Car magazine features from the past [Archive] - SV650.org

Daimo

07-10-10, 03:37 PM

meh, might be some open minded car people still about. Found some old mags so brought them to work and scanned them in. Who says corsas are chav chariots. No chav could afford this.

These are older features. Now has a 2.0 16v turbo, with 6 speed box, and the bumpers been heavily changed, and a new exhaust system. The girls will love it, it even gets thumbs up from grannies :lol: Been in storage the last few years whilst we got a house, save for wedding, but I can't wait to get it back out again.

Started off life as a standard Corsa GSi..

http://images30.fotki.com/v44/photos/4/48802/198779/donna-vi.jpg

Cover feature.

http://images107.fotki.com/v70/photos/4/48802/198779/13_1of1-vi.jpg

http://images54.fotki.com/v544/photos/4/48802/198779/2_1of1-vi.jpg

http://images32.fotki.com/v1089/photos/4/48802/198779/32_1of1-vi.jpg

http://images31.fotki.com/v1100/photos/4/48802/198779/4_1of1-vi.jpg

Note the heater controls, all gone....

http://images30.fotki.com/v433/photos/4/48802/198779/42_1of1-vi.jpg

http://images54.fotki.com/v1613/photos/4/48802/198779/5_1of1-vi.jpg

Look at that buff git in the top corner.

http://images18.fotki.com/v61/photos/4/48802/198779/6_1of1-vi.jpg

Then it had another feature in Total Vauxhall

http://images32.fotki.com/v1061/photos/4/48802/198779/tv1_1of1-vi.jpg

http://images24.fotki.com/v863/photos/4/48802/198779/tv2_1of1-vi.jpg

http://images17.fotki.com/v530/photos/4/48802/198779/tv3_1of1-vi.jpg

She also made it into the girls mag "More" when they done a feature on girls who drive modified cars.

It was on 5th Gear, you may see it on the repeats, being interviewed by that ginger tw4t.

And if your bored, i've got a build story on youtube, or have a nose for yourself. It'll probably get another feature when it comes back out.

Gold star for the person who notices the special feature about the reg plate, and its not that its a personal one. Something to do with lighting it up ;)

http://public.fotki.com/DaimoB/my_car_and_donnas_car/d5nna/

Owenski

07-10-10, 03:56 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u24vtPK79s4

Skip

07-10-10, 03:57 PM

Each to their own but its a bit much for me - a lot of people are into "that scene" though so fair enough!

Its very "indervijewel" ;)

Daimo

07-10-10, 03:59 PM

thats the idea, she buiot it for her.

Thats why she hasn't done what every other person of our era done (date is 2002 mag), and sell it. She;ll never get rid.

Her choice of colours, done it not to be sold, but to be kept.

The Guru

07-10-10, 04:19 PM

Back in the day..

Must have been about 9-10yrs ago.

My brothers Corsa (sold long ago)
http://forums.sv650.org/picture.php?albumid=394&pictureid=4932
http://forums.sv650.org/picture.php?albumid=394&pictureid=4933

Changed back to less chavy wheels
http://forums.sv650.org/picture.php?albumid=394&pictureid=4934

My Corsa (Sold long ago)
http://forums.sv650.org/picture.php?albumid=394&pictureid=4935
http://forums.sv650.org/picture.php?albumid=394&pictureid=4936

Daimo

07-10-10, 04:50 PM

Eh, I know you, you used to be on CS. I remember the flip painted rocker cover!!!

Holdup

07-10-10, 06:31 PM

Chav's

Both miles better than my mates Corsa B though :thumright:

andrewsmith

07-10-10, 07:53 PM

chavs indeed!!!

well coming from the guy that wants one of these

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/2497248007_a0667c179e.jpg

The Guru

07-10-10, 09:39 PM

Eh, I know you, you used to be on CS. I remember the flip painted rocker cover!!!

Yup.

Did you have D4MOB on your corsa?

Daimo

07-10-10, 09:51 PM

Yeah man, im that gobby opinionated mofo :lol: D4 is now on my Benelli.

Holdup

07-10-10, 09:59 PM

So what was your brothers V6 putting out Guru?

And whats the 2ltr turbo got Daimo

yorkie_chris

07-10-10, 10:42 PM

meh, might be some open minded car people still about.

TBH I think that "style" has been too abused by barry mongs intent on ram-raiding halfords for it to ever be cool.

