Lurker but new poster - big project ahead!

[mjj4]

Hi all,

I have been a member here for years but only as a lurker and not a poster. I've always been into VAG stuff starting out with a MK2 golf as my first car and owned many VW/Audi/Seats over the years.

I'm not new to the MK3 Leon but I am just about to embark on a cool project that has some unknowns (for me anyway) so help and advice from you lot on here would be greatly appreciated!

Thought I'd share my MK3 Leon history with you as that will be relevant going forward, but I have had a mk1 cupra r and a 2003 Toledo in the past.

My first MK3, a 2013 184 FR SC that I lowered on ST coilovers and fifteen52s

I sold that as it was impractical for kids being a 3 door so I bought a Skoda superb sportline instead.

Then a mate of mine had his mint dynamic grey cupra 290 dsg written off (cat b), so I purchased that with the intentions of putting the engine in my MK2 golf GTi that is mid way through restoration. I'm in no position to complete the MK2 as it's a full shell resto and I'm renovating my house so I thought I would buy a MK3 Leon ST and put the cupra engine in that so I can have a nice 400bhp daily and put the engine in the MK2 golf when I'm ready in a few years.

So I went on the hunt for a MK3 Leon ST TSI DSG of some sort and found this.

A 2018 FR 1.8 TSI DSG, cat N with minor front end damage/missing the front end. Looked good until it turned up following Coparts careful loading onto a transporter! I'll start a build thread for this project and put more details on there.

Aim is to have a nice daily with ~400bhp and not terrible on fuel when being gentle. I want it to be a sleeper but I don't know if I have the willpower not to modify it asthetically!

Anyway if you made it this far congratulations, keep an eye out for a thread about a cupra powered purple FR!

 

[H Rafiq]

This will look once complete. I’m all for the sleeper look like yourself. I’d have my Leon Cupra 280 wrapped dark purple in another life, but it’s dynamic grey so I don’t think it’s worth covering that colour up. Does the 2018 FR you’re using as a base have 4WD?

 

[Bear]

Love the rims on the FR mate.

 

[mjj4]

This will look once complete. I’m all for the sleeper look like yourself. I’d have my Leon Cupra 280 wrapped dark purple in another life, but it’s dynamic grey so I don’t think it’s worth covering that colour up. Does the 2018 FR you’re using as a base have 4WD?

I hope so!

Dynamic grey is my favourite Seat colour so don't cover it up!

No the FR is front wheel drive which is what I'm after. I feel like fwd with reasonable power feels much quicker/exciting than 4wd as the 4wd are so effortless and sure footed. Also should help with fuel economy slightly and be faster in the dry when moving above say 40mph compared to the equivalent 4wd.

Here is the Cupra donor vehicle. Seems sacrilege to break this as there's minimal damage and it's only done 34k but unfortunately I don't have a choice.

 

[H Rafiq]

I hope so!

Dynamic grey is my favourite Seat colour so don't cover it up!

No the FR is front wheel drive which is what I'm after. I feel like fwd with reasonable power feels much quicker/exciting than 4wd as the 4wd are so effortless and sure footed. Also should help with fuel economy slightly and be faster in the dry when moving above say 40mph compared to the equivalent 4wd.

Here is the Cupra donor vehicle. Seems sacrilege to break this as there's minimal damage and it's only done 34k but unfortunately I don't have a choice.

View attachment 34793 View attachment 34794

Yeah, I get what you’re saying about FWD. Mines stage 1, but wheel hops sometimes, even though I’ve got PS4s, so always think to myself 4WD would be so much smoother and have a safer power delivery. That Cupra doesn’t look bad at all Does it have wheel spacers? What seats does it have? I’m after a fully black gear knob to replace mine, if you’re not gonna be using the one in that Cupra. Mines almost 100k miles old and showing a lot of signs of wear now.