83 Campaign Full Restoration including new Roof Skin

This is going to be a great build. It's great so far and the shell looks solid. Good luck with it and wow at the wedge ur putting into it. Shows a lot of love for the car

nice bit of work there,any chance of pics of your roofskin refit?

Ok, sorry for the lack of updates over the past week, work and other commitments have taken priority and I haven't been in the garage at all…until today.

Here is more of the progress so far…















A basic diagram of how the gutter holds the skin on the car:


As the gutter was fubar, I drilled all 78 spot welds and removed it from the car, keeping the shape of the piece removed, just for checking against the template.






With the steel cleaned up, you can see the pitting I mentioned in an earlier post. Not sure how to treat this as I cant give the car back to SPL with any painted panels, and in just a few days a crust has formed on the steel. I have been looking into these 'rust converters' on the market, but they all come as a paint so I don't think will be any good. I can see they are all Tannic Acid based, so I am sure I could make a mix up but will need check with SPL before I do. Any thoughts on how I could stop this rotting any more of the 'good' steel away, without using a paint?

Started mocking up the new gutter in card, rough for now, just want an idea on the folds required to see if my moms company cant work their magic. If not, I need to get my hands on another roof with a good gutter and cut it off at the fold.




Its by no means finished, but with a bit of tinkering I will hopefully match it up with the old one…you get the drift :-)

I don't think I am using think enough card but, it is easy to form around the corners so will see what it looks like once removed from the car. If it doesn't hold its shape then I might get a thin sheet of alloy / tin / lead and mock it up that way.

It has got me thinking though, what would it look like without the gutter at all!? would you say these were 'bad' thoughts!?

#Controversial!

:-p

 

From the photos I'm suprised by how much rust is left within the seams you have opened up.
I was led to assume that the acid process eliminated that.
regards treating the pitted metal the only real way is to get rid of it.
If  you can get a bit of copper behind the pitting then mig weld the pits. the weld won't stick to the copper and you can build the metal back up with weld.
I don't believe in those rust neutraliser potions as the rust goes through the steel like a vein and there's no way the fluid will get in. The acid dip has proved that.

Not sure about no gutter though! We used to de-seam minis years ago and they looked quite good.
Golfs look rubbish when they have there waist line removed. would no gutter look as bad?

Good luck with this one mate. I agree with Yomp, don't think the car would look good without the gutters.

Thanks for posting the pics as I have a repair on my 'A' pillar and wasn't sure how it came apart, feel a bit better about it now

People seem to think the acid dipping process is some magical rust cure but as can be seen here it gets rid of rust a treat along with paint/sealer/primer in areas that cant be seen or reached. Rust starts forming immiediatley out of sight on areas that have been stripped and not reprotected. Great big cahoonas for having a go like this though mate, that gutter is going to be a tricky blighter to get right, good luck!  Can i ask why have you had the car dipped but then left in unprimed? You can see the rust forming with avengence already.

Holy cr4p that's some extensive deconstruction!

My initial though would be that you get a roof that has a perfectly good gutter on it and fit the roof and the new gutter as one, somehow welding it in place using plug/spot welds from the underside and then seam welding along the length of the gutter on the underside??

I'm doing mine the easy way and just grinding the roof back from the inside of the gutter and leaving the gutter well alone. But mine hasn't (touch wood) had any water ingress in that area.

Does make you wonder though.. people regularly through thousands at these cars without REALLY knowing the truth about whats lurking behind… Scares the cr4p out of me!

Ok…Sorry for the lack of updates over the past few weeks, we have had some life changing news (my wife is expecting   ) and with great regret it looks like I am going to have to abandon my project.  

I am now looking to sell the shell and all the parts I have.

I have nearly a full car and some.

I will create a new thread in the for sale section so if any one is interested in any parts either reply on that thread or in the meantime (until I have catalogued everything) please send me a PM.

I will also be listing stuff on ebay over the coming weeks so keep your eyes peeled and don't miss a bargain!

I am over the moon with the news of our new family member, but then again it saddens me that I wont have the time to get my other baby back on the road.

All the help and advice I have received on this forum has been great, you are all a really good bunch of people and I will hopefully be able to start a new mk1 project in the future.

My wife has just treated my to a mint Mk2 GTi, so I can't grumble too much  

Many conragtulations on your news mate. I hope all goes well for you and the wife.

Shame you have to sell your project Mk1 especially as it seems you've put so much effort in. Do you have to sell it or could you keep it and carry on the resto at a slower pace? Having kids is a massive time constraint but it doesn't mean you have to give everything up matey.

