Electric Windows + engine mods for a Bravo

[dave bahn]

I have A Bravo 1.4s, which doesent come with any electric windows which is a proper pain in the arse, when i bought the car i thought i could live without them, ohh how wrong was i. So i had a thought (it was painfull i can tell you) that i could just buy the doors from another Bravo SX or HGT from a scrap yard. then i had the idea of not actually buying the whole door's but just the actual door pannel, then i just swap over pannels and bob's your uncle !

first of all i want to know if this will actually work ? and secondly if anyone ut there has what i am after because i have called about 15 scrap yards asking for bravo+brava door pannels / window kits and they have all said that they don't have them, my only alternative is a "universal window kit" they are about £90 but i would rather have the original bravo windows then a kit if you know what i mean.

Right then, onto my 2nd query in a month's time i will have a small windfall to spend on my car, because i park it on the street i can't really do external mod's to it itherwise it will get nicked despite my alarm, so i have decided to beef up the engine a bit, any suggestions ? i have my eye on an induction kit which i will get in the nest few days, but i was wondering what would give me the most bhp gain.

ps. no smark alec remarks like "you shuld have bought a hgt" i know i should ! and i regret it, but maybie next year

thanks in advance for all tips and advice

 

[Anonymous]

have you considered selling your 1.4 and getting an sx?

you could probably get one for the same price, or add your "windfall" money to the pot.

You get all the other goodies too then, like painted bumpers.

Jonathan

 

[Ribzz]

If you want extra power you need an induction kit with a ram pipe and a full stainless steel exhaust system including the decat and most import of all a stainless 4 branch exhaust manifold.

an induction kit or back box on there own will make no difference what so ever. For more power do all the above or dont bother.

If you've got more than a grand to spend how about
a centrufugal supercharger?
you can import them from the states for 1600ish quid and they work with a blow off valve!!

Nitrous or a turbo?

 

[Dave Bahn]

Re: Re: Electric Windows + engine mods for a Bravo

I thought of that Jonathan but i have only owned the car since erm...late feb, so i am not really considering getting rid of it stright away, plus i just bought an alarm for £350 and some alloys for £620

i intend to get a full body kit next year when i have a garage to put it in so it wont be on the streeet, i will get a kit fitted and spray the bumpers then but i must admit i am regretting not getting an SX and just getting an S.

Ribzz thanks for the reply mate, i thought a de cat pipe meant i couldent pass my mot ? the other mods you mention interest me, how much are they ? and what sort of power will i get out of them ? have you got any urls or where i can read up on them ?

the £1600 is out of the question my insurance company are already tossers they would disown me if i did that, lol

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Re: Re: Electric Windows + engine mods for a Bravo

cut the losses with the alarm and put the alloys on your new motor.

I dont see the point in modding a 1.4 with black bumpers and no electric windows. You need to start with a car with a certain level of features, or else your gonna get this car all modded up with spoilers and stuff then think "i wish i had electric windows, mirrors, heated seats etc." You will then sell the car and lose all the money you put into it, or spend 10 times more cash fitting those features than you would have had to put in extra to get the SX. I would cut my losses now and get an SX, then mod that!

Thats what i would do of course (and i am a boostard LOL). But if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.

 

[Sy B]

Although

Depending what you have planned for the interior there are a few good annodised window winders around, cheaper and easier than having the electric ones fitted???

 

[Dave Bahn]

Re: Although

well i know i should have gone for the SX and i wish i had but whats done is done, becides my 1.4S cost me £2500 it had 1 previous owner it has done 23,000 has a full service histroy from fiat and has a mint engine+interior, i looked at around 17 diffrent bravo's mostly sx's the majority of them were over £3500 and were not in as good condition as mine and also had a lot higher milage (all R,S or T reg cars) so when you look at it like that mine isnt so bad, i priced up the bumpers to be sprayed and for universal window kit i will be looking at £400 ish for the both. so even if u add the £400 to the price i paid for the car it is still a bargain.

the only reason i want electric windows is because every day i park in a multi storey car park close to where i work and driveing up a slope at 45 degrees whilst leaning forward opening your window is a pain, i had an astra before this bravo with electric windows and that was miles easier. plus when i drive i like to have both windows open sometimes and leaning right accross the car and opening the window is a pain in the arse

ohh and plus mine is forrest green one of the only forrest green bravo's i have seen (i think i have spotted 3 or 4 out on my travvels) not as common as the navy blue or red ones u see everywhere (personally i would have killed my own mother to get a yellow bravo but i couldent find one that wasent a hlx)