fendervg's VR6, a.k.a "The Shark"

[fendervg 29]

Been meaning to start a thread on this for a while - just too lazy!

 

Here's my '93 VR, now has about 50,000 miles on it, pretty much all standard - btw that's not me in the last picture but an onlooker at the vagdrivers show in Cork 2 years ago.

 

I'll put up more as we go along - some of these pics are a year or two old and some things have changed since then - the immediate plan is to fit the 70mm Spoonfed front spoiler and replace front and rear shocks with Bilstein B6 ones. Oh, and the oil cooler seals as well.

 

Chris

Edited November 22, 2011 by fendervg

[fendervg 29]

Some later pics - and the interior - my Nakamichi was stolen one night when both windows were smashed and it's now a VW Gamma IV cassette deck with green illumination.

[fendervg 29]

These were it's former friends - only my wife's Golf V 1.6 remains - the Audi Coupe Quattro has gone off to be dismembered and be turned into a track car and the MkII Golf has moved to a new home for a refurb.

[tony_ack 0]

Love this colour - used to have a MK2 in Pearl Grey and it looked sublime. Never realised you could get a VR6 in Pearl Grey - it must have been discontinued just after the VR6 was introduced.

[MK1Campaign 0]

Very nice Chris. Is it a daily or just used occaisonally?

[fendervg 29]

Used daily or every other day I'm afraid - hence it's nice and dirty now and has a child seat in the back! It's going for a paint touch up in the summer and then a nice coat of wax. At the same time I prefer to drive it rather than let it sit - it had 36k on it when I bought it, and I've put 13k on it in 2 years, so not too bad. I wasn't sure about the grey interior when I looked at it first, but it goes really well with the pearl grey.

 

---------- Post added at 08:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:00 PM ----------

 

@tony_ack: yeah it's a nice colour - see you have an Atlas Grey Golf in your sig - my MkII GTI was the same.

[fendervg 29]

This is part of my current security system - a big stonking motorbike chain with padlock - also have immobiliser and alarm - sad days when you need to do this kind of stuff. You can also see the Gamma IV radio.

[Mike2006 0]

Looks well Chris. Nice to meet up again at the mini Corrado meet last weekend...pic below...

 

[MarkFoster 0]

Wish my grey leather looked in as good nick - your front seats don't look like they've been sat in!!

 

Mark

[fendervg 29]

Another picture from the same meet in Ireland - note the lovely scuff marks on the bumper!

[Mike2006 0]

Lol I purposely didn't post that one. Minor in grand scheme.

[fendervg 29]

Yeah - very polite of you - it's just a scuff anyway - will get it sorted soon - just need a paint shop that won't mess up the colour match. And I bet as soon as it's done it will happen again!

[fendervg 29]

A bit of a low down on current spec and future plans:

At the moment we have,

- Lupo wiper conversion

- uprated headlight loom

- VW volt/oil pressure gauges in centre console

- low temp fan switch

- Passat cupholder

- Milltek exhaust

- 288mm front brakes and Mk4 rears with braided hoses

- Bilstein B6 front and rear shocks

- Spoonfed 70mm front spoiler

- Gamma IV radio with Ipod input

- middle sunroof visor

 

Once I have time,

- CD changer install

- Cruise control

- US spec third brake light

- electric headlight adjusters

- car phone kit

- US spec rear brake light

- paint retouch

- Cams and map

- sunroof repair

- underseal

- MkII scuttle panel

- Pollen filter

 

and the list goes on....

[fendervg 29]

Just got Bilstein B6 shocks installed, the car sits a little high at the moment, but I'll wait to let them settle in and then consider some mild lowering springs if needed. Also fitted the Spoonfed 70mm spoiler, very impressed with the fit, it went straight on without any problems and looks great. I just need to put on the two air ducts when the rain stops - this will need some drilling for the screw holes.

