My Lhasa Gti progress

Hi guys

The cars been off the road for about 6 weeks now, i decided it'd be a great idea to strip the seats out of the back of the car get rid of carpet etc, i did this and then went for a rip, during said 'rip' i buggered the clutch. A friend had a go at changing the release bearing etc to no joy, so it seems its a new clutch, which is going on this coming week, hopefully.

Anyway, whilst its been off the road, i sold the RX2's off of it and i have been staying home playing call of duty, thus causing me to save money So i've spent money in turn

I got myself a new drivers side armrest because for some very random reason my current 1 is a plastic 1 (which i never noticed haha!)

cost me ?8



My wheels are sat in the sun lounge, ive started to strip them of paint tonight (well just the 1 as it was worse than the others and needed a build up on 1 edge) The rest will be stripped of their paint tomorrow by my nephew, saturday im going to prime them ready for an 'Atlas grey' finish. The centres are staying polished, just because i really didnt expect them to look so well underneath all that paint!

Here they/it are/is:







The lip hasnt turned out too bad really:



I've also bought myself an upgraded headlight loom as the standard headlights on the Mk1 aren't upto scratch really, for the money i paid for this loom im WELL impressed with the quality of the product, spot on it is:



So the cars going to get the clutch fitted like i said hopefully next week, gonna have a service done on it too as the engine has been run in for a good 1200 miles now, it started feeling MUCH chirpier before i broke it.

I have more toys on the way in the form of coilovers, new Top mounts and some T1R rubber.

Then next on the list is a 4 branch manifold and a nice stainless exhaust, im still undecided on an exhaust tbh, i fancy a Group N OMP number as these look pretty tidy but they sound the fecking nuts xD I'm after myself a new set of door pockets, these have a tendancy to break away at the screw lugs and mine have done just that, probably pick some up at 1 of the upcoming shows. I'm going to be getting a new duckbill as i lost half of mine    spirited driving ftw! then i'll be tidying the bodywork up here and there and having the whole thing undersealed ready for next winter

Thanks for looking

I like these wheels (Clio?) Think they really suit MK1's when I've seen them before.

Hairyarse said

I like these wheels (Clio?) Think they really suit MK1's when I've seen them before.

yup thats right they're Clio wheels. They do look really well when in good condition. They're not far off now, just need t find centre caps for them… eek!


Thanks

Here's some http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270223975414&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017

Unfortunately you'll have to buy another MK1 to get them!  :cry:  Looks good though!

Hairyarse said

Here's some http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270223975414&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017

Unfortunately you'll have to buy another MK1 to get them!  :cry:  Looks good though!

lol, i wouldnt have minded, think the old man would have thoguh  

I've finished the wheels now, STILL looking for centre caps though which is a bummer, im sure some will come up, its just that patience thing.





got some T1R's to go on them this week and the coilovers fitted next saturday hopefully. Turns out my box was knackered and not the clutch, so thats currently being rebuilt!

Do Renault dealers not do the caps any more then? :dontknow:

Hairyarse said

Do Renault dealers not do the caps any more then? :dontknow:

no they dont matey, i tried them not so long ago! I've sourced some now, they should be here next week, hoping for monday as i'm dying without caps!

A bit of progress has been made, Got my wheels on now, also have my coilovers on, front end is poly'd and have brand spanking Febi top mounts on. Also spent a fair few hours (7 to be precise) getting the paint, or at least trying to get the paint to a standard which i deemed acceptable, with the help from a good friend the finished product looks like this:

Saturday was spent getting the car ready for the VAG 2008 show. I didn't do everything i could just sorted the paint out and blacked everything inside and out, seats were out, carpet was vacced and the seats were vacced also. We were working round people whilst they where fitting the coilovers.

Started by rinsing the car then soaking it in suds the rinsing it and washing it using the two bucket method and Chemicals Guys Maxi Suds. Then clayed the car which removed quite a lot of crap as you can see here.



All the plastics were then taped up, took ages, the joy of old cars.



I then inspected the paintwork. There were a lot of surface swirl marks to be removed but also a lot of marks underneath the clearcoat that unfortunately can't be removed Anyway I tried some Sonus SFX 3 final finish polish which wasn't quite enough so moved to Sonus SFX 2 Enhance polish on a SFX 2 polishing pad. That removed all of the surface marks. It will never be perfect though without a full rub down and respray. After the polish I went round the car with Dodo Juice Lime Prime to get the paint ready for waxing. A layer of Dodo Juice Rainforest Rub wax was added. Its a green colour charged carnuba wax that leaves a really deep wet finish to the paint and smells so good you want to eat it.

Heres some finished pictures.

Couple of reflection pics




All ready




Very pleased with how it turned out. Gutted nothing could be done about the bad paint prep though. Still its a good excuse for a full respray


You can see in the pics the wheels are on, without the caps unfortunately, i'll be having a portfolio of the car built up once the caps are on and my new exhaust is sorted, bit strapped for cash at the moment really!

Future plans are a stainless manifold and a high lift cam, then juat going to have her resprayed and get that aerial relocated  

Thanks for looking

love it - well done there mate

looking really good matey!

DyslexicDwarf said

Hairyarse said

Here's some http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270223975414&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017

Unfortunately you'll have to buy another MK1 to get them!  :cry:  Looks good though!

lol, i wouldnt have minded, think the old man would have thoguh  

I've finished the wheels now, STILL looking for centre caps though which is a bummer, im sure some will come up, its just that patience thing.





got some T1R's to go on them this week and the coilovers fitted next saturday hopefully. Turns out my box was knackered and not the clutch, so thats currently being rebuilt!

What paint did you use for this?? did you primer them first and laquer them afterwards?

bruce

That looks stunning mate! You must be fussy coz I reckon that paint finish is one to be proud of 8)  :mrgreen:

brucieboy said

What paint did you use for this?? did you primer them first and laquer them afterwards?

bruce

I used, believe it or not, Hellfrauds/Halfords own! It took me 2 tins of normal pimer, 2 tins of high build Hammerite primer, 3 tins of paint and 2 tough guard lacquer. The colour is Graphite grey, a F**d colour, so maybe my car wil start breaking more  

Hairyarse said

That looks stunning mate! You must be fussy coz I reckon that paint finish is one to be proud of 8)  :mrgreen:

Why thankyou I got to admit i do have a bit of an OCD, as does my mate Dan who playe d abig part in the detailing. I am DEFINITLY having it sprayed, i mean the pics look great and the car looks brill under certain lights but as soon as the sun hits it at a dodgy angle well, i get annoyed.  

Quick, minimal update. Today on my lunch i replaced these:




With these:




Trying to keep that grey/dark theme going on without overdoing it



And yes PC Awkward they reflect Orange



Next is the chin spolier and new brakes, getting some funky noises from the front of the car and i'm sure it's down to brakes, plus other people have said so too.

Some more bits and bobs have arrived, Poly front engine mount and new Linkage kit, will all be going on over the BH weekend My centre caps should be at my old mans work by now aswell, if they aren't then they'll be returning to sender because nobody will be there to pick them up till the 24th, bit worried really!



My new key too