I worked in a Skoda dealership in the 1980's. I have happy memories of going on courses to the factory at Kings Lynn, on one occasion the works rally team were there getting ready for the RAC, and yet another class win courtesy of John Haugland. We sold no end of Estelles as repeat sales to happy customers. The mix of customers was wide, several youngsters, a retired Policeman and a University lecturer spring to mind, as well as the factory workers and housewives. In those days not many cars came with more than 12 months guarantee, Skoda had 24. We found that the loudest critics of the cars had never even sat in one, let alone driven or owned one. I bought a 120Lfive, new, in 1989. With a huge discount for staff it made perfect sense. It needed an oil seal on the rear axle and a brake light switch, both during the 2 year warranty period. By the time five years were up I'd replaced a couple of tyres and maybe a bulb or two. That was it. We regularly drove from near Cambridge to Plymouth. On two occasions doing the return journey in the same day. Never missed a beat and cruised happily at 70 on the motorway and turned in well over 40mpg. I really liked it, shame I had to leave it to my ex-wife!

@HubNut

6 жыл бұрын

Excellent. Thanks for the info. The more Skoda jokes there seemed to be, the more interested I became. I think the dislike of them was down to nothing more than this country's ridiculous obsession with class and status. A cheap car must be crap. I spend my life proving otherwise...

@borderlands6606

6 жыл бұрын

That's true, anyone passing through Kings Lynn on the way to Norfolk would see scores of brand new rear engine Skodas fresh off the ship awaiting delivery. An unremarkable view for many years, priceless now.

@ianrutherford878

5 жыл бұрын

@@HubNut We had a maths teacher who unlike the rest of the staff was friendly.Just a nice ordinary bloke who socialised easily.I was intrigued when he turned up with a new Skoda.Old-fashioned shape (late 60's?) like a slightly finned Morris 1000.He told me it was a lot of car for the money when I asked him why he'd gone for Skoda. It was the beginning of my opening up to life beyond out-dated nationalism and appreciating different approaches to the horseless carriage.

@Pragwo1f

4 жыл бұрын

@@HubNut Completely agree about that obsession. It's still there; badge consciousness is perhaps even stronger than before, sadly, and aided by loathsome shows and mags such as Top Gear.

@highrange3563

3 жыл бұрын

John Haugland ... a name from the past. I remember, back in the 70s, always looking out for the Skoda on the RAC etc, and the inevitable class wins for John. Always fun, at the service areas, to see a pair of twin 40s nestling under the bootlid of what was nominally a cheap, small-engined, shopping car ... and on the stages being amazed at the pace it could hold through bends.

Worked for Skoda for a while as they changed to fwd favorite, the last of the 136 Rapid were Single point electronic fuel injection (EFi) with a catalytic converter. Same engine was put into the Favorite and Felicia. Was an amazingly good engine.

@originalforgery

Жыл бұрын

Properly good engine as well......

@josephmullin5845

Жыл бұрын

135 had injection

@Papinak2

8 ай бұрын

​@@josephmullin5845 that depended on model. In rear engined Skodas, it was only in limited runs for certain markets. You could even find carburetted 135 in Felicia for certain markets.

@josephmullin5845

8 ай бұрын

@@Papinak2 yes i was thinking that. The UK got a limited run of fuel-injected 135 Rapid's (called 135 Rapid RiC). The 135 and 136 was never offered in the saloons in the UK.

I love how Ian put it that it was an honor to drive the last Skoda rear engine car and that cars often are more than just a sum of its parts. So diplomatically stated and so true.

Ahh the nostalgia. My dad had many skodas as i grew up. I love these old cars, they had character. Which lacks in nearly all modern cars.

I had 3 rear engined Estelles back in the early 90s. A 120LSE and two 130Ls. The 120 was the very first car I owned after passing my test and the other two were cheapies I had to fall back on during some financial woes. I can honestly say that some of my fondest memories and most fun times happened either in, or whilst owning one of those 3 cars. Such fun to drive and some of the oddities and quirks are what gave them so much character. Superb stuff.

Nice video, reminds me of Top Gear when it was a proper car show. The irony is, at the time of all the old Skoda jokes, British cars weren't much better anyway.

@MrJimbaloid

6 жыл бұрын

Sorry i'm british and a mechanic and the skoda was miles better than the shit coming out of Birmingham.