[fendervg 29]

Just fitted a new passenger side window slot seal - got it from ARZ. The old one had been damaged after a break in, so was always popping up when the window was raised/lowered, and in any case got wrecked taking it off. The new one sits well, I fitted it carefully and used a flat piece of wood and a rubber mallet with gentle persuasion to locate it properly. The triangular trim piece behind the mirror on the outside was a real pain to get off and back on though - is there a "Corrado trick" for this ?

[boost monkey 0]

I'm confused as to how the bike chain works? Have tou attached it to the floorpan or something?

[fendervg 29]

@boost monkey: it's wrapped around under the passenger seat frame - not impossible to remove if you have time and a quiet place where you won't be seen, but a major deterrent. Most car thieves don't carry bolt cutters, and will look for easier pickings, so it's just another layer of defence. Although I have seen some remove the steering wheel and bring a spare one !

[fendervg 29]

Another update - my rear bumper corner got scuffed in a car park recently - of course no way to get any justice as the culprit was well gone. Rather than clainming on my insurance, I decided to have a go myself, as a stop gap until the car is resprayed. I managed to get a very good match for the paint and am reasonably happy so far - I need to do some more sadning and blending, and finish it off with another coat of laquer.

[VW_OwneR_85 1]

great looking car! good effort with the paint,just went through something similar myself and its turned out prety good, DIY FTW!, in regards to secruity, my corrado has {by a previous owner} a gear stick lock, has like a plate welded in and you then pass a padlock through it dont know if there well known or not? but luckily where im from theft is the least of our worrys,

[fendervg 29]

Changed the fuel filter yesterday - very easy, just make sure you soak the nut holding the clamp well in advance with some pen oil, get two hose clamps on the rubber fuel pipe sections at each end, and if they are original hose clips, cut them off and replace with new ones, as the old ones will be shot to pieces. Beware the old one will still be full of fuel, and it will take a couple of tries to prime the fuel system again.

[fendervg 29]

Some more work today - OEM discs front and rear, with Ferrodo pads, and rear bearings replaced. There was a lovely shine to the discs after rbeakeing the pads in - and a bleed with ATE Blue DOT4 fluid for good measure, including the clutch, which was a doddle with the pictured pressure bleeder.

[fendervg 29]

And a couple of pices of my Passat sunvisor:

[Dox 22]

I've got one of those sealey pressure bleeders too, ace bit of kit

[fendervg 29]

Changed gearbox oil today - here's a quick guide:

 

I went for Redline MT-90, you can get it from Opie Oils - the Corrado gearbox oil capacity is 2 litre, but the MTL comes in US size bottles, 0.945 litres, so you will need three - I had a half one left over from a previous change, but I'd say you could get by with just two, as there will always be a bit of old oil left in the gearbox after draining it.

 

You will need a 17mm hex for the drain and fill plugs, a ratchet or ratchet wrench, a 2 foot piece of plastic tubing and a funnel and a tray to catch the old oil in. Make sure you can undo the filler plug first, other wise you will be stuck with an empty gearbox and no way to get the new oil back in easily! The filler is at the front of the gearbox (near the fan switch), and the drain plug is underneath the bell housing flange - see the red circles in the pictures. A jack on one side will also help with access. To get at the filler plug, I used the hex socket and a ratchet wrench, as it's a bit tight to get a full spanner in there because one of the power steering lines is in the way. You can also see my home made filling mechanism.

 

Once it's fully drained, do up the drain plug and fill slowly with new oil. The correct level is just up to the lip of the filler hole when the car is completely level. VW recommend filling it to there, and then spinning the gearbox about 20 times and topping it up again. Then do the plug back up, clean up and enjoy a silky smooth gear change....

Edited August 1, 2011 by fendervg

[fendervg 29]

It was my 40th yesterday - got a lovely present from my wife of "Das Grosse VW Corrado Buch" - lovely coffee table book with some great pictures, hard to find tech info and details on all the once offs. Helps if you can read German like me though - would have been nice if they had produced an english translation as the car has such a great following here.

Edited August 19, 2011 by fendervg