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1.6 16v Bora on a budget

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  • 1.6 16v Bora on a budget

    This is now my second attempt at writing something on this forum about my car. I had started a 206 thread, but I almost immediately forgot about it. I did only have it for around 5 months anyway, stuck some coilovers on it, GTI interior and wheels and called it a day.

    So here is the replacement, which I've had since October. A 2004 Volkswagen Bora 1.6 16v Highline in Reflex Silver. Had around 113k when I got it. Some electrical gremlins, scratch here and there, and only a month of MOT left. Had FK coilovers fitted, the trader who sold me it didn't know much about it. Also had drilled and grooved front discs, which was odd for a 105 hp 1.6.

    fresh-back

    fresh-side


    The interior is lovely, no rips, and apart from the A pillar fabric peeling off, and broken armrest cover thing, its immaculate. Came with a Kenwood head unit. Cruise control, heated leathers, electric windows and mirrors all work too! The number plate lights and boot handle didn't work, but redoing the broken boot loom fixed that.

    rewire


    After a thousand miles, and an MOT, it was time to set myself a deadline of Ultimate Dubs in March to get it looking presentable.

    First on the list was speakers. I had put the Alpine sub from the 206 in the boot, but the speakers were letting it down. So a set of 4 Pioneer TSA1670F's were purchased, and replaced the standard ones. However, the Kenwood unit doesn't offer a lot of settings, including a subwoofer option, so bass is still pumped through speakers. Thing is, because of my funny wiring, I don't even keep it connecting on in town journeys, because the Pioneers are rather good. It's only on motorway journeys where you need a sub, because the 5 speed 16v with a leaky exhaust is deathening at 70.

    speaker

    two-speaker


    Onto the suspension. It came with FK coilovers, with helpers and adjusters still on. So I got myself some powerflex front top mounts, binned the helper spring, and immediately enjoyed listening to metal on metal grinding. The driveshaft was rubbing on the anti roll bar. I haven't quite decided if I'm binning it completely, or getting a JOM ARB for 60 quid (which apparently gives you 100mm of clearance!).

    Onto wheels, I got myself some 18x8j VW wheels off a Beetle of sorts for 70 quid, which didn't fit on the front. A pair of 20mm spacers fixed that. 225/40s were rubbing on the wing, so a pair of 205/40s fixed that too. I'm not sure on the white, but sandblasting is expensive, so for now, it'll do.

    wheels-boot

    wheels-back

    stretch


    So armed with an arch roller, an angle grinder and some motivation, I will be attacking the front of my car this week, to get it as low as I can in time for Dubs. How hard can it be?
    Excuse me for the lack of detail and dreary-ness!

    newest
    Last edited by gruz; 03-02-2020, 09:46 AM.
    Gruz

  • #2
    wheels look great on there. very neat

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Miroteknik View Post
      wheels look great on there. very neat
      Cheers man. Still not sure on the white.


      Quick update, I lowered the drivers side front more. Good news is, its even now. Bad news, driveshaft rubs hard on ARB, just as I thought it would. Looks like I'll be spending saturday night cutting out the anti roll bar!
      Gruz

      Comment


      • #4
        At the time of writing this, the whole Coronavirus stuff is happening, so I've been more focused on getting toilet paper for the last week, instead of making my car look cool.

        However, since the last update, I have fixed and ruined and fixed again some things.

        The driveshaft was rubbing hard on the anti roll bar, so I, being ill, spent a Saturday afternoon cutting it out with a friend. Unlike usual tradition, it actually went rather smooth, and in an hour or so, the anti roll bar was gone. While I was there, I also wound down the coilovers, and there's a couple threads left. I still have the collars on too.
        So now that the ARB was gone, you'd think I'd be enjoying a rub free experience? Wrong.
        The thicker drivers side driveshaft decided to rub on the chassis, just driving in a straight line was bad, but not as bad as the ARB.
        However, the Sunday after was the day when I was meant to go up to Telford for Ultimate Dubs. I didn't know I was gonna go until two weeks prior, so I didn't apply to any spots or stands. So myself, my girlfriend and two friends hopped in the Bora, filled the tank, and rubbed our way up to Telford. And by the time we got back, the drivers side shaft didn't rub anymore, and the passenger side knocks on slight right turns.

