Special K! This Skoda Estelle hides a very surprising secret...

What engine has replaced the original Skoda unit in this rather special Estelle? It has Yamaha bike carbs and makes a huge difference to performance! Enjoy the on road sounds, the induction roar and the grin on my face! Power, Less is More? Maybe not all the time...
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[@mickrayner8882]

Thanks Ian for coming back to test the new version of the Skoda. Great video, I'm glad you enjoyed it.. Multi layer steel headgasket fitted, remote thermostat, all done at home in my drive. Brakes stop it but will be upgraded soon.

[@Strike86]

The installation is beautiful, well done sir!

[@melvyncox3361]

Excellent job.Lovely!Always liked these Skodas❤👍

[@m__r1100]

Mick, we need a wee wander around the work you've done...

[@thisiszaphod]

Love sleepers like this - to keep the external originality is the key for me.

[@olik136]

hard to do in Germany- you can't get the historic registration with such a modification... and then things get very very complicated

[@seshelbow336]

@@olik136 it’s hard to understand why the Germans follow all rules so willingly when they have so many harsh and unfair ones

[@steved3702]

@@olik136 Sounds like rules for rules' sake, unfortunately. A pity, as I am sure there are a number of enthusiasts in Germany who would like such modifications. For Australia, I think something like this would likely be possible with a certification from a registered automotive engineer. (That assumes there is still a suitable rear-engined Skoda around!) Th US seems to have even more flexibility, depending on the state.

[@maximilianboost8498]

If you like sleepers - have a look at my channel 👍

[@TurboTimsWorld]

I worked as a mechanic at a Skoda dealer just when the Estelles was being replaced by the Favorit so I was trained on the newer stuff, Then one day the mechanics from Bracknell came down they were the official rally team mechanics and stood there in the workshop while I was doing an Estelle service then said those words "why aren't you using the tools from the tool wall" these guys took tools off the tool wall removed the carb and reset it, reset the points showed me how to use an "at the time" outdated crypton tuner....OMG even the customer phoned up after having her car back to find out what we had done, we just reset the car to factory settings. Every Estelle I serviced after that went like hot snooot

[@frglee]

I remember a Low Countries work trip trip in my 1988 Battleship Grey Skoda 120L in 1994 finding the engine getting a bit hot and making strange bubbling sounds, so I took it to the main dealer in Utrecht. There was an old boy there who knew these cars inside out and was more than happy to work on them - so he'd become the workshop specialist on the older models. It needed a cooling system flush, the long piped front radiator/rear engine cooling system apparently being prone to blockages.

[@jurivlk5433]

@@frglee My father blew the head gasket on a mountain pass due to overheating. It had like steel tubes from back to front, which I found weird, since my Fiat 900T van also was water cooled and had the radiator in the back which worked fine.

[@jareknowak8712]

@@jurivlk5433 Earlier models have radiator at the back.

[@jurivlk5433]

@@jareknowak8712 O.k.! Didn't know that. You mean the 105/120/135 models or the 1000 MB's? I had the 105 S and my father blew the head gasket on a steep road due to overheating. Overheating seems to be the weak point of all Skodas and a stronger engine is really good for it.

[@jurivlk5433]

@@TomAlter1000 O.k.! Didn't know that although having been an owner of a 105S. Heating was very good but the engine was very weak! Should have had like 45 HP or so but it seemed to have had less muscles, since my Fiat 900T with officially only 34 HP drove much better.

[@Isaki138]

Makes me sad, knowing we will never see light but affordable new cars again.

[@mfbfreak]

I don't think that's true. It will be a decade or three, but battery and fuel cell tech are steadily marching on, allowing lighter and cheaper electric cars.

[@zenbudhism]

Lots of big standard electric cars have around 200 ftlbs

[@GoldenCroc]

@@mfbfreak Presumaby he meant at most 1.5 tonnes, probably lighter, not simply a weight decrase from 2 tonnes to 1.8. If the impact regulations and general customer demands remain the same as now, even if the battery weighed 0 kg, it will be very hard to build a car under 1.3 tonnes for example.

