Project Dreamboat

SamMcr said

Do those mini tyres you've fit on the civic also fit direct on the golf??

Yeah, that's why I originally bought them, was doing a bit of outside the box thinkery.

Unfortunately they are too thin to do it justice, and need some adjustment as they're a mm too thin in the middle. 56.1mm bore, rather than 57.1

However, they do look good, so I may one day make it work.


Cheers for the comment.

gsf do steering rack gators pretty cheap.got a set a week ago!spot on too!

cheers bud, will give them a shout if these ebay ones from "chubnut" don't do the job.

Will hopefully have them on Tuesday…

Easy to fit?

yeh i supose, if you can get them over the track rod ends then yeh but they prob wont fit over, youll have to take the track rod ends off , count the turns that it takes to come off so you know how many to wind back on (mark the end an nut, check they allign) other wise your trakin will be messed, the rod end mite be seized in abit so give the hub a smak with a hammer where the ball joint bolts in (dont hit the ball joint thread lol)
take the snap ring things off the boot with pliers or similar tool.the near side is clamped at rack end so will need a new camp or cable tie but the off side jus pops over, slip em off, new ones on!
will advise to grease the rack while there off for good measure!.new split pin on the rod end too! the clips can be gay to get back on haha, rod end is 17mm i believe an the nut is 22mm mabey?
enjoy

wow….that doesn't sound easy at all!!

At least it'll make for a fun update on Tuesday

Steering rack gaitors are made of rubber. Just stretch them. They will go over the track rods easy!

didnt wana risk it wen i did it as had ma mot the next day, had tracking gauges at my disposal too hehe!

Here's some updatery…

I sorted my hazard warning lights!!!!! WOOPTY DOOPTY DOO!!!  It took me many spare hours of farting with wires, esp the 20 earths I struggled to find and check.  But in the end I took a live feed (for the stereo) and just poked it into the hazard warning switch wires at the back……..IT worked, they work!!!!  I've botched it up for now but will make it all nice and pretty when I'm MOTd. Here's my Tuesday Report….

As seems to be the way of it these days, I started car day by washing and valeting a car…this week it was my da's bimmer:



With that done….(I swear I've become a OC car washer)…I gave the same treatment to Jules' Jeep, me old daily :



And then turned my attention to the Dreamboat:



First on the agenda today was "major leak of exhaust fumes"



Fortunately there was no holes as feared…just a dodgy bit of clamping.

Clamp off:



And some exhaust fixer uppers from an earlier trip to Halfords(when I thought it was a holy pipe):



Meant I could make it more secure like so:



A quick test confirming that all exhaust fumes now exit where they should, and less monoxide poisoning for me.

NExt up was "tyre incorrectly seated on rim"



SO I took it to McConnechy's in Greenock, who fixed it for nowt (whoever fitted it, a year or more ago left a bit of valve in or something) and priced me a full set of new tyres.

I am going to get a wee bit of stretch (185s instead of 195) from some goodyears all round…so just have to save for that, and get it done when I've got my wheels spaced and my coilies down etc.

On that note….I measured how big the spacers I'm going to need are…



Do they make half a metre spacers ? :lmao:

I reckon 30mm on the back and 20mm on the front for a nice filling of arches…



So will order 20mm for the fronts for now…and if it's too much, will stick them on the back and order less for the front, but that's all when I've saved enough anyway…I'm a bit skint aside from 200 euros in my pocket…..and I've just booked a ferry to calais!!! F the Volcano!

See you's on Tuesday.

P.S.  My MOT list looks like this now



Where a double tick is a "def no longer an issue"  All that remains unchanged is my leaking brake pipe that doesn't leak when pressure is applied to the brake pipes, or I def can't see it.

And a split steering gaiter that although I bought ready to replace, again, I can't for the life of me see/feel a split in any gaiter.

See you's on Tuesday!  A week before my MOT rematch.

My timeline now is something like this:

MOT
Megameet
Wheel sort (space, tyres, lower)
INterior sort (tidy wiring, fit tombstones and sounds)
Paint
Megameet (2011 )



Peace

This is it, this is my update….I only hope you enjoy reading it, as much as I enjoy writing it and remembering it…

So last you heard I was meant to go to Italy, but never made it…I ended up driving to France (turned out handy I washed dad's bimmer ) And spent 6 days cruising about looking like this….



The day we came back I bought this…



It's for Jules' birthday so if any readers know her, please don't tell.

Anyway, last Tuesday (11th) wa my last day of prep before my second MOT…and as previously reported, the bulk had been done….however, it took a mechanic to point out to me that nearside = passenger side!!!!!! before I could sort the last two problems!!!

Honestly…..

I didn't take many photos that day, but I fixed the leak in the brake pipe that was just needing tightened at a joint (on the nearside!!) and secured a steering rack gaiter that was un cable tied (on the nearside!!!) here's a photo of something I did…


before


and after

I love the sub £1 spends that make me feel nice on the inside.

So that was it, I was ready…for MOT day….roll on the 18th.

Tuesday 18th May.

It was a sunny day…



Like all other Tuesday mornings I opened the garage with a sense of wonder and excitement…what would today bring?



The same golf sat waiting for attention…



But there was no time to tinker, today was a day of test…

I packed some essentials



and after a bit of driveway tetris….was ready to go to war….



well, for my MOT..

Strategically parked up at the shop for a wee espresso to get me through the next hour….



and at 10am I was there….ready to put my last 9 months of blood, sweat, cash, and that wee worm under the scrutiny of an MOT tester…



who even looked underneath it…



I left it with him…and returned home to occupy my mind with other things…

this…



…became this….


