Not sure how logical this is but I'm sort of relieved you've eventually come around to keeping it. Manoeuvring through the whole process of difficult decision, write-up, posts and counter-posts, interest and discussion has apparently been your route to changing your mind, and it doesn't seem quite right that having spent all that time modifying it you pass it on to someone else!

I'm glad you've decided to keep it too Nigel. Yours is genuinely the only Coupe I've seen in the flesh and liked. Everything was so crisp and tidy yet I knew it was a monster underneath. You always called the Coop a 'Gauntlet in a silk glove' and yours is probably the best example of that on here. It was the inspiration to really start tidying mine up after visiting your workshop when you had one of those clearance weekends. It's a part of you now, you can never sell it



On that note, I've decided to get mine back on the road. Aside from straight line performance, the Golf is a better car in every measurable way, but it's hopelessly outclassed in every other way. I had more fun starting the coop and turning it around on the drive the other day than I've had in the Golf since February.

I've already started my list of things to do and I've got a smile on my face writing this. I cannot wait to start tinkering again

The car is now booked in at Motormech for a full service, cambelt, water pump, all aux belts and a thorough check-up

Spring will see the wheels refurbed and new tyres fitted

I also now have a HUGE temptation - Motormech has just taken on distribution of BC Racing coilovers - we'll be fitting them to a car in the next few weeks, so I may just decide to try them out....

My son has coilovers on his Golf GTi and aside from the ride height he's got it at, I confess I am very impressed with the set up.

AD08Rs all the way! Let me know how you get on with the castor on those BC coilovers. I never did get it sorted on mine before taking it off the road, although Leighton did see he could sort it...

There are coilovers, and there are coilovers...

Some cheap/nasty/horrible, others expensive/nice/great...presumably BC's are in the latter category?

I suspect that BC coilovers are somewhere in the middle - not as good as Gaz but much, much better than the cheapo nasty Chinese stuff

I had BC's on my 16vt and they were very hard even on the softest setting.
It did change direction like a fly though so I guess it's whether you can live with the bumpy ride or not.

They are better than FK coilers as well

Coilovers*

Nigel, I'm interested in why you think the Gaz coilovers are better than the BCs. Price is not particularly different between them as far as I can see but I've not done a full comparison as I'm trying to convince myself I can do another season on the suspension I've got.

Anecdotal evidence only - Jimbo (or was it Suba?) tried lots of suspension and said that Gaz was the best out of everything they had tried

Thanks Nigel. Will see what I can find.

I think Sparco used to run on the Gaz set up,I may be wrong but I seem to recall him testing them for Gaz or just giving feedback on what he had bought.

You could check his posts or search on here Andy.

Thanks Joe - I've found this thread https://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbt...927#Post1143927 but having read it I'm not sure I'm any the wiser about what is best!!

Like Sparco said,the Gaz kit is well put together but needs adjusting till you find a happy place.
My opinion is that as I only do track days and the occasional hill climb my adjustable Osravs and eibach springs are good enough and middle of the road price wise.

I'm not in competition with anyone so I'm happy. But mine doesn't go on the road.

Just to add that there are plenty of sports suspension company's in the uk that make bespoke systems.

I don't think my budget will run to a bespoke system!!

Back on topic.....

Had lots of work done on the Coupe last week - cambelt, water pump, aux belts, all tensioners, full service, cam variator gasket, camcover gasket, aircon regas.

Now that the belts are new, I ran it at full boost on the way home (1.6 bar - about 480bhp)

Turns out I need new tyres as well - wheelspin in the first four gears on damp surfaces.....

Good news is that I remembered why I enjoy it so much...

What a week to send the Alfa in for paintwork (just after I fitted the winter tyres)

Still - the Coupe has started first time, even in the -6 freezing fog this morning

TBH, I'm still in two minds about whether to keep it - I enjoy driving it, it still turns heads, sounds great and goes like stink, but it just isn't going to get used much while I have the Westfield in the garage

Let's see how I feel in Spring...

Megabusa/bike engine?

Nigel - serious offer here. If you can wait around 2-3 years when my wife and I are planning a house move, I'd hope I'd be in a good position then to take custodianship from you. However that's a long time to wait...

P.S. For a video of some coops from a rally 10 years ago see the video on my facebook page - although I was in the Ferrari at the time...

https://www.facebook.com/shirazjiwacornwall/videos/vb.100012491587576/565675050525543/

No - just a humble Zetec 2-litre, but around 170bhp, so still pretty nifty when its only hauling 600kg



It will either be long gone by then, or I will have kept it and thrown even more money at it

Now or never....