21 Turbo Quadra 4wd system

[DaveL485]

Moved from another thread to avoid a hijack

 

[DaveL485]

Does any one have the price differential of the quadra and the turbo when they were new? Did any one on the forum buy one new and off the showroom floor?

Basically, no. They were all well kitted out. The 4wd system had a diff lock that locked the rear diff in 1st and reverse, great fun in the snow. It also had a self-diagnosing ABS system, and a 5th sensor for G-Force over the 2wd and the brake master is different (but looks the same). The fuel tank was a bit smaller too cos of the extra space taken up at the back and the rear boot floor was higher.
Almost everything is interchangeable save for the rear axle, drive and suspension. You can even fit a 2wd 'box to a Quadra if you want, the front suspension, shafts and everything forward of the bulkhead is identical save the brake master.

ETA- the only options were Velour (cloth) interior instead of leather and metallic paint for Ph1's, Ph2's added Aircon to that list but very, very few had it added.
Interestingly sunroof's were standard here but optional in France. Most French cars have a solid roof.

Different locker ha ha, what were they thinking? Electronic or vacuum operated? Auotmatically selected by car o driver?

There's a button on the dash that activates it (and disables the ABS). It's operated by a small pneumatic actuator on the rear axle.

No, there's a little black round thing attached to the chassis rail near the ABS pump, connected to the inlet manifold. It stores pressure (well, vacuum I believe) from the inlet manifold and uses that to drive the actuator. There are red and blue nylon lines leading out of it that you can trace through the passenger footwell, across the drivers footwell, down the right hand side of the car, through the rear floor under the rear bench to the rear axle next to the diff, where the actuator lives.

O.k,
So it's using a vacuum reservoir for it's air (vacuum) supply, very interesting. Do you own a Quadra then Dave? you seem to know a bit about them?
In terms of performance, what was the performance like compared to a Sierra Cosworth 4X4?

Yes I have one, have had one for 14 years or so. I've owned a lot of 21's over the years, probably in the 20's by now. I have worked on a lot of members cars too, catering for the specifics that your average garage doesn't.
Performance wise, it was a bit shy in power (175bhp to 227bhp) but the torque pulled some of that back....most of the magazines were very complimentary and rated it as good as the Cosworth (and it was cheaper). I have lots of articles to scan and upload one day!

 

[slgreavett]

The old 21 nut hey Dave?? Tag me in when you upload them!
What is it about French, turbo cars that just means so much to us? Can't beat a Renault though in my opinion, especially the 80's and 90's!!

 

[DaveL485]

The old 21 nut hey Dave?? Tag me in when you upload them!
What is it about French, turbo cars that just means so much to us? Can't beat a Renault though in my opinion, especially the 80's and 90's!!

I'm a 21 fan through and through. First properly built car they did IMO. I do have a lot of love for the older stuff too, but lets face it, they were built like crap from tinfoil and cheap plastic (not that other manufacturers were much different).
I think it's character, they have character. I dunno, I guess it's a personal preference, as much as liking marmite or not. Not only that but the community is great...i'm not saying it's any better or worse than any other brands following but the people I have met through just the 21 alone is astonishing. Both my kids have godparents I know through the 21Toc, and I have many (what i'm sure will be) lifelong friends from it too.


...even if they are mostly assholes LOL

 

[Lewis]

This video always helps to show the Quadra system in a stripped back view.

 

[BIG MVS]

Dave's the man on Quadra's. As for price I seem to remember the 2wd being £3-4k cheaper than the Quadra when new?

 

[DaveL485]

Dave's the man on Quadra's. As for price I seem to remember the 2wd being £3-4k cheaper than the Quadra when new?

Yeah you're not far off there.

 

[Deleted member 486]

According to a Nov 1991 price list I have the difference was £2,300 and they came with everything. At that time, according to the price list, there was no A/C option.

 

[DaveL485]

@Tony Smith what year was your AC Quadra?

 

[Lewis]

Tony's car was H464 GLA making it 1990 registered. Funnily enough it was on eBay being broken for spares in November last year. The chap who owns it used to be on 21TOC, called Dale. He had a tungsten phase 1 as well.

eBay link to the phase 1 that was being broken for spare

eBay link to the quadra

 

[timmy21turbo]

I have also recently bought a Quadra from a friend called Wayne also used to belong to a member called Ollie having a bit of trouble with the rear diff locking up after 5 miles but have a new one and currently re conditioning the rear sub frame.
lots of fun I have always wanted one since driving a 2wd one and you no what even though I have driven it once and it went wrong I wouldn't change it for the world tlc required but its a project that has lots of character any advice on were to get parts are welcome

 

[DaveL485]

I have also recently bought a Quadra from a friend called Wayne also used to belong to a member called Ollie having a bit of trouble with the rear diff locking up after 5 miles but have a new one and currently re conditioning the rear sub frame.
lots of fun I have always wanted one since driving a 2wd one and you no what even though I have driven it once and it went wrong I wouldn't change it for the world tlc required but its a project that has lots of character any advice on were to get parts are welcome

Wayne Millard? Known him a long time He's having a kiddy now isnt he? His other Quadra is lurking around here somewhere too, J-something KLU.

 

[DaveL485]

eBay link to the quadra

Such a shame, doesn't look in bad nick still.

 

[timmy21turbo]

that is Wayne Millard yeah known him a good few years now used to work with him
got his one j2mhr its his fault I have the bug from his fwd 21t but im not complaining
yeah he has a baby on the way due in September

 

[Deleted member 486]

got his one j2mhr

I owned that car a blue moon ago. Loved it - but it ate a couple of turbos with me & I was at uni at the time so couldn't afford to put it right.
Sold it to Craig who put a new engine in it as most of the oil galleries were blocked and I think it had tried to remove a cam lobe as well - plus a whole load of other work. I thought about buying it back off him but he sold it to Ollie...

I bought it from a guy in Ipswich if memory serves me correctly.

 

[timmy21turbo]

lovely to hear a bit of history on it its been Wayne's daily for a year or so but now my little project has a uprated turbo technics turbo on it now and I have a Europa cup cam to get in her too so should be back on the road in the next 2 months or so

 

[Deleted member 486]

I haven't got all the much history with it to be honest.

I bought it off a guy called Lee in Ipswich in December 2005. It had full service history up to 60k, he got it at 80k & had it for 6 years (I cannot remember what mileage I got it at). He had all the service books & literature but I think he kept some of it for some reason. It had the original rear arches under the doors (still had the black tape on it!) but the sills had a bit of welding done for the MOT in 2005.


Not long after I got it the clutch went so I put a Ph1 system on it. Unfortunately I didn't know about the different pedals between Ph1 & Ph2 so it snapped the master cylinder actuator rod. I then got it welded up.
I was living in Milton Keynes at the time and had to drive it back to Norfolk to get it welded up at a friend's place. In order to drive it home I slipped a bit of tubing over the broken rod to keep it in one place but at full extension (i.e. clutch pedal up) the tubing kept slipping off. In the end I tie-wrapped the pedal so that it couldn't come all the way back up to rest, the tubing then kept in place and I drove it the 120 miles or so back to Norfolk like that!


Not long after that the turbo seized. I bought another one of Craig, fitted it and that instantly failed too. I couldn't afford to spend any more on it so I sold it to Craig who then proceeded to fit a whole new engine, do some little bits of welding and take it to Europe (Belgium I think).

 

[timmy21turbo]

brilliant I will upload some pictures once its in a better state as at the moment shes in bits

 

[Lewis]

Is that a genuine europa cup camshaft that you have? Where did you get it from?

 

[andybond]

at a guess @Haz ? He was selling one a while back