I then stripped this door


for it's handle and nice window….

I was pining for the dreamboat….and was glad to get the call to go get her….regardless of the outcome…..at 4.55pm that call came…



This is it….



This is what I've worked my ass off for…and man does it feel worth it!!

The feeling of utter delight as I brought the dreamboat home with a green certificate.

There's no point lying to you, it needed a ball joint replaced…and I let the good guys over at CM autos fix it as I heard it involved a bit of work - but it was all that it needed for the green certificate.  I had tracking and wheel alignment sorted while it was in, and there was a massive smile on my face as I drove it home, albeit quickly as I left the shop to go get it!

So tonight although gutted that it's MOTd and I can't drive it (waiting til June 1st to tax it for 6 months)

I gave it a wee present I've been waiting to put on it…



 :lmao:

I don't know what gave me the idea, but as much as my neighbours and my dad hate it, I love it…

The dreamboat is born (again)



I also started to put some things on from the "under the bed" collection.

Can you spot 3 differences?

Before


After


Now it's got to just sit and wait till June when I'll go a nice big drive…megameet anyone?????



Peace and thanks for reading.

nice ride once done….careful with the roof, comes of easy thou, apart from the cable bolts…easier to cut the cable and one another for £15.

all the best
Bob

On the left is my old front engine mount….on the right, my new front engine mount.



And this is how we're getting back into it after a year of shenanigans, a break up and very little time spent on the golf.

Since last time, I've tidied up the garage and made it a bit more amatuer mechanic friendly.



The golf's acquired a roommate.



And I have mentally prepared to get right back into this…with a bit more money to spend on some new wheels, a roof cover, a new carpet and a paint job…..




See you all soon.

you done some work there, great pics too, be nice to see her finished

chris

how can you comment on my car on lacking in originality, when your cab has rear lights like that?? and love the video is it about you???

haha did i hurt your feelings?

As per usual my Tuesday update is late, and unfortunately, bound to be a bit crap as my camera ran out of battery.

Here, however, is the view from my new flat…



lovely.

Anyway,

Today's job was to replace the engine mounts.  I bought new ones cos one day my engine seemed an inch lower than normal.

No joke, that's what I was going on…..so let's have a wee looksee.



I may be onto something here batman, as I discover the rear mount looks, a wee bit past it shall we say.

It took me ages to work out the easiest way to get at the mounts (especially this one, was to remove the 3 nuts holding the mount to the gearbox…



WIth these removed, and the other three mounts unbolted, I could jack the engine an inch to reveal the mount to be replaced.



saaaaafe.



the new mount here is on the right….and with a new mohawk…



was ready to get back to holding up an engine



UNfortunately that is the end of my photos, but I spent the next 3 hours working out how to get all the mounting bolts back in, with the left(engine side) one proving most difficult.

IN the end i used two jacks and disconnected all other mounts, then got the back one, then the right (next to battery tray) and finally the front one.

I took my oil filter off to gain access to the front mount and dropped it (accidentally) in the bucket of coolant that was sitting under the bay from removing the radiator.  So that will need to be replaced next week.

AS will this hose I have pictured here, from an earlier photo, as I discovered 3 holes in it so just removed it…any ideas where I can get one?.



Next up comes fuel lines and a new fuel pump, I think….but if nothing else, I will get a new oil filter on, and new oil and coolant in, get this baby running for the first time in ages.


see you's soon.  better updates en route.

Just read this from start to finish, I'm literally just a 10 min drive down the road from you - don't see many mk1's around this nick of the woods.

Anyway, cracking job mate  

i'll give you a shout when I replace my fuel pump, expansion tank, pipes, lines etc. etc.

Just read through the 8 pages, and here are my views:

1. good work man - you've kept at it and attempted things that I wouldn't have dreamt of. I'm a newbie DIYer myself, but you seem fearless at getting yourself stuck in
2. That dreamboat sticker sucks - I'm with everyone else on that
3. Sorry to hear about the break up - your girlfriend looked pretty fit - way out of your league :-)
4. That poor worm - your lowest point?
Whats your plans for the capri?
5. Really enjoyable thread - you really get a feel of the highs and lows of getting one of these cars on the road and keeping it there
6. Good idea of setting aside an evening a week where you can go out and have a go - I'll put this proposal to my wife and see if I get approval on this

All the best pal

i am back…

back in black…

back with a bang..

big banging bbs……



cancel your tuesdays…

see you soon

well, i finally got the fuel pump detached and replaced…

hit a bit of a stumbling block when i couldn't reconnect my fuel line from the accumulator. so taking photos made way for swearing and jubilee clipping to no avail.

bit of googling later and i had the fuel line soaking in boiling water for 10 minutes before successfully pushing it back on.

today i changed the fuel filter and took a magnet and went fishing for tank crud…there was plenty.

the good news is the car seems to be running amazing now, with no stuttering or whining when warmed up.

the bad news is….i bought a caddy!!



see you soon

peace

so as planned me and dreamboat took a trip to stirling today…



loved the drive. had her at 110 smooth as….well okay a wee bit noisy, but i had the roof down

and deliberately drove through busy glasgow for a bit of stop start traffic.  no whines, no stalling under heavyish braking..just sat purring like a dream…boat

Anyway, picked up my seats…fitted the fronts and they are awesome.  thinner bolsters, base height lever, and all guides and pins where they should be.

now sitting nice and low…lots of modding required to fit these



but i have a cunning plan

last thing today…fixed my horn.

been like this for about 7 years (since i got it)



none of these fitted



so fitted a new wired centre



went a final wee drive…


still smilin'


peace