Just brought a MK 2 help with hints and tips

[Katie8959]

Hey guys, you lot helped me find a beautiful mk 2 golf 1.3. It's my first car so couldn't get GTI I'm after abit of help...
The work my hubby's looking to do is:
A new accelerator cable
A good service and tidy
A new grille
Big bumper conversion
New wheels
Coilovers
Front GTI seats
Poly bushes all round

Anyone got any hints and tips on where is best to get parts from,
And any other mods to just make a more modern car?

Looking to bring my 22 year old granny mobile into the mondern day

Thanks folks

[barrym381]

this might sound nuts but sometimes your better buying a rotbox gti and taking the bits you need and sell the rest 

[gazareth]

why you want to make a classic car modern? why not just buy a modern car?

[caprigreen]

Follow your dream Katie

[dragonfly]

You won't make a 1.3 feel modern.  You are heading in the right direction with regards to tidying it up.  Get onto Club GTi - the wealth or knowledge like this site is huge.  As for places to get parts from try the dealers, ebay, VW Heritage, GSF and Euro Car Parts.

[Katie8959]

hubby speaking......

hey every1 as we know the mrs crnt get insured on much other than a 1.3 but dosent want a modern car as she loves the look of a mk2.

soooo.....

want to modern up the 1.3 engine and make it as easy as poss for her to drive

why you want to make a classic car modern? why not just buy a modern car?

that's the best way... a classic car with modern technology is the best... my mini is 30 years old runs mega jolt and runs an ignition controlled launch control.. its modern enough for the track

check it out;

cheers folks

[Sgt_Lemon]

Hasn't the 1.3 got a manual choke for the carb? That doesn't feel very modern. Are there ways around that to look into? I would look to buy a dirt cheap gti and take items such as electric windows, central locking etc. you could also get the bumpers off of it and gti suspension is lower. Plus bigger brakes could be used. At this rate though it would make more sense to buy a gti and put the 1.3 engine into that. All the perks of the gti with the smaller engine.

[dubber36]

At this rate though it would make more sense to buy a gti and put the 1.3 engine into that. All the perks of the gti with the smaller engine.

But the shell and chassis number would be for a GTI. Putting a different engine in, albeit a smaller one, would make it modified, therefore making it more difficult to insure.

[Sgt_Lemon]

At this rate though it would make more sense to buy a gti and put the 1.3 engine into that. All the perks of the gti with the smaller engine.

But the shell and chassis number would be for a GTI. Putting a different engine in, albeit a smaller one, would make it modified, therefore making it more difficult to insure.

If your hot on telling your insurance everything you modify it's the choice of a smaller engine with greater safety features or modifying nearly everything about the car to bring it up to gti spec. If it was me and I had I took it up to spec the only thing I would declare would be the big bumpers, everything else is easier to claim ignorance. Insurance companies are a con and want to charge you every time you change the radio station.

[Waspy]

Wasn't much difference in insurance between a 1.3 and a Gti for me... At 19 and first car.

Tidying it up and putting big bumpers will make it look more modern. Inside it's always going to feel 20 years old... Because it is. It also won't ever drive like a modern car, and that's the beauty. So if you are looking for modern day knobs 'n' whistles then I would do as the others say and pinch them all of a Gti.

I guess you aren't  declaring the coil overs, as that will push insurance up into the Gti realms anyway... I would imagine...