oneohtwo

Ah, no didn't have a willing helper, but sounds like it could help, thanks! I guess I'd still have to be trying to reach it from underneath as on that side the cable is free to pull through the connector and only works when there is resistance at the other end. I guess ultimately I could get the bumper off, might help access.

Right, had the bonnet release cable snap at the clip that holds it into the release handle and unfortunately the cable has disappeared up the tube which is a massive pain in the a**e! I've got the passenger (nearside) clip open easily enough - you can just pull the black tube back to reveal the cable and with a pair of pliers jobs a good'un. But the drivers (offside) has me stumped as you can't pull the cable. I've read threads and the wiki which says the offside is the easy one! And can be got at by jacking up and reaching up behind the cross member. In fairness, it's not wrong - you can reach it, just not in any meaningful way surely? I've spent a good hour with my arm jammed up behind the rad groping at the metal spring with my fingertips, but it's too far to get any sort of grip on. I've also got a screwdriver up behind the spring to try and lever it but it won't budge. I've got reasonable slim arms as well! What am I missing? Anyone got any suggestions?

Have you tried the dealer at all? I got a passenger one from them not so long ago, maybe a year or so, so they may still be available.

Haha, no I meant a little bit more than standard! 380 seems massive...

Good to hear it! Nice to know the old things can handle that much power. I'd like a little bit more I think but 380 sounds quite a lot! Can you salvage much from the old block?

Sadly not, it was at night and was a busy section of dual carriageway. When I got a chance to pull over they didn't, and I didn't get the number. Yeah, you might be right. It feels ok, and it was a relatively small coming together thankfully. They just drifted across and I managed to take some evasive action, plus as we were going in the same direction at roughly the same speed. Such a pain though! Just another thing to sort...

So this is what happens when someone doesn't check their blind spot and just pulls out on you on the dual carriageway: Could have been a lot worse I guess, but means the wing needs respraying. The stuff on the wheel I think is just rubber from their wheel, or black plastic from some trim. It seems to come off a bit when scratched and the wheel underneath seems fine so that's something. Have tried the usual car shampoos but can't really get it off. Anyone have any ideas?

Ouch! Was looking forward to seeing how the turbo worked out on this, terrible luck. I think I might have jacked it all in if that happened, good job you had the spare... Glad to hear the turbo was worth it though and you'll be back on the road. How does it cope on the corners with the extra oomph?

Don't know if you had another after, but I definitely bought it May 2010! Couldn't believe it was as much as seven years when I realised the other day... sobering. It's here if you fancy having a look anyway, still going strong: http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?49765-oneohtwo-s-VR6-New-Wheels!&p=1163738#post1163738 Can't help you out with Bath I'm afraid, London based these days... Definitely think they're worth it though!

Bonus picture of the car looking shiny:

Just updating a bit. Sorted out the leather last summer: Was horrible worn and scuffed, not to mention dirty. Was really letting the care down. Got to work on it with the liquid leather cleaners and dye. Worked brilliantly, happily recommend that stuff:

I think that could well be mine! Was just thinking hold on, I bought mine about 7 years ago from a chap in Cornwall with a similar name... Anyway, still got it 7 years later. It's served me well... few bumps and scrapes along the way but is still pretty solid. I've got a thread on here if you fancy having a look, although I have to admit I'm not very good at keeping it updated.

Cheers matey! It's an odd colour I find... looks fairly dull and uninteresting when it's overcast and shows the dust easily, but as soon as it's wet or the sun comes out it comes to life.

Thanks! Nothing worse than faded plastics for spoiling the look, don't think I'll go gloss for the front grill though. Was Oval Garage, just around the corner from, er... The Oval. Seemed alright, quite a small outfit but were recommended by the vinyl wrapper. Were enthusiastic and turned it around quickly, not sure how they'd do with body panels. I've also been to a place over Charlton way to repair the sill. They didn't get the curves quite right it's quite a tricky shape and I don't think they looked at the other side and just did it by eye, which is a little annoying, but the paint finish was very good.

So 2 paintshops, 1 vinyl wrapper and countless rattle cans later I have final refitted my number plate plinth 1 year after first removing it. Has been the absolute bane of my, and the poor chap who tried to vinyl wrap it a good 4 times without success, life for the last year. I took it off to repair a crack that's been there since I bought the car thinking it would be a fairly minor thing to repair it, spray it gloss black and get it back on. Nope. One thing after another...first repair didn't take. Second repair fine then dropped and broke it whilst trying to finish it; another repair, primer, flatten it back down, prime it, get the primer nice and smooth and paint again; some weird defect appears when finishing; flatten, prime and paint again, another defect; flatten, prime paint again; defect; flatten prime paint; repair starts showing through for the first time; flatten prime paint, flatten prime paintARGGGGGG. Get fed up, take it to a bodyshop. First effort is woeful, dust and weird white flecks in paint. Get them to do it again, still bad (By the way don't use Bodyworkz in Camberwell). Try vinyl wrapping it. Bloke does it 4 times, each time it lifts and he can't understand it. Finally take it to second bodyshop... and relieeeeef. It wasn't absolutely perfect, and the finish I should have been able to get myself, but smartens the back up so fairly happy. By the time I had gone through that I could have just bought a new carbon one so... Oh and I broke off the final prong putting it back just to round off the whole experience.

