Finally got one!

Well after 5 months of searching I picked up a cabby today. Woke up to snow so figured it was meant to be!!

In the end I had to admit to myself that the project I wanted / could manage was more cosmetic with bits I could just bolt on or replace.

Drove it 40 miles back on the motorway and it never missed a beat. Also the reaction of people in other cars really surprised me, everyone seems to love a golf (or maybe it was their reaction to a crazy guy with a huge smile on his face driving an old car!)

Anyway the car doesn't really need much so I plan on driving it for a few months to check everything is good before I look at any big spends.

I need to sort out the usual drivers side bolster rip, the car is lowered but is adjustable so may increase the ride height a little. Wheels are aftermarket but ok. And finally it's running a little rich. So nothing major really. It's just had a service and cambelt so should be good although I will be checking it over properly tomorrow.

Wes


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Congrats fella,
Now the fun begins lol.
You can swap the seat base foams over passenger seat to drivers.
That way the drivers outer bolster becomes the passenger inner if that makes sense.
Plus whilst it's off you can repIr the bolster or get new seat foams.
Take the wires out and get some vanish on the covers and put in the washer…



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Seat swap makes sense but to be honest a mate uses a guy locally to sort out his cars so might just take them there.


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That looks tidy Wes - enjoy it!  

Now where's the fun in that Wes? Lol


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Sewing is not my strong point. To be fair neither is messing with cars!!  
Although today with the help of threads in here I have managed to get the mfd working and sorted out the dash lights.
I have also made a list of other jobs that need doing including:-
Sorting out the reverse lights which are not working
Drivers side window needs to be adjusted (seems to have dropped about 5mm)
I have a new lock set that came with the car that needs to be fit
External window rubbers / scrapers

And I made a list of bit I want to the car
A scuttle panel
A drivers side tilt lever (mine broke yesterday
Some le castellet alloys
Gti badge for the front grille
Pressed number plates (still not sure about these)
Car mats

And that's just to start!!


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Sewing is not my strong point. To be fair neither is messing with cars!!  
Although today with the help of threads in here I have managed to get the mfd working and sorted out the dash lights.
I have also made a list of other jobs that need doing including:-
Sorting out the reverse lights which are not working
Drivers side window needs to be adjusted (seems to have dropped about 5mm)
I have a new lock set that came with the car that needs to be fit
External window rubbers / scrapers

And I made a list of bit I want to the car
A scuttle panel
A drivers side tilt lever (mine broke yesterday
Some le castellet alloys
Gti badge for the front grille
Pressed number plates (still not sure about these)
Car mats

And that's just to start!!!


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Welcome along Wes, car looks solid!

Everyone does love a MK1, be prepared for people coming to try and buy it at petrol stations, that's my favourite part!

Congratulations, welcome to the madness, the list has started and will never end, but you'll love it all the same.

Happiest 2 Days of ownership, the Day you get it, and the day you sell it…..

I only have the First Day Feeling.

Now I did get so happy after 3 weeks of ownership, that I had to do a tear down of the engine to replace the Ruined Crank from the Previous Owners Certified Mechanic, that after a 2 and a half month search, I found one….. Once I got it on the road I was So happy…it tickled the stuff outta me.



Welcome to Cabby-hood.

Thanks guys. Enjoying the ownership so far. Things are going well, need to tackle the reverse lights next. I have the week off though so plan so get stuck in. Hopefully it's something simple like blown bulbs, a fuse or perhaps a switch?


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Or a dodgy earth perhaps, clean the connections as well, they're old cars so they have these little fun jobs from time to time

36thCrazyFist said

Or a dodgy earth perhaps, clean the connections as well, they're old cars so they have these little fun jobs from time to time

Will check the earths but wouldn't that affect the rest of the rear lights?



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Not necessarily, this is an old golf we're talking about here!  

There's an earth spider under the dash that gets corroded, give this a clean and I think there's an earth point in the boot on the passenger side too, have a check of both of these.

But as you say, fuse first, then the bulbs, then the earths then the switch (it's on the gear box I think)

Welcome along mate, looks like a nice one.  

Ian

Easy way to test the switch is take the 2 wires off and join them up, turn ignition on and if the reversing lights work your problem is the switch. Remove the switch and "work the plunger" a few times to see if that frees it up.  Your switch is possibly like this but check as there is a few types out there.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Reversing-light-switch-VW-Type-25-1982-to-1987-Mk1-2-Golf-with-spade-terminal-/371416505909?fits=Model%3AGolf&hash=item567a261e35:g:IJAAAMXQEgpTBNNr

 

borednow said

Not necessarily, this is an old golf we're talking about here!  

There's an earth spider under the dash that gets corroded, give this a clean and I think there's an earth point in the boot on the passenger side too, have a check of both of these.

But as you say, fuse first, then the bulbs, then the earths then the switch (it's on the gear box I think)

Welcome along mate, looks like a nice one.  

Ian

Thanks for the advice Ian. I am a willing amateur with no knowledge (or at least non worth sharing lol)


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mark1gls said

Easy way to test the switch is take the 2 wires off and join them up, turn ignition on and if the reversing lights work your problem is the switch. Remove the switch and "work the plunger" a few times to see if that frees it up.  Your switch is possibly like this but check as there is a few types out there.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Reversing-light-switch-VW-Type-25-1982-to-1987-Mk1-2-Golf-with-spade-terminal-/371416505909?fits=Model%3AGolf&hash=item567a261e35:g:IJAAAMXQEgpTBNNr

 

Great tip thanks

Good to know the switches are cheap enough too.


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We all start somewhere, everything I've learnt has pretty much been from the forum, you'll be regurgitating the knowledge in no time!