Hi all,

 

I've been sponging off the ridiculous amount of knowledge in this forum for the past few years. There's now a few questions I can't find the answers to so I thought it was about time to join up.

 

I'm Ed, I live in Gloucestershire and I have a MK1 Fabia PD100 Estate in Grey which was bought new by my Dad in 2004, then handed onto me a few years ago.

 

Given the retail value of the car it would make far more sense to scrap it and buy something newer, but there's just something about this car that I just can't shake. Yes I know it's a not-quite-base-spec slightly rusty Fabia Comfort Diesel, but it's still made me spend more than the car is worth getting a MOT each year. 

 

As parts have started to fail, I've been replacing them with decent OEM replacements until recently, when I've started having a bit more fun. 

 

I've just had fitted a set of adjustable coilovers with shortened Mondeo drop links and new strut top bearings due to a snapped spring. With the standard shocks obviously bo##ocksed, it made sense to replace the whole lot. This along with a new NSR caliper (no handbrake) and front discs and pads (warped), hopefully it'll now get through its MOT in a couple of weeks.

 

I work on the technical side of things at a multi franchised motorcycle main dealer, so I considered doing the suspension myself, but as I have a history with failing miserably to split ball joints (and no four poster in my garage!) I decided to part ways with some notes and get a friend with their own workshop to do the job. Getting the car to sit right has been entertaining, to make the rear of the car level, the NSR is wound all the way up, but the OSR is halfway down. Side to side weight distribution I guess isn't the best on these! Thankfully the caliper bled up nicely and I've had the other calipers off recently so there wasn't any nasty surprises there.

 

I need to replace the bonnet and grille as Dad hit a deer before I had it and took a chunk out of the grille and dented the bonnet. The sills are succumbing to tin worm a touch, thankfully only surface so far. Even Skodas finest under chassis protection is no match for winter commutes on country roads. The boot is bubbling above the number plate and some nice person keyed both sides of the poor thing while parked at home. This is all something I hope to address in the future.

 

I have a set of Fabia VRS wheels at home, ready for a refurb. The car is on a 140hp map on a secondary ECU. I'm not convinced it's a true 140, but it runs very well and is quick enough for the time being. I will be looking at getting some PD130/160 injectors and a larger turbo at some point. I'm not aiming for mega numbers, just for a bit of fun, which is what this whole game is about isn't it?

 

I'll be asking for help with intercooler pipes etc, as I can't tell whether they're the same as the PD130 ones or not, but I'll post that question in the appropriate section. :)

 

Cheers,

Ed.

A warm welcome to the Forum Ed !  Plenty to get on with then😁