Oakie takes a trip!

Right, after sitting feeling forlorn for herself all winter, it's time to get going on the Mk2 Golf GTi resto-mod.

First job was to get her to my mate Cookie's workshop, where he very generously allows me to work on my cars using his lifts, tools etc. Top man, so he is!

She's been sitting for months on four weedy Mk2 Golf space-saver spare wheels in the driveway, so some banded G60 steels were sourced from Noel, welder extraordinaire, here in Waterford. This man does some seriously good work and the workmanship is flawless - it's hard to see the quality of his work in my shitty phone pics, but don't worry; there'll be plenty of close-ups when I do a post on the refurb on these wheels in the coming months.

So...out with the A-frame and dragged her sorry ass over to Cookie's...

Gratuitous arty pic of her waiting to be rolled into the workshop...pic also shows Cookie's project Renault 19 16v and a boat. And some trees. Oh and another boat...all we're missing is some dry-ice smoke! :-)

 We threw her up on the lift to check out the underneath.

 

We were delighted to find that the underneath is in excellent condition, although the rear axle, front and rear brakes, axle, wishbones etc. are all badly corroded...not to worry, me auld pal Cian has granted me free licence to pillage his old Mk2 GTi for parts, so everything I need is there and will be transplanted before the summer.

The underneath is gonna be stripped, cleaned and rustproofed, then all the replacement brakes, axle, suspension etc. are gonna be fitted - it really makes a massive difference having a donor vehicle at hand, cos every last little bit you need is there when you need it.

Really looking forward to getting stuck into this, as I haven't had a Mk2 in over two years...way too long, my friends....way too long. These are the cars that bit me with the VW bug and I'm seriously hooked on 'em.

Right, that's it for now for this car. Next time you hear about her will be the stripdown and clean-up.

Talk soon, drive safe.

Laters, 

RV.

W8 Interior Light Install

Right, anyone who's into their VW's knows that we all like to stare in wonder at a nice W8 light's ambiance on a dark evening...sad bunch of bastards that we are. Ahem.

Me and electrics usually end in:
1. Tears
2. Flames
3. A combination of 1 & 2 above.

But...all is not lost. There's a wealth of helpful how-to's scattered all over t'interweb.

I asked for this info on my favourite new forum for VW T4/T5 van and camper owners/enthusiasts (check it out at www.vwt4forum.co.uk, what a friendly and helpful bunch they are!), and was directed to a SEAT forum, where someone had posted a very helpful install how-to there; I just applied the principles of the instructions to my T4, and below is my take on it, along with a few pics.

I removed my A- and B-pillar trim panels, along with passenger side A-pillar grab handle (affectionately known here in Ireland as the 'Oh Jaysus handle', if you happen to be a nervous passenger). This allowed me to drop the cab headliner to get at the standard interior light wiring plug. NOTE: Prise out the interior light and unplug it before you pull down the headliner, otherwise you risk breaking wires and will end up doing a lot of swearing and head-scratching trying to figure out why your sexy new W8 light has no power!

OK, below is a rough guide to wiring and where each wire goes on the plug/loom that should be supplied with the W8 light - it's got 6 wire positions. NOTE: I used a light unit for a vehicle not equipped with a sunroof, so wire positions 2 and 6 are left empty/unconnected. Where a number of colour wire options are written, means that your wires connected to your existing light could be any of these, dependent on your vehicle's make and model.

You'll also need to run one new wire from a switched live source, so that your downlighter LEDs have a feed when your ignition's turned on; I used the black/yellow wire at the back of my T4 headlight switch.

Oh, just one more thing, as Columbo used to say,,,please excuse my shitty handwriting!

So it's time to bite the bullet and snip the old plug off...steady now...this may be  good time to stop for a coffee/smoke/valium to steel your nerves...I assume of course that you've disconnected the positive terminal on your  vehicle's battery before you did anything, didn't you...didn't you? If not, DO IT NOW!

 Pic below shows original wires with plug cut off and new wire run from headlight switch.

Pic below shows routing of new wire to headlight switch through roof strengthening panel to A-pillar.

Next pic below shows size difference between original interior roof-light and new replacement W8 light. There is a lot of trimming to be done; remove the metal surround on the hole in your headliner and take your time: trial fit, trim, trial fit, trim some more. Take your time, or you'll end up trimming away too much of the hardboard material and your new light won't stay in place,

 Pic below shows the new W8 plug/loom connected to the original rooflight wiring. Also includes visual sign of approval from my son who helped with the install. For a 12 year old, he's got more savvy and practical ability than a lot of grown men that I've worked with over the years. Good man, Dylan!

 Pic below shows new W8 test fitted and connected to power supply(reconnect your battery for this, then disconnect again) to make sure everything works and nothing catches fire! Dylan again shows his approval!

