DGJ's Leon Cupra TDI - Staggered Rims, AP Coilovers, 312mm Brakes, Milltek Turbo-Back

Specs

Chassis
18"x8" & 18"x9" Cades Tyrus
Toyo TR-1 front tyres, Falken ZE914 rears(215/35/18 & 215/40/18)
Wheel spacers (15mm rear/20mm front)
AP coilovers (bottomed out on rears, adapters in/3 threads on front, helper springs in)
Powerflex top mounts
Leon Cupra R "quick-rack"
Big loop ARB
312mm brake upgrade
Dog bone mount bush


Engine
Milltek 2.5" turbo-back exhaust, non-resonated straight through
1.8t pancake pipe
Custom cold air feed
EGR delete & cooler delete
Vac line simplification
Colour coded battery cover
Carbon wrap fuse box
Black washer/coolant caps


Exterior
LCR splitter
Carbon vinyl 'S' badges
Debadge
Fabia Rear wiper
De-lock driver door
Tinted rear lights
Tinted side repeaters
Silver indicator bulbs
HID front headlights
LED numberplate bulbs
Golf mk4 Aero wipers
Gel resin "pressed" plates


Interior
Audi A3 Sport steering wheel
Custom mats
LCR black pillars/seals/roof lining/handles/sun visors etc
Nomad pillar pod
OEM+ boost gauge
LED courtesy/puddle lights
Carbon wrap centre console
Leather handbrake
Custom gear knob trim
Carbon vinyl wrapped switches



(Original post - 5th July 2012)

Hey guys, so I’ve been around for a while now and thought it was time to start a readers ride for my ‘04 Seat Leon Cupra TDI in Platinum Grey. I picked it up last November with 60k on the clock and have slowly been tweaking things here and there to my liking. This is how it was when I picked it up, everything was pretty much standard except:

18”x8” Team Dynamics Equinox wheels on 225/40/18s
30mm lowering springs
Cupra R splitter
Aero wiper arms/blades
Boost gauge in dodgy universal pod










Since then I have debadged the rear, carbon vinyled the front S badge, added a Fabia rear wiper, Golf Mk4 stubby aerial (trimmed to fit), tinted the rear lights and side repeaters and added a few stickers for those extra BHP








Yesterday I received a set of 18” Cades Tyrus alloy wheels with 8” fronts and 9” rears with 215/40 and 225/40 Falken ZE912s respectively








One side fitted…






And the complete look










So that’s where it stands up to now, future mods include:

Exterior
Wheel spacers
Rear S badge in carbon vinyl
Door pillars/mirror bases in carbon vinyl
Brake callipers painted
Carbon vinyl roof (may or may not happen)
De-lock driver’s door
Coilovers and top mount bushes

Engine
Smooth air box
Clean EGR (and vag-com off)
Coolant/vac pipes (silicone)
Airbox pipe (silicone)
Mufflerectomy
Dog bone mount bush
Stage 1 remap


Once all of this is done I’m gonna start on the interior, LCR grab handles/sun-visors, Nomad gauge pillar and rewrapped pillar trims and headlining along with half leather Tolly seats or a re-trim!

Let me know what you think guys, any comments welcome

No sooner have I got my new wheels fitted than I go to clean them and notice a small chip in the paintwork near the bolts

Looks like a stone chip or something, definitely wasn;t there when I fitted them! Anyone know of a way to protect the exposed area from further damage?

On the plus side, I've got a replacement LED bulb on order for my rear number plate lights as well as LED bulbs for the interior

Next up is to get booked in for an oil/filter/fluid service and to sell my old wheels!

Cheers mate really appreciate the comments.

They were £870ish delivered, with tyres (215+225/40/18s as mentioned above) plus spigot rings (which I didn't need as I already had aftermarket wheels on) and wheel bolts. Yeah just had a nosey through your thread, car looks really good and lots of work gone on there hoping to get the mufflerectomy and stuff done gradually, need to get it serviced and worry about MOT/insurance come september/October time!

How hard are the doorcards to get off and on? I may just pick some of those up for now until I decide what to do with the interior, am thinking of fabric wrapping most bits and then see what funds are like.

Cheers mate, yeh I wanted to try something different on the lights, but the dark red bits works on the silver, seen that somewhere on here before!

You got much else planned in the coming months?

Richy Cupra said:

What a transformation a descent set of wheels can make. Looks awesome buddy, set of coilovers will give it a perfect stance

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Thanks fella glad to get some good comments now things are starting to come together.

I'm gonna be getting it dropped a bit when funds allow, at the moment I need to get it in for a service and sort out MOT/insurance come September!

browndk04 said:

The wheels suit the car so well. Looks very nice!

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Cheers bud

Seal_LCR said:

Think you need coilovers and go lower now if u want euro look

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I know, just tight on money at the mo. Gonna be looking to get it done asap though!

ohara said:

Love the alloys , looks really well

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Cheers mate, appreciate the comments

puchos said:

Hi, I think I recognise your car, have seen it a few times through pontblyddyn? Im based in mold. Looks good mate, wheels set it off nicely! Just wondered where are you planning on getting the mufflerectomy done as I'm looking at getting done to mine soon. Is there any fabricators around the Wrexham area?

