1999 Skoda Felicia LXi Estate 02/09

[vulgalour]

There was no removable carry case, that'll be another item to keep an eye out for. My brother is quite astonished at the favourable response this little wagon is getting, me not so much having been here for a while. When we've done the cleaning fully I have an Autoshite sticker for the back window to sign it off as a job well done.

 

___

 

Today, we haven't done anything on the car because the drive is absolutely rammed full of three decades of shite, and if I'm a bit more honest, we just wanted to enjoy a day off from deep cleaning to concentrate on other stuff.

 

 

Instead, I got those pictures retaken that the camera ate. As mentioned previously, we've put the VW Tarantula alloys on the Skoda and they look better there than they did on the Polo.

 

Of course, we also had a quick check of the worst bit of rot on the car which looks far better having been ground back and Kurusted than it did as rusty bubbles and stained silver paint.

 

I'm of the opinion that the tyres on these alloys are too skinny on the back, but not by much. The diameter of the alloys is the same as the Felicia ones being 13", but the tyres are the next profile down and look just a smidge too small to me.

 

Unlike the fronts, which are comically undersized being rubber bands. We had to remove the weights from the back of the wheel rim (these will be replaced inside the rim) to clear the tie rod ends, it's a bit tight, but the width of the alloys fits the Felicia nicely and makes it look a bit more sure footed than the steels.

 

You do have to use your imagination a bit to see what this will look like with proper tyres on. We're going to sort out some nice Skoda centre caps, smart wheel nut covers and get the alloys refurbished either in the current black and red (which matches the rear light clusters nicely), an OEM type silver, or Skoda's signature green. If the car gets lowered, it won't be by much as both myself and my brother's girlfriend think lowering it would make it awkward to live with everyday and it would certainly become more uncomfortable. I already know from experience with the Polo that those super skinny 50 profile front tyres will make the Skoda twitchy and revvy in an unpleasant way, not to mention feel like you're driving on rims without tyres. The Felicia wheels look perhaps a smidge over-tyred on the Polo, but I do like the way they look, even more so when those Skoda badges are replaced with something more suitable for the Polo, likely VW or Wolfsburg crests to match the rest.

 

Best of all, we now know we can swap wheels between us and if something doesn't work on one car it will probably work on the other. Hmm... three-spoke alloys are cheap at the moment...

[eddyramrod]

What tyre widths are involved here? Would the tyres from the Skoda steels swap onto the alloys and vice-versa? Slip a handy tyre fitter a couple of notes and he'd even balance them for you, I'm sure. That would certainly cure the profile problem. I'm with you, btw, 50 is nowhere near enough tyre on the Skoda.

[vulgalour]

Stretch would be involved, but not a lot: 165 steels; 175 alloys if I've remembered correctly. Having said that, I wouldn't want to swap the Skoda tyres onto the Tarantulas as they're crappy Made In China crazedrubberfests that really shouldn't be on the road. At least the Fuldas and Pirellis on the Tarantulas are in great condition and for all those front ones are comical, they'll be safer than the old tyres if he has to stop quick. I've told him to just stick some better tyres on, see if he can trade in the ones on the alloys for some decent part-worns in the short term if need be.

[Morgan84]

From memory,does the Felicia run 165/70 R 13 tyres ?

[vulgalour]

yes? I can't go outside and look, it's too dark, but it sounds about right. The Polo was originally on 135 R13, I think, but again, dark and being able to see &c.

[Morgan84]

Yes,Polo would be 135 or maybe 145 so compared to the Skoda's wider slightly lower tyres will look like its on space savers !

 

You're right though about the Felicia wheels looking good on the VW

[eddyramrod]

You're right though about the Felicia wheels looking good on the VW

 

+1, definitely. Now you've changed them over they have to stay (the alloys look the part on the Skoda too) so it's just a matter of sorting out tyres. Happy hunting.

