4th May 1999:

Looks like she's almost getting there. The wheels stick out a bit, and doesn't she sit high up! But at least the body and the floorpan are as one. The arches will have to be pulled out a bit, but not as much as I had originally thought - not even as much as on a standard Integrale. Waiting to see how Burnham Autos are going to do this, I want subtle so pulling the arches out smoothly will be the order of the day, rather than Integrale/Audi Quattro style blisters. Looking inside the tailgate opening you can clearly see how the newer inner wing panel had to be built up so there was something to weld the suspension turrets too! Have a closer look at the detail shot for a better look.

Thought I'd throw in a front three quarter shot although she looks a little less finished from this view. The bonnet doesn't quite clear the suspension turrets so it cannot be closed quite yet. Hopefully enough space will be made to clear the suspension strut brace - not yet fitted. The front of the car is still a couple of inches longer than ideal, may have to get a radiator made specially for it, on the other hand maybe not. On the Y10, the radiator sits in front of the black panel across the front of the car but the Integrale radiator is so much bigger, especially deeper. Siting the intercooler and oil cooler would be useful - they could always slot into the inner wings as per normal Y10 Turbo practice, but that is the last resort. Actually the last, last resort is for the front of the car to be extended - make the wings a little longer to use up the gap!

Its the little things that add up though - the fuel filler hole visible on the rear quarter panel has to go - the Integrale fills up from the other side, so an opening will need to be made on the other rear quarter. The springs are going to have to come down about 4" in total to get the car nearer the ground. Told Paul that it would be nice if the rear wheel sits up inside the rear wheel arch, but the car has to sit level, and the front wheels have to turn, so that may be a limiting factor.

Close up shot of the front wheel and wing. Really thought it would stick out further than this. Its still the standard Integrale wheel but the offset of the new wheels seem to be such that the extra inch of width is added on the inside. Needless to say, the wheel arches will be made to fit the new wheels!

You can plainly see the gap at the front in front of the wing panel - this amount of space still needs to be found from somewhere.

The back wheel seems to stick out a little less that at the front, but that may be because the offsets of the wheels are different - this is the correct wheel for the car. Sits at a funny angle - major positive camber - due to the lack of weight in the back. The suspension and diff is all there, but the bodywork above is empty so not compressing the suspension enough. Need to lose about 3" out of the rear springs to get the suspension links to sit level, and then the camber will return to normal.

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