As many of you are aware, I am indeed in the middle of a small project, making 2 cars into 1! A 2004 (54) Fabia vRS and a 2002 (02) Fabia Comfort Estate.

Although this seems a relatively simple project, it involves a lot of swapping of parts and plenty of space is needed to store all the parts, its amazing how much stuff there is in 2 cars!

I currently have both cars stripped to bare shells, with doors on. No wiring, pipework, engines, trim etc.

The vRS engine is undergoing some surgery: New cambelt kit, waterpump, clutch, different turbo, cleaned and honed manifolds, modified egr assembly, water/methanol injection....etc

Along side the cars in the garage is a box of other goodies to fit to the estate: Coilovers, 312mm grooved brakes, uprated rear brakes, Milltek exhaust (will be modified to fit estate), Black Headlights, Xenons, 8x17" wheels..... etc

On the way from the Czech Republic is a vRS rear bumper to fit the estate, a large rear boot spoiler, modified dash parts and few other nice bits, I also have a vRS front bumper and a few other bits to put into paint at the same time.

Should be a much more practical car when finished with some nice parts and good spec: Xenons, Cruise, Traction Control, Sat Nav etc

Hope to have it all finished in about 2-3 weeks, as i'm only spending a few hours a week doing it, but as those of you who know me, you will understand that things have to be just right, no cutting corners etc! Guess this comes from working in F1??

Alex

Can't wait to see this - Goodluck Alex.

uprated rear brakes,

Please tell me how you're doing this? Using last year's F1 season goodies?

Can't wait to see this.

also the one that Lummox is "making"

Hope you going to bring this to one of the meets at south mimms

Going to be interesting with two being built around the same time.

How you getting on Ross, whats your timescale?

Alex

A few photos I have:

Engine bay on he estate, stripped, cleaned and ready to take the vRS underbonnet loom:

And the Donor vRS minus its front end:

Timescale will probably be a bit longer as I have to strip the car down further than that, also Wiebos estate wont be ready to build until December when he is out of the country.

Nice to know someone else is doing it aswell, be interesting to see how they turn out compared to each other.

are you fitting OE Xenons or an aftermarket kit?

I have started putting it back together in the photo, now has new ABS unt fitted, brake pipes, gear linkages, wiring harness fitted etc

I am fitting aftermarket xenons, have them in my current Fabia and personally, i think they are better than the OE units

Alex

Excellent stuff, you got ASR or ESP?

Looking forward to it

Last night:

• Clutch changed
  
• Cambelt Kit done
  
• Waterpump Changed
  
• Turbo Bolted On
  
• Inlet Manifold On
  

Hopefully get the car wiring harness and dash section into the car this weekend, providing I can get the pedal swapped OK, finish the brake lines and then hopefully get the engine and subframe bolted back in too.

All systems go!

Alex

Good luck Alex

Should be interesting when all is carefully put together

Bas

mental! Fair play to you that is some hard core mechanical knowledge there. Looking forward to seeing the end result!

[yawn] Umm, I forgot to say I copywrited the vRS conversion back in 2005 when I did mine, so I'll be chasing you for royalties, Alex! :P and Wiebo! :P

Actually, just info on the rear brakes plans would be enough.

[yawn] Umm, I forgot to say I copywrited the vRS conversion back in 2005 when I did mine, so I'll be chasing you for royalties, Alex! :P and Wiebo! :P

Actually, just info on the rear brakes plans would be enough.

ECS do rear brake upgrade kits that use the standard calipers

Nice job

Dashboard and car wiring harness now installed, as expected the rear lighting loom is too short and needs extending.

Engine now finished ready to fit, water injection fitted to manifolds etc. Will post some more pictures later. Hope to get the engine in today and maybe the coilovers fitted

Alex

as expected the rear lighting loom is too short and needs extending.

Cut & shut with the estate's loom? In an ideal world it will use the same colours, etc.

Cut & shut with the estate's loom? In an ideal world it will use the same colours, etc.

Thats what I thought too.

And Jason, you didn't do a vRS conversion :P

Good work Alex, should be a nice car when done!!

And Jason, you didn't do a vRS conversion :P

Was the first PD130 into a non vRS fabia to my knowledge. :P

PS: Alex - If you read this - got my bumper fine ta, and it's fitted. Good colour match too which was pleasing Will get the couple of marks touched up soon.

Good progress made today, engine in, radiators mounted, bumper bar fitted. Then got all 4 hubs, coilovers and brakes fitted. nearly driveable! Just the interior to sort now, not sure what seats i'm putting in it at the moment.... Looking into some recaros or TT seats

Pics to follow

Alex

Good progress indeed mate, well done.

Good luck with it Alex. Looking forward to seeing the finished product

Steve