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The Car Thread


MadManMike

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I'm not entirely sure it's worth doing on that engine really - the stock setup flows more than well enough for a couple of hundred bhp all day long so I guess it depends how far you're planning to go and starting with that as a base I can't imagine you going any higher than that?

That said, if you just fancy something to do on the cheap it's a nice cheap'n'easy one. Wouldn't bother with the 3" MAF though, just pick up an 86-76mm reducer/whatever and stick with the 2.5" MAF instead (Y)

Jake: Yeah it's an optional setting on most though I've read mixed things about it being doable with VCDS so need to set aside time to play. Usually you have to hold down the unlock for it to happen though, rather than it just doing it with a quick plip!

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to be honest, im not stupid, i know most of the modifications i'll make will make very little difference :P

Currently my inlet manifold must be coated at least 5-10mm thick in soot/oil, so if im replacing it, might as well replace it for something better.

post-36867-0-27455800-1421607257_thumb.j

Just thought, if you're fitting the s2000 air filter in the standard box, how do you get the piping from the filter to the standard maf? just enlarge the maf hole in the airbox?

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This airbox is one I picked up from George Seamons on here which he'd already modified slightly to take a cold air feed and fit to a Jetex (I think?). I'd imagine he was running a bit of silicon hose, which I will likely also be doing - just a bit of 80mm ID black hose will do the trick - due to the angle the filter naturally sits in a straight section looks like it'll do the job nicely enough but I should get a better idea over the next few days when I find time to have a play around with it all :)

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Could've said it'd got shunted! Thought it was another issue for the list.

Spend some proper money on the Caddy - stick a 1.8T/ 1.9tdi or something in it, nice interior (didn't you already do this?) gearbox to suit new engine, bit of welding, decent heater, make sure it's soundproofed and weatherproof, run that as a daily and enjoy it.

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Could've said it'd got shunted! Thought it was another issue for the list.

Spend some proper money on the Caddy - stick a 1.8T/ 1.9tdi or something in it, nice interior (didn't you already do this?) gearbox to suit new engine, bit of welding, decent heater, make sure it's soundproofed and weatherproof, run that as a daily and enjoy it.

Yeah just been trying to forget about it :(

Tried to fit a3 seats for ages but gave up, they live by my bed now. I was considering lumping a pd130 in but it's had an engine conversion to a non turbo diesel 1.9 1Y mk4 golf which is meant to be one of the most reliable engines ever made in the VW scene... But the word reliable is become something of a joke to me nowadays haha.

Previous owner said the new engine is on 80/90k miles, although clocks say 71k- which I put 3k onto.

My Dad happened to reverse into the ibiza which consequently rolled back and hit the Caddy too, so need a new front grille and indicators for it. Need to try bend the bumper back slightly too and maybe even a new reg plate also as current one is now cracked... :/

Realistically with the caddy- just to get it road worthy/legal it needs welding to back half, new brake lines, and the lens/grille sorted out. Then tax. So under a grand quite easily...

Any of you guys done engine swaps before? How hard are they? I think you've all just convinced me to get the caddy going again :).

Ideally I really wanna strip the caddy down to a shell and do her up pristinely but that's gonna cost me the world in time and money.

I really want to stick new carpets in it, new doors, new windows inc seals (rear sliding window), fix the rear tailgate- it's bent but I've seen a few methods of fixing- if not I've got a bully net which I can also use although I think looks a bit chavvy.

Sorta using this as a log so sorry for the long post.

Forgot to mention it has a GTI 5 speed gearbox in it also, they usually are only 4 speed.

Also big question, the fan on the radiator sometimes doesn't kick in. Easy fix or new radiator time?

Edited by Jake.
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Given that you seem keen to get away from anything requiring much work and that's going to be fairly cheap and easy to keep on the road, surely buying something standard would make a little more sense than a project/conversion? The Caddy with a fun lump dropped in would be cool, but it'll also be a bit of work/money to make happen which seems to be where a lot of your current issues fall short?

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That's a good point, the caddy has already been converted though and done by a garage... Wouldn't be willing to swap the engine on it for a long time as it's reliable as is- I'd only swap the engine when I'm older and have a daily which a decent income and can use it as a bit of a toy.

I was genuinely thinking of just picking up a small car on the cheap to last me a while but I dunno. Really want the space the back of the caddy offers or an estate...

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Unless you are prepared to really get stuck in and just go for it then avoid a project for now. They always sap time and money, it can be rewarding but it can be equally a total freakin' nightmare as you may be discovering. Ideally you want a reliable daily that you don't need to touch apart from general maintenance, then you can focus on sorting out your caddy. A cheap to run little car would mean you have more money potentially to play with on the caddy, but you will look majorly uncool whilst driving it.