@leslieaustin151

6 жыл бұрын

I agree with Jimbaloid. As an ex-mech, working on Vauxhall Bedford stuff in the 60’s & 70’s, British (US owned) cars were certainly no better than Skoda, and probably a whole lot worse, and were rust-buckets. Not for nothing are several of these rear-engined Skodas turned into really tough long-distance trials cars - see Lands End trial and Exeter trial - battling it out with (real) VW Beetles and purpose-built trials machines. Long live the (real) Skoda.. Les

@leslieaustin151

6 жыл бұрын

Lee2709 I think you’re wrong, Lee. It’s model-name was the “Rapide”. Les

@HubNut

6 жыл бұрын

No, Lee is right. It was never the Rapide, always the Rapid. That's why Skoda has recently brought the Rapid name back for its above-Fabia Hatchback. Rapide was a Lagonda name.

@leslieaustin151

6 жыл бұрын

HubNut Whoops! Then an apology to Lee! My mistake. Either way, Skodas have always been OK in my eyes, the rear-engined ones live on as Trials specials and the new ones are up-market VWs(!!) which is why VW shifted some production of VWs to Czech Republic, aparently, and why I drive one.

"Sometimes cars are MORE than just a car" -- very true!

sigh ... i had an earlier 130 rapid for many years. tough durable reliable, its still missed .....

Never thought I'd see the day when someone goes. "This is a proper Skoda" 😂.. Just brilliant.

A Rapid 136 was my first new car. I had owned a couple of Estelle's bought for pocket money and liked the styling of the coupe so went to the dealer when a friends mum bought my previous car to get a rapid. They didn't have stock but I could order a rapid for delivery on the day the new registration came out (1989 G reg). Got a surprise when I went to collect it. Colour was called "pennine grey" & looking at the brochure thought it was the light grey/blue colour. It wasn't. It was a baby poo brown colour. Still bought the car as it looked ok & different. Car was a bit of a Friday afternoon car with a few issues that luckily the dealer sorted quite quickly. Enjoyed the car after that till it was written off whilst parked. Exactly the same interior as the one you reviewed. So many memories.

@lazarbrzak3623

4 жыл бұрын

Фантастичан ауто. Имам је у гаражи. Возио сам је 26,5 година.Изузетна искуства.

I had 2 of these Skoda Rapid 130's, both E reg cars. The first one I called "Cappuccino". I bought it for £300 and spent less than half of that replacing the brake pipes which were rusting through. Turns out the poor vehicle had been a victim of a sea water tidal flood while stored in a location awaiting distribution. Further more, the boot and bonnet rusted through and were replaced with spares from a breaker's yard for about £20. The Rapid was a black coupe with a cream boot and bonnet, hence the Cappuccino moniker. It was otherwise ultra reliable till it was written off by a careless driver who drove into the side of it while speeding. I got £800 compensation from insurance for its demise (3rd party fire and theft)! I also got to keep the car and promptly transferred the 1.3L engine into a Skoda 120L I'd bought for £30 scrap value (blown head gasket on original engine). My last Rapid 130 was a battleship grey coupe called "Thunderstorm". I once accidentally jumped a hump back bridge with it - with no ill effects. It was rather quite fast, and rumour had it that the previous owner had bored out the engine to 1.4L or more. It was easily the best of 4 Skoda cars that I'd owned. I miss that Rapid Coupe!

A friend had 1050 saloon as his first car and I really liked it only, went in it as a passenger though. Ten years later I owned a 1.3 Favorit and while it was far from refined although it was the first car I owned with a 5 speed gearbox, I still haven't found another front wheel drive car that handles as well as the Skoda Favorit, people only remember the 'Skoda' jokes and forget they had a long history of rallying!

@HubNut

6 жыл бұрын

I would dearly love a Skoda Favorit. The early 1990s was a great time for cars, when the handling was superb, but ride quality tended to be good too. Everything these days has horribly firm suspension.

@buxvan

5 жыл бұрын

Don't get me wrong. I think the rapid coupe looked great & I still would like one more than a capri or opel manta etc. Didn't they always win the RAC Lombard rally because they were the only model in their class?

@richardanderson5424

4 жыл бұрын

David Cooper Not only win the RAC rally in their class, they also performed well ine ckass above,

@jarokenny

2 жыл бұрын

actually Favorit is one of the best handling cars..

