Golf mk1 1.1 '80 full restoration project (Loads of pictures!)

Over the winter our little Golf sat in a big hangar of our dad's friend. Friday we moved the Golf back to our own workshop.

After turning the ignition the engine started right up after a few rotations  It was fun to drive it again after such a long time sitting still

It's new ome from now on:


I'll probably replace the oil and filter since it hasn't been changed from after the AGM and we've put quite a few miles on it.

I love that car ! It's good to see a 1.1 Golf left as a 1.1, my 1st car was a 1.1 Golf N series one and I'd like another one in the future. I'm hoping to go to Stratford on Avon his year and I'm hoping you'll be there so that I can see it in the flesh.

Good to see you had such a good trip to the AGM and that your little car made all the way and returned with no problems. Obviously a credit to the rebuild you did  

Glad to she's tucked away all safe and sound during the winter

Ian

Saulty said

I love that car ! It's good to see a 1.1 Golf left as a 1.1, my 1st car was a 1.1 Golf N series one and I'd like another one in the future. I'm hoping to go to Stratford on Avon his year and I'm hoping you'll be there so that I can see it in the flesh.

Thank you! Yes, gotta love a standard 1.1
We'll probably go again this year, we had such a great time over there!

borednow said

Good to see you had such a good trip to the AGM and that your little car made all the way and returned with no problems. Obviously a credit to the rebuild you did  

Glad to she's tucked away all safe and sound during the winter

Ian

Thanks for the kind comment! Yes, felt great just cruising along the roads over there (without any problems).

Hopefully the weather gets better here soon so we can go out for a drive

Today I changed the oil filter, oil and air filter too as it was a bit dirty. I might also change out the valve cover seal as there is some oil that's seeping out.

We then made a nice drive around the Flemish countryside, discovered some more small windy roads!
The Golf still drives like it did before the long winter break.

Hi I also have a blaupunkt to fit in my golf, but it has no brackets like i see on yours to hold the unit in place, can you buy these brackets?

Keith Usher said

Hi I also have a blaupunkt to fit in my golf, but it has no brackets like i see on yours to hold the unit in place, can you buy these brackets?

Hey, I'm not sure you will be able to find these. Do you know what type of Blaupunkt radio you have?

If you can't find these, they should be fairly easy to make your self I think.

D_Martijn said

Keith Usher said

Hi I also have a blaupunkt to fit in my golf, but it has no brackets like i see on yours to hold the unit in place, can you buy these brackets?

Hey, I'm not sure you will be able to find these. Do you know what type of Blaupunkt radio you have?

If you can't find these, they should be fairly easy to


make your self I think.

i think its a mannheim, but it just has the same size body as yours.

They dont look very easy to make    does the rear on the unit have any support  away from the dash face?

Think i found some here Parts

thanks for you help

 

Keith Usher said

i think its a mannheim, but it just has the same size body as yours.

They dont look very easy to make     does the rear on the unit have any support  away from the dash face?

It's only supported from the front with these brackets if I remember correct.

Ok, me again.
Little update well actually rather big. Turned out Photobucket change their used agreements/policies and you have to pay now 400€ to host your pictures to their site. Thus, I downloaded all my pictures from PB, uploaded them to Flickr and edited every post in my golf mk1 build thread.

As for the Golf, I'm slowly prepping it again for the AGM, I might enter best engine so I'm replacing a few things in the motor compartiment. Last year the jury noted that the warm air tube should have been black. I was able to find the VW part no and ordered a black tube online.
I decided to replace the valve cover gasket and the distributor o ring too since there was some dirt/oil on the thermostat housing.

I also got 4 new door handle seals as there was one that got damaged.




Everything back together. I did mark the distributor before removing it! The black tube does look a lot better if I say so myself.

You been busy with photos then!!!

