SpearMintRhino - mk1 1.6

[jv]

[SpearMintTom]

In summer 2005 I went holiday repping - great fun! - I came back with the intention of learning to drive, I had no previous experience or interest with cars or mechanics before nor did I intend to. I came back and the old boy next door offered me his faded Yellow VW Polo for free!!!! - With tax & mot

Anyway after rather unenthusiastically taking it off his hands I suddenly realised what a gem I had found:

A 1980 MK1 Polo "L" 895cc, full service history, garaged for 25 of its 26 year life, next to no rust (slight surface on bottoms of doors) & it had done a legit 22,000 (yes twenty two thousand its not a typo). Anyway.. to cut a long story short.. thats when i got hooked.. and since it took me so long to pass my friggin driving test i spent my spare time restoring what minor things were required to make it concours

Here's a picture after i'd finished:


After that I had transformed my best mate into a VW nut and I sold him the MK1, I then foolishly brought a MK2 Polo - horrible, sold that and went to auction to by a cheap weekend run about..

Thats when I came across what is now my MK1 Golf

[SpearMintTom]

I found the Golf at auction (my first ever auction i'd been to) - it was fate, I bid & I brought (for a very tidy little sum i might add).

Anyway It was listed as: Volkswagen Golf 1.6 / 1983 / Green

It had 99K on the clock, was listed with 7 months tax & 2 weeks MOT (when i brought it i found out sifting through the paper work that it did infact actually have 12 months, but had been wrongly listed by the auctioneers ) - Lucky me

I brought the car and the first things I found that were wrong with it were:
- Dash Lights / Bulbs did not work
- Manifold was blowing ever so slightly
- Bonnet didn't shut properly
- Sun Roof Seal needed replacing

Anyway, I got it back home and was beaming with my new found toy - (I still am)

Here's a few pictures of when i first got it:

[SpearMintTom]

Anyway, when I first got the car I was quite happy with just driving it, over the first two weeks I:
- Had new Exhaust Flexi Pipe fitted (old bit was rusted and had tones of small holes blowing)
- Topped up oil
- Topped up coolant
- Checked tyre pressures at proper garage
- Checked tracking
- New battery

I then had a major quiet period because I started Uni & had a serious lack of funds for the car (especially since I had to reinsure for the year & retax all at the same time )

Anyway from mid September -> mid December I didn't do anything except for have a few more holes filled in in the 4 branch manifold & have my exhaust resecured.

Then came mid December

Over the xmas period I had two tyres blow at the same time whilst down in London about 200 miles from home, I replaced them with 2xToyo Proxes T1-R 195/50 15" tyres and then when I got home put another two Toyo Proxes on the back (so all round) - fantastic tyres.

Then lots went on.. see next post..

[SpearMintTom]

Replaced TSW Stealth 7.5J 15" Alloys with Viper Rials 7.5J 15" alloys off a friends Golf:

[SpearMintTom]

Took her down to my local garage start of january (InnerLink - Norwich - Highly recommend them), got her up on the ramp to have alook at the exhaust system as its been gettnig louder and louder (the blowing):


They also sorted out a earthing problem I had been to lazy to sort out causing the lights to show indicating & braking wrongly signal wise.. (sorted).

Was told that the manifold had a few more holes in, they filled her up and on I went, then about 2 weeks ago she started getting really really bad  - Took her in again and was told that a replacement manifold would be sensible as mine was slowly but surely dying . - I put some exhaust bandage round to stop the noise being so bad but it didn't last long..

[SpearMintTom]

Ignored manifold problem and have started to have serious acceleration problems (dips and loss of acceleration in high speeds/revs).. Took the car in again and was told the manifold had acquired to massive holes beneath the exhaust tape.. :O

Anyway, the MK1 hasn't been starting properly, accelerating properly, it's started to run rich, idle is abit low all of a sudden and that blasted manifold!!!!!

Anyway.. over a two week period I brought all the bits I wanted to do and listed a time frame to do it in & booked my best mates help for two sundays

Over a two day period I want to get this all replaced:
- New spark plugs
- New HT Leads
- New Coil
- New Fuel Filter
- New Oil Filter
- Oil Change (VWs top Synta Semi Sythetic)
- New Air Filter
- New Sun Roof Seal
- New Timing Belt
- New Cambelt
- Install White Dial Kit
- Replace old dash bulbs with blue L.E.Ds
- New Rotar Arm
- New Dizzi cap
- New Interior Light
- New GearBox Oil / Protector

Anyway Today we managed:
- New Rotar Arm
- New Dizzi cap
- New Interior Light
- New Timing Belt
- New Cambelt
- New spark plugs
- New HT Leads
- New Coil
- New Fuel Filter
- New Oil Filter
- Oil Change (VWs top Synta Semi Sythetic)
- New Air Filter

Piccys!!!:





Boy did she run sweeeeeeet after this, idled fine, starts first time everytime, acceleration is better - not perfect but I can't expect that till i replace the manifold.

[SpearMintTom]

Forgot to mention:
- Front Windscreen needs replacing as we had heavy winds recently and I was unlucky enough to catch some flying debree - although I would rather the windscreen than the body work *phew*
- Bid & Won a 4-2-1 SuperSprint MK1 Golf Manifold woo! (cost abit but well worth it and a hell of alot cheaper than new)

Pic here:


In a week (next sunday) i'll be doing - in this order:
- Gearbox Drain
- New Gearbox oil (Redline MTL)
- Dash Lights / Bulbs
- New White Dial Kit installed

Some point within the next 14 days (depending on when the manifold arrives):
- New Sun Roof Seal (currenly got some bathroom sealant in to stop water coming in!)
- Manifold installed

[SpearMintTom]

My SuperSprint 4-2-1 Manifold Arrived today, all shiny and 'almost-new' 



Booked her in at my local garage for next tuesday, can't wait to put it on after months and months of blowing! - also at the same time my new sun roof seal will go on.

[SpearMintTom]

Stayed round a friends last night getting pissed in his hot tub and drinking far far too much, had to leave the golf outside his house, this morning i went to pick it up and whilst taking it off the pavement managed to hit my exhaust on the pavement, enough force to tear the flexipipe in the centre section of the exhaust!

Fun Fun.. the Golf is now practically undriveable due to the amount of noise its making.

Lucky i've got some spare flexi pipe in the garage (left over from last time i tore the flexi pipe) - bloody lowered car!

Supposed its another job that can be done when fitting the new manifold