Saved from the scrap heap

hoodie6029 · 07-07-2014 8:59pm #1

I came across this car that was going to be scrapped. It had been used up to a month ago so I knew it couldn't be too bad.

It was stolen and recovered but not too much damage done, so it was worth a look. The interior was in great condition, no rips of tear on the seats or carpet. The only damage was to the steering column from the theft.

It'd been owned by same family for a long time and had been well maintained. It was too good to scrap for the sake of a few jobs.

Here it is looking rather sorry for itself:

It's a 1990 and it's a youngtimer more than a classic. Unfortunately the mk2's are in that inbetween age now, not quite classic not new enough for most people and a lot more will disappear. I'm sure the last scrappage scheme claimed a lot too. :mad:

The plan is to fix the damage put it through the NCT and get it back on the road. Will do a full service, fix the leak for the cam cover and change the brake fluid, new tyres and anything else that needs doing.

Longer term plan is a respray and that's all it needs. The panels are solid and the rust only surface rust.

Let me know what you think and if you've any experience of these cars.

Thanks for reading.

Silvera · 07-07-2014 9:30pm

Good stuff for saving it!

My brother has my dad's 1991 5-door Golf in storage (awaiting vintage age!)
One recurring problem my dad had with it was overheating/head gasket trouble. It's not a common Golf problem though, afaik. (His current 2004 Mazda 3 has no such problems!)

John Larkin · 07-07-2014 9:32pm

Well done!!

hoodie6029 · 07-07-2014 10:02pm

Thanks guys. The head gasket was done last year luckily and if the tippex on the engine is anything to go on the timing belt was done 5k ago. So thankfully those big jobs are done for me.

@silvera- not long to the vintage tax now

I think I'll bite the bullet and go with Evans waterless coolant to be on the safe side.

Its only a lowly 1.3 4 speed. That's probably what saved it. Nobody wanted it and it wasn't worth selling.

kev1.3s · 07-07-2014 10:33pm

Nice one, it would be a shame to see her scrapped.

jca · 08-07-2014 10:27pm

Put coil overs on her Laaad...... Slam her to the ground....:D

hoodie6029 · 08-07-2014 10:55pm

jca wrote: »

Put coil overs on her Laaad...... Slam her to the ground....:D

:pac:

mickdw · 09-07-2014 12:11am

Not found in sligo by any chance?

hoodie6029 · 09-07-2014 11:10pm

Fraid not, in Meath, I'm not entirely sure it ever crossed the Meath border at all once it arrived!

Nekarsulm · 09-07-2014 11:18pm

Criminal all the rock solid Youngtimer gems like this, that were chopped in during the scrapage scheme for new Daewoo AtoZ and the like. Many of which have already given up the ghost.

kev1.3s · 10-07-2014 12:02am

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Criminal all the rock solid Youngtimer gems like this, that were chopped in during the scrapage scheme for new Daewoo AtoZ and the like. Many of which have already given up the ghost.

You've just made me realise it's not an atoz it's an A to Z. For whatever that's worth.

Nekarsulm · 10-07-2014 12:11am

Now you have me doubting my memory! I think the "A" and the "Z" were upper case?

Memory? what memory! they were Hyundai's weren't they!

hoodie6029 · 15-11-2014 12:16am

Hello Folks,

It's been many months and my poor Golf just sat in the yard. Life got in the way of me doing anything with it until now.

Some new parts were ordered and others gotten from the breakers and fitted:
Second hand bumper
New headlight
Second hand grille
Second hand glass

I ordered new parts to repair the damage to the steering column but couldn't remove the steering lock and ignition.

A bit of googling and I found out I need a puller to complete the job. Getting a lend of one then the column will be back in working order.
I'll give the car a service and some new tyres and it should be ready for the NCT.

Hopefully all this will be done in the next two weeks and fingers crossed I get a NCT appointment before Christmas.

The front wings were in worst nick than I thought originally so I picked two up off another 1990 Golf that was being broken and they are in excellent condition . Unfortunately they are silver so they will have to until after the NCT to be fitted. I plan to do a respray after the NCT.

I originally had great ideas to improve the car but the reality of getting it roadworthy has pushed them out for a while!

I'll post a couple of pics of the (mildly) improve Golf when I get to take them in daylight.

Thanks for looking again.

Nekarsulm · 15-11-2014 12:45am

Good stuff Hoodie ! Just today I was told that the engine in my Passat is screwed. Could be the incentive to pull the 91 Jetta out of the shed and put it on the road.

hoodie6029 · 15-11-2014 10:40pm

Thanks Nekarsulm. Sorry to here that. I've a modern Jetta and the tax is a killer. The boy racers have taken to them and the Passat which is driving up the insurance. :mad:

If all goes to plan with this Golf I'd be tempted to sell the Jetta or declare off the road for a while to save a few bob.

Nekarsulm · 15-11-2014 10:49pm

well my passat is a 2002 130 red di. Just coming up to 200,000 miles. been a grest car but hsdnt planned on having to get an engine. The Jetta needs an engine as well, but a neighbour had a 1.9 lying in a shed I can have for free. The jetta feels very "minimal" compared to a new car.

hoodie6029 · 30-11-2014 9:46pm

The jobs completed to date are:
New bumper
New grille
New rear driver's side glass
New headlight.

The steering column holding up my progress unfortunately. The original one was more damaged from the theft than I originally thought so I managed to source another from the breakers.
The old one was awkward to get out. That was my school boy mistake, compared it the one from the breakers and they didn't match, not even close.

