AL's (not so) mini build... August 2015 - Paint!

AL_Mk1 said

Hairyarse said

Oh weird. I can try it if you let me know what you want it changed to

Just see if you can get rid of the bit that says "AL's "Mini Build" *04/12 - 6 months later…*"

Ta.

Looks like you're sorted

Underside is looking tidy, nice work! Is that a cheeky little hole appearing in the wheel well though?

Can't believe it's off the road 3 years now, only thought a year!

Hairyarse said

AL_Mk1 said

Hairyarse said

Oh weird. I can try it if you let me know what you want it changed to

Just see if you can get rid of the bit that says "AL's "Mini Build" *04/12 - 6 months later…*"

Ta.

Looks like you're sorted

Underside is looking tidy, nice work! Is that a cheeky little hole appearing in the wheel well though?

Can't believe it's off the road 3 years now, only thought a year!

Hmm - Still there from what I can see…?
Nevermind. Thanks for trying anyway!

Regarding the wheel well, oh yes - that is like swiss cheese. Not really sure what to do about that. The easiest option would be to cut the whole circular section out and drop in a new one, though I really don't want to pay for a new boot floor or wheel well, that is IF I can find one!

I actually think it has been off the road for closer to 5 years! Really missing it now…

That's odd, your title just reads 'AL's (not so) Mini Build' for me, is that not what you wanted?

You can buy new wheel tubs, try funk-star , he may have second hand too?

5 years - blimey - you're just behind me then! lol

Got excited today when some goodies were waiting on the matt when I got home - The fuel pump check valve that I posted above!

Unfortunately, it doesn't fit my pump…  
Should have done my homework properly. My pump is a Pierburg unit which has an M10x1 outlet rather than the M12x1.5 that this check valve fits, so it will be going back…

The good news however is that after doing my research properly, I found out that unlike the original Bosch part,  the Pierburg pumps actually have a check valve built in to them, so I don't need that thing after all!  


Looking foraward to the weekend to see if I can get the axle back on the car now…  

A happy ending then! lol

Better update today…

It came out of the garage on it's "Trolley"…

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr



But went back in on it's own wheels!

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Attached the axle without using a long bar, so no more snapped studs! Did them up TIGHT with a normal ratchet.
Connected the rear brake lines back up and bled the rears. Still feels rubbish though - Before bleeding them I checked the reservoir and it was empty, so probably air in the fronts too now.
Need to get another bottle of fluid and do them all properly as only had a little there.

Still need to connect up the handbrake cables and finish off conecting up all of the fuel pipes, but getting there!

Good to see it on wheels again

Another year on and I have more updates!!!

Some of this is progress I made last year but didn't post but I am now actively working on the car again, when I can grab a spare Saturday here 'n there!

So, after dropping it back on it's wheels in the last post, I carried on and finished the driver side arch. Red Oxide for the time being:

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr



On to the other side to do the same on the passenger side rear arch:

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr



Also had to tackle the spare wheel well. Decided not to spend on a whole replacement and just patch this up for now. Not the prettiest of jobs, but it is solid again…

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

Untitled by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr




After priming the above in red oxide as per the other side (sorry - no pics) the car got put away for the winter.
A few months ago, I dragged it out one sunny day and decided to wash off the 5 (yes FIVE) years of dust and grime.
It looked pretty good considering…
(I think the sun and the fact it was wet, really helped!)

IMG_20150516_141914339_HDR by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

IMG_20150516_142043631 by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr




I have decided to go with a different look, so a few cosmetic changes are also on the cards.
First off, I am doing away with all of the chrome. As much as it was the in thing to have chrome bumpers years ago, I have gone off them now as there are so many about due to many companies doing repro items. Saying that, I didn't want to ruin them, so opted to "Plasti-dip" them instead as this would be easily removed in the future. Both bumpers with one can. Ideally They needed a can each to build up a good thick (tough) layer, so I'll probably revisit them another time:

IMG_20150614_114228483_HDR by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

IMG_20150614_131652589 by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr




Next up, oil and filter change and get the old exhaust back on.
I want to put a sportier exhaust on it, though I have stuck the old standard one on for now as if it fails an MOT on other bits, I'd rather spend the money on those for now!
Had to lift it a bit to get the oil pan under the sump, and even higher to wangle the exhaust over the rear axle:

IMG_20150719_141543534_HDR by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

IMG_20150719_141504860_HDR by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

IMG_20150719_144001048_HDR by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr



And there it is - the most complete it has been in a very long time and…


…it runs!

