Hi I'm Andy and welcome to my New Project a Mk1 Polo Derby 1978 1.1 LS

This is my 9th polo project and the 11th Volkswagen project.

1st. MK3 Polo 1.3 CL Coupe Blue

2nd. MK3 Polo 1.3 GT Coupe Tornado Red

3rd. MK3 Polo 1.3 GT Coupe Tornado Red

4th. MK3 Polo 1.1 Coupe White

5th. MK3 Polo 1.3 GT Coupe Capri green

6th. MK4 Polo 1.6 CL Hatchback Green

7th. MK3 Polo 1.3 GT converted to a G40 track Coupe Black Rollcaged

8th. Corado 2.0 16v Metallic Grey

9th. Mk1 Caddy 1.8 KR on Twin 40 Webbers

10th. MK4 Polo 1.6 Estate Red

11th. MK1 Polo Derby 1.1 LS Yellow

Other cars that I have owned one Astra GTE that I happily ragged to its death lol also a Suzuki SJ 413 Hardtop with a Vitara 1.6 8v engine fitted got bored with this quit fast did a little off roading but as a daily driver sucked lol

Have always been lucky that me and my friends are all been in to different styles of cars like J crap or french curse word and many more lol But here is a list of cars iv been lucky to be around and help build, 205 MI16's, MX5's, RX7 FB and FC's, 323 turbo 4x4 rally, 323 GT, Mk3 Astra gsi's, Mini vtec's, Manta Redtop and maybe more all fun in there own ways.

Back to the new Project

I have always been on the look out for a mk1 derby always loved the retro shape of the derby it has always reminded me of the escort mk1-mk2 but being VW and not RWD :(

Well like you do noticed a derby for sale on the mk1 polo forum and I thought typical always when I don't have the money and when I do have the money never one for sale :( well a couple of months pasted and sadly my mum died from cancer after 15 years of fighting it off it was a sad day but live goes on but she left me a couple of grand in her will not much so was looking at getting a reliable runner a couple months later again but the urge to get something interesting or rwd was too hard to resist and with no job thought maybe a project is what I need while I have nothing to do, so check the forums and after looking and many potential projects found out the polo derby was still for sale and had dropped in price :)

WOOOPS

a couple weeks latter :) and a lot cheaper after getting the guy to remove some parts that I did not need for the look and style I'm going for like the chrome bumpers and front chrome trim and he had all the repair panels to fix the sills and rear arches but again I don't need these for my plans :)

Delivery :) :) :)

Waited for my flat mate to get home so we could get it moved to its new home had to use the tow bar and his van because the front brakes was sized :(

In its new place for the night :)

Its a solid derby accept the rear arches one side is ok but looks like its made of filler but its still has the correct shape the drivers side rear arch looks like its been plated and not had the welds ground down and smoothed.

The front panel is ok accept the ends need a little bid of welding the passenger wing is fine but the drivers wing front bottom corner needs a bit of work.

The passenger sill is fine but the drivers side looks like its got a sill bodged over a sill but a new sill repair panel is only 20guid :)

It did come with brand new nos front lights and nos rear lights :)

It didn't come with a front grill :( I want an early grill as I have early lights and I prefer the looks but there pricy and rare :(

My plans for the arches are not to repair them with standard repair panels but go down the mk1 golf arch route this will allow me to go lower and run bigger wheels witch should improve the stance and allow me to run 15x8 wheels :)

check this http://www.jeansgaraget.se/files/derby039.jpg

this is the only derby I know who has gone down the same route in Germany but the last updates for this build was at the start of last year so I have no idea if its still going so I should be still the first if I get mine on the road the hardest part will be the rear arches raising them 4 to 5 inches will I need to raise the inner arch but guess I will find out lol

Need to get the car ready for an mot the cars not been started in more than two years ::)

