Help me!

Im finding myself losing interest in my Mk1 project,  im becoming increasingly dishearten by the fact that i dont seem to be getting anywhere and the lack of space, time and money is begining to get to me.  I think im turning to you guys for some words of encouragement, its a cry for help really!  An example, decided to refurb my rear axle so cleaned it all, then sprayed again, looks like new.  Today i finally decided that id finish putting it back together, the new bushes and anti roll bar etc, spent 2 hours trying to fit them then only to discover its the wrong anti roll bar, this has not put me in a good mood hence the rather depressing topic.

:cry:  :tlc:

know how you feel mate as I started loosing interest at times when I was cutting and welding mine, seeing it with wheel arches completely missing and no front end at all!

and even though the ol' girl has her moment's! was worth every minute of blood, sweat and tears

maybe a break (just over the christmas period  :wink: ) will make you feel better about it? I know it's horrible working on a car in cold weather

It's the wrong anti-roll bar Gromit! The wrong anti-rollbar!

Mikey - I know how you feel.

I've spent 10months (10 months!) changing the blinking head gasket.  10 months with the missus busting my chops for leaving oily bits of car around, 10 months of jokes like "I didn't know VW made skips", 10 months wearing latex gloves and getting covered in oily crud.

And then - after all the hard work - she still boiled over on the first long journey, and has now sprung a leak from a coolant pipe

     

You can do it mate. Make yourself a nice cuppa, sit down and breath deeply….iiiiiin…..oooout.

Now - put the anti-roll bar on flea-bay and make up something about it being off Van Morrison's VW. Use the money to buy a Yacht, and the right roll bar.

Owning a classic Golf is all about amazement, delight, happiness, interspersed with these moments of self doubt, self-loathing, desperation and despair, that are soon over and forgotten.

It's a bit like supporting a football team that is capable of the most amazing brilliance, but that ocasionally gets knocked out of international tournaments on penalties.

Ali Cabrio

Ali Cabrio,   that's the second absolutely excellent post I've read today from you!

it's posts like that, that make this club what it is  :clap:


at least Mikey will know he's not alone  

I should soooooo be doing some work  :mrgreen:

watch the simpsons then go out and do some work - they're on now!

As said above - hang on in there, it will be worth it in the end.

It took me 3 months to start my car, and I almost gave up several times, but one day I cracked it and I've never looked back…

You know it makes sense really  

Rich

I work for vw as a technician but this is the first time ive ever attempted anything like this.  Ive had alll the bodywork done including a new lower front valance, 2 new wings, a new bonnet, 2 rear arch repair panels, a new lower rear valance, a new tailgate, some welding to the n/s arch and a new roof (and its not a cabrio).  Then had a complete respray inside and out.  Its now sat at home in my very small garage on axle stands while i try and bring myself to finish the rear axle, fit all new suspension, new brake lines throughout + the servo and master cylinder mod, then of course theres the fuel lines, pump, and accumalator that needs sorting, then obviously theres the engine and all of the cars wiring and interior to do as well. Ive probably forgotten some stuff as well.
Ah well could be worse, i could have no money or space as well………. oh wait!

Halfway through stripping down my engine, I ordered some dash-vent inserts from Crazyquiff.

Popping these into the frayed slots in the dash, and seeing the massive improvement convinced me to keep going.

You can do it, you can do it, you can do it (said the fat controller)

ALi Cab

 :wink:

I must admit to having similar waning enthusiasm during my MK1 build up.

Whenever I'm on the 'net and see a pic of a nice MK1, I right click and save it in my documents - then when I feel the twangs of desperation kicking in, I go and look at some nice pics to remind me that the pile of metal in the garage could someday look like that

Here are a few for your perusal……….hope they do the trick

Mikey1, I know how you feel. I'm sure many a man (or women  :dontknow: ) have felt the same way as you.

My very own project has ben an on/off affare. Each stint has been spurred on by the sight of a MK1. What really inspires me is that I hardly ever see any MK1s on the road. The thought of putting one back on the road better than MR VW intended motivates me. Plus seeing others in search of similar goals such as Carbs4ever and the other true nutters on this forum reminds me that I'm not alone  ops:

A little story; I was driving my brother's MK2 16V (F-reg, monza blue, small bumpers, low stance, single wiper and pretty mint but no other major visible mods). Another MK2 pulled up beside with similar mods. The driver just gave a knowing nod which I returned. Now thats for a MK2, imagine how much more exclusive the MK1 club is  :mrgreen:

I've been in the garage until 3am and in temperatures as low as 4 degrees celcius. I count myself lucky as I know some guys don't have a garage! The hard part is getting out there to start the work.

true…

i think it helps if you get someone round to help out sometimes - they're doin stuff and your doin stuff and the crack is good - my bro is mk1 mad too so he helps out - then dad comes over too and we end up laughin instead a workin!

just enjoy the process. 8)

DAG4R - five years and still counting, that does make me feel a bit better, was starting to think mine would be the longest rebuild ever, mines not quite there yet but i can see it still bein there when it hits the five year mark.
I do like the idea of saving some pics of nice looking MK1s to inspire me occasionally, think i fell in love with that first silver one with the BBS RS alloys on it, (actually have some of those wheels just nowhere near being able to put them on.)
Carbs i should probably tell you that watching your post does inspire me to get on with mine but at the same time depress me ever so slightly because im not sure mine will everbe that good, but thanks tho.

Thanks a lot guys for all the motivating words, im on my way in to work this very minute to see if that fat parstman known as Russ has sorted out my anti roll bar!

I too have hit a downer on the whole resto. Cars sat for 6 months without working on it. Problem is being a sprayer and working on cars all day, can't be hooped working on them at night! I still come on here all the time and it really does give me a boost to go and work on the old girl. Broken ankles at the moment so can't do any work the now.

"One day Jennifer, one day!" …… If you get what film thats from you get a cookie!

i bought a mk1 in 2001 and bought all the parts to do resto, erm its still sitting i the garage ops: . i have another 2 so im mucking about on them and i had a mk1 astra gte for a while , but i know deep down i will complete the car, just dont know when lol.