"TAG" - 1983 Campaign restoration blog

Oil filter housing before and after cleaning/painting:

Starter motor cleaned, painted, some parts plated

9" brake servo as bought, then cleaned up/painted

Headlights restored.  Cleaned, painted and plated adjusting screws & spring

Some larger items I have had professionally plated.  Very please with the results - various items from the gear linkage, gearbox/engine plate, brackets, alternator fan etc

I knew the front window guides were going to be a challenge but also the last welding work required (hopefully!!!!)

They fit between the front quarter light and wind down window.  At the bottom they are held, in my case, by a pop rivet.  Water had gathered in the bottom of the door due to a damaged plastic membrane and caused inevitable rot.  











I cleaned up the metal and then cut out the rot.







The created new sections.  Difficult as the guide is like a girder section.  I could fold one section then weld the other to it to form the shape.



Once the new section was formed I could weld it to the existing clean metal.  Trying to maintain the curve of the guide as best as possible.





Finally treated with full POR 15 treatments, then some rust proofing seam sealer before etch primer and top coat.  They dont look too bad considering the state they were in!

Considerable further progress has been on made -
Air flow meter before:





and after:






Also cleaned up and electro-plated the catches

The exhaust shields which protect the steering rack boot required considerable cleaning up.  The bolts that hold them on had also rusted so I have cut off the old ones, drilled new holes and then welded in hew studs.  I will get the parts plated then.

Radiator surround cleaned up, de-rusted and painted.

Cleaned and polished the sunroof guide channels.







and cleaned and plated all sunroof fittings:

In the bodyshop spraybooth having had final prep and primer.  The primer was mixed with 10% lacquer to prevent the porosity of the primer from attracting moisture whilst it waited for the top coat.:

Top coated in Diamond Silver!

… and finally back home in time for Christmas!

In the meantime the engine has been fully rebuilt with porting work and triple valve seats cut.

Hear stripped


Porting work


Triple valve cut


New guides


New guides


Rebuilt head


Painted block


Painted block

and gearbox rebuild nearly complete:

The gearbox restorer found that the pin had been welded into the diff housing??????  

Welded diff pin


Welded diff pin






Diff rivets being drilled out to replace with bolts

Well that's it for another year, can I just thank anyone who looks at this blog and wish you all a Very Happy Christmas and here's to a great 2020 Golfing!!

 
 

Some good work going on there!
That silver looks stunning.

Fantastic.  Merry Xmas and can't wait to see this built up!

Looks like you'e been busy  

Everything looks superb. From your plated stuff to the re-spray.

Very nice.

Good luck with the re-build

Ian