Garaged 205 For 16 Years - Problems?

[Guest mholmes90]

Hi everyone.

 

My dad has had a 205 gti 1.6 (F reg) Sitting in his Barn for around 16 years. It is in really good condition but probably not mecahnically after sittign there for so long.

 

I am going to try and get it back on the road. Will be taking it to a garage to be looked at with a view for it to pass the MOT.

 

So what i am asking all you increadibile knowledgable folk is What kind of things do i need to look at and replace for a car that has been sat around for the last 16 years???

 

I am pretty sure new tyres is a must

new brake lines?

It has had a small amount of petrol sittign in it for that amount of time also will that have caused any issues?

 

When i get home i will hopefully post some pictures of the car.

[welshpug 1,657]

Drain as much of the old fuel as possible, fill up with V-Power and adjust ignition timing to suit.

 

Oil and Coolant.

 

Tyres.

 

Flexible brake hoses and all the fluid, I'd be seriously tempted to fit a new master Cylinder too.

 

Timing belt and Water Pump.

 

Windscreen Wipers.

 

Rear beam bearings.

 

Plus whatever it fails an MOT on.

 

Not a great deal really

[pug309twin40s 1]

brake discs and pads possibly as well

[jimistdt 1]

Battery will be shot too.

[Guest mholmes90]

Ok so probably quite a little list.

 

Thanks for all the responses.

[jimistdt 1]

Whats the mileage on it? Must be a minter once cleaned up?

[Batfink 201]

brakes often seize completely on abandoned cars like this so caliper rebuilds might be necessary

[Guest mholmes90]

I am not 100% sure as havent seen it in a while but if my memory is right it is on 70000-77000

[Sven_2k4 0]

Would really spin it over with the plugs out get some oil round the engine before you fire it up........or just a straight oil and filter change.

General service wouldn't hurt either.

[boombang 2]

Plugs out, oil in bores and turn engine over by hand first - if it won't turn over by hand then engine is most likely seized or rings have rusted onto liners.

 

If it does turn without any horrible noises, I'd drain oil and remove filter, new sump plug ring, new oil filter and fill with new oil (Halfords semi-syth or similar, even something like Tesco would do).

 

Then connect up a new battery and still without any plugs in would turn it over to build up oil pressure.

 

It's going to be a touch hit and miss as you could find loads of little electrical bits have corroded and need either cleaning or replacing.

 

Where abouts in London are you? If you're over towards Essex I'll happily come over and help out.

[Guest mholmes90]

As promised pictures are below.

 

I am in London but the car is in Kent. Will probably not be down there again to start doing stuff untill christmass. So have to wait a little longer to get my hands on it.

 

[allye 530 3 Cars]

16 years! Get some pictures up asap, sounds like a great little project.

 

One of the things I would be tempted to do s give it a bloody good clean if its been sitting for that long.

 

Also no one else seem to have mentioned the rear brakes, hand brake cables also.

 

Cheers, Ali

 

Edit - got the pictures up as i typed!

 

Thats looks abosolutly mint.

Edited November 25, 2009 by allye

[jimistdt 1]

 

Amazing! I thought it was going to be covered in bird poo!

 

Just for comedy value, I'd love to know what was on the Tapes in the centre console from 17 years ago!

[Guest mholmes90]

I have no idea what the tape is but when i next go and see it i will find out.

 

I did forget to mention for a lot of the time it did have a cover over it. So not too many bird poos.

[miamichris 9]

I love these barn finds I always wonder how someone can just afford to park a car up in a shed and just forget about it, I couldn't!

 

Looks like my XS daily driver, I've a set of 1600 gti alloys on it and I refurbished a set of those seats and put them in it about a month ago!

 

EDIT: Just noticed it seems to have a phase 2 black bumper but the rest are phase 1/1.5 grey plastics, wonder why?

Edited November 25, 2009 by miamichris

[hengti 2]

could well be a massive of list of things you have to do to it, and then stuff you need to follow up with once you start using it. apart from some of the stuff already mentioned, i'd be worried about anything made of rubber. if you think about how many different areas of the car's mechanicals rely on rubber components (suspension, bay hoses, m/c and caliper seals, etc, etc), you start seeing that it could easily become full mechanical restoration job. that might not be the case, just what i'd be worried about

 

ed. also, does the coin tray work?

Edited November 25, 2009 by hengti

[buchanan84 1]

looks in better condition than mine which has only been in a shed 3yrs

 

my theory

petrol

jump leads

turn key and see what happens

 

probably safer ignoring me

[Guest mholmes90]

I have no idea why it has the phase two rear bumper. Wouldnt know the difference myself.

 

The car was originally my Dads Fiancés so will have to ask her

 

Also have no idea if the coin tray works. sorry

 

Hopefully all will be revealed in the not to distant future

[lagonda 42]

Coin tray?! Ignore him, he's just jealous!

 

To be honest, I'd view a lot of the advice as worst case scenario. For a car standing 16 years to have an exhaust in that good condition still, shows storage conditions have been pretty good. Certainly take care, put thin oil down the bores...Redex petrol treatment would be ideal & let that stand for a few days before turning it over, with fresh oil & filter, & don't try starting it until you've got oil pressure showing.

 

Wouldn't risk driving it too far to start off with as some of the electrics could be tired/reluctant. Clutch might be stuck to the flywheel...if it is, it's difficult but start & drive it with clutch depressed & apply brakes, clutch will usually free quite readily...a bit violent but alternative is removing gearbox & stripping clutch.

 

But! Most importantly of all.....find out WHY it was laid up! Could well be a problem you need to sort first.

[GLPoomobile 958]

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole After being left unused for 16 years, the old girl is going to be SERIOUSLY pissed off They do have personalities, and it doesn't pay to get on the wrong side of them.

 

Surely it was only about 4 years old when it was garaged. Can't remember what the original prices were when new, but that must have bee na fair few grands worth of hot hatch when it was parked up

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

As GLPoo says, you need to give it some love before you turn that key...

 

Bit of fondling with that exhaust pipe, polish those lovely round wheels and speak to it...

[Galifrey 1]

What a truely amazing find, it looks so "new" inside.

 

Get some decent polish on it, protect that paint before you take her out.

[hengti 2]

Coin tray?! Ignore him, he's just jealous!

 

couldn't believe it hadn't already been asked!

 

hope it's not as onerous as my post - i'm just a worse-case-scenario-guy with stuff like this; that way you can adjust in the right direction, rather than go in from the other end of the scale and have it mount up on you

[SurGie 54]

Your car only has the phase 2 black front bumper and the rear looks original.

 

So TBH, it might have had a front end smash at some point in its early life, i cant see any other reason why it has a black front bumper

instead of the grey like on at the back.

 

I hope it ant had a smash by the looks of it, it looks mint, rare black as well

[Alastairh 47]

Fantastic find. Im rather jealous!

 

Al