Mars Red Tintop @ VAGE 2017

Wow, seats look stunning Shughy - you must still be grinning over them!!  

Hairyarse said

Wow, seats look stunning you must still be grinning over them!!  

Yes Andy Hairyarse big smiles - so much so I did this on Saturday to the tintop….







I have a lot of cleaning and scrubbing of the nukes and crannies and the loom will need a bit of attention. Bit of serious rust on my battery tray which will need replacing.

Big shout out to Paul who helped out as I was just starting a bout of man flu - feeling better today thanks to paracetamol.  

Did the engine come from a cabby originally as I have never seen the idle speed compensator on a tin tops turret before ?

Doesn't look in bad nick though mate.

I'd get one of those Z bar strut braces fitted when you put her back together, standard on Sportlines and 16V Roccos

Hi Ade well spotted.  

The engine was an EV code so I guess out of an early mk2 Gti. (I sold the engine last night) Everything else is pretty much the same. It had a transplant about 5 years ago to this car when it was painted. It had a small oil leak at the back of the head but other than that was ok.

I plan on putting back in a mk1 dx engine I have, it's out of a 1990 cabriolet. It has had a good bit of work complete with reconditioned head new valves and skim. The block has no bearing, piston or ring wear to speak off. I bought it about 3 years ago as a spare and have stripped everything off it. Right back to bare and started renewing all the old parts. I have got loads of bits yellow zinc plated, vapour blasted and sprayed. Bit like a jigsaw just putting it all back together. Learning as I go and when funds allow.  

It's like therapy.    I love it….

I have a strut brace to go in but it a small bit off in size. Will need a tweak.

Wow those seats are amazing Hugh, very nice indeed.   

seats look brilliant Hugh, totally awesome - well done  

doing one hell of job there Hugh looking really well.

Not too much to sort in the bay before dropping the new lump in  

hahahaha this is like deja-vu!!!!    quality..

have fun in there mate, looks like a very good starting point!

Thanks guys - really happy with the seats. Nice and comfy and just the way I wanted them. Shame its inside in the garage at the moment - although looking outside tonight (snowing and sleety rain) best place for it. Can't wait till new engine is in and back on the road…  

Some advice needed on cleaning the gearbox…  

Its just dirty and grimey after the road dirt etc - I have tried petrol, engine cleener and alloy wheel cleaner stuff, even some lidl stuff which worked on the block but hard to shift the dirt.  

Anyone ever tried dry ice blasting? Rang a guy today to enquire about it - worth a try??

I'm gonna repeat what everyone else has said, but it needs repeating, awesome seats!!!!  

For cleaning the gearbox up your probably best attacking it with a wire wheel on a drill. Takes a while, but comes up lovely. Failing that, blasting?

Matt

Ok just a little update on the tintop…

Have sent the gearbox off for ice blasting so will see how that turns out - had heard good reviews on line but not seen one in the flesh.  

Meanwhile this was my engine block:



and I'm hoping to go to here… or close to it…



The head has been reconditioned, skimmed and new valves seats grinded in.  All bits nice and shiny. I started with painting the block itself - going for aluminium finish on the head and matt black on the rocker and engine block.



I prepared the block by a thorough degreasing and sanding in those hard to get to places. Plugged most of the holes with some cloth and a little wash down with engine cleaner. Quick wipe and leave to dry.



Removed the rocker cover and masked the block for the silver finish paint. Its Halford high temperature which goes on really well. Good even coverage.

Took off the rocker cover and strips and sanded both back to metal and layered on the high temperature paint to both. It was a dry and warm day so paint went on well. Will take a bit of time to cure when they get to operating temperature. Little over spray on the timing belt.





I am pretty happy with the finish - so let the build up or the jigsaw begins!  

Lovely Hugh I am jealous.

I used brake cleaner sprayed into the block and gearbox and it done a great job. It's dodgy stuff so rubber gloves and it just evaporates and leaves no liquid.
I had to buy a special spray bottle as I think it burns through the cheap 99p spray bottles.

Engine is looking good Hugh - very impressive, top work.

Massbad69 said

Lovely Hugh I am jealous.

I used brake cleaner sprayed into the block and gearbox and it done a great job. It's dodgy stuff so rubber gloves and it just evaporates and leaves no liquid.
I had to buy a special spray bottle as I think it burns through the cheap 99p spray bottles.

Thanks Chris I have a bit of brake cleaner in the garage - i'll try that.  

watson said

Engine is looking good Hugh - very impressive, top work.

Thanks Dave - watch this space… it's going to be engine bay picture heaven in a few weeks…. well I hope anyway.  

Looking good but just a bit of a pointer you have painted the gasket faces these should be left bare as the gaskets won't seal
Luke

Luke s said

Looking good but just a bit of a pointer you have painted the gasket faces these should be left bare as the gaskets won't seal
Luke

Thanks Luke have sanded them back to bare metal so should seal well.  

Using new O rings on the water pump and coolant flange. Oil cooler is getting a new gasket too.  

Another little update…

The original mk1 battery tray was showing sign of rust and major trauma… managed to pick up a new old stock one on eBay for £35. Bargain!

Old:



New one:



With the engine out and probably never again I have decided to give the engine bay a lick of mars red paint to freshen up the look. Off to the body shop!

Removed the grill, lights and front bumper. Must clean the grill… another job!  



Car back sometime next week - I'll have load of bits to be doing!

Looking good Hugh. Just read your entire thread. Loving the seats. I thought that you couldnt get new red stripped material anymore. Hopefully you're going to tell me Im wrong.

Macca said

Looking good Hugh. Just read your entire thread. Loving the seats. I thought that you couldnt get new red stripped material anymore. Hopefully you're going to tell me Im wrong.

Yes Macca material is now available again.