My Mk2 GTI 8v progress thread - Got married

I've decided to start a thread showing a bit of the progress and blood, sweat and tears thats gone into my car...so far. I brought the car in June 2005 for 650. It was on ebay in Birimingham so quite local, it had plenty of service history and fitted the bill of being a 3 door 8v big bumper model that I was lusting for! 176k on the clock was a bit steep but it was so tidy apart from some filler in the bottom of the doors so the deal was done!

Here the car back then:




As it turned out the car wasn't as great as it first seemed and some serious parts and man hours have been thrown at the car, a lot of thanks go to my Dad and Nealey for this because without them the car would probley be in a scrapyard now! Here a list of the work we've done to the car to keep it on the road since:

Cambelt, Tensioner, Alternator belt, Power steering belt, Oil and filter, Spark plugs, Rotar arm, Dizzy cap, Air filter, Starter motor, Header tank, Rad fan, Radiator ,Coolant, Front discs and pads, Rear discs and pads, Flexi hoses, Front and rear splash shields, Rear wheel bearings, Gearbox, Clutch, Pressure plate, Clutch cable, Front and rear middle boxes, Back box, Lower power steering bracket, Brake master cylinder, Brake fluid change, Fuel filter, Rear callipers, Replaced wishbones (c/w with poly bushes), ARB bushes, OS inner cv joint, OS outer cv joint, Replaced NS outer cv joint.

Theres probley a lot more than that too! Its also been treated to some G60 steals and some coilovers however they have now been changed for some more comfertable 40mm shocks and springs.

Pics through the ages!!



And the last pics taken:




You can see a few changes of lights and bits and bobs have also changed. The future for the car is 2 new doors and a 2e which is whats taking up my time now. I've spent about a year collecting bit and pieces together and bank holiday weekend just gone the work started in anger.

Engine bay with 179k on its back:



A weekend of stripping down, cleaning and painting has left me with my 2e block awaiting head. Its not as shiny as it looks in the pic just poor lighting and a confused auto flash!



More to follow as and when I get round to it........

 

lookin good, not very popular in white but i quite like em.

 

Mint, but loose the bonnet bra!

 

How dare you, think the term your searching for is rare, the car looks great Ian, good luck with the engine work

 

looks very nice mate.love a white mk2. not a fan of bonnet bras myself. leave it on too long and the paint work will actually become worse. spacers perhaps?

 

Glad i helped to save it from the crusher, all them hours getting frustrated, tired and angry with it are finally starting to pay off!

Now we get to go over it all again with mine!

 

Last week our mastertech built up my Vagobonds head for me.


And my inlet manifold and fuel rail all cleaned up ready for action.

 

i wondered where this had got to

PS can you order me another seal for that flange and the 3 bolts that go with it. i lost the seal

 

Come on where is everyones latest update! I know it has had more done to it now!

 

Ok, Ok! Well inbetween buying another Golf GTI at the weekend the head made it onto the block. Doing the head bolts up on a black and decker work bench was intresting to say the least but we got there.



Got some new coolant housings to go on the head today so thats next and then I'm waiting on a phone call to allow me to take the car to my cousins workshop to pull the old engine out.

 

Not really an update as such but good news, I've got the workshop to use Saturday 6th October so watch this space! Old engine will be coming out and the bay being tidyed up before the new engine goes in.

 

Good luck!!

You've done a seriously good job so far.

 

Starting to look spot on dude, i'll have to come and have a nose at it when the engine is in

 

More than welcome, watch this space!

 

Busy day today, swapped some bits over from the red one we are now breaking for spares. Os headlight as mine was cloudy, swapped back to twin wipers, fuseboard dash trim as mine was knackered. Also downsized my "ice" install, 10" sub instead of the 12" taking up half my boot, also put 4x6's in and got rid of the 6x9s in the parcel shelf. Hole free shelf looks so much better imo. Also put a rust free bonnet stay and underbonnet sound deadner on. Pic of the old girls side by side:

 

Was a busy day yesterday and the engine is out.




Hole in the battery tray when the battery was taken out so a new tray will be getting welded in.



Pic of the workshop/warzone!



Result at the end of the day.



Also removed the very crusty subframe and fitted a good second hand one. The old engine is now back in the garage at home so next up is to swap all the bits and bobs over.

 

Wheres the money shot??? I was looking forward to that!

 

Here you go, you getting covered in coolant. Its not very clear but all the white dots in the pic are coolant flying out of the top rad hose!

 

nice one! keep us updated!

 

Slow day today, spent a lot of time making sure the timing marks where all in the correct position and then fitted the cambelt. Then started to swap bits and bobs over. Got lots of stuff all cleaned up too. Had a brain frying pile of bolts at one point but its heading in the right direction.

Side by side swapping bits:


By the end of the day:


Hope to finsh swapping parts over and get the gearbox on next Sunday.