5door GLS

Hey guys and gals.

About a month ago, I stumbled across a brown 5door mk1 GLS for sale on eBay, which was located only 4 miles from my front door.
so I went and had a look and to meet the owner. Nice chap called John niell, he was selling the car following being messed about by a garage and he had just bought a house and needed to funds renovation work….step in me.

I have just had Dave and matt from retro shack round for a chat. Great guys, had a lot of ideas about had to handle the project from now.
Which to be honest has left me feeling very confused.

John who I bought the car off, was building the golf into a track car, but I would like it to be a road car, but I have a bit of a dilemma. As Dave and matt from retro shack pointed out to me there are certain parts and modifications that have been made to prep it for track, mods which will cost a lot to reverse. Which brings me to my dilemma, do I spend money reversing mods and then make the car my own? Do I continue building a track car, which I would probably sell at the end as I have no use for a track car? Or do I break the car, sell the parts and find a nice standard car to start from scratch?

Anyway, here's the spec of the car:
golf 5door gls with full service history
repainted inside and out in metallic brown (but the paint need touching up and the roof needs re doing imo)-petrol filler cap has been smoothed over.
it is part way through an ABF on R1 bike carbs engine conversion (reconditioned head), I have the dub power manifold etc.
the idea was to go hydro clutch, tt shifter (which I have) and I have a obp pedal box(which I prob won't use), I have a Wolfsburg steering wheel, coil overs, fresh painted engine bay in gun metal grey, gti brakes, recaro seats.

thats kind of it, here are some pics of how she currently looks, love to know your thoughts and your opinions of what I should do, as I think I could sell the parts I have and make my money back, and start again.





 

Hello and welcome to mk1 ownership.
What mods and parts have been done to the car and why can't it be a road car?
Where do you put petrol in if the filler hole has been filled in?
 

Hey, it can be a road car but certain bits have been modified to accommodate track parts. For example there has been something cut away from the fire wall where the standard pedals would fit to, so the race box has been fitted (admittedly I can't tell you exactly as dave from retro shack told me). The filler cap has been smoothed over as the previous owner was going to run a fuel cell in the back. So currently there is no fuel tank/fuel system. So I would have to reinstate the original fuel cap, meaning body work. Which I can't really afford to do. 

are you sure you should have bought it then?

just put  fuel cell in and keep the pedal box. or sell as is??

looks great

ijs1985 said

are you sure you should have bought it then?

Not any more to be honest. Trouble is, there are several bits that have clearly been thrown together. Eg there's a pencil instead of a bolt holding the drivers side swing arm on, so I don't really know what has or hasn't been done…. I'm mega confused about what to do with it

stuartcw said

ijs1985 said

are you sure you should have bought it then?

Not any more to be honest. Trouble is, there are several bits that have clearly been thrown together. Eg there's a pencil instead of a bolt holding the drivers side swing arm on, so I don't really know what has or hasn't been done…. I'm mega confused about what to do with it

It looks a solid car and that's the biggest hurdle - Just start cracking on with it yourself and work from front to back making sure everything is done right - obviously removing pencils and adding bolts where required!

You can easily use this as a road car, the pedal box is easily reversible or you could use it as they have intended but still have it road legal.

I've seen plenty of Mk1's filling up with the boot lid open! A spare wheel well fuel cell would be cool!

Don't be disheartened - the colour is absolutely boss and it looks like it'll be mint when it's done.

I think disheartened is the best word to describe how I am feeling about it all to be honest. I'm great at following rough guides, and I have always been one to have a go at something and usually it works out ok. 

But with this project it's hard to see what stage it is at. For example there is no rear engine mount fitted, I have the mount but I can't understand why it isn't on the car when other bits are there that you would think would be fitted after the engine mount. 

I think I need to make a list, like you say start front to back and get it done. Cuz I love the colour. And I can see in my head the final thing. Watch this space!!!!

Could well have just had the engine is a test fit to make sure everything slots in right - sounds like it wants to come out. That'll give you chance to check over all the steering rack mounts and boots too while its out and make sure everything in the engine bay is where it needs to be.

It's a cracking car and you got it at a very reasonable price (I was watching it on ebay!) - I'd definitely say it's worth the time and effort to get it right.

There's plenty of helpful guides and helpful peple on here to get you moving in the right direction. Get it emptied out and get cracking with your list!

Work out what you want from the car when you are finished and go from there, it's never going to be back to how it left the factory but can still be something special.
Might be an idea to work out what you are doing with the engine (keeping it or different engine) and fuel intake (Carb or injection) as the plumbing etc is different.

If you are doing the work your self, take the time you think it's going to take and double it as there is always things that crop up but do it right the 1st time so you don't have to do it twice.

georgeyv said

Could well have just had the engine is a test fit to make sure everything slots in right - sounds like it wants to come out. That'll give you chance to check over all the steering rack mounts and boots too while its out and make sure everything in the engine bay is where it needs to be.

It's a cracking car and you got it at a very reasonable price (I was watching it on ebay!) - I'd definitely say it's worth the time and effort to get it right.

There's plenty of helpful guides and helpful peple on here to get you moving in the right direction. Get it emptied out and get cracking with your list!

I hadn't thought about it that way. Take the engine out and go through the whole process again. I have emptied it out now and the roof as a bit of bubbling which sucks. As what attracted me was the body work was complete. But I will have to get that sorted.

One thing I am a bit daunted by is the hydro clutch conversion with the cable tt shifter. I have the shifter, but what is the best way to do this? Does anyone have any tips? I have searched, but I can't seem to find a definitive guide/how to.

I think I have established I can't afford to pay retro shack the £3-4000 to get it on the road. As you say I got it for a good price (£1300), I want a great car at the end, but I am on a budget.

stuartcw said

I think I have established I can't afford to pay retro shack the £3-4000 to get it on the road.

If you could afford that sort of money I would be selling the one you have and buying one already finished and road worthy…….. you could buy 2 road going Cabriolets and one for the week and one for the weekends!

It is expensive getting someone else to do all the work for you as they need to make money some how.

Agreed, I was shocked at the quote. But I understand it, as they would have to check everything that had been previously done to make sure it was right. So they may as well have done the whole thing from the start, nice guys tho. Had a lot of good advice?

stuartcw said

Agreed, I was shocked at the quote. But I understand it, as they would have to check everything that had been previously done to make sure it was right. So they may as well have done the whole thing from the start, nice guys tho. Had a lot of good advice?

Yeah that's not a bad quote.

I wouldn't worry about the bodywork for now - get it on the road and have a couple of good summers with it first!

Looks like a nice car    the start is always the most daunting part, wondering where to start     just take your time, it'll all become clear.

Best of luck
Matt

Thanks for your words of encouragement guys! When I first stated this thread I will admit I was more on the side of selling it as I felt a bit daunted after speaking to retro shack. But now I'm making a plan, and I'm going to keep it! So my first problem is sorting out fueling without an external fuel filler cap. Has anyone had any experience with spare wheel well fuel cells? Or has anyone used a standard tank and had a custom filler neck made, so the filler cap is located in the boot or otherwise? My concern with these options are petrol fumes in the cabin, as I have a 2.5 year old and I don't want the inside of the car fumed out! Thanks

Can you not just graft the fuel cap back in?

Matt

maybe jjust pit the fuel cap on the back panel ? then relocate the fuel pipe. saves messing the rear quarter up

pazwaa said

Can you not just graft the fuel cap back in?

Matt

I don't really want to get the rear quarter repainted if I can help it, just to save cost.

16vseries1 said

maybe jjust pit the fuel cap on the back panel ? then relocate the fuel pipe. saves messing the rear quarter up

Where abouts do you mean? Do you have any pics? As that sounds interesting!