[@boilerhousegarage]

Aren't Dacia Sanderos equivalently priced to inflation-adjusted cheap cars of yesteryear? I think wages haven't caught up as I was working out what cars you could buy in the early 80s compared with average annual salary. A lot of the difference now are the options for tech and engines for each particular car, whereas 30-40 years ago, you got only 2 or 3 engine options.

[@GoldenCroc]

@@boilerhousegarage At least where I live, they are cheaper, inflation adjusted, than just about everything after the year 1980 (which is earliest date of my knowledge about cheap cars), and perhaps before that as well. If you ask me, its a great car. One of, if not the greatest ever made if one just want to go between A to B. That fact that its not hailed as such more often just shows the overwhelming hard on mainstream media and populace got for "afterburners and chrome" to borrow an satirical expression from the US airforce procurement list. But I guess stuff like the 2CV wasnt all that appreciated in their own heyday as well.

[@jcobbett1958]

I went to York raceway with a friend of mine about 30 years ago, who was trying to gain his drag race licence. There was what looked like a bog standard brown skoda estelle taking part in the racing, he managed to win every heat he was entered in. Curiosity got the better of us and we asked him what was powering it. He showed us. Turned out to be a turbo charged audi 100 5 cylnder unit he shoehorned into the rear. Damn it was quick.

[@matty6848]

Now that’s what you call a sleeper car!

[@nikonordman7624]

There was one with a modified Oldsmobile Toronado V8 stuffed in the back here in Finland

[@nostreamavailable9090]

@@nikonordman7624 we have a winner 😁🏆

[@fk4515]

@@nikonordman7624 I saw a magazine article 40-50 years ago where some bored and slightly deranged individual parked an Oldsmobile Toronado drive train into an early Porsche 911 or 912. The owner reported that it worked so well he was able to take the lead weights out of the front bumper without adverse handling effects. 425 Cubic inches of high compression premium fuel only Oldsmobile V8 in the back of a car that weighed 2400 pounds.

[@Mopedauto]

Der Wolf im Schafspelz, sehr gut, solch einen Skoda hatte ich 1981/1982 einen 105S Ein Klasse Video, vielen Dank aus Hamburg. Grüße an Ian und alle Zuschauer.

[@ScottyJ1122]

Greetings Gunter.

[@Kai-Peter.Schellhase]

Danke, ebenfalls.

[@1972dsrai]

Looks like it would happily fit into 1970's Soviet Union.

[@barkchip1872]

Yes Gunter, I was thinking pretty much the same! (what did he say??) 🙂

[@techtinkerin]

Back in the day these weren't cool. After all these years it's actually nice to see one again regardless of the mods. It's now officially cool! 😎❤️👍

[@boilerhousegarage]

I crashed an Estelle at 80mph into a concrete bridge support. The car was half the size it was after the crash, on fire and every piece of the car was obliterated. The fire service cut me out of the wreck, but I survived because... you'd never want to be seen dead in a Skoda!! 😆

[@michaelkeen5010]

One to surprise the many drivers of modern cars who heavily criticise the Skoda, good on him. 👍

[@JR90.]

Ian, seeing you in full hoon mode, made my night! Also, credit to the owner for building such a sleeper. She sounds amazing!

[@SuperStareGry]

What a clean install! I am deeply impressed.

[@boilerhousegarage]

I'm disappointed he hasn't slanted it like the original engine.. I'm not really!

[@NeilD163]

Early 90's my family and I were on holiday down the south coast of the UK, there was a lovely looking skoda 136 coupe on our caravan site, it passed us one day, we were doing 85 ish, it went past like we were doing 20mph, found out later it had a 911 engine stuffed in the back of it, must have caught a lot of powerful cars out cos it looked standerd apart from minilite wheels and the rear window louvres.

[@stuarthall4777]

@@dizzy2020 Yes a 6 cylinder would never fit and certainly covertly.

[@oliverattwell8013]

@@stuarthall4777 a straight 4 mounted longitudinal vs a flat six seems viable… plenty of room for activities in that Skoda engine bay!

[@Donax695]

@@stuarthall4777 here in the country of origin it was not quite unusual to shoehorn a Tatra V8 in it, there are some videos of these cars on YT, cool stuff

[@stuarthall4777]

@@Donax695 Yes anything is possible. Here in the UK a tiny Hillman imp was powered by a v8 although it intruded into the rear seats somewhat 😂

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Škoda weren't making bad cars no worse than anything by British Leyland or Austin Rover at time. I rate Škoda very highly today, especially the Octavia and Superb.

