Back in a Rocco :)
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:54 pm
Retroreject is back..again!
Well hello folks. It's been a while. My Rocco history is mixed, having had several cars in various
states. Im probably best remember for my Helios blue Scala which had Fox R3's on it. I had that car
for a couple of years, then stupidly let it go after the MOT expired. I sold the wheels to a mate
of mine and then let the car go for far less than it was worth as i had aqquired a MK2 Polo..(plan was
to run a retro dub on a budget) as at that time the insurance was a bit high to say the least!.
I then went threw a few cars, the best being the Quattro shaped Audi Coupe GT 2.2L then tried to
find another Rocco. I could find nothing tidy enough, or at the right price. I finally found a GT2 up
near Tadworth and went to have a look. Despite looking very tidy it wasnt as advertised.. i could
see it needed work, so knocked the owner down to a fair price and took a chance....I wish i hadn't.
After a few weeks of replacing nearly everything on the car i had had enough. The exhaust needed
doing, all the shocks and mounts were shot. The car over-heated.. (head gasket had gone), wouldnt
go into gear - gear linkage shot..stalled all the time..carb was u.s..would run for a bit..drop idle and
die..oh, then the clutch cable pulled through the bulk head 2 days after buying..etc etc..in a word..i'd
had enough. I did fix all these problems but by then i'd had enough of it so put it up for sale.
This put me off for a while..i started looking else where. Had a couple of other retro rides..a
Triumph Dolomite
among others..but i still wanted to get behind the wheel of a Rocco...
Sadly they all seem to be going up in value now..good news for owners, but bad for chaps like me
who just want a good one
However..im glad to say i finally found another. Remarkably only 5 minutes from my parents in
Bournemouth. Found one by chance looking for cars on Gumtree.
Owned by a nice chap called Callum who is into his dubs rather than being a pikey up north who just happens
to have one for sale! I found it listed for £900 with T&T, and went that day to have a look. Having been
bitten before i was a bit cautious this time round.
Checked over the obvious, and the bits that had caught be out before. Im glad to say what ive managed
to get is a tidy original car. Still with its factory radio and all interior as it left the factory...with
the exception of a rather bizzare home made interior light fitting. On inspecting it i thought "why the
bloody hell would someone remove the interior light and bring it forward so it sat in a little ugly box?"..then
it dawned on me..what could be in the way?. Where the light would normally be, more specifically the bulb
holder was a stud..which of course is attached to a center mounted roof aerial (If you look at the pictures
your see what i mean) but the stud came through just where the bulb was!.
Anyway, i removed the plastic box, and ive managed to re-fit the lamp where it should be (without a bulb)
at the moment..not ideal but at least it tidys the interior up. Ile probably cut down the length of the stud
at one point and see if i can get away with it then.
The car runs and drives without fault. It appears to have had the head gasket done at some point...but it
doesn't over-heat or do anything it shouldn't..and has had a brand new webber carb fitted
so no idle
worries there :).
All ive done is give it a quick service. Flush the radiator and made sure everything (such as the fan) works
as it's meant to. The bodywork has had some paint, not perfect..(theres a few bits that stand out) but looks
generally very tidy for a car of its age. Ive removed a bloody awfull tow-bar, however the rear bumper iron is
largely non-existent and ive put out a request on here for one! .
Im lucky enough to work for a garage, so had it up on the ramps today and all good under-neath
It's good to be behind the wheel of a Rocco again
..i hope this one proves to be more of a success
this time round, and hopefully leads to long-term ownership!... to be continued
Alex
Well hello folks. It's been a while. My Rocco history is mixed, having had several cars in various
states. Im probably best remember for my Helios blue Scala which had Fox R3's on it. I had that car
for a couple of years, then stupidly let it go after the MOT expired. I sold the wheels to a mate
of mine and then let the car go for far less than it was worth as i had aqquired a MK2 Polo..(plan was
to run a retro dub on a budget) as at that time the insurance was a bit high to say the least!.
I then went threw a few cars, the best being the Quattro shaped Audi Coupe GT 2.2L then tried to
find another Rocco. I could find nothing tidy enough, or at the right price. I finally found a GT2 up
near Tadworth and went to have a look. Despite looking very tidy it wasnt as advertised.. i could
see it needed work, so knocked the owner down to a fair price and took a chance....I wish i hadn't.
After a few weeks of replacing nearly everything on the car i had had enough. The exhaust needed
doing, all the shocks and mounts were shot. The car over-heated.. (head gasket had gone), wouldnt
go into gear - gear linkage shot..stalled all the time..carb was u.s..would run for a bit..drop idle and
die..oh, then the clutch cable pulled through the bulk head 2 days after buying..etc etc..in a word..i'd
had enough. I did fix all these problems but by then i'd had enough of it so put it up for sale.
This put me off for a while..i started looking else where. Had a couple of other retro rides..a
Triumph Dolomite
among others..but i still wanted to get behind the wheel of a Rocco...Sadly they all seem to be going up in value now..good news for owners, but bad for chaps like me
who just want a good one
However..im glad to say i finally found another. Remarkably only 5 minutes from my parents in
Bournemouth. Found one by chance looking for cars on Gumtree.
Owned by a nice chap called Callum who is into his dubs rather than being a pikey up north who just happens
to have one for sale! I found it listed for £900 with T&T, and went that day to have a look. Having been
bitten before i was a bit cautious this time round.
Checked over the obvious, and the bits that had caught be out before. Im glad to say what ive managed
to get is a tidy original car. Still with its factory radio and all interior as it left the factory...with
the exception of a rather bizzare home made interior light fitting. On inspecting it i thought "why the
bloody hell would someone remove the interior light and bring it forward so it sat in a little ugly box?"..then
it dawned on me..what could be in the way?. Where the light would normally be, more specifically the bulb
holder was a stud..which of course is attached to a center mounted roof aerial (If you look at the pictures
your see what i mean) but the stud came through just where the bulb was!.
Anyway, i removed the plastic box, and ive managed to re-fit the lamp where it should be (without a bulb)
at the moment..not ideal but at least it tidys the interior up. Ile probably cut down the length of the stud
at one point and see if i can get away with it then.
The car runs and drives without fault. It appears to have had the head gasket done at some point...but it
doesn't over-heat or do anything it shouldn't..and has had a brand new webber carb fitted
so no idleworries there :).
All ive done is give it a quick service. Flush the radiator and made sure everything (such as the fan) works
as it's meant to. The bodywork has had some paint, not perfect..(theres a few bits that stand out) but looks
generally very tidy for a car of its age. Ive removed a bloody awfull tow-bar, however the rear bumper iron is
largely non-existent and ive put out a request on here for one! .
Im lucky enough to work for a garage, so had it up on the ramps today and all good under-neath
It's good to be behind the wheel of a Rocco again
..i hope this one proves to be more of a successthis time round, and hopefully leads to long-term ownership!... to be continued
Alex
)
) I meant i'd driven north and bought