oneohtwo's VR6 - New Engine!

[oneohtwo 8]

Got around to repairing the tabs on the parcel shelf mounts and refitted with new speakers last weekend. The old speakers were absolutely shot:

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No wonder the sound quality was awful! Such a difference. I have the front dash replacements, which I need to fit, but I almost think it doesn't need them. 

It's also a really nice feeling knowing all the plastic trim is in good shape, fitted how it should be and secured with all the right screws. And not jammed into place and broken by some heavy handed spanner monkey. Also found there's a slot for the seatbelt covers to slot into. Nice to have those properly secure and not rattling around! 

Another small job completed, gradually ticking them off. 

 

[oneohtwo 8]

Got around to repairing the tabs on the parcel shelf mounts and refitted with new speakers last weekend. The old speakers were absolutely shot:

 

No wonder the sound quality was awful! Such a difference. I have the front dash replacements, which I need to fit, but I almost think it doesn't need them. 

It's also a really nice feeling knowing all the plastic trim is in good shape, fitted how it should be and secured with all the right screws. And not jammed into place and broken by some heavy handed spanner monkey. Also found there's a slot for the seatbelt covers to slot into. Nice to have those properly secure and not rattling around! 

Another small job completed, gradually ticking them off. 

Edited September 20, 2022 by oneohtwo

[1xshaunx1 27]

I bet your hearing an orchestra of tones now compared to the rubbish you took out. That really has had it

[oneohtwo 8]

Yep, it's like the Albert Hall in there now! I think those speakers have probably been like since I had the car.

But in true Corrado fashion, you finish one job and another, bigger job presents itself. After fitting the dash speakers I went to swap a broken fuel line clip from the underside of the car. Got some new plastic ones and tried to leaver the old one off. About half way through I realised I wasn't pulling the plastic clip off but the body shell around the metal pin had rusted and I was actually pulling the metal away. I stopped, but there is essentially now a small hole in the floor pan.

Bah. I'll have to leave it for a minute, but it's not one I can solve. Will need a body shop to look at that. 

[oneohtwo 8]

Spent a bit of time over the weekend on the scuttle area. Took the wiper trims off and cleaned everything out:

Also lucked out on ebay and chanced upon someone selling 4 unbroken white plastic clips that always snap off, so now I have a full set. Still managed to break one in the process of getting the trim back on, but at least I had a spare. Also the very middle clip doesn't actually seem to be used - there's no corresponding tab on the trim, so I guess that is also a spare? Definitely a technique to getting the trim on and off, have to carefully lift at the front then push backwards. The drivers side is the trickiest, don't think the fit is as good.

Whist I had the trim off I moulded a little recess to allow the TT wiper arms to rotate, and then resprayed with the U-Pol plastic paints. Incidentally, really good paint. Easy to use and the finish is excellent. Smartens up that area of the car anyway:

 

[ABV-VR6 12]

That looks good and new! Well done. I though there was 10 of those clips and I can count 11 on your car. Maybe that would explain why you couldn't find a corresponding tab for the middle one? Cheers! 

[oneohtwo 8]

Yeah, I've no idea why the middle one is there. Somebody obviously put it it there at some point, and there's a hole for it. At least it means i have a spare though!

It's an odd design though, I don't really know why the trim can't just clip to the metal.

[oneohtwo 8]

Not a great weekend for the Corrado. Went out to clean it yesterday and as I got to the front found some lovely person had done this:

Amazing really. Whatever it was was at the perfect height to just scrape over the bumper, but also low enough not to damage the bonnet. Not fully sure what to do about it yet.  What I don't understand is, I've checked all the cars along the road almost all of them are in near perfect condition. Just one or two slightly older cars with some cosmetic scrapes. Then you get to my car and near enough all 4 corners are scraped and dented, plus the rear bumper and now this. Is it because it's an older car people just think it doesn't matter so are less careful? Or it's just smaller than most modern cars so they don't see it?

Apart from the scrapes and dents the paint is looking in a bad way. Clear coat peeling here and there, crazed areas and tiny rust spots. No way am I going for a full respray whilst it's parked on the road - but it would be nice to get it looking somewhat smarter.

[_Matt_ 32]

My pet hate is people damaging other people's stuff :(

There is something about older cars that attract damage. Do people look down on them as cheap old rubbish? My wife inherited a Y reg Corsa C with just 10k on the odo and it's been door dinged twice already and we both make sure to park away from others.

Whilst your C is road parked id agree its not worth fixing up the body however it is a balance to not detract the ownership experience for yourself too.

Sent from my SM-G990B2 using Tapatalk

[Cressa 44]

Unnecessary damage 🤬😡

[1xshaunx1 27]

What a git. Feel for you matey. Anything parked on the road feels fair game to this sort of brainless driving and pedestrian thug joy. If it doesn’t get nicked some others ding it or kick it, they could do with some pain association therapy 

[oneohtwo 8]

Yep. It's a pretty nice area all in all (I accidently left the passenger's door on the latch for a couple of weeks once and nothing happened to it) so I think it's just careless more than thuggery. Plus delivery drivers who couldn't give a shit either way. 

On 5/30/2023 at 10:17 PM, _Matt_ said:

Whilst your C is road parked id agree its not worth fixing up the body however it is a balance to not detract the ownership experience for yourself too.
 