New battery and terminal connections

After a lot of going back and forth from fuel to spark and checking the points finally worked out the fuel shutoff solenoid was stuck closed on the carb so removed and replaced with a bolt lol ;D

car now tries to start but its not firing might be a week spark or not enough fuel so removed the carb and noticed the accelerator pump arm was snapped so a little weld later and quick rebuild of the carb to clean the jets and reinstalled tried again and life but running a little week so changed the plugs leads and coil normal stuff engine sounds a lot more healthy still need a little fine tuning and ignition timing setup but was able to turn the car around under its own steam because the exhaust fumes was going strait threw the front door to the house lol

:)

Edited 7 August, 201312 yr by cheddarcheese

Need to gets all the electrics working so removed the dash for easy fault finding :) and removal of crap installed wiring done by previous owners.

Only things not working are horn and wipers and indicators :(

Nice clean battery tray common problem this is better than most newer model polo's :)

Got two golf front wings on ebay at a bargain price of 22quid and 16quid to get them delivered next day :) also my dash and few bits.

And the best buy a MK1 Polo early GRILL and at a bargain price 25guid delivered haha was bidding on early grills on ebay.de going over 100quid lucky I didn't and waited ;D ;D ;D

and a little test fit :)

Looks like this is the first project that's going as planned :)

Removed the drivers wing very happy with the inner wing no holes better than I have seen in other people builds so happy.

Started removing old brakes

New vw1 caliper brackets that I got off a guy on clubpolo.

Left side I cleaned with a wire wheel on the grinder and the right is as I got it.

Grinder couldn't get in all the areas so got the sand blaster out didn't have enough grit so a quick job done still loads better than if done by hand ;D

and the discs that I had left over from my g40 never fitted a little rusty had them 4 years lol

Need to buy some new sliders and bolts for the vw2 calipers then I can get the brakes fitted and working.

Got my new Slider and Bolt Kit for my vw11 calipers but only fitting the new bolts for now until I clean and paint my brakes later after the cars got MOT but wanted them to still work.

Ordered some new fuzes and need to repair a couple of bodged wires running to the rear of the car one for the fuel gauge sender and the other looks like its running to the rear lights, I want the wiring to be perfect no hidden bodges, also looks like I don't need wing mirrors for an mot only need one rear viewing mirror so the windscreen rear view mirror will be fine as don't have wing mirrors there broken so need to blank the mounting holes for now.

Finished the electrics all the lights work so fitted the rear lights and dash and steering wheel :)

brakes done on one side the drivers side upgraded to 239 vented discs and calipers G40 spec.

New cv boot also fitted also removed the outer cv and gave it a good clean and new grease have also ordered two new track control arms will come next week.

other side still to do big difference!

Fitted some wheels the original steels hit the calipers and had crap tyres so had some crappy alloys with good tread fitted for now.

still need to fix the wings but might just bodge it for now so it looks good for mot until I can get some new panels.

FUN

Well its time to start the body repairs so first on my list is the wings and front panel

started with the wings done plenty of welding to the under body of cars but never the car body also had to get the right shape of the wing front corners mine was shot and it was hard to get an idea of the shape so with lots of time checking pictures on the net to get an idea of the shape then made a card board template and ended up with this.

and then used the mk1 golf wings that I got to use for metal :)

then with only a hammer my hands and a grinder turned it in to this :) was very happy for my first try

and then test fitted needs some work but will start the other wing and get it to the same point.

and made the repair panel placed on other wing and thats as fare as I got to now.

Edited 24 June, 201313 yr by cheddarcheese

sorry to hear about your mum dude! cancer is a bitch.

love what your doing with this though. proper cracking on!

Cheers erixtar1992 :)

Got the other side started did more to this side than the other again happy with the results :)

first the Front panel

then test fit the wing with the new repair

and then put the wing back in the shed and sprayed a little primer to protect over night

will get the other side to the same point tomorrow :)

Got the other side of the front panel done.

Brilliant work matey, keep at it and you'll end up with a really nice solid car

Sorry to hear about your mother dude. Derby looks good! Finally starting on mine this year!

Thanks Martin If you need any help let me know :)

Not had any internet for a couple of weeks :( so lots to update :)

First got a interior rear view mirror off Yeti on clubpolo thanks mate

Also picked my up a temp interior from a mk1 gold cab only issues is the slider mechanism is on the wrong side not worried tho i don't move my seat once i have it how i like it and hate it when people change it.

Now the front end is looks better i wanted to fit the grill and lights.

And i told you it had a bodged drivers sill :( :(

and a bit more removed :(

I have no idea why they did it this way they had a proper repair panel and would of been easier to fix it the proper way than bodge it like it was done!!!! retards

So removed the fuel tank to give me better access to the rear of the sill and didn't want to cut in to it with the grinder. safety first :)

know going back now :)

And test fit of my custom metal bolt on style wide arches so much better than them shitty jdm arches every other car has now.

i know I am well chuffed gonna be a very unique derby when finished :)

Lowered the car on to the wheel just for an idea of the look and with some 8j alloys and stretched rubber this derby is going to have a killer stance when done :)

what you guys think??

Out of interest how well did that car match the description you got?

I nearly bought it a few months ago but saw a handful of extra pictures and got put off by the rust.

It looked better in guys garage lol

Most of the rust would of been an easy fix with a couple of repair panels but because it was covered up bodged and not treated and left to get worse so having to repair more than expected.

but saying that if you did just go buy two new rear arches a new front panel if your lucky and a pair of wings and a drivers sill and then a few very small weld patches on the inner panels it would be a minter after a paint job and they guy did have all that for sale with the car ready.

Sorry to hear about your mum

derby looks good, do you know when in 78 it was registered?

I so nearly purchased this as a quick project, glad I didn't now!!! 2 78 derby's would have been greedy anyway!!!

I still had a few parts off it though!!!

Liking the progress on this, what are the plans down the business end?

Got some more done today started the sill used the repair panel that was used to bodge it in the first place and now all done and fixed just got repair the rear side of the sill but it got to hot outside lol

need to flap the welds more and after a light skim of filler should look good.

So finished the rear of the drivers sill today while it was cooler :)

Next and last of the rust repairs the drivers floor pan and small patch on sill will do this tomorrow :)

Small update Finished the drivers sill today :)

thats all the big rust repairs finished and small patches left :)

To do list.

in no order!

1. Finnish welding the inner and outer skin on the rear drivers arch and then start the same to passenger side so i can get the arches fitted.

2. fit rear and front arches

3. fit new brake pads and rear hoses and then bleed brakes.

4. fit new tca's

5. refit fuel tank

6. Finish exhaust

7. fit rear 6n collies i have spare.

8. make custom temp coilovers for the front with spares i have.

7. finishing touches grind the welds and add a little filler and get all the body panels aligned.

My aim is to get all this done ready for retro rides gathering :) and if i have time maybe some more :)

Sorry about your mother. Awesome progress on the welding though

Looks a good project keep us updated buddy

finished today welding the rear arch ready for the bolt on arches :)

and after a little paint.

shaped the arches better to fit the derby shape :)

Rear rear

Rear front

looking good :)

Now just need to start the passenger rear arch should be easier now i know what to do and the last of the major welding work :)

Ordered some brake fluid and new brake pads for the front to finish the braking system.

Today moved the car so i can start the other side but its pissing it down outside :(

half way threw turning the polo around more rain!

Looking good!

passager rear arch before :)

After :)

Underseal from ebay

quick test on the drivers rear finished arch.

and with arch on!

Looks awsome man, Great work!

Had a spare exhaust that came lose with my mk1 caddy project never used it so thought it might work well on the derby needs some modification :)

I joined the mk1 pipe to the new one.

Cut the horrible tip off :)

Test fit on the car need to weld some hangers on the backbox and extend the tip with a nice bit of stainless but not bad for no cost and sounds fine not loud at all.

Now need to bleed brakes and refit fuel tank and put the derby in for an mot and see what it fails on :)