rear engined skodas; info please.

[bodieanddoyle]

Not because I should be looking at more projects but I keep thinking about them and what I might like to do, but know not a lot about them
I'd be looking at the four door estelle, are they all estelles?
I reckons they be coils all round after seeing SS's chopped BBQ supports
did they get discs on the front? I know they're 4x130 pcd.
what rotation engine are they? I know many rear engine cars spin anticlockwise like beetles and etc. were there any 5 speed ones? and what are the gearboxes like if you put 130+bhp through them?
and the million dollar question, what are they worth now?
thanking you all in advance

[goodoldluke]

OMG finally someone with the good sense to see these amazing cars for the beauties they really are. for a while iv been trawling ebay and classic cars for sale etc and iv seen some good ones (ratty) go for 800 moneys. decent ones are sometimes twice maybe more than that. id love to learn more of the cars, il return to this thread regularly
good shout

[kevfromwales]

can't help much ed - but iirc they do do 5 speed ones

- kfw

[daverapid]

:)I have far too many of these very special cars and they take up more of my life than my wife and kids...I love them all to bits, sometimes literally!

The Estelle [4 door saloon] was launched in 1976 with a choice of 1046cc and 1174cc engines. In 1982 the Rapid [2 door coupe] was launched with the 1174cc engine. In 1984 the Estelle Two was launched with a new, more areodynamic front end...the Rapid got the same new front end. At the same time the bigger 1289cc engine was offered as well as a 5 speed gearbox. All engines had an alloy block with cast iron 5 port head until 1988 when the 1289cc engine got a new alloy 8 port head.

There's loads more to explain, so if I'm not boring you too much I'll carry on!

[austinpowers]

Carry on.

[daverapid]

:)The engines run clockwise [so do Beetles] and are watercooled with wet liners sealed with copper shims at the base. None are very powerful, but all are fairly smooth revving and eager. The cars are badged by engine size....the Estelle 105 has the 1046cc engine [46BHP], the Estelle/Rapid 120 is 1174cc [52 or 58bhp], and the Estelle/Rapid 130 is 1289cc [58BHP]. The later alloy head 1289cc engined Rapid is badged as the Rapid 136 [62BHP]. Just to confuse things further there was a Rapid 135....which had a low compression version of the 136 engine with sngle point injection and a catalytic converter.

There's more to come, lol.

[austinpowers]

Keep going.

[daverapid]

:)From 1985 the 120 was also available with 5 speeds, but only in LS, LSE LXE or L5 trim levels.

Perhaps the biggest and most imortant change in Estelle/Rapid history was the introduction of semi trailing arm rear suspension [STA]. Estelles were originally designed with swing axle rear suspension [SA] which was massively critisised by the motoring press because it was responsible for quite scary handling [especially the early ones]. STA suspension was introduced in 1982 with the Rapid 120. All 1289cc cars [130, 135 and 136] had STA suspension. The Estelle 105 and 120 cars continued with SA suspension right till the end of production [with the exception of the 120LXE to confuse things further!] STA suspension is easily identified by the external driveshafts....SA cars have shafts in tubes [technical term!]

More to come if you like...

[sootyridesagain]

Get one Edd, you wont be disappointed! I've had a 120L, a 120LSE, a 130LSE and a 130GL, although the last one of these was over 10 years ago now! I nearly bought a 135RiC once too, just couldn't afford it at the time!

[An Fear Ó Dhoire]

Dave, are the alloy headed engines much different in weight?

[BenzBoy]

I have fond memories of my Rapid 130 - it was my first car, and I learned how to correct vicious oversteer VERY quickly! ;D. Really easy to work on, simple machines. I think they've got quite a distinctive exhaust note too.
Go for it, Edd!

[Darrel]

Wow you found a pic of my old car. I always wondered what happened to it.

[hfstuart]

The gearboxes are pretty strong TBH so long as you don't try too many 6k rpm dropped clutches and the starter is mounted on the box not on the engine block which makes swaps easier.

I had a fiat TC in the back of my 136. The only issues were that it was a little more tail happy with the extra weight in the boot and the front got a bit light at (ahem) higher speeds.

I've often though that the Ford Zetec SE 1.7 from a Puma would be a great match. Small light and 130bhp is dead easy to get.

The engine bay is big so pretty much any engine you can mate to the gearbox will fit. Scooby flat fours, Saab 16V Turbos have all been done.

4 Pot calipers on the front and some pretty big drums on the back so braking isn't an issue although locking the fronts can be. Spax shocks and springs sort out the Czech ride height.

Prices have started to go up as they're getting rare not helped by VW (bless them) deliberateley making spares hard to get hold of when they first took Skoda over so as to get the 'old' Skodas of the road ASAP. I'd have thought about £1500 for a mint 136 Rapid, a bit more for the convertible.

I must have some pics somewhere....

Stuart

[bodieanddoyle]

Thank you guys, thats great
I was thinking if they were anti clockwise, fitting a j16y 1.6 sohc vtec ;D but best not to if they run clockwise.
didn't know they were swing axle, interesting. can you swap in like a complete supframe assy from a rapid? giving a five speed semi trailing arm rear setup?
keep the info coming my friends


ooh, and a pefect time to repost this too ;D

[composimmonite]

Great cars.
I had an early / S reg when it was 4 years old and loved it. Even managed to haul around a small caravan without problems.
Always wanted another and went to buy one of the last Rapides (new) only to find non available (bought a used 3.4 SII XJ6 instead )

Paul H

[bm0p700f]

I really like those Estelle's and have thought about getting one before then I looked and could not find one for sale. I also have not seen one in many years.

[quantum stop]

ahhhh my old scud spent loads on it ! 130 bhp engine lowerd minilites etc etc

[jikovron]

skoda related pontificating/drivel vvv

5speed box's semi t suspension bolts into estelles no problem,however you'd need:
[crossmember/gearbox/5 speed fuel filler tube/shortened gearchange link/suspension and driveshafts]
130 salloons come with it already + 4pot calipers on big disks so negate the search for conversion parts

115lb/ft is the provisional upper limit for the gearbox's torque handling,,so i guess 1600 k series or turboed 1300 engine would nearing maximum

the 4 speed gearbox and swingaxle is tougher generally due to using enourmous ball bearings instead of taper rollers in the 5 speed but has the obvious drawback (or benefit) of losing grip easily when provoked

[chaz]

Not mine, but in the back lives an Alfa boxer
engine and gearbox.

[surprisingskoda]

Feb 2, 2010 23:58:41 GMT hfstuart said:

4 Pot calipers on the front and some pretty big drums on the back so braking isn't an issue although locking the fronts can be. Spax shocks and springs sort out the Czech ride height.

4 pot on Rapids, 2 pot on Estelles.

Edd, you know mine is for sale, right?