        IMG-20200308-095121-1

        I recently changed my workplace too, which doesn't have a company van for me to use to get to work, so I've been dailying the Bora. So far so good!
        I also want to lower the rear, however with the pandemic going down, I'm not sure when that's gonna happen.

        IMG-20200317-082406
        Gruz

        Comment


        • #5
          With coronavirus shutting down the UK, its all been a bit slow for the Bora. I'm considered an essential worker (work in sales in a motor factor), so I've been enjoying empty roads with half the commute time with the country on lockdown.

          When my car was off the road a few months ago due to insurance reasons, I changed the speakers for some Pioneer units. I left the Kenwood head unit that came with the car, but as time went on, I started developing more of a hatred for it day by day. The remote wire to the sub didn't function, leaving me with a dead battery a few times, it automatically answered phone calls which was really annoying, and finally, as well as the source spazzing out when you plug a phone in to charge, it wasn't secure in the dash. From the audio side of things, it just didn't sound good. There was no option to put bass through the sub. It distorted the speakers at volumes even a stock system could take.

          So I, quite literally, pulled the plug. A friend of mine had a basically new Sony DSX-A410BT laying about which he pulled out from his written off 9N. The Kenwood and Sony had different connectors, which I only realised after cutting an unknown wire, meaning I had no music until I got a connector.

          After a 2 day wait for a correct connector from ebay, I was back up and running!

          connector

          nearly

          And I'm happy to report that its a world of a difference, sounds much better, and actually fits flush.

          done

          So now I've got a Sony head unit, Pioneer speakers, and an Alpine subwoofer. Very multicultural!

          When it comes to the rest of the car, I haven't cleaned it for a while now, but I'm looking to do a bodge wheel respray, because I can't afford a proper job. Few cans of silver paint and primer should do it. Just anything to get rid of the white, which I've decided doesn't suit the car. And I still haven't lowered the back.

          parked

          While I was at work, I also got the garage next door to rewire my passenger side headlight connector which had melted. It works, but still sometimes doesn't work, which is odd. But that's a mystery for another day!
          So for now, enjoy a picture of me giving a big thumbs next to a dent in the wing! (excuse the shirt hat trouser combo)

          thumbs-up


          Stay safe!
          Gruz

          Comment


          • #6
            A picture-less update today. Its the third week of lockdown here in the UK, and last week Thursday, the car started to jerk a lot when pulling away and changing gear. Then, on the way to get it looked over, it got very bad, to the point of the engine and gearbox vibrating so hard it popped out of gear every right hander.
            Now I've had a slight rub of the driveshaft on the passenger side ever since I got it on the last threads, but this seemed ridiculous. At a friends garage, it was revealed that one of the gearbox mount bolts had snapped in the gearbox, and the other three were finger tight. Good news was, we wouldn't have to drop the gearbox to drill it out and retap it. Bad news is, finances didn't allow for me to do the job, as I'd rather raise the engine while we're there. So we tightened the unsnapped two bolts, loctited them, and I'm currently doing my best to be as gentle as possible on my commutes while I try getting another mode of transport sorted.

            That is all. Stay safe.
            Gruz

            Comment


            • #7
              regarding the drive shafts, i remember reading somewhere about using either V5 or one of the variants in the Mk4 range drive shafts as they were slimmer and did not rub






              Originally posted by gruz View Post
              A picture-less update today. Its the third week of lockdown here in the UK, and last week Thursday, the car started to jerk a lot when pulling away and changing gear. Then, on the way to get it looked over, it got very bad, to the point of the engine and gearbox vibrating so hard it popped out of gear every right hander.
              Now I've had a slight rub of the driveshaft on the passenger side ever since I got it on the last threads, but this seemed ridiculous. At a friends garage, it was revealed that one of the gearbox mount bolts had snapped in the gearbox, and the other three were finger tight. Good news was, we wouldn't have to drop the gearbox to drill it out and retap it. Bad news is, finances didn't allow for me to do the job, as I'd rather raise the engine while we're there. So we tightened the unsnapped two bolts, loctited them, and I'm currently doing my best to be as gentle as possible on my commutes while I try getting another mode of transport sorted.

