83 Gti set to get full resto

Hairyarse said

Nice one Andy   Unless you don't want to be marked down in a concours judging I'd say weld it

It's had my head battered,   I'm thinking, is it really worth buying the stuff I need to braze it? I'll probs just weld tbh but it will niggle at me, I know this

watson said

Top work going on here. This is going to be one amazing mk1.

Cheers Watson, she's taking shape now

Starting to look like a real car again andy, you must be chuffed with it!   

Do you mind telling me what you do to get the car back to metal? I need to buy a sander and stuck on what to buy what to use?

Tango788 said

Do you mind telling me what you do to get the car back to metal? I need to buy a sander and stuck on what to buy what to use?

Not at all mate, it's a combination of things really, I use Aluminium Oxide wheels that attach to your drill, they work really well and do no damage to the metal underneath, they are expensive though at £8 each and don't last very long!

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/100mm-dia-heavy-duty-aluminium-oxide-rust-re

The other things I use are wire wheels that attach to your drill as well, I buy these packs from Machine Mart -seems to be the cheapest- and they do the job really well too, MAKE SURE you wear eye protection when using these wire wheels as the bristles fly out at speed and WILL blind you, if they hit your eye!

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cht563-5pce-wire-brush-set

TOP TIP with these wire wheels, but again be careful, if you have a stubborn area of paint that wont come off, put the drill in reverse and watch it come off! just be careful not to catch anything when in reverse as it gets a good hold and tries to rip the drill out of your hands All the above are for use with a drill, you can get ones that attach to an angle grinder which are more suited for larger areas
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/range/guid/E2DA0F0B-649C-4896-821A-64CF17EF7941f you are wanting to do whole panels, doors etc. your better off getting a D/A sander with different grade discs, air sanders are the best really but you need a very good compressor to run one
http://www.screwfix.com/p/dual-action-air-random-orbital-sander-4cfm/96814?kpid=96814&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&gclid=COSLpdf8kbkCFQbJtAodHxAAQw

Failing that an electric D/a sander will do the job, just not as quick
http://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-d26453-gb-230v-random-orbit-sander/70456 j

just found these on ebay and ordered some too, these would be better for larger areas too
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251314407908

pazwaa said

Starting to look like a real car again andy, you must be chuffed with it!   

I am mate yeah!!

Andy, the back panel is brazed at the top flange, a couple of brazing rods will cost like 80p - get it sorted 

I know mate that's why I've left it for now, never done brazing but I'm sure I will be able to do it.

Got the rear panel fitted  

Still haven't brazed the top corners yet though. Couldn't resist trying the tailgate and the lights in There seems to be a problem with the N/S back quarter, right beside the lights(see pic) it's bellied out a wee bit, not sure if it was like that before I started, I think I would have noticed it though

Hopefully the bodyshop will be able to sort it out



Bellied out  


This side is a bit better

Regards the bulge Was the back panel already off when you did all the arch work?

Looking good Andy. Your getting in about it now.  I never brased my new rear panel when I fitted it. didn't really see the point. 

Yomp said

Regards the bulge Was the back panel already off when you did all the arch work?

Only took the rear panel off yesterday mate, that's what makes me think it could have been like that to start with. Any ideas how to fix it?

Took shape well man! 

Out of interest how much total epoxy mastic did you use? 

Brad. said

Took shape well man! 

Out of interest how much total epoxy mastic did you use? 

So far I've used about 2/3 of a litre, only done the front arches and the main floor, still got rear arches and under boot floor and where the tank goes. I've bought another litre to finish off, if I've got enough left I'm going to do the engine bay as well, then paint over with Mars Red

Macca said

Looking good Andy. Your getting in about it now.  I never brased my new rear panel when I fitted it. didn't really see the point. 

I'm still unsure whether to braze or not  I'll be losing sleep over this dilemma  

Melteddrummer said

Tango788 said

Do you mind telling me what you do to get the car back to metal? I need to buy a sander and stuck on what to buy what to use?

Not at all mate, it's a combination of things really, I use Aluminium Oxide wheels that attach to your drill, they work really well and do no damage to the metal underneath, they are expensive though at £8 each and don't last very long!

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/100mm-dia-heavy-duty-aluminium-oxide-rust-re

The other things I use are wire wheels that attach to your drill as well, I buy these packs from Machine Mart -seems to be the cheapest- and they do the job really well too, MAKE SURE you wear eye protection when using these wire wheels as the bristles fly out at speed and WILL blind you, if they hit your eye!

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cht563-5pce-wire-brush-set

TOP TIP with these wire wheels, but again be careful, if you have a stubborn area of paint that wont come off, put the drill in reverse and watch it come off! just be careful not to catch anything when in reverse as it gets a good hold and tries to rip the drill out of your hands All the above are for use with a drill, you can get ones that attach to an angle grinder which are more suited for larger areas
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/range/guid/E2DA0F0B-649C-4896-821A-64CF17EF7941f you are wanting to do whole panels, doors etc. your better off getting a D/A sander with different grade discs, air sanders are the best really but you need a very good compressor to run one
http://www.screwfix.com/p/dual-action-air-random-orbital-sander-4cfm/96814?kpid=96814&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&gclid=COSLpdf8kbkCFQbJtAodHxAAQw

Failing that an electric D/a sander will do the job, just not as quick
http://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-d26453-gb-230v-random-orbit-sander/70456 j

just found these on ebay and ordered some too, these would be better for larger areas too
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251314407908

Cheers buddy exactly what i needed to find out!!

No worries Tango

Andy, if you can weld, which obviously you can, then brazing is so simple. One piece of advice is get yourself some brazing flux and keep dipping the rod into it, it flows no problem then.

Melteddrummer - I went ahead and bought a D/A Dewalt sander that you recommended - it is definitely one of the best ones out there for that price.

Bought the alum oxide wheels too along with a new power drill )

My tool collection has been growing - quite proud of it now, just need a nice Snap-on tool chest to keep them nice and neat in )

I thought I could take the first layer of paint off with paint stripper but unfortunately it did not work - guess the original Vw paint that has been on the car since 88' is too tough!

I am sorry to bother you with questions again, but would you be able to bullet point how I should start stripping off the paint ?

Read that 220grit to go straight into it with the D/A sander - then use the oxide wheels to get right down to metal and to then smooth it off using a 400grit ?

Tango788 said

I thought I could take the first layer of paint off with paint stripper but unfortunately it did not work - guess the original Vw paint that has been on the car since 88' is too tough!

It's not the paint its the paint stripper.

European legislation banned the use of dichloromethane in paint strippers a couple of years ago which now renders them useless. 

Yomp said

Tango788 said

I thought I could take the first layer of paint off with paint stripper but unfortunately it did not work - guess the original Vw paint that has been on the car since 88' is too tough!

It's not the paint its the paint stripper.

European legislation banned the use of dichloromethane in paint strippers a couple of years ago which now renders them useless. 

I thought as much - from what I have seen on youtube - the paint stripper I used did nothing at all !