MK5 Golf GTI

General => Random Chat => Topic started by: ollie288 on March 22, 2011, 06:47:15 pm

Title: Restoring cars
Post by: ollie288 on March 22, 2011, 06:47:15 pm
Has anyone restored an old car? Im just looking for general advice on it. How difficult it is etc. This would be my first restoration project. I have all tools. I can weld, I am decent with electrics and mechanical things, engines are not my strong point but my old man knows his way around an engine.

I am looking at getting an MK1 golf to restore to its former glory! Would that be to difficult to do as a first project?

Thanks for any advice  :happy2:
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: MAT ED30 on March 22, 2011, 07:39:26 pm
Done a few  :laugh: mk1 should easy enough to just strip it down bag everything up in clear bags and write on them what they are and just take your time. Plus enjoy it as it's going to cost  :signLOL: but it's a bloody good thing to do
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: telewebby on March 22, 2011, 07:45:13 pm
done a few mins over the years, one you start stripping it down you will find more and more things to replace, all the old clips will have gone brittle and you will shout and swear as you snap studs/bolts and try and find bits for it which are out of production and sink more money than the car is worth doing it.................


















but i would do it all over again as once its built you can stand back and admire your work

alex
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: VC on March 22, 2011, 07:56:54 pm
Get friendly on a forum that specialises in the car you choose - for advice, whatever you think it will cost you in time and money then multiply it by 3 too  :laugh:

Been there, done it, loved it. Everyone should restore a car at some point in there life
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: Phil Miller on March 22, 2011, 09:06:09 pm
ive fully restored 3 mk2 Astra GTE's over the last 6/7 yrs, altho there not that old they can rust, the first one didnt look that bad but once id started it was 2 yrs before it was completed and i was on it most weekends, i found the hardest bit was finding the original parts things like a complete under tray (at the time i didnt know they even had them fitted) and the rubber seal on the bumper under the headlights, i did find tho once you start you do get to the point where if you know there is something missing you have to find one otherwise its a half job, as already said the trim clips go hard and break, finding them is very hard, the fun part i found was things like rubbing down the rear beam to paint it jet black, altho not really needed it always made me smile when i took them for the first MOT after id finished and the testers jaw dropped when they see how clean they were, would i do another....... to right i would, hope you enjoy the project mate :happy2:
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: ollie288 on March 23, 2011, 09:58:38 pm
Cheers guys  :happy2:

I defiantly want to do it.  I have been looking for a decent base car for a while now. I will find one!  :party:

Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: Phil Miller on March 23, 2011, 10:08:17 pm
theres a black mk1 on someones drive down my road, its in bits tho, main thing is the shell looks solid
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: JPC on March 23, 2011, 10:49:33 pm
I've just had the director of transport from the burj al Arab on the phone. He wants a full rebuild of a 1999 rolls Royce silver seraph! Eeeak! How about that for a restoration!
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: stealthwolf on March 23, 2011, 10:51:45 pm
 :scared:

Is this the start of JPC International?
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: cmdrfire on March 24, 2011, 11:19:18 am
Do it JPC! Do it!


On another note, I'm in the middle of my Karmann restoration. I have some advice.

1) Don't start.

2) If you do start, don't start in the middle of working and completing a Masters degree.

3) It will take far longer, and be far more expensive, than you can possibly predict. 2 and a half years and I've stopped counting the money...


I will be thrilled when I'm finished, and I'll never sell the car on. And I'm glad I've done it, as I will have literally removed every single bolt from the car (and hopefully put it back on).  But I'm not convinced it's something I'll want to do again.
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: tony_danza on March 24, 2011, 11:26:10 am
I've just had the director of transport from the burj al Arab on the phone. He wants a full rebuild of a 1999 rolls Royce silver seraph! Eeeak! How about that for a restoration!

I need your bank account details....

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shinyshiny.tv%2Ffonejacker-thumb-240x168.jpg&hash=10c1978e77ec35e9b085beee34c30e782f597e4f)
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: ollie288 on March 25, 2011, 11:26:11 pm
Cheers guys  :happy2:

Can you think of any other good cars to restore other than the mk1?
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: JPC on March 26, 2011, 12:37:41 am
I've just had the director of transport from the burj al Arab on the phone. He wants a full rebuild of a 1999 rolls Royce silver seraph! Eeeak! How about that for a restoration!

I need your bank account details....

