I repaired the gear linkage the other day, although it still needs aligning. Don't have 5th gear at present.

Hope and I attacked the interior today with a carpet cleaner and it came out pretty good.

Before shots...

Comparison shots.

The grotty water in the carpet cleaner, 26 years of grime!

After shots!

This driveway was representing 1989!

Also found out that the Saab spoiler is made by Vestatec, as is mine. Interesting little fact!

I'm sure that the car is desperately trying to keep me from going to the Polo Social this weekend. I've now got a coolant leak. I'd noticed as far back as the Plymouth meet on the 7th that my coolant was more or less right on the minimum line, and it proceeded to stay there for a few weeks. I think the last time I checked it was Thursday or Friday. Then yesterday (Sunday) I had the bonnet up and I noticed it had dropped a fair bit below the minimum. I also noticed the pipe from the top of the expansion tank to the top of the radiator was damp and very weak in the middle, to the point where you can squeeze it together. I'm hoping that's the problem, but I'm not sure what that pipe even does. Radiator back to the tank perhaps? However, I topped up the water it took about 600-700ml of water to get it back to the middle of the min/max line and today after dropping Hope to work, it's back down to the min already. Plus when we got there and pulled up, I had smoke pouring out of the vents in the car and the top of the tank was fizzing, I'm guessing the cap's not retaining any pressure.

I also noticed that the ignition lead now closest to the damp/possibly leaking pipe was sparking a little when my hand was near it, so it's presumably knackered that in the process. I've got leads/cap/rotor arm on the way so I'm hoping between that and the new coolant hose it might improve slightly.

Trying to get some pipe sorted today so that I can replace that and see if it's still losing anything. I worry slightly that between losing coolant and my lumpy running, blowing exhaust and misfire that I'm seeing the start of head gasket failure? I'm hoping that's a worst case scenario.

Attempted to replace the hose from rad to tank today and it didn't end well. It turns out the nipple on the radiator that the pipe connects to had broken, presumably some time ago, and had either been glued back together (some people!) or was just hanging on by a thread. I'm inclined to believe glued, as I think they've also removed the thermostat. The thermostat is either non-existant, or it's stuck wide open.

Besides, you don't really need coolant anyway, right? Right?!

Picking up a new radiator and thermostat tomorrow morning and will hopefully have her running again by lunchtime. Had to borrow the money, but at least I know it's getting done.

Picked up the new rad this morning, upon starting to sort that it became evident that my heater matrix was gone too. So popped out for a second time to veedubmachine and picked up a new matrix uni as well. After nine hours of swearing, sweating and hitting things, I've got them both all fitted. Hopefully no more coolant loss and we should be all good to make it to the social. Massive hats off to my grandad, would have been truly buggered if not for him, both in fitting the parts and in running me around to pick them up! First time I've ever really stripped a dash, too.

A relatively big update today. 'Big' being the key word!

While we were away I spotted some wheels up for sale on a Facebook page back down in Cornwall and sent the guy a message. I offered the BBS on the Golf as a swap, not really expecting any interest, but he was up for having a look. Sent him a few pictures and went to meet him today. Came away with these beauties!

16" Azev A's. I think they're actually 2 halves of 2 different sets that somebody built up over the years. The fronts are 7.5j non-dished and the rears are 9j dished. The centres are black and the rim is silver. It took me the majority of the afternoon to get fitment to an acceptable level, and they still need tweaking as I get rub over bumps on the nearside rear wheel. In the long term, I will hunt out lower profile tyres I think. Not sure on 16" tyre sizes, but to get them closer back to the rolling radius I'll have to go lower than the 205/50 rears and 185/50 fronts.

A few pictures once I'd got them fitted reasonably.

They're a bit much directly from behind, which is the only aspect I'm not happy with...

I think my coilovers have had it, both fronts are leaking. The nearside more so than the offside. The nearside has started to knock quite badly. Due to the fact I'm now so high up on the coilovers that they're pointless, I'm thinking I'll hunt down some standard GTI suspension all round, see how that fits with the 16's and then maybe source some lowering springs. Couldn't get them to raise as high as I wanted them to.

When in doubt, hit it with a hammer.

A couple of the tyres seem to have what look like little bits of possibly metal in them. Doesn't seem normal, but doesn't seem to have affected any of the tyres? The guy was still running them daily on his Corrado. Anybody got an idea what they are?

Sorted out my crappy sidelights and got a daylight shot of the new wheels.

Still getting rubbing. Not sure whether to try and get my coilovers higher or fit the GTI suspension on the rear that I picked up for free if my mate. Worried the rake will look silly. Tomorrow is crunch time for that though, needs to be fixed one way or another before I drive another 600 odd miles round for the Golf National. Can't believe it's been two weeks since the Social already!

Haven't posted here in a couple of weeks and I've got a few more bits done. She made another 500-mile round trip to the Golf National without any fuss. Except for the last 20 miles when the weighted shift rod I'd fitted over the weekend decided it didn't want to have a R pin any more. Lost all my gears on a dual carriageway and had to limp it to the side of the road. Quick bodge and we were moving within 3 minutes. Yet to replace the pins though as I'm unsure what size they are.

I've also gone through yet another wheel change, this is now the 5th set of wheels that I've had on the car since I bought it mid-May.

