswell. You need a higher fuel pressure and the engine will often need more fuel, but the fuel is much cheaper per liter. Most guys who mount an standalone (like Mika here) tune it to run on E85, the bad thing is that the Norwegians don't have the E85 fuel everywhere as we do (no problem in finding places that sell anyway), this could have something to do with Norways production of oil? Anyway, a full tank of fuel and 60L in the luggage space will do the trick...

We got to the track early, both Mika and I have been here several times before on the

(I guess you have read about them i magazines as many uk magazines have been there), great fun but the little Lupo is no good for these kind of events, thats why we choose to ride with VW-Audi club Norwegen, great guys with great cars more similar to ours.

The trackday started with an meeting with the organizers telling us what to do and what not to do, an instructor helped the drivers that was unsure how to get along with the track, always good to have someone looking on your driving.

After that we looked at some of the cars that now filled the race-depot, the place was filled with both trackcars and showcars, this mk1 Golf looked great, Öhlins suspension, 1,8L 8v with Weber carbs made some great noise.

Porn! Clean but usable, perfect.

Rat-Jetta mk2.

A mk2 Golf Diesel.

Well, time for some trackpics then!

To get you an idea how the track look like from a drivers view (or passenger),

is a in car movie from VS motor, the car is their E34 M5 they have treated with some bpu...

The first corner of the track, a very long tire-shredder of a corner.

Photo: Böllerides

The same corner from another view.

Photo: NiMe

Here we are no the small straight right outside of of the depot. The little Lupo kept up great with many of the cars on this trackday even tough they had several hundred of hp more. The GTi was never sold new in Norway either btw, and there were not many Lupos sold new there either.

Photo: NiMe

The brakes had to work hard to slow the car down for this corner...

Photo: Tyskerstuk

So then, back to the other cars I took photos of.

I had a great time chasing this Swede in his mk4 R32, these cars turned out to match each other great!

The Haldex 4wd worked perfect out of the slippery corners. Next year I don't think it will be that easy to keep up with him since he is going to mount a EIP stage 3 (450hp?) turbo kit...

Project 'rustfrei'. This guy and some friends of his builds some great looking (and shiny) mk1 cars too.

Yes it is LOW! But he uses it and drives it everywhere, and the Norwegian roads is not the best in the world, very bumpy sometimes...

Ready for takeoff! What happens if you put a 5-600hp engine in a family estate. Awesome sound!

A pile of clean RS2 avants...

A good looking mk2.

The avant cars has always been popular in Norway.

S1 copy, but with an engine to match or even more...

Some service between the runs here. TS Racings A3.

Then it was time to go home again... Mika had everything that he needed with him in the Corrado.

All the pics I took from this event is HERE.

[peepin_eyes]

The next trackday was the 13th of September at Falkenberg racetrack in the westcoast of Sweden. It was very sunny and with the sun standing so low some corners became a bit dangerous so the trackday was shortened down one hour.

The car felt great, but a little rattle from the rear brakes when I go hard onthe breakes from high speed have occured, and it's not such a big deal, just that it's the first time I've noticed it.

Some pics then.

Me chasing a Toyota MR2, later on he got some issues with the oil return from the turbo and lost all the oil.

Photo: 'TPR'

This is from when I pass a real tidy example of a Dastun 240Z, the three Weber carbs hooked on to the straight six engine made a really good sound.

Photo: 'TPR'

Later on that week we was back for revenge at the track in the park in Gothenburg, this should be the day that the 1.39.xx-time should be there! After four passes the best time was a whopping 1.40.25-time, fast but not a 1.39-time! There will be a loooong wait until next year for me to try to reach that goal, I have no idea on what to do either.

On pic from the day.

Photo: '1275gt's' dad

Edited October 20, 2007 by peepin_eyes