Give me a RWD ford any day :)

The Guru

08-10-10, 08:06 AM

Yeah man, im that gobby opinionated mofo :lol: D4 is now on my Benelli.

It all falls into place now :lol:

So what was your brothers V6 putting out Guru?

And whats the 2ltr turbo got Daimo

Was a 3.0 V6 not the usual 2.5 and was dyno'd at 230bhp

My 2.0 16v was Dyno'd at 172

Skip

08-10-10, 08:08 AM

Was a 3.0 V6 not the usual 2.5 and was dyno'd at 230bhp

What does a little car like a Corsa handle like with a big engine like that up front? Is it really understeery?

Daimo

08-10-10, 08:11 AM

The Turbos got 204bhp standard. With the IC, exhaust etc, maybe 210-215. It'll get a "phase" chip (Guru, just a ph2) as its a known good increase to about 240-270 depending on the engine condition.

I need to get my old silicone hoses on, and also the 4 pot brakes we have to go on the front.

When you open the door though, it absolutly stinks of quality leather still, even after 8 years!!

Indeed, too many boyracers have abused them, but there are some superb quality examples out there. I think unless your in the "scene" its hard to spot the difference sometimes though. Trends have moved on, back "in my day ooo arrr" it was big bodykits and the biggest wheels possible, these days its factory bodykits, and engine tuning.

Still, looking back, we had a bloody good laugh doing it all, lots of shows etc. I've got a fair few more im scanning in at the moment as well. Even a few pictures of when I was 19 (10 years ago!!). Some articles I done for a few of the mags etc. Ahhh happy memories.

Then I realised bikes are far cooler, faster, and mainly for me, cheaper :lol:

Daimo

08-10-10, 08:15 AM

What does a little car like a Corsa handle like with a big engine like that up front? Is it really understeery?

He might disagree, its a long going "corsa" arguement just like "is a tuned 1.6 better than the 2.0 with less weight, but less torque etc.."

But i've driven a couple of V6's, its VERY understeary. It'll go round a bend, but push it, and its horrendous. My 2.0 was bad enough for understear, its sheer weight over the front wheels.

But, both are epically fun to drive, and once you work your way around the dodgy handling of both types of engine conversion, its a little pocket rocket and insainly fun. Raw, no driver aids, and required a lot of driver input.

I miss my old one :( (I had a 2.0 16v also). Don't miss driving a corsa though :lol:

Skip

08-10-10, 08:17 AM

Thats what I thought - its bound to have some drawbacks but I bet its a hoot to drive :lol:

Owenski

08-10-10, 08:41 AM

What does a little car like a Corsa handle like with a big engine like that up front? Is it really understeery?

LIke a shopping trolly ,

Next doors dropped a 2.0l zetec engine into a ford KA, full suspension and brake overhaul and he said on a motorway its fine. On any other road you arrive at your destination with your eye lids hurting from terror pose.

fizzwheel

08-10-10, 08:57 AM

Found some old mags so brought them to work and scanned them in.

and the rest of that post wasnt what I was expecting when I read that line :D

Looks well done, but not to my taste, but then thats not why it was done either is it.

I remember reading Revs and Redline when I was more into cars than bikes, and then it went max power bodykit chav tastic and I stopped buying them.

I never did alot to my Nova 1.4SR, it was facelifted one which I think looked better anyway. 60mm lowering kit, GSi front bumper, Tarox Groved disks on the front and I left it alone apart from that. I never really liked the mahoosive rims on a little car look, just as well as with the 60mm springs on all I could get underneath without wheel arch surgery was the 14" rims it came with.

I bl**dy loved driving that car, it wasnt particularly quick in a straight line, but my god it handled like a go kart on a twisty road.

Daimo

08-10-10, 10:08 AM

And they still do. Nova SRi, quicker in 4th gear than it was in 5th ;)

I stopped buying Max Flower when it went all chav. I knew the redline guys quite well so kinda stuck with those. Max power lot were really snooby, lots of "we're the best" attitude.

I remember we were on Carisma's stand (that to55er on pimp my ride UK, got bad stories about that sh*t) at Max Power live in 2001. A few of the Max Power journo's come up to us

Them: "so you getting featured with max power then"
us: "errrr no" (we we're already friends with Renton at this point)
Them: (Taken back with the reply, and this was said with real attitude) "what, why not, we're the best mag, what do you mean you don't want it featured"?
Us: Because we're goign witha proper modified car mag, not a boyracer mag (the word Chav wasn't used then).

