1993 Vauxhall Corsa Redtop Conversion from UK and Ireland - Comments

Radiator leak, waiting for a new radiator as we speak, going to replace the fan as well as the fan knocking against the radiator is what caused the leak.

MAS air flow sensor needs replacing, bought a new one, it's in the post as we speak, easy to install. Car runs OK without it to be honest.

Slight rip on drivers seat - may sew it up myself.

Tear on the Momo steering wheel - my right hand has a tight grip.

Clutch pedal spring squeaks - no real fix, just have to deal with it, not noticeable unless in slow traffic.

Fuse blew - Easy.

Hand brake cable came off, just need to be hooked back on, easy to do, will take it down to my mechanic after I've done the radiator.

Passenger seat wobbles - just need to tighten bolts - no big deal.

Needs new rear drum shoes.

Boy racers dream. The car is immense, it has the following mods:

Chris Astley conversion kit with mounts and driveshafts.

C20XE - rare coscast version, Cosworth rods, head, forged pistons. Head is much stronger than GM one.

Port and polished head.

Pipercross fast road cams and pullies.

Chris Astley 4-2-1 Manifold.

Full SS exhaust system with 3" exit - very loud, no cat, 1 silencer.

Wire cone induction kit with samco hose.

Superchip.

Plugs and leads.

Standard GM clutch - very good actually.

F20 5 speed box with LSD.

Strutbrace - vital really.

It's been lowered by 35mm at the front and 45mm at the back, and runs on 15" Cavalier wheels.

It has full GSI interior, which hold you in the corners.

The car is lethally quick, 68mph in 2nd gear, it's pushing just over 190bhp, with about 170lbsft of torque. 0-60 is about 6 seconds.

It really does kill just about anything, and when people see they are getting mullered by a Corsa it's brilliant. VTS - no worries, not even close, although he will out handle me badly.

The handling isn't BAD, it's just not that great. Although the grip from the front tyres is very good thanks to that big engine over the front wheels and the strutbrace, the back can get happy if you push it.

It'll top out at about 145-150mph. On the motorway it's actually not as bad as you may think, 70mph - 120mph in 5th is easy as you like, no need to down shift into 4th, even if you want to shift quickly.

4000-7000rpm is mind boggling, hits the limiter at about 7100.

Cams are very lumpy around town, idle fluctuated from 900rpm to 1500rpm.

Clutch it actually very light and progressive for that much power.

Front brakes are 288mm off a 2.5 V6 Cav, rear drums are standard. Best to keep rear drums standard otherwise it can fish tail under heavy braking. Back end weighs nothing.

All in all, an awesome performance mini hatch that'll blow 99% of the cars on the road into the weeds. A real street sleeper, very understated. However the noise will attract races, especially when they see it's a Corsa that they think is a 1.2 and will be a walk over.

If you can find a decent redtop - get it, you won't regret it. Chances are it'll have a GM engine, but it'll still be a gooden. Just won't accept mods as easily as mine.

Just a quick update. I put the new radiator and fan are in, I also wrapped the manifold and put a heat shield above it. Plus I put a new MAS sensor in.

Raced quite a few cars, however the only two that really need mentioning are an Audi TT180, which I race off the lights and tore apart. So much so that once I got into 3rd he had stopped racing.

Secondly a Lotus Elise, the 134bhp one I'm guessing. I was in the next lane behind a car, the lotus stormed off the lights and once the car infront of me moved over I caught up, glanced over at him. We were cruising at about 50-60mph, both put our feet down at the same time, I was in 3rd and I pulled a heck of a long was ahead, all the way up to about 110, at which point I ran out of road. The look on his face was quite a picture.

From the title "don't race me unless you have an M3" I thought it would have at least been the turbo XE. There are a lot of hot hatches with way over 190 bhp now which could take you on, not mention EVO's and scoobies. All of which are still slower than a modern M3. I know your corsas lighter, but my STI should see you off.

"From the title "don't race me unless you have an M3" I thought it would have at least been the turbo XE. There are a lot of hot hatches with way over 190 bhp now which could take you on, not mention EVO's and scoobies. All of which are still slower than a modern M3. I know your corsas lighter, but my STI should see you off."

Perhaps I meant a E36 3.0 286bhp M3, because lets be honest comparing the E46 which start at about 15k second hand is a joke.

Also, what do you mean a Turbo Xe? The turbo C20 is the C20Let, xe doesn't come into the title.

Lastly, I'm sure your STI will beat me, however the title box wasn't big enough to list every car that can beat me... I was just giving you an idea of the speed. Also I'm sure my corsa is cheaper to buy, run, insure and tax.

After all it only cost me £1400 plus £200 on bits, harder to go faster for less...

