here we go again...new Rado! (pg 4)

always loved those wheels!!! should bet a set of the winter 928 wheels for the back! i always thaught the combination looked cool

ratlook_ping wrote:

always loved those wheels!!! should bet a set of the winter 928 wheels for the back! i always thaught the combination looked cool

hmmm....dunno, any pics of it done?

Lush indeedy dude! I really like!

my latest mod:

hmmm....slightly concerned after the meet tonight. A few of you may have heard when i was leaving that the Rado was missing slighly for a few moments after i started it up, it had been doing this for a little while now and i have noticed its losing a little water without any obvious leaks.......head gasket perhaps on its way out? :pale:

Oh dear, maybe its time for that engine conversion

was not planning on quite so soon, dont think the finances will allow for that just yet

well finally got a chance to investigate and looks pretty certain its the head hasket, an opinion backed up by my old man who is a mechanic (although a twisted Ford nut who considers me the black sheep of the family for being into VW's and wont fix them for me ).

Soooo rather than pissing around chucking cash at a lump thats done almost 200k now, i have put a deposit down on a new engine as the cost of buying/fitting it is not much more than i was quoted for doing the head gasket!

A mate built it to go in his stunning mk2 before changing his mind and dropping a VR in and knowing/trusting him im pretty sure he wont have cut any corners if it was supposed to go in his car so should be good, the spec is as follows:

2ltr 16v ABF bottom end from a mk3 16v gti 'long throw' engine - supplied by Stevens VW about 2yrs ago and informed it was a good low mileage engine, standard internals,
painted silver

1.8 16v original head
ported inlet and exhaust openings to gasket size and welds smoothed
Skimmed
All valves removed, de-coked and replaced. Guides fine so not messed with
New Head Gasket fitted
comes with new head gasket set
New head bolts fitted - not torqued up yet
Cams - has 2exhaust cams - supposed to be a good power upgrade due to increased lift, need toqueing up
standard tappets
comes with chrome affect rocker cover and mildly polished 50mm inlet manifold

020 16v box as original - good synchromesh with none of the usual 1st-2nd gear faults
also painted silver and bolted to the bottom end ready to go
new clutch and assembly - also from Stevens VW

comes with all main ancillaries - starter, alternator, k-jet injection system, mfa, hoses etc etc
mk2 16v subframe comes with the engine if required

150bhp standard but with the work thats been done he reckons it should be pushing around 170bhp . All in for £350.00

Big big Cheers to Caddyman for the offer of helping to fit it once i get it, just gotta find the rest of the cash now......

Bargain mate

Bet ya cant wait for the extra ponies

well new engine picked up at the weekend...just gotta get it in there now:



hope it all goes ok....:pale:

Hope the swap goes well for ya m8,

gonna need to have a chat with ya next week m8 cuz puttin the standard engine back in mine.

Awesome martin!!

BTW, can i have ya old rocker cover pretty please

no worries Lee, should have one spare mate as the new lump came with 2!

anyway, engine swap started today:









fingers crossed, so far so good, should be finished over the weekend/monday (if i can blag another half day!).
steve's (caddyman) awsome carb'd mk2 valver, (I want!), cheers for all your hard work today mate !!

Cheers martin
may want ya old head aswell if thats available.

Good luck with the conversion bud

Oh, does steve(caddyman) do home visit conversions then

Steve has 1st dibs on the head/any parts he needs that i dont, but will let you know. lol, no i doubt he will be doing anymore home visit conversions after today, didnt go exactly to plan and seemed to be one problem after another....

dnt u just love when bits are missing wot u need to do the job
oh well will all be done on saturday mate aslong as we find the sensor

yeah i know mate, hope you didnt have nightmares about that bolt either

Got pick up the correct cambelt today and then just find that sensor!

caddyman wrote:

dnt u just love when bits are missing wot u need to do the job
oh well will all be done on saturday mate aslong as we find the sensor

always the way, when you want to get something done and you think you have everything you need something always sets you back

Im just hoping everything else goes to plan now as just i want it back on the road :( . Shame the clutch/box that i got with the engine dont fit (open to offers for them, supposedly good box and clutch looks ok) as my clutch is mullered but have not got the funds for a new clutch right now and need the car back on the road.

Couple more work in progress pics:




Start them young, my little boy Alex was keen to help - Steve giving him some training...or was it the other way round .

So is it all done then Martin?

its all in and working now after we put another engine in it as the one martin got had no compression [well very low ]
and when it run it put lots of smoke out and filled the air box with oil
so now thanks to mik at mvdevelopments for sourceing the engine its all runnin spot one and martins saved for e38 lol

Yup, as Steve said, there was definatly something up with the other engine, the oil was full of water when we drained it out! Hope to strip it down at some point and try to figure out what was wrong with it.

Anyway Steve found and picked up another 2ltr 16v through Mik @ MV Developments and we put that in last wednesday and it fired up almost straight away! Also fitted a new clutch at the same time and after sorting a few initial problems (flashing warning lights/buzzer and snapped bonnet cable) etc it seems all good! The new engine certainly feels a LOT better than the old 193,000 mile KR lump!

Only thing left to do is fit a new starter motor as i think we fried mine trying to start that other engine so hope to do that this afternoon and then give it a damn good wash as its covered in oily finger prints (not a good look on a yellow car!) and hopefully will be all set for E38!

Anyway thanks to everyone who gave help and advice to get it sorted in time for E38 especially Steve (caddyman) for all the hard work, Mik @ MV for sourcing a working engine & rubjohnny on E38 for all his advice via pm!

Good going guys!

As some of you may already know, I finally have another Corrado so I though I would revive this thread rather than start a new one!

After getting rid of the Yellow Rado (a moment of madness) I've had a Boring Bora, Oak Green mk2 and an A3 T-sport but always missed the Corrado so finally got myself another!

Most of you will probably recognise this as Steve's (caddymans) old car but the basic spec is:

1.8 16v KR engine
Coilovers
Powerflow exhaust
9x16" Brock B1 alloys painted in Rover Tempest grey
red tint rear lights
bonnet bra
HID headlight kit fitted.
All electrics work! (although the passenger window is tempremental)

Pics (some pinched from Steve's thread!):







could do with a new drivers seat (anyone?)


small scab on the arch:














pretty pleased with it so far (even if its not yellow!). In typical Corrado style it broke on about the 2nd day of my ownership but now I have stopped it leaking electricity (new battery and alternator) it all seems good.

Not really made any plans for it yet but for starters I'm on the hunt for a new drivers seat and an early grill with a badge! I'm sure I will also have to fit the obligatory Momo 280 at some point as I have done in all my previous mk2's and the yellow Rado.

Also undecided on the Bra....its staying for now as I need to polish the bonnet (the area under the Bra is a different shade) and preventing stone chips is a good thing, but really undecided about whether I like the "look" of it?

Jeez im surpirsed steve sold this! Looks better off without the bra imo.