Surely if you have a 1.9D in there, it should be a fairly straightforward swap getting a better 1.9TDI in there or a 1.8T? Just the loom to whack in and a bit of extra pipework

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Thing is the caddy although with its faults has always been driveable, just aesthetics and things that could "improve" which if I don't touch won't make a huge difference to performance but will make a big difference to my wallet.

I could quite easily get the caddy welded, brake lines done and it'll pass the mot... Having that lad look at it on Monday to give me a proper idea for cost- although I have a rough idea, the actual person doing the welding will obviously give a set price.

I could drive a shit car and look uncool for a while which I may do... As long as it drives ok, commute is only 11 miles each way through 2 car wide country lanes. Could do what Sam did and get a car dirt cheap, but at the same time it may have more problems.

Meh, maybe a cheap 1l clio/corsa/saxo/arosa/polo/lupo...


Could have picked that golf off you Luke, know if the new owner is using it?

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If you are only doing 11 miles each way then could you not invest in a road bike and ride to work?

Cheap not total shite cars are about if you are able to do some basic to intermediate jobs. I bought a 55 plate Astra 1.9 SRI (£650), replaced the clutch, DMF and slave (genuine Sachs £350), serviced it (£50 all in), replaced the glow plugs (£25), changed the cam belt and water pump (£120), replacement back box (£10), replacement NS front calliper (£50 new) and a few other bits and bobs such as replacing piping and cleaning parts. For £1300 I now have a car that should be reliable and is worth far more than what I have spent on it, of course I haven't included a price for labour as I did it myself.

If you need to do a fair amount of welding then why not attack it yourself? MIG welding isn't too hard to pick up and it's a great skill to learn! Apart from doing a few basic repairs to agricultural stuff and making a bike frame, I took on a complete mini restoration and it made my welding improve straight away! I'm still not amazingly neat (sometimes I am, but I'm pretty inconsistent as I rarely get to weld these days) but my welds are strong and it's another thing I can do on any cars I own


I know this one looks a bit gash but I'm wondering about making a vent in one of my spare pop up lights ready for extra air when I go 1.8T

LR%20NACA%20Duct%20+%20MAF%20Trap.JPG

Drilled%20Air%20Holes%20-%20Back%20of%20

I want to make it as subtle as possible, I was thinking a widthways slit about 15mm deep, creating a 15mm groove wouldn't look too bad?

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I do have a road bike, I do ride to work. It's not neccessarily a hard ride, takes 30-40 mins if I push or 50 if I cruise.

Spending 20-30 minutes before and after work plus getting changed isn't fun, and nor are these weather conditions.

Maybe I'm just being bitter and used to being lazy, but I proper loved having a bit of fun down the country lanes every day! Also the freedom to ride my trials bike whenever and wherever I want (it lives in my boot).

I guess over the course of this next month or so I'll have to man the f**k up! Even with the caddy running I like to think I wouldn't use it as a daily, I used to go to the gym a bit but now with cycling I have no energy to do anything and barely see friends too.

I'm saving to go travelling so maybe its my calling for this to happen.... Either way the caddy is still gonna get looked at and welded!! :)

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My favourite candidate for my first car at the mo is a skoda fabia V1 (mabye even the estate) with the non turbo 1.9D lump.

If you think about it your requirements for a car currently, will be similar to mine when I eventually get driving - since you clearly like VAG and you want a cheap to run bike mover/daily/trips to away rides mile muncher, like I do, It's got to be worth a look eh?

EDIT: Plus because, unlike me, you must have an insurance history, there is always the option of something like the

(PD90? Is that right?) turbo version mapped out and played with?? First example that came up on google

Just an alternative Idea though...

EDIT2: Huh ha. Just decided to browse that random site I linked - check their projects page. Caddys, Ibizas, Skodas, A4b8s, Golfs, a new jetta and a mid low 10s 2.0L swapped nitroused up drag racing Arosa!

Edit3: Last one I promise, but I found a vid of it. :dance::dance::dance:

mj0wSE4LHOU

Edited by CC12345678910
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My first Leon was a 90bhp TDI (NOT a PD). It was mega reliable, had no trouble with it at all.

It was sluggish, but if you're not fussed about getting off the line quickly, I'd recommend it - good MPG, low insurance cost and more reliable than tweaked up PD's.

EDIT: Easily mappable to 110bhp and apparently still reliable, though I have no experience of that.

Edited by MadManMike
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Awesome stuff dude. Are you planning to keep the M3 off the road for a year or two whilst saving some funds to get it back into action down the line?

Airbox arrived while I was away, cheers George. Definitely potential for a stealth S2000 setup in there with a little work...

20150117_192511_zps7e890311.jpg

Probably just going to use the M3 less this year, as it turns out the Daihatsu is just as fun to drive and all things considered, more fun overall. What I save I'd like to invest in an immaculate M3 Evo as I'm pretty sure the price of these is going to shoot up within the next year.

