Greetings from Bath

Hello everyone

living the dream, I decided to ditch my perfectly reliable, fast, comfortable, solid Seat Ibiza PD last month. Why? I was bored (bored with 170bhp and 296lb/ft eh?) with it. Plus I barely travel at the moment so could justify the purchase of a car i've wanted for years!  

He's an '83 1.3 driver in white. I bought it from a guy who is/was on here, I believe he went to last years meeting so some may recognise it when I get the pictures up.

What better way to spend the extra cash than on something 20 years older?!  :roll:

It's in mechanically sound condition but the bodywork had some surface rust going on, and a couple of rot sections setting in. so i've picked away at it and done some seriously 'rat look' temporary repairs to hold it back in preparation for the respray. Think HAMMERITE. It's pretty crude (i'm no magician with a paintbrush) but he's going in NEXT WEDS for a strip/underside seal/weld session/respray in a garage i found just out of bristol. competitive rates, I'm impressed so far!

Also either someone stole, or the car has released, one of the side strips. which is confusing. And i badly need a new radiator fan, as when the current one comes up to speed, it sounds like it's about to fly off. much to the alarm of the people at the traffic lights. working on that.

Already bought is a replacement rear panel (that's where the worst rot was, just behind the registration/up into the reg lights!) and i'm currently working on chroming him up a bit. Looking for a single light chrome grille if someone can help? Long term I'd love to find someone to help me strip/rebuild the engine bay as i'd love to get it looking as mint as possible, while still being a daily driver!

That's enough jargon, I'll go and take some pics. get ready for a hammerite cringe fest!

Hi and welcome to the site and the club

Get them picks up soon, cant beat a good lick of Hammerite

Hi Bud, welcome !

Are you going to have the car on 2nd May? I have arranged a Bristol meet, probably at Cribbs causeway if not maybe longweel green off the ring road, and then if the Gloucester lot are meeting we were gona pop up motorway and join them, be great for you to come along.

Also what garage have you put ya car into?

richyhill said

Hi Bud, welcome !

Are you going to have the car on 2nd May? I have arranged a Bristol meet, probably at Cribbs causeway if not maybe longweel green off the ring road, and then if the Gloucester lot are meeting we were gona pop up motorway and join them, be great for you to come along.

Also what garage have you put ya car into?

Hi mate!

unfortunately I can't make the meet, the car's going in on weds and they're estimating a week… ALSO i'm going to be in my old hometown of padstow on the 1st (mayday) getting totally spangled so driving on sunday is totally out of the question count me in for future ones though!

The garage i'm using is called Central Park Bodyshop, to the south. He's a BMW specialist but I was put in touch by a Camper/beetle specialist in the area and he seems VERY keen to do it. I was amazed when he said he would strip/ seal the underside for the budget i gave him! I think it's just changed owners so maybe he's out to get a good reputation? He said i'd be allowed to hang around if i get the chance, take some pics etc. seems very nice and helpful!

Pics uploading now.

Ok here goes! paint fans/perfectionists look away now

sitting pretty


from the front - i prefer the single light chrome grilles i think?


hammerite goodness


MORE hammerite goodness (shameless primer overlap just visible)


joyous door work here. Glad this is only til next week!! :redfaced:


the piece de resistance - 'de-rotted', de-rusted and hammerite-d to within an inch of it's life - silicone sealed in the lights too to be semi sure  :wink:


yes that is a bit of rot going through the spare wheel tray - that'll be sorted!


the tools of my bodging trade:


Can't wait to get him sorted next week!!

yours is looking better than mine mate! lol.

welcome to the site!

nice work with the hammerite

do you have the number for that bloke? mine needs a bit… (lot) of work and im looking for quotes lol, he might become bristols one stop shop for mk1 body an spray work soon

mixerman said

yours is looking better than mine mate! lol.

welcome to the site!

nice work with the hammerite

do you have the number for that bloke? mine needs a bit… (lot) of work and im looking for quotes lol, he might become bristols one stop shop for mk1 body an spray work soon

thanks mate!

agreed on the hammerite, the more i look at the streaky finish, the sagging, the 'tacky' finish, beautiful.

the guy who i saw is called dave (who isn't?!) and i'll pm you his number, dunno if you want to let me go as a guinea pig first or take the plunge!!

haha i havnt got the money yet, buying a new engine next month so thats where all my moneys goin first lol.

i could probably do most of it myself but i just hate prep work and it all goes down hill lol…

sound for that, ill give him a bell and take my car to him for a quoyte for future reference, or a loan lol..

