Cheers Wez, I must be doing summat right, as some randomer came up to me & asked if I could do a head gasket change on their Kia!
I politely declined. :lol:
Fred's GTi
- Thread starter Fred
- Start date
Cheers Wez, I must be doing summat right, as some randomer came up to me & asked if I could do a head gasket change on their Kia!
I politely declined. :lol:
I've just gone through your entire thread for pics to add to my library, and I've got to say you should be commended for your commitment to keeping this car looking good and staying together. Nice one.
Had a day off today, so sorted the VERY tiny amount of rust on the O/S arch.
Before
cleaned up
masked off
waiting to dry
All done!
Gonna remove & paint the strut & coat the arch next weekend.
i dont want to sound like an arse but you do realise that the rust on the back inside comes from the wheel arch in.. and just rubbing it off the top like that wont stop it.. if you look inside the wheel arch at the top theres a stupid crevis that gets rammed with dirt and water id suggest you give they a damn good clean out and fill it with rust killer and wax oil then if you can make a patch with some mud flap material then if you glue that to the top of the arch to cover thecrevis will stop water and dirt getting up and no more rust problems
I equally don`t want to sound like an arse in reply, but I only did the inside, as it was a quick, easy job, as I didn`t get to start on it `til gone 3PM, after I`d got back from taking my mum for a check-up. :O
The final line of that post should say I`ll be coating UNDER the arch next weekend, but I was totally knackered, so hit submit without ammending the last line. :O
I did give the N/S arch a thorough going over, (cleaned it all up, shoved some sealer in the groove at the top & gave it a good coating of Hammerite), I just ran out of time yesterday, but that is the plan for the other arch as well.
Gonna completely remove the rear beam on Saturday (weather permitting), so will sort under the arch immediately after it`s come off.
I`m also gonna take the wings & front struts off again & Hammerite the arches & box sections, as I should`ve done it when I had them off to start with. :O
It`s my baby, so gets looked after because:
A) It`s one of the youngest GTis on the road, so it`s already `special`. :lol:
B) There are only 2 other GTis that I know of in my town, 1 black P1 & 1 red P2, so I like the `exclusivity` of it.
C) I started tinkering with cars with my dad, before I started primary school, so it`s what I`m good at & like to do, plus, the only reason I do everything I can myself, is because I know 100% that everything that has been removed, has been refitted & tightened up properly, as I distrust garages with a passion, after 2 works vans were badly serviced, leading 1 to die after the cambelt wasn`t changed, even though it was on the bill, & another to almost kill me on the A12, when the rear wheel/brake drum came off @ 50+ mph, after they hadn`t refitted a fooking split pin to the hub nut, after changing the rear brakes shoes!
Your work is an eye-opener to me Fred, excellent stuff!
worth spending time doing this. when i got my old one it was solid underneath, i undersealed it and got the sills resprayed as they were just starting to bubble, always kept inside the arches clean etc and while i had it it was always solid, only 1 front arch had slight bubbling and that was sorted before i sold it.
sold it to my mate and a year later after standing around before he passed his test for about 9 months iirc and it needed a plate on the sill for the MOT, being stood still doesnt help but keeping them clean helps alot as well.
sold it to my mate and a year later after standing around before he passed his test for about 9 months iirc and it needed a plate on the sill for the MOT, being stood still doesnt help but keeping them clean helps alot as well.
I`ll know for certain what exactly needs doing when I get under it at the weekend, as a quick look suggests that Kelvs underseal is still intact.
I`m also thinking about painting the whole of the boot black, as it looks cheap & nasty with the black bits currently dotted about.
Anyone know how easy the sway arm bushes are to get out?
I`m guessing they`re the same as the engine mounts, with a metal ring around them that needs to be cut through?
but it`s finally off & being cleaned up! 
Little update, but no pics. 
After wasting half a day getting it off yesterday & spending most of last night (`til 10:30) & this morning, cleaning it up (engraver with chisel attatchment FTW! ), the beam`s now painted & ready for refitting.
The O/S arch has also been totally cleaned up & Hammerited & is all good again.
It`s now getting dark, so I`ll be putting it all back together next weekend.
After wasting half a day getting it off yesterday & spending most of last night (`til 10:30) & this morning, cleaning it up (engraver with chisel attatchment FTW!
), the beam`s now painted & ready for refitting. The O/S arch has also been totally cleaned up & Hammerited & is all good again.
It`s now getting dark, so I`ll be putting it all back together next weekend.
No, surprisingly, they`re all ok, the sway arm mounts are as good as new & the linkage ones aren`t as worn as I was expecting either (put a screwdriver through the mounts & try & twist it in the vice).
The a.r.b & drop link bushes however, practically fell to bits when I poked them with the screwdriver!
The a.r.b & drop link bushes however, practically fell to bits when I poked them with the screwdriver!
fuking beautiful lad