Do you now have an S2000? Or have I missed something? :)

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Sounds like a plan (Y)

No S2000, just another Leon - the OEM filter from the Honda has been proven to flow extremely well though and given that they're currently around £12 new over here it's a quick and easy upgrade, I'm just trying to keep things looking as standard as possible for a bit of fun so trying to find a way of enclosing it in the standard airbox as a stealth CAI-type setup :)

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Sounds like a plan (Y)

No S2000, just another Leon - the OEM filter from the Honda has been proven to flow extremely well though and given that they're currently around £12 new over here it's a quick and easy upgrade, I'm just trying to keep things looking as standard as possible for a bit of fun so trying to find a way of enclosing it in the standard airbox as a stealth CAI-type setup :)

Might have to try this on mine...

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Personally if you want a skoda estate I would go octavia rather than fabia

I do not particularly want a Skoda, least of all a diesel estate skoda, but when using search filters like 'Insurance group 10 and under' (all i've got as a guide unless I spam my inbox with comparison site nonsense) and 'price less than £2,500' a fabia becomes the best option amongst shite like 3pot corsas. I plan on moving up a size car after a year and then mabye a more powerful octavia could be on the cards then; IDK to be honest, that's a looong time in the future from where i am now.

My first Leon was a 90bhp TDI (NOT a PD). It was mega reliable, had no trouble with it at all.

It was sluggish, but if you're not fussed about getting off the line quickly, I'd recommend it - good MPG, low insurance cost and more reliable than tweaked up PD's.

EDIT: Easily mappable to 110bhp and apparently still reliable, though I have no experience of that.

The ones I'm toying around with are the mpg/insurance concious 1.9SDI, the 1.4TDI as I see mod potential or the 1.2 petrol as a compromise, but I'll check that out. It sounds like a keeper If I found the right one. Reckon it'd survive a light boost along with that map?

Edited by CC12345678910
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Realistically how much is the Seat gonna bring in Jake? I'f get the Caddy sorted for fun, and just run round in a 306 diesel or something that owes you a couple of hundred quid. I'm gonna buy one when i'm back at home and keep the others as toys - makes a lot of sense!

Just have a proper good think about what you need - having two half-way decent cars is really annoying, I would much rather have one decent one and something boring as a runabout.

Speaking of which, dizzy has gone off to Burton for reconditioning so stage 1 of the Capri going back together is here. When it comes back, big valve heads are getting skimmed, full gasket set, ported tvr inlet manifold to go on, fast road cam in, steel timing gear, new plugs and leads, then back together...

While i'm at it, i'm thinking of heat wrapping the manifolds - i've heard a lot of people saying not to do it to mild steel pipes but surely it cant be that ruinous, especially if i treated them first?

Edited by Skoze
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The guy that bought mine off me mapped it to 118bhp the day after he got it off me, no idea if it's still going or not.

I wouldn't bother mapping a car again, unless you can afford to do stuff to the rest of the car - clutch, brakes etc...

I'm aware of the mechanical implications of more power, i'm not 1 of these chavvy muppets who'd map it to eyeballs and then wonder why the side of block suddenly has an extra cooling hole courtesy of a lean pot and the rod making itself known.

Putting the hrs in doesn't scare me either, and all mods would be considered thoroughly/massively overthought for days.

Paying for it will be the challenge i'm sure, but it's the same with the bikes, and I seem to muddle through somehow.

A reliable source of income would pretty much cure that though, but that's a myth as far as i'm concerned at mo :mellow:

Oh BTW is this like the one you mean?

Edited by CC12345678910
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Realistically how much is the Seat gonna bring in Jake? I'f get the Caddy sorted for fun, and just run round in a 306 diesel or something that owes you a couple of hundred quid. I'm gonna buy one when i'm back at home and keep the others as toys - makes a lot of sense!

Just have a proper good think about what you need - having two half-way decent cars is really annoying, I would much rather have one decent one and something boring as a runabout.

Maybe a grand or so if I'm lucky, if I split, 200 from turbo, 200 intercooler, 100/150 for wheels (pretty much brand new tyres and a spare wheel with brand new tyre). Brembo disc and pads on the front I haven't fitted so will hopefully be able to return. Cruise control stalk may get a bit of money. Then scrap value, that's 800 easily worst case scenario...

Yeah that's actually a very good shout, always despised them but just had a look and they seem pretty cheap + can't imagine insurance would be massively high.

Having a real good think about this. Gonna try solely cycling to work for a while, and maybe- just maybe I'll be able to hold out for a few months then stick at that to make my life a lot easier/cheaper and up the fitness too which is a bonus.

Cheers for getting my head straight man. :)

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