BT
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I've always been a mini guy, for as long as I can remember despite having my dear old mother down my earhole about beetle this and beetle that. Unlike me she has been a beetle but for as long as forever.
The more and more beetles I see the more I have to convince myself that I don't want one, it's only so long until I buy one.
Thanks for sharing the photos, it looks like an awesome event and something I probably would never have considered going to if it wasn't for this thread. As much as I shouldn't I really like the T5 amung the others, I had a "15 one late last year, would love another but the price tag puts me well out of the market, as it is with most things now days.
Do they still do the mini vs beetle days at the pod?
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BT
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I remember my friend had a mk2 breadvan in that exact colour, glued no bags to the windows in an attempt to cheap out on tints! He sold it, bought a green hatch and put a G40 in it that constantly dropped water everywhere, had a load of egg in it, but it worked.
Turns out that my work friends bread van is actually a GT, shares the same block as a G40 or something and supposedly only about 30 left on the road.
Super tempted to Mk1 coilover the front of my breadvan and source some ATS classics or something, although I'm lead to believe that the rear arches of the breadvan aren't overly accommodating to wide wheels or anything too bold in regards to offset.
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BT
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I did think it could be an import but the chap insists its a uk bike and uk registered, he can remember the prefix and last 3 letters, he just has no idea on the numbers. The bike is a late Kawasaki.
I have been reading about getting the number from the dvla via a V62 form but my reading has shown mixed results. Some successful and some not. I even read one and it said they received a letter from the dvla titled "Enquiry for ABJ 96Y" and then the contents of the letter said "we are unable to disclose the registration mark for this vehicle". Good old dvla.
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BT
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Thanks for the reply. Hmmm that's troublesome as its actually a bike I am after. Someone has even suggested the possibility of approaching the main dealer with the Vin number in hopes it could be provided this way. That or I will have to visit every local second hand dealer hoping they can run a check through for a bit of cash.
Frustratingly the bike isn't overly desirable, it's just cheaply priced, clearly because obtaining the reg number is some what of a ball ache. Plus it seems foolish to hand over cash for something with no reg plates, V5 and unchecked!
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BT
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I've just found this thread from Google, I remember reading about it and just couldn't find it.
Anyway.
I am looking at buying a vehicle (not a car here but hopefully help can still be provided) and the current owner does not have the V5 and the reg plates were lost a long time ago, he insists that stripping the vehicle down for a restoration, combined with a house move has resulted in a loss of some vital parts.
The vin number is complete and intact, however I can not find any HPI services that let me search via a chassis/vin number. The only ones I can find that offer the vin search are for trade and require an annual membership or some other such expensive outlay.
Has anyone actually done this and can anyone give me a nudge in the right direction?
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BT
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Posts: 1,772
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Got one!
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BT
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Two for two!
Take the 109!relay out and smack it on the dash, alternatively turn the key on and off repeatedly until the coil light illuminates on the dash. It always happens at a super unsuitable time as well.
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BT
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Thanks Paul!
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BT
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I wouldn't have said so.
I bought a zetec s fiesta many years ago, it was a 2000 model in the imperial blue. Loved that colour. The car was super cheap at the time, from memory it was around £600 with other cheap examples at around about £1000.
For some reason I ran a check on it, don't know why because it was only £600 or so, probably just to check it wasn't nicked or a logbook loan out against it. Anyway it came back at Cat C and I told the guy who seemed to be unaware, or very good at lying.
We went back and forth and I made him an offer, at the most it was £100 less than asking price which I would say is nothing excessive for haggling at that kind of price range.
Would I buy another car C/D in that price range? certainly. Do I think it effects prices of sub £1000 cars, probably not.
Wack it up at the same rate you was going to sell it for before you found out. Personally in my mind it make no difference at all.
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BT
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How did you manage that? You did removed the spring from the damper or at least release the tension from the spring first? That should he a really silly question to most people, but I have genuinely seen people jack a car up, remove the wheel and then cut the spring with an angle grinder lol It was nothing to do with the item I was cutting, worn disc and too much pressure caused it to snag and and rather than the disc shatter like the usually do, it ripped the whole thing out of my hand. Like I say nothing to do with the fact it was a spring, but your mind works in funny ways and I've always associated that memory with springs and never cut them again. However like you say I have seen people do it with the damper still attatched to the car and still under load. Sod that.
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BT
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,772
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I tried chopping a spring many years ago, grinder almost ended up in my forehead. I use them daily (grinders that is) and that's the single most pants browning experience I've ever had, took it as a message, don't cut springs, so never have done since!
Edit.
Never really seen the point in it anyway.
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Last Edit: Apr 4, 2016 12:04:56 GMT by BT
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BT
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Very interesting and thanks for sharing the photo there, looks like I need to do some research.
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BT
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Hmmm yes you're right! I wonder if an alternative or shorter damper can be borrowed from something with a similar front damper setup. Older for or Peugeot or similar.
Even the cheap coilovers kits seem to be chronically expensive due to the hub being interested into the strut.
Fabrication of an additional mount wouldn't be much of a problem, one of the few perks my job has.
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BT
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What's the favoured method of lowering on these?
Thought I would be able to remove the front insterts, chop the spring seat down and weld on a threaded coilovers seat on.
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BT
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In that case it will fit. They have an immobiliser in that era corsa from what I understand and they will be drive by wire, so either change your pedal or look into changing the throttle body for a cable item.
Immobiliser on these from what I understand is only an additional 3 wires, or bike carb it and that will avoid the need for bypassing the immobiliser and sort out the drive by wire at the same time.
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BT
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BT
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Still searching chaps
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BT
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I've just written up a huge reply to this, then thought about it a bit more and came up with a different reply.
Yes, I believe so. That sounds like small block, so keep your gearbox and swap the newer engine in and it should mount up to your existing mounts. Only problem is I think those newer engines are drive by wire.
You can overcome this with a set of bike carbs, plus this should provide a bit extra power over the injection system that is installed currently. The inlets on those newer Vauxhall engines were hugely restrictive to get them through the emissions regulations.
However if you're going to go down that route I would personally try and get hold of the 1.8 small block. X18XE1 I think it is, X18XE is big block. The small block 1.8 is found in early Astra mk4 and vectras. Bike carbs, modify the pick up and away you go.
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BT
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,772
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Personally I'd keep it up, maybe not main dealer, mainly because they're expensive for what they are, but possibly an independent specialist.
The cars I have now I have no intention of selling, I know we all probably think that but I am very happy with them all, so servicing them myself is more than enough for me.
I bought something the other month, looked through the service book and it wasn't stamped for the running in service, let alone anything else. I phoned the dealer to see if they had anything on record and if they could provide any further info. Turns out they didn't even take it in for the running in service!
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BT
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Posts: 1,772
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