Author Topic: ...joe - black mk2  (Read 44052 times)

Offline ...joe

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final stages???
« Reply #30 on: 10 June 2005, 18:19 »
well i woke up earlyish and looked at what i had to do. stonor park was on the next day and my car was no-where near finished!!!
i had to go and get a rocker cover gasket, and fit it.....
get some new bulb holders for the side lights.....
sand down the filler on my bumper..........
paint my bumper.....
make a new grill......
fit indicators and foglights to bumper.....
fit bumper....
polish car.....
clean/polish BBS.....
put BBS back on......
err thats enough things to do!!!

so anyway to cut a long story short, it all got done! i was beginning to worry a bit as i wanted to have test driven the car beforte taking it up to stonor but i ran out of time!! painting the front bumper took ages and i had to flatten it back with wet and dry then t-cut the hell out of it to get it properly flat. considering, i was very pleased with the result! the grill came out well too. in fact i don't think i actually had any problems, other than my dash lights don't work at the moment, grrr, but that wasn't high on my list of priorities!!

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Offline ...joe

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Re: gtijoe - low 'n polished mk2
« Reply #31 on: 13 June 2005, 21:02 »
so here we are, almost up to date!!

woke up early on the sunday, sorted a few things, started my car, ran fine, looked at how scared my girlfriend looked but was kinda pleased she was gonna risk an 80 mile journey, first time out all down to my mechanical skills!!!

drove off down the road, filled up with petrol, pumped up the tyres and off we went!!

it drove well, forgot how noisy it was but at the same time sounded lush! i was trying to be sensible and didn't take it about 4k revs but it felt really strong and wanted to go on and on. it was a bit hard to remember the kind of performance before but it seems to go faster at lower revs which has to be a good thing for motorway cruising. pulling off a roundabout on dual carriadgeway and it felt like it wanted to fly off and was begging for a lot of right foot!! big smiles all round!

i really like the new position of the stereo down in the centre console although as i have hardly used it, it was a bit dodgy trying to set it up and keep my eyes on the road!

we got to horney's place at just about the right time where we met up with the rest of the golfgti.co.uk crew and set off in convoy. stonor park was pretty chilled and we all parked up. i had to move as some ass parked his icecream van in front of us and wouldn't move then toofunkyhouse said he'd entered his car into the show and shine as hardly anyone else had. so i thought, f**k it why not?! entered, moved my car to the correct place then sh!t myself looking at the competition. almost pulled out but thought it'd be good to get some feedback for its first show.
popped the bonnet and got alot of pleasing noises from all that had a look, didn't do too well but didn't come last either, so that was cool.








few shots of it looking clean! and yeah i drove up with no numberplate on the front! how naughty!

i sat around on the grass as it was nice and sunny and listened to what people were saying about my car. didn't hear a bad word which was nice!
i also had a chat with james wallace from the golf+ magazine and talked about featuring my car once i'm happy with it!!! it'd be featured on the strength of what an amateur can do in the street outside his house on a very limitd budget. he took a few pics too so it'd be nice to get a small pic in the show review, but we'll have to see, there were some amazing cars there!

had a bit of a nightmare trying to start her up after the show but luckily my mate john was at the show and he seems to think its just teathing troubles, things i wanted to get sorted before any big drive but hey, once it was running it was weet for the drive home. developed a few rattles etc as things bedded in and i think the down pipe is rubbing on the cup that the steering rack gaiter sits on but altogether i was pleased with my efforts.

not done alot since then but the neighbours all asked how it went which was cool, most of them are retired so its nice that they all take an interest rather than whinging about me working in the street!

it was also a great weight off my mind to get it finished (this stage anyway!) and driven a decent distance with no real problems. on to the next stage, but that may take a little while so this is the last update for a while!! i need a break!!
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Offline ...joe

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Re: gtijoe - low 'n polished mk2
« Reply #32 on: 31 July 2005, 20:29 »
well after initially thinking i'd stop doing stuff to my car for a while i soon found myself tinkering. i was rooting around and found a bunch of parts i was storing, waiting to do them when i had a chance. so i thought i'd fit them.

