I have been offered a golf cab....

Hello folks, I have been offered a 1987 mark 1 golf cab gti for sale, it has done 147,000 miles with service history from new and the owner has had it since it was two years old.  It has been garaged all of its life and has a tow bar and origional radio alloys etc.  I have checked around the car and there appears to be hardly any rot on the panels, even the boot floor and scuttle panel are clean, however the rear window frame was a bit of a shock
Are these frames still available? are they difficult to fit?  the drivers seat is worn to. It has no mot or tax and he wants £400,  Is that reasonable?

Many thanks.

I'd bite his hand off. Frames are not that abundant but you can get second hand ones and new are available too.

Can't see much from the pictures though but like I say it's worth the money.

T

Hi,
Crazy Quiffs do a frame, but you would need a new seal as that one is deformed.
Have you any pics if the seats?
Replacing the frame is straight forward enough.
However you would need to prise the old insert out of the rusted frame to glue into the new one.
You can use tiger seal adhesive.
The frame is held in place by 4 hinge bolts at the bottom.
The top section is held in place by 2 webbing straps that pass through 2 slots in top, there are 2 plastic rods that pass through a loop in each webbing end, this expands the material so it cannot pass back through the slot.
The hood material is stapled into this all the way around.
More than likely the material may split or tear if your not carefull on an old hood.
If the seats are stained also it could be a leaky roof.
So weigh up your options.
A hood instal can be done yourself.

The seat foam bases are available and are round £75.00 each.
Look in the stickies section at the bottom of the forums. I have done a seat refurb guide on there with pictures.
Or search seat refurb & put author as chortle.

As far as price is concerned bid him on it see if you can get it for less.
You can soon run away with your wallet once you get stuck
In.

I have some pictures of the seats -  
The hood was replaced Fifteen years ago.

Yep looks like leaky hood, seriously stained and if that's 15 years ago oopps.
The tops only have a generic 5 year life longer if it's been treated with proper aftercare products.
A new hood hood vynil £170.00 or less depending on source.
Frame £160.00 check on CQ's website.
If you want to do the proper job and redo the lot then you will need a top pad kit £150.00
Headlier £150.00ish.
Consider things though, if you just put a new top on for monies sake, you cannot retrofit the headliner or centre section once the new top is on as the fixings are underneath the hood so that would need removing again.
All sounds pricey etc, but at least if your keeping it you won't need to touch it again.
Could be a bargaining tool.

Looks like it just needs a clean and some tlc. If it hasn't moved in years it might just mean that the roof seals need replacing, that's all.

As to the price, I think £400 is very reasonable so I wouldn't try and mug him too hard. I mean, have a heart.

T

Well if you buy it and take it out of the garage and the 15 year old roof happens to leak. At least you have some knowledge. If it doesn't then that's a bonus.
You still got the potential probs of the hood deterioration and the rear frame replacement.
So let's hope that the top is in okay condition.
Sometimes changing the seals won't cure a leaky roof, especially if it's gone porous.
Have you more pics if the top?

Okay link to seat refurb.

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=59405

you could look out for a passener seat base to take the foam off and cover as the side bit on the drivers gets rubbed as you get in, so that bit would be the inner of a passenger one the foam bases and covers are identical.

The problem of doing that is your putting old foam that deteriorates back in, so I did  not want to do the job twice so I bought 2 new ones.

Or strip it and take it to your local trimmer to repair the hole, idealy replacing that piece of material as it will have strectched beyond any use.

I have heard of people taking the covers off and putting them in the washing machine, I would suggest using some pre treatment stuff, like vanish etc on them too.

Typical splitting of the brittle hood material around the window frame on an old hood

If you do buy it would you consider selling the towbar, I want one to put my bike rack on? If you don't buy it, I may well be interested in the complete car.

Could be a steady project car if the body and engine is sound.

i did a hood replacement on mine, i tried the seals and everything else i could think of, it turned that my hood had gone porus, the change was pretty straight forward and with the great advice from carl (chortle the cabby god) i got it done, I think 400 quid is a bargain and a new roof is easy to get hold of, any more pics of the car in full bud?

good luck with it

chris
chris

the guys who have already posted are a lot more experienced than me and everything they have said is 100%. I would make sure sure its mechanically sound and youve got yourself a bargain at £400

Got some more pictures for you - (sorry I am not a good photographer)

to be fair, it looks like a solid little motor, my advice, if it feels right go for it, theres plenty of help available on here if you need it, make sure it runs ok and the mechanicals are ok and you shoud be on for a bargain, i paid 1250 for mine and found out it had a leaky roof afterwards, i think ive put about 500 in mine buti dont regret any of it, the car is a great drive and always bring a grin to my face, bear iun mind its an old motor and will prob want a bit of tlc but what ou get back in return is priceless (but your credit card could take a hit or two lol)

chris

seems a good buy, if you don't have it let us (me) know the whereabouts,

cheers

chris

Well, my Dad and I are going to have another look at the weekend, my dad is moaning about the milage (he is part financing the restoration) though, but aside from that, it looks very likekly that we will end up with it, woot!   I won't be lowering it or fidiling with the engine though, I want to keep it origional as much as possible.

i am going to have a vinyl hood on frame avaliable for sale soon, the hood is shot but the rear window and seal are good, also got 2 x white inner headliners and a near perfect mohair outer skin if you are interested in any of them, will prob put some pics up later in the week

Cheers

Rich

Looks okay for the coin.
The hood is splitting along the sides above the door windows.
More or less where the side tension cables are.
This will get worse over time.
If it was me doing this I would put a new hood on it.
Plus what else needs doing, that way you know it's good for another 15 years.
Keep us updated with the progress.