Thought i'd update the thread with some more recent work!The next stage of the project was find an 02J Tower and shifter, to improve on the mk3 not so precise shift.
I found an early type of tower with ball connections and converted it to the later type. and got a TT short shifter.
Found an 02J mk4 shifter and cables but wanted to fit it without cutting the tunnel brackets. So found a complete shift housing from an IBiza that would do the job. Swapped cables and ready to be installed.
Mk4 shifter top and Ibiza shifter bottom.Before this could be fitted, i would need to remove exhaust.
That got me thinking about the Cat and how restrictive it would is. So I purchased a Hi flow cat from the states. Hopefully i will give some performance benefits too.
I need to get some fittings then the shifter and cat will be fitted.
I've also got to get the body work tidied up. I had a spare tailgate and wanted to clean up the rear end. That would mean smoothing the wiper and the lock hole so i could have a smooth plinth.
Wiper Hole SmoothingAfter removing all the rear wiper gubbins and protecting the glass from grinder sparks and weld spatter, I marked out a square around the hole as a guide for the dremel and started cutting.
And continued until the section was cut out.
Area was cleaned up with an grinder with flap wheel attachement. Then masking tape was put over the hole and shape was marked out with a pen. The shape is then transfered to sheet metal to give you your filler piece. This can be cut out with snips or a jigsaw would be neater.
The filler piece was trimmed to fit the hole an was welded in with small tacks all the way round. I did a few tacks and colled them with an air line to minimise distortion. Then the welds were grond smooth.
Then i added a skim of filler to cover it over. It should give the paintshop less to do .
Whilst i was doing that i toyed with the idea of relocating the lock under the plinth but was too much hassle and decided instead to smooth the lock hole over and use a boot popper on this instead.
Same principle was used to get the filler piece made, bnut it needed to be bent in shape to fit properly.
This shows how it fitted, held in place with some masking tape from behind.
Then it was tacked in all the way round and ground smooth.
Will be sent to bodyshop to be prepped and painted. Then i'll have to make a smooth plinth.