JIMMI 0 Posted February 25, 2007 As most of you know i bought one of the 89F plate 16v Corrados that are known as the "press cars" last year. Altho the car was tidy with T&T i decided to completely restore it back to its original condition. Its took an awful lot of work and around 1500 hours to complete but the car looks fantastic, infact it looks just like a new car, the car is 100% as it originally was even down to the replica "VAG marketing office" No. plates and tax disc holder ive even got a 1989 tax disc from ebay. It looks like new there isnt a blemish on the bodywork and the retrimmed interior looks just like new. Everything works from the sunroof to the spoiler, it has got to be the one of the best rados in existence today and one of the oldest ! The work ive done is listed below. [align=center]EXTERIOR[/align] Full proffesional respray in original tornado red, inside and out paintjob with all panels and windows removed, door & boot checks painted, under bonnet painted, inside of doors painted, all wheel arches undersealed then painted in 2k black, brand new screen fitted, refurbed sebring wheels, new foglights, new headlight lenses, new indicators, new no. plate panel, new windscreen lower trims, new window seals, new mirror glass, [align=center]interior[/align] Front seats rebuilt with new foam, vinyl backs and fronts all retrimmed, low mileage steering wheel, new gearknob, new heater cables, new heater matrix, new genuine rubber mats, oe blaupunkt head unit, new pedal rubbers, new first aid kit, Sunroof service kit fitted [align=center]MECHANICAL (ENGINE)[/align] Complete head rebuild, new stem seals, followers, valves lapped along with new head & rocker cover gasket, timing belt, rotor arm, dizzy cap, plugs, plug leads, fuel - air - oil filters, intake pipe. [align=center]MECHANICAL (CHASSIS) New discs all round, new rear calipers, new pads all round, new drop links, new bottom arm bushes, new track rod ends, new ball joints, Fresher shocks & springs from a 95 car. The car look just like new its a like a timewarp back to 89 i need to fit the bonnet and get a couple of minor parts and its finished, however i am in a dilemma what to do with it, i think i will end up selling it or just parking it up with a cover over it for 10 years or so. I have far too many cars to make proper use of it. If i was to sell it has anyone any idea of its value ? i have the magazine features the car was featured in along with the fotos of clarkson driving it and all the service history, old mot's etc. After a check on the dvla website it is the only one of the press cars that are currently taxed. It has to be one of the rarest rado's about aside from the red interiored cars. So guys what do you reckon i should do with it ?? Jimmi.............. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mave 0 Posted February 25, 2007 Keep it and hide it for 10 years deffo! Post up the original pics too! Greeny says you got the pic with all of them lined up. I have been looking for that pic for years lol. Plus get some pics up :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vr6storm 0 Posted February 25, 2007 keep it...........cos even if the standard of your work is high,your not going to get that much more for it than an unrestored minter of similar age/spec............it'll probably appreaciate over the next few years if you can store it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 1 Posted February 25, 2007 Exactly what he said! Can't wait to see this car at some shows! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g60greeny 0 Posted February 25, 2007 start doin the one i'm buyin off mave?????? :lol: oh an get some pics up i wanna see the finished project Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CorradoVR6-Turbo 0 Posted February 25, 2007 Do what I said Jimmi and hang it on your wall like they do with that pickup on top gear! :lol: It is nice to see it back to its former glory but realistically you probably wont get what your after for it.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattosmond 0 Posted February 25, 2007 sounds amazing... appreciate it, don't whatever you do sell it!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toon vw 0 Posted February 25, 2007 Get in touch with 'Top Gear' see if they would be interested in coming & taking a look & a drive 18 odd years on from when they did it originally, its gotta be good press for the corrado in general with it now being a minter plus it could'nt do any harm for the value of it either..... :wink: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Goldie 2 Posted February 25, 2007 Good call by toon vw, after that id say keep it, take it to a few shows and if someone makes you an offer you cant refuse sell it. Photos Jimmi, we need to see photos... Looking forward to seeing it in the metal in a months time.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daves16v 1 Posted February 25, 2007 Keep it, you'll probably regret it if you sell up. There's enough of us on here who come back to the Rado. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CazzaVR 0 Posted February 25, 2007 Agree with toon vw- give Top Gear a shout. Keep it too. Oh, and get some pics up! