GarytheGolf

Andy, no not too far to go. With hindsight, quite a good move and a better location.

This weekend was a bit half and half.

Half setting up my spare computer with the Elsawin and a Virtual machine copy of Etka on Win XP.





My last copy 7.3 has run out and I could not up date it. That probably for another forum.

The other half was some more rust prevention and a little experimentation.

Rust prevention with a little paint reaction!






A bit of experimentation with a rear speaker mounting (a 2nd pair), left one washed down with paint thinners.





and then after spraying with vinyl paint dye:







Looks very much better when dry.

Nice work on the speaker mounts, look forward to seeing those in the flesh.

Have you used this online catalogue at all? - partsbase.org

It's easy to use and really useful

Andy,

Thanks very much, this is a new one for me , and up to date as well

Works really well for my VW family, Mk1, Mk6, Polo and Lupo.

Yeah it's a great site, not long ago found a link for it

It's been quite some time since I last posted. I have been working on the car quite a lot though it does not look like it. I have been preparing the car for the respray.

Looking forward to the AGM, I have got the "T" shirts and I have the accommodation. Notice the plural?. My wife is coming as well. Unfortunately Gary is not, so it is the Mk6 I am afraid.

A few family issues have prevented me in making as much progress as I would have liked and though I have been putting some hours in the evenings during the week to try and catch up, it is not to be.

In addition, the people that were doing my respray came up with a price that I felt was not as good value against  putting the car into a professional bodyshop, particularly when I was doing the preparation , so I stated my search again for one without negative feedback.

Cut a long story short, I discovered one on recommendation only 5 mins away from my house called AVC Customs, I did not know that they were a classic car restorer and paint shop. The name doesn't really reflect the paint side of things.

I got them over to look at the car and they started smiling !!, needless to say I was feeling rather excited. Only one issue, they could not get it ready for the show.

Despite my, what I would call "pre-prep", they will start again, Quote "Repair all rust & impact damage & prime areas as required. Sand the original paintwork as necessary & fully prime the complete vehicle. Prepare all surfaces for paintwork. Mask up & respray interior panels as required. Remask & refinish all exterior panels. Align panels to the vehicle. Flat & polish complete exterior".

I won't say the price, but I have managed to get them to fit the new headlining and the front and rear windscreens in the price. Gary will go in about the middle of June and will not be finished mid to late July. He will also need an MOT.

So I am afraid, here is the current status of Gary: All panels have been addressed for rust with 1000 - 1200 wet & dry.








 

Well it will be good that both you and your wife are coming Malc, it's a shame the MK1 not, but it has to be done right - will look forward to seeing it when it's done.

Is the unit staying dry with all this rain we've had in the last week or so?

See you both at the AGM  

Sounds like you've already done a good job prepping the bodywork, and a shame they that they want to redo it. On the plus side, if theres any problems when finished, they can't say it was your prep work.  Looking forward to seeing some updates and Gary in his new paint.

Thanks for the comments, sorry I did not reply earlier, my wife and I have been in Germany on a pre birthday trip, I have my 60th birthday next week on the 3rd June.

We went to Berlin for two days, nice and sunny, then onto Dresden for further two days, nice and wet. On the way saw Colditz castle and the Meissen factory. We got back last night.  

Also saw the VW glass factory with the round display tower. Unfortunately it was pouring with rain.

I am off again tonight to visit my eldest daughters for a family weekend celebration, it is also my youngest daughters 30th birthday on the 2nd June.

Whilst I am on the good news, My eldest is expecting out first grandchild in August, somewhat a better year than the previous few years.

Re GarytheGolf, as much as I wanted to get the car done, these guys felt that they could not achieve it. For example, once the car is prepared, the car will be in primer to dry for a least a week.

I have no qualms in them doing it all over again, I was never confident that my prep would be good enough.

My original sprayers said they would do it over the weekend! No dust extraction, no low bake oven, I just saw problems ahead.

Whilst the car is away being resprayed, I will be able to focus on the smaller parts for the rebuild.

A few photos of the VW Glass Factory and the VW special tram that delivers parts to the factory.

