Hello I run about in this Mk2 Polo as my daily. It was a 90 non runner which I fixed up and subtly modded. I have been surviving the roads of Ayrshire in it and nurse it through it's mysterious coolant leak and rich running weber carb.. Got this 91 8v a year back and to be honest it's life is hanging by a thread. However if I can get some momentum going and get the welder out I reckon I could make it my next daily. From what I read if you have a good shell that's what counts with a mk2. It's a high mileage 200k but loads of service history with the same family just been neglected out in the elements for two years. So as a mature student who has no funds I'll initially concentrate on saving the shell. I know there are always the doubters who would say just break or re-shell but I have no funds but I do have a double garage at the family farm,a welder and hopefully time. First stage will be welding the terrible corrosion at the bonnet hinges. Then I'll get the shell on it's side and deal with the poor jacking corrosion. Budget to date: 105 Car 50 Spare door, parcel shelf (no silly speaker holes), 2x winder mechs 40 Small bumpers (after selling the best of the big bumpers) 15 The good.. Came with new rad/battery The reason I am naming after this kitchen utensil will become apparent.. The real bad.. Distressing stuff..(on both sides, dam those pine needles!) Common filler area rust.. Rear side window again common rust.. rear corner which has been possible jacked by an idiot or just rotten.. Also the bracket that holds the filler neck, well what used to hold it!.. There are other smaller bits of rust that I am not intimidated by having done welding/body work on my Polo. I'll be getting some products from Frost and Bilt Hamber to ensure future protection. Hopefully I'll have some sort of progress in the next month or so..
i had the same at the rear like that on both sides, wasn't too bad a fix, but good luck with the rest mate, it'll be worth it in the end.
^Thankyou Got a pair of small bumpers, will need to get the front apron and grill but no hurry. I also got a 7 slat 4 lamp grill which I didn't know existed until I compared it to the 5 slat on the car. I think I'll be excluding all trim as I know the 90's arches don't really work with the small bumpers. Will probably weld up the side trim holes. Quite like the idea of having pure poverty spec exterior with bog standard steels but with the GTI interior/engine. I suppose 16v would make it a proper sleeper but I'm not wanting too thirsty a motor. Lets get some welding done first though eh!
It's all fixable! Mine isn't as bad as that but I have repaired the bonnet hinge areas on both sides. Got a tiny bit to do on front jacking point and a little on the chassis legs.
Well Uni has put me on interruption (basically can't go into final year till next term ) So instead of continuing to feel annoyed I am hopefully going to get my daily Polo sorted out, find a Job for a year and hopefully get this Golf moving. I've had to sort out my workshop doors, old farm building gets real cold so have had to replace rotten doors for a bit more insulation. Got replacement front beam,spare subframe and manual rack that will need other bits to allow removal of PAS which I really don't want. Check the engine crane out, been sat like this for a month.. Things will hopefully start to look better than this from now on..
Here is a bit of motivation for you..... From this: IMG]http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/willberine/golf%20gti/enginebay.jpg[/IMG] To this! It can be done! With lots of patience, perseverance and graft of course It's hard juggling work and other commitments with doing stuff like this though. I find I am constantly distracted thinking about what bits I need to buy next and what job I am going to do next. Come December I will be doing a couple of solid weeks work on it I hope and should be able to get my VR6 in there
Much appreciate your comments and pictures As you say it's all fixable. Compared to the kind of rust I have seen on cars like Triumphs this is not bad. I'm going to get the shop a bit more weather proof and get the shell cleaned and ready for welding/grinding and the right primer. So I can walk in a make some progress with everything at hand. Going to buy rustoleum paint for things like subframe,rear beam and front cross-member. Will look at bilt hamber or Rust Buster products for body work. I know if the shell is rust free that I can gain momentum to get it finished. Going to attempt to write every part needed down to every nut/bolt and fixing so I can see the exact cost of the whole project. GSF 40mm lowering with standard steels will keep things affordable in the short term. I'm away over to the shop now
Fair comment thanks mate might well be the problem although this has been an on going issue. Thought I had sorted it when I went to fit a bigger GK inlet manifold finding pin hole corrosion in the original inlet manifold. It always seems to have a lot of moisture spitting out of the breather pipe, could just be normal condensation especially in winter. Always wondered if there may be some sort of head corrosion?? The good thing is a fellow friendly Golf owner has offered a free compression test which if OK will mean definite rad change and checking for other leaks. Cheers
Hello folks, Very little has happened but Uni has dumped me for a year or more (depending on when I want to go back for final year). So once I sort out what I do work wise I'll have have more time. As already mentioned I've decided to make the garage more winter/sound proof so have already replaced one door and I'm fixing up the other. It's an old farm building so has loads of doorways that haven't been touched for years.. Finished this door.. Just got to add some facings to this one and hopefully get it painted up/replace broken glass.. Just cleaned this part of bay from loads of factory waxoil, still more to come off.. Haven't done a thing with the Polo, kind of worried that it won't make it through winter with it's many issues. Might consider getting another car for winter.
Good on you for persevering with car. It can always be fixed! I have quite a bit of A pillar rust and dreading looking under the wings when I get round to bodywork.
