The other significant update is the rear bumper. If you remember, or read back a few pages, you'll know 1. I previously patched up the old bumper and 2. I purchased a replacement, but it was blue.
Well, I worked out the blue bumper has been in the shed for over 2 years.
I was going to get it painted and had a slot booked in, but after that had to get rearranged cus the painter couldn't do it, then I had to rearrange the follow up date as I had other stuff on. I decided I'd just do it myself.
So I started looking at paint guns, kicking myself I hadn't done it before doing the wheels. But then realised I had 2 unopened cans of Halfords Alpine White in the shed from when I did the welding to the arches and sills.
So using what I had, I only had to buy some white primer.
I forgot any prep pics before I started, but high build:
White primer:
And once the top coat was dried a bit of flat and polish: Not too much as I know the paint isn't that thick.
Then some Forever Black bumper dye on the black bits:
It was pleasing to see my work on the rear lower corners and back panel is still holding out
That'll do
It dosen't just look prettier, the old bumper if you remember was a tow bar one that had had the ball cut off and the plastic patched.
The old bumper weighed in at a massive 22.3kg, compared to the genuine replacement which is only 8.6kg. So a huge 13.7kg weight saving on the back end
And not forgetting the caps, which had quite a build-up of many years of 'quick blowovers' it would appear...
Paint day
The trusty table trusses make an appearance again.
I've only got a crappy gun, the type that comes free with a budget compressor starter kit. I've used it quite a bit but I really should get something better if I'm going to paint anything else.
I couldn't get decent paint flow without a higher pressure, which I think resulted in the paint drying too soon. Not allowing me to get a wet finish or build up any gloss.
But I think for wheels, the satin finish I ended up with actually works ok.
So after some drying time, a Camskills order was placed for a set of Uniroyal Rainsports
Where does the time go, almost 2 months since my last update. And to think, I used to do these almost daily.
I'll start by addressing my idiot moment. Re: the gear oil. I had undone the wrong bolt. doh! I wasn't looking far enough back on the gearbox. Not helped by the lower brace that I have fitted blocking the view of the proper drain plug. Instead, I'd pulled a bolt further forward. So there was no crisis, just me having a dumb moment. The gears are now bathing in fresh lube. It's impossible to know when (or even if) this was last changed. But I've owned the car for coming up to 5 years now.
I also hinted last time at a purchase.
There's been a love-hate relationship with my 17" wheels since I've had the car. Well mostly hate, so I eventually bought some new wheels.
I picked up a set of Sebrings from Monkey for a decent price. They seemed to be in OK nick, not perfect but decent. I wasn't sure if I wanted to paint them or not, so I decided a good clean was the first thing to do to get a proper look.
I had a conversation and somehow managed to phrase it in a way where my wife thought it was here idea to chuck them in the dishwasher
And I opened it mid-cycle just to prove it wasn't a staged photo.
Whilst the first one cleaned up OK...
... the next one, with a bit more brake dust build up on it didn't really come out that well.
So I decided by then a rub down and paint would be best. And without tyres, this was the perfect time to do it. Rather than fit tyres and regret it later.
This revealed some of the small knocks and bashes...
so I just kept sanding....
... ordered some consumables
... and decided before painting, back in the dishwasher was the best option to clean and de-grease.
Just keeping things ticking along. Car is running great after the tune up, and feels pretty fast (for a stock mk2).
But the car has had a really notchy clutch for a while, which even I struggle with sometimes, but has been a real pita for my son who's learning to drive in it. Not wanting to drop the gearbox if I didn't have to I started by eliminating some easier stuff too.
A very worn pushrod!
I did the pushrod, bearing, and the lever. All in a kit from B and B components. This did the job.
It still has a high biting point, and potentially still needs replacing at some point. But I have an auto-adjust clutch cable on mine, so I reset that. I have wondered if a manually adjust cable would give me an option to reset the biting point a bit.
With the car running the best it ever has and the clutch being silky smooth, on the next drive out, with my sone driving again I thought we'd have an enjoyable time.
My wife was in the back and started to say about the car smelling of fuel and her feeling a bit nauseous. Of course I dismissed her, which led to a falling out. Especially after such a big garage bill for the rolling road.
Anyway, I should have listened as the pipe from the filter to the fuel pump had perished.
I had some rubber hose that fitted, but I have no idea what it was from and doubted it was fuel safe for long. So I used it to prevent the siphoning of the tank contents onto the drive, but it meant the car laid up for another week while waiting on parts.
This was also the week I was due to drop off my spare rear bumper for painting, but had to cancel with the mk2 off the road, and the Mk5 also playing up (ABS sensor went down, causing the DSG to not change gear as it couldn't tell the wheel speed apparently).
It just so happened to be half term week, so would have been a "uncommon" opportunity to use the car for work. As I work near a Uni, and traffic is horrendous term time so I'm on the bike all the time now.
I also spotted the exhaust rubber had snapped on the centre box. Which you can see is missing in this pic also, that would explain some of the extra knocking on a drive.
So with the pipe, new pipe clips and the exhaust hanger done, while I was about it I thought I'd go for the annual oil and filter drop.
Just over 2000 miles since the last time.
There has been another purchase recently. But keeping that under wraps for now.
As a side note, at the time I was doing the clutch pushrod etc, I was going to change the gear oil. I pulled the drain plug out of the bottom, but nothing came out. I was doing this from cold though, but it was concerning.
I was only able to put a very little amount of oil back in via the filler plug, so I'm not empty. I mean, I'm sure I'd know if there was no gear oil.
I assume cold thick oil, and potentially a layer of silt. I'll go for a good drive at some point and try and get it hot. Is this normal?
Correct, gti trims fit over standard wings. They’re just aesthetic. Apart from G60 arch trims which are wider and G60 wings have cut outs at the top. So fitting G60 trims to standard wings requires cutting of the metal from the top lip of the wing.
9” on the front sounds big. You may get away with it with big stretch on the tyres but that’s not to everyone’s taste.
I shan’t be picking up any silverware but I’ll be there for the numbers 
