Off the road for the forseeable future..

[kevinod]

Don't forget the insurance ramifications, FTO insurance is bad enough, I'd imagine an FTO with a different (more powerful) engine would be even less popular with the insurance companies. If I were you I'd check out that angle first.

[Muad_dib77]

Aye yeah... And there's something with a possible single vechicle test when the engine changes size as well.. Oh I don't know.. I do want more power though - and I can't afford to change the car ( don't really want to either..something must be done )..

[CJ]

If you want to go down the engine transplant route, get yourself a good patient mechanic and a few grand - it ain't gonna be cheap and you can be guaranteed that the job won't be straighforward. I don't want to put you off the idea, I'd love to see it done. Just be aware that a VR-4\EVO transplant will require more work in the long run than an engine rebuild.

CJ

[ikeane]

I borrowed Banzai Jap car mag off a mate. There's a piece about a guy Richard Batty putting a twin-turbo Galant VR4 engine into his GPX. They had space probs with the turbo, a low bonnet, space for the intercooler, wiring, had to get a custom downpipe for the exhaust and a lot of weekends work
Seems a pretty long and expensive journey to me. I've been without my car for a while and I'm dying to get it back!!!

[CJ]

There's a piece about a guy Richard Batty putting a twin-turbo Galant VR4 engine into his GPX.

See here for more info, Richards been knocking around for a few years on the FTO scene...

CJ

[Muad_dib77]

Aahrg.. Dammit... That does not look like a stroll through the park..

BAH-HUMBUG!

Oh well- rebuild it is.. Shucks - I was really hoping to get some rocketry done to the car now that I have to spend a small fortune on it anyways..

Unless ofcourse one of yous want a GPX with a sucky engine for approx 8k ... It's a fine piece of driveway ornamentation...

Satus:
Currently awaiting final confirmation on pricing from Mr. Nolan..

[ikeane]

While we're at it, Batty taking his VR4ed GPX for a short spin:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 6160&q=fto

[Muad_dib77]

See THAT'S why I wanted to go down that route.. Wrrroumm--PHZIiiiiiII..

[CJ]

Muad, any news on your engine?

CJ

[Muad_dib77]

Yeah...I've had a stroke of luck..

Getting a working GPX plant off Rory with 3months warrenty.. (YAY!!!!)

Hopefully there'll be delivery at Paul Nolans shop in approx 2 weeks time.

All I need now is..

1x Timing Belt kit
6x Spark Plugs
and
1x Battery

I can't wait to get her back on the road..

[kevinod]

Nice one!

[Muad_dib77]

Ok so..It's saturday evening...I've just watched the 5 latest episodes of top gear.. (God I love broadband) ..got nothing really to do for the evening, kinda felt like going for a quick drive... perfect weather for it,,

Went as far as the hallway to pick up the keys when I though..Nah - I'm not gonna bother - wont be much fun anyways..

Ugh..


On the bright side..I did speak to Rory on friday - and he recons the the engine will be ready to ship out by wednesday at the latest..OH MY GOD! I cannot wait!

[CJ]

On the bright side..I did speak to Rory on friday - and he recons the the engine will be ready to ship out by wednesday at the latest..OH MY GOD! I cannot wait!

Nice one, good luck with it.

(God I love broadband)

OT, but what provider did you go with in the end?

CJ

[Muad_dib77]

I went with Net.ie - sadly they're still the only provide actually offering any kind of ""service"" to the estate I'm in..

I'm on a wireless 1/1mbit conenction.. current artion is 2 to 1 (just me and another bloke on this conneciton!) which means my actual connection is about 1.5mbit up AND down... best bit is it's unlimited - so I can leave my torrents on all night & day - and nobody gives out to me...YAY...

It did taken them a couple of months to do the installation - their support number is premium rate & they don't always reply to SMSs on their support SMS number..BUT...it sure beats 56k!

Think it's time for me to play some excessively loud music I just downloaded legally..

[Muad_dib77]

**Update**

Finally got an engine..

In the end Steelroe (Rory) was able to provide me with a comple GPX unit with 3months warrenty.
Unit has been delivered to Paul Nolan and is sitting in his workshop waiting for me to delivery the FTO to go with it.
Just getting the last bit together - putting in a new battery cause the one I had in there didn't seem to hold a charge anymore. (due to time restraints I went to hellfords and picked up the largest capacity one I could fit in the bracket..I hate their unbranded crap! and the poor kid knew Feck all about batteries..)

Car started no problem with the new battery in place - sadly I was quickly reminded why she's been sitting still for a long time now..

Clickety-Clickety-Clickety-Clickety-Clickety-Clickety..

Sickening - thankfully it'll be over soon..

Anybody interested in a GPX unit with a fault??

[Muad_dib77]

YEAH BAM! Wooooooiiiiiye! (Or something to that effect)..

Picked up my car from Mr. Paul Nolan this morning..

He has gone a STELLAR job - car is running like a dream.. Of course I musn't forget to credit Mr. SteelRoe -Rory- as well as he supplied the new unit under the bonnet.

Any Mechanical work I need to get done in the future will definately go to Paul Nolan.

YAY!

[IrishGirl]

Brillant Maud, im delighted for ya . Glad your car is finally back on the road.

[JJ]

Nice to see a good end to a sad story - hopefully you are bang out of bad luck now and you can enjoy it more!

[Muad_dib77]

Thanks a bunch guys

Took her for a quick spin on a private stretch of road last night..

New engine is way smoother than the old one ever was..
had all but forgotten how quick these cars actually are compared to everythung around them..

totally smoked some poor fecker in his lovely little stickered up Starlet..

made me laugh out loud..

[CJ]

Nice one Muad, don't forget and keep an eye on that oil level

CJ

[kevinod]

Great stuff!

So is the VW getting the axe?

[Muad_dib77]

I'm handing the VW back to my girlfriend... as it's her car

Lovely car, but the 1.4 is not really excellent for motorway driving..(assuming that it's moving) - it's great for sitting in traffic.

Fuel consumption is a little down from the FTO, but surprisingly enough not all that much..

[soc]

glad to hear you got sorted

[steelroe]

I rang IVI today to see how much they would charge for a MIVEC engine. €2700 installed. I told them I would install myslef but they said it was a package deal.
How can they justify charging that kind of money for an engine they are buying dirt cheap in Japan

[Muad_dib77]

The guy was downright unfriendly towards me.. I forgot the name..

Maybe it was becuase I giggled when he quoted me 2500..