Conversion to cupra

[beezanick]

Greetings from the mk4 section!

My mate has a mk3 1.4 ibiza, and would like to convert it to the cupra mechanicals. As I see it it would require engine, gearbox, ancilleries (turbo a/c intercooler ect), wiring loom, dash instruments, brakes, suspension.

The plan would be to get all the parts of a writen off cupra (maby buy the whole thing) and get new parts where neccisary. Hes not wanting to spend more than 1K, but I recon thats not going to work.

So, questions are;

Has anyone done this before? I'm sure people have, but I remember the general consensis was 'just buy a cupra'. What are the engine and gearbox codes for the cupras? Can anyone see any major pitfalls in doing this? Anyone have a writen off cupra or bits for sale? Any other advice?

I recon it would be a good project (as its not my money) and be good to do a writeup on here for anyone else considering.

So - comeon - shoot us down in flames for even considering it

 

[s1l3nc3r]

As said before in other threads buy a cupra why waste all the money...

1: Its going to be cheaper to buy one

2: Insurance would be more expensive as the car would be classed as heavily modified

3: Buy a cupra

And a budget of 1K i would of said no chance....

 

[cuprachrissy]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEAT-IBIZA-cu...|240:1318|301:0|293:1|294:50#ebayphotohosting

 

[beezanick]

As said before in other threads buy a cupra why waste all the money...

1: Its going to be cheaper to buy one

2: Insurance would be more expensive as the car would be classed as heavily modified

3: Buy a cupra

And a budget of 1K i would of said no chance....

Which is prety much what ive said to him... but I said I would ask the question.

Insurance isnt much of a problem for him, full NCB and over 25, but would still increase massivley I would guess. I dont know whether its possible to clasify it as a kit car? (doubt it though).

You can buy a write off veichle for less than £1000, places like 'upullit' will do it for far less than that, so it is possibe - just almost impossible to come across a suitable car. As you know, the engines will sell for almost the entire budget on their own if they are already striped from the veichle.

 

[artemis_1991]

There is very little point at all, it will cost you alot more- Insurance, tiny parts you didn't know you needed etc. Also you probably may not be able to use just one donor car. and for a grand, there really is more chance of someone coming up to you on the street and offering you a free cupra.

Even if you did do it, you can find a decent cupra these days for a few grand, and why is that any less good than one you've built.

Im not just trying to shoot your mate down though, his money/time/effort, im sure it would be a fun project, but a financially sensible one? afraid not.

 

[Razor]

I agree
Why bother ?

Just buy a cupra !!



* That link posted, the car has been there for more than 8 months now lol *

 

[artemis_1991]

I agree
Why bother ?

Just buy a cupra !!



* That link posted, the car has been there for more than 8 months now lol *

Helping feel good?

 

[beezanick]

There is very little point at all, it will cost you alot more- Insurance, tiny parts you didn't know you needed etc. Also you probably may not be able to use just one donor car. and for a grand, there really is more chance of someone coming up to you on the street and offering you a free cupra.

Even if you did do it, you can find a decent cupra these days for a few grand, and why is that any less good than one you've built.

Im not just trying to shoot your mate down though, his money/time/effort, im sure it would be a fun project, but a financially sensible one? afraid not.

Agreed that it would probably take more than one doner car, and if not - costs will rise. The other thing that I mentioned to him were the additional costs, such as getting an engine hoist and specialist tools. Also I said it would be stupid not to replace the clutch while its out, which is annother few hundered quid. All in all it mounts up...

He does have the money, he was looking at spending £6K on a S3, but said he couldnt realy justify it. Still, it would be a fun project, and good for me to learn some new stuff without costing me anything! Unfortunatly I dont think it will happen.

Helping feel good?

 

[artemis_1991]

Tell him just buy a cupra.

 

[beezanick]

Tell him just buy a cupra.

I thought that would be the general outcome of this thread I seem to remember several people asking somilar questions when I had my mk3's, and the response was always the same

Still, if anyone has all the parts it would take just lying around and needs to get rid of them to make space...

 

[Fl@pper]

or buy 2 donors and put one in front and the back ??

 

[artemis_1991]

or buy 2 donors and put one in front and the back ??

THAT would be different!

 

[beezanick]

or buy 2 donors and put one in front and the back ??

Like this you mean

 

[artemis_1991]

Like this you mean

Hmm maybe not. Just the engine perhaps?

 

[beezanick]

Hmm maybe not. Just the engine perhaps?

How boring, I thought it would be fun to do somthing original! And it would solve arguments of two people wanted to drive

 

[Dan1.6]

Like this you mean

now thats and idea

 

[s1l3nc3r]

Plus the engine from the donor car you have no idea if its in good condition...

and if i had 6k to spend on an S3 i wouldnt be thinking about trying to home bodge a cupra...

tell him to buy the S3 and make a track day car out of the ibiza...

 

[beezanick]

tell him to buy the S3 and make a track day car out of the ibiza...

The only ploblems with that are;

1) His s3 would be faster than my car, and I cant have that

2) His car is a 1.4, so wouldnt be that great as a track car (as i constantly remind him)

 

[s1l3nc3r]

The only ploblems with that are;

1) His s3 would be faster than my car, and I cant have that

2) His car is a 1.4, so wouldnt be that great as a track car (as i constantly remind him)

Well...

1: Gives you an excuse to get a hybrid conversion...

2: Just strip it and rag it track days are ment to be for fun not just whos cars the quickest sure you get the "proper racers" but you also get some right sheds...

 

[dubroots125]

i have had my engine out of my 1.4 today, cleaned it all up and swapped all the parts on to my new 1.4 26k engine ,

the only engine u can put in a 1.4 is a 1.4 without spending atleast £1500 on just having the car mapped after youve paid out for all the new enigne gearbox and everything else,

u would be looking at like 10k mark to do it properly i rekon