first thing was to fit a set of polished tailgate lifters that i'd bought back in november i think! it was a case of un clip old, clip on new. but me being me decided it would be better to polish up the corroded ball joint things as they were a bit minging. before and after shots.....





then i'd bought some blue LED's to do my dash and thought i might as well do them too. now i'm not great with electronics but even i found it easy enough to solder the new bulbs in. quick too! so my dash now looks loads cooler at night, especially with the VDO gauges all lit up too.



and i fitted some chrome tacho rings i'd bought from germany a while back, they look cool in my opinion so i also polished the bezels on my gauges to match. they are a bit thicker but you know me, i like my shiney things!



driving up to bugjam i manged to blow my alpine 6x9's. this is probably due to their age and the fact that they hadn't been used for he best part of a year so its no surprise really. never mind, i'd arranged to meet up with blue to purchase a nice amp/sub set up. so with my new toys i went to get a decent wiring kit and some more 6x9's. my front components are JBL's, the sub i bought off blue is JBL so it made sense to buy JBL 6x9's.
i also decided to fit my audioscape door pods. yesterday i got it all wired up and hidden throughout the interior and have arranged a sub box to be made that fits in the side so at some point after thats made i'll do a tidy install and trim it out in something funky. sounds pretty good too!

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Offline ...joe

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Re: gtijoe - low 'n polished mk2
« Reply #33 on: 31 July 2005, 20:41 »
now mechanical things. since i'd been driving my new engine i'd developed the odd starting problem which i tracked down to the blue temp sensor. it was good to drive up to bugjam as not only did it take ages but it was far away too. this meant i clocked up a few hundred more miles on my car and got to see how it handled itself in traffic etc. its now running sweet and its due its first oil change but i'll have to wait for a frickin dry day before i get on my back again.
i have done the odd thing, just neatening things up and little rattles that have been annoying me.

going up to bugjam has shown me that my tyres are definately making contact with the arches!!!! i now have no lettering on the rears! so i took it off to see about getting them sorted which doesn't seem to be a problem. i want to get another quote though as there are a few more things i want spraying up so i might have to get it resprayed a side at a time as i can't justify the price of a full respray at the moment.

next on the cards (after spray job) is sorting my interior............
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Offline ...joe

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Re: gtijoe - low 'n polished mk2
« Reply #34 on: 26 August 2005, 18:25 »
well its been a while since i added to this section, but i suppose that i haven't been doing much other than going to shows and clocking up milage. my car has done just over a thousand miles since the engine re-build and i'm loving having it back and running. it starts on the button, feels really strong, but still quite tight so give it another thousand or so miles and it might start feelling spot on!

i spent alot of weekends making the effort and getting to as many shows as i can. this year i've properly felt part of the duc 'scene' and alot of this is down to this forum and the people i've met off it.

as hoped my car did get a small pic in the golf+ magazine:



i was really pleased and made me feel pretty proud to be honest as it was its first outing. other than that i've just been tarting up a few things and made a sh!tty boot install which i wont show as its really not good! i will re-do it soon but seem to have so much on the go at the moment that i need to focus on.

i was trying to sort my interior out and have bought some electric recaro's which i'll re-trim, but deciding on a colour is soooo hard. i had bought some beautiful dark red leather but with all the blue on my car i didn't think it would work. i messed around on photoshop and came up with a few ideas but even now i'm still not sure! i want it to stand out and to be talked about but at the same time i don't want it to be too lairy that i won't like driving around in it! decisions, decisions! on a plus side though i took apart one of the recaro's and they are so easy! should make the re-trim alot more enjoyable!

i'm still trying to find a place to get my body work sorted. ideallly i want someone who'll do some cash in hand work on all the little bits till its all done, then take it to a bodyshop to get a full re-spray. i just can't justify the huge amounts i've been quoted when part of this project has been about doing it all on a budget. whatever happens i'll get it sorted, even if i have to learn how to weld, panel beat and spray myself!

thats all for now, looks like it'll be getting a bit of a makeover over winter with the body work, stereo install and interior all being done at once. then i  can properly enjoy the show season next year even more so than i did this year. i'd advise anyone to get out to shows. does wonders for the entheusiasm!!
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Offline ...joe

