[car_overhaul] Chris's Miami Restoration

[miamichris 9]

I've been meaning to start this project thread since I bought the car in April so here goes...

 

The Beginning

 

I've always loved 205 gti's and wanted one since I started driving, have a bit of a thing for older cars! I'd been keeping any eye out for about a year, (miami blue 1.9 was the only one I wanted) when I was driving to my dad's on some back roads and sped past a small garage/mechanic's workshop with a miami 205 gti sitting outside....

 

I quickly pulled in and turned around to get a closer look around the car..It was a limited edition miami with full leather and 130.000 on the clock. The car was a bit rough, with tatty bodywork, an oil covered engine and suspect beam but none of this bothered me, I just HAD to buy this car no matter what!

 

So I got my dad to come back with me and have a better look and give me his opinion. The guy wanted 1200 quid for it but my dad said no chance and to offer £700 (besides, I didn't have £1200! ) so I decided to offer £800 after driving it and coming back grinning ear to ear, having never driven one before! The guy said yes, so I paid then jumped in and drove to my dad's with every intention of making this car like brand new by next summer.

 

My dad runs his own bodywork business from a few large sheds on his farm so I talked him into letting me "borrow" one of the smaller sheds that he keeps all manner of cr*p in, including a body jig/car bench which he never uses anymore and a vintage tractor! So after a bit of a clear out, the 205 had it's own shed....

 

 

So the first step was to start stripping it.

 

 

Then my bro and dad helped get the engine out...with a forklift!

 

 

The next step was I stripped all the subframe and suspension off and cleaned up the engine bay with thinners and a cloth

 

 

 

I stripped the seats, carpet etc. out and generally started to get the car ready for doing repairs on the bodywork before the respray..the car was'nt too bad rust-wise, the main of it being in the front panel and door sills but nothing major, which was a result!

 

In my spare time at home (I only work at the car at weekends when I can go up to my dad's), I started painting/refurbishing small parts like the distributor, afm, starter motor, engine mounts and various brackets from around the car etc..I've also been cleaning nuts, bolts and brackets ready to go to the zinc coaters (sad I know....) but I want to get them done all in one go so haven't sent this box of parts away yet as i've only just stripped the beam!

 

Here's a fixed up part :

 

 

I'll write more in a minute!

[Guest AndyD]

Great story of finding your 205 chris and a great thread. I will be looking forward to hearing more of how it goes.

 

Wish my Dad had a garage like that for my 205, lol.

 

Keep up the hard work mate.

[miamichris 9]

So, after much thinking I decided I wanted to be able to work at the 205's bodywork with the suspension off so I could refurbish everything off the car, but also because I didn't want paint going on all the new parts i've bought for it

 

The solution? ..body trolley! Mine's not as good as some others i've seen on here but it does the job. Bought some castors off ebay and welded up a frame from some old steel lying about a shed at my dad's, gave it a coat of hammerite..done. Haven't any pics of it on the trolley yet but its on and it wheels around no problem, quite pleased with it.

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...bodytrolley.jpg

 

Also decided to move the car to a bigger shed to do the repairs for a bit more room to work around the car. Moving it on a forklift was a bit nerve racking!

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...5onforklift.jpg

 

The only down side to the new shed is that there's a bird's nest in the rafters and they crap all over the place, so I have to cover the car and also "tactically" place it (ie. not where they sh*t!!)

 

So the shell's sitting on the body trolley stripped and ready for bodywork to begin.

 

There's a stack of parts waiting to get put onto the newly painted car when it's done - a small selection below.

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...ld/newparts.jpg

 

I stripped the engine 2 weekends ago and jetwashed/degreased it, so thats ready to start rebuilding and painting.

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...nginewashed.jpg

 

There's also a pallet of parts to be sandblasted by my dad when he gets round to it including subframe, hubs, calipers, wheels, battery tray, servo and loads more..then i'm going to paint them all.

 

Last weekend's progress will be written in a minute!

[miamichris 9]

Last weekend (this weekend past), it was rear beam time!!

 

Now before I start, I've never tackled a rear beam before or any type of restoration on this level so there's hope for anyone else like me out there..

