Just a mini update as i haven't updated in donkeys Car very nearly finished - getting it ready for MOT on 21st July. it started first turn once i realised i had no 12v to the coil! doh! but apart from that it just birst into life!!! well pleased! carbs were supplied new from eurocarb so initial setting up was very good from them!! thumbs up! Haven't timing set up yet but will be done soon - the noise is immense... I have loads more pictures and details to post which will hopefully help people doing mk1's will update soon. video is short as connection speed was 56k style murder that night
Bloody hell. I just read every word on every page. Its just amazing, I cant wait for more pics. I bet you could fill a ferry up with people who wanted to travel over there to a show and see it in the flesh.
That is ****ing beautilful . That is some awesome work uv done. Well done. I just hope I can put that much work and effort into my new car.
About time for an update: First up bit of a summary of electrics Replaced most of the spade connectors on the loom as they were old and some were broken – used vw plugs where possible with proper housings and rubber covers I revised the position of the ecu on the car and by stripping down the ecu loom of its cover I split it in two and fed it through the existing bulkhead grommets and rejoined the wires with solder and heat shrink. I mounted the ecu on the back of the brake mech base. This saved cluttering the scuttle tray and left it tidy. New ecu stainless base ECU in place Moving on to VDO’s I made a new loom up for them and used vehicle wiring connectors to make it easily disconnected – wires are colour coded with the wires in the engine bay. Centre console with VDO’s in place and new leather gater from Newton Commercial Dash was cleaned up and installed Wiring small lights in – was simple enough just identified which wires did what and nipped off the big light connectors and replaced with individual spade connectors Result! I hadn’t treated the rust on my second low mileage fuel tank and it had simply rusted back through after a couple of years (indoors!) so with having the heat shielding to install I whipped out the tank again and nitromors’d it and then treated it with deox c gel from Bilt Hamber – this killed it off and I then had it painted vw metallic black by the same guys who done the car and then installed the heat shielding (this was slow work and the heat shielding is quite unforgiving so has to be cut in smaller pieces to follow the contours of the tank without rippling up. Tank with rust gel and cling film to stop it drying out too quick (leave for 24hours) Tank with gel removed and sanded to key surface. Tank painted and heat shielding started Tank heat shielded up ready to go back in. Bumpers next – new vw bumpers are dear and pattern ones are hit and miss (I managed to get a good rear pattern) a lot of the pattern ones bow upwards at the headlights so I got a vw bumper skin and refurbed my old front bumper bar! Saved about 60quid! Bar blasted Bar painted Inidicators before cleaning Afterwards Bumper complete with smoked lenses Thought a plumbed in extinguisher would be a good job so opted for the Lifeline Zero 2000 – it’s a fair size so getting somewhere to put it was the challenge – managed to get one of the larger rear braces which I thought would hold it perfectly. Plumbed in two nozzles One to soak carbs should the unthinkable happen mounted on the chassis leg (using an existing hole) And one just off the scuttle tray aimed at main electrics at the battery. You may also notice my shiney coil cover!! lol Steering now You may have noticed that in your mk1 golf the steering wheel has a knock in it and can be rattled in the column… More than likely it will be either the bearing within the ignition barrel or the little bush that the bearing locates on… To remove locking barrel just follow the Haynes and bore a small hole – this allows you to press in the little sprung clip and with the key in the lock just pull the barrel out Hole bored and lock removed The original bush after 25 years – the new bush and ignition housing sorted the steering wheel shake.. Wheel choice - Momo Prototipo last years Christmas prezzie from the wife Got a new carpet set from Newton Commercial and have to say it is really good – fully moulded and fits perfect. Firstly I got some rubber backed car underlay from www.automobiletrim.com – they have all sorts of stuff – cut it to fit nicely and reduce road noise etc Carpet in place Unravelled the seat belts and washed them all with good old Daz and laid them on the top of a wall to dry off If you want the seat belts to lie flat on the floor pan just pop off the cover and give the spring an extra rotation! Then installed the rear floor mat from Newton and the back and front seats with fully adjustable bases. As you know with the 16v on carbs the radiator is an issue so I bit the bullet and got one made from alloy which sits to the right of the bay and doesn’t block the carbs and with the swan neck water outlet the piping doesn’t get in the way either. I fitted it with a slim line fan – if anyone wants dimensions pm me. Throttle cable can be difficult to source – I got mine from RCS cables on ebay and just drilled the pedal to take the cable Then I heat shrinked the cable to stop it fraying Then shot of it in the pedal Then buy a VW throttle cable grommet for the bulkhead and with the alloy cable locater supplied just secure it with a nut to the bulkhead – tightening the nut squishes the grommet and gives a good tight seal. Then cut sleeving to suit and insert cable. Some gear linkage chrome work More later on exhaust fitting, interior finishing and full paint detail.
