Projects

Just to be clear these are my personal projects, vehicles owned by me and built because I think they’re awesome or interesting. Maybe one day this will turn into an actual business, which would be very cool, but at this point it’s pretty much the opposite of that (i.e. it costs me money)…so at this point I’m just a gearhead gone wild with a welder, who likes to help out fellow enthusiasts now and then when I’m able to.

Car projects:

‘Apocalypse’ syncro

A (by now) very rare RHD 4wd mk2 golf, of which there’s now only around 32 left, which originally came with a rather underwhelming 8v (GU) carburetted motor, which is now sporting a 16v (KR) injection motor. It’s had *extensive* panel restoration over the last few years and is now once again vaguely drivable.

I’m going for a sort of jacked-up rat/bomber style (but without irreparably modifying the actual chassis) with a view to being able to do some light offroading/gravel shenanigans. It’s currently working towards being MOT-worthy and is in the process of getting some steel-framed under-body protection for offroading. Build thread here

Sold: VW Polo 1.4 6n – possibly turbo (?)

This is supposed to be my new daily driver but there’s something about the idea of a small motor (cheap tax) and a turbo which is calling me…It’s probably a bad idea for all sorts of reasons so I may see if i can get hold of a knackered 6n to test it out on first and see how long it lasts till it melts… I’m still working on the details but with a bit of luck it’ll hopefully be happening soon 😉

I’ve started a build thread for this project HERE

Bike projects:

Stretched fatty yamaha neos 50cc scooter on air-ride

I fell in love with the “stretched fatty” style of scooter a while back and had to build one immediately. I got a pretty beat-up Yamaha Neos to start with and it’s been lots of fun to tinker with since then. So far it’s had all the plastics/fairing stripped off, a new aftermarket speedo/tacho fitted, new lights and fairing-structure made from steel tube and is in the process of getting a 7×12″ wide rear wheel (from a mini-classic) fitted before it gets the stretch kit, air-ride and some custom paint to finish it off.

There seem to be lots of people in the states doing these sort of conversions on the Honda Ruckus, but hardly in the UK and even less using Yamaha scooters as a base..basically there only seems to be me and this dude. I’m hoping to change that! Build thread here

Yamaha jog/RR 50cc drift scooter

This was bought as a donor bike for the Neos and then I realised it had a few motor upgrades and I probably would have enough bits left over to build something vaguely working and potentially driftable. I love going sideways but for various reasons a drift car isn’t really practical for me at the moment, and street drifting is bad mmkay so why not a drift scooter? (apart from the scope for spectacular personal injury obvs)

As long as it’s loud, fast and going sideways I don’t care whether there’s 2 wheels or 4. It won’t be getting a fat back wheel (since we don’t want extra grip at the back) but it will probably be getting a stretched rear end. Everything else which isn’t needed has been/will be stripped off.

UPDATE:

I’ve since been working on this not so much with a view to drifting it but more just as another stretched scooter build for street use…something I can park wherever without worrying about it getting nicked or scuffed. May do what I can to make it fast though – understated, “ratty” sleeper scoot ftw 🙂

Build thread here