Two months on from last update, MOT was up at end of May, but trip to Stanford revealed a sticking piston or pistons on the off side caliper, consequently with a hot disc and poor braking performance with the car pulling to the left (on the basis that the near side was performing correctly), so unlikely to pass said MOT.

Unfortunately I could not get round to sorting out brakes until earlier this month, and needed not only to sort calipers but also replace hoses as these were already an advisory on last years test for evidence of perishing. So capliers were stripped and posted off to Bigg Red in Worcester. Came back today fully reconditioned with new pistons, seals, dust covers, bleed screws, joiners and powder coating.

Hoses I've ordered won't be here until Monday 4th August and had to use heat on two of the old ones to release them from the metal pipes, so no hoses to refit and can't makes National meet :(. It'll be someone else's turn to win car of the show this year! But at least I'll have some brakes which is a plus.

Edited 30 July, 201411 yr by Leeboy

Two months on from last update, MOT was up at end of May, but trip to Stanford revealed a sticking piston or pistons on the off side caliper, consequently with a hot disc and poor braking performance with the car pulling to the left (on the basis that the near side was performing correctly), so unlikely to pass said MOT.

Unfortunately I could not get round to sorting out brakes until earlier this month, and needed not only to sort calipers but also replace hoses as these were already an advisory on last years test for evidence of perishing. So capliers were stripped and posted off to Bigg Red in Worcester. Came back today fully reconditioned with new pistons, seals, dust covers, bleed screws, joiners and powder coating.

Hoses I've ordered won't be here until Monday 4th August and had to use heat on two of the old ones to release them from the metal pipes, so no hoses to refit and can't makes National meet :(. It'll be someone else's turn to win car of the show this year! But at least I'll have some brakes which is a plus.

Ive got some larger brakes for your rapid sitting idle in the workshop if your interested., cheers Jay..

Previously I reported that reconditioned calipers had been received back from Bigg Red, but would be waiting on new hoses. So as car wouldn't be on the road for the Brisky Mega Meet, thought I'd sort out under the arches. The re spray extended to external and internal body work but not the underside. A bit of rust to attend to, nothing serious, but a bit of treatment at this stage will keep it under control, particularly as the vehicle shouldn't see winter road salt.

After a thorough clean under the front arches, rust was mostly confined to seams and edges

Scrap back to sound metal and grind away as much as possible.

Apply some rust cure, does it really do what it says on the label I wonder? Then primer

A generous application of under seal was sprayed on next followed by top coat and lacquer

So to this weekend and I got around to refitting the calipers. Not straight forward as the brake line fitting had distorted so needed some fettling with a file to reshape the to an appropriate diameter to get them to screw into the new hoses without cross threading ( which might of happened on more than one occasion)

Calipers were fitted with Green Stuff pads (for mk1 Metro following advice from knowledgable persons - I couldn't justify stretching to DS2500 pads), and new stainless split pins.

Offside

Nearside

After enlisting the better half to operate the brake pedal, brakes were bled, the car put back on the deck and test drive. Verdict, brakes are sh1te, way too much travel and then not much action. Unfortunately I ran out of time yesterday to have another look, could be air still in system, didn't bleed the rears. Anyhow MOT Tuesday at JKM, so it will fail, but will get them to have a look for me.....

Hi,

Good job, but keep your eye on the rusted areas closely, cleaning, treating & keeping out the damp as you have will slow down the rusting, but the rustcure stuff doesn't work and is temporary, it will come back.

 

The only way to effectively stop rust for good is to remove all of it, including pitting to clean steel. Start by removing as much as humanly possible with abrasives and finish what's left off with local sandblasting (although difficult on a finished car!) or phosphoric acid based removal (takes ages and several applications, but will remove all rust eventually!)

Edited 19 August, 201411 yr by favguy

So with no requirement to display tax disc, I've dug out my novelty tax disc and stuck it in the windscreen.