 

I bought a rear beam rebuild kit from Miles a while ago and bought a torsion bar puller from Tom mid-week so I was ready to take on my first rear beam...

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...ld/rearbeam.jpg

 

I'd say it took me about 5 hours to get the beam apart, it was a nightmare used plusgas, BFH's and Tom's puller but the beam had never been apart and in the end my dad overloaded the puller and broke it..I win the prize for breaking the first of Tom's puller's!

 

The M8 stud snapped but I got the piece out if the TB and the piece out of the puller so I'm goin to fix it by puttin a new M8 stud in that Tom's sending (cheers! ). Don't get me wrong the puller's a good tool, it was my dad's fault for giving it far too much load and my beam never being apart before didn't help!

 

So I resorted to the "beam refurb guide" and wound in an M12x1.5 bolt (ford wheel bolt) into the lever arm to push the ARB out, which eventually worked..then I beat the sh*t out of the torsion bars until they came out of the trailing arm/lever arm and I was left with this.....

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...trippedbeam.jpg

 

It felt great to finally get it apart!!

 

So the trailing arms were knackered..

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...ckeredshaft.jpg

 

And the bearing on that side was dust!

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...beambearing.jpg

 

Does anyone know if my beam tube will be alright to re-use?

 

So thats me up to date, I'm in the process of ordering 2 new trailing arm shafts from Miles along with a few other bits and bobs that got wrecked stripping the beam then I can carry on with this next week.

 

Hope you stick with me, as I aim to have this on the road for next summer so updates should be every week with any luck!

 

Cheers for reading, Chris

[platty 1]

Ah, good stuff Chris, your about two weeks ahead of me, so I'll be watching with great interest.

 

Im a bit jealous....I had a Miami a few years ago. My favorite flavour for the 205.

 

Keep up the updates

[miamichris 9]

Thanks for the comment Andy, good to know you enjoyed it! I still reckon its fate I was driving down that road the day I seen this wee car hope I can bring it back to it's former glory!

 

Another note for this thread, the 205's soon to have an older brother...in the form of my dad's latest project, a mk1 escort restoration.. haven't seen it yet but by the sounds of it, it's an absolute rust bucket and needs some serious panel work, should be interesting..i'd rather my dad bought the mk1 escort than any more vintage tractors, tractors are so not cool...

[CosKev 16]

Very good thread m8

 

Going to be mint when done

 

Done a bit to my 309Gti

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/cosk...ti/100_2511.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/coskev3/100_2328.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/coskev3/100_2330.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/coskev3/100_2282.jpg

 

[CosKev 16]

Does anyone know if my beam tube will be alright to re-use?

 

Cheers for reading, Chris

 

Depends how much damage is in there,looks like alot of debris in there

 

New tubes are circa £350

[miamichris 9]

That 309 gti is lookin pretty sweet mate!

 

I'll need to get the bearings and all out and give it a good clean, then i'll maybe post another pic to see if people think its saveable..i'll not be buying a new tube at £350!!! a second hand one will have to be sourced if needs be..

[Last Legend 0]

Chris,Pleeeease keep it standard,the World really does'nt need another chavved up 205 gti esp a Ltd ed one like this.

 

Looking forward to following the restoration.

[miamichris 9]

don't worry it's going to be standard, I even have new P1.5 rear lights!

 

just a few subtle tweaks such as sprintlines (which are in amongst the stack of new parts in the garage), some bbm mounts/hoses etc. but nothing noticeable..just mainly cleaned up original parts and new ones to bring it back to how it should be

[dale205mills 39 7 Cars]

Look forward to seeing updates, keep up the good work

[Last Legend 0]

VERY glad to hear it's going to be standard,i've seen so many decent 205 Gtis 'Max Power'd' over the years,the problem is fashions change and one persons idea of 'taste' is very different from anothers.

 

Probably in the future people will be ripping off all the after market parts to put the cars back to orginal!

[CosKev 16]

That 309 gti is lookin pretty sweet mate!

 

I'll need to get the bearings and all out and give it a good clean, then i'll maybe post another pic to see if people think its saveable..i'll not be buying a new tube at £350!!! a second hand one will have to be sourced if needs be..

