All Things Mk5 > Members Rides
th3_f15t '07 GTI
th3_f15t:
Time for a January 2014 update I think! Sad to say, there’s not an awful lot of bits added to the car. In fact, nothing has been added to the car physically but the corner of my room and the bench in my garage are becoming full again.
So, before I begin, a couple of pictures of the “Veedub Family” that I have got going locally. There’s my Golf, my friend’s Fox and his neighbour’s Rocco R. There is a reason I included these pictures;
If I’m honest, in the future when I have money to waste (i.e. within the confide of my dreams), I would like to re-spray my Golf in the green here;
But for now, I’m happy with my tornado red. So happy I bought this as a pre-Christmas treat;
10 hours of my life over 2 days on the paintwork. But even I have to admit that the hype behind Meguiar’s products is true, the difference in the paint is amazing. And a proper wax makes all the difference to long term care, the dirt doesn’t cling on now so as soon as it rains it washes itself. I like that in a car.
Another pre-Christmas present was in the form of a cheap deal on another forum, the item in question: a Volkswagen approved Kenwood DNX512DAB (as highlighted at a later date, it's NOT the DAB version) stereo upgrade. About £850 new, or nearer to the four figure number from a Volkswagen dealer, but I bagged this unit for a tasty £450, minus box and manuals (but who needs those anyway?)
Sadly, it won’t be installed for a while as I will need to upgrade both my speakers and my aerial, for my current one doesn’t know how to pick up digital radio and the speakers will sound pants due to the way they work with the standard stereo.
Another forum spot came in the way of Hurdy. After a message about a carbon fibre bonnet he has picked up, he directed me in the way of a company in Kent that has some carbon fibre parts just sat about from when they took over the unit they occupy. A quick look on their Facebook page revealed they had some Mk5 parts and I happened to notice a front splitter. Called them up and the man who runs the business asked for £80 for it. Needless to say, I was quickly in the car with cash in hand and driving down the M20 to find the place.
Both Hurdy and I suspect that these parts are made by Seibon, but there’s no branding or paperwork to confirm. However, if all the parts are Seibon parts, I bagged a £370 splitter for just £80. See what you think for yourself;
http://seiboncarbon.co.uk/products/tt-style-carbon-fiber-front-lip-for-2006-2007-volkswagen-golf-gti.html
Was ironically looking at those parts before I spotted this deal, so it’s nice to see that fate has decided my plan for splitter, grill, bonnet and wings should be so.
Final purchase before Christmas (although sadly not delivered till much time after) was a set of 2008 Golf R32 rear brakes.
Calipers;
Dust shields;
Discs;
It looks as if the setup has been sat around in a scrap yard for a fair while, but to me, the most important part where the calipers which look to be in very good condition. Sadly, I think the pads will need replacing but the discs look usable for short term anyway. The dust shields look a little damaged, but if it’s just superficial scratches then I’m not concerned as I have a plan.
The calipers themselves are going to be stripped and sent for powder coating to match my front Golf R calipers which are a gloss black. But I think I may do the dust shields in a shade of red as close to my car as possible, just to shake things up a bit. Also need to obtain rear stainless steel brake lines, possibly new brake pads already (just to be safe, don’t like to take too many risks with safety items) and find time, space and help to fit the brakes really soon. I may go ahead with the fronts separately to the rears but it depends on timing right now.
So that’s it for now, another essay for you all to read on a Saturday night. I have a bottle of Southern Comfort that needs my attention, so good evening for now.
Pikey Motorsports:
looks like an abt splitter :happy2:
th3_f15t:
Well, two updates in a month now, it appears I’m getting my arse into gear. I got bored and wandered into my garage, which usually ends up with something being taken apart and/or broken. Which it did. Again.
I decided to start prep’ing my rear brake calipers ready to be sent into the powder coaters so I can get them done in a gloss black to match my fronts. I also plan to powder coat the dust shields, both front and rear, in a gloss red that matches the colour of my car. Was tempted to do a silver/black combo on the rear calipers to really go mad but thought it may end up over the top, but opinions welcome!
Anyway, I began with it looking like this;
Pads don’t look horrific now they’re out, plenty of life left and they’re Pagid pads which, while not a performance pad, are still quite good for my needs. Again, whether I use them or swap them for some ATE or performance pads remains undecided.
So, off come the carriers and the pins;
After a few hours of working out how to undo seized on bleed nipples and lines without damaging them, and a lot of cleaning, I had them like this;
The second caliper was dismantled in less than 15 minutes, getting quite good at taking things apart. Not so good at putting things back together though. Upon laying everything out and doing a stock check, I realised that the seller forgot to pack the brake lines! It’s a good job I planned to upgrade to stainless steel lines anyway, but still a bit annoyed. Also discovered one of the little clips that sit on the carrier to secure the pads is missing, so hoping to try and find one if they’re really needed. For reference, they’re the U shaped bits of metal just to the left and below the brake pads in the above image.
Another reason I’d planned to re-colour the calipers the whole time;
Most of the original blue has just flaked off. The caliper on the left is lucky if it has 20% of the original blue left on it. Tried a bit of paint thinner to remove the last but they will need to be shot blasted to get them fully prep’d for painting. Still deciding whether to paint them myself or powder coat them. But for now, it’s a case of getting a new seal kit as the current ones feel brittle and could do with replacing, along with the pad clips and lines. Also need to get a professional mechanic to look over my discs and pads to see if they’ll be OK for use after a bit of a clean-up.
That’s all for now, more to come soon though. I’m getting a shift on with the brakes, due to some hairy moment where I had a good look into a field.
Pikey Motorsports:
When is the carbon splitter being fitted
grant845:
That picture is not the DAB Kenwood. It's the DNX520VBT which doesn't have DAB, still a cracking stereo but if it's been sold to you as DAB then it's been mis-sold
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