Aerial help....... plus a few questions and best place for wheel refurb

Hi all,  got my black sportline on Sunday (will add a topic on that once polished and looking sweet) however a few bits I need help with;


1. the aerial dosent come up and down and looks naff when up. I have found a replacement people recommend (cant remember name but its £65 so a good one) question I have is how do I check its the aerial thats naff and not the way the after market aerial is wired, would all stereos power a powered aerial? Im not very technical!! Also is there a guide on how to swap the aerial out for new as cant get to it from engine bay?

2. Doors, my doors wont stay open and always want to close on me and take my ankles off. Is this normal, I know most modern cars have stays?

3. Any recomendations in the west yorkshire area for getting my BBS RA refurbished. Heard some people mention Tony Bickerstaffe but cant seem to find him details and think the number goes through to a voicemail now!!

Pictures!!!!!  

Oooooo you're a tease aren't ya?

Aerial - You have to remove the plastic inner wing / arch liner to get at the aerial. Jack up the car and stick an axle stand under it. There is some screws along the edge of the wing lip that will need to be undone. There are also 4 10mm bolts that will also need to be undone, these are scattered along the inside edge of the plastic (assuming the arch is the outside). There is also one at the back edge of the liner down low near the cill.

Once they are undone pull down on the inner edge and try to push the outer edge in a bit. You'll need to bend and contort it a bit to get it out.

You'll now be able to get at the bottom of the aerial in the wing. Undo whatevers in there. Now open the bonnet and remove the plastic scuttle cover CAREFULLY and place to one side.
Have a look and see if you can see where the aerial lead goes into the car. If it's original it should be quite high up inside the area that you've just removed the scuttle panel from over on the passenger side.

Inside now and remove the radio.
Tape some string or stiff plastic wire or indeed thick speaker wire to the end of the aerial lead.
Go back to the scuttle area, sand a prayer to the deity of your choice, and pull on the aerial lead gently but firmly. the idea is to get it to snake its way out whilst not losing the piece of wire you've attached to it. A friend would be helpful in case of snag ups to gently pull on the radio end again to help free it up.

Once it's out, install the new aerial in the wing, thread the lead through the bits of car you can by hand and then attach to the bit of wire. Say a longer much more fervent prayer to the deity of your choice and return inside the car and gently pull your bit of wire back in again.

Wire it to the stereo and test. Then reift.
Or alternatively cry, swear and hit things.

Doors - Check strap is on the bottom of the door about a third of the way up the door. It should hold the door but they are big doors and the check straps are old. If there isn't a check strap then the pin could have come out. If it's there it's just old and playing silly beggers.

Hope that helps

Good luck

Ian

Thanks for the reply pal. Got tomorrow off work to do a wash and first stage polish so will get some pics up shortly we all want our cars looking there best lol.

Ok so got you on the aerial and thanks for that

This door check strap thing whats that then. I have a metal door thingy that bends towards bottomr of door and them.the wiring black rubber gromit… am I missing something or is it the metal think you are refering to. Would a new one sort the issue?

Door Check Repair.
https://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/forum/index.php?page=topicview&id=projects%2Fyour-mk1-golfs_2%2F-83-gti-set-to-get-full&start=540#post_1354305

Door Check repair 2
Door Check repair version 2 | Volkswagen Owners Club Forum

Also the door check is held in by 2 10mm bolts to the door itself, and could be loose.

Right Ok pics always help an idiot like me although wont show on link 2! So positive is I have a door check and its not knackard (ripped) like the links lol! Assume its just warn then if it isnt staying open soCan I just swap it for a new one and will sort issue. Do new ones exist?.

I have routed my aerial through so it sits above the knee bar on the interior of the car to clean the look of the front wing. It gets really good reception, I did try a boosted discreet aerial inside the screen but this was a bit naff so went for a full length aerial on the knee bar. I'd put a picture up but hopefully you get the idea.

As as for alloy repairs https://www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk/ are really good. I have seen lots of their work and it's very good. Obviously price will depend on the condition of the wheels. 

Personally wouldn't touch Wheel Specialist - simply due to price, on my Scalas they quoted £175 for each wheel!!!!! £700 total… i went to an independant alloy refurbish co. 

Wheels I can't help you with but Antennas, well that is debatable.

Antennas Powered were operated by the Blue wire out of the back of most non OEM Radios, and that wire is labeled as antenna.  www.cabby-info.com has the OEM Jacks to show you which wire raises the thing.

http://www.cabby-info.com/Files/Radios.pdf

But if you install a non-powered antenna be sure you have a drip stop in the cable, and not a direct straight run from the cabin to the antenna base as water migration into the cabin and on top of the fuse box will occur.