Then went away extremly angry, we got back in the car and had a good giggle :lol:

I think Max has sorted itself out a bit now, and the new chav mag is Fast Car. They used to be based in Orpington. Done some articles for those too. done a whole days work int he office, without even a thankyou, or a freebie or anything. Thats the last bit of work I done for them.

Rev's now your showing your age there Fizzy :lol: Thats shut down years ago (was also owned by Max Power).

I think when Renton got "cough booted" from Redline, it went downhill as well. But I guess they have to keep up with the market trend, and unfortunatly theres a lot more chav boyracers out there to buy the mag that car enthusiasts :( My other half (who owns the car on the previous page) has nothing to do with modified cars anymore. I'll be sorting getting the corsa back on the road again, and she'll just drive and enjoy it. I still like my cars though so I don't mind really. I have my own plans for it :lol:

dizzyblonde

08-10-10, 11:33 AM

Don't matter whats been done to it

ITS STILL A BLOOOODY CORSA!!!

innit;)

L3nny

08-10-10, 11:55 AM

I used to my all those magazines until they started printing more pics of naked girls than pics of cars. Not that there is anything wrong with naked girls mind, but I had the internet for that type of stuff.

I had a Mk2 golf gti which wasn't as fast as i hoped and then bought a 205 gti which was.

Did a few mods, wheels, exhaust etc but could never afford to spend the thousands the hardcore boy racers did and always thought it was a huge waste of money anyway, plus even a few mods would double the insurance.

Like the Corsa though wanted a Nova Gsi when I was 17, a mate had one and it was rapid.

08-10-10, 12:00 PM

I've had my fair share of chav mobiles...

5dr Peugeot 205... it was proper BO
Then I had a 306 that I spent far to much money on ecosse stuff, it was really sweet then I went a bit ott on it
+ Other stuff in between

Does Renton still own the Reyland RS500? I passed a house the other day in a random little estate and the Reyland RS500 was parked outside with a Porsche and F430 either side of it. Nice cars outside a small(ish) house... a true pistonhead.

Daimo

08-10-10, 12:05 PM

G, that would be in Essex then ;)

Thats Lee Manning. A former friend of mine, but he's a city banker and they don't have much time for most people. Used to be good friends with him, drive his Porsche up to Doncaster show, Bruntingthorpe, Bedford autordrome etc. He's best friends with Renton, they co-own the cossie together, although I think lee puts more money into it as he's the big earner (was on £250k ex bonus at 24 :( ). Im guessing he got the Ferrari he always wanted lol. Was the porche a turbo, or a Boxster?

DB - Yeah, you wouldn't be laughing when a poxy purple corsa driven by a blonde girl is whooping your SV's ass. I know this, as another local friends C20LET corsa handed my ass to me on a plate on my old SV :P As a former Indian chap found out in his new E46 BMW on the M25 once ;)

L3nny, I really want a Mk2 golf gti at the moment actually. :( Finding a good one, at a good price though now is really hard.

fizzwheel

08-10-10, 12:10 PM

L3nny, I really want a Mk2 golf gti at the moment actually. :( Finding a good one, at a good price though now is really hard.

Umh... I was never keen on the MKII, but a G60 or a Synchro would be nice, but like you say, find a decent one is getting difficult now.

Ditto the MK1 GTI, which is what I'd really want TBH. Either that or a 205 GTI.

I was never into the whole sticking plastic bits onto cars. I'd much rather have a mint standard car over anything else.

dizzyblonde

08-10-10, 12:10 PM

DB - Yeah, you wouldn't be laughing when a poxy purple corsa driven by a blonde girl is whooping your SV's ass. .

I'd be more annoyed if it were a fella! TBH I aren't overly concerned who 'whoops my ass', as long as they do it proper innit.
Besides, I don't just have the SVs in the stable these days. I have the keys to the intergalactic missile ;-)

yorkie_chris

08-10-10, 12:13 PM

DB - Yeah, you wouldn't be laughing when a poxy purple corsa driven by a blonde girl is whooping your SV's ass.