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Hey mate, yeah that'll be me on the way to pick up the mrs

What car are you driving? Don't see many Seats around but I've seen a red arosa, black arosa, mk2 Leon and a cordoba around that area. Give me a flash (ahem) or a wave if you see me round mate

I've enquired at G.T. Autos on Llay industrial estate (see below), they do exhaust fabrication by appointment and will do the backbox replacement for £80ish in mild steel or £115 in stainless. The guy advised getting mild as the rest of the exhaust only comes in mild as standard, and they also said to supply my own tailpipe and they'll fit it so probably £100-£150 all in.


Now for an update, I've recently had all my fluid/filter servicing done at 73k, fixed a leak in the windscreen using adhesive and a cotton bud from the inside and replaced all the interior and number plate lights with LEDs (puddle lights, front/rear interiors, glove box and boot). The car also passed MOT on Friday with no problems then on Monday I was driving with my girlfriend with a tapping noise coming from the boot, hit a pothole and heard an almighty crash.....got out to find my exhaust was hanging down because the mounting bracket had rotted and snapped off at the backbox managed to find a garage that was open last minute and got it tack-welded for now. I've also managed to scuff one of my wheels but it's not too noticeable from a distance thankfully!



I've got tax due next month and insurance the month after so all plans are on hold for now, after that though I'm going to get my door seals fixed up, clean the EGR, and I'm looking to get the mufflerectomy done before christmas then see what goodies Santa brings me (hopefully in the form of a new boost guage, Nomad pillar pod and interior pillar trim bits )

Ah cool, have seen that around maybe once or twice. How do you find the remap? Am looking to get that one eventually as well.

Mines on 30mm springs, not sure what though as they were on the car when I got it. The ride is still really nice and corners well, would like to go lower though so maybe springs/shock or just coilovers if budget allows.

puchos said:

Had it done last month whilst I took it there for a service. I find it excellent, the delivery is smooth and mid range the power is awesome! would defo recommend!

Think I will be going for the springs only option for now to keep the ride comfortable, plus i will be keeping the standard wheels on so not too concerned about going lower. However, needs bushes doing as garaged advised rears were perished. So I guess that will be the next thing on the list!

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Well once my other buts are sorted I'll be lookin into a remap, don't suppose I could sit shotgun and see what difference the map makes?

Yeah that's a good bet, if your budget stretches a couple of the guys on here have gone the springs and shocks rote to get the best of both height and comfort? Ah unlucky, I know how that feels at the moment! Every time I think about doing something to the car something breaks just to annoy me

Did I overtake you on the A483 near Ruabon a couple of weeks back btw? It was a silver Cupra on standard wheels, looked to be really well kept, can;t remember the reg at the mo though...

MarkWales said:

Very nice example of a TDI

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Cheers Mark, I've seen the work you've put in to your car so that means a lot

A little update, I've taxed and insured for another year (£495 for the year ) and sold my old wheels and with the proceeds have replaced my autogay boost gauge and crap universal pod with a proper nomad pod and a nice eBay gauge that matches the original dials (at night anyway)



Really fits in well at night



I also spent 6 long knuckle-scraping hours yesterday fitting LCR black headlining, sun visors, seals, grab handles and pillar trim....just gotta get the mirror back on now

Before





Back half ripped out





Headlining loose....



....and gone completely



And the finished article






I'm going to space the wheels out front & back soon and then wait until the new year to look at going lower and doing any more major work. Hopefully getting a decent tool set for Christmas though (I've hinted enough ) to help me start doing more jobs myself.

Anyone thinking about doing the trim swap really should go for it, it's a fair bit of work but can be done in under a day and is well worth the result/satisfaction!

A small update this time, I spent the last week or so lookin at different bits and pieces and doing little jobs.

Firstly I decided to stop being a wuss and carbon wrapped my rear S badge while it was on the car, which means along with the Fabia wiper, debadging, tinted lights (and stickers ) the rear end is pretty much complete.

Before



After



After ordering one Mk4 Golf hand brake cover which turned up with scratches/dull parts and was a complete dud, I ended up paying a little more (£20 posted) and got a very decent one delivered yesterday I got straight on with swapping the old crappy "leather effect" cover for a nice shiny real leather stitched handbrake cover instead!

Old



New






The interior feels like I've gone up a spec with the LCR black parts and new handbrake cover! And the back looks much meaner with the carbon wrapped badge and all the other bits already done.

I've also replaced one of my rear number plate light holders with a shiny new one from our regular Seat parts guru (thanks David) and got some SMD numberplate bulbs in to replace the poor LED ones that were flickering/packing up before. Some new mats and a general interior spruce up are in order when the weather is better, and then I'm going to get the wheels pushed out and the car slammed in spring

Let me know what you think, comments always welcome

puchos said:

Hi mate, I drive a silver Leon cupra tdi 2004 plate. It is standard apart from awesome gti remap.
Looking at getting it lowered on some eibach or H&R springs as the next mod. What have you used to lower yours? May well give G.T Autos a ring and book in to get it done! Cheers

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Hey mate, were you in Mold yesterday around 5.30? Think I saw you at the Tesco roundabout with a kid in the car?