Chci být škodovkář ! - Stránky o škodovkách, stavba 130RS, info

Author:

Daves (Administrátor)

Created: 24.07.2007 - Updated: 24.07.2007

I want to be SKODA man!

What do I need to do and what should I be expecting?

Skodamen can be divided into three groups..

a) underprivileged individuals
b) tuners and pseudotuners
c) historians

The first group consist mainly of students and young people. You can get the old Skoda for next to nothing and then stick parts of another Skoda on it....double bumpers, false ventilation, suctions, ducts etc. It does not even matter where the part came from, in reality, it does not even have to come from a car at all. Important is that it is possible to attach it somehow to the car and that it creates a look of a stronger car. These modifications do not have any effect on the car's functionality. These cars are usually bombs on their way out. In some cases these cars have the brush on lackquer and "after go" parts, which means completely repainting the car with any leftover paint. GO is subjected to a all over rust, mud and exceptions aren't even different types of tires and gaiters. This group could then be divided further, into a group of active individuals who this way modify their cars, and passive individuals, who are just trying to keep the car running and are more focused on the major repairs, withing their own limits. Their interest in the car then ends the moment the car falls apart or when their financial situation changes. And because time moves forward, Skoda 100 and Skoda 120 are starting to disappear from general interest and are replaced by Skoda Favorit which is becoming more and more affordable.

In the second group we can then find tuners and pseudo-tuners, who are usually trying to change their dreams into a reality. Tuners are usually more focused on the mechanical parts of the car, like axles and engine. Car's look is not a priority. Extreme tuner has the ultimate high performance engine, reinforced axles, power steering, disc brakes on all wheels inside the body, so it can bee seen trough the plates.

Pseudo-tuners are then the exact opposite, their main focus lays on the looks. Major design changes can often be seen and mechanics play the second role. An extreme pseudo-tuner has blue lights coming from under the car which is standing on 19'' wheels, mirror windows and interior in same color with blue in-build led lights. Handles welded in, spoilers to the ground and even 50 % plastic might not be and exception. All this fueled by serial engine with 100 000km and original axles. Both groups have invested in their cars large amounts of money and there could be rather large constructional modifications. With the work finished, their interest shifts onto something different. Both these groups then can be connected by so called Patients who tend to stick with their thing and after finishing one car, they move onto another one and they can eventually become historians.

Usually owning more then one car and in original condition, historians make up the last group. Some historians start in the first group, moving through the second onto the third.

0) useful informations

Depending on your group you will be probably interested in different websites.

The most popular portals are as follows (listed in accordance with groups
) :http://skoda.virt.cz , http://www.skodateam.cz , http://www.skoda110r.cz , http://www.veteran.cz

In each of these websites you can find advertisement in accordance with corresponding group.

Would you like to become tuner, pseudo-tuner, patient or a historian?
Did you have an idea of building your own car?
Do you want to build a replica or start a major refurbishment?
Do you want to find out what lies ahead?

Well, keep on reading then...
But I am warning you, you might occasionally come down with anxiety or you could loose the desire to build anything altogether.
All that is written bellow is just my personal opinion build on my experiences.
I am not going to make anything lighter or exaggerate. You will be reading about things that really happened.

If you don't want to end up disappointed, get into trouble and be forced to solve unnecessary
problems, then
:

1) the most important part is the space

You need a space big enough to fit in the car, dismantle the car and still be able to move freely around it.

It needs to have power, ideally water and a toilet. Easily accessible place of refreshment is a plus.
Make sure that you will be able to use this space long term, because moving in middle of transformation could cause quite a few problems.

It should be secure, especially if you are going to keep your tools there.
If it is located in residential area, your neighbours might not be entirely happy...

And even before you start you should ask yourself a question: "What then"?
Where am I going to keep the car when its ready and what purpose is it going to serve?

2) time is the key

The speed of your work depends on your spare time.
Get ready that everything could take minimum 3x more than what you have planned.
Managers saying goes, that if 90% of work has been done, last 10% will take at least the same amount of time to finish.

3) money is essential

Tools, materials or spare parts, all is going to cost you.
After free time, money is the next thing affecting the speed of work.
Major modification can cost up to several hundred thousand.

4) It is good to have connections

What you will not be able to solve on your own, you will probably have to buy.
If you have good relationships with people who own lathe, cutter, paintshop or motorbike workshop then you are on the right path.

People often ask me, if I do everything by myself.

I think about that for a while and then I say: "Yes, there is not much space around the car for more than one person, more people usually just gets into each others way. To find reliable people, who I could trust with part of my work is not easy.

Of course, some jobs you end up getting done by professionals. It is sad to think, how many of these "professionals" can actually do their job well and on time.

5) Motivation, patience

At last, but not least you need motivation. Yes. That is absolutely true. Motivation is your power engine, it will help you overcome unpleasant and uneasy moments. I know about few cases when someone after hundreds of hours of hard work just lost interest. Not for lack of success, but they just found another hobby. But I also know about cases when restoration did not get completed because of some kind of failure. Even I had my moments, when I felt like throwing in the white towel and giving up. There are moments which you can't influence - waiting for wheels, waiting for engine, waiting for paint, waiting for anything. And then when that thing you have been waiting for comes in and you find out it is not in a good condition, it can be hard to find the strength to continue. Then I know about cases when the work got finished, but the engine, after many hours of hard work, just blew up. Sometimes people loose their place where they work on their car, or start a family, or want to build a house. All these are the dream killers. Forget all illusions, money and time put into your car aren't going to be repaid.

I have motivation and hopefully enough patience ...But what about a set goal?

If you haven't set a goal, it is better to give up straight away. You loose your motivation, patience and somewhere half way through you will end up with a bare, not fully welded shell and a pile of unwanted parts.

6) seek references, bet on tested

It will save you potential problems, maybe some time and even money.

List of tested resources with personal experiences next time ;-)

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