Thoughts on changing car

[Jim Bowen 1]

i really love my corrado, love the look of it most, and the engine of course

 

but after seeing a few of my older mates cars (they all late 30's) and they have mk1 golfs, sciroccos etc, all lightweight, nothing special engine wise and far from immaculate to look at, but fantastic handling etc. Whereas the corrado looks such a weapon parked next to them but isn't as much fun and seems to cost the earth to drive/fix and modify

 

one of their golfs is immense i really don't think there is much around here that could outhandle him in that car. The car drives very well all he has done is all the bushes, some suspension/rims and a couple of braces. plus he doesn't really care too much about it, so isn't scared to get it on 3wheels etc. annoyed a guy in a tvr that just couldn't lose him on the bends

 

so i'm starting to think i'd rather the fun factor and chuckability of a mk1 than the sheer power of the corrado, (plus corrado isn't handling right STILL, trying to figure that out asap) then i'll either just keep corrado and save for a mk1 project car, or think about selling corrado and buying a nice mk1 and maybe have a little change

 

what are the mk1 golfs like to modify etc? i feel like i want something simple, lighter, cheaper to run and fix.

 

i hardly use roads decent enough to get the power out of the corrado, i may change my mind after/if the corrado steering/handling gets sorted

[zak 0]

ive had my mk1 for 5 years so i know its handling characteristics and capability quite well so i quite confident when i say that a stock corrado will out handle a mk1 anyday of the week. I think problems occur when cars age and components wear so the drive does not become a true representation of what the car is capable of. I only know how well a corado can handle as my last 16v was a good one. As standard it was fun to drive and made me understand why the corrado was praised as the best fwd handling car of its time. My current vr by comparison does not have the same feel but this is largely down to component wear eg worn rear beam bushes. I have subsequenty replaced the rear beam bushes this week in the hope of restoring the feel i used to have my last corrado. I havent taken it for a test drive as i need to do a final bleed of the brakes but hopefuly i will have the sharpness back.

 

i say say you should not lose faith in the corrado as it can be a fun car to drive, the mk1 is great but not a practical daily anymore.

[Andy665 0]

A well set-up Corrado should outhandle a similarly set-up Golf, almost certainly has a lower centre of gravity, wider track etc.

 

When I first picked up my G60 I was not convinced that it handled well at all. Had FK Konigsports fitted and a total re-bush on steering / suspension carried out and it totally transformed the car.

 

Only downside of the Corrado is the weight of the thing but that can be sorted with selective lightening. I recently fitted Pro Race 2 alloys which has probably saved me 2-3kgs per corner, the effect it has had on steering feel and suspension control is pretty noticeable.

 

If I were you, I'd start going through the car and replace bushes etc, I'd be surprised if you didn't end up with a far more rewarding car to drive.

[davidwort 0]

The structure of the mk1 is pretty poor by newer car standards even mk2 golf, they need bracing all over the place if you're running anything like a modern engine's power output, they were designed for 1-1.5L 1970's engines and they creak and flex really badly when thrown around. I loved my mk 1's but they rot badly and are like tin cans compared to the Corrado, plus the very small wheelbase makes them go-cart like in all the bad ways.

I'd take the C anyday over a mk1 for any amount of driving but they do need more hp to make them really fun.

[Jim Bowen 1]

argh... i just don't know what i want anymore :(

 

i don't think i could part with the corrado i love it too much, even if it was just to look at :lol:

 

looking into golfs, i'm looking at £3k ish for a decent one, not sure its worth a while change, i reckon i'd be in same situation as i;m in with the corrado, i.e: i can see i need to fork out possible £1k-£2k to get some niggly bits sorted

[RobMarriott 0]

the mk1 is great but not a practical daily anymore.

 

How many miles do you do a day out of interest?

 

they creak and flex really badly when thrown around

 

Mine doesn't creak at all :?

 

but they rot badly

 

Again, mine's solid throughout. It's all about buying a decent one, if you buy a tatty one, it'll be rotten and have worn parts all over the place, if you buy a looked after one, it won't be any less reliable, any more rust prone or creak more than any other car IMO.

 

The mk1 is the best car I've had, I've had other old cars, of a similar vintage, and it's a million times better than all of them. If it drives well and isn't brown everywhere, it'll be fine, just like mine is.

 

Keep the Corrado anyway Jim, you can actually get people in the back seats :lol:

[mark1 0]

Got to agree with RobMarriott. Get a good Mk1 and mod it up and its a much more raw experience than the rado. I love the C but the mk1 will always get pride of place, but I couldnt realy advise anyone to run one as daily transport (more of a project / weekend car IMO). Unbeleivably quick with a 20vt and they are very good round corners with uprated suspension. I would say keep the C as a first car as its a great alrounder 8)

[vwdeviant 0]

Buy my Cabbie.. Excellent low-milage (85k) and hardly sufers from scuttle shake let alone creaks and bangs of higher mileage ones!

 

Oh and there is a 4-point lower front brace available for mk1's from a co called Eurosport inc in the US, as far as I know pretty unique as it ties the chassis legs to the floor stopping almost all the flexing at the front.

[Jim Bowen 1]

thats the brace i've seen, connects to either side of wishbones and has a diagonal brace between the two