Afternoon chaps, after quick second opinion for next oil change. I've been using Mobil 1 10w-60 for a while now and car seems generally happy with it but always seeking ways of improving, and seen one or two recommendations of either Motul X-cess 8100 5W-40 or Fuchs Titan Race Pro S 10W-50. The engine does get through the Mobil 1 10W-60, the mileage is 175k, so I think the Motul may be too thin, likewise the Synta 10W-40. But the Fuchs might be an interesting option. There's an element of if it ain't broke, but any thoughts would be much appreciated?

It's often recommended that you support the engine when taking the bumper off as the cross member is just held by the two bolts inbetween the bumper bolts - they look a bit small in comparison to the bumper ones but they're only in tension so my feeling is it's fine without and you'd think VW would design them to hold it... but you never know so I usually prop something under the sump. If you're removing the cross member as well, then yeah, engine needs supporting. If you just want to clean the rust up on the cross member a bit I'd probably do that in-situ. The central vertical bit that is dented is part of the slam panel and comes off easily as Fla says. I am not sure about unplugging the power steering pipe as I've never had to do this when removing the slam panel and it sounds extra hassle - unless Fla meant if you take the cross member off as well.

I think mine is like this as well. I've got used to it now so can't remember off the top of my head which one it is, but I distinctly remember when I first had it thinking it was odd having one pedal further forward but thought that was just how it was set up - car pedal/steering wheel etc. ergonomics always seemed to be an afterthought so I just assumed . Fairly sure it was the clutch. Not that this helps you much as I've never done anything about it!

As stated Hammerite is the one. My cage was in a similar state to yours about 5 years ago, I removed as much rust as I could, used a full can on it and it still looks in decent nick now. I did spend time trying to get as much rust off as I could, with a variety of sanders, grinders and kurust type stuff, as well as a hammer and chisel where it was really thick lumps. Worth doing that if you can, preparation as they say. Can't remember if I sprayed the black Hammerite straight on or used their primer as well though...

Yeah, they are Czech judging from the box. The A-line are standard 2 ground electrode plug, so no upgrade on the NGKs I'd say. They work fine, and the engine runs smoothly enough, but the NGKs could be found cheaper so I wouldn't say particularly worth it. The Racing plugs look interesting... unusual electrode design, almost like no ground electrodes so can see how they would result in a better spark/flame propagation. Perhaps I should have stumped up the extra...! Also seen the Brisk Silver DR17YS are also available, and they are single electrode design. I think it was the Silver recommended on here albeit a different model, but that was a while ago so these could be the newer version. Cheaper than the A-lines as well, so these could be worth a go. Too much haste buying the A-lines I think!

It really was an awful seal on it. I remember tightening and tightening it to try and get it to seal, but in the end had to smear gunk all the way around which wasn't ideal. I suppose that tightening could have weakened it a bit perhaps... although it was fine for 6 years. I really would recommend the Hella if you go to replace. Was about £130 from a place in Plumbstead, so not a huge deal more than the one from GSF. Unfortunately there's something else wrong with it now so it's off to the garage. 3 spark plugs coated in oil and running really rough. Not too confident... That is definitely the best thing about it! That was the bonus of being custom as I could show them where exactly how I wanted the tailpipe to fit. Still looks good now. The downside is that it is a bit boom-y at motorway cruising speed.

So the decision to buy the cheap GSF radiator back up there some 6 years ago finally came home to roost. Car had been running hot recently culminating in the top hose pulled the screw fixings out the rad. Cue my first ever trip home on a flatbed. Did it properly this time and bought a Hella rad. Here's why you shouldn't buy cheap: New Hella on the left is significantly wider for a start, at least 10mm. can also see where the fixings pulled out of their housing on the old one. Also has much better vane design, much finer with two cross tubes... the GSF looks an old design in comparison. The Hella is just all around better in quality. Internally the GSF had a lot of plstic flashing poking out, but the Hella was completely smooth. Additionally the top elbow was a really bad seal on the GSF. Basically it didn't, and had to seal it with a load of gunk. Hella fitted perfectly. Car now runs a lot cooler as well, stays down at 90 in traffic whereas before it was nudging 110. Really do buy a good rad is my advice here! May do a coolant flush as well as there seemed quite a lot of deposits in the coolant which may have gunged up the rad a bit. Not sure where that has come from as always just use G13. On the plus side my Hammerite job on the fan cage is holding up remarkably well!

Anyone had any experience with BRISK A-line 23 Yttrium DR17LDCY spark plugs? I was perusing Amazon and it said these fitted the VR6 so I snapped them up, having read somewhere on here that Brisk plugs were excellent. Those were DR12S Silver plugs though, which I am not sure available now, but figured the brand was good. However, I'll be damned if I can find any info about these particular plugs online, or even if they do indeed suit the VR6. Only seem to be available on European websites so I guess they are imported. Just wondering if I should be sending back, I'll have to wait until delivered and see how the quality feels!

Had my first trip on a recovery truck in 7 years of Corrado ownership. Not a bad innings, but I suppose has to happen sometime. Radiator hose burst out the top of the radiator, pulled the metal screw sockets out of the plastic housing, coolant everywhere. Fortunately only doing 20 and was able to pull in as soon as I saw steam so shouldn't be any lasting damage I don't think. Didn't notice it overheat before the pipe connection went, so I guess just a defect in the radiator. Was a GSF one, but it's lasted 5 years or so not sure why it decided to give out now.

Aye, that's the thing though - the larger pad surface area won't make a difference, other than in better heat dissipation perhaps which I guess would help under heavy braking. Interesting that the pistons are the same size, so it is just that little extra diameter of the disk that makes all the difference.