Kevin Bacon

Hiya, no I just went up for a service and general check-over (a week before the RR shoot-out) over as I'd just bought the car and didn't know anything about C's then. I just wanted the thumbs up from Vince that it was mechanically sound before sinking any cash into it. If it was a lemon, it would have been sold but as it turned out, it's an absolute flyer, much to the surprise of the pair of us! I'm going back up there on Monday for a new clutch and an oil cooler. Yes I believe Mr Roddy is coming down to have his car chipped on the 12th. Have you got any results from the shoot-out? Kev

Oh right, I agreed to meet Roddy up there on that day anyway. Probably see you there then! I don't need to roller mine as I already know it puts out 200bhp + 193lb/ft in standard form :D . The right honourable Mr Vince Saiya did the rolling for me last month. I'm keen to see what the results of a re-chip yield! Might invest myself if it's good. Kev 94 VR6

Probably the main fuel pump. Enough fuel for the midrange but not for top end. My old 16V physically wouldn't go faster than 115mph but a new pump saw the car zoom round to an indicated 140mph (probably only 125 true mph) so it's worth getting it pressure checked. I wouldn't bother tampering with the induction side of things as the 16V breathes extremely well as it is. Concentrate on the mechanicals instead but the only way you'll get a real difference is by fitting a 2.0 block. Wild cams will just destroy your low end and idle. Kev 94 Corrado VR6

When is this trip to AmD taking place then? Kev 94 VR6

If you don't go for the VR6 then I'd get the Prelude. The other two are a bit naff in my opinion although the Vauxhall is the most reliable of all 4 cars mentioned. The VR6 is a fab car. There is something instinctively right about it from the moment you park your bum in the seat. It gets better when you turn the key. Kev 94 VR6

400ps is about 390bhp. You just gotta love that elaborate pipe work, sheer genius! I also like the rear clusters, obviously sprayed but has he left parts of the indicators orange/red and smoked the rest? Or are the indicators actually on? Hard to tell on that pic. Kev

Offset for the valver is ET35 but it'll be stamped on the wheel somewhere. 17" looks best imo and so long as you use the correct aspect ratio tyres (215/40/17 I think) the speedo will be OK. Kev 94 VR6

I remember that beasty.....if I remember rightly, it generates 900+ hp on 110 octane racing fuel and around 600bhp on your normal filling station stuff + different maps etc. The genuine VW 'kit-car' arches are a work of art, shame VW didn't base the R32 around this shell! Kev 94 VR6

Vince of Stealth told me the 2.9 Manifold and Throttle body have a larger bore than the 2.8 but the Golf Highlines got these parts and a newer Motronic module, meaning 185bhp! You can therefore raid parts from a Highline Golf or a Corrado. Kev 94 VR6

I'm undecided on this one, although I have a VR6 myself generating a healthy 200 brake in standard trim, both cars have their merits. The G60 pulls hard from the off where as the VR needs stoking to get the most out of it. The VR to me just feels like a big capacity 16V, only smoother and quieter. The VR6 doesn't idle especially well and it's a pain to put right. You are also aware of that big lump at the front when cornering although to VW's credit, they have done a fantastic job of tempering understeer and you have to be really silly to get it wildly out of shape. A decent front engine mount improves matters still further. Overall the VR6 is a good strong engine, it runs a bit hot but regular oil changes should keep it healthy. Check for evidence of timing chain replacement if you look at cars around the 100K mark as it's a BIG job. The G60 is a fab engine and I've had the pleasure of sampling a highly modified 2.0 example. Awesome torque, awesome sound track. As for the infamous G-Lader weakness, I've never known any of my mates to have one blow on them but it would be wise to get it checked over as VW won't want to know if you've got a tired one. They'll gladly sell you a whole one though (if there's any left) for a huge sum. The Jabba rebuilt ones are tougher than the factory items anyway and I believe the main weakness is the internal belt that snaps, causing the scroll to grenade itself through the casing. I think there are now twin-pulley mods out there to help reduce the chance of that happening. My advice is to simply try one of each and buy the one you like best. As mentioned, the G60 has wider scope for power increases than the VR. In the real world, both are quick cars and reliable if looked after. Later cars have more equipment and the later instruments/switch gear. Watch out for malfunctioning sunroofs and one-touch windows (if fitted). The rest of the car is pretty reliable, including the rear spoiler. Cheers Kev 94 VR6

