LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

It's a black trim die:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forever-Pr...&keywords=forever+black&qid=1628070061&sr=8-1

Works pretty good, but you do need to put some effort into really deep clean of the plastics.

 

I definitely need forever black, as phil said, looks great.

 

A lot of people seem to rate either this, or Solution Finish. And I'd say support for Solution Finish is probably greater, although I think it's twice the price for half the amount but I'm told you don't need to use much. This bottle of Forever Black is about 6 years old now, again you don't need much and it lasts well, I bought it as it was the cheaper option. When it's all used up (a few years from now) I might try Solution Finish.

 

ah you finally joined a proper forum! good update Tim

 

Fantastic progress, just had a good read from the start! Keep up the good work

 

Still plodding along slowly whenever I get chance to grab a bit of time. But a day off last week and a bit of time over the weekend has pushed things forward quite well.

Thursday I took the front bumper and arches off, and was pleased things weren't too bad.





Scabs dealt with, wire-wheeled and rust treated.

So after some very hillbilly masking, and keeping an eye on some ropey looking rain clouds ....



We have paint !!!!

















The (fake) raptor might not be a very OEM approach but it's all behind the trims and will hopefully delay any future issues.
I'm happy with how it looks and even though I masked it was just for overspray and I'm happy with how I've mostly blended the finish.

With the front bumper off though I did however discover a weeping radiator, but thankfully they're not expensive so no messing around, a new one ordered off eBay should arrive later this week.



In a further session on the weekend I managed to remove the old wishbones, ready for replacements with all new bushes. Although I do have a very stuck track rod end. I didn't need to replace it but decided I'd just do everything and I wouldn't have to worry for a few years. I've separated from the hub carrier no problem, I even split it without damaging the rubber - I think that's a first for me. But it's solid on the lock nut.

Oh, and the new wishbones didn't come with replacement bolt collars so I've had to buy them separately. I've got some more cleaning and Forever Black to do but other than that awaiting on delivery of the extra items so that'll be it till the remaining parts arrive.

 

Missed an important birthday, Monday was 30 years to the day since Lucy was first registered.

 

The start of the month saw two years of ownership, which is great but also a little sad as I only used it for about 5 months before I pulled it off the road and it's been laid up ever since.

Updates are few and far between, just not had much time for it, had my sons motorbike to service and get through and MOT, then my bike needed an exhaust, service and MOT also. And now the Mk5 is also due an MOT but I did get a few hours on it while the weather was nice on the weekend.

So arches, sill trims and the repaired rear bumper on:





And here's the clever bit, in line with what I did on the old one I used plastic screw clips to fit the arches rather than rivets.



These clips were bigger than the ones I'd used previously but the benefit is the head is bigger and I think they are a bit more secure. As a result I did have to drill out the holes a bit, but I knew I was going to be using these so I did that, rust treated and primed before I applied the paint at the previous stage.

This means the trims are all removable if I so decide and there's no metal on metal like with rivets.

I also removed, cleaned and refitted the coolant flange, with a smidge of gasket sealant. Since one of my advisories was a slight coolant leak from that area. Topped up the coolant, following the new rad and I ran up the car - all seems well!

Although the fuel pump under the car started making a sucking noise, I think my tank has finally run dry. At least I hope it was just the sound of the pump sucking air and not the fuel pump on the way out.

I was parked up with very little fuel way back when. It's been moved around the driveway a few times and been started and ran.

And on a previous evening, when it was not too dark to see but dark enough to help I aligned the headlights using the brick wall it's pointing towards.



So the only thing remaining on my MOT fail/advisory list that I still need to worry about is now the CO2 levels.

I also want to do the cam belt, so the reason I've left off the front bumper and arch liners and kept in on stands as this gives me a bit more access. I'll need to take a fuel can up to the petrol station but thankfully the panic buying is over so hopefully I won't get judged as 'one of them'.

 

Finally all back togther and down form the axel stands.
Just needs a little tune up to lower the CO2 then I can get it booked in for the next MOT.... or almost.

Rear offsidge handbrake is still binding. I freed up the caliper previously but sitting unused for a while hasn't done it any favours so it clearly needs another look.

 

The last two things on my MOT failure/advisory list were CO2 levels and a sticking handbrake.

When doing a Google deep dive on calliper advice (other than simply replacing) I found an archived forum post suggesting Ford Granada (1985-95) uses the same callipers but the handbrake return springs are beefier!

And after purchasing a pair for less than £6 delivered I can confirm this is in fact true.


So whilst not a solution on it's own it should help.

I did need to remove the calliper and free up the handbrake mech more, I also needed to wind back the piston again and start again on the setting. But the end result was a working handbrake that releases itself when I put the lever down.