I have never seen dizzy race anyone and doubt she will start now lol

But just top trumps in speed on a motorway... that's not SV turf, any rep-mobile is faster without looking so f*cking gash!

dizzyblonde

08-10-10, 12:23 PM

I have never seen dizzy race anyone and doubt she will start now lol

ohhhh I could be pushed to race a C-90 bor'd out to the max, if I really must:rolleyes:

Meh, you know me too well, I race no one, specially chav mobeels, even from the lights on King Cross;)

Daimo

08-10-10, 12:29 PM

I'd be more annoyed if it were a fella! TBH I aren't overly concerned who 'whoops my ass', as long as they do it proper innit.
Besides, I don't just have the SVs in the stable these days. I have the keys to the intergalactic missile ;-)

Chavs talk like this.

We may own a bright purple corsa, but none of the other motors we own put us in this category, thus making you of chav, and me of class :smt002 :smt098 :driving:

Fizzy, yeah the trend now is no bodykits. When we first started there wasn't anything about, hence why most of this stuff is custom. Interior is a one off. Paint is from TVR (we spent hours looking through paint catalogs). Leather is high quality too, hence why it still stinks.

YC - I dunno, it brakes quite well, even better when we put the bigger brakes. Its had a big brake upgrade on the front, and a rear disk conversion. But the coilovers are wound up high, so yeah it doesn't corner too well :lol:

You can get so many pikey cheap rubbish parts, but on D5, everything was expensive. The bonnet is an extremly rare fibreglass item from Germany. About £350 alone, then we had it modified with the eyebrows, so you won't find it anywhere ever. Same with the bonnect, sideskirts, although the rear bumper is a modified Vauxhall Irmscher add on (again, £225 before you do anything).

The rear plate design also does this. Epically cool.

MAGIC LIGHTS...

http://images18.fotki.com/v17/photos/4/48802/198778/2003NewFunkyRegplate-vi.jpg

L3nny

08-10-10, 12:30 PM

I had a 1985 D reg Mk2 8v with a big bumper kit, 15" TSW stealth 5 spokes and lowerd 50mm.

TBH it was horrible, it had no power steering and I was a weedy 9st 17 year old with the wider wheels and firmer suspension meant I couldn't chuck it about. The bodykit wasnt fitted properly and one day on the way to work I was completley owned by some rep in a bog standard 1.8 cavelier so decided to get shot of it.

A friend of a friend was selling a 205 gti was 1.6 in miami blue (best colour) had 1.9 wheels a boot spoiler and a Peco DTM back box (roodboy). My flatmate said he could hear me coming home from 2 miles away :D.

It had a lot of work done to it under the hood god knows what but it was quick. the downside was it kept burning through manifolds which didnt make the exaust any quieter.

By the time I was 19 I had enough of being a boy racer and bought a nice 3 year old 1.4 Escort LX.

Daimo

08-10-10, 12:35 PM

Ahhhh Peco DTM's, ultimate boyracer exhaust :lol: I HATED them ha ha. Mind you, i remember TSW Stealths as well. In fact, I remember when 3 spokes were cool :lol: Replaced by the Venoms.

When I first was saving for my car, I wanted Venoms... A young niave Damien :lol:

dizzyblonde

08-10-10, 12:44 PM

Chavs talk like this.

We may own a bright purple corsa, but non of the other motors we own put us in this class, thus making you of chav, and me of class :smt002 :smt098

http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2008/5/29/woteva128565455963858631.jpg

I'm sorry Daimo, I may have written my post in a chav like manner, but I am far from the Burberry wearing type. In fact, I have slightly better breeding. :smt015

Daimo

08-10-10, 12:46 PM

So your just trolling then :lol:

I don't own a cap, let alone anything burberry. As for breeding, thats debatable :P

dizzyblonde

08-10-10, 12:54 PM

I'm winding you up.

Anyway, how old was the mag with your article?
Corsas are like SVs, common as muck! The only modded ones around here these days are owned by spotty teenagers....the Corsas not the SVs ;-)

..and thats you're trolling....not your trolling!

Daimo

08-10-10, 01:05 PM

I know ;) Thats why im playing nice :lol:

First one was Oct 2002, 2nd one was in 2003. The 5th gear interview was done at Silverstone in errrr, ooooo, 2002, must have been 02 as it was on the Mags stand with hugh laminated mag covers, of which we have in the garage at home :D

What can I say, im a boyracer with poor English :lol:

The engine now..

http://images6.fotki.com/v82/photos/4/48802/198779/DSC00183-vi.jpg

And the interior got a leather clad gauge holder.

http://images6.fotki.com/v102/photos/4/48802/198779/Dsc00417-vi.jpg

yorkie_chris

08-10-10, 01:14 PM

I'm going to unsubscribe from this thread now as I feel rather ill.