I personally think you'd be better off finding a wrecked Corrado VR6, which is probably a task in itself as they're not exactly common. There must be one around somewhere. The front end is all MK3 'plus' running gear as is the rear. You'll have to be careful with wheel choice as VR6s have ET 46 to compensate for the longer wishbones. You will then of course need the engine and box and complete loom with Motronic module. If you can source all the parts, it should be a straight forward swap over. I've been down this road so many times in the past though and the reality is never as easy or cheap as the theory. Maybe you should consider putting aside the money you would (in theory) spend on the conversion, return your car back to standard as much as possible, stick some thick oil in the engine and sell it. Then you can buy a VR6. Just a thought. Kev

andg60, did you find the VTEC all it was cracked up to be then? I only ask as I tested a Civic Type R and was rather underwhelmed when the cam lobes changed over. The salesman enthusiastically told me to plant it in 3rd and hang on when the revs get to 6,500, but not much happened. The engine just got louder and coarser with no appreciable boost in acceleration. Maybe this one was a duffer? Kev 94 VR6

Yeah sorry, you need the VR6 top plate aswell (forgot they're going on a G60) as G60ING pointed out. I don't have the part number for that I'm afraid. Cheers Kev

Ah nology hot-wires. Heard good things about them. Does the high spark coil come with the leads or is it extra? I suppose they're only of benefit to forced induction engines? Cheers Kev 94 VR6

Well I fitted it (http://www.turn2usa.com) and I'm well impressed! Plus points:- Much better engine response - no more engine lurching, just power to the road. Better turn-in and cornering stability - again down to the engine not dancing about throwing the front end off balance. Engine lurching and shunting greatly reduced overall. Slightly beefed up engine note. Chance of engine hitting bonnet is zero as it's a completely different design. 15 minute job with a few hand tools. 1 Negative point:- If your idle is slightly lumpy, the mount will make it feel a little lumpier but if your idle is spot on, no additional vibration. Overall a great mod which proves to be more than the sum of it's parts. At last the engine now feels a part of the car and not an bouncy accessory. Highly recommended. Cheers Kev 94 VR6

Ah the good old LM3914/5 & 6 logarithmic chips! Used those years ago to make a really accurate 50 led per channel audio db meter. They're scalable and you can do pretty much measure anything with them! If you run the 'take off' leads in parallel with the ECU leads, it shouldn't drain the current to the extent of confusing the ECU. Kev

Ice grey violet metallic is obviously not a popular colour then!! Is it me or do Cs on big wheels look a bit dumpy? Cheers Kev 94 VR6

He he, those dada models are superb fun. Had a few of them as a kid, they are extremely quick!! Didn't know they still made them. Cool. Cheers Kev

OK thanks chaps Kev 94 VR6

Yeah sorry, I forgot, here they are:- Mounting - 357412331A - £14.30p Bearing - 1J0412249 - £4.40p You'll need two of each, total cost inc VAT = £43.94 Kev 94 VR6

Nope, VR6 offset is 46. If you run ET35 rims, the wheels will stick out 11mm more than they should. This is good for handling as you'll widen the track by 22mm BUT bad for wheel bearings. You'll also induce bad tramlining and bump-steer. VR6s have the 'plus' running gear which has a wider track, but to bring the wheels back into the arches again, they use a deeper than normal offset. The VR6 is probably faster than both flavours of 1.8T TT, but probably not as quick as the 3.2. Evo magazine tested the VR6 some years ago and returned a 0-60 of 6.2 seconds, which is well up there with most modern high powered coupes. Cheers Kev 94 VR6

Only if the TT wheels are PCD 5x100 and ET46. Cheers Kev 94 VR6

Have a look here for how it looks with the driver and passenger side setup:- http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/vie ... uid=997567 Total cost inc VAT is £58. Cheers Kev

The last pic is pretty cool actually, very clever! People who make things like that should be head-hunted and employed by car companies in my opinion. The rear end looks a little strange without the familiar shut lines but it's been bloody well executed all the same. No ripples or blemishes (that we can see), so top marks for creativity and originality! Kev

Can anyone recommend a good lambda meter? I can't think of their proper name but it's basically a little LED display that mounts on the dash and monitors fuel/air ratio in real-time using the lambda probe. I used to have one on my 16V Turbo but can't remember who made it or where it came from (was in the car already). I found it useful because on a few occasions it sank into the red (too rich) instantly highlighting a problem. That way you can look into it before wrecking the cat and wasting fuel. Likewise if it goes into the green (too weak) you can avoid detonation if the Knock sensor can't pull the timing back far enough. Any ideas? Cheers Kev