Congratulations grandad!! Malcolm That's fantastic news, you must be so pleased!  

It sounds like life is non-stop for you at the moment - in a good way. Good call on the paint, you made the right decision there for sure

Gary went to the spray shop today, I have been spending a few weekday nights and a couple of Saturdays, finding all the bits necessary for the spray shop to fit the wings and panels.

I also had a drive around the car park last night, I was the only one on site behind locked gates at the time. All the P&Ts were OK.

This is how he looked last night:













And collected today, unfortunately I forgot the camera, so it's the mobile I'm afraid.





In the meantime I can focus on the other bits, bumpers glass & chrome to fit on his return.

Excellent Malcolm, I bet you can't wait to see it in paint!

I'm looking forward to photos  

Whilst the car is away, I'll have a play.

Very hot in the Mancave yesterday, I made a start on the bumpers.

I have two sets, being a GL, most are grey with chrome, though one of the front bumpers is dark grey / black, I much prefer the darker one with the chrome, pity I don't have a dark rear with chrome.

I stripped a rear one down, surprisingly very little rust on the beam, a wash and a rub down with a coat of paint. bought it up a treat.



I was fortunate some time ago to acquire a new original bumper cover. It had some transit marks and some of the scrapyard / ID writing on it.



Removing the writing and cleaning left a white haze on it where the writing was. I used the trick of a heat gun and the haze disappeared. Nice trick.

I was pleased with the final assembly, with some new St Steel mounting bolts and washers, I wrapped it up in plastic for fitting later.





Dismantling the front bumper revealed a little accident damage, work had been done here before as the connections were slightly different each side.

The front bumpers come with headlight washers, this must have been an afterthought by VW at the time, mine look as though they have been retro fitted.



I think I will be cannibalising from two bumpers to make one. Most of the water connection jubilees where rusty and very difficult to undo.



Not finished, to be continued ……..

Tidy job  

I am quite clearly of the opinion that the black / dark grey bumper has been retro fitted with the front washer system. To that end I decided to dismantle the original grey bumper with the washer system and cannibalise the necessary from the darker bumper.

The original holes by VW for the washer system.



The bumper iron, sprayed and drying with the hot air gun.



The original cover washed and degreased. Quite a few water stains. I removed them with a descaler. Some marks though could not be removed.









So I used the heat gun on the plastic, it works pretty well, the original colour returning to the plastic. It does take some patience and control of the heat.





There are some consequences, the chrome trim can burn if you get to close, it wasn't very good anyway.



So off it comes. I cleaned out the channels, I might cannibalise the trim from the other bumper. I belive VW Heritage can supply a kit to replace it. Out of stock at the moment.



The unassembled item, I am pleased with the grey plastic, just got to sort out the chrome. Used a bit of "Back to Black" to keep the finish.

Nice work as always Malc. I like the hot air drying method on the bumper too  

Just a quick update, making slow progress finding all the parts and checking them over.

Dismantled and cleaned the main windows and quarter lights.

Before and after shot:







Flushed the water bottle to get the grime out



Visited the spray shop last week. they have started working on the car, fitted the doors with new seals, wings and bonnet. The bonnet is ajar by the way.



There is a little issue with the hatchback, apparently with only one strut for support it can twist the hatch back framework.



A little metal bashing is required here, I think.

Nice to see they're making progress  

A small update, being doing some work in the evenings.

Rear speaker and under dash shelves. The plastic had been bleached by the sun.

For info, only the tops  of the speaker shelves have been sprayed, you can see the original plastic colour on the sides, vinyl dye spray on the top. Not a bad match. Original carpet still on the shelves.

The larger shelf has just been sprayed and is still drying

The smaller shelf had been done a few days before

During the floods at Xmas, the rear shelf speakers had got damaged by water, apart from a few items that got wet, this was my only loss / expense. New ones fitted with the rubber washers below the nuts.


 

Wow, that looks good Malc, it's come out really well. I look forward to seeing them in the flesh!

Thanks.

Yes, it seems to be coming along nicely. Disappointed it will not make the AGM this year.

However, I am looking forward to the show, I have started my shopping list already.