The Orange Wonder

[Downton]

Been a member here a while but never put anything up about my car..So to put that right here goes! Had the car a little over 2 years now and purchased it after the owners father contacted me to save it as his son was going to scrap it ..The car had been stood for 3 years but the original owner had only covered 26,000 miles in it and from the condition think they were dry! They had been offered £40 from a scrapman and I could have it for the same price..Anyway I sold the Renault 5 turbo I had just finished and Dragged this back..After many months of mechanical work it was taken for MOT..The usual jokes about "did I need a push to get it on the ramp?" echoed around the test centre..Once up the laughing stopped as the underside was mint! All the brake and fuel pipes were still shiney..So with a fresh MOT I started to use the car and upgrade as I went.Original 1046 popped its head gasket while in wales but got us home where I replaced it with a later Felicia MPI motor,K&N filter and an Ashley exhaust system.Run the standard 105 Jikov carb,tried a weber 28/36DCD but to be honest I like the original.Replaced the interior from a Rapid and fitted the clocks from the same,the wheels came from a friend..7x14 Wolfrace items running 185/60-14s which keep the gearing near standard.Front coil chop to lower that high up front end and next job is modified roll bar and fitting adjustable shocks to the front end .Left the rear standard so that I can still tow our trailer tent ...So thats about it,a little insight into my skoda ownership ..and yes it is better than the Ren5 GT!!

[bettsy]

very nice indeed

old skool !!!

[daverapid]

Fantastic! If you'd payed 10 times as much it would still be a bargain.

Don't suppose you still have the original 1046cc engine somewhere?

[Downton]

Sorry dave when I left the garage it was left there and think they gave it the scrapman..Will Drop by tomorrow and just check..

[IMS]

Wow those wheels are uber sweeeeet!

[KenONeill]

That is truly gorgeous, and finally someone's found a use for vaned wheels!

[TURBO4NI]

That car is gorgeous, Really tempted get one of these in the near future.

[Downton]

Much appreciated all! We all have our own take on things and this is just my interpretation of how an Estelle can look.. The wheels most people seem to like and were sat in a friends garage ,he had nothing they would fit,bought them as he liked em !! So they were not a planned item,just worked out well for me.IMS Hows that project of yours coming along? Looking forward to seeing the results of your labour mate! Thats going to be one talked about car !!!

[IMS]

Haha it goes slow mate since moving units I don't have the time and cashflow that said with my estimated guesses after the blue one and another secret project ill be able to build the toy I want... A fabia wrc rep

[allan donald]

Hi. It looks brilliant, I have just purchased a 1986 rapid convertable which has been dry stored for 12 years, If it looks half as good as yours when finished I will be glad. My Rapid should be the same colour as yours, but it was painted with black hammerite in 1996. thats why it probably has very little rust. So with a pile of 80 grit discs and a DA sander I will get started.

[Downton]

Hello Allan,and thanks for the compliment! I was lucky in the sense that all I had to do with the paintwork was clean the dirt and tree sap off and polish like mad.Sounds like you have a hard task ahead with the hammerite problem :S ..I am looking again for another Rapid which I hope the better half will run.I have the paint code for the colour if yours is unreadable,had a can mixed last year to touch up the front valance where I stupidly caught it on a kerbing stone in a car park :'( .Be nice to see yours getting sorted .especialy as its a convertable! Daverapid is very active on both forums,always on hand with help and advice and able to do any welding or mechanical stuff you may need a hand with at his workshop.Jorily also very good with parts supply,used him a few times and can recommend.New(ish!) boy on the block is IMS who again has workshop facility,s and parts supply,take a look at his skoda build thread, so no shortage of Skoda talent to help you! Good luck with the project and post us all some pics up when you have time! Its always good to see new projects and RWD Skodas being saved and loved once more

[allan donald]

Hello Allan,and thanks for the compliment! I was lucky in the sense that all I had to do with the paintwork was clean the dirt and tree sap off and polish like mad.Sounds like you have a hard task ahead with the hammerite problem :S ..I am looking again for another Rapid which I hope the better half will run.I have the paint code for the colour if yours is unreadable,had a can mixed last year to touch up the front valance where I stupidly caught it on a kerbing stone in a car park :'( .Be nice to see yours getting sorted .especialy as its a convertable! Daverapid is very active on both forums,always on hand with help and advice and able to do any welding or mechanical stuff you may need a hand with at his workshop.Jorily also very good with parts supply,used him a few times and can recommend.New(ish!) boy on the block is IMS who again has workshop facility,s and parts supply,take a look at his skoda build thread, so no shortage of Skoda talent to help you! Good luck with the project and post us all some pics up when you have time! Its always good to see new projects and RWD Skodas being saved and loved once more