@marcustaylor670

2 жыл бұрын

@@jarokenny - Are you on glue or just drive really slow? The Favorite had no anti roll bars!! Yeah I beat people in other cars in mine but only because I'm a fast driver but definitely one of the worse handing cars I've driven or owned. If it wasn't so under powered it would have been dangerous. I dread to think how bad one of those would be on a trackday, I thought my current Golf GTD was good handling until I took it around a track.

My grandfather had a Skoda 125 L (5 gear box, not a coupe) and it always took him anywhere he wanted. All you had to carry with was a coin to clean the contacts in the engine ;)

Great Video Ian! Always Liked The Skoda Rapid To Be Honest! A Really Nice Looking Coupe.

I absolutely loved my rapid sport 136. I rescued it from under a tree with a siezed clutch. Did 10k in it across Europe and sadly sold 7 years ago.

@richardanderson5424

4 жыл бұрын

If you can get the “Surprising Skoda” newsletter there is a report on the sport and cabriolet conversions of the rapid.

Just subscribed and found this older test. Thoroughly enjoyed it. The later Estelles had their technical shortcomings, but were well screwed together. Handling was improved, thanks to wider track at the rear. Love the marque. I owned one of the later Favorits, which was fine once the Matador tyres were dispensed with. Now own an Octavia Estate, which is utterly brilliant. Have had it for 20 years from new, has been round the clock twice, and never misses a beat. Original engine, exhaust, shocks, gearbox, clutch. Built to last- and has lasted brilliantly.

Another charming video! Thank you.

Came across thus video through one of your other videos. I'm glad you like it. My first car got just prior to passing my test was an A reg Scoda Estelle 4dr. It wasn't in the best of shape but only cost £350 and I loved it. It was very reliable apart from splitting a coolant hose, but had to be scrapped after a while as was rotten. But that said it has a very special place in my heart as due to my instructor changing his pug 309 diesel none power steering, to a pug 306 TD with power steering, and me only been able to have 2hrs driving it, I couldn't get to grip thus the P.A.S, so I took my Scoda on my driving test. I was very nervous as only I had control, but the test instructor was really nice, and I actually passed my test, so that scruffy tatty old burnt orange Scoda Estelle got me my licence. It brought back fond memories. How do you and your friends manage to get free cars, I've never been that lucky lol. Great videos I've love all I've seen so far.

Another great video. Have been subscribed for some time and the videos just get better.

Mine was lavender coloured..but the same in every other respect. It was quirky, not fantastically reliable, that made it cheap and it always needed tinkering with but that was part of the appeal..just like VW Beetle drivers, 120/130 drivers acknowledged each other by flashing their lights. I loved it..would have it back tomorrow.

Love it, we had an Estell a while ago and it was a real hoot to drive, I loved it! but redundancy meant I couldn't afford to run two cars so sadly I had to be practical and sold the Skud. One of the South Coast Skoda club founders had a whole load of them including the very last rear engined Saloon. Great cars and always been a big fan. Thanks for posting.

love it. and they won their class in rallying many times so they are actually brilliant

Nicely put together review HubNut, enjoyed watching that very much. Like a true 'Men and Motors' review style.

Enjoyed that. Well thought out and informative piece. Thank you 🙂

Just discovered this channel , excellent work Sir

I love this review, so much heartfelt sentiment.

My dear old dad bought a new Skoda 100 in 1972..bright yellow, kept it two years, only thing ever to go wrong was some soldering required top of radiator. Completed about 30,000 miles.. no complaints from him

My late Father had one I could never see why when I was younger but now I look back and think what a great car it was so unique and now at 49 I want one a real Skoda Rapide wonderful review Hubnut thank you.

I had an '85 coupe - modified by the previous owner with twin carbs and some kind of stainless steel big bore system complete with tubular banana bunch manifold. It used to pop and bang on overrun and was very, very quick and loud as hell. It had front and rear spoilers and a twin spot grill - deep burgundy with a wide black stripe up the centre of the bonnet. It was fun and very tail happy in the wet. Wish I still had it. I pity my kids starting to drive these days - those old cars had so much more character. Hate getting older but I'm glad I was young when I was.

I don't know how I never found your channel before, I've been binge-watching your vids since last night. Love this. Thanks for the entertainment. I've subscribed.. Chris. 1997 Saab 900 convertible owner. If you ever wanna review a late-model 900, you're welcome to borrow it.

@HubNut

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Enjoyable. The coupe is a very decent looking car and glad there are survivors. I hope it continues to be driven. When the time comes, a restoration can be sorted to prolong the enjoyment further !

