IHI Ibiza Cupra mk3 project

[shantybeater]

Thought it was about time i made a progress thread. Back in September 2007 I swapped my 6n2 for this beauty:

It was a pretty much finished project, very tidy. Spec was a k03s with all the trimmings & the previous owner managed a 13.68 on the 1/4 mile with it. About a year later after doing some cosmetic mods to the car especially the engine bay I decided to sell up. This was how it looked when it went...first person to view it took it

After two weeks of driving around in a poxy sunshine blue 1.2 polo I'd had enough..noticed an ad for an IHI cupra on pistonheads/editon38 at a decent price. Turned up and it was definately in need of some work.

- Felt under powered
- Interior door handles a mess (glued together?!) gaitor not stuck down, speaker cover missing off door card
- Window reg was broken on one side
- Under powered for the spec
- Pulling to the left violently
- Surface rust in places
- Line dents on doors
- Engine bay filthy
- Coolant needed flushing

Aside from all this it had over 8k's worth of mods listed with reciepts. Decided to take it regardless of the problems, spent about 2k getting cambelt + water pump, major service and getting it road worthy. Turned out the boost controller was broken (explaining lack of power) and a bolt was missing from one of the front wishbones causing the pulling to the left.

Very rough spec given but i've added to it since:

IHI VF34 Jabbasport conversion (built late 06)
Jabbasport ceramic coated manifold
Jabba Lower TIP
Jabba Induction kit
3" MAF
Jabba Chargecooler
Peloquin LSD
Stage 3 Clutch
G60 Flywheel
Short ratio gearbox - rebuilt in 06
Uprated engine mounts
Aquamist (water) injection
Larger injectors
Uprated fuel pump & FPR
Brembos up front with uprated HUBS
Koni highsport coilovers
Rear ARB
Forge 007
Full 3" SS exhaust system (CAT Removed)
Rev limit raised to 8k
Electronic adjustable boost controller
Compomotive MO's
Aftermarket alarm system

Only just really started being able to put money into it because of the initial repair/maintenance costs.

Took it to an RR, managed a conservative 290ish bhp because of the low boost levels:

Managed to hunt down an Ibiza Cupra R handbrake:

bought some rear hellas to spray up

also tried this with the standard lights (let me know your thoughts)

Finally got some gauges I like although they cost a bloody fortune!!

 

[shantybeater]

Masked up the hellas etc..

also bought new interior door handles as the old ones were in pieces & sanded/painted/laquered

Then removed both bump strips to color code (bought new rear as it snapped)..

Yesterday I finished painting/laquering hellas & fitted along with the bump strips (not a great color match!), also debadged boot:

Also been tidying up little bits and bobs, Let me know your thoughts

P.S still need to remove orange & red lenses from hellas

 

[Willie]

Looks like a great track toy

Better watch out for the curbs with that alloys, they stick oot a mile.
Thats a very conservative power level though, you worried about the turbo?

 

[p34ch3y]

looks like youve done alot of work mate to get it up to scratch well done looking good so far...ive wanted to do the same thing to my lights for ages..

would like to see some enginr bay pics

 

[shantybeater]

Looks like a great track toy

Better watch out for the curbs with that alloys, they stick oot a mile.
Thats a very conservative power level though, you worried about the turbo?

cheers mate i'm used to parking a few meters from the curb..had BBS splits on my old car! lol, i'm not entirely sure why its running so conservative, i had a trawl through the previous owners threads and it looks like he decided to get it mapped again but more conservatively.....a trip to Jabba is much needed but its a serious mish away!

looks like youve done alot of work mate to get it up to scratch well done looking good so far...ive wanted to do the same thing to my lights for ages..

would like to see some enginr bay pics

thanks p34ch3y ,I refuse to show the engine bay yet, its not been touched since I bought it and compared to my old one its a disgrace!