[allan donald]

Hi Downton. You seemed to be lucky with your purchase, I have been after an estelle or rapid for some time now, but most were down south, I live on the South west coast of Scotland, and it was not very easy just to view. This rapid was on ebay and located on the Island of Bute, just a short drive and a ferry crossing. I was not really wanting a convertable but could'nt resist the temptation, it came with a new soft top that had never been fitted, the previous owner reconned it was too short, after speaking to the company who made it (1996) Don Trimming in Birmingham they said it should fit as they use exact templates but it may need heated and streached, but if all fails they can alter it for me. Progress to date is slow, the cluch fluid pipe burst taking it off the trailer, fitted a new one yesterday, and got the engine running. The body work and painting is not a problem as I am employed as a lecturer in body repair and painting in a local FE college. I have got a couple of pictures of the car on the trailer but as yet dont know how to insert them in this site. (me and computers are not the best of friends).

[eorkob]

Hi Downton. You seemed to be lucky with your purchase, I have been after an estelle or rapid for some time now, but most were down south, I live on the South west coast of Scotland, and it was not very easy just to view. This rapid was on ebay and located on the Island of Bute, just a short drive and a ferry crossing. I was not really wanting a convertable but could'nt resist the temptation, it came with a new soft top that had never been fitted, the previous owner reconned it was too short, after speaking to the company who made it (1996) Don Trimming in Birmingham they said it should fit as they use exact templates but it may need heated and streached, but if all fails they can alter it for me. Progress to date is slow, the cluch fluid pipe burst taking it off the trailer, fitted a new one yesterday, and got the engine running. The body work and painting is not a problem as I am employed as a lecturer in body repair and painting in a local FE college. I have got a couple of pictures of the car on the trailer but as yet dont know how to insert them in this site. (me and computers are not the best of friends).

[110ivan]

All that nice shiny motor for £ 40 ?.Good god you are one lucky guy .. Do you want £ 50 for it ?.A tenner profit :p

Edited 20 March, 2011 by 110ivan

[Downton]

All that nice shiny motor for £ 40 ?.Good god you are one lucky guy .. Do you want £ 50 for it ?.A tenner profit :p

It would be unfair to make such a huge profit from a forum member ...thanks for the offer but must decline Even with the measly purchase price in all honesty I doubt I would get back half what the project costs are to date! The good thing is the amazing lack of any rot which has made things easier,there was not even a build up of road dirt on the wheel arches when purchased .So just brushed them down and then applied a gallon of wax oil (the black type not the clear)to all underneath and arches..The left hand side of the car does bare a scar from the original owner where he caught it on something but this is next to be done...

Edited 20 March, 2011 by Downton

[KenONeill]

Hi Downton. You seemed to be lucky with your purchase, I have been after an estelle or rapid for some time now, but most were down south, I live on the South west coast of Scotland, and it was not very easy just to view. This rapid was on ebay and located on the Island of Bute, just a short drive and a ferry crossing. I was not really wanting a convertable but could'nt resist the temptation, it came with a new soft top that had never been fitted, the previous owner reconned it was too short, after speaking to the company who made it (1996) Don Trimming in Birmingham they said it should fit as they use exact templates but it may need heated and streached, but if all fails they can alter it for me. Progress to date is slow, the cluch fluid pipe burst taking it off the trailer, fitted a new one yesterday, and got the engine running. The body work and painting is not a problem as I am employed as a lecturer in body repair and painting in a local FE college. I have got a couple of pictures of the car on the trailer but as yet dont know how to insert them in this site. (me and computers are not the best of friends).

Ref the hood - ISTR that the original hoods for the Rapid Cabrio were properly made 4-layer down hoods? In which case they won't stretch significantly with heat.

As for piccies, get yourself a Photo-hosting account on Flickr or similar, and include hotlinks of the general form http://$provider/$username/path/$photoname. If you don't understand that, one of your colleagues will.