I liked the rear engined Skodas.I found the build quality quite good.Great rally car,and they also built trucks,though these were not imported to the UK.Top review again lan😎👍!

A great video for a great brand and car, thanks for sharing.

Brilliant video! The Skoda Rapid is a really nice Eastern Bloc car!

My younger brother had a A reg 120 Rapid for his first car, and we both loved it, I drove it a lot and it was great in the snow .

I owned two estelles, one original and one estelle ll 120lse, the later model without all the plastic body trim. My wife and I loved these cars and they ran without fault for years. The only fault we could find was that you couldn't use the cabin heater for too long or it began to feel like you were in an oven. It's the only car that I know where you had to open the windows in midwinter, just to feel comfortably warm and not roasting. I still miss my estelles and would love to have another one.

Brings. Back memory’s of my Skoda Estella 5 speed I had it was a great little car with the handy space behind back seats for storage sounded like a dinosaur when clutch was pressed. It still worked perfectly

1990. Last 2cv, last rear engine škoda..last 2 stroke trabant..

Long ago I had a part-time job as a gas station attendant, where the oil was often checked as a service. I opened the engine cover of this Skoda, checked the oil, and wanted to close the engine door again. I forgot it was on the hook and folded the hood in half. It was apparently very thin sheet metal. I was shocked and pushed the hood as hard as I could, after which the unsuspecting driver drove away satisfied. A week later I saw the same Skoda driving up again, and I started to sweat because I suspected a confrontation. But the Skoda passed my gas station and then parked at the body shop next to us, because the car was crumpled in the rear from a collision. I got away with that. BTW, JayEmm send me here, great channel!

Love them or hate them, it is a proper Skoda. I wouldn't mind a soft top one of these, I'm sure years ago someone on the Practical Classics team had a yellow one.

Based on my memories of my own Rapid 135RE, J834RRE, I think everything that you said in this video is bang on the button. Mine wasn't by any means trouble free, the coolant header tank burst one night when I was heading enthusiastically home and by the time I'd noticed the temperature gauge the cylinder head had warped. Oh hum. Another problem occurred when the original cat fitted exhaust wore out, they were no longer in production this being a bit of rare beast, so an ordinary one was bolted on with an increase in noise in the cabin as a result. I'd always had pinking problems with the 130GL but I don't remember any such difficulty with the Rapid and it was happy to sit on the motorway at 4000rpm which was probably on the wrong side of 80....All in all happy days I'd say and, like you, I feel a little pride in having experienced a completely different sort of driving experience to anything else that I've driven and happily overtaking a 7 series BMW which was unable to get a grip on ice was a particular pleasure :-). Many thanks for rolling back the years ...

@bigteddy66

Жыл бұрын

135Ric I still have a 136 (Feb 89) love it not been running in a while. The last proper skoda.

@tim7099

Жыл бұрын

@@bigteddy66 not many left, look after it!

@bigteddy66

Жыл бұрын

@@tim7099 planning returning it to the road soon.

@tim7099

Жыл бұрын

@@bigteddy66 Good man, what's the parts situation like these days, can Skoda supply much or do you have to look further afield?

@bigteddy66

Жыл бұрын

@@tim7099 I don't know mate, don't depress me.

I have had a variety of cars, some cheap and cheerful to get me by, some expensive and really nice in terms of performance or refinement but my possibly best car was a Skoda 120L 4 speed. I also had a 5 speed lux with vinyl roof sunroof, radio/cassette and 5 speed gearbox but my old 4 speed was the better car. Great cars across country because the handling and road holding was so good. No need for a radio, I liked the noise of the engine note. Easy to fix and service and reliable and inexpensive. My only regret was that I didn't discover them earlier and now it's too late as the current Skoda is just like every other car.

@herrfister1477

2 жыл бұрын

Incredible if true

Had one on a M suffix plate, 73/74, bought it in 79. Lime green unfortunately. High level of equipment for the time, rev counter, calibrated temp and oil pressure. Heater control and choke on the "transmission" tunnel near the handbrake. Manual said full choke only if -30C. Gear shift was like stirring porridge, similar to the early Maxis. Taught me how to drive properly with all that weight in the rear. Get in wrong and the rear overtook the front very quickly.