Little Skoda went for a drive this evening for a look over Portsmouth and Gosport as seen from Portsdown

You should bring that along to one of our West Meon meets. You'd steal the show.

You should bring that along to one of our West Meon meets. You'd steal the show.

 

Completely agree, definitely bring it along to one!

Lee, looking great as ever.

 

The car of the show from the 2013 annual Briskoda meet is looking better than ever.

Completely agree, definitely bring it along to one!

  

You should bring that along to one of our West Meon meets. You'd steal the show.

I should indeed, but car only goes out in the dry so Tuesday is likely to be a miss.

  

I should indeed, but car only goes out in the dry so Tuesday is likely to be a miss.

 

That's alright, most of the West Meon'ers only go out in the dry too

 

Hopefully in the summer though! 

Indeed, it's a bit dark this time of year anyway and we spend most of the time inside. The summer meets are better. Should we give you a nudge around April?

That is really nice!

Do you know how near the limit you are with regards to the standard drive train? I know there were rallied but i don't know much about them such as what power they made or the relevant upgrades needed to go with it.

 

I can't believe i haven't seen it though as i am local to Fareham

As someone from the red side of Hampshire you know I can only be understating things when I say that this car is a stunner.

 

Superb work mate.

That is really nice!

Do you know how near the limit you are with regards to the standard drive train? I know there were rallied but i don't know much about them such as what power they made or the relevant upgrades needed to go with it.

I can't believe i haven't seen it though as i am local to Fareham

Hi there,

Thanks for comments. 130LR works Estelles reputably made around 130bhp which is on par with this. They would have had LSDs fitted but as for power they would handle I'm not sure. With mine though I don't drop the clutch from four thou rpm at the traffic lights as that would certainly mince the box. The engine is not particularly torquey so I (touch wood) don't foresee any immediate gearbox munching issues. The power really starts to come in over the four thou mark by which the car is moving smartly so not too much extra strain is being put on the box.

Yes, in Fareham but car doesn't get out much so you'll need to keep your eyes peeled to see it. But by all means drop by to see it. PM me if you want to meet up.

Thanks

Lee

Brilliant work, brilliant car. What did you do to get the brakes good again?

Hi Dave,

The garage I use found the rear cylinders were both US and leaking fluid. So with new brake cylinders fitted, the pedal finally became hard, so all sorted now.

Lee

Hi there,

Thanks for comments. 130LR works Estelles reputably made around 130bhp which is on par with this. They would have had LSDs fitted but as for power they would handle I'm not sure. With mine though I don't drop the clutch from four thou rpm at the traffic lights as that would certainly mince the box. The engine is not particularly torquey so I (touch wood) don't foresee any immediate gearbox munching issues. The power really starts to come in over the four thou mark by which the car is moving smartly so not too much extra strain is being put on the box.

Yes, in Fareham but car doesn't get out much so you'll need to keep your eyes peeled to see it. But by all means drop by to see it. PM me if you want to meet up.

Thanks

Lee

Cheers for the offer, i might just take you up on that when i can get a quiet weekend. I've know about these ever since getting a little blue and white rally spec' toy when i was about 6. I've still yet to see one in the flesh though.

A while ago I came across correct Rapid 136 spec seats on ebay and finally I’ve got around to fitting these to replace the purple (originally black) fabric seats that the car came with when I purchased it and would have originally been in a 130 Rapid.  I think I like the update…

 

From this:

 

 

 

To these:

 

 

 

A very simple five minute five pound mod done today. Asked in the wanted section for some chrome door pins as found in mkI Octy and Fabia vrs's. Duly arrived today and fitted...

Boring original pins

New shiny ones

Love the trippy retro-tastic seats.

Mot day.....

And passed

Edited 22 August, 201510 yr by Leeboy

Blue Rapid meets up with Rob's White Rapid on the Ridgeway on Marlborough Downs

Great to catch up with you Rob and talk Skodas new and old

Your car puts my car to shame :(