Poxy FWD shopping trolleys should be left to die in peace not subjected to this cruelty.

Daimo

08-10-10, 01:16 PM

Parp parp :p :lol:

dizzyblonde

08-10-10, 01:17 PM

circa 02/03. Yes, I am embarrassed to say I thought I'd recognised it, or similar. Little brother used to like reading such mags, in his late teens Until he grew up, got kids and bought a Seat Leon TDi thingy.

yes....I really am that old.

Milky Bar Kid

08-10-10, 01:33 PM

I like purple. I like old shape corsas. I like purple corsas. I like this corsa. That is all.

mister c

08-10-10, 02:26 PM

Used to go to a few cruises with the Cruise Northwest mob, so played about with something a little different. All of the parts were modified by me. I loved this car to bits & wished I hadn't sold it :) I still have an amp & sub in my present car & before anybody says I should grow up.......Why? lol.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs166.snc1/6213_1209284351707_1216657430_610432_138104_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs166.snc1/6213_1209284111701_1216657430_610426_7236605_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs166.snc1/6213_1209284311706_1216657430_610431_1682153_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs166.snc1/6213_1209284471710_1216657430_610434_6493948_n.jpg

08-10-10, 02:44 PM

Daimo

08-10-10, 02:45 PM

I ran one of those Alpine Amps to run my x4 components. I ran another sub to power my twin 15"s ;)

http://images19.fotki.com/v22/photos/4/48802/245463/Install9Speakersin-vi.jpg

http://images14.fotki.com/v20/photos/4/48802/245463/2003NewICEEquip3-vi.jpg

144db odd :D Sucked the air out of your lungs.

I fully soundproofed the car though, inner arches, roof, boot, spoiler, the lot. No rattles, lots of boom.

L3nny

08-10-10, 03:14 PM

Ahhhh Peco DTM's, ultimate boyracer exhaust :lol: I HATED them ha ha.

Yep very cheap and very loud. Not as cheesy as the big bore 4 which looked like a disbin though.

Specialone

08-10-10, 04:32 PM

Yep very cheap and very loud. Not as cheesy as the big bore 4 which looked like a disbin though.
I had a full two and a quarter inch stainless magnex on my mk2 golf GTI, it sounded perfect, not too loud, just classy burble :)

dizzyblonde

08-10-10, 04:47 PM

This threads going to turn Barry Boy soon!

fizzwheel

08-10-10, 05:02 PM

Yep very cheap and very loud. Not as cheesy as the big bore 4 which looked like a disbin though.

I had a Big Bore 2 and then a DTM on my Nova, the DTM was only a single outlet so it didnt look so bad, mind you it did used to collect the rain water in it.

Best was the stainless 2 1/2" stainless exhaust that my Golf MKIII GTi 16v had on it. Was a cat back one, sounded bl**dy awesome, really deep rumble on tick over and then it used wail once you wound it up. Used to pop and burble on the over run nicely to.

L3nny

08-10-10, 05:08 PM

Yer the DTM did sound nice when you were out thrashing it. However it got a bit dull after a couple of hours on the motorway.

The 15" sub in the boot took care of that though lol.

mister c

08-10-10, 05:13 PM

Horrific!
Yes, but good for a laugh :):smt026

L3nny

08-10-10, 05:22 PM

Yes, but good for a laugh :):smt026

Sorry mate, I know you wanted to be different and I respect that but

1. What the hell is it??

2. Why??

fizzwheel

08-10-10, 05:36 PM

1. What the hell is it??

some kind of Jap import most likely something by Suzuki or maybe a Daihatsu ( sp )

2. Why??

Why not.

No disrespect to Daimo, but howe many Corsa's or Saxo's have you seen with exactly the same bodykit or set of modifications done to it, Generic barry at its worst, at least that looks different is different.

rowdy

09-10-10, 10:30 AM

Sorry mate, I know you wanted to be different and I respect that but

1. What the hell is it??

2. Why??
Suzuki Wagon R, I believe.
As for the Corsa, not doubting the quality of work gone in to it, but looking at the interior shot I have just been a little sick in my mouth.
I'm with YC on this one, give me a rear drive ford (pref mk1 escort of avo origin) over the generic, chav shopping trolley any day. The money thrown at that could have bought a proper car.

mister c

09-10-10, 12:50 PM

Sorry mate, I know you wanted to be different and I respect that but

1. What the hell is it??

2. Why??

some kind of Jap import most likely something by Suzuki or maybe a Daihatsu ( sp )

Why not.

