[Car_Restoration] My 1989 205 1.9 Gti Restoration Project

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

As promised here are some links to photos of the finished shell there are around 350 photos so feel free to browse .

 

First job was to find all areas that had been perforated by the dipping proccess, there were about 5/6 different areas in total.

 

Typical perforation

 

 

 

Next was to repair all the holes

 

 

 

Now with all the holes repaired, the crushed floor needed to be dealt with, we cut out the internal floor and beat the external floor into shape

 

before

 

After

 

 

As an extra precaution we sprayed this anti corrosion chemical into all the seams and repairs prior to seam sealing

 

 

 

Next on with the seam sealer

 

 

so, more prep, stonechip, paint and wax oil oh..... and a new bonnet to boot (long story)

 

just in case your losing the will to live by this point here are a few of my favorite shots of the finished shell

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 5, 2014 by mrfirepro

[2052NV 24]

wow that looks amazing!

[welshpug 1,658]

yay, red wheelarches, hope its red underneath too!

[timoth123 37 1 Cars]

Looking very good mate!

 

I'm assuming the late at night update is due to you being in the garage until that time?

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

Looking very good mate!

 

I'm assuming the late at night update is due to you being in the garage until that time?

of course, you know what it's like......just got the rear beam on as well...50% of time finding bits and 50% doing the work

 

looking forward to your next update.....

Edited April 23, 2014 by mrfirepro

[timoth123 37 1 Cars]

I know I've been lazy! Done now though.

Thanks for the push...

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

It's been some time since an update so here goes

 

All the work underneath the car has been competed and it's now off the spit, here are a few pics of this stage

 

 

 

 

The front subframe is also in

 

Been jumping around a bit with jobs and decided to have a look at the rear window rubbers and see how easy it is to insert a section so that the rubbers fit again.

 

This is the problem

 

 

timoth123 very kindly donated an old seal and I glued in a section using this stuff

 

 

and this is how it turned out

 

 

 

 

Until there is a longer term solution I guess this will have to do.

 

I also replaced all my sunroof rivnuts as I had 6 that were broken, I used these

 

 

and they turned out like this

 

 

All in all a much easier job than anticipated.

 

Am now looking at the wiring, rebuild doors and tailgate, finish back of engine so that engine can be refitted.

 

I also decided to replace the front window runners but found it impossible to insert the windows, with rubbers into the sliders any advice would be greatly appreciated. Have thought about opening them up slightly but am concerned they will not be secure enough.

 

more to follow soon

 

OH and during all this I managed to delete my photbucket album completely....

Edited November 5, 2014 by mrfirepro

[will1991 11 1 Cars]

Looks good Paul! Doesn't look as though your nice brake line concerns were justified either!

 

 

50% of time finding bits and 50% doing the work

 

I know this feeling..

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

Thanks Will, if I did the brakes lines again I'd use standard copper not the cupronickel stuff as it is really hard to form, which took twice as long and ended up wasting quite a lot as when it's bent wrong, it's start again time.

 

I did learn a little trick toward the end however, I got some 2.5mm single cable, bent them to the shape I needed then formed the pipe from the cable template, this was much easier and led to a much better finish and meant I didn't bend the pipe in the wrong direction.

[nick205 12 5 Cars]

Just been looking through all the photos...stunning job you've made of the shell and the overall rebuild so far. Must have a lot of time invested in that now!

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Looks great but why didnt you do the underside in red?

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

Nick - Thanks for the positive comments (can you see all the sub albums in photobucket?)

 

For some reason it didn't even cross my mind to do the underneath in red as it was previously in black stonechip and waxoyled, as I have finished it, however I did have chance to meet Jonathan Yarwood and his stunning Cti which was red underneath and it does look good.

 

Maybe my next project........that if I ever finish this one

Edited May 29, 2014 by mrfirepro

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Im going full red under my dimma

[2052NV 24]

EPIC!!!

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

forgive me forum members for I have sinned, it's been nearly three weeks since my last update......

 

Not had masses of time but there has been some movement.

 

I got the iconic quarter badges fitted, I know it's out of sequence but just couldn't resist, Just in case someone does that sames as me, the rubber bungs that are on the back of the badges should be fitted, I wrongly thought they were just packing/protection and threw them away

 

 

 

Also spent some time putting the doors back together.

 

Replaced the window runners with new ones as my old ones crumbled when removed.

