Corrado Tooling

[Pat_McCrotch 0]

The Karmann situation has got me thinking recently; where exactly is all the tooling for the Corrado?

 

When a car ceases production, the presses are either sold and moved overseas (The MK1 Golf to South Africa, MK2 Jetta to China and the B7 Audi A4 to Spain) or sold to pattern part specialists. But as we all know there are no non genuine Corrado panels to be had so they must still be somewhere at VW or Karmann. Pre-facelift wings are pretty much the first body panel to have been made obselete. So the ball has already started rolling.

 

Which got me thinking about another possibilty. The Delorean is currently being made in the USA using original panels and old tooling. Imagine if someone were to purchase the tooling and make an up to date Corrado? :clap: MK4 Golf interior with a 3.2 VR6 engine? Yes please :grin: The cost to purchase the tooling and make a new bodyshell would likely mean you'd have to sell them at £25k + each. But I'd have one :grin:

 

Anyway, back to reality!! Has anyone ever actually ask Karmann about this? It would be a tragedy if Karmann still had these presses and they got lost to the administrators :censored:

[Jim 2]

Have you seen the size of the panel presses..? I'm not quite sure what kinds of logistics would be required to obtain and relocate those.. well beyond the means (and finances) of anyone on here I'd imagine.

[Pat_McCrotch 0]

I think thats probably the main issue really. Not the cost to buy it, but the cost to relocate it and get it working again :( I imagine to get a full set of pressings would run into hundreds of thousands or euros, and thats without getting them working!

 

But at the end of the day I'm in no doubt that some of this will be sold, especially the rear quarter panel and wing presses.

[mort1414 0]

i think we need a corrado forum apperance on dragons den

[V-Dubstar 0]

i think we need a corrado forum apperance on dragons den

 

:lol: Or a group bank-job...

[djmac56 0]

I'm blown away by the idea of a factory fresh rado with new everything, but for 25g you could easily retrofit everything to your current car, without the big investment... I'm still going to look into this idea tho- i know some venture capitalists, and if every forum member stuck in 25 quid i bet we could get something moving

[dgtvr6 0]

I'm blown away by the idea of a factory fresh rado with new everything, but for 25g you could easily retrofit everything to your current car, without the big investment... I'm still going to look into this idea tho- i know some venture capitalists, and if every forum member stuck in 25 quid i bet we could get something moving

 

 

Errr... Wouldn't that be £25 PLUS £25k for the actual car? No point getting the presses etc without a target market.

 

Not sure how viable it would be anyway as (in reality not Corradoland) the Scirocco is the better known brand name and that has been updated and is on sale through VW so you would instantly be competing against them without the backup, access to market, marketing budget, sales force, global appeal.....Etc basically....

 

Yes, of course I would buy a new factory fresh Corrado (especially in 4wd with 3.2 engine) but suspect that it would cost a LOT more than £25k to make in such small numbers....

[D-Pete 0]

Many classics have complete parts availability which is usually down to enthusiasts buying the old tooling etc, you can buy a newly fabricated, complete MGB body for about £5k.

Buying the tooling is an exceptional idea but I don't think i would want to buy a kit car based on the 'Rado, built in a factory or not.

[Yandards 0]

Many classics have complete parts availability which is usually down to enthusiasts buying the old tooling etc, you can buy a newly fabricated, complete MGB body for about £5k.

Buying the tooling is an exceptional idea but I don't think i would want to buy a kit car based on the 'Rado, built in a factory or not.

 

Not quite true, all the MG tooling is owned the by the FHBMV (Federation of historic British Motor Vehicles) which bought up all the old panel tooling for some Triumphs, MG's and early Minis. They are quite a large company with a bit of clout and if you compare the panel complexity on older cars the tooling process was simpler and smaller. Karmanns press room is about 4 stories high!

 

As far as I can remember all the Corrado tooling for panels are still at Karmann (in storage somewhere on site) but it is not clear if they are owned by VW or Karmann. Karmann did seem to suggest thay they would do a production run of a 1000 items not for VW if someone bought them but I don't know if that is the case. Easiest thing for us is for VW to buy Karmann and then at least the tooling is secure and hopefully we can get some new panels.

[D-Pete 0]

They are quite a large company with a bit of clout

 

They are now, but in they started as a bunch of enthusiasts wanting to save old cars.

 

Maybe VW will do a limited run if there is enough interest? It'd be nice. :)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Easiest thing for us is for VW to buy Karmann and then at least the tooling is secure and hopefully we can get some new panels.

 

Hope so. I've ordered one of the last 3 nearside VR6 wings in the country. If after than VW in Germany deplete their stocks, that'll be it because VW will only stamp new panels if there is sufficient demand.

[Jim Bowen 1]

just make a mould from an existing wing and get them made in carbon fibre instead :D :lol:

[-=Kris=- 0]

just make a mould from an existing wing and get them made in carbon fibre instead :D :lol:

 

Carbon fibre rado, yeah!!!!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Carbon fibre, pah, that's so last year :camp:

 

What you want is Pagani grade 'Carbon fibre' with interwoven titanium weave 8)

[-=Kris=- 0]

titanium?! pfft...

 

how bout solid gold baby!!!

 

[OllieVR6 0]

i think we need a corrado forum apperance on dragons den

 

:lol: Or a group bank-job...

 

All the get away cars would break down :lol:

[Tempest 0]

I know from Fiat X19 owners that a Dutch club has clubbed together their private funds (a few million actually, must have had some high value individuals) to buy the moulds from Fiat. They are now recovering that money (aprtially anyway) from selling new panels.

 

As far as the current C moulds are concerned, as Karmann were toolmakers, they will also own the moulds for the Cs.

 

Tempest

[Supercharged 2]

Why are most of our panels stamped mexico Eric?

 

Did the sheet metal come from VAG in Mexico and then pressed at Osnabuch?

[Mr Sands 0]

i think we need a corrado forum apperance on dragons den

 

:lol: Or a group bank-job...

 

All the get away cars would break down :lol:

 

Brilliant! :lol:

 

"I only told you to replace the bloody door striker pins...now we can't get in!"

[Pat_McCrotch 0]

I know from Fiat X19 owners that a Dutch club has clubbed together their private funds (a few million actually, must have had some high value individuals) to buy the moulds from Fiat.

 

 

I think I've got £3.60 in between my seats. You've got to start somewhere :lol:

[davidwort 0]

I know from Fiat X19 owners that a Dutch club has clubbed together their private funds (a few million actually, must have had some high value individuals) to buy the moulds from Fiat. They are now recovering that money (aprtially anyway) from selling new panels.

I'm not surprised, X19 panels would only last one winter in Northern Europe anyway :lol:

[Tempest 0]

Why are most of our panels stamped mexico Eric?

 

Did the sheet metal come from VAG in Mexico and then pressed at Osnabuch?

 

Karmann sourced its sheets metal from all over the place. Just be gald they didn´t source it from Poland like they did with the Mk1 :pale:

 

Tempest