The lights aren't too difficult to do, just very time consuming and you need alot of spray & laquer to get them right, i havent sanded/polished yet either (luckily a detailer off here has offered to do the finishing touches for me). Keep a look out for some in the for sale section because you dont want to pay £150 for them off ebay :O

 

[m0rk]

is that the ex-Jabba demo car? looked almost the same & was on an X plate

 

[shantybeater]

yup it is, you seen it before then?

 

[m0rk]

yeah, a few years ago the owner of the car (at the time) had a couple of running issues with it (cracked manifold) but it was replaced & sold on

probably quite a few owners by now?

Looks the tidiest now than any other time I've seen it posted up!

 

[DaNnY_LaD]

yeah, a few years ago the owner of the car (at the time) had a couple of running issues with it (cracked manifold) but it was replaced & sold on

probably quite a few owners by now?

Looks the tidiest now than any other time I've seen it posted up!

I have to agree mate...

Its great when someone can truly look after a car like that

Looking mint mate

 

[shantybeater]

thanks for the positive comments guys

 

[OliMonty]

Good work chief, nice to see a car making its full potential again. Noticed the addition of the nurburg sticker mate, how did you fair with those mods and that sort of power?

 

[DaleGT]

top work so far mate, im loving the white wheels !!

 

[shantybeater]

cheers peeps looks like the 6 hour clean/polish wasnt in vain then!! haha! hope the weather holds out to enjoy it

and oli monty - i cheated, i'm going in summer so bought it to put on afterwards & but once I debadged it the back looked a bit empty

 

[OliMonty]

cheers peeps looks like the 6 hour clean/polish wasnt in vain then!! haha! hope the weather holds out to enjoy it

and oli monty - i cheated, i'm going in summer so bought it to put on afterwards & but once I debadged it the back looked a bit empty

Naughty mate, well if your going in the summer that makes up for it!

 

[steve m]

Looking good mate, what wheels are they on your first cupra?. They look like mk4 cupra ones.

 

[wilz]

Looks nice and a lot of work gone in,

give yourself a pat on the back for getting it up to scratch.

 

[Ibiza125]

Very nice mate. Always wandered what you had.

Would love to have the money and time to make my thing perfect.

 

[Riko]

Looks great! I still love the wheels from your first car, cant remember what they are but I know they stopped making them! Thought about adding cupra headlights? Always worries me when I see standard lights as I think it may've had some from end damage!?

 

[Reuvers]

I really like your charge pipe.

After today I should have mine fairly the same. Welding the bits together this evening.

Get a nice TIP though, that will really change the appearance of the car. Maybe even in black.

Very nice figures btw, and really liking the gauges!


Only thing I'm not digging is the white wheels.

 

[shantybeater]

Looks great! I still love the wheels from your first car, cant remember what they are but I know they stopped making them! Thought about adding cupra headlights? Always worries me when I see standard lights as I think it may've had some from end damage!?

Thanks for the comments ppl!

yeah the wheels on my k03s were lovely : Mille miglia HT3's, you can pick them up off ebay for not much, only problem is the large amount of tuck they give on the back, and compared to the compo's they dont handle well at all. As for the headlights they are aftermarket valeo ones, i had a really good look round the car & it really doesnt look like its had a bump at all, the state the front bumper is in as well makes me believe its been there for 8 years!! haha

I'm going to end up getting some cupra headlights are some point but fancy buying them new rather than pre-stone chipped

I really like your charge pipe.

After today I should have mine fairly the same. Welding the bits together this evening.

Get a nice TIP though, that will really change the appearance of the car. Maybe even in black.

Very nice figures btw, and really liking the gauges!


Only thing I'm not digging is the white wheels.

That was my old car mate so unfortunately the engine bay has taken a few steps back! the charge pipe was tidy though so good choice

Glad you like the gauges, they took me ages to find as I was trying to go for an oem look rather than the gimmicky flashy look

oh and cheers for the honesty on the wheels, they really have worn on me but i'm looking for something dishy to replace them during the sunny months