Wow a blast from the past 👍👍👍🚙

We had a brown B reg when I was a kid, nice soft black seats but very austire we called it jimmy skoda still remember the sheer noise of the old thing

Now that, was fab! Thanks Ian. Hope that little car is still putting a smile on someone’s face. When I was young I always admired the shape/design and thought if the car was built by a major manufacturer it would be so successful, and not the butt of so many jokes.

This brings back many happy memories. In the eighties, I was a salesman for a Skoda dealership, here in N.Ireland. One of my company cars was a 136 Rapid Coupe, in white. I fitted a set of white KN Minilite style alloys, colour coded the grille and mirrors, and it really turned heads. It also went well, for I fitted a Skoparts 4-branch manifold and large bore exhaust, mesh K&N air filter, and a Mitsuba electric fuel pump, the same as used on the rallycars. It was a flyer, and could pass 1.3 CVH Mk3 Escorts. The workshop mechanics who drove said it was quicker than the 136 Rapid Sport, which was mildy tuned by Skoda UK, with a different cam, carb, filter and fuel pump. But then, I drove it from new, and it was flat out from day 1! 😀 I loved the handling. It had lift-off oversteer, but you got used to it, and could actually use it to your advantage. I also kept a large box of brochures in the front, which tamed the somewhat wayward front end in strong winds. They were a very solidly built wee car and the high back front seats were extremely comfortable. Like you say, definitely much more than the sum of its parts.

Designated car community and channel, thank you for all the videos on proper cars!

this car brings back some happy memories. My mates mom had one of these Rapide's. never let them down . I remember trying to hide from other motorists in the back of it in the fear somebody would recognise me on our weekly trips to the local swimming pool. thanks for the memory Blast, @hubnut

I loved all of my Rapids, a little massaging of the suspension, a few tweaks on the engine and you had something that would surprise the hell out of an Astra GTI! Have a chat with Bristol Street Motors of Bridgewater Somerset, about the turbo version they made. Absolute bloody missile!

I too had one of these and loved it. I wish my brand new Pug Partner van had variable timer settings for the intermiotant wiper.like the Skoda had! Bizzarely, it's the one car I've owned that I simply cannot for the life of me, remember what happened to it.. LG.

The Rapid will still always be a favourite of mine. Porsche 911 style suspension, a nicely tunable 1.3 engine. I lusted after a black one as a first car after seeing Street Machines' Project Bottle Rocket. I ended up plumping for a 1.3 Montego instead.

@chrishenniker5944

3 жыл бұрын

EdgyNumber1 I was going to ask what happened to Bottle Rocket.

My father owned a Skoda S100L back in the 70's a brilliant little car that took us on holiday to Wales and NEVER let us down. and the Estelle Rapid is still a beautiful car even today!

My dad had an x reg 120 le which I learned to drive in. In 5 years that he owned it, we only needed to change the ring gear on the flywheel. I was about 16 when I took the engine out, really easy job.

@misscrabstick

2 жыл бұрын

Unless it pulls the gearbox input shaft with it! (held in by a muff coupling with very weak clips that drop into the diff when it happens).

i have always wanted 1 nice job mate

Had one of these when I was eighteen and loved it. Burgundy and on a J plate so presume registered later? Had an injector issue and when I when I went to a Skoda garage was told they only sold that model in Canada. The guy was quite surprised when he came out and saw the car!

@HubNut

6 жыл бұрын

Yes, very few RiCs sold here, but a few were registered later than this one, even if they were built earlier.

Man, I have one of those in my backyard.... Watching you driving it.... I HAVE TO FIX IT! Thumbs up!

I am quite surprised. Not by the car, i know Škoda pretty well, in fact i still have a 1.3 Felicia (43kw engine with carb, like Favorit). I am pleasantly surprised by honesty of this review. Keep up the good work.

@richlee509

3 жыл бұрын

Hubnut is a legend

Loved my 1989 bright orange 120L , used it all over Europe, used to love the handling trick was to never lift off mid-corner and pray for oversteer if it did break away hugely entertaining. My downfall was not changing the antifreeze the coolant finally blocking the radiator and then overheating warping the head.

My first car and first love was my Skoda Rapid Cabrio. I would give my right arm to get her back again. Sadly her fate was export back to Czechoslovakia in 1996 and I never saw or heard from her again. That engine roar brings back such memories.

I used to keep a couple of concrete blocks in a wooden frame on each side of the boot to improve the front end handling. A great car as well for climbing snowy hills, way better in that regard than front engine / front wheel drive cars.

