1988 Skoda Rapid 130/136 review from UK and Ireland

Where shall I begin!!

I bought the car when I was seventeen, first car, so you can imagine the amount of stick I gave it!!

It used to love blowing head gaskets (6 times!!)until I bought some liner shims and stuck them on top of the liners, sorted that right out!!

The fuel shutoff valve stuck closed meaning the car would only run with the choke on.

Various niggles (all easily repairable).

In the end I fitted a fast road/race camshaft and snapped the crank.....!!

Blown up engine ,replaced with engine from a lowered "sSport" I bought that I wrote off in six days due to the lower suspension geometry upsetting the handling (I hit a lamp post backwards after fish tailing for about hundred yards on the exit of a greasy right hander, at about sixty!!), this pushed the engine forward and bent all the rods for the gearbox!! I drove home in third only!!

This replacement engine eventually wore out (smoking a lot) and was replaced with a 136 engine. (My mate bought a 136 and then wrote it off driving it home!! - warning, do not purchase a white Skoda Rapid!!).

I've tried twin 40 Webbers (a bit much!!) and have recently bought a Metro turbocharger......