It’s the second VW Corrado to find its way into the Wheeler Dealers workshop, and this one was ready to be transformed into a desirable original example.
When Mike decided he wanted a supercharged sports car he went back to the ‘90s and chose the brilliant VW Corrado G60. A sought-after modern classic, it blends style with performance but what would this one be like?
Seller, Matt, had modified his Corrado which now sported lowered suspension, a larger 1.9-litre engine and a boost in power to around 240bhp plus various aftermarket parts, including the wheels. The paintwork was good, too, although a worn driver’s seat and an automatic rear spoiler that didn’t work would need sorting. Mike paid £6750 and it was time to head back to the workshop.
The first job that the ace mechanic wanted to tackle was the supercharger, a part that hadn’t been serviced for more than 60,000 miles. It was a vital job, and with the unit removed from the engine bay Elvis could see it was in good condition, and actually newer than the car. With new bearings and seals fitted it would be ready for many more miles.
In the meantime Mike headed off to see his mate Lee at VolksMagic, and he had a long shopping list! Plenty of replacement parts were needed, from a pair of seats to original wheels, the correct steering wheel and gear knob, a pair of front fog lamps, a parcel shelf and more. That lot cost £1600, but part-exchanging some parts got £900 back – a cracking deal.
Getting that rear spoiler working again was the next job on the list, and some testing revealed that it operated from the switch in the cabin but not when the car was at driving speeds. It was a tricky problem but some help from owner’s forums revealed that the aftermarket stereo system was the cause. As speed increased the radio volume should go up, and this was linked to the operation of the spoiler. Some attention to the wiring had it working once again.
Now Elvis could get to work reversing some of the previous owner’s modifications, returning the Corrado to its desirable standard specification. The suspension was first, with the aftermarket struts removed and refurbished original items installed in their place. And with the wheels replaced the brilliant coupe would now ride and handle just as it should.
There were a few more things to do before the project was finished, though. Fitting the steering wheel and gear knob that Mike had sourced were easy jobs, and it didn’t take long for Elvis to install the fog lamps that had been missing when the car arrived.
The car looked great but how much had the boys spent? The total bill came to £8170, but an example as good as this one deserved to earn a nice profit. An enjoyable test drive saw them heading to the highest pub in England, the Tan Hill Inn, where they met up with other owners of supercharged VWs, and a potential buyer. And with a deal done for £9700 it was a great ending to the series.
Mike says: “Car customisation is nothing new since the invention of the car. People have always wanted to personalise theirs. The problem with personalisation is exactly that, you personalise a car for yourself and although it may be what you want it’s not necessarily what anybody else wants. That’s why there are always cars languishing for sale with over modified body kits and wheels that won’t suit everyone.
Find more info:
Wheeler Dealers
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Corrado Club Great Britain