[@peterfenwick4662]

Skoda were making cheap, practical cars for eastern europe. I don't think you can really compare them to anything made in the West. Skodas now are good cars, but they're essentially VWs.

[@Phiyedough]

I had a Felicia and the paint was very thin so it rusted rapidly. Nice car to drive though.

[@bryanlatimer-davies1222]

Audi vw skoda same cars in essence, model for model.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

@@peterfenwick4662 British Leyland cars in the 70s were made by Communists too, Red Robbo and his followers. Better than Volkswagen the modern ones absolutely rock solid.

[@frglee]

In the mid 80s a UK car magazine did a 'which car should you buy' article comparing the Skoda 120L and the Austin Metro. Guess which won? (clue: not the Metro)

[@RaynerDrummer]

I know my dad put a lot of work into this Estelle and having been in it I can say it is a fantastic little machine, nice video hub!

[@jareknowak8712]

Great job! Does Your Dad have any instagram or something?

[@caw25sha]

6:30 If you'd skidded off the road there you'd have had Shredded Wheat as well as Special K.

[@markonmotoring]

I do like the silliness of this car. This looks like a lot of fun.

[@MarkieC1990]

I love it when the channel turns into HoonNut and the smiles appear 😈 Absolutely love a sleeper like that, credit for the owner that engine bay looked perfect with the wire tuck 👌🏻

[@Technology-Repair-Druid]

Holy balls the fact that it fits so nicely as well (no doubt a LOT of work) and looks stunning in the engine bay is just amazing! I commented a year ago that my father had a white Estelle and he wishes he never got rid of it but it was saved and had an engine swap as well as the old engine blew a head and was coughing up all sorts of yogurt. This is amazing and I am so happy to see it back! Awesome video Mr Hubnut! :D

[@TheShinyShow]

I was expecting a Honda K20, but nice to see ITB's for a change

[@jaggass]

I'm amazed bit's of the dashboard pop out when flooring it. That K-Series engine sounds amazing with bike carbs.

[@barryjbriggs725]

Seen micks skoda in the flesh.. and it's a work of Art!! cracking conversion and completely understated Absolutely awesome machine

[@janvalasekcz]

Oh, my childhood memories are coming back. Skoda 742 (or Estelle as you guys know it) was the only car where I was regularly sick as a child. I can smell the gasoline, hear the noise from rear and feel the vibrations of the small Skoda engine roaring uphill while the car barely moved forward.

[@alantaylor353]

I've always liked those.! As a kid in the 80's my neighbour had two of them, one was nicer than the other, it was white, he had lovely alloys (when alloys were special), he lowered it, fitted a big bore exhaust & he told me he'd done all sorts of magic to the engine. I just loved it.... It was when he pointed out it was rear engined, just like a Porsche, that I fell in love.!

[@paulbennell3313]

This reminds me of the Lada estate fitted with a Lancia twin-cam. That looks bog standard too and that's the best thing about cars like these!

[@COIcultist]

A lad I knew did that. Just post warranty the engine went and he found a Fiat twin cam. Can't remember if it was original or he then had it painted the all white look that was popular for hot hatches. The amount of drivers who mocked him but got burnt off in the traffic light dragstrip was unbelievable.

[@COIcultist]

Lady saloon in my mate's case. Lady saloon, damned autocorrect, Lada saloon!

[@jaggass]

@@COIcultist The one that Lotus did on behalf of Top Gear and it's owner?

[@COIcultist]

@@jaggass I don't remember the Top Gear thing at all. It was just a Lada with a dead engine and my friend looking for a new spicy motor. It was in 1987 or so.

[@COIcultist]

@@jaggass Ha ha, if only! Just watched the clip. No, my mate's (well friend of a friend) effort was very much his own work. An engine with about half the horsepower and no suspension upgrades.

[@jamespotter3334]

So what you're saying is a BMW motorcycle engine for Elly is on the cards now 😂

[@eefjuh5533]

Or a gs engine. Or bigger carburettor

[@HubNut]

Beetle engine? The 1200 had just 34bhp, while Citroen were getting 33bhp out of 602cc (Dyane and Ami, 29bhp for the 2CV).

