jeth1979 0 Posted January 10, 2012 hi all, firstly, thanks for taking time out to read this post(i hope its in right forum).. anyway heres my dilema/saga so far... i inherit my father in laws 2.0 16valver, m reg,80k in aqua blue. it has air con/heated leather and hes the only owner...its basically a vr6 without the engine!!!it has the bulge bonnet and wider front arches(looks a bit silly in a way on its alloys). its a a mint car thats honest. my dilema really is that it needs more oomppphh... i really fancy dropping a vr in as its almost there anyway, but obviously dont know how much work is involved. i already have my eye on a donor vr thats a runner etc so will have everything to do it. my main concern is that is there any chassis fabrication needed? i dont really want to get the angle grinder out on a mint standard car to shift an engine mount or something. the other option i could go i guess is the 1.8 t route, but i really dont know anything about this, however i hope that a few of you reading this do and could perhaps share some light/knowledge?. would the 1.8 route be cheaper/quicker than a vr transplant? what sort of headaches comes with this option?(you gotta have some to make it worthwhile!!) lastly, in case your wondering why i don"t just sell it and buy a vr is this...i got the car for free(although i spent £400 getting it back on the road as it sat under a tree for 2 years) and part of the deal of getting it for free was that i DON"T SELL IT!!!! if i do, well, lets not go into that........lol..tbh, i dont want to sell it because everything works, its family and i enjoy the car but it would benefit from that little bit more...wouldn"t we all. ;-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted January 10, 2012 The first thing i expect to hear is putting a VR in it is alot of work. The second they'll say is why build something you can buy - but then if i had given someone a car for free and they go and sell it albeit another Corrado, id be a bit upset about them doing that. Though i dont know your dad :lol: The 1.8t route is an option, sorry cant say whats involved in this. Bear in mine, bigger engine will mean bigger brakes. Sounds like you've got inherited a nice car :D Get some pics up! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
__Andy__ 0 Posted January 10, 2012 keep it as a valver, low mileage vgc valvers are becoming harder to find. if you need extra oomph then how about some cams,head work,4 branch..dg remap..should see healthy gains without the hassle of swapping a vr into it..just my 2p. im a big valver fan, but ive had a vr aswell. a well sorted valver really is fun to drive. :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KADVR6 0 Posted January 10, 2012 2.0 16v turbo, be unique and you will not regret it as its a very much overlooked conversion. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 1 Posted January 10, 2012 If it's original as it sounds, it'd be worth your time keeping it as is. There are so few really good, unmolested 16v's left on the road.. they're sure to be valuable in the future! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toohottotrot 10 Posted January 10, 2012 Keep it as a valver! Do some tuning work, add a supercharger? I could be wrong but if you swap to a vr6 engine you will lose the aircon as I reckon it's different on the vr??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeth1979 0 Posted January 10, 2012 turbo 2 litre!!! strangely i have overlooked the valver option on this thread.... i now feel embarressed..almost naked!!!! that said, does anyone know where i could start with this choice as thinking about it, it probably is the best overall option but could it be the most expensive? ...the annoying thing about the engine is that it doesn"t really get going until its rolling above 40/50 then its a pretty nifty little lump!!! i believe the base 2.0 was suitable for turbo options with a thicker h. gasket etc, but does anyone know first hand of a good firm/company that have done the work?especially in the south east? if so what sort of cost would you be looking at? thanks for the input already peeps, im actually starting to feel an old bug come back to me(kinda good except for the credit cards),lol... laslty all, i shall be putting some pics/story of the car up in the gallery shortly if you want to have a nosey!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lion 0 Posted January 10, 2012 If your in need of a 2.0 9a engine give me a pm , removed mine today to start fitting a 2.0 abf turbo, cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VR6 0 Posted January 11, 2012 Keep the valver as nature intended. Personally I don't see the point of an engine swap in such an original and nice car. Spend your money keeping it pristine and you'll get your dividend in a few years, even if that includes a rev share with your outlaw ;) And tbh I would waste money on OTT tuning either. A few bits and pieces ok but spending vast quantities for a small % gain hardly seems worth it. Turbo would be fun but you're going to remove one of its key strengths; a nice original Corrado. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KIPVW 0 Posted January 11, 2012 Yep standard is definately king in my books especially as it's so original and unmolested to start with, enjoy it for what it is. I have a VR a 1.8 16v & a 2.0 8v and love the 4 cylinder ones just as much and they certainly handle better too. Kip Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Portent 0 Posted January 11, 2012 I vote for keeping it standard but spending the money you would have put aside on an engine swap to do performance mods on the current engine. If you are after extreme power then supercharge or turbo on the current engine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon green 4 Posted January 11, 2012 Keep it standard,but do a few suspension mods , you will be surprised how well you can make them handle ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeth1979 0 Posted January 12, 2012 wow, thanks for all the help and feedback you guys. because yes, it is unmolested and so original i am going to keep it that way. i might do a couple of sneaky internal upgrades to the lump(maybe head and cam work) but think all the rest will be left alone. quite rightly though as pointed out the suspension will have to be upgraded as its just too boat like at the moment(any suggestions for brands/ride height etc appreciated).. other than generally looking after it, im going to look at giving my mk2 gti a heart transplant rather than the rado, as ive had that for 10odd years now and think it deserves it..maybe a turbo 2.0 mk2? time to do some homework!!!!! laslty i have put a thread up of my freebie in the gallery if you want to take a nosey. thanks all!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted January 12, 2012 VR6 transplant Advantages: Charismatic sound, more torque, more power, often regarded as the best Corrado engine, so may benefit you in the long run if you sell it. Disadvantages: Extra weight, fuel consumption, not very quick low down, older ones drink oil, they wear out easily and are silly money to rebuild. 1.8T transplant Advantages: Lots of low end grunt, cheap to buy, easy to install, bolt-on and cheap 6 speed possible (02S gearbox), 225hp in standard trim if you get a TT engine (mappable to ~ 280, so LOADS faster than a VR6), they don't burn a drop of oil, better fuel consumption that VR6 (off boost), bomb proof if looked after, original 4 cylinder weight balance maintained and spares are very plentiful. Disadvantages: A little coarse and bland in character (everyone says that, but does it really matter with 280hp under your foot?), can be very juicy when remapped if you drive it hard and that's about it! As much as I love the VR6 engine, I really cannot recommend them as a transplant anymore because of it's comparatively short lifespan and the cost of repair / maintenance. If you really want a V6, I would recommend either the 2.8 24V (BDE engine code) or the 3.2 24V (engine code BUB or BDB). Both are very torquey and the 3.2 in particular has a strong power band from 5000rpm upwards as well. I hope that brings balance to debate :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rustynuts 0 Posted January 12, 2012 VR6 transplant Advantages: Charismatic sound, more torque, more power, often regarded as the best Corrado engine, so may benefit you in the long run if you sell it. Disadvantages: Extra weight, fuel consumption, not very quick low down, older ones drink oil, they wear out easily and are silly money to rebuild. I don't totally agree here, if he converts it, it will be a 16v with a VR conversion, ie worth less. Fuel consumption - not much worse than a 2.0l 16v, mine does about 28 mpg (exactly the same as my Cabby K-jet 8v), not very quick low down is true, but also makes for a docile drive if you want it, if you want to go quick then give it some revs. Wear out easily? Not any worse than 8vs and 16vs, well looked after VRs last just as long as any of the other engines. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
