[trackday_prep] My '89 1.9 Gti Fast Road/track Day Build

[mattg 3]

Hi all,

 

I've wanted to put this up on here for a while but have only just been able to join. I'll do this as a quick update from when I bought the car 6 months ago to now.

 

Basically I bought the car from a friend who had bought it from another friend with a view to getting it back on the road. The first guy who had it took it off the road, bought alot of the bits and then ran out of enthusiasm.. Friend 2 bought it for a good price but due to having his own 205 and a house to restore never got the chance to touch it. So 6 years of being off the road and I bought it for £250 with all the bits the first guy had bought. It has 81K on the clocks and with a new battery and fuel filter started on the key. The car came with..

 

New Bilstein dampers

New droplinks

New discs

New pads

New filters

NEw brake hoses

 

It was a little worse for wear externally but importantly the shell was solid. Under the rear seats is spotless so it's all cosmetic. This is how it looked..

 

 

 

I won't list all the pics up to now but to summarise....

 

Stripped

 

 

Repaired where required, hammerited under the arches/inner wings..

 

 

 

Suspension built up with new topmounts and all the new bits...

 

 

This is how she sits now

 

 

Spend so far is £543.74

 

This includes..

 

Springs

Top mounts

Car itself with the bilsteins etc

new solid water hose

two rust free doors - tenner on ebay (wrong colour but will be painted with the new wings etc)

new bonnet in correct colour (ebay 99p)

hammerite

bilthamber rust treatment for front panel

service parts

 

next update should be good as the paintwork will be done allowing alot of it to be built back up. Then it'll be off with the rear beam for a refurb and to allow me to clean up and paint the rest of the underside.

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

Looks good. Keep us posted.

[j_turnell 137 3 Cars]

Looking good mate, and only down the road too!

[mattg 3]

So, thought i'd make a start again today. The front suspension etc is all sorted now and the under arches are all protected so wanted to kick off with getting the rear end sorted. It's a while since i've worked on it so I spent most of today getting the garage cleared out. I then turned the car round and started preperations for getting the rear beam off. Mainly getting it sitting on axle stands and giving everything a liberal coating of WD-40. I'll keep doing this throughout the week and then next weekend I should get the exhaust and rear beam off so I can start checking and protecting the floor at the back! How I left it today...

 

 

 

 

Not massive progress but i'm back into it now.

[tezza 0]

looking forward to the progress in this mate. as im going for a similar approach with mine. keep up the brilliant work.

[mattg 3]

Managed to get a few more hours on it this weekend. Got the rear underside cleaned up, any surface rust ground away before any minor remains getting the Bilthamber treatment and then primed ready for painting.

 

 

Also got the panels loaded up ready for dropping off at the bodyshop tomorrow when i'm out on my travels. I've got the doors, wings, grill and both valances in there so looking forward to getting them done and bolted back on!

 

 

Will be speaking to a couple of folks in the week about getting the rear beam sorted. There's definateley some light at the end of the tunnel now.

[t.staines64 0]

Looks good Im just startin to clean up the underside of mines. I was just wonderin where it up put your axle stands once you took off the rear axle?

[mattg 3]

Looks good Im just startin to clean up the underside of mines. I was just wonderin where it up put your axle stands once you took off the rear axle?

 

Just on the sills mate where the jacking points are. It's plenty strong enough and mines getting painted there anyway...

 

So, few more bits done this today...

 

 

 

Fresh wings on... (will be going back to amber indicators as I found them in a box while sorting a few bits)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spangly new beam on complete with new bearings, mounts etc etc...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calipers painted up and on..

 

 

 

 

 

 

And my nice freshly painted valances ready to go on...

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's getting there slowly but sureley. Next job is to get the hubs on, new rear dampers fitted and then get the brake flexis swapped to the new ones so it's ready to sit on four wheels again!

[jord294 93]

nice work matt

 

that beam does look well

 

look better when the new pipes, brackets, and disc protectors are fitted

[mattg 3]

nice work matt

 

that beam does look well

 

look better when the new pipes, brackets, and disc protectors are fitted

 

It will mate, tope job on the beam refurb mate! can't wait to try the handling with all new suspension

[mattg 3]

Got some more done today....

 

Rear dampers arrived...

 

 

And on...

 

 

I also got the hubs back on and bolted the calipers up to allow me to get it back on four wheels....

 

 

Had a sort out and thought i'd roughly mount the bumpers and a few bits of kit to get them out of harms way as I don't want to damage them....

 

 

 

Almost looks like a car again!

 

Next job is to sort the brake pipes, respray the sills etc so the new doors can get out of the spare bedroom and onto the car ;-) It's getting there!

[mattg 3]

Well, things ground to a halt on this a bit but i'm back on it at last! I've started to crack on again , car is now looking like this...

 

 

 

 

I've decided to get it on the road and enjoy rather than try to finish it 100% before it sees the road. I can concentrate on getting it mint while enjoying it!!

 

My deadline for roadworthiness is May as I want this to be at PPC in the park. Lot's more progress to follow.

[mattg 3]

This seems to be taking forever but a decent step forward today. New cambelt, tensioner, waterpump and fuel filter fitted.

 

 

 

Up in the air

 

 

 

 

 

 

Covers and stuff off

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pump out

 

 

 

 

 

 

New bits all in

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fuel filter replaced

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the fleet taking up the whole street (oops)

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, brakes next Saturday, oil change, gearbox oil change, some fresh coolant, and then it's ready to be fired up. Then it's just final fitting up and MOT time.