[@darrenelbrow5144]

@@HubNut BMW R1100 boxer engine in the 2CV 😈😈

[@vespaveloce1924]

Excellent! I love the quality of the fit and how subtle the mods are.

[@EdFrankes]

I'm in love... this thing is absolutly awesome! I already loved these Skoda's, but with a conversion like this? Pure gold.

[@heikkiremes5661]

Sleepers are just brilliant. I love this, such a clean build.

[@drobinson8080]

Great to see you genuinely enjoy the drive

[@richardgoodman1310]

Thanks for making this video - my late dad had one of these cars many years ago in a light blue! It was such good fun even when everyone took the piss out of it! Seeing this video made me remember my dad and good memories in the Estelle

[@scatmancraig1974]

That is a fantastic car. I've owned a few Estelles, they're tremendous fun. And for once, I recognised almost all the roads you were on, as I'm often driving along them in some farm vehicle or other. The giveaway was the level crossing you went over near the start of video. Another great video!

[@vwestlife]

You have a Ford nicknamed Betty, and here's a Skoda named Estelle... now you just need to review cars called Rue and Bea to complete the Golden Girls! (Maybe the Citroën Bea-X is close enough to count...)

[@nielsdebakker3283]

a suba-rue?

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

As a Skoda Enthusiast and Skoda Owner this car pleases me much, what a great little sleeper that Mick has made this lives up to the owners club forum Briskoda very nicely.

[@neilgent1595]

What a fantastic video. Everything you would want in a Hubnut video. Thanks

[@barryshackson4005]

Love the old Skoda's , and what an excellent conversion this one has .. Full credit to the owner . Top man & an excellent test drive from Mr hubnut 🙂👍.

[@pdtech4524]

Fond memories of my dad driving his brand new Skoda Estelle in a vibrant bright almost orange colour! It came with a factory touch up paint pot for dealing with stone chips. Somehow the air cooled engine over heated and caused the HT leads to melt, it was repaired under warranty. I remember my dad describing the gear change as like trying to move a wooden spoon through porridge, had no discernable gear shift gate, just 1st gear was somewhere over in that corner, 2nd was somewhere down here to the left and so on... A lovely engine note on that modded version.

[@pdtech4524]

@@TomAlter1000 Ah right I was going off hazy childhood memories! Maybe my dad said the coolant hadn't been added and the car was now 'air cooled' ? I just remembered it over heated from brand new, the insulation off the HT leads completely melted leaving the inner electrical cores exposed. Not sure whether they replaced the engine or just the HG but it was all repaired by the dealer under warranty! I do seem to have very faded memories of some kind of rear engined, air cooled skoda way back, maybe a previous model because I remember seeing air ducting or vents around the rear end and that distinctive air cooled sound?🤔 Maybe I'm.thinking of another car or maybe the coupe version had that venting as a styling thing? The coupe version was marketed as a more 'sporty' model 😲⚠️😳😁

[@martinburgess4814]

What a super engined Skoda.

[@carltwidle9046]

I live in New Zealand. We assembled Skodas here from the 1960s. They sold quite well. The Estelle model didn't though, back in the 1980s. This model that you are showing is nice, and I like the color. The Police now use Skoda cars here.

[@alansimpson835]

Love the noise and love the way the power enhancements are so well disguised. A proper sleeper. It's amazing how light the steering is in a rear wheel drive, rear engined car.

[@davidflamee]

Brilliant. Thanks for the ride. Just so unexpected.

[@oxulucozcan4923]

a project car that incorporates an engine swap will NEVER end. the journey does the trick for some. amazing build and a very happy car. thanks for the content Ian

[@matty6848]

Ian the look on your face when you accelerated away said it all. You didn’t need to say anything your expression told us everything. Absolutely superb mate😂🙂👍🏻

[@peterfenwick4662]

I love the Q car aspect, but the brakes and suspension should have been beefed up.

