Im going to make a V5 Leon!

Jimski

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Hey dudes,

Well im an outsider, but potentially could be partially one of u boys in the near future.

Basically after weighing everything up, im gona purchase a Tolly V5 and get spannering and banging and drop the lump into me Leon.

Iv spotted one on Autotrader for £1595, 75k miles, T reg, 1999, so it will be half decent tax, insurance aint too bad etc and has half leather and all the leccys. This will then either become a pile of scrap, or a 1.6 tolly :p and get sold on, (depends how knackered i feel after pulling a v5 and a 1.6 out of cars!)

My questions to you are;

1) Am i completely mad and being unrealistic to think i can do all this just for the price of a v5 tolly?
2) How do insurance companies view conversions? Obviously me plumming a reg into bell will give me a figure, is this likely to go up due to the conv.
3) What tests/checks do i need to get done once the magical spanner has been out?

Thanks for your time!!


Jimski
 
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Jimski

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How do all;

Im looking at buying a V5 tolly, around the 70k miles mark, what are the big points to look for apart from the usual bangs, knocks, whistles and squeels!?


Cheers



Jimski
 
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kewe

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Jun 20, 2001
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Jimski,

Pretty Bullet proof and you shouldn't hear any squeeks or rattles as they are well put together. One common known problem is water leaking into the footwells or boot so check that out for any dampness or marks from previous water ingress. Other things I would look for are oil sump (leak or crack), electrics everything all working seats, mirrors, windows, climate control etc. MAF and coilpacks are the engines main achilles. Timing belt is chain so shouldn't need to worry about that but have a listen anyway to make sure it's not rattly.

I'm sure some others will add to somethings I may have missed.

Great cars and i love mines to bits.
 

StuC

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Jan 14, 2006
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Not sure if you have to have an SVA if you change the engine?

First step with the insurance... have you called your current insurers?
 

Jimski

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Well, iv found two, one accident damaged with a warranty and a complete one for sale.

Problem i have now is that nobody will insure me for less than 2 grand on the conversion!!

But only £1247 on a Seat Toledo grrrrrr! and £826 on a 1.6 Leon.

Looks like am waiting until 5th November, or least purchasing the tolly and swapping interiors and brakes etc until November when i can change the engine!

Bugger


Jimski
 

StuC

F1 Smart?
Jan 14, 2006
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Who is your insurer?
Have you enquired in someone who speacalises in insuring modified motors?

BTW, there is a specialist VAG breaker in north Coventry, I have seen full cars in there. perhaps worth a call. Sanburn Autos
Clicky
 
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nak

Active Member
May 13, 2006
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Just be careful, take everything into consideration, especially insurance, so they have give you a price now, so when November comes they will give you a percentage off, you should be able to work it out.
The other thing i would like to mention is you have not started work on your car yet, seriously think about, if you want to do this because you could just get a Tolly and start making that unique, take into consideration that you will not every get as much BHP from the V5 engine compared to the 1.8T, there is so much you can do with the 1.8T engine , if you wanted to do so, but they have diffrent engine codes, with these engine codes they vary from 150bhp to 225bhp standard and with a remap and a stronger Turbo, there are some out there getting close to 400bhp, AMAZING AND COMPLETE BONKERS, but i must stress they have made a Turbo for the V5 engine in Germany, that will cost you upto £3500.
As for the Donor V5 becoming a 1.6 and been back on the road, i think this is going to be a NO NO, not saying it can not be done, but why all the hassle, think your taking alot on with one project, no matter two.
KEWE has told you what to look out for when buying a Tolly, his a pretty switched on guy, but is it the 150 bhp your interested in, i take it, which is the earlier engine with a cable throttle, the later engine is a 170bhp with electronic throttle and something else for you to think about, just when they where finishing the production on a mk2 Toledo :( they made a 1.8 turbo 180bhp, they are out there.
Things we can think of sometimes, been there myself, as all know :D
 
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Jimski

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Right well, can anyone shed any light on this SVA test, iv been reading through all the sshhpeeel about it, fair enough your talking a trip to swansea and 200 sheets.

But my mate did a Punto GT conversion into a 1.2 Punto and just needed an MOT?


Cheers



Jimski
 
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Jimski

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Yes mate, they rekn 2500 at the moment, and 1500 after november (which is when i am 21)


Jimski
 

smithygcupra

Cymru am Byth
May 25, 2008
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your insurance seems quite high.... i turned 21 literally a week ago and my LC is insured for a tad over £700......
I like the idea of going for the V5... it would be different.... they sound reall nice and beefy too.
gd luk wateva u decide to do..:D
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
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But my mate did a Punto GT conversion into a 1.2 Punto and just needed an MOT?

the good old days when it was so easy - you can be lucky now and get away with it the saem but it's getting tighter

either that or he didnt change the details anyway ;) but that's risky in itself
 

Jimski

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Right let the research commence!! Is this simply gona be a case of dropping the v5 in, do they have the same mounts, e.g mk4 mounts, dog bone etc?

Other than some swearing, a lot of ale and takeaways its a simple case of unbolt from the tolly and bolt into the leon yeh?


Jimski
 

Cupra Kid

Has a TDI!!
Oct 13, 2005
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I would severley doubt a V5 is gonna drop straight in where a 1.6 came out, you gonna need to beef up suspension, brakes and the cooling system for sure. You will need to rewire it all as i'm told the V5's have two ecu's one that controls electrics and one that controls the engine. May possibly need a new loom in the passenger and engine compartments to get all the electrics working such as the climate, trip computer, cruise and whatever else you swap over. If it was me hell bent on the swap i'd rip everything out of the leon, interior dash the lot and systematically swap it over for everything from the Toledo that way everything 'should' work.

Don't forget the MK4 golf also came with V5's which could increase your chances of finding a donor ;)

What i'd do in reality is trade the leon for a toledo and keep that, leons are modded and common these days, a toledo would have a bit of a 'whats that' effect.

Can't fault the V5 drive though, i very nearly bought one and the noise coupled to the pull is amasing.
 

Jimski

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Well yeh, the plan is to get a donor car and just park them both up and get my spanner out really!!

Im pretty hell bent on the doing this, as i dont know of a V5 leon, and i like the idea of being one of the first to do it.

The amount of work will be pretty big, but on the same hand, the rewards will be fantastic.


Jimski
 

kewe

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Jun 20, 2001
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Could anyone supply me with some engine bay shots of their V5 toledo?


Thanks

Jimski

01092007006-1.jpg
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This is the only shot I have for now.