good project thread I have a question about the steering bush, do you need to replace the whole ignition barrell housing then and the bush? Where is the bush located? Ive got a knock and i can rattle my column about a bit in my mk2 and it really annoys me
You will need to run filters on the carbs otherwise it'll missfire at 50 MPH due to force of air to the Carbs.
as always, great attention to detail. Just one concern I have. In a large accident, is the mounting for the extinguisher strong enough to stop if coming off the strut and flying around the cabin ??
re-extinguisher - yes it is secured as it would be to the floor pan or any other location - using the mounting system and fixing's supplied. re filters - i am running piperx filters with an air stop fixed in front to prevent ram effect re the steering bush - it fits on over the steering shaft then the ignition housing slides on and the bush centralises everything on the shaft - this was worn and useless on mine hence the movement.
yea lots more done over summer - even got some miles on it... have a fuelling issue though - i don't think the fuel pump i have is up to the job - have got a fuel pressure guage to see whats going on - then gonna get a gunson Co metre to get it set up decent... had it detailed over the summer too! so the paint is quite shiney! and no more buffing trails sand marks or holograms! worth the dosh! Have it moved into another garage which i have been sorting out with a bench, painting etc to shift tools etc into - bit laboratory looking which i like - grey floor white walls and ceiling so will be concentrating over the winter in preping the car for MOT (which it didn't make in July or August due to rubbish weather) Pretty much all the trim finished off bar sorting the boot popper and a few dash inserts etc... had a break from it since august/september so will be getting the spanners out again shortly! thanks for the comments so far - keeps me motivated!
also no oil or water leaks and the engine runs very nicely at idle and over the short distances i took it it felt nice and torquey - no big revs though - it also felt lovely and smooth on the tarmac - and gears are nice and smooth too - rebuilt gearbox and renewed linkage is great in use. smaller radiator is working well too and combined with slim line fan at idle cools engine quickly... all in all happy with it so far bar the fuelling issue.... all in a days work though...
I've not looked on here since feb when i sold my mk3 golf anni, so is it on the road then? can we have some more pics, pleeeeeaaaase. i need to see this golf. just treated myself to a 3dr mk2 atlas grey valver, just wondering what ideas i can pinch
Hadn't seen this before...just sat and read it from start to finish...am blown away, I really am. So much inspiration here, your dedication and attention to detail is spectacular. Good luck with the rest still to come - I can't wait to see the finished result.
Mini-update Here's a wee detailing shot - the detail was done in the summer 08 - Got it done professionally as for the five years of the build it had all the dust from aluminium polishing parts painting etc settling on it (should have covered it with something) and i needed someone who knew their onions After the detail i only got about 7 dry miles on it because of course being Northern Ireland it rained after the detail for about a million years and didn't get enough of a running in period... I used this guy http://detailni.twain3d.co.uk/ - Ryan Philips and i was really impressed with his work - it was well worth the money and i could never have got the paint work looking the way he has... I will be updating more in the coming weeks as it gets wee things sorted out and MOT'd. The colour looks bronze just due to the MDF boarding on the garage wall here's a truer colour picture... this was a half n half with the tape just removed... She is all finished except for some minor issues - boot cards, boot solenoid etc thanks for looking and the kind words.
Mate, this car is a credit to you, all your hard work and attention to detail looks worth it. Well done.