So that has to go back and I had to put the old one back in so it can be moved around. A wasted effort to say the least....
Got under the car and could see the back box was completely rusty and causing the 'nice' exhaust note! A new one was gotten easily and wasn't too dear. Have to fit that next weekend.
Will also need to do a coolant change. I tested it today with the weather getting worse and it needs to be changed.

This car is certainly keeping me busy, as frustrating as the setbacks are at the time I am thoroughly enjoying getting her back together and closer to being on the road.

Two pictures taken last week, was dark before I got to this stage so you'll have to do with workshop pictures for now. As you can tell a wash is badly needed

johnrcgt4 · 09-12-2014 3:51pm

That's a clean example of a mk2. I had a 1991 td one myself a few years ago in the same colour.

hoodie6029 · 18-12-2014 8:28pm

Cheers John. I knew that it was solid from when I saw it. Far too good to scrap.

On that note, I put it through the NCT yesterday. It didn't pass but I'm not surprised.

I just need to get some minor welding done to two of the arches, replace the front brake lines and fix another exhaust leak.

I'm glad that it didn't go down on much. I'll sort these out and I should be motoring full time in the next few weeks

dr.fuzzenstein · 29-12-2014 11:35am

kev1.3s wrote: »

You've just made me realise it's not an atoz it's an A to Z. For whatever that's worth.

Atoz was actually the name of a librarian in the original Star Trek series, add to that the Hyundai Matrix and there's a definite SciFi theme emerging. One can only guess whether that's deliberate...

hoodie6029 · 12-08-2015 10:35pm

Hi Folks,

It's been a long time since I updated this thread so here's what's happened on my Golf Project. I jinxed myself by saying I'd be motoring in a few weeks after the NCT fail! It took me until April to get the motivation to start working on it again, partially because a friend was working on a project and his progress was putting me to shame!

What have I done?

The first thing to sort out was the rough running so an engine service was done. I changed the air and oil filters, fresh oil and 4 new sparks. Running better but still not great. I put on a new distributor cap and rotor arm, the fuel filter and HT leads looked like original items so I replaced these as well. Once this was done my Golf was running like a dream.

Next two items were left to my mechanic, new brake lines and replacing one of the CV boots. I fixed some minor rust on the body and replaced the exhaust straight section which had a couple of holes. So it was off to NCT centre.

Second time was not the charm for me..... Thankfully it was only a brake hose rubbing on the drive shaft. Got a replacement and fitted it. The one fitted was far too long which was causing the rubbing. I went back to the centre on Sunday and got the cert! I almost danced out of the waiting room! It's good to know my efforts weren't wasted and I can set to work improving her now that I know I've a solid base.

What's next?

I've still a good bit to do though. The rust needs to be treated and a respray is needed, new tyres, the engine bay needed a cleaning too. Expect more updates hopefully it won't be another 8 months!

hoodie6029 · 12-08-2015 10:35pm

This may have been some of the cause of the rough running

hoodie6029 · 14-09-2016 10:58pm

Hi Folks,
Bloody long time since I updated this. Got the Golf resprayed a few months ago and it looks miles better. Done a few hundred miles and there hasn't been any problems. Just minor jobs left now to tidy up the interior and engine bay detail and I'm sure some more jobs will emerge along the way.

Nekarsulm · 14-09-2016 11:15pm

Looking great! My Jetta Pacific is no further on.
Did get a good 1.6 diesel from a car destined for the crusher, and bought a set of BBS "crosswire" alloys which a local Moldovian lad media blasted and sprayed and fitted four s/h Continentals to.
You have shamed me into thinking about getting a move on!

Red Kev · 15-09-2016 11:10am

Love that car especially that its the absolute base 3 door model. Love the original wheel trims as well.

Best of luck with it.

dirtysoldman · 15-09-2016 4:16pm

i have an 1990 mk2 jetta 1.6diesel i am using daily wicklow to dublin and getting over 50mpg at speedlimit speeds, try getting that with a modern diesel.

Nekarsulm · 15-09-2016 4:34pm

dirtysoldman wrote: »

i have an 1990 mk2 jetta 1.6diesel i am using daily wicklow to dublin and getting over 50mpg at speedlimit speeds, try getting that with a modern diesel.

No Catalytic Converter!
No Diesel Particulate Filter!
No Exhaust Gas Recirculation valves and pipework!

No 20 thousand euro plus VRT spent to save 500 a year road tax.

I don't know how you live with yourself!

Pat Dunne · 15-09-2016 5:17pm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

No Catalytic Converter!
No Diesel Particulate Filter!
No Exhaust Gas Recirculation valves and pipework!

No 20 thousand euro plus VRT spent to save 500 a year road tax.

I don't know how you live with yourself!

Pitstop Pete · 15-09-2016 11:49pm

That looks like a grand auld yoke alright. Fair play te ye!

Tommyboy40 · 16-09-2016 7:45pm

That is beautiful. It's amazing to see one that hasn't been ruined with arches and stupid bodykits. Well wear

hoodie6029 · 16-09-2016 9:53pm

Cheers for all the replies and praise. I took a lot of effort to get it to the point it is now. And that's not just hours, there was weeks when I did nothing. I was helping a friend with his project and that really gave me the motivation to get it finished.

There are plenty of clean GTIs around but the 1.3s and 3 doors seem to have disappeared. Going to keep it original now.

There is something refreshing about driving a car with no modern equipment. Manual steering, keep fit windows, no on board computer. Only one speaker works on the radio so I usually don't even turn it on!

Saved from the scrap heap

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