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Topic: Project Grandad - Strip down, inspection and clean (Read 3667 times) previous topic - next topic

Project Grandad - Strip down, inspection and clean

My friend and I, both mk2 Golf veterans have purchased a new mk2 for a long term project.

Introducing our new Jade Green 1986 Type 19 GL with just 64k on the clock. The engine runs like a sewing machine - so much so my friend thought I'd turned it off when I came to a stop on the test drive!

The car looks good on the face of it, but closer inspection has revealed a few crusty bits.

We agreed a price and although the car hadn't moved more than 5 miles in 15 years, it made the 240 mile journey home without a hitch aside from some carb icing on the M3 and it cutting out as a result when pulling into Fleet services! A KFC later and the Weber had thawed nicely and continued the rest of the journey with no issues.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
































Let me know your initial thoughts and the plans will be revealed soon. It should make you smile.  :D

Re: Project Grandad

Reply #1 –
Looks pretty decent and unmolested for an early car.
1988 8v GTI, 3 door in black.  It's a bit like me, doesn't look too bad from a distance but up close.......:D

Re: Project Grandad

Reply #3 –
Well after a bit of poking around it has been established that the rear end is in such a bad state of repair, having had 3 or 4 bad repairs carried out in the past, including a rusty edge along the boot floor to rear panel, that the best course of action will be to buy an entire rear section. May opt for the Heritage one that includes the rear light surrounds, or if there's one available, an entire cut of the rear section of a car and weld it on.

Next job was to lift the carpets and see what nasty surprises lay in wait. Fortunately the floor is solid! One less job at least.

My friend and I had a clear plan in our heads when we set out to buy this car, but after the journey back our rose tinted glasses clouded our judgement as we are quite fond of the car and engine. There's no rush, so may run it as it is and enjoy it for a while whilst we make the final decision.

Here's a picture of the floor pan, at least!

Re: Project Grandad

Reply #5 –
It's solid in all the right places. Sills, arches, A Pillars (from what we can see by shining a torch in there) jacking points and floorpans. It's just that rear end that's a let down.

Does anyone have a picture of how the rear end should look, as I seem to remember the rear panel of early ones were different to late ones?

Re: Project Grandad

Reply #6 –
Looking forward to the progress on this one 🤙🏻

Re: Project Grandad

Reply #7 –
Quote from: makers_mk2 on
It's solid in all the right places. Sills, arches, A Pillars (from what we can see by shining a torch in there) jacking points and floorpans. It's just that rear end that's a let down.

Does anyone have a picture of how the rear end should look, as I seem to remember the rear panel of early ones were different to late ones?
Have a look at this thread - https://www.vwgolfmk2.co.uk/clubforum/index.php?topic=324.0.  No VW badge in the middle and a smaller badge with the Volkswagen script on the left of the panel.
1988 8v GTI, 3 door in black.  It's a bit like me, doesn't look too bad from a distance but up close.......:D

Re: Project Grandad

Reply #8 –
The non centre badge and different exhaust gap I think was on the earliest of cars , yours is a later model and might have had a centre badge?? Or it might have had a little rear shunt not properly repaired a few years back?

Re: Project Grandad

Reply #9 –
Back on the the mk2 today.
Today the strip down began.

Time to remove 34 years of grot and human slime.  :o

Seats removed. They'll be wet vac'd shortly. Dreading to think what colour the water comes out. I think Covid was the least of my worries on the 3 hour journey home...





Carpets vacuumed, with the onlooking cat.








Blaupunkt stereo



Carpets out and (thankfully rust free) floor plan vacuumed and cleaned






Don't do mud flaps, kids. They suck balls and rot your arches.
In the bin they go. Caught them before things got too severe.





The one good door membrane!



Front carpets out. No rust, but a lot of grossness and an apparent leak from somewhere! Fortunately it's not rusted through.







Then weather stopped play. I guess we'll find out where that leak came from!



Question: Quite a bit of the chrome trim is in this condition, can it be restored?

Re: Project Grandad

Reply #11 –
Yea the black plastic side trims and bumpers are generally ok. The bumpers may need a retexture from someone who knows what they're doing, so would like to keep them, rather than buying potentially rubbish 2nd hand replacement ones. Or extortionately scene taxed ones. Will just have to measure the diameter of the chrome strip to order new.

Re: Project Grandad

Reply #12 –
Trim restore time!
A spot of Gtechniq C4 and the (what was grey) trim is now looking as good as new! Except the chrome, as I've run out of Autosol  :'( .
Oh and the rear bumper is pretty ruined. Looks like it's been reversed into multiple fence posts, as it has multiple dents all across it and doesn't sit quite right. It's also missing the top strip of chrome.




Got the car up in the air today and had a good root round underneath to see what is what.





















I think we've struck gold. A few minor scabs where I think the underside has caught on the farm track where the car was based for the last 15 years, but nothing scary at all and should be easily treatable.

Now time for the magic tricks. Paint marks, be gone!






Now on the look for a new rear panel...

Re: Project Grandad - Strip down, inspection and clean

Reply #14 –
This evening also led to a proper clean of the bare interior using actual soap. She's scrubbing up well!