Skoda Rally Blog

Many things in life don’t work out as you planned them – becoming an Astronaut (or rather not) was my first disappointment. You’d think by 35 I’d be used to it, but despite being generally cynical about many things, I’ve been a bit crestfallen by the lack of a posh gearbox or LSD for the Sunseeker. And remember this is the event that made me first get into rallying, being local and also involving a town-centre blast which attracts many thousands of spectators. But I’ve been bummed by this, and having to call every day to try to find out what’s happening.

Answer – nothing.

So, another gearbox needed to be found. There was an option that was a 400-mile round trip, which Paul dutifully did the other day, but on eBay there was a Felicia breaking, 59k miles, with a blown engine. 99p start, no reserve, in Bournemouth. I went to look at it, and frankly, couldn’t believe it – it was mint. Took my best “car guy” act to look disinterested, but the guy wanted £100 for it to cover the cost of his mechanic saying “yeah, mate, that’s screwed”. So I had to walk, and play the waiting game. To cut to the chase, on Sunday I picked it up (minus its new wheels – big deal) for £40. And took the ‘box out, and put in in the Felicia on Tuesday, the same day Paul was collecting the other ‘box. And it’s fine. OK, it’s obviously a standard box, but it’s quiet, works well and has a really tight gearchange. Splendid. After spending an hour getting the steering right (new rack), it was pretty much ready to go. With wheels that I’d painted with yellow spray hammerite (never mix spray and paint hammerite now, ‘cos they react! I know this for a 3-hour-long cleaning fact), it looks spanky!

The car is probably as well prepared as it ever has been in my hands, and definitely in the last keeper’s hands. Splendid.

However, this leaves me with a mint 1997 shell. Which I’ve had an idea about – I was thinking of re-shelling N158 into it, but that seems a waste – it’s a perfectly good rally car, and has a lot of life left in it. So I’m going to (shock! horror!) sell N158UBD and build a new rally car (more of a Group A car, with all the Group N stuff that you would have to leave in, removed), with the gearbox (if/when I see it), and a much faster engine. The engine will probably cost what I’m going to sell N158 for (£2k), but it’ll be worth it. And we’ll be doing Rally GB in a car that I’ve built, which is really going to be an achievement. Hopefully!