Project Griffin

My latest cruise-mobile. R-reg, 76K, FVSH, all important cambelt change done at 58K or so so no need to worry about that particularly.

Bought it off my mate who's just bought a Mk 4 Golf GT TDi 130bhp.

I'd already driven it about a month or two before I decided to buy it from London back to East Midlands when we went to pick up his new Golf. Thoroughly impressed with it comfort and performance wise, so when he was struggling to sell it I offered to take it off his hands.

This now means I can sell the second 19 which just needs re-MOT'ing once I've bled the brakes.

Toys-wise it's got CD Player, Aircon, Traction Control, yadda yadda yadda.

Last month I made in impromptu appearance at the RSC Rolling Road day at Hill Power, and Nick being the gent he is let me stick the Vectra on for a run FOC.

Was a blistering hot day and the rollers were struggling to read above 5,800rpm so we only got a partial reading (limiter is at 6750rpm) and this was not helped by the fact the car what appears to be a slight misfire. Nevertheless, she recorded a healthy 155bhp ATW, which compared with the book figure of 170bhp ATF is pretty darn good to me.

No expert but factoring in about 18% loss on transmission I make flywheel power to be around 190-195bhp, perhaps even more had the rollers read up to the limiter and the engine firing properly.

It also suggests to me there's more mods under the bonnet than just a PiperX filter a Magnex back box....

Quick pic:



Plan is to keep it standard and use it daily so 19 can come off the road for it's V6 conversion.

Only think this car needs is a new set of plugs and leads, and in a worst case scenario a new DIS pack, but I'm hoping that's not necessary since the car had a replacement fitted only a couple of years ago.

Nice car anyway, very pleased with it. Sounds like a 'rari on WOT at max revs an 'all!