I quite enjoyed the prep work on mine - could have used a grinder for the rust removal part though! quite rewarding, sore arm aside. ZERO welding experience and a lack of garage held me back - otherwise i'd defo give it a crack!!

so when you call Central Garage make sure you mention all this forum eh - must be good for the business!

hi welcome to the club

yeah defo mate. i got a garage but everything's everywhere lol, all my tools, old bikes, carbs, my drum kit. its only there to put the door up when its raining so i can work on the engine bay lol…

i would rather hand it to a garage any way, there qualified and if they do it wrong you can shout at them

oh and with the welding i was always told. "you never need to be good at welding, you just gotta be good at grinding" lol.

let me know what price he quotes you too if you haven't got it already lol, i would love a ball park figure to start aiming for lol.

just popped into the garage to check on the car today - managed to forget to pick up the badges (oops)

he's been totally stripped on the top, pending primer, and the underneath stripping/sealing begins tomorrow. i have supplied the following:

chrome strips
single light chrome grill
new radiator fan (needed!)
new trim clips (couldn't hack losing a slice of chrome trim!)

so he should come out looking (and sounding) PRETTY SWEET!

can't wait to get him back, hopefully next week sometime. i took a pic of him today but my phone has kindly deleted it. sweet!

cool cool, sounds like its coming along

im starting mine proper this weekend too i need it done for june 11th…

hope its done soon, then we can see the bease in the flesh. ring your garage and tell em the whole mk1 oc is watching them

Welcome to the site.  Sounds like you've got some decent plans for her!  Another white one in the Bristol area - awesome!

What garage is the motor in?

hi, I got my y reg gti cabby in dec, can you let me know how the work go's as i'm based in bristol and could do with sorting mone out.
however engine is first priority

cheers

hi welcome aboard

Popped in yesterday to check the colour - he's sprayed the sills in the original 'alpine white', and wanted me to see before continuing as it's not quite WHITE.

I love it, slightly off, not quite cream but very original, as i want it to look. I found the photos and will add them later. the excitement mounts, should be ready by the end of next week i would hope!!

He did mention this new ford colour which is very white, but i prefer to keep it the original colour, keep it vag and all that!

still waiting on the single light chrome grille to arrive!!

Just got back from picking him up - very impressed!

the new paintjob is tidy - love the colour, very original! the underside and lower sills have been sandblasted so happy as larry.

will get some pics when the rain stops which brings me on to my next point!!

He had to dispose of the interior door seals - and said he couldnt supply new ones!! so it's currently UNSEALED around the doors!

I know they are available but i'm confused by the options that big boys toys are throwing at me, the diagram isn't making perfect sense to me so some help would be appreciated!

http://www.vwheritage.com/bbt/Body/Standard/Door-Window-Seals/?templateID=bbt

which numbers do i buy? some pics would probaby benefit?

haha i would think number 8??? this is the one that sits inside the door frame and stays with the door, number 6 is the one that goes around the door shut and then number 9 is a little piece of rubber guttering. i have one of the number nine on my drivers side but not on my pass side and it seems to make no difference

so, i owuld say go for number 8 and get some pics up


cheeers!

ok here we are, not too good the light but you get the point







any ideas as to whats going on with the bonnet here?! it's always done this! apparently i'm missing some rubber stops?







And the door (waxoyl down the bottom). it's like this both sides. no. 6?!