Mk1 sprint car rebuild...

I bought this car about a year ago and have since done a few events and trackdays, but it is starting to show a few signs of wear here and there and I thought it best to give it a general tidy up and try and make it a little quicker.

The original plan was just to paint the engine bay, paint inside and add a few bits, but that seems to have sprillaled out of control and it is pretty much getting a full rebuild!  8O

I dont have a lot of time before the season starts, plus being in my final year at uni doesnt help, but I seem to be making good progress working on it most weekends.

I thought it might be a good idea to just gradually add the pics, as it might get a bit boring!

As it was…



I will add more later today as I dont have time right now.

Dont know why, but this is the only pic I can find of the engine before it came out…

As you can see their is bits of rust creeping in here and there. A general tidy up is needed.

Original plan was to stip the engine bay and interior as paint is flaking off and starting to show signs of rust, but I want too lose some weight as well, so underseal is going. I wanted to avoid doing the underside as it will be a pain the asre, but  I had a look last night and there is rust coming through so it need sorted.

Here is the bad bits…

 











Not too bad, but I want to tidy it up. I have not touched it since I bought it and I just want to make it a bit more presentable really.

The plan is for a general tidy up, 13" wheels, new brakes, and tyres along with a few weight saving measures.

 

All fibreglass






Underseal on…



Grinder oot..



Wire wheel got nailed within 15 mins.



So I got a bigger one from a motorfactors for less that focus do it all want for the small one!







This took a lot longer than I thought it would, but pretty pleased with it





This is some of the underseal that came off. I will weigh it asap. Dont think it will be that much, but every little helps!



One interesting thing I did find was that it has had some seam/stitch welding previously! It will be getting a lot more too!



Tomorrow wil be the other side so wont bother with many pics. Then its on to prepping interior. Dash and heater is getting binned!

good progress mate.

love that car. a bit different, but still in the spirit of a VW.  8)

great pics man. have you done doune yet? not done it myself being at the oppisite end of the country but looks awsome. guess you know off graham wight jnr. check him out in his old imp http://videos.streetfire.net/video/98e1e0d7-14a3-4bd1-9c05-98420102bbbd.htm

Yes, I know of Graham, I have not spoken to him yet but have watched him drive a few times. He is a very fast driver and Doune is a very scary hillclimb and, no I have not had the pleasure of driving it there yet!  

There is a Doune in April but I might not make it as the car probably wont be ready and I have heaps of final year uni work to finish in April unfortunately.

The IMP is a very nice machine and well presented too.

Even better, Graemes V10 Predator which he designed and built himself!

http://videos.streetfire.net/search/predator/1/2c2d4566-bbbc-4082-a493-692b102901e3.htm

 :twisted:

marsredgti said

good progress mate.

love that car. a bit different, but still in the spirit of a VW.  8)

Thanks!

Do you mean different as in you dont see many competiton mk1's?

Its a shame you dont see more around, as its very competitive in its class against the novas and fiestas, and it is still not as developed as they are yet.

I suppose solid shells and spares are getting harder to find these days compared to the ford or vauxhall equivallents.

Top car, me's thinking I want one…

The Golf would run different classes to most Novas and Fiestas (except the 1600 ones of course) and the fact that so many Campaigns are registered here tells us that these are not throw away cars - folks hold on to them…

Where would you get the arches from - I think MC Rallying have stopped doing them…

Love the car dude esp the arches, whens the first race !!!!

gwr's predator should be good now he is going back to the old v6 so he should get a season without problems!!(ps, hedidnt design it, that was martin oglive , ex f1 designer )
  there are a couple of very competitive mk1s down here in the south and still a very good car for the hills. down here the class splitt is at 1800cc so exactley the right size for a golf.
  if you ever got down south look me up
 this is my car at gurston down(30mins from home);



and this is my old mans car…look familier (me with my back to the camera);

 Yes, very familiar!

Sorry these are the only pics I have. It has had a new aero package added to improve things, so looks a bit different! My mate had his first shot of it at the end of last season and is entered into the championshio this year!!

Weighed that underseal that I took off…





0.8 kg!  :laugh:  I reckon I took off well over 1kg though as it goes flying everywhere and that was just the stuff I had managed to sweep up.







Same seam welds on this side..

Get rid of the underseal/ wax oil or what ever its called from thedrivers and passengers floor pan ie inside the car its amazing how much that weighs, crap job doing it though lol !!!

16valver said

marsredgti said

good progress mate.

love that car. a bit different, but still in the spirit of a VW.  8)

Thanks!
Do you mean different as in you dont see many competiton mk1's?

Yeah, exactly!  You have donea  really good job of it too!  

andy77 said

Get rid of the underseal/ wax oil or what ever its called from thedrivers and passengers floor pan ie inside the car its amazing how much that weighs, crap job doing it though lol !!!

   That went a long time ago!

The car had been substantially lightened before I got it - perspex windows, fibreglass boot, bonnet and wings as well as all sound deadening inside. I am just really doing the rest really.

I think I can get it to the 700 kgs mark.

andy77 said

Love the car dude esp the arches, whens the first race !!!!

Thanks! The first event is in Aprill, but making that is looking unlikely at the moment as I have a lot to do and have final uni exams then too.

Finished taking off sealer from nearside wing…



Underseal from nearside arch was well over a kilo









Started removing bits for taking out engine…



Removed heater box, saved almost 4kg's





Exhaust manifold came off no probs, which was nice.

Chuffed with my new halogen lights I got for 20 notes.

coming along nicely. i spy in one of the shots a dry sump pump, any chance of some pics of the sump itself please?

Animal, not really any great shots of the sump but I will get some at the weekend.