[pandarus]

Nice Felicia that - we had a 5 door hatch 'T' reg in dark blue...had the 1.6i engine and went like a rocket...one of the luxury spec...'classic'? Not sure now.

 

I was genuinely sad to trade that car in when it went, I still think it was one of the best cars we ever owned...there are some genuine Felicia bargains to be had out there now

[RedSparrow]

They're pretty much a Favorit with some Golf bits and Western build standards. Best of both worlds!

[KruJoe]

V&A, the Skoda wheels look ok ont' Polo, but I don't like the way the badges stick out like nipples, as can be seen in this picture I stole from Earl:

 

 

(Sorry it's a bit big.)

Would the caps from this do the job?

 

 

This one is on Golf mark 3 wheels, just for interest, which are similar idea.

 

 

 

As for what you call the Tarantulas, I could have sworn they're from an early GTI or Scirocco.

 

 

Is this not what they are?

 

 

If they came from a Lancia (I don't remember seeing a Lancia on these), they'll be 4x98, so they'll be nice on my Samara

But SRSLY, they need to be bright silver to bring them out a bit, otherwise they'll look like casters on a sofa.

Could the Skoda centre caps be made to fit?

 

Sorry if I should have put half of this post in the Polo thread, quote it over there if it bothers you.

What's your bro's user name? He signed up here didn't he?

Anyway good progress as always, keep it up.

[vulgalour]

Slight confusion caused, the Tarantulas are what's on the Skoda now as fitted to GTi and Scirroco and all the VAG stuff. The Lancia wheels are these, which I obtained earlier this year.

 

I like the way the Skoda trims 'stick out like nipples', but not because of that fact. Brother jokingly suggested painting them flesh tones so my wheels look like boobs, but I shan't be doing that. The Skoda badges will be removed and replaced with something more appropriate for the Polo when I get around to it.

 

Brother is chompysnake, or chompy_snake, or some other variation.

[Mr Lobster]

I have a desire to own one of these one day. Always quite liked the look of them especially in estate form.

 

Many lifetimes ago I worked for a VW dealer and got to have regular visits to HQ at Milton Keynes which was shared with Skoda UK> At the time (mid - late '90s) there was a then new Felicia special edition - Lauren & Klement I think that had all the bells and whilstles - leather, metallic paint, alloys and really looked the part. That was the first time I looked at a Skoda and wanted one!

 

Anyway, fine job you are doing on this one, can't imagine many getting the same treatment.

[Spiny Norman]

Top job VA, that's quite a neat looking little car.

I'm always amazed when someone takes the time and effort to properly clean a car rather than just the usual chucking a bucket of water over it (that I do ), how damn good even an old shitter can look. That's probably the cleanest that wee car's been since it left the factory.

[vulgalour]

It has been a tiring and busy day today, what with the Retro Rides meet, helping a friend move some stuff to his new house, and other stuff but amongst it all I got to have a drive of the Skoda and I must say I was surprised. Apart from the issue of me being the wrong shape for the car - a problem I have with several makes, including Vauxhall - and finding the seat too hard and supportive in all the wrong places, the car itself is very easy and competent to drive. Sure footed, revvy when needed but noisy at 70mph and above it all feels very well put together and solid in a way one would not expect for a Skoda. Unfortunately, it made me realise just how shockingly hard the Princess is to drive in comparison and just how far I still have to go to get a bit more refinement into the Princess experience, that said I wouldn't trade the wedge for a Felicia. Only bug bears with the interior had to be that the steering wheel felt a bit small and plasticy and the dash binnacle was too wide to take all the info in at a casual glance, other than that it felt good to drive, and it really does eat up the miles with ease.

 

Certainly, the Felicia did not feel like a £300 car, it felt more akin to driving something with only half the mileage and twice the cost, a real surprise.

[MikeKnight]

Your brother bought a sensible family car???

 

WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH GRAHAM.

[Morgan84]

Best left standard height,as then you can go over speed bumps without worrying about whacking the underside,so in theory you don't need to slow down for them,making you even quicker in town !