 OK, it got dark, it got cold, and we were working outdoors. So it's time to put everything back together.
As we're turning this T4 into a campervan, I took the opportunity of having the cab headliner out to insulate and soundproof the ceiling of the cab.

 Unfortunately, I forgot to photograph the soundproofing before we stuck on the Thermawrap insulation, which is the recommended insulation for this type of conversion, as it's inexpensive and easy to work with. If any of you are interested, we used Flashband as soundproofing, rolled onto the bare metal of the underside of the cab roof with a decorators seam-roller to help adhesion. Again, this is a tried-and-tested method and is recommended by many van converters.

Here's a gratuitous shot of the W8 light, shining in the dark....ehhhhh....shinily!

 

Final pic below shows the final install, along with Dylan's obligatory approval. I must also mention that while the headliner was out, I called down to Brian and Nicky Lacey in Happy Campers in Wexford, possibly two of the most friendly, helpful (and bloody talkative! LOL) guys you could ever meet, where they re-upholstered the headliner in sexy stretchy new Anthracite material, the same stuff I'll be doing the complete rear van interior in, which again will be supplied by Happy Campers. I can't recommend the lads or their work highly enough, check 'em out on www.happycampers.ie. You won't be disappointed.

OK, that's all for now. I hope this has been of some use for you. It proves that even the most electrically-inept (Me!) can finish a straight-forward enough task without disaster.

Right folks, talk soon.

Drive safe,

RV.

Long time, no see!

OK, OK, I know it's been awhile, so I'll throw a few posts up together...

Changed work patterns have wreaked havoc on my VW schedule!

Here's where the situation lies...the Corrado G60 is gone to a new home, The B4 Passat TDI is gone to a new home, the two Mk1 5door shells have gone to new homes (one sold, one given away as a gesture of goodwill to build up some good karma for myself...it's a nice feeling to do something for someone with no self-agenda, from time to time), Loretta the Jetta is gone to a new home, and the Mk3 Golf diesel variant is on it's way out of the drive pretty soon.

Why? Cos too many projects means fuck-all substantial gets done with any of them, despite you spending as much free time as you can spare on them.

So here's the plan.

Two projects left.

Two target dates set.

2013 is gonna be a busy one, my friends!

Project 1: T4 Transporter campervan conversion.

Project 2: Mk2 Golf GTi restoration/modification......let's call it 'resto-mod', cos I'm a lazy fuc.....typist.

Shall we get started?

What's that big oily metallic bit at the front with all the wires and hoses stickin' out of it??!!

Quick Mk3 Update...

OK, not much progress yet to report.

Got rid of the 17s as they were catching on the coilovers, and threw on some 15 OZ's that were sitting in the shed.

Invested in a set of Vento headlights as they give out a lot more light, which helps especially if you lives out in the sticks like me!

I only finished fitting them in the dark, so apologies for shite phone pic quality...better pics to come when shes been properly mecahnically fettled and given a decent make-over!

More updates to follow as we get this old girl roadworthy!

Later,
RV.

VAG Variant Vehicle....ehhhhh....V-Arrives!

So, there I was, on the lookout for a cheap VAG estate for Melanie to lug her work gear and our dogs around in....

This ungodly abomination was uncovered....

No tax, no NCT, no taste.....but cheaper than a Lidl Sunday Special that's been reduced-to-clear on Wednesday, so we brought her home.

BHP in theory is 65, but in reality is probably somewhere in single figures or at best the low-teens, but she came from her previous home in Clonakilty in De Peeeeeepel's Reeeeepublick to Blaaland on less than a tenner, so smiles all round.

1.9 straight black-stuff-burner, in reasonable mechanical order.

First job is to de-scene it, respray the rattle canned matt-black bonnet and fit a 2nd hand rear bumper to replace the damaged item, and fit a set of Vento headlamps and grille....The bonnet is a Vento item, hence the ugly gaping wound above the front grille. Cos vento estates are coooooool, man.......I am indeed, down with the kids, but not in a Jimmy Savile kinda way.

If anyone would like a cheap set of quad lamps for a mk3 golf, let me know.





Scene stickers removed, stupid vertical disc holder binned, dog drool cleaned off all windows interior and exterior, 2nd hand front fog blank fills the previous gaping hole in the front bumper.

