205 Shell Questions

[johnhenry 20]

Evening all

Ive recently had quite a rough few months with the 205, there is damage to the front end of her and im not sure if the chassis is ok, im hoping its just cosmetic, but ive got the feeling it isnt.

Im going to be completely restoring the car in the summer, when im back from university, like nut and bolt restoration. but the shell/chassis is my main concern.

im not after a 'collectors piece' of a car, i dont mind if the numbers dont match up its the car thats important to me;

 

i wanted to know if the chassis of other 3 door 205s (xs etc etc) we're the same as the gti chassis?

 

regarding a chassis swap, how/what do i have to notify the DVLA of? and do i have to take the car to be inspected to make sure everything is ok?

 

Cheers

John

[allye 530 3 Cars]

GTI shells have acut away arches and have holes along the side for the body kit to clip onto. Apart from that they are the same. Regarding swapping engines over if its the same engine then you won't need to notify them, if its a different engine size then you will!

[johnhenry 20]

i think its going to need a new shell in all fairness

ill try and find a 1.9gti shell to be a donor and go from there. If i can find a gti with a cooked engine ill just get my engine into it and away we go.

 

has anyone on here got any experience of straightening chassis' ? if so rough costs? it would only be minor straightening i believe.

Cheers

JOhn

[M_R_205 5 1 Cars]

If you go for a non gti shel the front subframe has two slightly different mounts but nothing to worry about, as said the arches are slightly different too,

 

If you do decide to re shell into a non gti shell (as long as its the same color)id just swap the plates and vin numbers off your current shell....its essentially just a replacement part, Its not like your trying to ring the car or anything like that..

 

Paul.

[rallyeash 155]

wouldnt advise swapping the vin and plates over, seeing as it will be a gti to non gti swap. surely illegal too?

 

if fitting 1.9 running gear and everything into a xs just keep the xs details and register the engine swap with the dvla.

my 205 rallye is now registered with a 2088cc Xu gti6 engine.

[Leet205 48]

If you do decide to re shell into a non gti shell (as long as its the same color)id just swap the plates and vin numbers off your current shell....its essentially just a replacement part, Its not like your trying to ring the car or anything like that..

 

Paul.

 

Paul, that is exactly what it would be. a ringer.

[johnhenry 20]

right, it was MOT day today.

got it there, predictably told there was no point in giving it a test as it was going to fail

sent to a chap who is going to straighten it all up for a small fee (very surprised how cheap it was!) testing it again in a week! fingers crossed. means i might actually be able to fix the little things now. good times.

 

interesting points about shells, its not just here that theres lots of different opinions on whats actually the right thing to do, going to try and steer clear of it i think! safer that way!

Thanks for all your inputs guys!