The Rieger has come home!

[Chaps]

I have owned the car for about 2years now, and in total I think I have probably driven it a maximum of 400miles. The reason for this is because when I bought the car it had been kitted out with a Audi TT 1.8 20v Turbo engine and all the trimmings. Unfortunately, on the way home (about 30miles after I’d handed over a fairly substantial wad of cash) the oil pressure light came on and started beeping at me...So I pulled over on a very busy M25 at 5pm and turned it off, had a look but couldn’t see anything untoward, oil was clean and filled up. So I carried on home, the beeps came again, in fact it was every time I took it over 2500rpm, so that meant I had to drive the 180miles home at 55mph on the motorway. I got it home in the end and spent the next few weeks changing a few bits like the oil pickup pipe, new oil/filter. Did an oil pressure check, it seemed ok.... A week later it completely blew the turbo. As in snapped the turbine shaft in half. I was gutted!!!!!! I blamed the previous owner a bit , but it was my issue now – sold as seen and all that lark, not that I ever rang him back to tell him. I managed to limp it home – as there is no towing eye available at the front, which I think killed it off – I never ran the engine again on inspection the Oil Feed pipe to the turbo had blocked, solidified and caused the bearings to overheat and fail.

Then as fate would have it, I stumbled across a lovely little house I wanted to buy and that was the Scirocco on the back burner, cleaned and put away in the garage where it has remained for the last 18months. I did buy a new turbo, but then when my plasterer wanted £2k off me, I decided to remove the engine, sell it and start again because I was short of cash. These blasted houses bleed your wallet dry!!!!

So that is how it is today... Engine-less, with no bonnet on, without an ECU, wiring harness, gearbox, and sat in a big puddle without the front wheels on resting on a neat pile of house bricks! Generally its looking a bit sorry for itself. Well actually it doesn’t look sorry for itself at all it still looks Hard as Nails, like it will kill you if it wanted but that’s just the car, I myself feel a bit down in the dumps about her. I have recently bought myself a Mk2 16v and driving this, combined with all of this lovely sunshine we’ve had this week has given me the spur I need to fix it. I have seen the light, as they say in that building with the tall tower...

Right, plans for this year.......
It deserves a decent engine so I’m keeping the eyes peeled for a 2.0 16v ABF engine or even better a full Mk3 Golf so I have everything. For the moment I am more than likely going to retain the standard ECU and fuel set up for ease of fitting, but I’ve acquired a set of Fireblade Throttleboddies which I’m planning to fit at some point, and make myself a manifold and run it with Megasquirt.
I am going to fit a rod change gearbox because I’m not changing to a hydraulic pedal box which you need to do to properly fit a 02A, I had a 02A fitted before but it was done using a SEAT Ibiza cable conversion and wasn’t that nice to use. May end up changing the pedal box but its a lot of work.
Change all the brake lines on the car because I ended up breaking them when I tried to undo them – they were seized HARD!!
Change the sub frames under the seats because the driving position is awful.
Finish the Corrado dash conversion off.
Maybe re-trim the back seats, or remove all together and make it nice and neat in the back.
Make a lower strut brace for it
Change the wing mirrors back to standard items – M3 Mirrors = Chav Gashness and should never be seen on a VW ever.
Get it back on the road and bring it to a few shows to meet all you guys.

Plans for next year – well, that’s a whole 8months off, but I do have some plans...
Respray it black!! As I don’t really like the flip paint. Fit a Roll Cage, which will nicely lead onto my next crazy thought...
Make it RWD... but that’s a long way off yet and in a whole different ball park.

Here is a picture as she is today – I want to put the picture up of it like this because this is the last time I want to see it in this state. I’m sure you can agree, this is no way to leave a Rocco, let alone such an rare example. I think there are only 3 like this in the Country???? Maybe somebody can confirm this statistic?




Not pretty is it... This weekend I’m going to re-fit the wheels, bonnet and move it out of the puddle and give it a warm soapy nice wash...

I'll get some more pics after I have done this.

Chaps

[filmidget]

Hehehe, I sold the PO those door mirrors

I actually found the PO a nice enough guy - he built the car while he didn't have a license I seem to remember, and then I think he didn't drive it much before selling it to go travelling or something? Perhaps he didn't even know about the feed pipe...

That is THE Rocco that is crying out for an Audi V-engine and 'box in the back - either V6 twin turbo, or pref V8.

I presume you know it was black before?

[Rusty dan]

Sad times, The colour is not to my liking personally but the wide arches are bad-ass!!!!

I think you are going about it in the right way, just dont beat yourself up with how long these things take.. Mine has been building since Christmas 2007 and next weekend is Big Bang and my first event in VWDRC!

Good luck matey!

[GTXTRA]

Think the original 20V conversion was done by a long since departed 'tuner' that a load of folk on No Rice used for 'bargain' engine conversions...........despite the suggestion on the adverts that it was a Phirm converted car.
Will be good to see it on the road and at the shows.