My battery is toast - won't hold charge for more than a week or so, but that will get sorted in time.
The fuel pipes are all back on and the removal of the accumulator doesn't seem to have had an effect on it as far as starting, idling and revving on the drive are concerned.
Adjusted the handbrake up and that works fine now.

Next up:
Bleed the brakes (properly this time).
Seat the filler neck - it isn't sitting right as I didn't have the foam spacer between the collar and the shell.
Attach rear bumper.
Connect all front lights back up and wire in the new spot lights.
Paint grill trim in Mars red and fit grill back to car.
Order some La3a rattle cans and do my best to get it all the same colour red again.
Wire up the dash and see what I can get working.
Connect Mk3 Gti Speedo sender (already fitted to gear box) to the Polo 6N clocks and cross fingers it reads somewhere near correct!
Clean up the wheels a bit as they are a little oxidized.
General tidy up and finishing bits 'n pieces (like new number plates).

Then eventually, I might try and get it MOT'd!  Hopefully the next update won't take me another year…   AL

Some great work there !!

Nice repair work Al. Good to see that you're still on it

Cheers guys…

Yes, I am still on it. It feels like I have always been on it and will forever be on it!

Some great repair work al, love the black bumpers too  

Matt

Just keep going you will get there, some very nice work there buddy  

Excellent work Al, your nearly there bud!!   

A little more progress…

We poped up to Volksfest Wales for a few hours this afternoon - Rude not to as it was back in Margam this year which is only about seven or eight miles up the motorway!

This show used to be quite good but as time is going on, it seems to be attracting more and more modern stuff.
While I can appreciate a nice T5 with a custom interior or a Mk5 or 6 golf running 20" rims on air ride, dancing and picking its rear wheel off the floor, it isn't really my thing. I think I counted just five tin top mk1's…

Anyway, seeing those did make me think that I have missed yet another year with mine, so spurred me on to go home and do a little tinkering!

So, I popped the top off one of the rattle cans I had received in the mail earlier in the week, shook it up a bit and dropped it in some warm water while I masked off the lower rear quarter.

IMG_20150802_173802549_HDR by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

IMG_20150802_173752330_HDR by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

IMG_20150802_175544622_HDR by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

IMG_20150802_174629885_HDR by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

IMG_20150802_175929729_HDR by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

IMG_20150802_182650608 by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr

IMG_20150802_182631859_HDR by www.pix-al.co.uk, on Flickr


I have to say - I am pleased with the colour match and the finish, considering it is straight from the can!
That last pic is after an hour and it was touch dry.
Paint was la3a 2K ordered from auto-paint.co.uk, as recommended by Hairyarse, quite some time ago…

I have some 2000 grit wet and dry and I was planning on wet sanding lightly then polishing with a mop and some G3 to see if I can get the reflections to look a bit sharper as they are a bit flat at the moment. I may just go straight to the polisher and see how it comes out.
I have some other bits to paint first though and I can try that all in one go!

Looking forward to doing the other side now  

find all the shows this summer have been the same mate. a dozen mk1s max the odd mk2 and then everything else is transporters and bay / splits
a dying breed these mk1s!!

That rear arch has turned out really well for an outside job, Al. Nice 1!!!

Melteddrummer said

That rear arch has turned out really well for an outside job, Al. Nice 1!!!

It's not great up close, but if that was as good as it was going to get, considering it was done on the drive, I could live with it.
Bit of work and I think it will look just fine.

 

Nice match Al, I'd be pleased with that for sure  

Hairyarse said

Nice match Al, I'd be pleased with that for sure  

Thanks for the auto-paint.co.uk recommendation.