Skoduki
Skoduki.
I often get asked how did this come about and why SKODUKI. Easy, I say a Skoda pick up Suzuki gsxr 1000cc engines.
I’ve always wanted to build a full space framed pickup after seeing a build in America. So with limited funds I had to think out the box a little to try and come up with something different.
Initially full bolt off shell full space framed twin engine Felica pickup and get it back on the road. Easy right?
The idea of a twin engine car for us is not unusual, but front twin engine rear wheel drive well, that’s different even for us.
To cage and build the frame work is what we do day in day out but it’s really enjoyable to do something different with no boundaries.
I used 38mm 1.5/2mm wall cds material for the main chassis engine bay and rear frame. I’ve tried some radical rear suspension set up on the rear this was a (just because I can moment) at the end of the day. Although this thing should really shift. It’s not being built to be a fast, great track day car, it’s being built to be a wild looking feat of engineering and of course just to sit there and look pretty.
I went for a double wishbone setup front and rear and used our shock supplier Tractive suspension for the coil over shock absorbers and tried to use our much tested alloy shock slider where we could. For the steering, I used a Vauxhall steering rack made up a column and used a Agila power steering unit which was modified by 213 performance.
I decided to try and keep the pickup as engineered as possible, so we went for some Kirkey light weight seats and TRS 4 point racing harnesses.
So to link the engines up sounds easy, use the already proven twin engine drive box then prop to the diff job done. Unfortunately not, when you do this you double the ratios that you have ie 3.3 in the front drive box 3.9 diff (I found this out the hard way). So the next issue then was to figure out how to swap the gearing round so it’s back to 1-1 before the diff.
A call to DRD racing and a box went in to design to also incorporate a reverse gear.
That really was the biggest headache on this build and actually one of the last items to get finished.
The next job was to get the panel work in the cab sorted ie bulk head and tunnel. This was a job for GJP with some rough ideas and sketches he turned my thoughts in to reality and produced a great shaped bulkhead and tunnel. We also had Gareth make up the switch and dash panels and make the fuel tank battery holder and radiator
Body work is definitely not my thing, I can do it I just detest it so you pass it on to someone who knows what there doing. This is where Waldron’s body shop came in to play. Paul basically took two wings one of a FeliCa and one of a Mk1 Octavia and made the shape of wing we needed, he made the bonnet and bumper some how fit and make it all like it was meant to be. The idea was to turn the FeliCa pickup in to an Octavia pickup and it worked. GJP joined Paul to redesign the pick up back end and dee seem the cab and Adam kept the chassis and cab now welded on so he and Paul could powder and paint accordingly. The back end went back off to GJP to finish off the tin work before paint.
The build up
Initially I was aiming for the NEC show 2019 However I failed i did think maybe we could make the new show MWA in Peterborough show ground in feb 2019.
The challenge was on to get everything powdered, painted and anodised and get it pu together. The other large item that needed doing was the exhaust system a quick call to Matt Simpson at Simpson exhaust and we were in a week before the show deadline.
The stress them couple of weeks before MWA was unreal. Trying to pull GJP, WALDRONS, SIMPSON, DRD and Chris Prior who jumped in at the last minute to do some one off graphics and not to mention Black race looms, together it was a challenge but WE did it no it wasn’t running or driving but the general feel and look was there we made the show and had great reviews. BUT something just didn’t feel right. Enter stage right Coupland’s JC accident repair centre who was at the show and over an alcoholic beverage or two myself and Dane had a kinda plan. We suggested that maybe we could make this better than it was. Challenge accepted, I thought 6-8 weeks later I bought a new shape 15 plate Octavia VRS front end and made the call.
In the trailer it went tracked the 3 hours to Scunthorpe dropped Skoduki off and between us we came up with a wide arch big sills radical shape all in my head. I’ll never know how they really pulled it out the bag to be honest even adding a full lift up front end which not in my dreams I thought I would see on this build.
“When do you want it back?” they said of course I said well let’s get it to the NEC 2020 (tongue and cheek) ok Dane and Jord said. That’s when i realised “hell these boys are serious.”
Ok so I want it blue please or a black with a purple fleck. Jord looked and said needs to be red.
No Jord what ever ya do don’t do red I’m really not a fan. They had the pickup around 3 months then I had the message what do you think to this colour?
Well its Red Jord I don’t do Red. OK he says, 2 days later what about this “yea Jord that’s Red to I take it you think this needs to be Red then” YEA he said and that’s how it became Red and to be honest I really love it now.
One of the issues with Red was all the anodise wasn’t purple and it just didn’t go.
The idea was to get it back from there now change all the purple anodise to Red (huge thanks to Badger anodise who did this for us) and get Nathan (black race looms) on the case to get it wired and running lights working…. however I forgot one really important thing. Paying work. UNFORTUNATELY we had to get on with customers cars and we couldn’t get it running or driving in time.
BUT THIS TIME WE DID MAKE THE NEC 2020
Since then we now have it running and driving on stands. We have lights and are really was looking forward to getting to some more shows.
The SKODUKI will be up for sale after a bit more testing as we have another outrageous project that is in my head I just can’t wait to get on with it. It involves a v8 hemi a full space framed lowriding Suicide doored defender any takers on joining me on this project?
Thank you for taking the time to read my write up this was a 2 year build due to doing it my spare time which is sparse to say the least.
2024 UPDATE
A huge thank you for reading this article, the Skoduki has since taken the world by storm featuring in many online articles and Insta Pages. We were featured recently on the Barn Classics Insta Page, 4.5million views later and lots of questions, we have re-released this article to answer all the questions and confusion surrounding this build. Take a look at the pictures below to see the sequence of the build and all the ideas come to life.
