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21
Members' Cars / Re: G135EPB 8v GTI
Last post by ianmac86 -
25th September 2026, Bicester Motion
I booked another trackday! This one was at Bicester Motion through Oli's Secret Trackdays. It's only a small track and was just the afternoon session. They ran it anti clockwise for the first few hours and then swapped it round to clockwise. It was a low numbers day, around 20 cars I think, so there was plenty of track time to be had.

Me, Dan (20v), Woz (20v) and Tom (abf) had all booked on, along with a fella called Tan in an Oak Green 3.2, so there were five Mk2s between us. There was also a Mk1 there which was very similarly matched to my car, which made for some good fun on track.

I managed to get some tuition from Oli. He started by saying "you can drive" 😏 but then followed it up with plenty of advice, which I tried to take on board for the rest of the day.
https://youtu.be/ZIggkDVICp0?is=M6kHjUHO3x7nFL9d
It wasn't a problem free afternoon. I think pretty much all of us had an issue of some sort, but we all managed to drive home in one piece, which is the main thing!

Mine came away with a couple of jobs. The front subframe is very crusty whichbi already knew about, so I've got a powder coated Mk3 subframe and a new old stock mount lined up to replace it. The rear exhaust hanger has snapped the stud, so that needs welding back on and the speedo stopped working. I'm assuming the speedo cable has either broken or come detached.
Dan's heater matrix blew up and he also lost his fans. Woz somehow managed to lose two of the three bolts holding his gearbox bracket on. The final bolt then sheared off and took a chunk of the gearbox casing with it for good measure 😳

So not exactly a trouble free trackday, but plenty of track time, laughs and all the cars made it home under their own steam. By old VW trackday standards, I'd probably call that a success! Definitely recommend Oli's Secret Trackdays and will book through him again in future.

Oh yeah, the photographer was class 👌🏻








22
Members' Cars / J858KLY 20vt Project
Last post by ianmac86 -
Bought this recently as a bit of a project, with the idea of building a 20 valve. That decision was made considerably easier by the fact it came with a BAM engine!


The car itself is a five door Driver, originally a 1.6 auto. The previous owner had already started the conversion and had basically stripped the car right back. The original engine and gearbox were removed, along with the dash, interior, looms, sound deadening, dash and even seat belts! The engine had been mounted in the engine bay on the correct mounts, but that was about as far as the conversion had got.

So what I've really bought is a big Mk2 Golf jigsaw puzzle that somebody else has started. Most of the parts that were removed have since been given to me, so hopefully the majority of it is there to put back together, although I'm sure I'll find plenty missing along the way.

Condition wise, it seems to be a pretty solid shell in the places that matter. The rear turrets look good, the fuel filler area looks good and the rest of the underside seems reasonably solid for a Mk2. Which is the main reason I went for this car. I had plenty of pictures and videos sent over before buying it and although it's certainly not perfect, it didn't appear to be hiding thousands of pounds worth of welding.

There are still a few bits to sort. It needs a jacking point repairing, a patch on the sill and a small repair around the tailgate plinth. Cosmetically it desperately needs a good clean and polish, so it'll be interesting to see how well it comes back up. I've got no plans to make it perfect cosmetically though. I want something I can use and enjoy without worrying too much about it.




The engine is a BAM 1.8T 20V, believed to have done around 115k from a TT. It apparently comes with a decent amount of service history, which I'm still waiting to get hold of being maintained by an Audi specialistin High Wycombe.

As I bought it, the main useful bits were:
• BAM 1.8T 20V engine
• 02A CGY Corrado gearbox
• Russell Swann converted BAM CE2 loom
• BAM ECU
• Mk3 VR6 fuel tank


There was no clutch or flywheel and the engine had essentially just been mounted in place (i assume for tranaportation), so there's still plenty to do before it i can think about turbing the key.

I've started collecting parts for it and so far I've got:
• G60 flywheel
• Sachs VR6 clutch
• Strengthened clutch arm
• Hydraulic clutch setup from a mk4
• Mk3 subframe and ABF rear engine bracket
• Sytec uprated fuel pump setup
• Oversized K04 TIP
• 600 x 300 x 76 intercooler
• boost pipework
• G60 front brake setup
• SEAT Ibiza stubby brake master cylinder
• INA timing belt and water pump kit
• Non AC auxiliary belt setup
• Trackslag 3 inch K04 downpipe
• Trackslag full 3 inch exhaust
The converted CE2 loom was done by Russell Swann, which is a good starting point. The ECU has just come back from Adlai Phillip for the immobiliser removal and the necessary deletes.

I'm sure theres still a fairly long list of little bits to find and work out along the way, as well as putting the interior, dash and wiring back together. I know there will be plenty of things I've not even realised I'm missing yet!

For now the plan sounds pretty simple. Get it running, driving, MOT'd and road legal as a 20VT Mk2 and then see what I think of it.

I'm not completely sure what I'll do with it if i even complete it. I might keep it as a road car and daily it, turn it into more of a track car, sell it once it's finished, or possibly transplant the 20VT setup into my red Mk2. I still love the ABF in that car though, so I'm in no rush to pull apart something that already works.