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Re: gtijoe - low 'n polished mk2
« Reply #35 on: 16 September 2005, 17:21 »
small update:

at edition 38 i bought a new rear box, exactly the same as the one i have now but with a longer tailpipe so it should clear the bumper a bit more and stop the paint from getting too warm! haven't got off my arse to fit it yet as i've been on holiday so one for the weekend.
i also picked up one of dizzie's headlamp wiring looms and they are very well made i must say. trial fitted it and it works a treat, will take the grill etc off and hide everything a bit better.

got a few things planned for it after have a good long think about where i wanted to take my golf, modification wise. it'll take time and effort but will be worth it in the end. basiclly i've taken this as far as i'm going to in its current state. the next steps will take it even further, but don't hold your breath. might have to save up a few quid.
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Offline ...joe

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Re: gtijoe - low 'n polished mk2
« Reply #36 on: 28 September 2005, 18:17 »
sorted out a good guy to do my bodywork. i've seen alot of his work and they tend to do aircooled vw's but he's very into his golfs. one of the beetles he's done has won every show its been entered in since the respray! so should be good. we're going to do it slowly with all the bits i want doing over then next month or so, with me driving around with a primered car for a while but then we'll get it in the paint shop and do the full re-spray!!

the exhaust i bought at e38 is a bit odd. doesn't fit my old system even though they are the same model?! anyway i've just got a milltek g60 system so will be putting that on. i'm in two minds to chop the old tailpipe off and mate it up to the milltek rear box. not sure yet..........

also bought a set of audi tt pedals picked them up today and with a bit of tweaking they went on fairly easily.



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Offline ...joe

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Re: gtijoe - low 'n polished mk2
« Reply #37 on: 02 October 2005, 19:53 »
friday afternoon i came home early so decided to have a go at offering up the new milltek exhaust. it fits a treat but i didn't have the right sized clamps to do it up properly so it was blowing slightly. its got a completely different sound to the speedtech one. its smoother and a bit more 'wooshy' whereas the speedtech is more angry and raw!!
anyway even though it was blowing a bit i took it out to meet up with veedubgti16v to pass on my old winter wheels. its quieter in use but can't tell any difference in performance, so with the extra silencer ive got to put in, i'll be able to do the long trips to shows and get there without my brain resonating!!
it still needs the odd tweak to get it properly sorted but i'm more than happy with it. it also now means i have a full milltek from manifold to tailpipe so the fit is better and need no reducers etc as its all designed to go together.

i also picked up my new winter wheels today!! i got a set of azev a's off ebay for a bargain price. i was pleased to see they were actually better than i was expecting! two of the tyres are going to be changed due to damaged side walls but again, happy happy happy!! couldn't be arsed to trial fit one but they should go on fine. they are et25 so may need a bit of tweaking to get right but are gonna be cool for the winter. i did want to paint them black but as they are in such good condition i cant quite bring myself to slap a load of paint on them!! the laquer is coming away on one rim so i'll probably get them properly re-furbed next year when the BBS go back on, ready for next year!
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Offline ...joe

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Re: gtijoe - low 'n polished mk2
« Reply #38 on: 29 October 2005, 18:48 »
been a bit slack updating this section!! my golf had its frist MOT since the mechanical parts had all been removed, replaced re-fitted etc, and i was pleased to say it passed!! was a very happy boy i can tell you!
i'd already been under the car and sorted the exhaust out and fitted the extra silencer so its a bit quieter but not as much as i thought it would be? anyway it was good news!

so i decided to treat the car to a bit of new toys! i'd given the guy who's doing my bodywork another rear bumper and tailgate and after a week he called me to say they were ready for collection. man alive they turned out better than i expected!! the paint is soooo deep and looks amazing. i really want some base model rear glass so i can lose the spoiler so might be doing a swap with a local lad. shame as i want to get it on the car but without glass its holding me back a bit!! got a few pics of them but they don't really do the paint justice. i'll post the pics when i upload them.
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Offline ...joe

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Re: gtijoe - low 'n polished mk2
« Reply #39 on: 29 October 2005, 21:55 »
smallish pics of the bumper and tailgate:



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