Hello everyone,

 

For a while ive liked the look Skoda rapid, circa '85-90 but I know absolutely nothing about them,

 

Id like to get hold of one and do an engine swap or something along those lines, and was wondering if anyone could tell me about the cars.

 

I.e. what to look out for when buying one, which model is the "one to go for", where to get parts etc.

 

If there is a guide already existing, dont hesitate to slap me in the face and show me the link :P

 

cheers

Rust, and wiring are the main Achilles heal with any other classic, not a clue about the rapid in particular though

Well you can't go wrong with a rear engined Skoda - but that doesn't mean ownership will necessarily always be a walk in the park... 

 

Rust will be an issue. Rapids rot around the rear sills; reach up and check the box sections. Also look for rust in the inner front wings, so again, reach up and feel for holes. Arches and the bottom of the front and rear screens can also be problematic. The engines are very simple to work on with plenty of room in the engine bay. They can have issues with cooling, but much like the Rover K-series, this well publicised fault can be eradicated if dealt with properly. But you want to be looking out for signs of head gasket failure or leaks from the cooling system; don't forget that although the engine is at the back, the radiator is at the front of the car with around 12 litres in the cooling system to be kept under control.

 

Otherwise the only other issue is parts availability which is becoming increasingly difficult. Communities such as this and the Skoda Owners Club GB are crucial to building a network of fellow enthusiasts and friends to help keep these old clunkers on the road. 

 

If there is anything more you'd like to know specifically, then please do get in touch.  

In terms of the model to go for all Rapids (apart from the mk1) are the same with the only significant difference between the earlier 130 and later 136 being the 136 engine has an alloy 8 port head as opposed to the 130 5 port head. Mk1s had a 120 engine and only a 4 speed box. All Rapids have the better semi trailling arm rear suspension and what would have passed for a luxury interior behind the iron curtain in the 1980s! Rob has covered all the problem areas I can think of...they are quite basic and easy to work on.

There was also the 135i models which featured full injection. They were only available in the last year of production and I believe less than 500 examples were brought to the UK. Many were subsequently converted back to carburettor power but if you can find one running the original injection system they prove to be very smooth, reliable and easy to use Rapids. 

 

A late model RiC (note the green pinstripe)

 

A late model 136. 

 

An earlier, mk1 Rapid Garde.

Thanks Gents

 

I like the look of the later Rapid's such as the 136 you have shown Rob, Thing is it does seem quite difficult to come across one!

 

 

Other thing is that i would like a project where i swap a different engine into it, But im pretty sure from reading the "Special K" project thread, the gearbox would need to come out too and have alot of fabrication work to get a different engine/gearbox to fit.

 

So i wouldnt want a perfect example as that would be heresy to cut up a good car.

The main donor engines fitted are Fiat Twin Cams and the Rover K-Series. Neither conversion requires you to remove the gearbox but you will need to have adaptor plates made and various other bits of fabrication - all beyond my abilities. 

The good news is that the engine is ridiculously easy to remove. It takes less than hour and can be done by one person quite feasibly. They really are easy to work on. 

They aren't easy to come by because they are quite rare - total numbers now on the road are much less than 100 and good ones when they come up go for £2+ grand. You can get a basket case for under a grand though......but you will need to spend and as Rob says parts are getting harder to get, particularly things like body repair panels.

Standard gearboxes don't cope with lots of torque but engines like the k-series aren't overly endowed in that area so it's a decent match......it's also light, because replacing the standard Skoda engine with most modern engines is like adding an extra passenger behind the rear axle due to the fact the Skoda push rod engine is super light.

Estelle saloons are much cheaper to buy but suffer the same issues.