A bit tricky to fit, but after getting the hang of it on one, the fitting was a little easier on the other side.

The other thing then was the emissions.

So I borrowed this machine of FinalD (ex-cub member).



I read through Rubjonnys tune up guide, but it was a bit over complex for me. But I got the gist, take a baseline setting in open air to calibrate the machine. Then shove the probe up a pipe and turn the allen key screw on top of the MAF till the number is lower.

For some reason you set the machine at 2% in open air, when I first put the probe in I was reading 5+ so if I've understood this correctly I have a reading of just over 1% now. ?? If the only thing it fails is emissions I might just ask the garage to set it up.

Oh, and the final thing.

A test fit on these:


The bezels need to be repainted but I just wanted to get them in. Haven't fitted the senders in the bay yet but all the wiring is in place. They're wired up to ignition live and illuminate with light on - as demonstrated, but not ideal taking the photo on daylight.

MOT booked for Friday - fingers cross that doesn't mean I'll be spending next weekend fixing more stuff!

 

And I'm road legal!



Drove the 30+ miles to work this morning in the drizzle and fog without a hitch, and so pleased with the heated seat pads I fitted!

 

Congrats, she looks great.

Nice mk2 escort sitting in the background too!

 

Love it, escorts nice, but is that a fiat uno turbo in jail next to it?

 

It's InterPro in North Bristol, back in the day they used to feature a lot in Max Power and Fast Car etc. They do a lot of Ford stuff, but also VW there's usually a couple of Cossies out the front and always something old and interesting kicking about. They also have a dyno, they set up my old k-Jet and it went like stink. I might get this in there for some find tuning next year.

It seems like most garages these days the service you get can be a bit hit and miss so I wouldn't go out of my way to recomend them, but I don't think they're worse than anywhere else if you get what I mean.

They're also a Longlife exhaust outlet, the Mk5 was in there last month for some suspension work and a full custom stainless system. Needless to say they've had a few quid out of me recently so hopefully when I pop my Daughters Fiesta in for it's MOT next month they'll be kind to that.

 

Still working from home most days, but since the MOT pass I've been in the office 3 days so I've taken the Golf each time for the 30 mile each way journey.
Totally loving the Heated Seats I fitted at the start of lock down 2020 as this is the first time I've had chance to use them.
I still need to fit my new rear speakers but I discovered the holes don't quite line up so I need to think about that.

Car is filthy, but who cares!

 

So the weekend gave me chance for a little tinker.

First off the Speakers I got for my birthday back in the summer.




Unfortunately I discovered they were not a direct fit. The hole didn't quite line up so I had to think of my options.

The first possibly was to drill out the holes in the speaker frames a little. They were literally half a millimetre out.
But I would still have a potential issue of the tweeter height, as it pokes above the main cone quite a bit more than I expected.

So I decided to go for the second option and make a spacer.

This took me back to the 90s, when I remember constructing MDF kick plates for 6.5" component speakers for my Escort Van, along with a full install in boxed off wheel arches. Ok, so I wasn't going quite that far....

It started Friday night in my chilly (and very messy) shed, which as of last week now has lights and power


And shortly after gave me two identical panels.


and after a trial fit...


I worked out I needed to countersink the fixing, and I also gave them a squirt of paint.


Pretty impressed with that.


Saturday allowed me to fit in the car, with the shelves out I was also able to peak behind the turret covers and was pleased to confirm no signs of rust around the turret on this car. I forgot to get pics though.

Very pleased with the sound, I mean they're still only little 6x4 so it's never going to be great. I don't know if going for these speakers was worth the extra cost and inconvenience that I wouldn't have had I got some direct fit 'Kickers' or other generic brand of eBay. But heyho, I have Rockford Fosgate, which combined with the Focal components set up in the front means I now have the most acceptable sound without going beyond the default installation. A small sub would be ideal but this is good enough for now.


Which lead me onto the next task, starting the clean.

The car hasn't had a proper clean in a very long time. And the storm has brought a lot of moss and crap off the roof of the house.
This is what the car was like up close:









In progress:



... and done:


I was fast loosing light, and it's far from complete. The whole car needs some serious paint correction now but at least that process has started, even if I just focus on a panel at a time I'll eventually get round the whole car.

 

Helloooooo Tim... L90E, incase you haven't already worked it out!

Thought I'd join up here now that I'm thinking more and more about the MK1, it doesn't seem to have much interest elsewhere.

Glad you're posting here too... enjoy the Lucy updates, wouldn't want to miss any of them.

 

I've been registered on here for ages, but only recently copied my build thread over from the MK2OC as I know a fair few of the other old club members are no on here only. At the moment still updating in both places.