First 'Rocco - big project planned

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DMReynolds
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Joined: Sun Dec 24, 2017 12:09 pm
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First 'Rocco - big project planned

Post by DMReynolds »

Hey folks - been reading here for a while, but this is my first time posting.

To set the scene: I've been a biker 14 years - never really been interested in cars - recently started working with some disadvantaged kids, one of whom LOVES sciroccos. Long story short, it rubbed off on me, so I decided to get hold of a knackered old one and do a major restoration / modification project with him as a learning tool.

Day 1 - Found an '87 1.8 8v carb 'Rocco Scala with only 82k on the clock. Realised the guy spelt 'Scirocco' wrong on ebay. Looks a little beat-up, but hey - I'm going to be the only person bidding on it...

Day 4 - Win the auction for £670

Day 5 - Oh sh*t, guess I should take a driving test...

Day 10 - Pass driving test in a 2017 Hyundai with power assisted everything, hop straight on train from Exeter to Birmingham, jump back in time to an 80's 'lump', try to figure out how to drive it 200 miles home...

THE GOOD:
  • Interior is in great condition - one tiny tear in the driver's offside bolster
  • Seller chucked in a knackered set of the original snowflakes
  • 82k seems legit, lots of supporting SH
  • Engine bay very tidy
  • Very little rust
  • Sunroof doesn't leak!!
THE BAD:
  • Bodywork has been lazily touched up / resprayed. Overspray on lights, windows etc
  • Struggles a bit at low rpm in low gears
  • Auto-choke is aggressive as all hell
  • Speedo intermittently judders up and down +/- 10mph at speeds < 50mph
  • Idle when the choke comes off is a little weak, sounds like it's struggling
  • Quote a lot of overrun
  • Drivers door has obviously been replaced (different key, doesn't sit flush)
After an hour in a petrol station trying to wire up a stereo, we made it back from Birmingham without incident. Following morning, the car fails to start. After some inspection it turns out the rotor arm is shagged, and the king lead is about 3 inches too short to deal with the movement of the engine. After a new set of HT leads, a new dizzy cap, rotor arm and sparkplugs she is running like a dream. Had to chase the sparkplug threads as they were corroded and 'earthy' (yuk).

All ready to do the family visits for Xmas UNTIL the turn signal relay suddenly starts flashing double-time BOTH sides. Groan. Pull over to discover we have one tail-light, no rear fogs, and the reversing light and brake lights turn on the rear left turn signal instead. Looks like I have a ground fault to find, and the Xmas runs will have to be in the wife's boring Focus.

THE PLAN:

Avert your eyes if you're easily offended / a purist...

The plan is to embrace the 80's-tastic soul of this car by doing the following:
  • Tidy up the cosmetic rust and fix the shoddy paintwork, then...
  • Wrap the whole thing in Brushed Stainless Steel vinyl with Matte Black trim / fenders (think DMC-12)
  • Restore the snowflakes
  • Add (tasteful, subtle) LED lighting to the cab / bay / chassis
  • Possibly swap out the 1.8 8v for a Golf Mk3 2.0 16v or similar
  • Upgrade the brakes to match the BHP
  • Add copious amounts of retro custom 7-seg displays to the dash (tyre pressures, various temps etc)
  • Try to fond a louvre for the rear window
  • Generally give the interior a more 'Millennium Falcon' vibe ;)
  • Central locking!
  • Improve the sound system, but keep the tape player
Now I know basically NOTHING about any of the above except the electronics - so the student and I will be learning as we go, and documenting the whole process as part of his education.

PS - this community seems great, and I'm looking forward to sharing the updates with you and learning from all your experience. Please remember this is an educational project, so if you don't like what we are doing / consider it vw blasphemy etc - please just keep it to yourself!

PICTURES:

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scrappy1382
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Re: First 'Rocco - big project planned

Post by scrappy1382 »

hi and welcome to the register. oh and a merry xmas too.. lots of sections on this forum will help you in your quest on all modifications to the new adddition. would be good to see you at our yearly scirocco meet at raf cosford - more details to the date next year. any issues you arer unsure of, just post up and plenty of members on here should answer most/ if not allof your questions.

scirocco shane.


Scirocco Shane
84 cosmos blue storm - mafia car choice 2015 rip :-(
84 Havanna Brown Storm - 8-)
GTXTRA
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Location: London

Re: First 'Rocco - big project planned

Post by GTXTRA »

Great start to a Rocco story - welcome indeed!


Serial Rocco-ist.........
BlackGTX
Posts: 562
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2016 7:53 pm
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Re: First 'Rocco - big project planned

Post by BlackGTX »

Looks quite a solid car. Nice interior, hard to keep clean with oily hands....

Doing a 2l 16v on mine at the mo, should be on the road some time in the new year

Dsepite the issues you got it at a pretty decent price


DMReynolds
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Dec 24, 2017 12:09 pm
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Re: First 'Rocco - big project planned

Post by DMReynolds »

Thanks folks.

Got the rear lights working in the end - wasn’t a ground fault as expected, it was the connectors to each back panel that had both failed at once.

A bit of sanding of the metal spades and lots of WD40 and all the lights came back to life.

Now to replace the heater blower, adjust the sagging doors, and try to solve fuse 3 blowing instantly upon insertion so I can get some music in there!


mark1gls
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Location: Somerset

Re: First 'Rocco - big project planned

Post by mark1gls »

Guide on here to changing the heater blower but it is common for them to seize up if not used for some time, if you remove the scuttle cover and white plastic cage over the blower and see if you can turn the fan by hand, it should spin freely, it not somemore WD40 might be needed.

For your radio you can take a feed direct from the back of the fuse box, there is some free spade connectors which are either live all the time or live when the ignition is switched on.
Common for someone to tap into the ciggy lighter feed so you may just have an exposed wire shorting out?

Info on fuse box, Mk1 golf uses the same fuse box.
https://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/forum/index.ph ... g-layout_2


Mk1 78 Scirocco GLS 1.6 FR, weekend toy.
Mk1 88 Golf GTi cabriolet 1.8 DX. Daily drive.
Membership No. 323
Jack92
Site Admin
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Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2013 12:16 am
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Location: Chatham, UK

Re: First 'Rocco - big project planned

Post by Jack92 »

Hey bud,

Firstly welcome to the forum and hands down to you for doing what you are! Not a lot of people would do something like it and I think it’s great!

I don’t think you need to worry to much about your last comment this community is great and not many(if any) people who judge on what people do. They will provide constructive criticism if asked though.

My only main bit of advise would be the obvious don’t rush, mines been and is an on going 4 year project.
Also if you need assistance chuck a post in the relevant sections and no doubt one of the veterans will get a reply to you within a few days if not sooner.
Good luck!



Jack
South East

www.motorsportdiscounts.co.uk
Seat Leon 1.8T 20V - Track Car
VW Scirocco Scala 1.8 Inj - Toy
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Jack
South East

VW Scirocco Scala MK2 1.8 Inj
Jaguar XE

www.jackgregory.me.uk
BlackGTX
Posts: 562
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2016 7:53 pm
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Re: First 'Rocco - big project planned

Post by BlackGTX »

When looking for pars search about as prices vary

Some parts are also used on the mk1 golf cab and are half the price as the scirocco version like engine mounts


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