bjc388

it's horses for courses really like most things in life. If you get a chance to sample an Exige or any Elise then do it - they are great fun. Even better, if you get the chance to sample one with either an Audi 20v turbo installation or a s/c honda in it then I can tell you that 300bhp+ in a 750kg car is pretty intense :shock: :cuckoo: :nuts: :grin:

If you go for the VR or the TT lumps then have a think about some extra budget for replacement instruments (yours will be set up for 4 cyl engine), new driveshafts, gearbox, brakes and wheels too (5 stud as opposed to 4 stud pattern) ... and why you're at it new suspension too Might be cheaper to actually part ex and get yourself the VR6 and save yourself the hassle and heartache if bits don't work or line up properly etc etc If you want approx 200bhp then a nice G60 with some minor fettling might fit the bill ... ...

If the arch is rubbing on the tyre then there's usually 2 culprits. 1. Your springs are slightly too soft for the ride height you want - the springs hold the car up - the dampers control the spring oscillations - soft springs will still compress - hardening the dampers usually affects the rebound only 2. Your wheel and tyre combination simply sticks out too far for the wheel arches to accomodate ... either change them or roll back the arches at a bodyshop

Are you simply changing the defective damper or are you going to change all the dampers and springs? If all you do is potter around then of course no point in watsing money going for new dampers all round. If however you like to drive in fast road mode or do trackdays then unless the dampers are fairly new, you could end up with a odd handling car. Damper performance will degrade over time as the damper oil degrades. Good opportunity to get some new sports suspension kit on ... ... and give your C that lizard down a drainpipe feel

As posted above, spacers will push the wheel further away from the mounting face. Aftermarket alloys are made with various offsets which may or may not fit the VW specifications. You can make them fit by using spacers Sometimes it's for practical reasons ie to clear oversized brake callipers etc. Other times it's for the visual effect of making the car have a much more squared off wheel at each corner stance (as opposed to a knocked knee appearance). Caution - by pushing the wheel out too far that you may:- 1. Cause the tyre to rub against the wheel arch when the springs are depressed; 2. Cause more load to be added to the steering/transmission joints since the weight of the wheel/tyre is now further away than originally designed - especially if the new alloys are larger and heavier than the standard ones; and 3. badly made spacers can introduce balancing issues (hubcentric ones are better). IMO 5mm spacers all round with standard wheels and standard suspension are probably unlikley to cause problems.

My 1990 1.8 16v used to have that annoying "boomy" resonance ... IMO I rather suspect it's very much the case that the standard VAG exhaust is the culprit. I lived with it for several years from new. I only managed to get rid of the unpleasantness by changing the exhaust system when i started to upgrade the C. I don't know if simply changing the back box will cure the problem since I changed the entire system.

if your loom has relays in them then the relay may be faulty ... new ones are fairly cheap to pick up from maplins

£4k may be quite restrictive unless you can source bits cheaply and find someone you trust to install them properly IMO. The 6 cylinder conversions will require new wiring and a lot of patience too .. remember your C is kitted with a speedo and gearing etc for 4 cylinders. Of course the V6 will always sound nicer but as a general rule they cost more to modify when you begin to thirst for more bhp I seem to recollect that new driveshafts, suspension,exhaust etc etc will also be required ... hence the sense from others in simply buying a V6 ... it's cheaper!! As posted earlier, the 1.8T lump will give more stronger bhp/££ ratios and a simple ECU flash from Revo etc will liberate more bhp (and it's reversible). I've driven both a 3.1 ltr VR6 (abt crank) and later it's reincarnation into a 250bhp 1.8T conversion ... the 1.8T was a monster of an engine and IMO would easily outdrag the 3.1ltr V6 engine for sheer oooomphh .. the torque curve makes all the difference I run a 16V turbo which I'm really pleased with but I had my conversion carried out before 1.8T's were released by VAG I've assumed that you've got uprated suspension etc already ... good luck with whatever you decide :x-mas:

If you like RWD characteristics ... its way cheaper to simply buy your fav RWD car where the Manufacturer and Tuning Companies have done all the development work for you ... if you break anything the parts should be easily obtainable too. If you like drifting then an old Beemer or RWD Jap car (or any front engined RWD car) with a lsd will prove to be really good fun ... :x-mas:

Or how about a 1.8T transplant? R/R figures courtesy of my Bro-in-laws late C and Stealth Racing:-

cheers 16v I hope this works! Track day pics from a few years back ... my C when I ran Borbet C's and Goodyear F1's :x-mas:

IMO the performance from the standard C headlamps are a disgrace ... so I had some 80/100w bulbs and an uprated loom installed for a number of years. A worthwhile and good improvement ... but the bulbs give off a lot of heat and of course the C headlamps are plastic so that isn't a terrific combination. The bulbs also have a shorter life and so they have to be replaced more often. I went thru various PIAA bulbs as well ... cost me a small fortune and whilst they are nice to look at ... the boggo Halfords cheapo 80/100w bulbs gives better illumination at night! I got my HID's from http://www.autolamps-online.com. There are now zillions of HID sellers and resellers so take your pick. The performance of the HIDs is fantastic ... and a great upgrade just make sure you get a kit that will give you both Hi and Low beam and get the headlamps properly aligned (ie illuminating the road NOT dazzling oncoming cars). I bought some HID's for my Elise from http://www.h-i-d.co.uk since the ballast/ignition boxes are integrated (the Elise has a lot less space for add ons). As for pics I'll need to upload them somewhere first :x-mas:

Good luck with the install ... ABS will certainly help you out if it's properly set up and you need to decelerate in panic ... IMO anything ... whether it's technology or reflexes that can assist any driver in maintaining maximum retardation AND steering control is absolutely useful. As someone else suggested, it's probably worth watching the "Bending the Rules" DVD and get some decent driver training with Andy Walsh http://www.carlimits.com or some other training school ... :x-mas:

Current specs on my C ... Powertrain:- 2.0ltr 16V, shrick camshafts, gasflowed cylinder head, TT 360 thrust bearing hybrid Turbocharger, 8 injector K-Star KS3/4 fuel control and ignition controller, air/air intercooler, additional oil cooler, Water Injection, K&N Filter, Supersprint Sports exhaust, Gemini c/r 6 speed steel box, Quaife ATB diff Suspension/wheels:- 7x17 alloys, 215/35 17 Pzero Neros, Spax, Eibach ARB, Cupra R 305mm Rotors and Brembo 4 pot Callipers, Pagid pads Interior:- Electric Recaros, full leather retrim by MJ (anthracite), Momo steering wheel, Pentagon security film tints Other bits:- HID's to headlights otherwise stock exterior All upgrades engineered and fitted by Stealth Racing. Serviced throughout by Stealth Racing of course (IMO the best!) R/R 230bhp @ 5400 rpm and 232 lb ft @ 4880 rpm ... so there's a fair amount you can do ... ... :x-mas: