Mk1 mars red gti

Hey there bought a mars red gti around a year ago and though it was in general good condition the only thing it had an after Market sunroof fitted, finally decided I need to start work restoring it when I got the car I thought it would only need a lower front panel and outer rear arches until I cut the outer arche off a realised the inner had also started to rot    but oh well better to catch it while it's still quite local, I then had a closer inspection and the front panel had started to rot quite bad also so decided it needed a complete front panel I also decided while the front panel was off I would remove the engine and paint the engine bay it turning into a big project, also been offered a roof so replacing the roof skin aswell   I thought I would make a thread to show u my progress will get pics up shortly of my progress so far

can't wait for pics good luck with it ..

When I first got the beast

why did you cut the front panel was it rotten? looked good in 1st photo.
worms, can & open!!

yeh looks good in the photos but rust bubbles and the lower part had been changed about 5 years ago and the back where the engine mount bolts to was very rotten

UPDATE: i cut away the rest of the front panel and found a few things i didnt really want to like rust spots and patches on the inner wing which had been hidden very well heres a few pic of the bay after it had been ground and treated

once the rust curer had dried i then sanded and preper the bay up and etched so it wouldnt rust anymore





once etched i fitted the front panel only got 1 photo of the front panel and that was while it was getting welded

UPDATE: i havent been on in a while due to not having time but have made progressonce the fron panel was on i wanted to get it read for paint anyway few hours and it was prepped and cleaned then it was time to seal it because i wanted it like standard sealer it had to be brushed after many failed attempts i got my boss to do it for me

and the other side

i finally got time a few weeks back now to get it painted  and this is how it came out what do you think?

got loads of other things done eg sanded the master cylinder down and painted it to make it look a little fresher and stripped the engine down and painted the black cause of some surface rust and gave the gearbox a good clean up, i have also painted the wish bones and drive shafts as i think putting old dirts rusty parts back in is pointlessengine hopefully going back in on tuesday

Top job!

Gotta love mars red :wink:

Possibly you could have keep the front panel in and repaired, but you've made a good of the new one anyway

Anymore progress?

Luke-mk1 said

dammit - stop giving me ideas!!!!    

looks sweet mate, keep up the pics and good work!

Cheer done quite a bit more now engine should be back in by the end of the week I had to change the front panel cause the lower had been changed previously and it was completely rotting doesn't look it in pics but you should have seen round the engine mount