Saving a Coupe

[getamongst-it]

progress is progress.

Last night I pulled the front coils apart, wire wheeled them since the galvanized was starting to tarnish, hit them with clear enamel to keep from rusting. I also painted the front crossmember & bumper bracket. Oh yeah and fuck helper springs.







still need to undercoat the inner fender when I get a chance to give it a proper wash.



This is one of my favorite touches. using stock MK2 strut tops as opposed to the thicker/uglier MK3 ones typically used with coilovers allows you to snap on this nice plastic cap.

[getamongst-it]

got busy this weekend.

The subframe and front crossmember are all fully bolted in now, axles are in, the brakes are cleaned up and back together. I cleaned up the rad support & hood latch, got those bolted in place. I also found out the rad support is from a "LE5C" paint code car called Deep Cosmic Blue, pretty rare color. Even though this car won't be that color, I like keeping the original stickers in place as much as possible.

I took the grille down off the shelf where it's been sitting for a year to test fit it. It's fairly flat and has lost some of the curve it needs to sit properly without springing off, so I put it on and zip tied it. I'm gonna take a heat gun to it and hopefully get it some of it's shape back. With what I have in mind for this car, the "Westy" headlight setup from an early MKII Golf will do the trick.

[getamongst-it]

I brought my real camera (D7000) to the shop tonight because I was sick of unplugging my phone, thus cutting my music to take photos. I think I'll have to do that more often.

Anyways, I did a little bit of work with shortening some of the wiring that was wayy too long since this injection system was originally on a 1.8L 8v motor. All the "loom" that the wiring is in from the factory is brittle, cracking, and uncooperative to bend the way you want it, so I'll be cutting most of it off and re-looming as I see fit. Also threw in the speedo cable, cleaned up & painted the shift rod/box, test fitted the radiator, installed the horn, battery, and a host of other things that are too boring to merit description.

[getamongst-it]

does anyone have any tips on plastic welding? there's a few cracks in the grille that I need to address.

[Matt]

polish the intake manifold dammit

[getamongst-it]

polish the intake manifold dammit

if I was gonna do that I'd just buy one that's polished. I'm way too lazy to do that for something that isnt a show car.

Also it doesn't make much sense because next winter I wanna go ITBs so that will be gone anwyays

[cdiddydo]

SUBBED, love reading other mk2 builds

[markshulikov]

Sweet

[NorCalFocus]

I've done a bit of plastic welding what do you need to know?

[lewda]

this thing is coming along nicely man, cant wait to see the finished product!

[Minty_Fresh]

love the build, actually damaged 5th gears are pretty common cause the 020 takes 2.1 quarts of fluid. .1 being for that 5th gear housing. so when they leak the 5th gear is the first to go dry and burn up.

[Minty_Fresh]

oh and i love so much that your keeping the westy front. feel like they are making a come back but still a good number of people trash them.

[hb24]

Nice, i like coupes

[getamongst-it]

I've done a bit of plastic welding what do you need to know?

Mainly just if it's worth buying one of those kits or have you had any success using some other method like sacrificing a cheap soldering iron? I've heard of melting zip ties for plastic filler that way as well.

[getamongst-it]

oh and i love so much that your keeping the westy front. feel like they are making a come back but still a good number of people trash them.

thanks man, the Westy is the only front end I've never had after owning a few MKIIs so I needed to do one. The direction the car is going (tastefully 90s) it'll be perfect.