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The car doesn't need to be firmly sprung to work on track, but, and this is by no means intended to be argumentative, if you really want the car to work on track, it's my view that you need to start considering the geometry (I don't mean camber / caster / toe), and get that sorted. The roll centres, jacking, pro-dive, pro-squat, etc - these really need to be resolved before the car is a truly capable track tool. Fast road / track work on a stock car, is erm, interesting, in a slightly unsettling way.
Surely, everything geometry related is adjustable once built?
(But do correct me if needed)
I am looking to buy springs that are realistically suited to the 1.8t engine in the back. I know marlin have their own custom springs made, but i'm sure these are for the rover engines and possibly less weight than the 1.8t vag unit.
You mention "fast road / track work on a stock car."
My chassis, which was produced in March 2006, had from factory some characteristics which I didn't like. I found the car unpleasant to drive, and very unpredictable.
My car is now quite different, and I can deploy the power with reasonable confidence.
I upgraded the front springs to 220 due to the ones supplied too soft. Once the car is on the road, I shall be taking the car to track developments as John did to get a professional assesment with weights etc. As car had a Rover Turbo in it before, what to get the spring rates right instead of keep guessing.
As for engine mounts etc. I had the Rover running gear before. MGF gear change, gearbox etc. So mine is based on Rover running gear with the 1.8T bolted on. But beefed up the gearbox internals to cope with the extra modded power.
Mine are all done, just little odds and sods to do before I take the car to get exhaust made. I'm going for around 300-350 mark on standard internals for now. After experience with 200 BHP, this will be plenty. At 200BHP, it was frightening. So god knows what it will be like like this!
If it was me going for the power you aiming for, I would get all the major components built up and take it to track developments.
The engine was sick when I went to woodbridge (170BHP at the wheels) before it went to heaven. It managed 120 MPH on the straight (about 1/4 to 1/2 mile).
Thought I would give some update as it's been a little while.
Boost hoses and chargecooler fitted. Hoses not jubilee clipped yet as I need to complete the water hoses for the chargecooler (waiting for rad)
Polished inlet and new expansion bottle. Together with shiney chargecooler filler.
Oil cooler fitted. Electrics looks worse than it appears. Just lamber to solder in (but can't do this until exhaust is done. Gentral clipping on wiring to do for now. When mapped and all wiring tested, the will go in conduit. Just in case I've missed something!
Things to do.
Accelerator to be sent off (too short)
Jublee clip every thing that is left (a few water pipes and boost pipes)
Fit slave cylinder and battery tray.
Fit driveshafts back together
Fill cooling system and check for leaks. Same for oil system.
Fill engine up to temp and see if Rover gauge displays correct coolant temp!
This I hope to complete withing the next 2 weeks. Maybe not accelerator cable (sending it off to get done).
Hopefully off at the end of September to get exhaust made.
The gearbox is a Rover Coupe turbo, beefed up with steel caged bearings to cope with the extra power. Gearboxes hjave been know to cope with 500BHP + so should hopefully do the trick.
The mounts was made by my good friend and fellow 5EXI own Merlinman. Took the car done to his workshoshop to get the made. It was there we discovered the space in the chassis was not enough with the 6 speed box. So went the Rover route as I had all the change cables etc.
The dip stick I've just rested there for the time being. It clips under the metal support frame at the side of the inlet that holds the plastic OE cover. But just wanted the dipsitck out of the way for now.
As for the silicon hoses. My wallet is still quivering with the expense it cost. Silicon water hose front to back for the rad as well. Though not in the centre tunnel.
Hmm yes I did think about the wheel problem. Still looking for ideas. As well as the meshing in the side pod to stop stones from entering there. It only has three sides to attach mesh to the side pods.
All the OE plastic covers fit as well. Will decide at a later date whether to go Carbon fibre covers or not. But will look a little OE with the covers.
The lump i have is an ayp from an ibiza. (The only time you will get me near Ibiza, i can tell you!)
Not the best start, as i thought it was a leon. Apparently it has a Revo Stage 2 remap to 200bhp. But everyone who understands remaps seems to think revo are poo!
Anyway, at least i have something to start making engine and gearbox mounts with!
To be honest, most of the engines look the same with just different head or turbo. So still a good buy in my opinion.
As for the ECU. If you are planning to go high spec in the fiuture, as you spoke about before, then ditch the ECU NOW. Or when your read to start that section of the build. Before the wiring at the engine starts. Wire once with one ECU. This is not to cut costs my quite a bit of time wiring!
High spec engines will probably just be an engine swap.
As for the mounts, you could approach Marlin as the are making some for Steve (nutter). You will have the same setup as him. Though if they have to modify the chassis, that maybe is a whole different ball game.
I will start having a look at it all soon. I have some H-Frame trolley bases that i need to weld some uprights and top bars to so i can sit the car on them.
Just starting to look at what bracing i can add to the chassis.
Engine mounts will be next, after i have cleaned the engine and shed some weight from it to help move it round a bit!
I will pop a pic up in a bit of the engine, on a pallet in the back of my car. It took me an hour and a half to get home and it was only 50 miles.
I had to slow down for every corner, to stop it toppling over and taking a route through the rear doors!
Yeah mines been off the road about the same time as you. 18/10 it came back on a low loader.
I'm looking forward to the thing moving again now as well. Though will be running low to no boost until I get it onto the rolling road. Need to fit bigger injectors for the bigger turbo when I go and get it mapped.
Next step after this little lot is getting the exhaust done (end of Sept).
Nothing like what you have done John and I don't have the time I used to have before I had the little one!
I have sprayed it all which was a lot more time consuming than I first thought as the gel coat although looked ok (ish) when primed was full of millions of pin holes everywhere!!
Bought new alloys and tyres which are on now so just need to reset geo and I'm back on road hopefully!
Oh and painted some of the chassis with that black shit that if it spills on your drive won't come off.
ps are you doing the exhaust yourself as in stainless it's surprisingly easy to make and weld? As you know I have exits in a different place to everyone else but twas simple to weld stainless
I do like the way you have done your exhaust. The way it exits.
But have never welded before so doing this it is a no no more me. Let alone stainless ( I believe it takes a different approach to welding or is that ally?).
Yeah thats ally I tried that for the induction but it's a total bitch! never again.
Stainless was for me 10 times easier than normal metal, any setting seemed to produce excellent results but if you have a good price from a pro it's always going to be better!
I would like a back box made with larger pipes but think it would be £££'s
I have sprayed it all which was a lot more time consuming than I first thought as the gel coat although looked ok (ish) when primed was full of millions of pin holes everywhere!!
As for the mounts, you could approach Marlin as the are making some for Steve (nutter). You will have the same setup as him. Though if they have to modify the chassis, that maybe is a whole different ball game.
I reckon my mounts will be different, as Im on the race chassis. Not the standard Marlin chassis.
) 
Though not in the centre tunnel.