`85 Postal Service Golf Restoration: 16V ITBs etc.

Discussion in 'Members Gallery' started by Steffen, Nov 17, 2022.

  1. Steffen Forum Member

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    Edit: I saw that I have to upload the pictures externally. I am not sure if I want to do that.

    Edit Edit: Works like a charm, very nice support.
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2022
  2. afbiker02

    afbiker02 Paid Member Paid Member

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    if you're a paid member and have a few post, i think 10 is the magic number, then you'll be able to upload from your phone without using an external source. I'm sure the admins will correct me if I'm wrong. I hope that you post more as I'm really interested in your build.
     
  3. Steffen Forum Member

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    Hi afbiker, thanks for the kind reply. If it is not forever I think i can live with it.

    Alright, so it all started with the car that I had as a Daily during my college years. Cheap, reliable, easy to maintain.

    It is a 1985 postal service Golf with about 450k km on the clock, 1.6l n/a Diesel. Was converted to a 5speed 020 at some point, but who knows when? :lol:

    Since the car endured some tough times with me together, I am quite emotional about it and decided I am not able to sell it.

    Also an idea never really left me, and that was having a Gofl with a cool n/a powertrain. But before the glory days of shiny parts, I had to take care of the body since the high mileage and the relentless duty as postal service car had taken it`s toll.

    I don`t want to repaint the complete car since the original paint is in relatively decent shape and I really adore the patina it has, I opted for dry ice blasting.

    Before:
    rnuCVXmIQr.jpg IiVbx25eqS.jpg wb4Y0yM9Hc.jpg

    after:
    wNIRDkprmx.jpg QEBdqI71cd.jpg yNA50wpK8y.jpg 718aVflS0r.jpg JtLlby6evb.jpg TaqF3L9Ges.jpg

    First bigger rust spots also spotted:
    hYiVLvlJQY.jpg

    It does not look good but I promise you it`ll be nice again :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 18, 2022
  4. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    as if by magic ;) yep as soon as you get a few posts your account is automatically verified then you can add images. I've just done it manually though as its clear you're not a spammer :)
     
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  5. Steffen Forum Member

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    Ah nice, thanks you very much. It really bugs me with these external upload sites [xx(]

    I may carry on!

    First duty was replacing the longitudinal member on the passenger side. Luckily I found a original replacement part in my storeroom, so it was quite straightforward. It had the tow hook form the later models, so I swapped that out and welded the old one back on. I blasted it beforehand witrh glass beads, so don`t mind the rust. Primer is a 2K Epoxy primer that you will see a lot of in the upcoming posts :p

    IMG_20211031_191610.jpg IMG_20211031_211525.jpg IMG_20211031_225022.jpg IMG_20211031_214122.jpg IMG_20211106_234108.jpg IMG_20211107_223227.jpg IMG_20211107_224040.jpg IMG_20211111_225517.jpg
     
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  6. Steffen Forum Member

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    Next was the crossmember in the back over the rear axle, it was not that bad but the part with the hooks for the exhaust was impacted quite heayily by rust. Fortunately Classicparts had this part available so I could also use good NOS metal and don`t have to worry about quality issues:

    IMG_20211113_224530.jpg IMG_20211126_225747.jpg IMG_20211127_160535.jpg IMG_20211127_160522.jpg IMG_20211127_220930.jpg IMG_20211127_235803.jpg IMG_20211128_015338.jpg
     
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  7. Steffen Forum Member

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    Also the other longitudinal member on the drivers side had to be taken care of, it was not as bad as the other side so I opted for partly replacing it:

    IMG_20211108_203901.jpg IMG_20211112_215729.jpg IMG_20211112_224959.jpg IMG_20211112_232926.jpg IMG_20211113_193344.jpg IMG_20211113_205555.jpg
    IMG_20211113_194036.jpg ujujuj.JPG
     
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  8. Steffen Forum Member

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    Anybody having second thoughts about me being not a spammer? :lol:

    Now - are you ready for the reaaally ugly parts? [l]

    IMG_20211217_153917.jpg IMG_20211217_225437.jpg IMG_20211217_233626.jpg IMG_20211218_223900.jpg

    Other side wasn`t looking any better:

    IMG_20211217_205421.jpg IMG_20211222_231913.jpg IMG_20211229_162746.jpg

    And we`re still a long way from finished with rust repairs [:o)]
     
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  9. Tristan

    Tristan Paid Member Paid Member

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    That's cool, brave repairs taking place!
     
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  10. afbiker02

    afbiker02 Paid Member Paid Member

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    Thanks for sticking with it. That's an awesome project
     
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  11. KeithMac Forum Junkie

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    Some great work going on there, I'm on with same on our Mk2.
     