No disrespect to Daimo, but howe many Corsa's or Saxo's have you seen with exactly the same bodykit or set of modifications done to it, Generic barry at its worst, at least that looks different is different.
It is a 1998 Suzuki Wagon R, all 998cc's of it. It is a UK car & as Fizz says, why not?
I could guarantee going to a cruise and know that I wouldnt see another one. I was quite well known on the cruise scene because of it & I made a lot of friends because of it, so that, to me was a result.
The install did actually get it's picture in Redline magazine when we were at Southport cruise.

Ahhh..............them were the days :)

Daimo

09-10-10, 03:10 PM

Suzuki Wagon R, I believe.
As for the Corsa, not doubting the quality of work gone in to it, but looking at the interior shot I have just been a little sick in my mouth.
I'm with YC on this one, give me a rear drive ford (pref mk1 escort of avo origin) over the generic, chav shopping trolley any day. The money thrown at that could have bought a proper car.

Its a girl owner.
At 18 when she first bought it, you could not get insurance on a bigger car. This was built up over 7 years, and gained a huge social aspect too.
And Mk1 escorts have been done to death ;) . So have corsas, but no-where near as good as good as the quality of this one. Where as there are many high quality escort owners.
I also wouldn't define a Mk1 escort as a "proper" car either. :p

rowdy

09-10-10, 03:32 PM

I also wouldn't define a Mk1 escort as a "proper" car either. :p
I wasn't giving the escort as an example of a proper car, just agreeing with YC as to what I would rather have.
I would wager the money spent on the corsa could have bought a 'proper' car like an Integrale, or an Escort Cossie or some such.
When I say proper car I mean a car that has been built to handle the power. As an owner of a standard (as left the factory) front wheel drive car with 200+ bhp, I would imagine that 200+bhp in a car that was designed to have 120bhp would be a little bit of a handfull.
I would rather be entertained in a rear drive escort with 200+ bhp than a front drive Corsa with 200+bhp, and I would at least have the assurance that the money spent would be returned as old Escorts are gaining value all the time, whereas a ten a penny Corsa with side skirts and fancy alloys will always be worth bugger all, no matter how well it has been executed.

Each to their own though, and as you point out your girlfriends age and insurance problem then fair play, although it does still look like generic boy (or girl) racer Corsa.

L3nny

09-10-10, 04:21 PM

Thanks for filling me in Mister C, I know it was some Jap import thing but not sure what type.

Wasn't having a go, just genuinely interested why you would decide to buy that. If you want to stand out from the crowd I am sure you achieved it.

In the last couple of weeks I have bought a Bora V5 as a winter run about. I am seriously considering getting back to my youth and modding it a bit. Will only be a few subtle mods, R32 wheels and a slight drop seen some pics on a VW forum and they can look really nice.

rowdy

09-10-10, 04:31 PM

Thanks for filling me in Mister C, I know it was some Jap import thing but not sure what type.

Thats ok :rolleyes: (see post#51)
Also available as the Vauxhall Agila, if your that way inclined :).

mister c

10-10-10, 07:25 AM

Daimo

10-10-10, 08:50 AM

I wasn't giving the escort as an example of a proper car, just agreeing with YC as to what I would rather have.
I would wager the money spent on the corsa could have bought a 'proper' car like an Integrale, or an Escort Cossie or some such.
When I say proper car I mean a car that has been built to handle the power. As an owner of a standard (as left the factory) front wheel drive car with 200+ bhp, I would imagine that 200+bhp in a car that was designed to have 120bhp would be a little bit of a handfull.
I would rather be entertained in a rear drive escort with 200+ bhp than a front drive Corsa with 200+bhp, and I would at least have the assurance that the money spent would be returned as old Escorts are gaining value all the time, whereas a ten a penny Corsa with side skirts and fancy alloys will always be worth bugger all, no matter how well it has been executed.

Each to their own though, and as you point out your girlfriends age and insurance problem then fair play, although it does still look like generic boy (or girl) racer Corsa.

Wasn't done to sell and make a profit. Was done to keep, and built exactly how she wanted it.

Huge social aspect to it as well, some fantastic years.