@phils866

9 ай бұрын

And deep flood water was no problem. Just keep the foot down, and you could build up a massive bow-wave, and sail on through almost anything.

i had 3 estelles in the 80's and into 90's i loved them i towed with them too, wish i could get my hands and afford one now as a classic, people used to take the piss but i countered it with "it always wins its class in rally's" which it did. I remember getting my last one a 130 at a good price mainly cos the garage selling it couldn't start it properly and were quite bemused when i had it running within a few mins..... choke full 5 pumps of throttle ...first go runs 5 secs , second go 3pumps runs 10 secs, 3rd go 3 pumps stays running job done.

I loved my Skoda Estelle 105. Cruising speed 50 miles per hour. And the world’s longest choke cable.

Iv'e got loads of great memory's of those old skodas once built two good cars out of fours old sheds, not having a great knowledge of rear engine cars was rarely shocked how small the exhaust was and how long the radiator hoses were would love to buy one now just to take to the main dealer for a service ( that would rarely confuse them)

Had several of these as second cars used for constant hard commuting. Speak as i find totally reliable, cheap and actually very solid. Nothing better in deep snow ( compared to normal cars) . The last one i had was coupe like this. Had gas flowed head and performance exhaust😬. No complaints whatsoever, its true that until you own and punish a car, its only then you realise how good or bad they are. Rwd has always been my preference. I would buy my kids one today if still made them. The other small cars available at the time were much worse than these. I so wish we could buy our old cars. Your channel makes it almost real. Thanks so much

I have a skoda 135 rapid, beautiful cars, i go on a ride almost every weekend

In the 90s my OH had a Skoda 136 Rapid in white. I drove it & liked it.

I owned a 136 Rapid for over 10 years and it was a joy to own. Reliable, fun and different. One day the spark plug snapped off due to a weepy head gasket causing corrosion. But typical Škoda value, a new alloy head with valves and springs ready fitted was £100 - and I could fit it myself. The 136 succumbed to corrosion - later Škodas used cheaper steel I was told. Sold to someone to restore. Now I run a 105 Lux Estelle and my mum runs a 130 LSE. Both typical old school Škoda - fun to use and fun to maitain. One area often missed in these old models is the timing chain. They get slack, reduce performance and make noise. Worth replacing at least every 50k miles.

@HubNut

6 жыл бұрын

Excellent! Well done for sticking with them. Good rear-engined Skodas are now well out of my (really feeble) price range.

@VintageLynx

6 жыл бұрын

HubNut Thank you. Yes, prices have risen - they used to be £50 or even free - but true good ones are very rare, usually they have been messed about with. Most spares have to be imported which adds to the price too. Your review was spot on and as to the gear lever, cutting two inches off the rod was a well known and worthwhile mod. The reason they are too long was that the rod was the same as the 130 Estelle, but in that car you sit higher up so it's just right in that application.

@VintageLynx

6 жыл бұрын

Delta Fox My 105 has the higher (original) springs. Looks a bit high but it rides well enough and I like to think that Škoda had a technical reason for making the front so comparatively high up. Kind of adds to the charm now with all the low cars of today. Another 'must have' mod was adding a cooling fan override swich but I've never had a problem or need for it and it soon kicks in when stuck in traffic.

@VintageLynx

6 жыл бұрын

Delta Fox The Estelle and Rapid had the 1964 Škoda 1000MB as their first incarnation - which was a fresh ground up design ans was a total departure from older Škoda ideas. Some aspects are similar to the Renault Dauphine, but its mostly a new design. The Estelle and Rapid still had space for the 1000MB rear radiator so its just a mildly updated early 60's car.

@0jenda

6 жыл бұрын

I think, the design was inspired by Skoda 720 designed by Ital Design in late sixties. After abondoning this project they modified the design to fit the rear engined small car layout and the Estelle was born.

Ahh rewatching the old videos such great times for hubnut

Great video, absolutely!

Skoda were very underrated typically being among the best of the Eastern Bloc cars, it only serves to highlight it along with Tatra both would have done very well had the Western Allies managed to liberate at least the Czech portion of Czechoslovakia during WW2. Seem to recall the engine was capable of being enlarged to a 80+ hp 1.6-litre (possibly even as large as 2-litres via prototypes), outside of the 138 hp 1.5 engine used in the Skoda Rapid Gunsch prototype.

