Skoda 110 R Buying Guide

Treat originality as the first check on a Skoda 110 R. Confirm the offered Skoda 110 R matches its paperwork, then book an inspection that covers its construction and fitted equipment.

I used Skoda Storyboard 110 R history and Auto.cz 110 R buying advice when preparing this November 7, 2026 guide. Those sources describe the model and its known weak spots, not every surviving chassis. So, the checks below turn that background into questions for a seller and a workshop; they do not assign a failure rate or current market value.

Verify the coupe and its originality

Treat originality as the first check on a Skoda 110 R. Skoda says 57,085 of these rear-engined coupes were built at Kvasiny between 1970 and 1980, and that most early production was exported. Auto.cz, interviewing restorer Martin Vaculik, says confirming that the look and mechanicals match the build date is the first task, and often where a deal ends. Compare the chassis number, engine number and registration papers. Ask a club to decode anything that looks out of period, including trim and paint.

Get under the car at the front arm mounts

Auto.cz highlights the floor and the mounts where the front suspension arms attach to it, noting that welded repairs there vary a lot in quality and safety. Book a lift inspection and ask the shop to photograph those mounts. The same article says front wings were fitted on rubber at the factory and painted afterwards, leaving metal under the rubber unprotected, so rust there is common. Any nice car has probably been restored. Ask who did the work and how panels were fitted.

Check the cooling setup and engine bay

The 110 R uses a 1,107 cc four-cylinder in the rear with twin carburettors and a separate oil cooler, according to Skoda. Auto.cz describes one car fitted with a radiator from a Skoda 1000 MB and notes the original 110 R engine needed a more capable brass radiator. Ask what radiator is fitted, inspect hoses and pipes running to the front, and watch the temperature during a longer drive. A battery moved into the engine bay can be a sign of a past gas conversion.

Expect panel fit work

Auto.cz says replacement body panels were made on worn tooling and often need bending and fitting before paint. That makes a complete car with original, sound panels worth more than a cheap project. Check panel gaps, door fit with the frameless windows, and seals. Skoda notes the car used front disc brakes and rear drums with a dual-circuit system; have the brakes checked and confirm parts sources. Ask the seller for a written list of non-original parts before you agree a price.

Put the identity and import file beside the inspection

The physical chassis identifier must agree with the sale documents before a report is ordered. Use our VIN identity checks to organise that comparison and our imported-car report guide to understand why foreign history may be thin. Ask for original registration, import and ownership papers as applicable. NMVTIS offers a U.S. title-history route with defined coverage; it does not certify a bespoke build or replace foreign records. A fake PDF can disguise an ownership gap, so verify evidence through the issuing source rather than accepting a seller screenshot.

Agree the specialist work before leaving a deposit

Tell the shop which version and components it will see, then agree lift access, a controlled road test and a written description of limitations. Our pre-purchase inspection checklist helps frame the appointment, while NYC used-car guidance recommends an independent mechanic. Ask the specialist to separate immediate safety work from cosmetic preferences and optional upgrades. Look, a repair estimate is useful only if a supplier will actually provide the required part. Have the shop obtain a response for any known missing item.

Keep the offer conditional on the findings you care about. Put any seller repair promise in the purchase agreement. If the workshop cannot establish structural condition or a route to a needed safety part, defer the deal rather than inventing a discount. The final decision should reflect the documented car and your intended use, not a figure copied from a launch story.

Write down what the viewing showed

Keep a dated note of what you saw on the Skoda 110 R: chassis identifiers, warning lights, fluid leaks under the car, tyre dates, panel gaps and any part the seller could not show. Photograph each item. Send that list to the specialist before the appointment so the inspection starts from facts, not from the advert. If the seller will not allow photographs or lift access, ask why before you go further. A rare car rewards slow, written checks more than a quick decision made because another buyer might appear. If the seller pushes for a quick deposit, offer a refundable one tied to the inspection date, and put that condition in writing before any money moves.

We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian. Wholesale reports cost a few dollars; confirm current coverage and the total at checkout. A quiet report can miss unreported repairs. Keep the independent inspection even if the seller sends an impressive PDF.

Sources

• Skoda Storyboard 110 R history
• Auto.cz 110 R buying advice
• U.S. DOJ NMVTIS
• NYC used-car buying guidance