Good on ya  

Before I went to the AGM I noticed my front shock was leaking quite a bit of oil. But since I did not have time to order or exchange them I drove on it anyway to the AGM and back. Since then I contacted the vendor I bought the Bilstein shocks from and they told my I was still within warranty and I could send them to them and they would get them checked out and reconditioned.  



Today I removed the cartridges from the strut housings.
Shock removed from the car, went pretty smooth, no real struggles.


Brake pads might have to be removed some time soon. I will also replace the front rotors when it's time.


After removing the spring with a spring compressor and removing the strut bearing. I loosened the nut and discovered even more oil inside of the strut.


Both shocks pictured together, the bad one does not extend back after pushing it in.


All the parts cleaned up. They look just like new. Very pleased with the powdercoating we had done to the parts.
I'll probably paint the strut bearings when I'm going to assemble the shocks back.


I also cleaned the other suspension bits on the car. I would like to clean up the knuckle and paint it again although I'm not sure how easy this is going to be with the dust plate, hub and cv axle still attached..


And a picture of the golf
I did buy new shocks (KYB gas pressured ones) since a friends wedding is soon and they would have liked us attending with the golf. I'll fit the KYB shocks for the time being and change them back out when I get the Bilsteins back. I will then just sell them again or just keep them as spares.. They were pretty cheap.

Today I installed the new purchased (KYB) shocks into the struts.
I've been noticing that whenever I make a fast and sharp turn with the golf, there was a "clunk" noise coming from the front suspension. Turns out it was the spring shifting/sliding on the strut housing / upper support plate.

I put a little section of inner tubing from a cycling bike on the both ends of the coils to try and stop this. (My BMW 2002 seems to have a rubber pad between the coil and strut that's how I  got this idea)


After bolting and torquing everything together we (my friend with his Golf mk2 syncro) made a test drive and it seems to have solved the clunking. I also find the KYB shocks to handle pretty good.

This has got to be one of cleanest mk1 restorations of all time well done guys
How did you keep that garage floor so clean.
Are you based in the uk ?

vwoldmad1 said

This has got to be one of cleanest mk1 restorations of all time well done guys
How did you keep that garage floor so clean.
Are you based in the uk ?

Thank you!
Actually the floor is pretty dusty but no oil spills or what so ever.
I'm from Belgium.

Wicked rebuild! well done I also have a 1980 1.1 it's nice to see another one saved !

What a beautiful and detailed restoration.  Very nicely done.  

Great idea with the rubber on the spring.  I'll have to do that myself as I get the same noise at times.  I love those simple and genius fixes.

doughboy said

Wicked rebuild! well done I also have a 1980 1.1 it's nice to see another one saved !

Thank you!

Frankinstyn said

What a beautiful and detailed restoration.  Very nicely done.  

Great idea with the rubber on the spring.  I'll have to do that myself as I get the same noise at times.  I love those simple and genius fixes.

Thanks! I got the idea from my BMW 2002 as that one is fitted with rubber pads from factory..

Hi, what a great thread! Thanks for taking the time to replace your photos after the photobucket  nonsense, I've just read from start to finish. So impressive, especially the way you and your brother have tackled the vast majority of the work (from prep, to home-made supports/engine lift etc, to welding, to wiring) yourself.

I hope to meet you both and your amazing golf sometime over the next few years at a VW meet - not sure when mine will be ready yet but having read your thread you've given me even more motivation to do it properly and correctly - thanks!

Baggins said

Hi, what a great thread! Thanks for taking the time to replace your photos after the photobucket  nonsense, I've just read from start to finish. So impressive, especially the way you and your brother have tackled the vast majority of the work (from prep, to home-made supports/engine lift etc, to welding, to wiring) yourself.

I hope to meet you both and your amazing golf sometime over the next few years at a VW meet - not sure when mine will be ready yet but having read your thread you've given me even more motivation to do it properly and correctly - thanks!

Thank you man! Appreciate your kind reply  
We'll probably attend the next AGM so if you decide to come, you'll see me there