Good luck to you both

Smudger

smudger said

Many conragtulations on your news mate. I hope all goes well for you and the wife.

Shame you have to sell your project Mk1 especially as it seems you've put so much effort in. Do you have to sell it or could you keep it and carry on the resto at a slower pace? Having kids is a massive time constraint but it doesn't mean you have to give everything up matey.

Good luck to you both

Smudger

Thanks smudger, to be honest when we 1st found out, a slow resto was going to be the plan.

But I currently have the Mk1 and a Mk6 GTI (currently a £13k paperweight with a failed cam chain tensioner - that I am currently fighting the dealer for my money back) and now this Mk2, so cant justify keeping all 3!

I just need the space back to be honest. And with the added fact that the mk1 has been dipped so can't leave it too long, I just do not see me having the time (or money for that matter to finish).

I have totalled everything up and I have around the £4k mark in parts alone for the Mk1, not including the shell.

I am a bit unsure whether to sell it all separate or as a job lot.

Also not sure what I can reasonably ask for the shell as I have spent more on the Dip than most people pay for a painted shell.

I was thinking about £1000 including nearly all the repair panels required, but then is this too steep?! I suppose a buyer has to consider that this shell has nothing to hide, but then again I understand you can buy a painted one for about the same or less.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks again,

Jon

Hi Jon,

It would be worth advertising both as a job lot or willing to split depending on how long it takes to sell.

There should be someone out there for the shell at least bearing in mind what you have done to it etc and it will be sound.

Best of luck with it all mate.

Smudger

Right cheers…

Will write down everything I have and try to do as a job lot…and if needs be split if there is no interest or I don't get a reasonable offer.

Have probably sunk £8000 into the car including the initial purchase, I realize I would be dreaming to think I will get even close to this back - but hoping to get around £4000 for everything. This probably will put many people off, but essentially the buyer will have a full car - that has nothing to hide!

This is not going to be one for the faint hearted I must admit! If I can still help out with the roof skin - I will do!

Look out for it on the 'cars for sale' section.

Thanks again guys, and so so sorry to disappoint with what could have been!

Shame about this.
I was looking forward to this project thread.

Sale thread is here:

http://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/forum/index.php?page=topicview&id=your-mk1-golfs_2%2F83-campaign-full_2

Once again, apologies for letting you all down, but needs must!

jonwilliams84 said

Sale thread is here:

http://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/forum/index.php?page=topicview&id=your-mk1-golfs_2%2F83-campaign-full_2

Once again, apologies for letting you all down, but needs must!

No need to apologise mate, your family is more important. Congrats on the pregnancy

It is a shame about the project but you can always get another resto when the time comes/allows mate.

Good luck with it all,

Andy.

Hey congrats indeed Jon and as Andy says, no need to apologise! It's great news about the baby, after all it may be a MK1 but it's still just a car

Hope all goes well for you and next time you'll know what you're letting yourself in for (with a MK1, not another baby I mean!   )

Best wishes
Andy

Melteddrummer said

jonwilliams84 said

Sale thread is here:

http://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/forum/index.php?page=topicview&id=your-mk1-golfs_2%2F83-campaign-full_2

Once again, apologies for letting you all down, but needs must!

No need to apologise mate, your family is more important. Congrats on the pregnancy

It is a shame about the project but you can always get another resto when the time comes/allows mate.

Good luck with it all,

Andy.

Hairyarse said

Hey congrats indeed Jon and as Andy says, no need to apologise! It's great news about the baby, after all it may be a MK1 but it's still just a car

Hope all goes well for you and next time you'll know what you're letting yourself in for (with a MK1, not another baby I mean!   )

Best wishes
Andy

Cheers guys!

The Mk1 are a fab car to start with, but its the community spirit like you get on this forum that really make it a truly great car!

Just hope the guys over at the Mk2 Forum are half as nice as you lot!

Will no doubt stay on here when she has gone, even if its just to keep in touch.

Keep in touch and drool at the other mk1's

jonwilliams84 said

Just hope the guys over at the Mk2 Forum are half as nice as you lot!

They are indeed, you'll find me over there too. You can be assured of a warm welcome and the MK2 OC annual bash is 9th-11th August so worth heading to that

Listed the shell on ebay if your interested…As my ad says I just want the £1200 back I spent on the dip so really you are getting a free shell ready for welding.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271244349536?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Listed on ebay for £1300 just to cover the pesky fees but if someone approaches me with cash then I will take offers (nothing silly please!)

Thanks again folks