To-do list to make her NCT-ready:

Full service kit, replace all fluids and all filters
New glow plugs
T-belt, water pump and new stat for peace of mind.
Fit a set of 15’’ wheels and remove these ridiculously big 17s.
Rewire rear number plate lights....god only knows whats wrong with that.
Replace gear linkage bushings kit - gearchanges feel like you're up to your elbow trying to clear a particularly stubborn turd from a U-bend with a toothpick.
Some NCT-friendly German plates....haters feel free to flame, but be warned...the VAG-ninjas will be outside YOUR window at 11pm tonight......have your affairs in order.
Do something about the ridiculous ride quality....it feels as if the shocks have all been replaced with lengths of steel bar......it has coilies up front and lowering springs in the back, cos that's how they roll on Cork's pool table-like roads.....like.....I thought I was gonna lose a kidney on the way home!

Cheap and cheerful, and maybe slightly practical too, dare I say it.

Stay tuned for more Wolfsburg hilarity (ever think you'd see those two words in one sentence??!!), as I delve deeper into the mechanics of this beauty.....

Later,
RV.

PS -  shitload of tasty mk2 Golf GTi parts collected this past weekend...stay tuned for an update on that project soon!

Man with Van...Part two!

OK, this van bug has seriously bitten me!
Just imagine being able to hop in on a Friday evening, head off for the weekend and not have to worry about bad weather pitching tents in our wonderful Irish rain!
The solution? A campervan of course!
Having pored over campervan forums and enthusiasts sites and having trawled the classifieds for a number of weeks, I decided a VW T4 Transporter was the way to go.
While the short-wheel-base (SWB) ones were handy for everyday driving, the long-wheel-base (LWB) ones were ideal for campervan conversions...so, preferably post 1996 facelift model, preferably with the torquey 2.5TDI engine and preferably a LWB one; only when I started to search did I realise that these yokes were like rocking-horse shit, with hen's teeth sticking out of it, sitting atop a crock of gold under a rainbow...on a night with a blue moon! Yes, fucking rare! this was gonna be a tough one to find!
Added to this, if I found one, I had to ensure it wasn't an ex-builder's hack, that had been beaten to shit with zero-to-no maintenance or tlc of any kind! EEK!
So, the search continued, with nothing showing up.
Then, one evening, I got a text message out of the blue last week, from a gent named David in Wexford....
''I hear you're looking for a T4...?''
''Yeah, they're hard to find though.''
''I have one parked in the mate's shed, I'm only down the road, sure come and take a look''
To say I did a little dance-of-delight was an understatement!
Went down, checked her out, and all the boxes were ticked: 2000 registered van, LWB, 2.5tdi...what more could I ask for?
The deal was done, and back home we came with the new wagon, here's a few pics:

Apologies for the phone pic quality; better pics will document the fit-out as the next few months roll by.
This is a keeper, with the plan of fitting her out with the whole nine yards, as a campervan:
Sink/Hob unit.
Storage units
Fridge
Fully carpeted throughout
Side windows
Rock and Roll Bed
Fully soundproofed and thermally insulated
Front swivel seats
Electric fit out for rear
Full respray outside
maybe, just maybe, if we can get this done by next summer, who knows? a pan-european roadtrip could be on the cards!

Can't wait to get my teeth into this!
Right...must go...I've got a campervan to build!

laters,
RV.

Mk2 Golf......started...or 'here we go again!'

OK, so, one of our local forum VW lads called to the house Sunday morning, made an offer that couldn't be refused, and the Corrado G60 is gone to a new home!

Ah well, there is such a thing as having too many projects on the go...but do we ever listen? Ehhhhhhh..........NO! HAHA!

So what do I do now, for my oil-under-the-fingernails fix?

Get up off my ass and tear into the 8valve Mk2 GTi project, that's what!

So, had a few hours to kill yesterday evening, and the pictures below can tell the rest!

Job done, time for a large coffee and a couple of smokes!
Seats, carpets, door cards, rear trims all removed to be scrubbed clean of dirt and old mouse-shit - door cards are saggier than an 1980's glamour-model's tits, so they may be for the bin if I can find decent replacement panels.

On the outside, rear badges are off for some tlc and refurbishment, front lower valance is more bent than an Irish politician, so that's for the bin, and the four lamp grille is making way for something that's really gonna upset and boil the piss of VW purists!  Watch this space!

TO-DO:
Wheels are sourced and in the shed, waiting for their refurb; nice and simple OEM+.
exterior's just gonna be left as-is for now, cleaned up and made presentable while still retaining the patina; this one's for driving, not for shiney-shiney trophies.
Exhaust system and Weitec coilovers are sitting in a friend's shed...actually they're still on his car, which has been attacked by rust, so gotta get those removed and transported home.
Interior will stay standard, just some decent ICE and additional gauges to make sure all remains well under the bonnet.
All exterior trims are gonna be refurbed, so I'll do a handy how-to on that for people who fancy giving it a go.
Engine will remain standard, with all belts, fluids, ancilaries and service stuff renewed or replaced.
Right, that's enough to be going on with...check in for more updates soon.

Drive safe,
later,
RV.