[@waynetetley584]

Very well executed. Enjoyed that 😎

[@andrewduncan3487]

My Estelle was G616 UNA, the same colour as this one. My ex-wife referred to the colour as 'mixed wash', indeed, put a sponge on it, and a little bit of the paint rubbed off. It did 0-60 in about 3 days, and it had a stopping distance only exceeded by the most recent generation of ultra-large container ships. I loved it. I bought it from the Station Garage in Mossley, now sadly closed. I did the deal with Melanie Sykes's Uncle Rodney, the kind of guy who gave used car dealers a good name. Lovely bloke, played cornet in our local brass band, passed away last year.

[@madmb71]

Great build Mick. Love it 👍🏻

[@TommyRogic18]

As a fan of old Skodas, this was absolutely brilliant, thanks so much Ian. I really enjoyed the original video on the Estelle. Please revisit a Rapid soon when you get chance :).

[@danken2928]

Love how it sits in there so nicely

[@Scotts23]

Stunning I absolutely love estelle's I was so happy and excited to see the dplate one at fotu my friends mom had a white s reg one years ago and it never ever let her down

[@williamgreer4087]

I saw the name Special K and thought for one second that he'd put a K20 in there, that would've been real overkill!

[@mickrayner8882]

Its lively now, would be a missile with a K20

[@Boating_David]

Thats just bonkers. Bloody love it !!

[@tomcole020]

I think the Rover K series has one of the best induction noises you can get from a 4cyl

[@23chilled]

I agree. I had the rover 216 coupe. brilliant induction noise from the pipercross I had. Most fun car I’ve ever owned

[@SB-vb8ch]

Rover K is a a good bit of kit but having owned both the Honda K20A2 wins that. They are a seriously impressive bit of kit.

[@winstonwoof732]

surely the induction noise in this example is largely down to the Yamaha carbs

[@tomcole020]

@@winstonwoof732 yeah but even the std k series with a Cone filter has great Intake noise

[@TheBlaert]

I've had several K-series engines in various stages of tune. Great induction noise. But nothing ever beat the Peugeot Mi16 I had for induction noise.

[@chrispenn715]

What a great job of the conversion. I want it!

[@michaeltutty1540]

Great video, Ian. Kudos to Mick for creating such a wonderful Q Ship. I've always been a big fan of cars that surprise.

[@jo05dk]

I'm slightly conflicted too.. Skodas are getting VERY rare now a days, and for that reason i'd like them to be stock. ..but njah.. Yoiu gotta love this, imho. It's a fun-loving creation. Both thumbs up to the owner and builder from me. ..and to you for giving it the beans, and enjoying it. Fun video to watch :)

[@1.6Kilometres]

Fantastic little thing! Would be so much fun over hear in our Canadian winter rallies.

[@whitemoor66]

Great sleeper. Bet it's raised a few eyebrows at various traffic light grand Prix😂. Do love a K series.

[@BAGGIES6677]

I like this a lot!! Love the fact its still relatively stock too, guess it shows that they were clearly quite well built as standard too for the steering/gearbox to still cope well enough with probably getting on for 3 times the power they were intended for.

[@Jay-B1750]

That's flipping amazing! What a quality build! I thought it sounded a bit like a beetle as well

[@buddy8225]

A Skoda with Attitude. Sweet. Love it. Great video 😁😊🐢

[@gingerelvis]

This is great! Love it! Looking at the quality of the workmanship I think we are in for a treat with a fully upgraded factory look sleeper.

[@rizzrazz]

Oh Ian, I love this! Seeing you belt it round the bends is a joy, the laugh and smile says it all! I'd love to have a car like this, absolutely brilliant 'British garagista' at its finest! I wonder what the VVC engine would feel like in this? Can Mick built me something similar?!

[@eoinoconnell185]

Puts a smile on your face

[@nathanwolf5547]

I live in Lincolnshire. I’d love to meet Ken. I’ve a special place in my heart for this year of Estelle.

[@davebuts1921]

Would love that at the lights, can you imagine the looks, love it absolutely love it.

[@EVguru]

On the cooking 5 port engines, they alloy block kept the weight in the tail down, but the siamesed Iron head kept costs down. The alloy 8 port heads could produce some decent power, 130bhp was achievable still street driveable.

[@WillieJu]

I like the sound it makes !

[@Simon-ui6db]

Great for making yobs in their fiesta st and similar cry when it outdrags them off the lights. Love it!