[Chaps]

Yes, i believe it was at The Phirm for some work but dont think it was the actual engine conversion that was done there. anyway thats history its got a new breath of life now - or it soon will have.
Not that depressed about it anymore, I know the PO didnt really know there was a problem with it but it still anoyed the b'jesus outta me!!

A V8 would be wicked tho wouldnt it.. but thats maybe a little too ambitious...

[Boumsong]

I'd quite willing sacrifice a bollock to own a Rieger Rocco!! Thats awesome dude!

[Chaps]

top bloke you are boomsong for it too... comments like that make me realise what a awsome car this is.
after talking to the mrs, and showing her the thread, i have decided maybe black is not the right colour for this car...

How about purple... corrado purple....



hmmmmm...

[Boumsong]

You'd be mad not to!!

Dude, do something impressive with this car, its begging for it! Sack the house, sell the kids, sell the wife and employ foreign labour to do the washing up, build that thing in to a complete beast.

[Funky Diver]

I would vote for metallic chocolate brown (or there abouts!)



I know it's on a Smart, but nice classy lines, with a decent classy colour. It'd certainly set it apart from the crowd. But then again, purple's just not my bag, lol.

[Chaps]

Quick update.. we have movement and its looking like a car again!!

Last night I managed to get the front suspension connected up, the wheels and bonnet back on and off those bricks. Me and my brother had to drag it out of the puddle using my car because the rear brakes have seized on because its been stood for the last 18months. I’m going to give it a wash tonight after work, and try and loosen off the brakes so that I can push it around. Its a lot easier than having to connect up the tow rope every time you want to move it somewhere. And as there are no towing eyes I’m having to attach the tow rope to the rear swing arm to tow it backwards, but I’m not sure what I’m going to connect the tow rope to at the front, but its ok on the garden for the next couple of days. Its not really that much of a problem but it would definitely be handy to have a front towing eye, not too fussed about a rear one – so its also going on the list of jobs to do!! I was thinking maybe try and make something to attach to where the front engine mount picks up, or find something to use behind an indicator, as I’d like it to be as discrete as possible. Where is the front towing eye normally located on them?

Whilst its no engine it, I’m going to replace the wishbones, and properly tidy the front end up. I want to strip the underside of the engine bay and up the bulkhead - up to where the chassis legs come to, then re-seal and give it a good coat of hammerite. The top ½ of the engine bay is fine, it was all cleaned up when it was repainted. Also I will remove all the old brake lines, clean the brake mechanism, servo and callipers up and give it all a fresh lick of paint – might even try and get the hubs off to clean all that up at the same time.. The G60 disks are pretty good still, so I’ll re-use them. The only thing I’m going to do is drill a small locator hole so that I can fix the disk to the hub with a screw – Its annoying as hell trying to put a wheel on when the disk doesn’t stay in the right place.

From what I can see though, the body work doesn’t look too bad, there is no welding that needs doing just its starting to get some surface rust and its looking a bit shabby. I think its definitely going to be easier doing it now than when I get the engine in it and then its done and should last for another couple of years – I’ll sort the rest of the underside later on when I can get it to my friends to use his 4 poster lift.

At the moment I can only see myself getting 1 night week to spend on it, but I’m definitely looking forward to doing some more work on the car. It was great to walk out of the house to see it sat there in the morning sun... Cant wait till its clean and shiny later on!!

I would vote for metallic chocolate brown (or there abouts!)

Looks different, not something I would have though of originally but i'm definately leaning towards a more subtle colour than a "WOW, in your face" colour.

[Chaps]

BIG UPDATE - I FOUND A NEW ENGINE....
2.0 9a, 16v KR head and Cams, all ancillaries, ECU and Loom, 4-1 Manifold... I think its about 165bhp and pulls like a train!! Much more fun than a 20vT. I'll be getting it in the next couple of weeks from a mate when he takes it from his Golf GTI.
Abit of detailing will be done I think before its fitted, but the mechanicals are all fine. He had the head off about 5k ago, and changed the cambelt at the same time.

Also bought myself:
2 x New Wishbones & Bushes
2 x New bottom ball joints
Set of Engine Mounts from Markh... Cheers!

Gathering pace it would seem - i might even get to some shows this year if I pull my finger out.

[Funky Diver]

Excellent... watching your progress intently, especially when there's PICCIES

[Chaps]

Smoe photos after a wash. I've not been able to shut the bonnet yet, so thats why there is a gap round it but didnt think there was much point seein as its gonna have to come off again in a few weeks when I put the new engine in.

Anywhoo, photos;













a full size heineken can...








parked uo next to my golf gti.


hope you like.

[Funky Diver]

Flip paint looks great on some cars... but it just don't suit that body kit does it...

Looking good though

[Chaps]

Not sure its growing on me again..