              That is all. Stay safe.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by b5Avant View Post
                regarding the drive shafts, i remember reading somewhere about using either V5 or one of the variants in the Mk4 range drive shafts as they were slimmer and did not rub
                I've been trying to look for some sort of solution to the rubbing that isn't a notch, but no one really talks about 1.6s, unless I just can't find it lol
                Gruz

                Comment


                • #9
                  My last update involved my gearbox mount bolt snapping. Now when I wrote that, I had driven my car to work that day, and left it at work as I took a van home because I didn't want to damage it more. Now yesterday I thought it was time to rescue my car from work so it doesn't sit under some tree in Mitcham.
                  Was a lovely day, car started right up, and I was well on my way. Now mind it isn't a long drive, only 3.5 miles or so. I was 2 miles from home, and it gave up on me.

                  engine-side
                  engine-top
                  ground


                  The mount said its final goodbye to the gearbox and they seperated. On a dual carriageway.


                  cool
                  rear-cones


                  I waited an hour for the AA lorry to come, but he couldn't recover it because he didn't have the equipment to drag the car on the flatbed.


                  aa-lorry


                  So I waited another 3 hours for recovery truck that was the same except it was a different colour and was armed with a hammer and some plastic wedges. Nice.


                  goldstone
                  loading
                  loaded


                  Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and social distancing guidelines, I had to sit in the back of my car with my girlfriend while being taken home. Certainly an odd experience.


                  back
                  unloading


                  So now my car is home. Only took 5 hours. Yes, probably wasn't the best idea to drive it back, and it only took a mile and a half to kill the mount completely. The battery is also dead, seeing as the hazards were on for so long. So until I get paid in two weeks time, I guess the Bora is gonna sit at home, dead.

                  Stay safe.
                  Gruz

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Resurrecting my account to comment!

                    Love the Bora, remember wanting one as my first car. Shame I never went through with it. I also know the budget life, where I had absolutely no cash to do anything.

                    If I were you, I would of course fix the mounts as a priory once you get some cash. I would then invest in 3 or 4 cans of silver paint for your wheels and some sandpaper. Should be super cheap from halfords, like £25 cheap for it all. Grab a sunny day, and you can sand and repaint all 4 wheels and wait for them to dry during the day. It won't be professional but it'll look good enough if you're patient! I did my 6n2 wheels dark grey (what was i thinking...) and did all 4 of them in one sunny day. I'm sure I wrote the details down in my old thread.

                    What is stopping you from dropping the rear lower by the way?



                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Mehowski View Post
                      Resurrecting my account to comment!

                      Love the Bora, remember wanting one as my first car. Shame I never went through with it. I also know the budget life, where I had absolutely no cash to do anything.

                      If I were you, I would of course fix the mounts as a priory once you get some cash. I would then invest in 3 or 4 cans of silver paint for your wheels and some sandpaper. Should be super cheap from halfords, like £25 cheap for it all. Grab a sunny day, and you can sand and repaint all 4 wheels and wait for them to dry during the day. It won't be professional but it'll look good enough if you're patient! I did my 6n2 wheels dark grey (what was i thinking...) and did all 4 of them in one sunny day. I'm sure I wrote the details down in my old thread.

                      What is stopping you from dropping the rear lower by the way?
                      Its going in this Saturday to a friends garage to sort the mounts and notch out! Also doing exactly what you did with your 6n2 when it comes to wheels, paint where I work is like 3 quid a can.

                      And my pure laziness and lack of tools is stopping me doing the rear- my rear adjusters are a bit seized up, so if I want to wind them down (or take them out) I have to take the spring out. If I go along the taking out route again, I've already got DIY bump stops in my boot, as last time it kept bottoming out the shock.

