New owner

Hi. I am new to Mk 1 Golfs but a Golf enthusiast generally having owned two Mk 2 GTIs, a Mk4 R32, a Mk 6 GTI and now a Mk7 R. I have now acquired via an auction site a lovely 1988 Mk1 GTI Cabriolet.

My first test run and examination by a VW specialist local garage have thrown up some problems that I am sure most of you on this site are familiar with. I would like to get the car running and looking as good as possible whilst keeping to its original spec as far as possible. So can I ask for help with three items at the outset:

• - is it advisable or indeed worthwhile upgrading the rear drum brakes to discs?
• - is it worth a full flush of the cooling system and replacing with a non water based coolant?
• - the boot and OSF wing have some corrosion showing - can anyone recommend a firm that would examine and rectify this. I'm not looking for a full respray. Somewhere local to Woking, Surrey would be good.

Thanks.

my tuppence worth;

For a standard engined car not worth upgrading rear brakes. The fronts do the vast majority of the work (same as most FWD cars). You are not trying to stop a 2tonne 250hp SUV. Make sure what you have got is serviced and working well, calipers/rear cylinders not seized, disks, pads and shoes in good condition and bled with fresh fluid. Even then they can feel a bit 'wooden' compared to your modern daily driver but no one complained back in the day.

I'd flush out and replace with old school blue AF every 3 years

Can't help on the bodywork

Welcome Acegas,

I agree with Early-1800, no point changing to rear disc a lot of work/cost for little gain in performance, most of the time it's just for show if you have fancy wheels.

Change the brake fluid (then every 3 years) and fit some braided brake hoses to replace the rubber ones.

The rear drums do need to be properly adjusted as the automatic adjuster does not always work at its best, some new springs and cleaning up the shoes can help or pointy screw driver in the bolt hole to adjust the wedge can help (google/search on here about adjusting the rear drums as lots of threads about it)

I've been using blue antifreeze and changing it every couple of years since I got my car 20 years ago and no problems so far.

What I have learned from a lifetime of acquiring New-To-Me-Used-Cars.

Never Trust the brakes until you have gone through the systems, that is first bleed them if the fluid is yucky black, that means a couple of things, that the Rubber bits are worn and combining with the fluid Continue bleeding the system till fluid from all lines runs clear.

If the Ports don't bleed, then remove the bleeders and make sure that they are opened, and not clogged…Cover all the bleeders with PTFE (telon tape) they will never rust bind on you in the future, just oke a hole in the end where the bleeder port it.

I always remove the rear drums, and Look for leaks, I even on the mk1's go so far as to do the following.

Replace both rear wheel cylinders.  Change the Rear hoses that connect the hardlines to the axle, specially if they are cracked or show signs of ballooning.

Replace the rear wheel bearings and Drums (Drums can be checked by holding then through the center with a rope and a stick Tie the rope around a stick and insert the rope through the axle hole and tap with a hammer it should ring clear…if it thunks then it is Cracked and bad.
Similarily if you drop the drum on a concrete  surface it should ring, and not thunk….

Replace the rear wheel bearings, and run new rear Brake cables because you don't know if yours are working or if they break after you re-assemble everything it kind of takes the wind out of your sails…. Once re-buttoned up and bleed, you can be safe and assured that you won't have any issues at the rear for a few years.

For the Fronts I remove the Calipers, and rubber brake lines, then replace the lines, and with a Caliper rebuild kit I rebuild them (brake hone is needed to get the Caliper to have smooth movement)

Bleed them again (all the lines)…You will now find that a mooshy pedal will firm up.  I have also found that a Stock engine, the rear brake drums and front calipers will work fine….  About 3-4 hours to do all the brakes the first time, new shoe, and pads, drum's and Rotors..
Yes it is about 100 bucks USD but money well spent as you don't want to meet a new friend by Accident.

Cooling system.
Flush and Back flush the entire system until your coolant is clear and free of rust or crud. (you have to remove the t-stat, so you might as well get a new one and seal (test the new one in boiling water to verify that it opens at the proper temp).  If you have a Plastic T-stat cover buy a new one as well.  Leave the t-stat out when flushing just button up the cover to the housing (it doesn't have to seal good as you are flushing it.  You can also buy a can of engine flush and run it in the car for a ay or so prior, and make sure that you have the heater vent to full hot so it can circulate in the heater matrix…  I have a how-do-I-do-that in the archive section on my Cabriolet if you don't ave power steering well you can skip those steps.

Over the years I have only used the Green Prestone stuff that they originally used, (each country and area have specifics so follow local laws).  I also remove the Butt-to-butt hose connector on the lower heater hose to the by-pass line and replace it with a Brass Barbed connector, as that plastic hose connector has blown out on me while I was driving once, and well metal is forever where plastic isn't.  

If you have a 90's Cabriolet Digifant, then I strongly urge you to replace the front flange with one out of an older mk1 that doesn't have an oil cooler Metal one, you can use the CTS sensor out of a 16V and the black banded oil/water temp sender… Works great lasts a very long time and unlike plastic won't break and leak at the ears on you.  Yes I have a how do I do that in the Archive section as it is titled I hate plastic parts or here:
http://cabby-info.com/Files/DigifantHoseFlangeSwap.pdf

If you ever have to buy a new heater valve may I suggest the Porsche 944 non-Vacuum one as a good replacement easier movement for your controls, and it is like the Older Golfs bladed shutoff.

Once you have done this your car will run a tad cooler and you can be certain of those parts.  (ATTENTION)
when replacing the Bolts that hold the flanges to the head or t-stat cover,,, USE NEVER-SEIZE on the bolts yall call it copper grease Differential metallic corrosion, will occur from the steel bolt in to aluminum and cause it to weaken, and you either will break the head off in the future…Omly use a 10mm 6pt socket and a Torque wrench going back as you can strip aluminum parts if you didn't hand start the bolt or over torque them…I have a 1/4 inch drive Inch Pound Torque wrench that I use to set the torque to 87 inch lbs, as if you do it with your elbow you can strip them very very easily…

As for the Body Rust, well new metal and a welder is in your future…..Or 37 pounds of Bondo and or fibreglass.   .

Hope this helps, and all my how to links are in my signature line, and there are a ton of them in there broken down by category.

my two pence.