Great Cars these rear engine Skodas. My First car was one!The Engine was Used by VW up until the Fabia 1.4 8v! I wish I had one now and that sound from the back is epic!

@HubNut

8 жыл бұрын

+Jamie Flanagan Aye, they're great things! No longer cheap though - the jokes seem a distant memory.

nice to see it getting what appears to be a fair appraisal, hopefully I'll get a chance to have a go in one some day. Bags of character! Maybe it should be in a museum with its provenance, but first & foremost cars are for using & enjoying so maybe it'd be a nice compromise for the owner to drive it to Shows for others to appreciate it, especially while all the 'perishables' are in good shape.... maybe its Museum day will come when parts availability requires it to be static

Brilliant review...

Often the skoda is compated with other eastern Europe cars like Lada, FSO and Yugo, but the Tsjechs had a real tradition of building cars and had basicly a good quality even before the wall came down. There was just not put any money in development of the models. But they were good cars with ancient technology.

@robinvanags912

4 жыл бұрын

As I understand it - you are absolutely right!

Very interesting indeed! It's interesting to think that at the same time we were producing the likes of the metro and maestro still. However I also have a couple of old MBs - a W124 and 500SL also on an H plate. What variety!

@HubNut

6 жыл бұрын

Quite so. Last of the 2CVs were on H plates too, or you could buy a Fiat 126, an ex-Fiat Lada, an ex-Fiat-based Yugo etc. Amazing times.

@ianrutherford878

5 жыл бұрын

@@HubNut I picked up a very tired looking Fiat 124 Estate.Typically sporty engine ( due to Italian road -tax based on engine cc).I think it was a cross-flow with nice exhaust manifold compared with most competitors.Front discs when that was a bit unusual.A model that became an early Lada base.

I had a rapid back in the 90s and it was q great car !!! Best thing about it was I got it for free from a friend who's dad owned the local Skoda dealership, as it was just waiting to be scrapped

Was given a Skoda 120L by my Wife’s Grandad. I loved it because it reminded me of my old Beetle. But my wife couldn’t stand the jokes and the snickering. We part exchanged it for a Favorit estate. Which served us very well for many years and the bloke we sold it to got much use from it too. We both liked this one (the favorit) because it bore no identifying badges. No one knew what it was and they were amazed when told it was a Skoda. I’ve tried looking for an old 120 but they must all be in car heaven or hidden away in some collection somewhere.

there is only thing i could fault about this car is its cooling system you need to bring plenty of water with you on a journey. i cant believe how rare these are only a few hundred are left.many got scrapped or exported abroad.

@ianrutherford878

5 жыл бұрын

abroad is the best kind of exporting

@bigteddy66

3 жыл бұрын

This model didn't suffer from overheating at all that was the earlier ones

We had loads of these when I was a kid. I can tell which gear Ian is in by the specific wine :)

I had an F plate one, to which which a previous owner had fitted a big weber and sports exhaust. Was hilarious fun, especially at the traffic-light grand prix (I was a lot younger back then) against XR2s and their ilk. You say you 'forget that it's RWD', I can assure you that it reminds you - often - when driving it in the snow! :D

@HubNut

6 жыл бұрын

Brilliant!

I am so glad that this Skoda has survived and has been cared for. I still have somewhere a copy of Auto Express where Lord Strathcarron was interviewed and said why he wanted the last rear engine Skoda. If I recall the pictures would have been taken at the House of Lords. Time for a rummage to see if I can find it. Yet another cracking review Ian..

I remember a skoda dealership in Goodmayes called Newton Motors they also sold protons when I was younger

Ive decided i must have a hub nut sticker on my car. This channel is addictive to car nuts like me. My fave channel by far.

Cracking video 👍🏻

I had a 120 LS (or something such) and it was a good car and fun to drive. The trick was to just stay on the gas in corners. There's a reason it did so well in rallying! I did lower the silly front ride height. It would take driving foot to the floor all day. Of course if I didn't floor it, it would take all day to get anywhere 😬 I liked it.

I came within a whisker of buying one of these. A very popular colour was daytona ( ? ) yellow which looked extremely smart . Perhaps I would have liked it had I bought one.

The design is pretty cool.

I’d really love to have a go driving one of those 👍

I owned one of these - it was great and the handling was excellent.

@HubNut

6 жыл бұрын

The revised rear suspension made for a surprisingly pleasant car to drive.

Back in the olden days of Hub Nut. Magic!

Always interesting and down to earth with useful information... Great!