 

These are the runners and rubbers

 

 

The runners were almost impossible to to fit to the window as they were too tight, I resorted to slightly opening them up by pressing then against a round bar in a vice, also having had them in and out several times I have found that if I remove the front window runner the window can be removed without removing the rubber or runner.

 

 

The outer window rubbers are only available from Pug for the N/S, this part

 

 

So I ordered two, to see if I could make the N/S fit the O/S, will have to see what it looks like when the mirrors are fitted. If you reshape the rear end of the trim to match the the N/S, this is what it looks like

 

 

But this is the forward gap that is left

 

 

This end will need trimming but I have decided to do this when the mirrors are fitted.

 

My door handles were quite worn so I decided to replace them, with black ones and prep them with grey Plasticare

 

These are the parts I used

 

 

and this is how they ended up, the old ones were almost totally smooth.

 

 

Still keeping with the door theme was really pleased with the two internal door aperture covers made for me by Skyquake

 

(note - window winder hole as well)

 

 

 

and a couple of Sir Tom Fentons bits

 

 

 

 

Refurbbed the external sunroof trim, stripped followed by an anticorrosion treatment (Hydrarte 80) then matt black (Hycote), just waiting for fitting tape to install.

 

nearly there just got to talk front bumper now.

 

As I couldn't find and bumper trims I opted to buy the chrome ones and spray them, however in order to fit the trim I had to open out the trim to bumper fixings as the dims of the chrome ones were ever so slightly different.

 

Finished bumper and valance here

 

 

challenges/jobs left to sort in the next couple of weeks

 

Just discovered that the rear loom (for rear light clusters) is phase specific and some idjot...(I know it was fashionable at some time ) had converted the rear loom to phase 2, so have to find another loom as I bought some phase 1 rear lights.

 

Finish engine bay ready to install engine .....I know I said this 5 updates ago......

 

Start fitting dash

 

oh and keep searching for parts...........

 

And thanks for everyone's kind words

Edited November 5, 2014 by mrfirepro

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Looking good Paul, not sure if you know, but if you paste the "IMG" picture links into your posts, it will display thumbnails directly in the thread.

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

Thanks Tom, I wondered how everyone else was doing it, any chance I can go back and change the previous replies as it will look a lot better.

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

Tom,

 

Just tried this in a thread and this was the error message I got

 

"You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community"

 

Is there a way around this or am I doing something wrong?

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Paul, I just did a test above, it should work for you? If you go to the "links" bit on photo bucket, then copy all the text in the "img" bit, and paste it in here it should work for you just the same?

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

Now I can post picture hopefully this build thread will be easier to follow (thanks Tom)

 

All the pictures from this latest update are here

 

http://s1238.photobucket.com/user/mrfirepro/library/205%20projects/10%20june%2014

 

Finally found a grey rear bumper however it was a pattern one and needed all the holes drilling in it, these are not a patch on the OEM ones and I may try to recover my OE ones when I see what it looks like on the car. My assistant was just after stealing the bubble wrap when I wasn't looking

 

 

Finished the rear bumper assembly, which was pretty much similar to the front. The chrome (painted red insert) still didn't properly fit the clips and I'm going to wait and see what it looks like on the car, here's the finished bumper

 

 

Also fitted the retro number plate which I am particularly pleased with

 

 

Could not find a drivers side red insert so bought two passangers side to see if I could make the passenger side fit the drivers side, judge for yourself if I achieved that

 

passengers side

 

 

drivers side

 

 

 

One of my first purchases back in October 13 was a gear stick cover finally got round to fitting it, fitted very well and was well made considering it was an eBay purchase

 

 

 

fitted the rear badges and the PSCUK reproduction Gti badge which I thought was very good

 

 

and finally (well not quite) and totally out of sequence decided to fit the engine back in it's hole

 

 

and finally this time any suggestions on making this look neater would be well received

 

 

The next big hurdle is to run the engine up, just waiting for connector on the fuel line and we'll be ready to go am crossing everything for this, if this is the last thread you see for a while you'll know why

 

 

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

It's looking good Paul, are you going to have it on the road ready for Pugfest?

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

Wasn't thinking about that as the interior re-trimming won't be completed in time, however thinking about it I could put the old seats back in for Pugfest as I would like to attend.

 

Will try and get there but it's going to be close........

[timoth123 37 1 Cars]

Looking mighty fine there Paul, I'm very jealous!!!! Can't wait to see her in the flesh!!

[Weser 30]

Wow looking great!!