[@WWarped1]

This is genius. I do admire the creativity and often the complete madness of those who create such wonderful sleepers. This is really great, the fact I adore the shape and styling of these Skoda's does help. Great video, and if you find more of these sleepers on your journey, please test them and film. Thank you.

[@eggy1962]

far more styish than people credited for, plus i preferred estelle over the favorit

[@gaufrid1956]

A hooligan Skoda! Gotta love it Ian!

[@davejones4804]

Love it! My first car was a Skoda Rapid and I had another a couple years after. Really enjoyed them and would have another, especially with an engine conversion like that! I thrashed them so much, and had an updated exhaust that used to spit flames!

[@iankirk2266]

"Mick did say give it the beans" 🤣 brilliant ! What a fun car 👍

[@cbmsysmobile]

Thats a real nice conversion, good fun. A quick brake upgrade for safety and it's complete.

[@timpope7274]

Brilliant fun. We'll done Sir 👍

[@Pelleministeri]

Now that's a budget Porsche for you! Love it!

[@MrJollyRoger]

I love the k-series noise!

[@johnnorth9355]

Oh my word - I love every inch of it !

[@CherylCold]

Here after the GTA video. Thanks Ian!! Like this one

[@RichieRouge206]

Lol I know Mick who owns this car and done it all himself. It’s an awesome job and well done to him. Great review Ian

[@roblaycock9540]

He does a good job on cars, I now own the BX he rebuilt in 2020!!!!

[@daveswarbrick5576]

My sort of car, proper little street sleeper, great work and a tidy install.

[@Thecrazyvaclav]

Enough power to have fun everywhere, love it.

[@langerstrains9460]

How exciting and sounds very nice

[@craigmclean8260]

That looked like great fun! The kind of conversion which looks like, from the outside, "I'm just a humble li'l ol' (fill in blank)", and then the driver gets this fiendish grin, and "feeds 'er the onions"!

[@CauliflowerMcPugg]

Brilliant! What a great sleeper. My grandfather had one of those, but it never went like that Lol.

[@roblaycock9540]

Love that! I now own a car Mick rebuilt in 2020 and he went to great lengths to keep that completely original, right down to the hubcaps!!

[@mickrayner8882]

Cheers Rob, that will be the BX then... I have paid less for a car than those wheel trims 😁

[@jareknowak8712]

What a lovely car!! Great job!!

[@AnonymousAndy2]

Proper street sleeper, love it 👍🏻😎

[@andrewentwistle515]

Omg!!! Wow what an interesting engine transplant into an ordinary Skoda Estelle. I certainly now has extra UMPH coming from the rear end. I certainly look forward to seeing the car when it has had the remaining alterations done. What an absolute Blast of fun from the Skoda.

[@daverdaceng]

K-series conversion - brilliant! - used to work on these Skodas - Fuels testing, valve seat recession testing!

[@cwshtygriff13]

Surprisingly Skoda’. That was the banner on the window of my parents Skoda dealership back in the 80’s. Fantastic cars 👍

[@happy_camper]

What a little beast!!

[@tony-yp6qk]

Great car another great video has always Ian and miss hubnut and hublets and hubmutts 👍

[@rob1134]

Back in the day when I owned many of these cheap gems, I would remove the front springs, grind the top loops off and place them back. It lowered the front end just nicely and handled marginly better. That engine in the skoda sounds awesome. Good effort by the owner.

[@markfraser4745]

This is what it's all about, you're on top form Ian.

[@MattBrownbill]

That's the kind of tasteful modernisation I like. 👍

[@jono.pom-downunder]

I loved my metro K series 1.1, it was a great little engine and gearbox, very rapid off the line to 30, buggered after that, but did run up to 112mph on the A2 to Dartford I would have loved to try that little Estelle with the extra grunt.

[@colblimp]

Awesome car and great video!

[@eggy1962]

oh boy i want it lol, loved my skoda estelles, testimony to its rally success it handled as well as it did with that power increase

[@simonhodgetts6530]

That’s a hoot! I like it immensely!

[@Kai-Peter.Schellhase]

Wow, that's mighty. I like it!👍

[@machiningbasics1729]

This might well be the coolest car ever !! I love the clever engineering