83 Gti set to get full resto

Good lad look oem when they're on   had a quick look around my new shell yesterday, doesn't look too bad  

Nice work Andy. Lucky to have the rear quarter on that arch panel, must have made it much easier.

I don't think mine does - I'll have to check! I know I've got the quarter panel itself and the quality/shape looks rubbish so not looking forward to doing that

Brad. said

Good lad look oem when they're on   had a quick look around my new shell yesterday, doesn't look too bad  

Are you putting a project thread up for the new one then Brad? be nice to have a look at her!

Hairyarse said

Nice work Andy. Lucky to have the rear quarter on that arch panel, must have made it much easier.

I don't think mine does - I'll have to check! I know I've got the quarter panel itself and the quality/shape looks rubbish so not looking forward to doing that

Cheers Andy. Just looked at the receipt for the panel and it's an extra large one from VW Heritage, can't even remember buying it  Defo made the job easier and tidier.

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Wheel-arch-rear-outer-Golf-Mk1-3-door-Right-side-XL-171809838A_act_shop.product_pID_27396891_lang_EN_country_GB.htm?crumbStartPage=1&crumbStartRow=1

Cheers for the link Andy, at the price I think it would be silly for me not to buy one if my arch panel doesn't already include that.

Now, where did I put my arch panel……

I think I will be mate yeah, see how camera happy I get. 

Thing I'm not looking forward to is buying all the seals for her, hardly any came with it

Brad. said

I think I will be mate yeah, see how camera happy I get. 

Thing I'm not looking forward to is buying all the seals for her, hardly any came with it

Good luck with it then mate, I'll be watching with interest. I'm after a series 1 myself, when this one is done

Was down the unit earlier to have a tidy up and welded the jacking point on while I was there, had to turn it 90 deg because of the raised bit of the sill lip, still ok though.

Man - this post is an inspiration!

Seeing the state of some of the cars that get restored on here makes me feel ashamed of the fact it is taking me so long to sort out the piddly bit of welding on mine!

I am getting a little more confident with the welder now though, so hopefully, I should progress over the next few weeks!

I haven't touched mine over the winter but saw a mate out and about in his recently finished project the other day and was a little jealous, so… better pull my finger out!

Thanks Al for the kind words. What needs doing to your car? Get that welder out mate and get her fixed!!

Another small update. Been fixing the floor at the O/S/R today.

Started like this, cut the rot out, as per..


Fabbed an angle out of 1.2mm steel and fixed to the floor, put a few slices in to bend it round the corner..


Next I made a piece to fit beneath the angle


Knew the remains of the arch panel would come in handy


All welded up


Next is to sort out the sill lip as the different repair panels all run at different angles, my plan is to trim off the excess and weld on a new lip with a return edge to follow on to the original.


That's it for today peeps

Melteddrummer said

Thanks Al for the kind words. What needs doing to your car? Get that welder out mate and get her fixed!!

My car needs practically no work compared to yours!

Link to my build thread is in my sig (just fixed it as it appear to have broken after the forum change all those months ago!)

Well done Andy another fair bit done. Only issue is I don't like seeing you fitting those new sills on with the car on the rotisserie, I was always told have the car on its wheels, that way nothing can move when you do your final weld. But anyway I'm still enjoying it and learning new tricks  

Cero said

Well done Andy another fair bit done. Only issue is I don't like seeing you fitting those new sills on with the car on the rotisserie, I was always told have the car on its wheels, that way nothing can move when you do your final weld. But anyway I'm still enjoying it and learning new tricks  

I never knew about having to have the car on it's wheels for the sill work, Hope everything is ok  I now know for next time

Melteddrummer said

I never knew about having to have the car on it's wheels for the sill work, Hope everything is ok  I now know for next time

I wouldn't worry too much as its an empty shell with only its own weight to support.
Maybe if it was a cabby then possibly there could be issues with dropping off both sills in one go etc.

As a double check fit the doors on and see how the gaps are.

Cheers for that yomp, I've had both doors in and they looked good tbh. Still, maybe next time I'll wait till I get the car on the deck before I do the sills.

Learning all the time!!

Small update again

Been finishing off the sill lip on the O/S/R tonight after work.

Started like this


Trimmed off excess and applied weld through primer as per.


Made new sill lip then applied W/T/P as per




Welded to car, not sure whether to fully seam weld this or not, opinions please?




That's it for tonight's installment

Another good write up Andy. I can't see there is any reason to seam weld it, it is an MOT structural point but the fact you've plugged it every inch more than compensates for this.

That's what I thought mate. By the time it gets painted then undersealed and a coat of wax, I doubt they would even pick it up. The strength is in the repair I did previous anyway, isn't it?

Just finished reading your whole thread mate. Top effort, you've put a lot of time in effort into the car. A lot of the bits that you have cut out and fixed were the same on mine. Its surprising how the same coloured golfs all seem to go at the same points.
Cant wait to see your finished car its going to be a cracker.      

Melteddrummer said

That's what I thought mate. By the time it gets painted then undersealed and a coat of wax, I doubt they would even pick it up. The strength is in the repair I did previous anyway, isn't it?

Exactly !

Macca said

Just finished reading your whole thread mate. Top effort, you've put a lot of time in effort into the car. A lot of the bits that you have cut out and fixed were the same on mine. Its surprising how the same coloured golfs all seem to go at the same points.
Cant wait to see your finished car its going to be a cracker.      

Cheers Macca, yes certainly a lot of hours gone into this car and still nowhere near done . They do seem to rot in the same places, you're right there mate!

Well it's been a short while since I updated the thread. I've been really busy with the band I'm in lately preparing for our come back gig which was last weekend, so the car was left on her lonesome for a couple of weeks. Back on it now though, got quite a bit done this week, just been doing a few hours after work every night again, feels good to get stuck back in!!

Anyway, this was the hole I found behind the accelerator pedal, cut the rot out, cleaned the area, made repair piece and welded in, as per usual




From in the bay


Etch primered




Found ANOTHER nasty little area, still not sure how I'm going to tackle this, I'm thinking of cutting a hole in the  foot well to get access from inside as I don't really want to remove the steering rack/wishbone mounts



Also found ANOTHER little hole in the opposite side from the last one I've just fixed   



From inside


On a more positive note, The rear O/S arch and sill are nearly finished. I also have repaired the fuel filler, I've been working on the nasty bits while the spot welds were cooling off on the arch/sill/fuel filler areas, so as to keep continuity.





I have also been treating the surface rust that I found around the bottom of the windscreen, removed the paint with one of those fibre wheel thingies, good bit of kit those!!







Done a final polish with a wire wheels the applied Kurust



Had a parcel tonight when I came in too, my new engine/gearbox mounts arrived from Epytec, they look really good quality, just need a gearbox to attach them too now  



That's it for now peeps.

Cheers, Andy.