My mk1 resto

Just spent an hour digesting a truly amazing feat.

I'm sure many have attempted bits of what Carbs has done and will really appreciate the actual effort gone into producing something of this high standard.

I myself am attempting something similar (but cannot hope to attain the amazing heights that Carbs has attained). Having recently properly started doing work on my project I really understand what level effort is required. So when I say, "Hats off to you", I mean it. I am pretty anal about the details and getting things clean- it is so good to see there are others out there going the extra mile and with some ingenuity.

I am so glad I didn?t start reading this thread when you first posted. It would have done my head in waiting for the next installment. Right now, I can?t wait to see the remaining bits being put in and the finished article?. Yes, its doing my head in.  

There are only 2 things I would change (very personal preference); the wheels (just not too sure about them at the moment) and the rear drums. I could understand keeping drums if the idea was to keep the car original. Surely with the new monster engine discs at the back would be good? Out of curiosity, what was the reason behind keeping drums? (I know that only a small portion of the actual braking is done from the rear).

Anyway, I shall follow your progress as I have already picked up tips from your work and I?m sure there will be more.

Thank you.

Thanks for the kind words!

Didn't go for disk on the back as.. well.. imo there isn't a massive benefit to them. But i appreciate that they would look good.. maybe down the line i will fit them… but shiney black drums will have to do for now!

The wheels took a while to choose - basically i didn't want the wheels dominating the car - so i went for something that wasn't too dramatic but when viewed in totality you would take the whole car in rather than focusing only on the wheels…. or some other part… iykwim… dishes edges were a must to tone in the with the other chrome shiney bits… and din't go for wider on the back as thats imo only for rear wheel drive cars..


its early…

Remembered how slow the mk1 wipers were on my car and thought now would be a good time to check them out ? so stripped the mech down and gave the motor to me da so he could take it to work and get it checked ? guys said it was fine and they cleaned the armature (not to be confused with armchair) lol



So you can see a nice clean armature ? this is what the brushes run on ? smoother and cleaner the better ? less wear and more contact? will see if it works..


Then gave the spindles a good clean and lube and painted the assemble and put it back together.



Then mounted in place along with a nice clean heater fan cover and a cleaned up heater



Also installed the first earth wire!!!!!!! Can you spot it! And some new sound deadening ? bit like dynamat only thinner and cheaper and easy to work with ? from Car Builder Solutions ? check them out loads of bits and decent dosh




Couldn?t resist these when they came up at LMR so had to have em ? along with a few other bits ? have a wee pile of bits to get the treatment ? but waiting to get alternator before (need fan and pulley) before sending them off.





Next week its engine build time so plenty of pics will be taken ? maybe even a ?how to?.

Cheers for looking.

Looking good but what the hell is that table cloth (or whatever it is) about!? Made my eyes go funny 8O :wink:

yes bit mad - just a rag!

Sneaked into the shed last night and bolted a few parts on and used my new polishing kit on the oil cooler - came up trumps with very little effort - ok its a very small part - but it came up well.

Waitin on a mechanic mate to come over and drop the pistons and crank in - i havn't done that before so will let someone who has do it - as its a pretty important part of the car! But i couldn't resist fitting the water pump etc easy enough…

got a reducer machined for the breather to reduce it down to a sensible size for the catch tank




Got this vernier from the USA - got stung with import duty! still worked out cheaper than piper or kent etc but only just - i didn't get tax'd on the water outlet - strange??
alloy with arp bolts!


tonight im recovering the wiring loom which runs behind the dash - its a bit of a mess of mushy tape etc…

Coolio carbs  8)

What's going on with the studs on the water pump?

there to hold the power steering pump bracket on, something not many mk1 owners come across!

it also doubles as an altenator bracket!

Carbs how much duty did you pay on the pulley from autotech, I was on their site the other day for some engine parts for my car but wasn't sure how much the import duty would be??Been watching your build from the start, top quality..

not sure how they work it out - it was ?25 for the pulley...

Didn't get much done today - was helpin my brother…

but i did manage to dig out the back bench and strip it of its material - to get it re-covered.

I also screwed on the back lights - they were a real find - my bro was at a car show and this guy had a stall with all sorts of stuff but he had these brand new hella small lights - and all he wanted was a?10 - baragain or what - havin sprank new ones really sharpens things - the reversing light bits are really sharp!

well pleased with the way they look…

Tidy  8O

Been workin on engine - well friend has been - but i have been gettin all ready etc and lendin a spanner or two….

New bearings installed.



New pistons on the rods and new shells ready for wee end



Crank in/pistons/rods etc all torqued up!



New pistons - bores were smeared with graphite paste prior to droppin in pistons


anyone know what the correct piston protrusion is?

Then we started on head - engineer said valves were lapped in - mate wanted to be sure so he lapped them in with the sucker (no not me) and some paste (thanks Jonathan) didn't need much work but better safe than sorry.



won't get back to it this week - so more updates in a week or two.. next up is springs and collets and cams!

Thanks for lookin.

The engine looks great, makes me want to go and whip my GTI engine out and strip it down

I was thinking of running a catch tank instead of the oil breather back into the inducation system. But, I was just going to use duct tape and a 2 litre lemonade bottle!

got the valves put in last night.



simple enough - seals first, then valves slid in,  then springs / caps, then collets.

Mate done one side then i did the other - satisfyin work.

port work looks the job too - you can see the that the gasses will have an easier time - i compared it to my other spare unported one - big difference.

exhaust


inlet


bit of wiring tomorrow…

thats some lovely portin m8, inspirational!

mate am well impressed i love this thred makes me want to get my mk1 done now mite just end up stipping it dwn like u did!!!!!! say it again great thred...

Made a bit of a start on the wiring ? painted the top bit of the bulkhead where the dash sits so you don?t see body colour behind the dash.




Last Thursday we got back at the engine ? got the tappets and cams installed



ABF  steel head gasket



Then time to get the head bolted to the block ? new bolts of course as they?re stretch bolts and can?t be reused ? also oil then so you don?t get false torque from friction in the threads.

 
Haven?t gave the rocker cover a final polish ? will do soon!

Then on with the cam vernier ? the fastners only get torque to 90?lbs it says - which is very little? we were tempted to tighten a little more ? but we decided not to.



Also cleaned and polished up that side of the head.

Then the oil pump and gear for intermediate shaft relay and little bung cover ? use a new O ring seal as the old one will be dead flat. And don?t forget windage tray.



Hung the 4 branch on just to see how its shaping up!


And my chrome work arrived on Thursday too! (didn?t go mad with it) - Just a wee taster?.



So there ya go ? more next week?