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shinyshiny.tv%2Ffonejacker-thumb-240x168.jpg&hash=10c1978e77ec35e9b085beee34c30e782f597e4f)

Haha, it all checks out trust me haha. I've had a 22 page PDF report including point which need addressing
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: richtung on April 05, 2011, 01:20:19 pm
take a look at:

www.detailingworld.com (http://www.detailingworld.com) there are quite a few restorations ongoing as well as results of various projects.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=182810 (http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=182810) MK1 engine restoration

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=148712 (http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=148712) more MK1 info..

Hope this helps

rich
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: PDT on April 05, 2011, 02:01:42 pm
also consider building a track based saloon/hatch car or even a kit car, far more enjoyable to do that a restore.
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: ollie288 on April 06, 2011, 07:28:38 pm
Yeah my dad said he wants to do a kit car. He had a seven on order back in the day until my sister ruined his plans haha.

I have been looking at the z car mini conversion. It looks mental, 650kg and you can pick between a bike 1000c or 2 litre vtec engine. Turns it to mid engined, RWD! I think that would be the best of both worlds, I could restore the shell and have the performance there to.

Anyone heard anything about the z car minis?

Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: PDT on April 06, 2011, 07:32:11 pm
Smart car with a hyabusa engine?

Watch the vids on youtube :grin:
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: MAT ED30 on April 06, 2011, 07:33:22 pm
the z car minis go for good money and i have raced against  a few on york raceway and a few have the full shell made of fibreglass
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: ollie288 on April 06, 2011, 07:33:41 pm
Ive seen it and there is a mk1 with a busa too lol :grin:
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: ollie288 on April 06, 2011, 07:35:49 pm
the z car minis go for good money and i have raced against  a few on york raceway and a few have the full shell made of fibreglass

The car engine kit, with includes everything brakes roll cage suspension is 6k and then you need to buy a mini which you can get for quite cheap if they are in need of work. Quite a lot of money but I assume they are quite quick!
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: MAT ED30 on April 06, 2011, 07:38:31 pm
quick yeah the one i raced came off the track  :driver:
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: MAT ED30 on April 06, 2011, 07:42:50 pm


gives u an idea
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: gobbleplease on April 07, 2011, 03:07:41 pm
Yip Ollie doing a mk2 GTI just now, they are brill to work on ! not too difficult they just fall apart

Just make sure you buy one with a good shell  :happy2:
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: MAT ED30 on April 07, 2011, 04:54:24 pm
think i am buying a mk2 tonight  :signLOL:
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: h4rdy on April 07, 2011, 04:59:49 pm
I partially restored/modded/improved a 1967 Split Screen Bus, read money pit!

Also Golf GTI mk2, 16v mk2, G60 mk2 I could go on.

Even the G60 which was one of the lowest mileage (if not the!) cars in the country was a severe leach on your finances!

Several times at VW I was told that the spares they had just handed over were the last in Europe!

Here is another example: The 16V needed a new exhaust so I decided to do it myself as generic exhaust supplier wanted silly money to fit new exhaust and it was cheap at GSF. I soon found out why! It was impossible to fit the front section without dropping the subframe and the previous guy had just cut out the old one and fitted an 8V version with no resonator ( I was trying to make it factory original) because of that very reason! It is a real heart breaker sometimes and after lots of years of battling rust and silly things TBH I sold up.

Whatever you budget, double it at least!

This is also correct for restoring as you will become very friendly with car specialists:

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shinyshiny.tv%2Ffonejacker-thumb-240x168.jpg&hash=10c1978e77ec35e9b085beee34c30e782f597e4f)

I need your bank account details!

Try to get to the VW show at Stanford Hall its the best and will give you a very good example of whats involved with a mk1.

Have a chat with some people and get some names and web addresses it will mak things easier.
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: SteveP on April 07, 2011, 09:17:54 pm
Yip Ollie doing a mk2 GTI just now, they are brill to work on ! not too difficult they just fall apart

Just make sure you buy one with a good shell  :happy2:

They sure do fall apart  :grin: :grin:

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2FStevep_010%2FMK2GTI%2FIMG_0803.jpg&hash=51cde389fea4901557230f89c0b48804fdaa5f03)

But when finished it's a great feeling  :star:

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fkk207%2FStevep_010%2FIMG_3009.jpg&hash=35dae6d3c360aa13938bbc8554ace3f2c5fd6023)
Title: Re: Restoring cars
Post by: gobbleplease on April 09, 2011, 04:19:34 pm
 :happy2:

Its mental ! ive bought loads of tools and all ive used so far is a coulple of spanners a hammer and philips screwdriver !! Full interior is out wiring loom tidyed up and inspected, new sound deadening fitted and dash reinstalled so far !