My Mk1 Project - Goldie!

Thought i'd start a restoration thread as bought a 1983 1500GL 5dr for a wee project……..but I think i may have bitten off a little more than i can chew!!! But going to batter ahead anyway!

Here she is just after a wash after sitting under a tree at the previous owners lockup for the last 10months.



I started tonight and thought i'd post up the little bit of progress and ask for advice!

Jacked the car up to inspect what i thought was just going to be a patch for the sill but the rust just kept falling and it turned into a bit of a mess!











As you can see i've cut away a section at the rear of the sill and you can see the mess behind it.

Now I'm not entirely sure where to go from here. i will need to cut more of the sill away to get to the metal behind so will need a replacement sill, but now sure what the panels underneath are called and if i can just repair it?

Any help would be muchos appreciated, it's the first time i have tackled anything like this but the car only cost 100 quid so even if i just get alot of experience and have to scrap the car after i'll not be much out of pocket!

Cheers

Danny

if you drop the rear axle of you'll be able to get at it allot better!  

you can get the rear axle  mount chassis rail repair sections same as the sills

not got any pictures to add but have done a bit, dropped the rear beam and almost finished refurbishing it along with the rear brakes, (just need to put it all back together), made new brake lines etc etc. also managed to buy an 1800 gti engine c/w polished and ported head and gear box with drive shafts, haven't picked it up yet but will do in a couple of weeks. Also sourced some clocks, brand new front bumper, front grill and full set of polly bushes and other bits and pieces.

Haven't tackled the rusty sills as it's too bloody cold! but have been buying lots of tools and the likes to help with that including a compressor, metal shears, a joggler etc etc, roll on the spring/summer!

Next month i'm hoping to order up a set of springs and dampers and some new wishbones, maybe source a subframe as it looks a bit thin in places! i'll wait till the engines out to have a proper look.

Cheers

Danny

Keep up the good work :wink:

Im lucky mine is solid, only 1 bit off wealding needed for that last MOT, just under the n/s/f lower arm on the rear bush. Only bit shes had.

Did get it off a guy who owned it for 12 years since he was 16

Pic of her then


Then to this with 60mm drop


then engine out to make room for 16v


while its out, new front pannel, battery tray and soon engine bay repaint


Thats how she is now, should be back on friday

Gotta love the GL's I have kids so just the job for me

Do like mk1's in gold tho

Tucker

I would love one in black, swap?? lol!!

Yours looks like a bigger job than mine tbh, front end canny be that easy?!

Heres some pics of my progress, not very exciting but took me ages to do(aye the beam not the pictures!!

Also realized my phone takes absolutely mince photo's!







And this is my shed/workshop, a touch full i think you'll agree!!



I'm taking holidays next week so will try to do something about the rust on the sills if the weathers good, if not i'll just fire the beam on anyway and start on the insdie, seem welding, clocks, dash etc etc. need to get the beam out the shed as it's taking up far to much room!!    
Haven't got any shocks/springs let as cash is rather tight, but have some 1.5" tubing so will fab some 'struts' so i can get the car on all 4's.

Cheers

Danny

Good work there! currently tackling the same rear axle/mounting areas on mine

if I were you, better to do the axle mounting now before it gets worse! as long as the inner panel (6mm ish thick steel with the bolts in) is good, it'll be an easy job going by other people's experience..   mine isn't good under the outer panel area so have to cut the whole lot out

think this is the hardest repair to do really due to access issues and the amount of stuff that needs to come off

TBH i would love to do it just now, but it's just a mare with the weather etc. i have taken most of the rust off with the wire wheel and painted the areas with some zinc primer, just to stop it getting any worse! Really wish i had a bloody garage. Hopefully sending the plans for a garage etc to the builders this week!! whoohoo!!

come on be a man  :wink: I don't have a garage or a driveway  :cry: I'm working on gravel

but seriously… know how you feel and at least you've stopped it getting any worse :wink:

Be doing a bit on the golf thought i'd post it up.

Made up some temp struts and got the rear beam on, and car back on to the wheels.

Put the grill, indicators and bumper on to see what like:



The wheels well was a bit rotten where it meets the rear valance (as usual!) so i cut the whole thing out as i'll not be using it and filled the holes and gaps etc:











Still need to finish the welding it then jack the rear up and start removing all the underseal on the rear arches and tidy up the bottom of the wheel well.

Cheers

Danny

Also forgot to add, my neighbour came over while i was working on the golf and asked if i wanted a set of alloys for the golf, obviously i said yes and he took me round the back of his shed and pulled out a set of P-slots complete with center caps and good tyres and said i could have them for free!! what a bonus!

Updating my thread here if anyone is interested!

My Mk1 Golf Track(ish!) Project

Just checked other thread of urs, likin the progress

You did a nice job plating up the spare wheel well, no reason  why you cant have a go on the rear beam mounts when you've got some time.

Good luck with it.

Pete

Cheers mate, aye rear mounts should be easy enough but the sills can be a mare to line up, so i've read.
Altho with some snow forecast for this weekend it'll have to wait a bit longer!

Cheers

Danny