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  12. copeidge

    copeidge Forum Member

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    Great progress! Nothing better than getting stuck in to some major repairs and it looking factory at the end!
     
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  13. Steffen Forum Member

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    Thanks a lot :)

    If you like rust repairs you came to the right place :p

    Postal service golfs don`t have a floor mat made out of fabric, but it is just on giant slab of rubber thrown into. Rubber is excellent for trapping moisture, so sure enough i had some more work to do (Yes this is already the final steering wheel :hug:):

    IMG_20211217_161642.jpg IMG_20211219_141506.jpg


    The foamy gel on the metal is phosphoric acid, excellent for rust removal:
    IMG_20211220_233200.jpg IMG_20211229_181620.jpg

    The floors, especially the joint where the wheel well, beams and floors come together are one of the worst spots to work on... perhaps you can guess where this belongs:

    IMG_20211223_183717.jpg
     
  14. Steffen Forum Member

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    the wind deflector was also damaged, I only was able to retrieve another one from a facelift (slightly different) but the facelift version offers more room for the exhaust system so it was kind of an OEM upgrade [:D]

    IMG_20211211_211247.jpg IMG_20211212_012241.jpg IMG_20211212_195640.jpg

    The rear end had ever so slightly surface rust

    IMG_20211128_165617.jpg IMG_20211128_215302.jpg
    IMG_20211203_212847.jpg IMG_20211205_221939.jpg IMG_20211204_010422.jpg IMG_20211205_203724.jpg IMG_20211211_012142.jpg

    To make sure the tail panel gaps are sealed, I used 2K panel adhesive from Sikaflex also used for bonding side panels in new cars

    IMG_20211231_163246.jpg IMG_20211231_163254.jpg
     
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  15. Tristan

    Tristan Paid Member Paid Member

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    Are you a panel beater/car repairer by trade?
     
  16. AKAeddypeck Forum Member

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    Just wow!
     
  17. Steffen Forum Member

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    Appreciate the comments!

    @Tristan: I am not, in fact I am a trained bricklayer who chose to go back to school and after college (Automitive engineering) I am working as software engineer :) But I have restored some cars before, and during my college years I was helping out a friend of mine at the body shop where I also restored cars, so I have some experience and I am not starting from zero. The work on the underfloor was also made in a manner considering not wasting too much time on a perfect finish, when we come to the engine bay it will look better :thumbup:

    I forgot some spots in the last post, the only non-original replacement part which of course needed quite some modificaiton to fit properly...

    IMG_20211210_200501.jpg IMG_20211210_203036.jpg IMG_20211211_002040.jpg IMG_20211211_010214.jpg

    Some more welding to do, I tried to replicate the original look as good as possible:

    IMG_20220129_000634.jpg IMG_20220129_205132.jpg
    IMG_20220129_213452.jpg IMG_20220130_163345.jpg IMG_20220130_201123.jpg
     
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  18. Tristan

    Tristan Paid Member Paid Member

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    You must be a great bricklayer!
    !
     
  19. Steffen Forum Member

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    haha! Or not so great, hence why I don`t do it anymore :lol: jokes aside, it was more of the issue of bad pay etc. why I decided to change professions.

    Anyway, so aside of some other small patches I had to do, I treated all minor surface rust with sulfuric acid and then it was time for primer, sealing and paint!
    I pre-primed all overlaps etc. with a brush with thinned epoxy primer to really get everything sealed up nicely, with the pistol it is nearly impossible to flush everything properly with primer.

    For those who are interested in the details:

    Primer: 2K Epoxy Mipa 100-20 (it contains zinc phosphate as active corrosion protection)
    Sealant: Sikaflex 529 Evo (it`s basically the same as the original sealant)
    Paint: 2K Glasurit Row 68 in stunning RAL1032 Ginster Yellow [l]

    IMG_20220103_223439.jpg IMG_20220103_223452.jpg IMG_20220122_224636.jpg IMG_20220122_225038.jpg IMG_20220206_000832.jpg IMG_20220206_003244.jpg IMG_20220206_020937.jpg IMG_20220206_143206.jpg IMG_20220206_143311.jpg IMG_20220206_143452.jpg IMG_20220206_183831.jpg IMG_20220206_195121.jpg IMG_20220206_195131.jpg IMG_20220206_195141.jpg
     
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  20. Steffen Forum Member

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    Final product:

    IMG_20220218_210107.jpg IMG_20220206_232702.jpg IMG_20220206_232747.jpg IMG_20220218_204132.jpg IMG_20220218_205931.jpg IMG_20220218_210005.jpg IMG_20220218_210142.jpg IMG_20220206_232756.jpg IMG_20220206_232735.jpg
     
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