Long lost Cabriolet GTI

Been on the site for a year, it's been very helpful to say the least…..so knew i should share the progress on the mk1's….

This 1983 Cabriolet GTI we call Gonzalos never made it to the road from 2000-2009 yet it had three owners who all seemed stumped by an issue I could never find!!
We got it from London in March 2009 and because it seemed to work ok, drove it alot, around 8000 miles in the first 6 months as we shared it between me and my housemate.

It seemed the last three owners had all spent money on it, bills to prove, and yet it came with loads of SORNS and lots of parts looked new but unused….may have been the oil light warning thing going off that made them keep it off the road, but this dissappeared when i drove the car, and the only thing i did was put the flywheel timing gun hole's cover back on…

So, we took the car off the road after a heavy use in the summer - and at the moment it's nearly finished a head re-build and a mohair roof….i'll get some up to date pic up as soon as i can…

Excuse the wheels - these are/were a temp measure after an issue with one of the BBS's, but now an extra BBS has been found - they will return - as the previous owner had set things up with those wheels and i don't want to change that

looks like a good car

not to keen on the side repeater position tho

keep us posted on the progress

cheers jellybelly, they are hideous items indeed….i've been put off changing them by never having seen how to get at them…i'll have to pull my finger out on that one

with the bbs's back on and some side trim it should look something like this, except with mohair hood!

Hoping to resurect this car shortly, as got myself a Mk2 Syncro, and so didn't need to rush this back on the road, but summer's coming and i'm breaking my other cabby, so need this one for top down summer action…

The only change so far is a complete set of Black side trim from a tin top, and the BBS back on…I've ran it for 10 mins each week, so the engine is happy, I reckon It might just pass MOT with nothing needed…I hope so anyway…coulkd be driving it this Friday if so…

Nice to see you on here mark!

I love non clipper kit cabbys! so cool

Cheers Lee, glad i can follow your car somewhere

I'm getting organised, got all me parts well sorted, and narrowed down the cars i'm working on…being ruthless though, scrapping the Rat, and selling the grey cab…just going to stick with the Blue cabby here, known as Gonzalos…It's the best cab, and the Rat has the parts to sort this one.

Come and get that head man, you can have it, spend the cash on petrol and come up for the day…

Mark id absolutely love to mate but im pretty much living in London and just up seeing the mrs when I can.  I have a few days over easter weekend but ive got all my family and Hannah's family round but I promise the next time im up ill come over, we need a catch up!

I think diversifying is a good move, it was a bit hectic! your a proper dub nut and I like it mate - massive respect to you man.

Thanks for the head man, ill take it off you!  Let me know if there is anything from my stocks that you need.

I recognise that  Good to see it on here!  Sorry I've not been in touch and come over…totally forgot til bedtime Monday and then just been manic.  I'll give you a bell tomorrow! JJ

Ah Geejah you shall have to meet the gang of us up there! theres a few of us on here!

Hey mark if your sticking round then you should join and become a member dude, you get snazzy stuff for the mk1 as well as discount at loads of places.

I will!  I was planning on taking mine off the road for the year, but seeing her sat in the sun…she can't have that done to her.  So get her running and we'll have to get a load of golfs together with the sun shining

Haha, alright JJ…Becoming a member sound good Lee,

Gonna try and put cabby through MOT today…fingers crossed

I'll some more photo up too, it's been through alot and looks a bit shabby…but it will get there, and yes I have removed the oval side repeaters yet… ergh

Good luck with the MOT mate!!!

Cheers Drakey

Didn't get it in for MOT today…hopefully tomorrow

But did get an Economy gearbox from a Mk2 Golf 4+E…really wanted one for two years now…can't wait to get it fitted…Expecting under 3000 revs at 70 MPH, which will make for nicer motorway driving…plus will fix my crunching 2nd gear problem too

A recent picture shows this cabby needs alot of love still

awwww its got style and character bless it!

Will be loverly when its sorted.

Nice looking car - any idea what the colour is? There should be a sticker on the support bar in the boot that will give you the colour code.

My cabby seems to be the same colour, but for the life of me I can't work out what it is. The sticker in the boot gives a code for a completely different shade of blue, making me think it was a non-VW colour. I've tried a few different rattle cans from Halfords, but they're all way out.

Here's a thread to my predicament: http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=94081&highlight= - photos have gone missing somehow

And heres a link to my project thread - plenty of pics of the car there: http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=95278&highlight=

Cheers pal - look luck with the resto attempt!

Cheers an that

The colour is not a VW colour…although looks very close to yours…I'm not sure what to do myself as i need new wings soon…maybe i'll change the blue to Helios…

So the blue cabby is now getting more attention…MOT on monday 11am…it's been polished also….so looks nice…and now lives indoors in a storage place…with a RS4, Boxster and a Skyline…and a pristine campaign Mk1 shell belonging to a lad called Stephen…and my tintop which has no thread yet

I'll get some pics up soon, as the chrome is going, bumpers have been sold to another local lad called Joe123…and now has the black side trim too.

Currently no bumper at the back and metal with no skin at the front

Looking to get a Gas analyser too, so looking forward to adjusting the air/fuel mixture too

Mark

So don't leave us in suspense…did it pass?!?!?!

Haha, class, I thought this forum was too big for any encouragement

Well i put my tintop in first…8 fails, fuel leaks and no brakes

And didn't get the cabby in until today…and was so busy at work, forgot to ring, and didn't pick it up…but it's failing on the no horn at least…I prefer a deadline and a fail list…i know it's better the other way of getting things sorted, but this is how i am right now…

So i'll post tomorrow and here's thread for my tin top..which is going 1.8T come late summer: My Tin Top

Mark1GTiCab said

Cheers an that

The colour is not a VW colour…although looks very close to yours…I'm not sure what to do myself as i need new wings soon…maybe i'll change the blue to Helios…

I might have actually found the colour - LP5U - Bright Metallic Blue. I'v got a feeling that its a Mk2 colour. I got a rattle can from my local VW dealer (£13.50ish) and spayed a hidden area and it looks pretty much spot on. Hope that helps you avoid a respray  

Amazing news AtotheJ…where do i get one from?

So it did fail, i knew it would, but not much at all…

1. Offside sidelight…rusty connection..sorted
2. Wiper half on screen, half on bonnet…ooops…it's got a nice single wiper…so adjusted…sorted
3. Front bumper, sharp edges…it just had front iron on…put plastic on which was spare also…sorted
4. No horn, rigged temp wiring to button to fix that
5. Would not idle, so couldn't test emissions…i bought a gun and gas analyser…so sorted that

Should have MOT tomorrow