[Green Cabriolet]

I have only joined the boards quite recently, but I am long time owner of R8s.
We had a 214 Cabriolet for around 4 years, from 2003 to 2007. It was bright green with a vinyl roof and quite a basic spec. We enjoyed it until someone crashed into it one Saturday evening when it was parked on the road outside (unfortunately circumstances at the time meant that it got sold for scrap).
Then in 2009 we bought an older (1993) 216 Cabriolet (with the Honda engine). This was a bit more unusual and up-market as it is automatic and has all the ‘toys’ including leather trim and powered hood. I like the colour, which although I think looks ‘sea green’ (hence my user name), is actually known as ‘Caribbean Blue’.
We have had the car ever since. It has been garaged and SORNed at times, so over the 12 years we have owned it we have only done around 35,000 miles.
Years ago I fitted parking sensors, a Parrot Handsfree kit and a CD player. More recently (although still years ago) I changed to a leather steering wheel when the original got bent, by a ‘would-be’ but failed attempt by someone to steal the car. I also fitted a separate gearbox oil cooler when I couldn’t get a replacement radiator with the integral oil cooler which is the standard arrangement for an automatic. We also replaced the roof with a Mohair one when some PPI money came through!
Most recently I joined the ‘board’ as I couldn’t find a suitable replacement fuel tank for my rusty, leaking one. Thanks to JohnDQ, I managed to get the car back on the road last October and I’ve been meaning to post in the board ever since.

Another thank you to John for helping me out.

If the pictures work I will add a few more…

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1c72acm7r15do ... m.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hvx6twxhhoj5q ... m.jpg?dl=0

[itcaptainslow]

Welcome! Nice to see a car in long term ownership-it certainly looks well for it.

[Paul_1978_yorks]

I used to own one in this colour, now in Scotland. I saw another identical one in Suffolk about 18 months ago!

[Topcat Tomcat]

Welcome to the club. There are a lot of very knowledgeable and friendly members on the forum, who always ready to help you out, especially when you're a mechanical ficko like wot I is!

[GTiJohn]

Sounds like you've settled into Cabby ownership very well

All older cars need some things doing to keep them going and I like your 'work around' for the radiator availability problem. Did you take any pics or can you please, as a short an article for The Viking would be very helpful for other R8 auto owners?

[RoverRevival]

[Green Cabriolet]

Thanks for all the friendly words of welcome!

Thanks to RoverRevival for re-posting the picture. There are a few more links below, this time showing the interior.

I will try and put a bit of a ‘how to’ together on the transmission oil cooler when I get the chance (I don’t think I took any pictures at the time). I am quite pleased with the result, so it may be useful to others.

By-the-way, It wouldn’t have been my car in Suffolk, we haven’t been that far in it for quite a few years!



https://www.dropbox.com/s/ldj7arjqvtazo ... m.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mvkdvm6xbnvi6 ... m.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sx1eyc2x6kb49 ... m.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yiheuntoizj4g ... 9.jpg?dl=0

[RoverRevival]

need to use a host like imgbb as drop box randomly changes its like addresses to stop hot linking pictures

[Plodder]

Welcome to the club
I’d also be really interested to see how you fitted the extra oil cooler.
I managed to get hold of a original radiator but they are very scarce these days and the replacement has already had a few issues.
Had a few ideas about fitting an extra oil cooler for the auto transmission oil but would be interested to see how you’ve approached it.
How long have you had it fitted?