vornwend

Cheers Andy, all The old top mounts look in pretty good nick to me so I'll keep them as spares. I also have the old shocks, 2 original and 2 my mechanic reckoned have been replaced at some point but I don't know if they are any use to anyone - Maybe you could have a look at them and see what you think - seems a shame to bin them as they were working fine - yet more clutter for the garage :?

At very, very long, long last I'm lowered :D My garage fitted KW V1s, new top mounts and bearings and BBS RXs yesterday at the same time as replacing a gear box mount so it was big day for the old girl. What a difference :shock: Why did I wait this long :? Got it back last night and had a bit of a fiddle with the height (so easy to do, could mostly turn the perhes by hand) before taking her out for little blast. Really pleased with how she handles. Not anywhere near as crashy as I had half imagined it would be. Yes you feel potholes and bumps a bit more than before but not enough to distract. Handling and ride comfort seem spot on to me, especially around bends where she feels really planted and so much more assured than before. For the record heights are (from middle of arch to floor): Front 590mm (was 630mm) Rear 610mm (was an agricultural 670mm!) Yes I know I could probably go lower but this will do for now while I get used to it. Am I right in thinking I might expect to see it settle a bit lower anyway over time? Pretty happy with the look at this height and its pretty much just less than a 2 finger gap all around. Anyway some pics:

Looking good :) Could be a bargain you've got there. Always nice to have plenty of history. Whats the mileage?

This is what I do: Left knee onto middle of seat bottom whilst facing the passenger door Brace the left side of your your back and shoulder against the back of the seat Right hand on left bolster for support Twist and slide your back down the back of the seat whilst lifting right leg in (remembering to lift left leg slightly as it slides around) Sounds convoluted when you read it but it works (especially if you do it fast) and you don't have to touch the bolster at all! I call it the twisty okey cokey manoeuvre :?

Ah I'm need really up on my woods - Mahogony, Rosewood :offtopic: Yet more specialist cleaning products called for then :)

Just had a good look at this, inside and out - very nice mota indeed! More electrical gizmos than you can shake a light sabre at. A bargain you have :salute: 4 wheel steering is way cool 8) Surprisingly big car - much longer and wider than a C. Nice lines and the "Motego" side skirts set it off nicely. You have to ditch the teak effect trim though Andy :?

Very tidy! 8) Where did you get the replacement battery cover from? Mines never had one and I would'nt mind popping something on there.

Looking good Judith. I always wondered what they might have looked like new - taking mine off very soon but won't be replaced with like for like! When will she be making her debut then or have I missed it :( ?

Could be related to too much commercial weight in the boot :?

Will the Daschund fit in the bay or does it go in the wing :)

Chin up Andy - there are worse things to lose. Come August when you've just got out of a baking hot delivery suite (they always are) having doubled the size of your family, fire up the Lude and turn on the air con life will seem sweet :) As my missues would say you love that bloody car more than me :? At least you had the balls to be open about your reasons and not just slink away - fair play to you. Looking forward to seeing the first of your new arrivals next week.

I reckon, on the average day out, 1 in 6 Corrados will break down :) Now how did I arrive at the data for that little stat??? I think I know where that stat came from :? Like Walesy I have been very lucky with day to day reliability - owned a C for about 12 years now and driven well over 100,000 miles (which is probably > 5000 individual journeys) and only twice had to call breakdown assistance - one was my own stupid fault for leaving the oil filler cap off and the other was a cambelt failure on the valver the day before it was due to be replaced :bad-words: I know I'm tempting fate here so I'd just like to add I've never won the lottery :lol: I think Andy's point is that the regularity with which things (probably non critical to a particular journey) break, wear or need replacing makes it difficult to budget for with any surety.

Looks to a great example, worth the wait. Get along to some shows and show her off 8)

Very tidy looking car - will start to look out for ya. Bring it round next week so I can have a closer look. You won't want to go back to a non air conned C after this 8) Don't look back , well of course with those fancy parking sensor thingy's you won't need to now :lol:

Thanks Kev, think I understand that but don't ask me to explain it to anyone :? I Googled :geek: this as well and found loads of other explanations but yours is quite easy in comparison. Plan at the monent is to lower by 40mm at the front and 70mm at the rear to give floor to middle arch measurements of 590mm and 600mm. 99% of the time I drive with both hands on the wheel so I'm not too worried about having to make the occasional bump induced correction. Do we recommend wheel alignment being done after lowering?

Cheesewire - What gap for parallel wishbone and what difference does it make if its not ? What is bumpsteer? (apart from being a sentence I've never written before :lol: ) Is wheel alignment recommended after lowering?

I'm going to be fairly conservative to start with - looking at about a 2 finger gap all around. I've got BBS RXs (17inch, 7.5 and 205/40) to fit at the same time so that will be a factor as I don't want any rubbing. I had a good look around other examples at Stanford on Sunday and I think I prefer that sort of gap. I think Goldie's Storm on Solitudes had a drop of about 45mm at the front and 70mm at the rear when I compared the reported gaps to middle of arch on mine. His middle arch to floor measurements after fitting were 585mm at the front and 600mm at the rear I think they may settle over time as well? so don't want to go too low right away although the whole point of V1s of course is that you can adjust :? Vaughan

You have to order bearings seperately. I should have part numbers tommorrow after I've picked them up. Not planning on replacing anything else at the moment - its been an expensive month!

£600 seems to be the best price you can get if you Google (eg R-TEC Autodesign). I don't know what a good price is for fitting them but I'll soon find out as I've got some ready to be fitted :) I've also ordered VW Front Top mounts and bearings from the stealers (circa £25 - £30 in total I think) I was advised by the parts department that rears don't usually need doing unless they are in a bad way already. I've heard it said that VW top mounts may not wear as well with uprated suspension and could show signs of wear after a couple of years) so you might be better off with a specialist supplier like Bonrath. (Chazrad on here has them fitted). Vaughan

Looks terrific inside and out! Will only be a handful with fewer miles than that. Has it got air con?

Fitted new new roof strips - only had them for 8 months :?

They'll be on for the rebel alliance's convoy to Stanford :D Pre-coilover filling they are :lol:

Just a note of thanks to Leon whom I picked my RXs up from last night, meeting me halfway between London and Bristol. Nice guy, totally hassle free transaction and the wheels were as near to pristine as you could get :D Can't wait to get em on now!

For some of us intending to keep the cars forever (or at least the foreseeable future) prices are a bit of an academic excercise. I do admit to a morbid fascination with prices but in my head I've written the cost off already so it makes no difference to me. In fact its kind of helpful that prices are low because that avoids me having to ask "what could Iget if I sold". Absolutely no way I could get something for that money that has much value to me as my C :D (how about that for a positive spin on crap prices :? ) At the end of the day Corrado ownership for me is never about pounds and pennies its heart over head. I love driving a car performs well, looks good (to my eyes anyway) and is an increasing rarity on the roads. Then there is the added bonus of an enthusiastic following which gives you the confidence to drive a 13 year old car. I think I'd hate to have a newer car which was depreciating fast and thinking its gotta be replaced before long. Be nice to think it would be worth £25K when I'm ready to hand in my licence but by then my boys might be ready to take her on - heaven forbid :shock: