1986 MK2 Golf GTI - Resto Job.

1986 MK2 Golf GTI - Resto Job.

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LankyLegoHead

Original Poster:

749 posts

131 months

Monday 8th May 2017
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Working long hours and trying to get a start up business off the ground is doing some very weird things to my mind. I often find my ebay watch list looking quite eclectic, last week it had a Renault Avantime and about 3 Sega Master Systems in it. This week, it had a lot of MK2 Golfs. You see, I've always enjoyed VW's and the MK2 GTI was a car I thought was super cool as a kid. For one reason or another, I've never actually owned one, and as prices start climbing fast I thought I best get on it.

So last week my trigger happy ebay finger landed me with this.





It's a 1986 Golf GTI with 175k on the clock, and affectionately dubbed the "ugly duckling". I wanted a small bumper car, but didn't want to pay the prices that some are commanding these days! So I was up for a bit of project, and this ticks quite a few boxes. Firstly, it seems to have escaped 3 decades without being ruined. No crash history, no masses of rot, and no dodgy mods... Okay, the 90's maybe left their mark on this car with those smoked Hella rears, but otherwise it's just an honest car.

I was quite surprised when the seller told me it'd do the drive back home fine, and that I wouldn't need transport. After all, it may have a years MOT, but according to its history its barely moved in the last 10 years. So I was a little dubious, but I shouldn't have been. It was a lovely drive home, and although I promised myself (and my Mrs who was following me back) to take it easy, I couldn't help giving it a blast down some local backroads.

Currently the car is at a great storage place locally, so I dont have to worry about it sitting to rot again. Today I popped over to do a quick check over, and massive clean of the interior as it was a bit minging. So far I've found areas of rust in the rear wheel arches, and some surface rust in spots all over. Obviously theres mismatched paint, dents and other such things. The idea is to get the thing mechanically sound, and then send it for a full weld up and respray.













Managed to get a bit of a bargain. Full set, £70. Went and collected them in the daily Volvo! They'll get a refurb to factory spec, and I'll try get the 2 missing centre caps replaced. They're rare and go for too much money, so I'll just draw them up in CAD and send them off to be made by someone probably!



Managed to get some work done on this over the weekend. Firstly, dropped those Smoked Hellas out for some standard Hellas. Much better



However, the bumper on the back is lol grey. I'm going to buy a new one once its resprayed, so for now I used a tin of halfords "Bumper paint" to bring it up a bit.



Then went to a driving range with the mrs, so token Golf-at-Golf photo.



Ordered a 1986 Golf Brochure off ebay, as well as a blank spare key lol. Not much I can do with it right now but just enjoy driving it, it really is an antidote to the M3. As much as the BMW is addictively fast, all the fun is had at very high speed and can be knackering after a day of hooning. The Golf however is so easy to take to the limit and beyond, its proper pure fun.

I'm going to try keep this thread updated with my resto-job!




daemon

35,724 posts

196 months

Monday 8th May 2017
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Great purchase and i'm looking forward to your updates already smile

e21Mark

16,205 posts

172 months

Monday 8th May 2017
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Nice buy. This is my favourite era of cars and I think they're just way more fun, even if not as fast as moderns.

chrismc1977

854 posts

111 months

Tuesday 9th May 2017
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Brings back memories!

A set of eibach springs/koni adjustable dampers is THE setup along with some eibach/neuspeed arb's

Mod your warm up reg to tweak the fuelling & away you go👍🏻

LankyLegoHead

Original Poster:

749 posts

131 months

Tuesday 9th May 2017
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Many thanks all! I've found a company that make retro dealer-set plates which suit the period of the car, once I get the V5 back they'll be going on!

LankyLegoHead

Original Poster:

749 posts

131 months

Wednesday 22nd November 2017
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A few things have changed in the last few months, but the Golf laid fairly unchanged for some time.

Untitled by Jason.Easton, on Flickr

Since the last update, I've had a few areas of rust sorted out. Mainly those around the rear floor, and rear arches. They didn't warrant as much repair as first thought, and overall the shell is more solid than I was budgeting for which is nice!

Untitled by Jason.Easton, on Flickr

Untitled by Jason.Easton, on Flickr

Untitled by Jason.Easton, on Flickr

I've also taken the effort of fitting a fairly period correct radio, although a little bit too late its better than a gap and plays cassettes yo!

Untitled by Jason.Easton, on Flickr

On Monday however, the car took its big step into the bodyshop! As I drove it out of storage, I had to get some snaps with its D plated friend (The Cossie) and my 2 month old GTI!

Untitled by Jason.Easton, on Flickr

Untitled by Jason.Easton, on Flickr

Untitled by Jason.Easton, on Flickr

Currently, it looks like this. Some more rust repair at the bottom of the A pillar and around the windscreen, and a few scabs on the front arch too. Also, look at all that filler in the door! Guess we're going to find out what lurks beneath (Financial ruin, probably).

Untitled by Jason.Easton, on Flickr

markirl

318 posts

136 months

Wednesday 22nd November 2017
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Good work, I have an '85 5 door GTI which punished me badly with rust in similar areas as yours. It's been in storage for a year now so I'm looking forward to getting it back and having some fun biggrin

Gallons Per Mile

1,868 posts

106 months

Wednesday 22nd November 2017
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Excellent!

beer for a fellow GTI owner!

Highway Star

3,573 posts

230 months

Wednesday 22nd November 2017
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LankyLegoHead said:
Untitled by Jason.Easton, on Flickr
Heyford Park? I'm a couple of miles west.

Gunk

3,302 posts

158 months

Wednesday 22nd November 2017
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LankyLegoHead said:
I've also taken the effort of fitting a fairly period correct radio, although a little bit too late its better than a gap and plays cassettes yo!

Untitled by Jason.Easton, on Flickr
I had a 16V version of the same car back in 1987, mine was fitted with a Blaupunt Toronto from new and I’m sure yours is missing a bit of trim that sits between the head unit and dash that pushes it out a bit.

If you want to replace the number plates Jepsons will make them up with the correct pre 2001 font.

LankyLegoHead

Original Poster:

749 posts

131 months

Thursday 23rd November 2017
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Highway Star said:
Heyford Park? I'm a couple of miles west.
Indeed matey!

Gunk said:
I had a 16V version of the same car back in 1987, mine was fitted with a Blaupunt Toronto from new and I’m sure yours is missing a bit of trim that sits between the head unit and dash that pushes it out a bit.

If you want to replace the number plates Jepsons will make them up with the correct pre 2001 font.
Thanks for the info! I was trying to get an older Blaupunkt but they're so rare and go for silly money, its mad. The plate tip off is really useful, DMB Graphics have had to change their rules so you have to send your original V5 and ID in the post which I'm really not keen on.

Mr Peel

478 posts

121 months

Thursday 23rd November 2017
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Well done. Good to see a pre-facelift car with the quarterlights - not many about. I had a tatty but reliable one about 10 years ago, when you could pick them up for £500. Got a Mk5 now, but would love to have C536ATC back and do what you're doing.

Benmac

1,465 posts

215 months

Thursday 23rd November 2017
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Liking this. We had several Mk2s when I was growing up and I always loved those switches next to the radio.

Gunk

3,302 posts

158 months

Thursday 23rd November 2017
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I know you’ve sourced the Pirelli wheels but it would look great on the original correct steel rims, the ones fitted are off a later big bumper car.

Mrs Gunk used to have a 1986 Jade Green 8V 3 door with steel wheels, I always had a soft spot for that car, the K Jetronic GTi’s always felt a bit more raw.

markirl

318 posts

136 months

Thursday 23rd November 2017
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OP, how do you find the exhaust? I fitted a new one as I thought the original was blowing but turns out they're just pretty boomy stock? Makes motorway use pretty tiring!

LankyLegoHead

Original Poster:

749 posts

131 months

Thursday 23rd November 2017
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Gunk said:
I know you’ve sourced the Pirelli wheels but it would look great on the original correct steel rims, the ones fitted are off a later big bumper car.

Mrs Gunk used to have a 1986 Jade Green 8V 3 door with steel wheels, I always had a soft spot for that car, the K Jetronic GTi’s always felt a bit more raw.
Yeah the wheels are wrong the main issue is P-Slots are much easier to source than those steels! Mines also on a crossover year from the P-Slots to the tear drops.

markirl said:
OP, how do you find the exhaust? I fitted a new one as I thought the original was blowing but turns out they're just pretty boomy stock? Makes motorway use pretty tiring!
Mine has massive holes in so very raspy lol

I’ve actuallt bought two brochures for my car (or at least Golf GTIs in 1986). Is that sad? Probably. But at least gives me an idea how it should Be!

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Thursday 23rd November 2017
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Worth noting that you also managed to pick up a set of the less desirable/more common 14" variant of the P-Slot rims. The 15" versions appear on Ebay and VW sites from time to time, and are a great subtle upgrade.
I always thought that the 'G60' steel rims in 15" flavour give the right balance of OEM+. But it's horses for courses.

LankyLegoHead

Original Poster:

749 posts

131 months

Thursday 23rd November 2017
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C70R said:
Worth noting that you also managed to pick up a set of the less desirable/more common 14" variant of the P-Slot rims. The 15" versions appear on Ebay and VW sites from time to time, and are a great subtle upgrade.
I always thought that the 'G60' steel rims in 15" flavour give the right balance of OEM+. But it's horses for courses.
Uhhh, yeah. Okay... Thanks I guess.

As said, it's going to be as close to factory as I can. I may go back down my old VW Modifying routes at some point though.

Gunk

3,302 posts

158 months

Thursday 23rd November 2017
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Back in the day the common upgrade to 15" wheels was either Ronal (I had 15" Ronal R8's) or BBS. I certainly don't remember a Pirelli P slot being available as a 15" wheel.



Edited by Gunk on Thursday 23 November 15:07

Gunk

3,302 posts

158 months

Thursday 23rd November 2017
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