'90 2l 16v(ABF) mk2 (restoration page9, going megasquirt), mk5 ed30

So I went down there this morning to have a look and to take the rest of the parts down.

PICS, I hear you shout. Well it was all masked off for doing the inside and the underneath, so I didn't bother. All I could see was the wings and other bolt on stuff.

So, like me you'll all have to wait a couple of weeks to see better pics of the shell. At least then it will be the correct colour and fully polished up.

Monday they are using Upol raptor for the inside and underneath. Then maybe Thursday or Friday for colour Base coat and lacquer (max meyer, they use). Flatted and polished the week after.

 

Really needed to get back onto finishing the subframes, ready for when the shell is done in a couple of weeks.

The fish tank heater and aerator turned up so I could finally get back onto plating.


All set up and started on some parts




Clean off the factory coating on the ball joint securing plate



Finished




Completed the steering rack mount nuts after stripping the factory coating




Also got the tie rod locking nuts plated and they are all in the airing cupboard drying.

To help protect the vw tie rods from going rusty quickly, I cleaned and lacquered them. They are made by TRW, if anyone is wondering what the OEM make is.

 

Zinc drying room = airing cupboard
Latest batch nearly ready

 

The car got under coated today in raptor, and the inside had the same treatment. From the pictures posted it looks amazing, in my opinion. ????

Little video of the underneath
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAsO8oVw-0n/


Phone Screenshot or you could go through the video, above, and into his instagram account to see it all. There's a few more pics on there

 

Awesome... I WISH!!!

You must be as excited as a baby in a topless bar!

(PS: You haven't had them roll the guards? )

 

No the car will be a sensible height with sensible sized wheels.

 

Nice!! Proper Resto

I bet you can't wait, it reallly looks good!

 

Should be a couple of weeks time. I have to go down with the subframe, wheels etc to get it rolling.
Then the true build up begins.

 

Coming along nicely. That plating work looks awesome! I'm going to have to give that a go!

 

It's painted[emoji7]

Going over Friday, I will get pics.

 

Looks unreal in the photos on the instagram account, you must be chuffed!

 

Managed to get over to retropower after work today. All I can say is WOW.

And not just leaving it there, I actually remembered to take some pics. Yes that's right.













Will look even better when it gets flatted and polished. LA9V the best colour on a mk2. [emoji6]

Was hard to get pics of any repaired areas, as it was on a trolley. But here's one of the inner arch/fuel tank bracket area




They are currently working on the bonnet, sunroof, fuel flap, bumpers and grill strip.

Can't wait

 

Is that black ?? Mine is lp9v I think and love it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yeah it is the metallic black for mk2's. Can look very different at different angles as the colour changes with the metallic. Plus like atlas grey I think there's a few different factory shades to confuse things more.

Is lp9v the flat black, if it is, I had that on a mk2 driver. Looks great cleaned up

 

It's looking fantastic, the panels look nice and flat in the reflections, nice to see it curing the clear coats, it'll cut and buff to a glass finish!

 

After getting my new lemforder rear beam Bushes, through the post, I got about installing them.
My welder is on loan to a mate, so I had to use what I had to hand. A bit of m10 threaded bar, washers, nuts, and timber with some washers screwed into the appropriate places will do, hopefully.


The answer is a resounding no. After the timber starts to deform the threads start to strip. After getting the awkward one, near the brake regulator bracket, most the way in using spanners (obviously) and a hammer (not so). It didn't want to go anymore. Not just that I was able to smack myself in the face with said hammer as it smashed/bounced off the timber.
Yes, I'm sure it was funny, but it hurt, and I was lucky it didn't break my jaw or teeth. Just a cut that bled a fair bit.
Needless to say I abandoned that effort and got onto the bay of e, and ordered up 2 of these.





And followed a guide on vw vortex forum, after getting some m12 threaded bar and nuts from next door to work.
Set up looked like this with either washers or a socket duck taped to the bottom of the arms. The rags to help protect the paint




It was so much easier and my face thanked me for it. Result after less than an hour. Rags didn't help, and some touch ups required. 7mm stick out perfect.






I'm glad it got done in the week because today I needed it for this




1st we worked on the front and got the front subframe bolted up and just nipped up. But luckily gaz the painter spotted something.
If you look at this pic from earlier you might see it




Yes/no?


Look at the steering rack, what a idiot, I'm not on mainland Europe. This is a right hand drive car. [emoji4]
Okay, subframe back off. Steering rack spun around, and tie rods switched. Subframe nipped back on.

Suspension was assembled. New eibach pro kit springs on bilstien b6 shocks (or together b12 bilstien kit). Bolted it all to the car using new bolts, which look far too long but were bought from vw.
Cv joints bolted in to protect the bearings.




Finally got an alloy on for the 1st time in a long, long time.




With both fronts done, we switched the rear.
The beam brackets bolted up to torque, yellow stuff is waxy oil. 5 litres of the stuff.



Suspension on. Arch looks a lot better than before





Lupo rear stub axle spacer plates (bought ages ago), polo 6n2 set up as per the guide on here (mushy16v)




Then for the 1st time in ages, the car actually has 4, yes 4 alloys. Look.




With the paint protected with microfiber towels the boot and doors were cable tied shut, and the bonnet tied down to the towing eye. We were ready to go.




Hmmmm, where do we go now.

7miles up the road will do. It's back




Garage looks too small again, but the rebuild can commence.
The paint looks amazing. One of retropowers owners, Callum, did a video

https://youtu.be/QMQ1S5EMQK0


To finish today's post, here's a look at retropower

Nat's truck. An NSU r080 original ****el engined car, very rare, behind it.





V8 jag with custom exhaust outlets





Datsun 260z




Manta with complete Honda s2000 running gear gear




Cars everywhere, porsche 356? up high




Another jag xjc



Painters mk2 20v sneaking into shot on the left. Mk1 golf under the blue cover. Beetle and fiesta rs turbo






Assembly area.
Ford bronco, red bonnet is an Opel gt. Poking out is a cavalier. A gorgeous viva gt with lotus engine against the wall.




Imp, mk1 golf clipper, mk1 golf vr, couple of mantas with a suzuki sj sandwiched between them




As always they all/most have their own page. Check them out through:

www.retropower.co.uk

 

Looks superb, got to be happy with that.

Can I ask what that cost? PM me if you prefer.

Mark

 

Looking great once again. There used to be an NSU Ro80 near me I think it lived in Burton Latimer. The main reason I knew what it was is I used to have a vintage die cast of one.

 

Wow that's looking incredible!