I used to get a lift home from work from a guy who borrowed his mum's Skoda Estelle. It was a lot better than I'd been led to believe and he said it was a hoot to drive. Nothing ever fell off and he said it had been much more reliable than the Fiesta which preceeded it. It had a pretty good heater too, contrary to accepted knowledge at the time.

@borderlands6606

6 жыл бұрын

Skoda's heating power was never under question, it was frequently the only positive comment in pejorative car reviews. It cured the after effects of my leaky sun roof on many a frosty morning.

@Brytonrock

7 ай бұрын

I've had three Skodas, a 120LSE with all the black plastic body kit on as standard, then a 130 GLS facelifted Estelle 2 and finally a Favorit. The heater in the two Estelles was like a blast furnace, we never got it up past halfway and that was in the most severe winters that we had. Anything higher than that and we felt like we were being roasted alive. 😅

The old Skoda Estelle was a brilliant car great fun very cheap to run

I agree. I had a 120L for a few months back in the 90s. Unfortunately it had been neglected by a previous owner and due to a blown head gasket, it drank more water than petrol. I didn't keep it long, but I had a soft spot for it 🙂

The Rapid, or “Garde”, as known in its native homeland is a beautiful shape, I have been fascinated by Škoda cars for as long as I can remember, it stems from my childhood in the 80’s, occasionally being driven to school in my great uncles brand new Skoda 120L five, in a subtle pastel green, with a black vinyl roof, a car laughed at and derided by my classmates, a feeling of solidarity with the underdog endeared me to it !, from then on I was addicted to all things Škoda!!. Sadly I wasn’t old enough to enjoy rear engine Škoda’s in their day, however I have satisfied my Škoda cravings with the VW derived examples, from my first Felicia to my current Fabia, sadly not the same experience or satisfaction of driving a ‘survivor’, but I remain a proud ambassador of the winged arrow brand!!.

@lastofthefamous2542

5 жыл бұрын

Well said Katie , I have always wanted a rapid from being young, as you say it's the underdog mentality , maybe it's the attraction of something different ? I now drive a Z3, cheap to buy and maintain and the only person who takes the p*ss drives a grey diesel focus and is a tard.

@cambridgemart2075

4 жыл бұрын

I owned a 110 Rapid and I loved it, but rust got to it and was way beyond a cost effective repair. It did get mistaken for an early Porsche on several ocassions, although clearly not from the drivers point of view!

@mrkv4k

3 жыл бұрын

I was born in 87 in the former Czechoslovakia and I've seen many old Škodas. In fact, Rapid or old 120L was the car that most of my classmates had as their first car in the mid 00's.

@herrfister1477

2 жыл бұрын

Well as long as you’re happy I guess.

Ive always liked these, and the Estelle, needs a louvre for the back window though :D

@richardanderson5424

4 жыл бұрын

My father had a 110R coupe which cane before the Estelle and Rapids and I think that it had a louvre rear window. I may be wrong as I was very young but it seems to stick in my mind. Anyone else know about it?

@HubNut

4 жыл бұрын

The 110R didn't have a louvred window from the factory, but they were a very common aftermarket item for a fair while.

@StevesMachines

4 жыл бұрын

I'm a sucker for a louvre window on the back of a nice classic :D

I lived as a child about a mile from a Skoda dealer in Hersham, Surrey. I believe the 100 sedan was theast car under £1000 in the UK. I may be wrong on that. "Did variety die that year?" Excellent question. I never drove a Rapid but drove several 100 and 110 4-door and coupé models in Eastern Europe. Great little cars. Great on snow. Great on rough roads. Not a fabulous machine, but memorable... and nothing else drives or feels quite like it.... In a good way. Nice video. Is this the time to get over to Prague and find an unmolested 110 coupé? Maybe it is....

Perfection in every level. Easily competes with the best from Italian or German supercar manufacturers.

I had a girlfriend in Carlisle who’s parents let us loose in the Lake District in their Skoda, a 130s in the mid 80’s. Which was the rear engined Estelle, I was a very young driver at the time and I learned a lot about the Lake Districts amazing roads but also how not to die in a car. Respect to the girlfriend who I have not seen for many a year I hope she is doing very well and thanks to her family because the Lakes in a rear engined Skoda of the era is where I really learned car control and mechanical sympathy for a cars handling. We had a few moments but I gathered them up, nobody got hurt...Joe. Respect to C, you know who you are...