The answer was another VX220!
I bought this one at the weekend - Lightning Yellow 78/100. Flew down to Gatwick on Saturday morning, took the train to Eastbourne and drove it all the way home to Glasgow 481 miles from the south coast resulting in loads of flies:
I got lucky as, whilst the advert didn't say much about the car, it seems like a really good one. The previous owner was the owner of Quantum Motorsports and an ex Vauxhall Main Dealer VX220 specialist mechanic and had owned the car for 6 years. The car seems really solid with no real rattles and hardly any rust to be seen.
First impressions are brilliant - the standard suspension, wheels and tyres seems so much better than the Nitrons, TD1.2s and R888s on the last one. The steering is much more alive, less heavy and more delicate. And it rides bumps really well but is still very firm in the corners. It's hard to imagine how the handling could be better for road use.
It's got a full Hayward and Scott exhaust system and ITG induction kit so it sounds amazing and seems pretty quick. I reckon it has around 160hp.
Other good things are that it has the turbo spoiler, turbo splitter, turbo window seals, the timing chain has been replaced, it came with a matching hardtop and the fairly rare VX220 cargo net.
Anyway, enough rambling - some pics - it cleans up well but I need to give it a proper detail.
The only problem I am having at the moment is that there is a small coolant leak from somewhere. Everything near the radiator seems completely dry so I don't think it's that and the header tank itself is new. However there is a hose form the header tank to the engine and oil cooler that appears to have some moisture round it but the VX220 forums don't seem to think that is it - picture below
Anyone any ideas? Trying to get booked in with Ali at SLS at some point this week in any case.
Give me a wave if you see me out and about; it's fairly hard to miss and hopefully I'll get along to my first SE meet at some point
