Mk1 GTi Campaign Restoration Thread - Now Complete with even more pics!!

My Campaign has been off the road now for almost 2yrs, no particular reason for it either, in fact it still had 4mths MOT on it when I laid it up. It was just that I bought a mk1 Scirocco, a Corrado, a couple of mk2's, another mk1 and just never got round to getting it back on the road.

I stripped most of the car ages ago but have only started to get things ready the last few weeks.

The original Autotrader Photo when I bought the car back in 2002:



I wasn't even on the hunt for buying it to be honest I was just bored in Uni and searched Autotrader and thought I'd take a look out of curiousity. It matched the Campaign Register's spec and knew I just had to have it. A deal was struck and the car was then picked up a week later.

I can still remember the day I drove it back from Exeter Uni to Cardiff, was awesome having only ever driven 1.1 Polo's. The mk1 was my dream car since I was about 14.

Here's a few basic pics of the car 4yrs ago when it was still a basic 8v:







The car was a basic 8v with full Magnex 4-branch and stainless sytem with a Piper Cam. This was pretty fast but not fast enough

I managed to pick up the following car for 200




which had a completely rebuilt 1.9 16v engine. I broke this car and ended up making a fair few quid so whacked the engine into the mk1. Combined it with an Ashley Conversion Manifold and brand new Supersprint system. Drove it round for a while whilst in Cardiff Uni and the dreaded rust started to creep in.

Decided to strip it, so this was how it stood for a fair amount of time:






Then got the repair panels and got them welded in a fortnight ago:




Also had two other areas welded, these need to be flatted back for the respray:




Very solid shell overall, although the car is full of rust residue where the rain has dripped in. Looks worse than it is.

Took the rusty front wings off and the inner wings are completely solid, surprising how thick the waxoyl was from factory!

Have sourced solid genuine wings and tailgate, just need to get a repair panel for the numberplate light.




Will keep you updated

 

I remember when you bought this from Autotrader and that pic, was it really 2002

Is the rear panel smoothed into the arch at the bottom?

 

Actually it was 2003, it was during my first year in Uni.

It has been smoothed over at the join.

Picked up a tailgate and wings.





Here's how it stands at the minute:

 

Props, this looks very promising...
Is the car going to be standard apart from the engine?

 

the brakes are 256mm, braided hoses, upper and lower strut braces, poly bushes, I'm going to be putting some Boge 35mm lowering springs on it.

It has a full Supersprint exhaust system.

Aesthetically it will be standard but with a bit of extra go and stop.

 

Perfect.

 

Excellent, kutgw.

 

Anyone breaking a mk1 so I can grab a repair panel for the above section?????

Urgent request as it's booked in for the respray soon

 

PM me if anyone can sort me out with a cut out from any rust free shell

 

lend a petrol powered angle grinder and go and cut one off a car at the scrappy? me mate did summat similar only cost him like 5 (just an idea...)

 

Haven't seen a mk1 in a scrappy for ages!!!

 

For the MOT do you actually need both lights? can you just attach one with some washers around 2 bolts, so it's secure? It will save you fretting and rushing to weld in a new panel.

I thought that for the number plate light there is no specific wattage of bulbs as long as it's lit, just hide the other wire

 

Its booked in for a respray not MOT.

 

Managed to secure a solid rear panel:



Going to get the section welded in either tomorrow or Wednesday, then hopefully it should be ready for respray once I've removed all glass, doors, mirrors etc.

 

finally managed to tow the car to the garage to have the rear panel welded in.

Should get it back next wednesday / Thursday then it's just a case of stripping it for the respray.

Do I need to remove things like the bonnet? What should it go into the bodyshop with? Glass out, doors off etc?

 

There are no hard and fast rules with this, it will be down to what you've agreed with the bodyshop and the extent of the respray its having. If its getting done inside and out then it certainly wouldn't hurt but whats the storage like at the bodyshop and how soon will they start working on it. If it has to stand out for a bit whilst another car is finished it will just be more hassle for them.

I'd give em a call mate.

Oh, and good luck with it all, something really nice about silver mk1's

 

You would want all the panels off, they will spray all the bits you cant normally see, then panel it up then paint the rest.

 

Picked the car up today, car was flooded inside lol. left the sunroof slightly open.

Anyway just got a quote from a family friend for the respray - 1800. he normally charges around 2500 and I know his work is **** hot.

Is it worth getting done though? The car was probably going to be scrapped if I never got round to getting the welding done so I can kind of see it as an investment. The car would be worth 3000 I would have thought on completion??

I was hoping the quote would have been around the 7-800 mark but you pay's your money and all that.

He'll also texturise all the bumpers and trim.

So it'll be mint when done...

I said I'm not in a rush and he could take his time if it would help lower the price. He said he doesn't do that anymore as vehichles end up taking space and he's had a few cars that have been in for over a year. He has said it will be done in two weeks.


Thoughts??????

 

Price is fair if your wanting a good respray but I know how you feel, I paid 1500 for the respray on my cabriolet and still dont know how I feel about spending that much.

How much have you spent getting all the bodywork sorted if you dont mind me asking, I have two mk1 that im scrapping because of rust would like to keep at least one but needs about as much as yours did. A well sorted mk1 with all the body sorted and fresh paint will fetch over 3grand IMO.

Im halfway throu respraying my track car myself, I was only going to do a quick job but actually if you take your time its easy to do a good job Iv got really into it and someone actually paid me to respray and fit a new wing on a Renault 4 after they saw what id done.

 

if it ends up looking like your sig pic mate, then DO IT! dont scrap it, not now!