 

Thanks

 

If the tube is beyond repair have a look at the beam Jord294 has got for sale in the for sale section

Bargain for what you get

[miamichris 9]

slight update...

 

new stuff arrived today and yesterday

 

1. new trailing arm shafts and final beam parts needed from Miles

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...ndbeamparts.jpg

 

2. Sealey engine stand, so now the engine can be stripped, checked and cleaned/painted up while I save for parts!

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...enginestand.jpg

 

Also ...left my box of nuts/washers/bolts, brackets, suspension bits, wheel bolts etc. to the zinc coater near me so should have them back next week looking like new!

 

I probably have to work this weekend so don't know if I'll get much done, projects stalled a bit due to writing off the daily driver and now i'm trying to get/gather up the money for a new one

 

Cheers, Chris.

[Rupertfinch 6]

Wahey - good to see that you're working hard! Sure you don't fancy a mk3 golf as your replacement daily driver? Ha ha.

 

I've now joined your Miami club having picked up the one that was for sale outside Comber. Gorgeous looking wee beast (no lacquer peel!) but needs plenty of TLC and a new clutch and BE3 'box! Still for £675 I couldn't complain!

 

Keep up the good work, I'll be watching this thread with interest.

 

Mark

[miamichris 9]

Cheers for the comments RupertFinch, oh and see my daily driver thread, I got a new one but thanks! good to see you've joined the N.I miami club, when we both get on the road we'll have to go out for a run in them! Btw, I've seen a really minty looking lazer green gti twice this week, heading out of Carrickfergus as I head in to work, wonder who owns it?

 

I haven't been able to get near my 205 lately as I'm working on private job at the weekends, refurbishing downstairs of a house (doors, floors, stud walls etc etc..) that will pay for my new daily driver...needs must!!

 

BUT....

 

look at these photos for some zinc'd up parts!!!

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...dwheelbolts.jpg

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi...bracketsetc.jpg

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r476/mi.../zincdbolts.jpg

 

The zinc coater did that plastic crate full of brackets, suspension parts, bolts/nuts/washers in "zinc yellow" and my wheel bolts in "zinc clear" and I think he did a great job they came up really well, can't wait to start rebuilding parts now!

 

All for the sum of £80, which included £20 for an hour of bead blasting at the really rusty suspension parts

 

Now if I can just get back to working on the car.....

[platty 1]

 

Its the small touches that count, good stuff.

[Rupertfinch 6]

Suspension parts but that's just showing off. Whatever happened to a bit of wirebrushing and hammerite?

 

Good to see you've spotted a mint Laser green about. Never had a look at one in the flesh think that colour might be a bit 'marmite' for me. Did see a beautiful white phase 1 in Bloomfields car park. Left a congratulatory note on the windscreen, but don't think they're a forum member.

 

Off to dremel some rust! Get that house done and get back in the garage!

 

Mark.

[miamichris 9]

lol its not showing off, i'm just fussy and know how I want the car to look..

 

my gf thinks i'm sad but unless you own a 205, it's hard to understand!

 

I'd never sen a lazer green before but in the flesh they're pretty cool looking...

 

I'm dying to get back in the garage but I just haven't the spare time at the minute, I will soon though!

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

Looks like a good project . Who done your plating? I just got a load of stuff done with tj plating in Newtownabbey for mine, and it turned out 1st class. Had some done previously by eagle plating but it turned bad after a few months . I seen a clean lazer green gti in Larne at an Autotest a month or so back. It may be the same one you have seen? Still don't like that colour though, i'd rather have miami. I know of at least 6 blue ones over here in N.I.

Are you rebuilding the whole engine when it's out? Keep up the good work.

[miamichris 9]

hmmm....eagle plating did mine and it looks a good job so hopefully it won't go bad like yours did! time will tell I suppose, I asked a few people who'd had work done by them and heard only good things though..

 

yeah the whole engines going to get a rebuild while it's out, miami's my favourite colour too

[CosKev 16]

More pics needed

 

Those zinc plated bits look very nice

 

Had alot of mine powdercoated,will show you when back together

[205freak 7 1 Cars]

We need more pics please

[miamichris 9]

haha..I haven't done anything lately to allow me to put up more photos!!

 

progress should resume within next couple of weeks when i'm not so busy..