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 1 Posted February 25, 2007 Think that would be a cool article.. definately.. or at least a motoring mag like Evo? Should definately try and whore it around a bit.. maybe they'd be interested in doing a Corrado article, complete with some history etc on special editions / rare models and whatnot? Getting together the whole range of mint original versions for a group test would be rather awesome... Failing that maybe the Corrado Forum could endeavor to do that itself.. hmm... the old brainbox is whirring.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ben16v 0 Posted February 25, 2007 how much have you spent?? sell it for how much?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Sands 0 Posted February 25, 2007 JIMMI, both your bottom two links currently redirect to the valver you're breaking. The restoration Press Car link needs fixing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lippy 0 Posted February 25, 2007 did you get to the bank then mate - no sign of any money as yet? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yandards 0 Posted February 25, 2007 Pics please! Loving the idea about letting TG/Evo know about it as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JIMMI 0 Posted February 26, 2007 I havent had the car out for any decent fotos as yet, its been far too wet up here lately and im wating for it to dry out before i can take it for an MOT and a bit of a spin, ive got one foto of it i took the other day inside my garage, plates and rubbing strips are still missing on the foto but it gives an idea what the car is like !! I like the idea of the top gear thing, ill get a nice foto of it when the weather dries out and email top gear i might even scan the pic i have of clarkson (and his hair) next to the car and send that as well ! Top gear are "fans" of the rado so i think they may be interested ! I have made the decision that im going to advertise the car for a few weeks when i have properly valeted for a price i think the car is worth, if it sells it sells if not ill be parking it up (or hang it from my roof like james said) in one of my garages, ill keep it mot' and taxed and try and get to a couple of shows in it over the next few years, i honestly think the car will appreciate in money over the next 10 yrs or so, it is a pretty rare car and the history with it pretty special ! As for ben -16v & G60greeny's questions, how much have i spent ? I have done everything myself bar the retrim and ive spent around £3200 inc buying the car, more than i intended but from the start i wanted the car to be done properly not quickly "lashed" and valeted !! Labour wise to do it again, to another car, god knows how much but i'd say the paintjob alone on this car is an easy £2k worth !! What do you think of the pic ? Jimmi............................. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vr6storm 0 Posted February 26, 2007 looking good so far though tbh I doubt very much you'll even recoup what you have spent let alone the value of the man-hours you spent doing its restoration......its special right enough,but its still a near 200k mile valver.....be a different story if it was a mega low-miler.......good luck at anyrate tho,10yrs down the line tho would probably be a different story right enough Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 1 Posted February 26, 2007 Personally think you should hang onto it now you've gone this far with it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ziderapple 0 Posted February 26, 2007 Would you let "the stig" drive it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dukest 0 Posted February 26, 2007 Would you let "the stig" drive it? lol! 8) hang on to it for sure jimmi, this can't have been a "commercial" restoration for you, you did it for the love of the 'rado! if you sell it there's no guarantee it will be well looked after and now you've lavished all this effort on it it deserves only to be kept or put in a museum.. i seem to say this a lot when ppl say they're selling but do you really need the money that much over the pleasure of owning something special?! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ben16v 0 Posted February 26, 2007 looks lovely you wanna do it to my car `for a laugh`?? :lol: honestly, just keep it take it to shows etc can you get some plates made up at the original garage where it was registered if you know it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yandards 0 Posted February 27, 2007 can you get some plates made up at the original garage where it was registered if you know it? They would have been registered to VW UK at MK :? Looks good Jimmi, even on OEM spec tyre width too! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chubbybrown 0 Posted February 27, 2007 Jimmy I think it looks great. As for value you never can tell. lets face it its going to be a lovely show item and I wouldnt sell it. I took mine to a show 2 years ago and they were 'showing' cars newer than mine and quite funny as the staring started as I rolled into the carpark, And No I dont have big tits ;-) Roy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skinnyman9000 0 Posted February 28, 2007 Looks awesome. Keep it and take it to the shows. I have a very nice example of a red valver, i wouldnt say it was mint at all, but the looks and smiles i got when i rolled into E38 show made it worth the cost alone! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
