Girardi's Mk1 Octy vRS

[Girardi]

I've had something of a varied car history, from a mental classic Mini Cooper to a lowered JDM MX5 to various Alfa Romeos and a lot of stuff in between. Dabbled in mods a few times and left some standard, but I've never really liked the OTT look - always been a bit OEM+ - think complementary not in your face.

Best car I've ever owned (don't laugh) is the Hyundai Coupe below. Massively underrated with Porsche tweaked suspension and a Mitsubishi sourced engine, eminently tweakable and in F2 Evo form, quite nice to look at. Mine was somewhat breathed over

After chopping in my last Alfa for something bigger (baby en route!) I wound up in a Mk1 vRS. Was searching for something with good performance, 4 doors and a decent boot but without the insurance/fuel bills of a WRX and really struggled to find anything else to touch the Octy for less than £5k. I drove a few Mk2's as well but ultimately preferred the rawness of the first gen car over the refinement of the second.

Anyway it wasn't long before I started dabbling. Only very simple stuff at first but I suspect that will change - but I figured I'd throw up a build thread Suspect this will be something of a slow burn since will depend on time and budget - both things that are at a premium with a 6 month old but will see where we go to!

A few pics from before I got her (Auto Trader so apologies for the quality). Set me back a total of £3k which some might baulk at, but is pretty much mint and has a full Skoda history from new, 05 plate with 69k on her when I picked her up. Drove a few and this was by far and away the most sorted and had just had a new cambelt and water pump.

[Girardi]

Just a week later this happened, think the local birds resented my new purchase? Poo on pretty much every panel

 

[Girardi]

Fancied sorting the orange rear indicators, and was going to go for some chromed bulbs until I came across these Osram ones with a blue colour on them. Not to everyone's taste but I'm chuffed with them - gonna have to get the fronts done now as well!

 

Before:

 

After:

 

And a close up:

[Girardi]

Someone had added a dodgy cheapy cheapy JVC head unit, presumably because the boot had flooded at some point (rear wash wipe, surprised if anyone's NOT had that problem!) and killed the CD changer.

 

This however was rubbish but luckily I had a birthday coming up so the wife came good for me.

 

 

Full iPod contol from the head unit and lights up green - not quite the right green but I can live with it! Sounds so much better.

[Girardi]

One thing that surprised me was the size of the car when reversing. I'm used to just whacking cars into parking spaces and being able to see fairly easily where the end of the bumper is, but for some reason the Octy confuses me and I kept parking about a mile from the back of the parking bay.

 

So £15 on a well known auction site and then sucking up some courage led to this:

 

Followed by a big sigh of relief and then ending with this:

 

Anyone considering doing this I'd say go for it. Measure it like 6 times, then do it. The cheap kit has been on for nearly 5 months now and is still excellent.

[VeedubyaGTi]

Some nice mods there, I`ve fitted rear reverse sensors too, invaluable.

[Girardi]

New shinys. Born out of necessity rather than anything else.

Also fitted up my front indicators with the same Osram blue pearl bulbs as the rear, and gave the car a damn good clean.

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[Girardi]

Small Friday addition. Replaced the drivers side grab handle with this:

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[BrownBarge]

How hard was the reversing sensor kit to fit? Thr module etc.. Thinking of one for the mothers zafira

[DaveMW]

I need one of those reversing kits, I too back in to spaces and park too far away or I have to get out and have a look to see the gap.

[Girardi]

How hard was the reversing sensor kit to fit? Thr module etc.. Thinking of one for the mothers zafira

 

Hey Barge, was easy as pie to be honest. You've reminded me I did all the photos to stick a guide together but never got round to it, now posted up here: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/328803-retrofit-rear-parking-sensors/

[Girardi]

Postman arrived with my new pressed metal number plates today.

Fitted up and looking smart, though I think I'm going to replace the surrounds with some Skoda ones rather than the stealer items.

Dead fly on the front one already! :(

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[Girardi]

Added the milotec dial rings. Easy install and I think they add a small touch of class.

[Girardi]

Cheeky last minute bid on the bay got me a set of golf 4 aero wiper arms off a breaking r32. Install was easy enough but they needed some gentle 'persuasion' to bend them a little and avoid smearing. Massively recommended though, so much better than standard!

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[Girardi]

Skoda number plate surrounds to replace the horrible stealer items...

[Girardi]

Noticed a leak from the water pump - ended up with new cambelt, pump and tensioners. On the way back from the garage my rear caliper seized solid so was time for a set of these to go with the new rear discs and pads [emoji1]

[Girardi]

The naff carbon 'effect' on the centre console was starting to annoy me so had a first go at wrapping. 3M titanium - it came out pretty well but might still change it as its not quite light enough to match the dials so looks a little 'off'. Still much better than the original factory option though!

[Girardi]

Sun was out, wife was out, so gave the Octy a bit of a clean up. Pretty chuffed with the end result.

[The Troninator]

I like those numberplates og yours! You have a link to where you got em?

[Girardi]

I like those numberplates og yours! You have a link to where you got em?

An eBay special mate, from http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=321543438990

Same seller also does ones with the GB badge on the side, if you like that sort of thing. All UK legal and carries the BS number etc but so faint you'd never notice [emoji3]

[Girardi]

Piranha dimpled and grooved front discs and ferodo ds2500 front pads, courtesy of Lloyd55vrs. Car stops so much better now, and has removed the brake judder I had from my old (warped) discs.

Thoroughly recommended! (Ignore the filthy wheels :p)

[Girardi]

Slow puncture at the rear was as good an excuse as any for a new set of 225/45 Conti SportContact 5 all round.

Then added these clip on sun blinds - cover rear and back windows - look like tints but just sunshades. Daughter is happy, and I can easily take them off whenever I get bored of them!

[Girardi]

Thought I'd try out some 42 Draft Designs gear shift bush loveliness.

Got these for the linkage mount:

Plus these for the actual linkage ends:

Here we are all fitted up:

Was a right old pain getting everything aligned again afterward. Stupidly I didn't mark the position of the linkage ends before removing them so plenty of trial and error to make sure I could get both 5th *and* reverse afterwards.

I was a little dubious but another recommended addition. Shift action is so smooth now, like a rifle action. Still not as good as my old Puma, but since it's close and that's the yardstick I judge all gear actions by I'm dead happy! No play at all. Well worth £40.

[Jimbling]

Looks great so far thought about spraying the bump strips silver ?

[dubDEAN]

i changed these and the bush on the lever made soooo much difference about £3 from dealers