The Rocco Grotto

[The Autoad]

This car


So Piglet and I were tootling along to the National meet, making good progress to meet the convoy when suddenly a nasty engine noise intruded on our morning. She heads for the junction and makes it off the motorway only for the engine to go bang on the roundabout at the junction.

Kaboom.


Turns out the Audi bit of the VW engine let go. Typical.


In our haste to get the car off the road muggins here manages to do this to the bodywork on a potruding piece of armco. It seems to be able to be pushed out ok and require minimal filling.

I wasn't bothered too much about the engine, but this was a pain. Piglet isn't worried, she knows it can be fixed.

So, to cut a long story short, we got recovered and pitched up to Cosford late in her Mk2 instead but still have a great time and go home with a GTi to our name.

Cue the Sunday. Home by 1pm. By 3pm the car looks like this


Piggers has decided that we will restore the car from the ground up and she intends to do a great deal of the work. Can't fault her.

[The Autoad]

The plan is that the car will be stripped down over time, thoroughly inspected and fully restored. We don't want to miss anything.

Its got good company in the workshop


We kicked off on the os inner arch, which needs a lot of work.


Its amazing how even 'a minter' can need a lot of restoration. This is the indicator cowl on that side after a scrub with a wire brush:


Undeterred, Piglet set to getting rid of the rust and crud on the inner wing.




All of the inner wing will be taken back to metal and repaired. The wing top, indy cowl and front corner all need fresh metal.

No timescale on this resto, it will move to its own pace

[81GTi]

We kicked off on the os inner arch, which needs a lot of work.

your aving a laarf, them there are nearly mint inner arches. hats off to you both though.

[The Autoad]

I guess in the grand scheme of things its not that bad, tops and indy cowl really. Thankfully the underneath is solid, i've been under the car numerous times on the MOT testers ramp and all looks and feels to be good.

[The Piglet]

time for an update of stuff over the past month.

Next to be removed is the interior, dash and wiring looms.







including the ancient tape deck, but we'll keep this


This car kept throwing gold dust at us, this is mint!


and the one piece carpet


The floors are in incredible condition. Note the brake lines run inside the car






Then take the glass out. Ant read about this method on Vortex so we tried it...


it works! He's going to write an FAQ about it soon.


Same on the back and side windows. Him Indoors' clobhoppers

[The Piglet]

Time for the engine to exit the car.

in.


going.


gone.


Put your back into it lad!


looks pretty good in there


We then took the wheels, suspension and wheels hubs off. Bled the brakes and removed the master cylinder and the servo and stuff.

Marshall kindly lent us his chassis tilter, so up it went. Was scary getting the car up on the tilter, but all went well and it will make working on the body so much easier. Thanks Marshall, we owe you


so now we have double the trouble....


we need to have a good look over the car and make repairs where needed, but for the moment its a case of getting the caked on mud off the underside.


see.

[filmidget]

Excellent! We can get another car in that gap

[Nate]

where is the workshop? i gotsta get me one of them....

[MikeH]

I have workshop and chassis tilter envy!

[filmidget]

Talk to your local farmers...

We started off with one unit... then within the year(ish) expanded into the unit next door!

I have just this morning phoned up about a 6000sqft barn, unfortunately the £4.5k a year business rates have buried that dream

[MikeH]

I'm on it, but prices are pretty high down south. £300 a month for 600 sq foot of 'converted' barn.

[The Autoad]

Chassis tilter on the right purchased from http://mk2mania.website.orange.co.uk/ for £120 if i remember rightly.

Chassis tilter on the left handmade by some bloke in Derbyshire....

[shavhead]

thats bloke my mate your talking about.

[PeteGLi]

Put your back into it lad!

We can see who gets all the dirty jobs Look at those clean overalls

[andy69]

Love that motor, and your enthusiasm. But after the day I've had kneeling on my gravel drive in p**s rain and sleet trying to free seized seat runners I am green with envy at that workshop; it's fab!!