For now this one can be the project. Put the jigsaw back together, get it running and see where it goes from there 🙂
24
Mk2 Parts for Sale & Breaking / Re: Mk2 16v Golf & Jetta Parts For Sale
Last post by nadabsardar -
Hi James, is the 16v stuff still available? The thread's been quiet for a while, so I wasn't sure. I'm mainly after a 16v head or inlet manifold, and I'd like to know whether the cam and timing gear are included or already gone. I can pay postage or collect if that's easier. Cheers
25
Bodywork & Paintwork / Re: Paint work
Last post by scs -
Hi, a garage local to me in East Devon. What also you have to think about is humidity if the air is not dry you get a effect called micro blister which causes the paint to bubble after time as moisture is trapped under the new paint.
27
Bodywork & Paintwork / Re: Paint work
Last post by scs -
I know friends that painted there cars they never turned out well. The equipment they had was just not good enough. It also needs a lot of skill. I recently paid £1300 to have half the side of my car painted I am well pleased with the result.
28
Bodywork & Paintwork / Paint work
Last post by MDitch -
Hi,

Does anyone on here paint cars on their drive or in their garage to a reasonable standard? I am looking at options around having my mk2 paint matched to the standard factory paint of Monza blue paint. The front wings and doors are still factory paint but at some point the rear end and roof have been painted a dark blue and its not a good finish.
I cant afford a full show standard respray but would love it to at least all be the same colour and look decent.

If anyone can comment on here or send me a PM I would love to have a discussion.

Many Thanks

Michael
29
Mk2 Golf/Jetta Sales / Re: MK2 Golf 1.8 8v – Atlas Grey – 99,724 genuine miles
Last post by nadabsardar -
This is a lovely bit of history, and the paperwork trail is the sort of thing that really adds to a car like this. Being honest though, the price is going to raise eyebrows with a non-runner that still has a lot of work left in it, especially with the rear axle and fuel tank still to be refitted. Anyone thinking about it should check the welds on the sills and the battery tray area carefully, and it'd be worth asking for photos of the underside once it's back together. Good luck with the sale, and it's great that the parts are all being kept together.
30
Mk2 Golf/Jetta Sales / MK2 Golf 1.8 8v – Atlas Grey – 99,724 genuine miles
Last post by Chappio -
For sale is my MK2 Golf 1.8 8v in Atlas Grey, registration E578 ARC, with a genuine 99,724 miles.

I have owned the car myself since 2008, when I bought it as an MOT failure. I got it through its MOT, serviced it, fitted a new timing belt and rear calipers, and had a blissful year of daily driving before buying my first house. The house needed serious renovation and I also needed something bigger for tip runs, so the Golf went into storage for the first time.

After finishing the house and having a double garage built, I finally started the restoration. I stripped the car and, as I worked my way through it, replaced anything that wasn't up to the standard I wanted.

As is common with MK2s, I found rust in some of the usual areas, so the car was sent away for welding. It has had new sills, rear arches, fuel filler area and rear valance, as well as repairs to the area underneath the windscreen rubber and the battery tray.

Then came the second house and children. The MK2 came with us, but unfortunately it has never seen the light of day since the day it arrived until this week when I finally took the cover off to take the photographs for this sale.

It isn't an easy decision. I haven't paid for storage and transported this car from place to place over the years just to see it end up like this. I bought it when I was 26; I've just turned 44, and I've had to accept that with a young family I could well be in my 50s before I realistically have the time to finish the restoration.

The car

The Golf is 39 years old, having been registered on 21/09/1987.

I have all of the original paperwork from when the car was purchased from Bristol Street Motors, Nottingham, including its history from when it was originally sold. Interestingly, the paperwork records a white XR3i being traded in against it. The original service book is stamped by dealers and specialists up until 01/10/2002, when the car had covered 79,598 miles. Combined with the MOT history and service documentation, this confirms the genuine mileage of 99,724 miles.

The car is complete. Everything removed during the restoration has been retained, labelled and stored ready for reassembly. The car was running well before I removed the fuel tank to allow the welding work to be carried out. It is now being sold as a non-runner and will need to be collected by trailer.I have tried to source replacements for anything that wasn't up to the standard I wanted, rather than simply putting worn or tired original parts back on. The parts that come with the car are generally in excellent condition. The original brake lines have been retained as templates for making new lines. My intention was to replace them and have the car looking as close to factory fresh as possible. The dashboard has a crack, but I have a spare genuine dashboard from a 16V which is included. The wings have some minor rust that could be repaired, but I will also include two genuine replacement wings in excellent condition. The bumpers are genuine and in near-perfect condition. I also steam-cleaned the entire underside, treated the areas of surface rust and reapplied stone chip where appropriate. The underside has subsequently been fully protected, and the heat shields have either been replaced or refurbished. The rear axle was shot blasted and powder coated, then refitted with new bushes.

There is a huge amount of work and detail in this car that I could probably write a book about. I wanted it to be right, so I tackled everything I could, often painstakingly slowly, and did it to the best of my ability.

This isn't a car that has simply been parked up and forgotten about. It has had years of work, parts and time invested in it, and the intention was always to build a really nice, factory-looking MK2.

Price

I'm asking £3,000 for the car.
It is being sold as a non-runner and will need to be collected by trailer. The car, parts and documentation can all be viewed before purchase.

Additional parts

I also have the following MK2 parts available separately, should the next prospective owner not wish to purchase any, I will put them up for sale.
•   BBS wheels and centre caps – P/N 191 601 025 AA
•   B-Star RA wheels – Silver with diamond-polished lip, 8.0 x 16", 2 x ET35 and 2 x ET25
•   Full genuine big-bumper kit with fog lights
•   MK2 power steering rack, including pulleys and ancillaries
•   Powder-coated front axle and anti-roll bar
•   Pair of tail lights
•   Smoked bumper and wing indicator lenses
•   Single-headlight grille
•   Twin-headlight grille


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