Chaps, can someone move this to the projects section? can't seem to post there?
Well a few years ago, 12 to be exact, when I first came to London I was renting a room and one of my housemates had an immaculate Golf GTI 8V Mk2. Tornado red, never thrashed (cautious driver), he looked after it and kept it totally standard. He bought it second hand with 33,000 miles on the clock. I always told him to tell me if he was ever to sell it and when I bumped into him on the tube in June he mentioned he was getting rid of it and did I want it? Car had 82,000 on the clock, full service history and I will be the 3rd owner. He said I could take it off his hands for £300 as it had been in his garage since October and was not MOT'd!!! I had just bought my Porsche 964 so this was an extravagance but at the price I could not leave it, especially since it is so clean.
Already done:
-Replaced starter as solenoid stopped working
-Replaced gear linkage bushings
To do:
-Car has 14" BBSs on it but I want to get a set of 15" RAs so if you have any in good shape, preferably with tires then let me know.
-Taking off the tow hook
-New Dampers - not sure if should replace with same or better quality?
-Sorting out wheel alignment
-Minor rust on bottom of windscreen, in the shop now to be sorted
I know some don't consider this a classic but it is for me. 22 years old and THE archetypal GTI..
Rust.. solid underneath, not gone through s will be an easy fix apart from having to take the windscreen out. No other rust on car.
update 1 - The light rust around the screen has been fixed and while I was at it I got the tow hook removed and the resulting hole in the rear bumper filled and painted. Has cleaned up the back nicely.
Update 2 - In keeping with my plans to subtly improve the car I have changed most of the gear change bushes and upgrade the relay shaft ball. The original wobbles on the shaft giving a spongy change:
Has been upgraded with a part made from nylon bar (
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160808716782?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 . Got this from eBay USA but he does not normally post to the UK), original ball taken off:
The parts came from the US with instructions saying to glue the new ball in place. I preferred to viden the groove above the ball and then keep in place with a circlip, allowing it still to spin:
And now in place in the car. This mod has made a huge difference to how the gears feel. Even with all new bushes they were a bit vague and mushy, now a real pleasure!
Next on the list is getting some 15" RAs. Also want to take it to someone to look over the engine. Feels a little rough to me and like it might benefit from a proper tune. Then new adjustable dampers, but am not going to slam the car, want to keep it looking original.