                      Make a 39 thread!
                      Gruz

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Looking good, cant wait for more updates...wheels look good but I have always loved Corvette wheels on a Bora.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by James Q View Post
                          Looking good, cant wait for more updates...wheels look good but I have always loved Corvette wheels on a Bora.
                          thanks man! and I've never seen a Bora on corvette wheels, got a pic?
                          Gruz

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            If I told you I've been busy over the last couple of weeks, I'd be sort of lying. If I told you my mechanic has been busy over the last week, I wouldn't be.
                            Now when it comes to work that requires anything more specialist than a socket set and a hammer I usually go to one of my two select garages. So when my engine fell out, I naturally didn't even bother looking at it myself, but instead waited till payday, called a man with a flatbed, and took the Bora to a garage in Thornton Heath. Where it immediately got stuck on the flatbed. Went on fine though.


                            LOADING

                            LOADED


                            Now seeing as I dropped it off Saturday afternoon, and it was nearly closing time, I didn't get any news until Monday. And the phone call consisted of two parts- the good and the bad.
                            The good- the stripped thread and snapped bolt was repairable. No new gearbox needed.
                            The bad- passenger side driveshaft said bye bye. The engine and gearbox falling on that side put a lot of pressure on the inner CV joint and it was just easier and more economical to just replace the whole shaft.


                            SHAFT


                            Working at a motor factor has its advantages, and one of those is the staff discount. A new driveshaft set me back 83 quid. The reverse switch I had fitted months ago was a faulty one, so one of those as well as a oil service was done to the car.
                            A chassis notch was needed too- mentioned before, I thought as it was in the garage I might aswell have it done.


                            NOTCH


                            And on the Thursday I picked it up, in all its dusty glory.


                            CORNER


                            And so with most of the mechanical issues out of the way, it was time to address the aesthetic issue that has been bothering me for months- the white wheels.
                            Armed with sandpaper, primer, silver wheel paint, lacquer, playing cards and a helpful girlfriend, we set to work on the bank holiday Friday. It turned out quite well I think, took around 6 hours (thats including redoing one wheel due to misjudgment on dryness).


                            PAINT1

                            PAINT2

                            PAINT3

                            PAINT4


                            When doing the rear wheels I realised just how bad the tyres were- the inner edges were bald, there was a puncture on the nearside bang in the middle, and the inner edge had cord showing. I'd say 10 more miles would've finished it.


                            BADTYRE


                            The sunny Saturday consisted of finding rear tyres. Fiveways Tyres in Croydon sorted me out two basically new Pirelli Cinturatos in the same size as the front (205/40) so no more chunky 225/40s. Epic work. The broken/missing/found/lost again/found again bumper grille was also sourced from Euro Car Parts (I also failed to resist temptation to buy 15L of screenwash for £3).


                            FITTING

                            CLOSEUP

                            STRETCH


                            A quick wash, tyre shine, Rainx window cleaner and you can really see the scratches and dents come out. Here's a few I took on a Huawei Mate 20 Lite on a overcast day.


                            BEAUTY

                            BEAUTY2

                            BEAUTY3

                            BEAUTY4




                            Thanks for reading!
                            Last edited by gruz; 05-12-2020, 06:30 AM.
                            Gruz

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              It's nearly the end of May, which also means its nearly summer! This week has been lovely so far in south London, right up until today. Its all grey and miserable this Friday morning. However, not all is grey and miserable in the Bora!

                              Last night I received a DHL bag, in which there was a box, in which there were two 20mm spacers and extended bolts. Nothing major really, chucked them on the back, and immediately realised two things- I have loads of toe in, and the passenger side is higher up than I thought.


                              rear highside

                              toe straight-down


                              The toe is a easy washer fix, which I will get around to doing when I get rear centering plates, and the height difference should in theory just be winding down that side a bit more. I want to get it to the drivers side level, and leave it there until I get bored.
                              Moving to the front of the car, nothings changed, apart from some new odd noises coming from the car in terms of low speed steering maneuvers. I suspect the 3 month old Powerflex top mounts have something to do with it, seeing as passenger side has a 10mm gap between the cap and chassis. Hmm.


                              right left


                              Anyway, after a short drive to work with a combination of high speed turns and roundabouts, I can confirm there is no rubbing. Epic!


                              Thanks for reading!
                              Gruz

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