These are a set of BBS, possibly RZ's, from an E30. The guy wasn't as honest as he seemed though and on close inspection, two of the tyres were riddled with small cracks and were 9 years old. He also claimed that all four of them were genuine BBS stamped, but only one of them has the BBS stamp and the others have a cheaper looking BMW stamp. It's currently sitting 195/45/15 fronts and 205/55/15 rears.

They suit it down to the ground though. 80's BBS rims are gorgeous.

Those bbs's look absolutely perfect and crap all over your other sets of wheels, amazing how much a cars look can change from a simple change of wheels!

And also I think the spoilers look cool as, in pvw there was a red mk2 with the same and it was fully finished, I think it was the best mk2 I have ever seen! Other than a white rallye they published and the guy had a mk2 country as well

They're in crappy condition though. The driver's side is especially bad. I'm planning on giving them a 'lazy' refurb. Just sanding them down and respraying them in as close a match as I can get. I like them, but apparently one is buckled so they're not gonna be around forever. They've also got no centre caps and they go for about £150+ because they're the same caps as BBS RS's. Not too bad for only £100 though. I did really like the Azev's, and I'm still keen on 5 spokes, just need to find something I really like first. Need to sell the Azev's now!

This is the worst wheel.

Hi you you were good enough to help me with some advice on what steering boss I would need for my large spline 91 polo. haven't got round to getting it yet did you get yours and what sort of quality is it ? Cheers

Sent you a message mate. :)

Cheers !!

No prob, you reminded me that I've not posted a pic of the wheel in here.

Got these for my birthday too.

And this has also been happening!

Big things are going on. It's become a Mk2 20vt build. Gonna be a while before it's in and running though.

OMG!

OMG!

That's the appropriate reaction!

A bit of background. My mate sent me a message on Facebook to say that someone he works with is selling a Mk4 Golf with an AGU lump in it for spare and repairs. He's currently doing an AGU build on an unrelated car and wanted a few bits, so he proposed we split the costs and I take this engine and the bulk of the loom etc that I need. So I've basically got my hands on a whole 20vt lump and loom, ecu, key, gearshift etc for £100. Absolute bargain. Although I've now got the long game of waiting, while I rebuild the engine and gather parts. Good amount of service history with the car though, and it's had a stage 1 remap. This engine puts out 207bhp at 228lb/ft of torque.

All that's really wrong with the engine is the clutch plate is knackered. The guy thought the turbo had gone but the car was still driveable. Would be a bit shaky once you got high up in the torque band and it was reluctant to change into gear past 2nd. All things I'll tackle in the rebuild.

Should be very sound after clutch and what not, taking it your replacing all oil seals etc, and at a hundred quid that's bargain of the century! Looking forward to seeing it in the golf and hope to see it in the flesh one day

Yeah, the clutch setup isn't one I can use anyway. Generally to fit a 20vt into a mk2 you have to use a VR6 clutch and a G60 flywheel. It's all a fair bit of modding, and then I need to sort out exhaust systems. I'm probably going to get one made up by a company called Trackslag, the guy's got a section on the Golf forums. There's lots to consider and lots to do, will be a good knowledge builder! Yep, gonna strip it down and replace all seals and gaskets etc. Considering getting the head ported and polished and various over little bits. £100 was a complete and utter bargain. Saves me a ton in the long run. The average build with one of these (based on other Mk2 20vt's I've seen) has been upwards of £1500. I've saved myself about £5-600 on this, plus we've made a chunk back breaking the mk4.

In the last month she's had new coilovers, done another 400 mile round trip, destroyed a battery, has a new starter on the way and today I've just had a new tie rod, end, steering rack gaiter and a wheel bearing fitted.

A good shot I took, this is how she sits presently. Much better with new coilovers on.

Love this project mate, reminds me of my 7 year ownership of my coupe! Keep it going

Love the progress mate. Like the grille too although I also loved the other one with spotlight covers, how goes the rusty bits? Have you done any progress on that yet?

Nothing yet, I should probably get on that soon. It's just finding the money really, or someone who can do me some bargain price welding. It's very near the sill, unfortunately.

Fitted my speaker door grills today though, much better than before. Only had parcel shelf speakers and the noise coming entirely from behind gave me a headache.

Edit; Had no door electrics at all so it had to be freshly routed, through insulation/sound deadening. We'll see how it holds up.

If anyone is ever interested, my build thread goes into a lot more detail over here; http://www.vwgolfmk2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&p=314452#p314452

I forget to update this one a lot, and then when I do remember there's far more than I can be bothered to write.

Edited 8 September, 201511 yr by mbusby993

I'm also still learning a lot, that's the best thing about a car that's relatively easy to work on.

The mk2 is a credit to that side of modifying and tinkering. I can more or less get my whole dash out in less than 30 minutes.

Went out to get some photos for the Mk2OC calendar the other day.

And a version similar to the second to last one that Steven (kwijibo_coupe) edited for me.

In my week off I need to do a rear wheel bearing, discs, pads and brake shoes.

Edited 12 September, 201511 yr by mbusby993

Some nice pictures there Mr Busby. The golf is looking good.

Thanks Scott. Still a good few bits to do. As it stands I don't think it would pass an MOT right now. Things like spongy brakes and the hole I've not got welded up. Plenty of time though, MOT isn't due until February.

At present, I'm the happiest I've been with how it looks, At least. Need to find someone handy with a welder who can do a 'mates rates' job on the hole. Been in my overdraft twice this month.