[mattg 3]

Bit of mojo boosting aesthetic work yesterday.

 

 

 

First of all, a local scrappy had one in so went and got some of the bits I had that were missing/damaged..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got busy with the plastic dye on the trim and then had a look at the red strips. Some had been painted purple in the past and others were bent and faded red. A bit of time spend with the pliers straightening them and some Mazda Red I had left over from Jo's old MX5 and things were looking better...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fitted up...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Popped the 1.9 and GTI badges to the rear quarters...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drilled the wing, fitted the side repeater and did the final fit with Silkaflex sealing it up...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fitted up the new bumper sliders which I managed to get from Peugeot..

 

 

 

Old..

 

 

 

 

 

 

New..

 

 

 

 

 

 

And that's about it for the day...

 

 

 

[mattg 3]

Got quite a bit done today...

 

 

 

fitted the rear discs and pads

 

Adjusted the handbrake

 

Fitted up all of the coolant hoses with new jubilee clips

 

Fitted the air filter assembly

 

fitted the front bumper properly

 

Fitted the new scrapyard rear panel

 

Fitted the badges

 

Fitted the window motors etc into the passenger side door.

 

fitted my ebay purchase side repeaters £2!

 

fitted the Exhaust

 

Fitted the mirrors

 

 

 

Pics from today...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, whats next

 

 

 

New rear brakes lines

 

Tyres

 

Fluid change and... startup

[mattg 3]

Bit more done today...

 

 

 

Changed the gearbox oil (i'd forgotten how grim it smelt)

 

 

 

Topped up until it starts to drip out of the level plug..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Popped the new front number plate on...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bit of wheel refurb action (nice not to have to worry about the tyre as it needs a full set)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then thought i'd sort out the messy rear quarter. There was a bit of bubbling when I bought it but it turned out to only be surface rust. Ground it back to good metal, little skim to get it smooth then on with the primer...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On with the paint... Really nice match, you can't tell it's been done (also did edge of the rear quater where primer was showing...

 

 

 

 

 

 

On with the wheel with comedy painted tyre..

 

 

 

[mattg 3]

So, bit of an update of where we are now...

 

 

 

Tyres arrived and fitted up...

 

 

 

 

 

 

New aux belt...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oil changed...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Radiator changed and fan sensor replaced...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Battery fitted, New brake lines and flexis...

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, it's ALIVE!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=1885239453617&comments

 

 

 

A photo of myself, Pete and Dave on Friday eveniing having a celebratory beer after it's first run down the street!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oil pressure is good, fan cuts in and out niceley. Happy days!

[ash 205gti 0]

looks nice mate done a good job

[johnhenry 20]

looks nice mate! currently doing the same with my '89 in the same colour!

 

lil question, regarding the bolts holding the rear shocks in place, did they come with the dampers or did you buy them seperate? if so where?

Cheers

John

[mattg 3]

looks nice mate! currently doing the same with my '89 in the same colour!

 

lil question, regarding the bolts holding the rear shocks in place, did they come with the dampers or did you buy them seperate? if so where?

Cheers

John

 

sorry for the delayed reply, haven't been on in a while! Have a word with Jord294 on here as I got them with the very nice refurbed beam he did me.

 

So, have been busy on this over the few week after another small break in progress. Life just seems to get in the way sometimes!

 

Changed all the hoses for Baker BM's silicone ones.

Sorted a few electrical issues - Just needs an alternator now (on order)

Fitted new compensators to the rear brakes and re-bled the system.

Cleaned up the interior.

Given the whole thing a proper wash and wax.

Few MOT bits like wipers/bulbs

 

Just need to to a torque check on everything and whack the new alternator on then I should finally get that MOT!

[mattg 3]

Well, plenty to update pics wise but she passed her first MOT for 8 years today. Can't wait to get some miles on the clock this weekend!

[Anthony 1,003]

Well, plenty to update pics wise but she passed her first MOT for 8 years today. Can't wait to get some miles on the clock this weekend!

Congrats! Now get out there and enjoy the fruits of your hard work!

[mattg 3]

Thanks matey, I certainly am. And on that subject..

 

Went over to see my mate Pete who has an MI-16 converted one and we went for a bit of a drive... I love this car, so much fun.

 

 

 

Couple of bits I need to do this week, nameley a bit of work on the timing (runs better now i've replaced the knackered vacuum pipe from the throttle body to the distributor, was pinking like anything!) and some alignment as it feels a little twitchy at speed.

 

Then it's off to Snetterton for the first track day on Friday with Pete and the green one!

[mattg 3]

Had a cracking day at Snetterton on Friday. Was my first trackday so nerve wracking at first but as the day went on I was getting quicker and quicker. Ended up being held up by an Elise and a couple of 911's on the last session I still have lots to learn but have got the bug now. Just need more power!!

 

 

So, a GTI-6 conversion is now on the cards as I was getting trounced on the straights putting me behind cars which weren't as quick on the twisties which was a shame. Easily remedied though

[toonz 0]

Hey Mattg, top job mate - that is a very tidy restoration mate, mines being readied for its first MOT in 3years. Unfortunately she will eventually go to a new home in new year, but not before I've had a few drives in it!

By the way if you fancied keeping it 8v and want more power I've got a very tasty hill climb engine in the shed i bought from Danpug 3 years ago... if you're interested PM me! (175-185bhp on carbs