Exactly this. It's disheartening looking at it with dings and scrapes all over. I think a mobile dent repairer and having a go myself with rattle cans might be the cheaper compromise. I did do a bit myself years ago on the A-pillar and it looked fine for a while. Although now looks like crazy paving on the clear coat - not really sure what causes this.

And yeah, I can only assume people just think it's an older car so isn't worth anything. Like I say, there are plenty of pretty nice cars down the road with not a mark on them. The only others in a bad way are an old Volvo XC90 which clearly is just being used and abused and a 90s Polo and 406, both of which haven't been cleaned for decades and are losing all their clearcoat. And then mine.

[_Matt_ 32]

Just coming back to this to give an idea of cost on dents - I had a few quotes from mobile dent people as have 3 on the Corrado, 2 on my new daily and some arse put 1 on my wife's new car too (neither a new, i'm not a baller 😮, they are 3 - 4 years old). The companies seem to quote per panel - £65 to £75 + vat per panel however they are also open to quoting for the job. I'm getting 6 dents on all cars taken out for £200 all in.

Not cheap but compared to bodyshop paint and welding it's very cheap and gets results that might balance up the car to enjoying. For me i can live with stonechips but can't stand door dings so it's worth it for me. 

[oneohtwo 8]

Ah thanks for the update. I did go to a paintless dent removal chap, and he just blanket came back to say he couldn't do them. I meant to follow up with him, because  it seemed an odd thing to say! He was a highly rated one as well, so that reminds me!

It may have been that he was saying because the paint was damaged you can't do a paintless repair (obviously!) but not all of the dents are scraped.

[_Matt_ 32]

where abouts are you based, you're London based? The guy i used was from Watford and travelled up to me east of Royston / North Herts. 

[fla 9]

22 hours ago, _Matt_ said:

where abouts are you based, you're London based? The guy i used was from Watford and travelled up to me east of Royston / North Herts. 

Matt, would you mind advising this chap in Watford please?  I'm in Northwood so not too far from him. 

Thanks

Hasan

[_Matt_ 32]

Hi Hasan, yea no probs - it was Pip at https://www.facebook.com/Pipsdent/

He went above and beyond on mine - wifes car had more dents than I had noticed and it took them all out whilst he was here and another from my daily I hadn't noticed too. Did it all as part of the original job.

 

[fla 9]

Great, many thanks. Should i mention that he did yours and therefore came from a referral?

[_Matt_ 32]

oh yes of course - he's a good chap

[fla 9]

thanks a lot Matt

[ChrisL 18]

How easy is it to remove the wiper mechanism and motor please? I’m sorting these 3 trim pieces now so would remove the motor and mechanism if it’s easy enough.

[fendervg 32]

Easy enough - there was a post here about wiper arm grommets that had the info. The whole thing will come out with the motor and linkages attached - it's much easier to remove everything with it off the car.

- remove all trim

- unplug wiper motor

- remove wiper stalks (you may need a puller to help with that if they are on tight)

- undo bolt that the wiper linkage support to the bulkhead near the motor

- then undo the two large flat spindle arm nuts (I think 22 ro 32 mm, need a deep socket) from the outside, these are the only things holding the whole assembly in

- after that you should be able to pop the spindles through the holes in the bulkhead and maneuver the whole thing out very carefully

A bit more infr here:

http://the-corrado.net/topic/87819-order-of-washers-for-windscreen-wiper-spindle/

[oneohtwo 8]

22mm is correct on the spindle nuts. Maneuvering it out is a pain - it takes a bit of wiggling in just the right way. For a while it will seem like it won't come out, then miraculously just does!

Are you painting yours with the U-Pol plastic range? Unfortunately with ine it seemed like water had got under the paint (or my prep wasn't good enough) and a load of small blow holes had formed, which was a bit annoying. Did a quick respray on the car, but the results aren't as good as they were.

[oneohtwo 8]

On 10/11/2023 at 9:21 AM, _Matt_ said:

Hi Hasan, yea no probs - it was Pip at https://www.facebook.com/Pipsdent/

He went above and beyond on mine - wifes car had more dents than I had noticed and it took them all out whilst he was here and another from my daily I hadn't noticed too. Did it all as part of the original job.

 

Cheers, I'll give this guy a call. I am taking it into a local classic car place for a look over, but will see if this guy can help as well.

[oneohtwo 8]

Not had much to report recently as hadn't done anything to the car and it has been running well since the rebuild... until disaster on Sunday.

Started her up and immediately the idle was lumpy and sounded like a misfire. Tried revving a bit to see if it would pick up and settle down, but it didn't. There was also a strong whiff of fuel (which sometimes is normal starting from cold with the rich running) but this time it was because fuel was pissing all over the road. I mean loads of it, not just a trickle. Had a quick look under the bonnet and all I could see was a bit of fuel around the injectors, so I presume the seals have started leaking. I could see fuel all over the front cross member as well, and it was dripping off the splitter.

No idea what's happened. Had the injectors refurbished when I did the rebuild so they should all be fine, and the seals new. Only been using E5 fuel as well, so shouldn't have had any degradation there. And last time I drove it, it was running perfectly. The only thing is I don't get to drive it that often, last time was around 4 weeks ago, and things always seem to go wrong through not using it, but I am still a little baffled and deflated. The rebuild was supposed to mean things like this didn't happen!