1988 1.6 GTI. Back on the road.. eventually

[Gsxrmick1984 10]

Hi guys. So.. I parked my 205 outside work and had a passer by tell me he knew of a GTI parked on somebody's drive that had been there for some time. He kindly took my number with a note saying I was interested in the 205 and said he'd post it in the chaps letter box. A month or so passed by and I expected to hear nothing from it when one sunday morning whilst suffering a hangover, I received a phone call. I didn't know the engine size, colour or what year it was when he said it was a complete GTI and he'd take £600 for it i was already buying it even if it was for parts. I went to look and it was looking sorry for itself and in need of some work but I was excited to have a GTI again  

[Gsxrmick1984 10]

This car was only 3 miles from me and had sat on bricks there for 5 years. Amazing what's just round the corner. Makes me wonder how many more there are around doing nothing. Before I had chance to go get the car we went into lockdown. The owner lived down south and this was a property he rented out so I couldn't do anything until a couple of weeks ago when he came up. I paid him for it and went up one morning to set about getting it home. The engine was on the floor as was most of the suspension/brakes. I hoisted the engine onto the mounts and built up the suspension so I could have it recovered. I rolled it onto the ramp to have a look how much rot i had to deal with and it actually looks really solid. I can't find anything major underneath. The inner and outer sills look fine as does the inner wings and quarter panels and front panel. There's a bit around the spare wheel carrier hole in the boot but I mean a little bit. 

[Gsxrmick1984 10]

So I'm now staring to think if I can get this to run it would definitely be worth spending some money on the body work. There's some rust around the windscreen and on the a pillar. There are some other bits of rust around the body but not much. The passenger door is damaged as is the nearside rear quarter but I've seen far worse and if it wasn't for the damage to the nearside id probably run it as it is for a while. I set about putting the engine back together to see if it would run. There's a few bits missing but I had some spares and is just missing the air box and could do with some breathers replacing. I put some oil down the bores and it turned freely by hand. It's only showing one mot which was 5 years ago so not sure how long it's been sat before that. I drained off the old fuel and put in some new fuel and it fired up no problem 

[Gsxrmick1984 10]

Forgot to say I did a compression check which was all good. The exhaust manifold has a large crack which sounds awful but I have one to put on when I get chance. I filled it up with coolant and ran it upto temperature. The fan came in and it seems the engine is in good order. I'm going to put a new timing belt kit, water pump on and the exhaust manifold. Then park it up in our showroom so I can strip parts off and so it can have the body work done. I drove it out of the garage and washed off all the dirt that had built up with been sat outside for years. I was tempted to take it around the block but I'd be upset if the belt went now I suspect the engine is good 

[Gsxrmick1984 10]

Here are some more pics. Bottom one is my old 1.9 gti. I put an mi16 engine in and used it as my daily up until around 2008 I think. I got it when I was 19 after my first car, trio sx when I was 17. I thought It was the bees knees. It was still old at the time and nobody understood my 205 obsession but me and my mates loved these. I think that's my favourite car I've owned so will be nice to have a graphite grey gti that's the same year again. I have some spare 1.9 wheels too which will be going on. I suppose I could put my half leathers in too, it will be like the same car . 4 of my best mates had 205 gtis at the same time so there was often 5 205 gtis driving around together in our area haha.. I'll have to try find some pics of our convoy 

[Gsxrmick1984 10]

I know these are irrelevant to the thread but I like these old 205 pics. We had some good times and are still all petrol heads even though we are mid 30s.. well closer to 40.. Here's my mates whatsapp profile pic, not very good and not sure how it will show up on here. The graphite gti closest is his car. Its still in his garage and has been since around 2007 when the head gasket went. The one next to it is mine pictured above, then my mates Miami and furthest is my old trio (sold to my mate) The strange looking chap next to my trio is my best mate who was pratting around in the pic btw. He had the red gti which was pictured on my drive with my gti and my 1.9 turbo technics. I know it's not a dimma. It was a Monte Carlo kit but I gave £150 for that car after it had sat in a garage for some years. Had all the original plate and papers for the turbo technics conversion 80k miles and mint full leather interior. It was steal even back then 

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

£600?! That looks a great find.

 

The crook lock has done it's job! lol

 

[Gsxrmick1984 10]

Haha, I couldn't believe it! I didn't expect the engine to be any good cause the guy who owned it said it wasn't running properly. Not sure if it was the exhaist manifold that he thought was a serious problem. I'm really happy with it