Times... they are a changing.

Apr 07, 2006 3 Replies

The VTEC is sadly going to be broken up, and sold off for spares.



Someone has finally come forward for the running gear. Apparently they want it for a CRX conversion. Could be worse I suppose... it could have been destined for a Mini (1).



If I've learnt nothing else, it's ask yourself this: 'Is it basically a bolt-in conversion?', before getting all excited and ripping a perfectly good car to bits (2).



Whilst the concept seemed good on paper, the actual reality was a tad different... one problem after another, with a slight falling out with the other partner in the conversion crime mid conversion not helping either, meant what was supposed to be quite a straight forward chop and change quickly went to pot and if I am honest, I won't be sorry to see the back of the bloody thing.



This means I have the rest of it to sell on as well - the bespoke mounts, the exhaust, and everything else to do with the GTi... which is now going to meet its maker at some stage next week - another £25 for the shell, and £40 for the 8 alloys I have left in the pot, rude not to really.



And next weekend sees me trundling oop north to collect the 106 Rallye - don't worry Conor, I don't intend to stop too long, for fear my wheels will get nicked before I've had a chance to set off back home again.



This one, I am looking forward to - it's a proven conversion, and one that was reliable before it was cruelly taken from this world by the text messaging bint from hell.



Having been speaking to my mate who I bought the salvage off, there is a receipt from a Peugeot breakers, in the smashed 106s' history: Engine: £900.



From what he's said, the chap he bought the whole car off was told that the engine was actually in a track car before he got his hands on it, and it had had over £1500s worth of work on the head.



Hard to believe maybe, but going by how quick it is and given we found some very fresh looking Kent cams when we lifted the rocker cover recently which turned out to be over £700s worth, I can believe it.



I'll be getting it rolling roaded once it's all back on the road and running spot on anyway. :-)



Finally, in other news... I have been won over by the most unlikely of cars. The £50s worth of Peugeot 309 1.3 I bought earlier in the week - surprisingly alright to drive, and seems to be bloody good on fuel as well. Bought on the premise that 'well, so long as it lasts long enough for me to get the 106 sorted', I reckon it's got years left in it.



Having a manual choke for the first time in years has been a novelty as well. :-)



(1) Well would you want to be in one in a smash if it was going that fast? (2) Ok, maybe not so imperative if you're working with a RWD car / drivetrain.


-- JackH


[snip]

Won over? You don't mean that, surely? :-)

The 309 has always been an underrated car, mostly because of the 205 and 405 being relatively handsome and the 309 being, well, err, ugly heh. The 306 was much better looking. I guess how a car looks does help or hinder sales

*cough Alfa Romeo cough*.

Ahhh memories of a friend's 1.1 309, which he replaced with a 1.3 "Special Equipment" that had a sunroof. Unfortunately the chump had no concept of hills, growing up in Lincolnshire, so when faced with a gradient he'd let the car labour right down to idle, then change down, repeat until we're in first...

Hmm not sure where you're going with that. Recent Alfas have been stunning but they don't sell that well even in Italy. However the 147 does seem to have sold enough in the UK to stop Alfa from pulling out completely.

The Brera is jaw-dropping.

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