Mk1 *quiver*

Firstly, i'm putting this up in real time, ie i didn't start this 3 years ago and am just finishing it now, this is actually how far along i am….ie not very!

pffffff

Secondly, if you're expecting some sort of miracle transformation, you'll be sorely disappointed, it's actually getting worse as i plod on, great eh!

Really i'm just popping this up as i realise it's easier to ask my questions in here as i post the pictures up as apposed to littering the forum with a new quandry every other day, so here it goes:

I got the car i think….2 weeks ago now. One night we were all drunk in the pub and i agree'd to buy it (this is how most decisions are made in my life) I had actually paid for it ages ago but the car was a none runner and i needed to get drunk again to formulate a plan to get it home…..

So here it is, ?500's worth……





That's my "what the deuce have i done?" look right there



The car was….whats the word….dilapidated? It hadn't moved for two years, EVERYTHING had some sort of green mold on it, i kid you not it was more of a mobile botanical garden than a car, anyway, onto the trailer:



It actually moved ok which was a shock as the handbrake had been on the entire time, huh!

Money shot



And off we went!



Once i got it home i suddenly became very aware of how old, dirty, green and pikey the car actually was. Something my neighbours, girlfriend and parent ritually remind me of too



Greeeeeeeeeeeeen arches



Still, i'm keen so i plod on, and kapow! it's cleans up ok i think



Pulled the silly eyebrow off, jet washed the whole thing and i love it! I didn't polish it or anything though, that's be feutile at this point.

The car came with spares so i popped those on, just so i could sell the bbs wheels on basically







And that was that, i just left it like that for a while till i did some reading up on them, just so i didn't go ruinning it.

The car, my friend told me had some issues, fair enough. One of them he said was the fact the coolant had all dribbled out…..that's be the missing core plug then?

lol



This weekend, i've mostly pulled it to bits. I've read alot of peoples rebuild threads on here so i thought i had to check out what this was like underneath before i went any further



She's ever so helpfull





This fuel pump thing is hemmoraging fuel out:



Removed the arches to check the amount of rust under there…..zero! winner!









Ripped all of the inside out the check for rust, it's actually nice and solid! There are a few little spots in the back where i know if i poke i can make a hole, like the spare wheel well etc. But i think if that's all there is i've hit on lucky! non?

And that's it thus far,



Like i say i've only had it 2 weeks or so now, but i'm pretty pleased with it. I wish i could weld and had a garage then i'd be working all the time on it.

Please, any tips/hints are more than welcome

Solid looking car mate. Nice mk3 too.

What's the plans? Euro it like the mk3?

silver MK1s are awesome.

Looks nice that.

youve won a watch there  m8 nice

Wow looks like a very solid base there mate!

Would love to have found archs like that on my old gti! All I found was major rot.

Zero rust under the arches  8O What are your plans for it then?

Thanks for the comments chaps, before i do anything i need to sell the mk3 on, it's the most reliable fuel efficient car i've ever owned but i've lost interest in it since i got the mk1

Bodywork wise, i need to get it to a decent dodyshop. I'd like all the traces of rust eradicated, the whole car ideally needs to be solid! Then, i quite fancy getting the whole thing flashed over in this here colour:



I'm also well into renewing everything, brakes (porsche rears?) wishbones, basically anything i can renew then i will!

Wheels wise i dunno, i'm torn.  deffo not the ones that are on, i don't really like them.But if the car is to be a dark grey, then the wheels have got to be black. I think i'd like either one of the following and i'd be happy:







I'd love the Comp TH Mono's more if the stuck out more as opposed to the dish

Engine wise? God knows, that was going to be my next question, is it worth doing anything with the 1.8 engine? Or should i just bite the bullet and save my little ass of for the 20v conversion?

Interior wise i'm stuck again. I know alot of people opt for originality here which is fair enough, i'm inclined to do the same. However, i always like my cars to look pretty standard on the outside and have a sort of race look inside if that makes sense? Here, like my rallye….



Other things that float around in my head are, erm, that peddle box thing that does away with the master cylinder, roll cage, stack dash….

lol, this will all change the more i learn about the car i know. I just get torn between track/restoration and end up with some sort of frankencar

So yeah, that's my thinking thus far!

I have noticed 3 of the 4 comments above started with 'mate' now the picture avatar looks rather female am I missing something? lol Car looks spot on though!! I like banded steels but i feel wheels are something that can make or break a car and can also decided the style or image you are going for so dependant on the style i can photoshop you a few altenatives!!??  

Id heard Jeremy Clarkeson likes his mk1`s.Was he trying to get you on Topgear?    

good to see somebody getting stuck in and getting the mk1 bug, like the wheels what are on if you decide to sell  or need any parts drop me a pm.

you did well with them arches

looks well solid

that fuel pump leak could well be a perished hose, thats all it was on mine

looks like an amazing shell, is it original paint??????

Cant believe them arches, surely resprayed?

even if it is its an amazing shell!!!

ChrisRivage said

I have noticed 3 of the 4 comments above started with 'mate' now the picture avatar looks rather female am I missing something? lol Car looks spot on though!! I like banded steels but i feel wheels are something that can make or break a car and can also decided the style or image you are going for so dependant on the style i can photoshop you a few altenatives!!??  

Go for your life buddy i'm open to visual suggestions!?!

As for the paint, i have honestly got no idea, infact i know very little about the car at all thus far, i'm just plodding on and picking up tips on here as i go really!

keep it original colour

I agree its quality!  

i reckon patch up the areas of rot, nice wheels and lower it, then get it roadworthy first because it will cost an utter mountain more than you could possibly imagine, then once its on the road its easier to prioritise what is most important to do first.

its difficult when its not being driven, you get too many 'iwants' looking on forums haha

car looks sweet though mate!

jools182 said

that fuel pump leak could well be a perished hose, thats all it was on mine

where did you get the hose from fella, and how much was it?

i know what you're saying about getting it running though, i suppose you're right. It is easy to get carried away!

I got it off a mate who is a forklift engineer

but you can get it from any local motor factors, its an easy job too, just a bit fiddly to get to

get some new jubilees while you're there cause the old ones will probably be goosed

Hew pauly lad, dunno if you remember me, i'm one of sarah and russ's mates, graney, used to chat to you at the cruises and that, back in the day! Think russ (rustys_mk1) has already been in touch!

Anyways, you've hit on a winner with that car, unlike me, check out my thread (project_angus) it looks soild as fook! I'm sure it'll look mint when it's done, well it looks mint now actually, they all do.

P.s, is that matt MK3 yours? Did you say you were selling it? Whats the crack?

   

Hey Graney! yeah i thought it'd be you with that white mk1, I was reading your thread about it and realised it was you when you posted your old polo! How you doing fella?

Ah mine still needs bits doing to it though, it's by no means perfect. How are you finding that place at Tantobie, DJ's? Are they any good?? / cheap?

The mk3 is annoyingly addictive man, i do really need to sell it soon but i can stop faffing on with it, i just got my wheels back from the shot blaster yesterday for it, umph!