From the title, I thought you were going to brag and make things up. After reading it sounds like you've got a cool Corsa. Got a website or anything?

C20LET is a turbo XE that's what I meant.

Even though the M3 costs a lot more, its in a totally different league. I would rather save up for than an M3 than be seen in a Corsa.

Well the fact it has Vauxhall alloys, the only thing that gives it away is the exhaust, I wouldn't call it a chav mobile, a saxo with a body kit and a 5 inch back box, lowered by 80mm on 17" viper alloys is a chav mobile. Of course I also would much rather have an M3, but I can't afford one, so this was a good substitute in the mean time. An M3 offers luxury, speed and handling… I only have 1 and a half of those, a mate of mine had an E36 3.0 and it was awesome, I was only comparing the speed, not the whole package.

"C20LET is a turbo XE that's what I meant." I know that's what you meant, it's just that people who know about the C20 engine would never call it a turbo XE, they'd call it a LET. I was just being pedantic.

"From the title I thought you were going to brag and make things up. after reading it sounds like youve got a cool corsa. got a website or anything?" Cheers buddy! No mate I don't have a website, I was thinking about putting it up on a corsa forum, but to be honest I really can't be bothered. I don't take it to cruises or anything, I just go out for drives in it, and at the moment it's being used as my daily driver too.

I'm the guy with the sti, don't let anyone say it's a chav mobile or not as good. The two are for entirly different puposes. I love my car, but if I could afford to run 2 cars id love a standard looking corsa or nova with a 2.0 engine to have some fun in, take people by surprise. I had a nova gsi a few years ago with turbo conversion, around 160 bhp from the C16SE turbo. Not as quike as the STI, but took a lot of unsuspecting fast cars n hot hatches out!

Wel I av a corsa 98 wit 72 thousand miles on it is der a point of puttin a red top in it or buy a gt turbo... wat you guys think...

"Wel I av a corsa 98 wit 72 thousand miles on it is der a point of puttin a red top in it or buy a gt turbo... wat you guys think..."

Well my corsa shell has more miles than that, and I love my conversion. I've never raced a Punto GTT however my mate had one at stage 1, running about 165 and my redtop would beat it quite happily.

The conversion costs a lot, it may be cheaper just to get a GTT if you want a warm hatch.

Just another update.

My brother owns a Focus ST, the new one, 2.5l, straight 5, 20v turbo, 222bhp. It's totally standard.

We had a few little races, from 30mph rolling in 4th gear, he just wanted to show off his torque (236lbs/ft), the low down torque of the ST is awesome, and he pulled way ahead.

We also has a standing start, we both got bad launches which made it fair in a way. At 60 mph I was about half a car length ahead, by 110mph I was about 1 car length ahead, it was very close. If we had kept going I reckon he would have pulled ahead, once I got into 5th I'm sure he would have pulled past me. Not a bad little race though and it confirmed my estimated 0-60 time of about 6 seconds.. with a good launch that is.

Oh dear!

I took a roundabout at 45mph, straightened up and then the ball joint failed on the drivers side. The tyre was wasted and the drive shaft got ripped out of the gearbox.

2 new tyres, 1 new driveshaft, new wishbone hub and balljoint, new CV hubs + labour - £380.

I'm also whacking in full coilovers - £230 + Labour and a rear strut brace - £40.

It's all spend spend spend - plus I've spend over £100 on tow trucks to get the car home and to my mechanic.

£750 all in all... ouch.

Still though the handling should be greatly improved.

Sounds like a good fast corsa you have there mate, 1 of my friends used to have a tuned redtop corsa, was very fast to around the 130mph mark, not many modern hot hatches will catch only a few like tuned vr6 or chipped s3 really.

Thanks mate... I've only had it up to 135mph so far... ran out of road. I really want to race a civic type-r... it's like an itch I've got to scratch. And because I'm hoping to get one in a year or two - bargain car, speed, good looks, handling, modern, reliable, lovely!

Problem number...13 I think; has raised its head - the exhaust is blowing, it's near the flexy pipe, it's not a huge issue, but I don't want to drive it too much until it's sorted. Sadly my mechanic is closed over easter. Should just be a simple weld - the jet of gas coming out is quite narrow.

Also now the coilovers are on the handling is much improved, I've actually set the height slightly higher than what it was on the lowering springs because it makes it easier round town.. but the front end grip from those new toyo proxys, coupled to the coilovers and strutbrace is immense!

Just a quick correction - I forgot to say the front brakes are not 288mm; they are 256mm. I found out the hard way when I bought 288mm pads and they didn't fit, but a nice set of 256mm Ferodo pads went in soon after. Still it needs braided hoses.