Posted By: Anonymous
Spee's 20VT LE Resurrection Project - 22/04/2009 17:58
I spent a lot of time and money looking around at various 16 and 20VT Coops to replace my Speed Red 16VT, there was nothing really wrong with the 16VT but it needed a lot doing to it to bring it up to a standard I could live with, after doing the math I decided to find a better example that had all the big jobs done and was as perfect body wise as possible for my budget.
Thats where it all went wrong, as mentioned, I viewed many cars, around 16 in total, all across the country, found some promising ones and the most promising was a forum members car, which I nearly bought, I stepped away from the car and took a 24 hour break before committing. I got home, checked the usual advertising places, PH, AT an the forum and spotted a Solid Black LE with a few issues at a suspiciously cheap price, and it was local! The call was made and I viewed it the next day.
First impressions were good, it had been in a light rear impact which had been dealt with, although not to a very high standard and there was body work issues around the car. However, despite it's appearance and a very leaky manifold, it drove spot on, had just been serviced, and had a fair amount of cash spent on it in the previous 12 months.
Again I took a step back, went home to think and slept on it. Woke up the following morning and thought about it a bit more. I was supposed to be buying a coop which needed as little work as possible and was plenty presentable, and here I was considering a scruffy LE that needed bodywork, a respray and a few mechanical things sorting!
I caved in! I rang the guy with the LE, went for a second viewing and after sitting in the car for 10 minutes, bought it!
Now, to bring the condition of the car into prospective, I've listed the good and bad points below.
Good Points
It's an LE
It's Black
Interior was very good, little sign of wear.
Drove well, no knocks, bangs etc.
No smoke, good boost.
Full service recently.
Recent Wishbones
Recent Drop Links
Two almost new Goodyear tyres
Brand new (less than 1000 miles) DBA Discs and Pagid pads up front.
Brand new standard discs and Pagid pads at the rear
Whiteline ARB in the boot waiting to be fitted.
Walbro Fuel pump mod
Box of good spares included
Second hand manifold included to fix the manifold leak
Perin EBV newly fitted
Two individually mapped chips included
LE wiring mod kit included (not fitted)
Sunroof and Aircon, both working!
Good Sony head unit with remote fitted.
Bad Bits
Drivers door damage - New door needed
Bonnet Damage - New bonnet needed
Various dents and scratches
Leaking manifold
Knackered exhaust centre section
Central locking not working
Alarm works, but only silently!
Little history - No history of Cambelt change, although on inspection, it looked good.
With the manifold as loud as it was I took a big risk buying, I couldn't hear if the engine had any other issues to be honest, but as it didn't smoke and pulled hard I took the risk
Picked her up that weekend, 1 bus journey, 1 train Journey and a taxi, did the paperwork, handed over the cash and drove off.
Enjoyed the drive back despite the noise but realised about halfway home I needed fuel. Pulled off the motorway, stopped for fuel. Turned the key, hit the start button, nothing! The LE starter button problem had got me already!
I pushed the car away from the pump, very red faced and sat in the car patiently waiting for the car to cool down. 10 minutes later it fires into life and I drive home quickly without stopping again!
Pics below are taken the day I brought her home.
The pictures do her a lot of justice as the few people who have seen her in the flesh can confirm!
So it's started, one cheap (very cheap) LE, a load of spares both with the car and in the garage from recently breaking the 16VT and a lot of hard work required.
Doing as much work as possible myself, using parts I already have and sourcing parts through the forum etc, I should be able to have a very tidy jet black 20VT LE with immaculate bodywork and fresh paint for under £3k. So far so good, the only thing I need to buy is a door, I have everything else I need so far stocked up in the garage.
Thats where it all went wrong, as mentioned, I viewed many cars, around 16 in total, all across the country, found some promising ones and the most promising was a forum members car, which I nearly bought, I stepped away from the car and took a 24 hour break before committing. I got home, checked the usual advertising places, PH, AT an the forum and spotted a Solid Black LE with a few issues at a suspiciously cheap price, and it was local! The call was made and I viewed it the next day.
First impressions were good, it had been in a light rear impact which had been dealt with, although not to a very high standard and there was body work issues around the car. However, despite it's appearance and a very leaky manifold, it drove spot on, had just been serviced, and had a fair amount of cash spent on it in the previous 12 months.
Again I took a step back, went home to think and slept on it. Woke up the following morning and thought about it a bit more. I was supposed to be buying a coop which needed as little work as possible and was plenty presentable, and here I was considering a scruffy LE that needed bodywork, a respray and a few mechanical things sorting!
I caved in! I rang the guy with the LE, went for a second viewing and after sitting in the car for 10 minutes, bought it!
Now, to bring the condition of the car into prospective, I've listed the good and bad points below.
Good Points
It's an LE
It's Black
Interior was very good, little sign of wear.
Drove well, no knocks, bangs etc.
No smoke, good boost.
Full service recently.
Recent Wishbones
Recent Drop Links
Two almost new Goodyear tyres
Brand new (less than 1000 miles) DBA Discs and Pagid pads up front.
Brand new standard discs and Pagid pads at the rear
Whiteline ARB in the boot waiting to be fitted.
Walbro Fuel pump mod
Box of good spares included
Second hand manifold included to fix the manifold leak
Perin EBV newly fitted
Two individually mapped chips included
LE wiring mod kit included (not fitted)
Sunroof and Aircon, both working!
Good Sony head unit with remote fitted.
Bad Bits
Drivers door damage - New door needed
Bonnet Damage - New bonnet needed
Various dents and scratches
Leaking manifold
Knackered exhaust centre section
Central locking not working
Alarm works, but only silently!
Little history - No history of Cambelt change, although on inspection, it looked good.
With the manifold as loud as it was I took a big risk buying, I couldn't hear if the engine had any other issues to be honest, but as it didn't smoke and pulled hard I took the risk
Picked her up that weekend, 1 bus journey, 1 train Journey and a taxi, did the paperwork, handed over the cash and drove off.
Enjoyed the drive back despite the noise but realised about halfway home I needed fuel. Pulled off the motorway, stopped for fuel. Turned the key, hit the start button, nothing! The LE starter button problem had got me already!
I pushed the car away from the pump, very red faced and sat in the car patiently waiting for the car to cool down. 10 minutes later it fires into life and I drive home quickly without stopping again!
Pics below are taken the day I brought her home.
The pictures do her a lot of justice as the few people who have seen her in the flesh can confirm!
So it's started, one cheap (very cheap) LE, a load of spares both with the car and in the garage from recently breaking the 16VT and a lot of hard work required.
Doing as much work as possible myself, using parts I already have and sourcing parts through the forum etc, I should be able to have a very tidy jet black 20VT LE with immaculate bodywork and fresh paint for under £3k. So far so good, the only thing I need to buy is a door, I have everything else I need so far stocked up in the garage.