What should I do with my mk1 golf Cabriolet?
Posted
#1612754
(In Topic #220242)
Newbie
Back in 2005 i bought a K reg Mk1 cabiolet clipper, I think for about £1600. It was the first car I'd ever bought and i loved it dearly, but i never had any money to improve, and barely maintained it. I used it daily until 2010 when i stopped using it. In 2011 I bought a house with my girlfriend and i reversed it into my garage and I hasn't come out since.
By that time,it wasn't in great condition. The roof has many many holes in, which meant that in boot and part of the interior were damp. There has been a few rust patches develop, particularly on the back panel and the tailgate.
We've just bought a new house, and it's time i decide what to do with my old golf. Should i try and sell it for spares/repairs, and hope to buy a different one in the future? Should i take it with us and try and get it repaired/repair it myself?
My father and brother are both mechanics but I don't have any experience with car repair myself (I'm a cheesemaker by trade).
What do you guys think? Am i living in a dream world when i say that it'll get it done up one day or should i just give up and move on?
I've attached some pics
Thanks
Posted
Old Timer
They go up in value about 500 every year or two, so buying one in the future is more and more difficult as time passes.
I would guess to get it Road worthy judging by what you say you could spend 2-3k. Using small local garages and shopping round for good process.
Can't tell you what to do but these VERY rough numbers might help you.
If it was me I would get advice from chortle on the roof, get the body repaired, engine serviced including cam belt and see what is needed to get it through an mot after that. Get the bare minimum done and drive it, spend a little each year and in ten years time have a very nice mk1.
Good luck.
Posted
Newbie
I am reluctant to sell it, especially as i have a place to put it when we move into the new house.
We've now moved it from my house to my their garage so we can have a better look this weekend.
I hope the alarm key fob still works!
Posted
Local Hero
Petrol goes off over time and if it's been in your fuel tank since 2010 as it's probably turned to jelly and you dont want that sucked through the fuel system or cam belt to break.. Turn the engine over by hand.
Did you leave the hand brake off?
Cars sat for some time is never good news…
If you really want a Mk1 Golf keep it and do it up but you will find if others are doing the work for you it will cost more than the car is worth to restore it to top condition, getting body work done by others and learn the mechanical side of things to fix/repair yourself is not only a good idea in the long run but will save you some cash.
1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.
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Newbie
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Local Hero
What should I do with my mk1 golf Cabriolet?
Make sure brakes work
Undo the hood, get it to the body shop for repair and paint.
Check the rear cable channel and the sides where the hood cover trims fit aren’t rusted out.
Then get her over to me for a new hood etc.
Sometimes you got to spend on these cars.
Think of the summer fun ahead.
It’s the AGM in July think you’ll be ready?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
"Making Cabbies More Beautiful One Roof at a Time"
Posted
Local Hero
If a carb car fix up another fuel container with fresh fuel and a new bit of fuel hose and plastic filter into the fuel pump on the front of the engine to run the engine.
When ready to start the car turn it over by hand a few times, remove the rotor arm from the dissy then crank the engine over a few times to build up oil pressure, check the oil light works, refit the rotor arm and see if it will start, don't run the engine for to long if the oil is old.
Have a look in the fuel tank, inspection hole into top of the fuel tank underneath the rear seat.
Have a good feel at the rear wheel arches, feel for any sharp bits of metal under the lip, check the fuel filler neck underneath the wheel arch as mud sits on top and rots it away.
Lots of info and advice on what to check over on here.
1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.
Posted
Local Hero
Take it from one who gets one every few years…..
What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?
They all start with GOOD Grounds.
Where are my DIY Links?
They all start with GOOD Grounds.
Where are my DIY Links?
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Settling In
Think you can see mine in the NEWBIES bit.
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Gave away a MK1 Scirooco Storm in metallic blue cos I had nowhere to store it. Regret it.
Sold a MK2 Scirocco Storm for 300 quid. Regret it.
Posted
Newbie
Not got rid of it yet. We move into our new house on friday, which has a nice big garage so for the time being it's going into it.
Hopefully i can convince my brother to take an unbiased look at it before it goes into the garage to see if it's salvageable, which it should be. Then it's deciding how to go about repairing it.
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Moderator
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Local Hero
Regards Volkswarren
X2 1983 A REG EW CAMPAIGN In WHITE(Awaiting full rebuild solid body) & T Reg S1 GTi Project, Still Looking for Series 1 GTi's or a 16S Oettinger to restore (Complete Cars only) or an A reg Lhasa Green or White Gti to restore, also consider Black, Red or Blue, Also Golf Driver Project Wanted anything considered WHY
X2 1983 A REG EW CAMPAIGN In WHITE(Awaiting full rebuild solid body) & T Reg S1 GTi Project, Still Looking for Series 1 GTi's or a 16S Oettinger to restore (Complete Cars only) or an A reg Lhasa Green or White Gti to restore, also consider Black, Red or Blue, Also Golf Driver Project Wanted anything considered WHY
Posted
Settling In
I've been looking around and for one that i'd buy and could run straight away, it would be at least £3.5k, so if i can get mine back running for less than that, i'll be happy.
The difference being i have no mechanic friends and have in the past been stung by mechanics doing shoddy work on other cars.
Definitely try and bend your brothers arm in to doing the work for you!
Posted
Local Hero
Every thing is fairly easy to get to without the need to remove 1/2 the car and plastic covers, VW used normal bolts and screws, there's only a couple of things you need special tools for like the C clamps on the later toilet bowl manifold but you can make a tool using exhaust clamps.
What I'm getting at is the Mk1 is a great car to learn how to fix them, plenty of info on here, the web and Haynes manual so get your overall on and give it a go.
Last edit: by mark1gls
1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.
Posted
Settled In
The rust doesn't look bad (have you seen my Caddy??) and if you only drive it on sunny days, keep the roof down! Service parts for Mk1s are still relatively cheap, belts are simple to change so it shouldn't take much to get it in a state where you could chuck it in for an MoT.
Then enjoy nice summer evening out with the top down
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