Ok, Mrs B has allowed me some more time to go and play in the Man Room
![smiley :smiley:](https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/Smileys/modern/smiley.gif)
It was time to get the horrible carpets, underlay and soundproofing off the floor and see what's under there. Once I got my hands on it I reminded myself why I'd bought something made of fibreglass. That's right: if this had been metal it wouldn't have had a floor left!! On one side the seat bracket had disintegrated into the carpet. Very nasty. There's - still a bolt through the floor - I will grind it off in due course - I gently cut around the carpet rather than the bolt itself so I could lift off the carpet.
It was clear from one of the first things I found that it had not been used for a while: The tax disc...
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas036.jpg)
I also found one of these; a punch for the rollpin on the gear selector. It's a bit rusty but I have always wanted one of these and used a succession of cheap watchmaker's screwdrivers over the years instead!
![laugh :laugh:](https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/Smileys/modern/cheesy.gif)
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas044.jpg)
There was also a fire extinguisher fitted to the driver's side. Not sure how stable it might be I carefully pulled it off the bracket. Health and safety is paramount in the Manroom: this was the result so I think it had been wet a while...
![shocked :shocked:](https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/Smileys/modern/shocked.gif)
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas039.jpg)
The main carpet is now out and all the crap on it has been removed and binned. Is there anywhere I can get replacements? I'm not hopeful so am more than happy to try my hand at using the old as a template. I thought I might be able to start with a Mini front carpet and go from there.
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas037.jpg)
The steering wheel was covered in black insulation tape so I took it all off and had a look underneath: it's an Astrali wheel with a wood rim (which has split). Wonder if it's worth anything to anyone?
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas038.jpg)
There was so much horrible nasty damp underlay & soundproofing, some of which simply turned to dust. This a small percentage of it...
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas041.jpg)
Still it means the interior now looks like this after being attacked with the Manroom hoover: 8-)
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas042.jpg)
Will now leave things as I'm off to watch Mr Haye vs Mr Klitschko. With Chinese food.
![drool :drool:](https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/Smileys/modern/drool.gif)
Oh yeah I've still got the seats. Apparently they're genuine Midas items. They'll need a complete rebuild and retrim. If anyone can use them PM me as they'll be free. If I haven't heard by next week they'll be binned.
![grin :grin:](https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/Smileys/modern/grin.gif)
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas043.jpg)
I thought I'd have a look at getting the dashboard out as there was bound to be more than a few horrors behind it. Amazingly, the fibreglass shell (with the middle bit which looks like a failed Star Wars character's helmet) came off really easily leaving behind another piece of fibreglass. However, this bit is bolted on at the ends so I won't be taking this off until the doors come off. It's also riveted to the main metal crossbrace so I have drilled out the rivets to make extraction easier. I'm still not sure about the what/how of the dash I'm going to use but hey, I've got time
![rolleyes :rolleyes:](https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/Smileys/modern/rolleyes.gif)
I turned my attention to the rest of the interior: the sill carpets needed to come out. Got as far as the driver's side seatbelt mounting and as I removed this I was a bit shocked to find that once the bolt was out water poured into the car!
![shocked :shocked:](https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/Smileys/modern/shocked.gif)
I thought this was down to the drainage channels being blocked but further investigation revealed something else. There were two speakers in rear three-quarters so I removed them. The driver's side was nasty: it was stuffed full of underlay and old newspaper which was soaking wet, probably from the damaged seal on the small window. It dates from May 1981, about 3 months after the car was registered. A quick delve in with my hand revealed a couple of inches of water in the bottom. Still not sure how I'm going to get this out without a Vax-style hoover. We shall see. I can't get a spanner in to undo the seatbelts which attach to the rear heelboard - I need to have a closer look to see how I can do this without destroying the belt housing. I'm not going to use them again anyway, as I don't really trust a 30-year old seatbelt that's been sat in a damp car for 10 years, but I'd prefer to get 'em out the proper way without damaging too much!
![evil :evil:](https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/Smileys/modern/evil.gif)
The boot area was quite easy to get all the trim out of. The fibreglass side panels came out easily without a fight and even the big flexi pipe for the fuel tank was a doddle. I even removed the rear numberplate; Underneath is the cleanest part of the car. The seatbelt clips that bolt through the floor won't come out until I've got the Midas up on axle stands. I may be losing weight at the mo but I do not fit under there to get a spanner on the nuts.
![undecided :undecided:](https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/Smileys/modern/undecided.gif)
There's a random small hole in the boot floor, and I have no clue why. Any ideas?
I also removed the front bumper (2 screws!) and had a quick look under the bonnet again. I am definitely thinking of a new wiring loom - possibly taking a Mini one and bridging / removing where necessary as the front loom does not look that healthy. More later
![cool :cool:](https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/Smileys/modern/cool.gif)
Dashboard under the fibreglass cover
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas054.jpg)
Horrid 1981 Sharp speakers which went straight in the bin
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas045.jpg)
Clean boot area
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas046.jpg)
Random hole in the boot floor
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas047.jpg)
Sodden underlay. This stank.
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas050.jpg)
May 1981 Croydon Borough News (Wonder if they caught the thief?)
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas051.jpg)
Clean interior but with seatbelts still attached
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas052.jpg)
The cleanest bit of the whole car!
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas048.jpg)
Bumper gone in about 2 minutes and still in one piece!
![](http://i511.photobucket.com/albums/s353/MrBounce38/Midas/Midas053.jpg)