Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

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Stormboy
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Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by Stormboy »

Before I begin with the restoration I want to share the history and story of this great car. First technically this is not my car, it's my mothers who at 83 and suffering from dementia can no longer drive or remember this car. So I have prematurely inherited it.
My mother bought the car in July 1987 I already had 2 storms, one mk2 and a blue mk1, my father also had a mk2. The rare picture below shows them all parked in my street back in 1989 a great picture when mk1's were two a penny!
So ULD545X remained in the family nearly being sold twice! It adorned many vw shows and I bought and sold many mk1 sciroccos and mk2,s and so did my father. But the brown storm remained until 2004 when it was locked away in a garage. Until now. Wind forward 27 years and it is now in my garage and needing some restoring.
Good news first. The doors, tops of wings, scuttle, tailgate, bonnet, roof, inner wings are rust free!
Bad news. The sills are rotten so is the rear valance and the bottom of one wing, there is a hole in the passenger floor and usual corrosion of all brakes and lines. I have started stripping the car this week ready for the restorer ( I can't weld or do bodywork) but the rest I can do.
I nearly sold the car as is but after posting on here I was persuaded to restore it and I'm glad I am, my father passed away 5 years away and I know he loved the car so for him I have to do it and after I will drive it as much as possible but not during the winter months. Hope you find this build interesting.
Oh one last thing I used to own HVV503T the original press test car but sold it back in 93 god how I regret that now!

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Stormboy
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by Stormboy »

How she looked circa 1998 my mother at the wheel! She used it every day, shopping, bingo, etc!

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Stormboy
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by Stormboy »

This is how she looks now, first time it's seen daylight for 10 years, as you can see I have started stripping the car the pictures show the dreaded rot!

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The seat in the last pic is a spare, I have removed the interior which is in excellent condition


MikeH
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by MikeH »

Good luck with the project. From the pics you posted, it doesn't look too bad. It's always possible that you'll find a bit more rot once you get in about it though. Even though the wings are good, are you going to take them off to check the inner wings and make sure they're all good too? Easier to do all the repairs at once and know it's right...


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Stormboy
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by Stormboy »

Hi thanks, yes it's not a complete basket case so I think it can be saved, I am going to take the wings off and re-under seal the inner wings, I'm also going to replace all brake and fuel lines, bushes, wishbones etc etc, the rear subframe mounts seem ok but will know more when I drop it out. I'm fortunate as I also have brand new chrome window trim which was purchased about 15 years ago but will need to replace rear quarter window rubbers as they have perished.


Storm Boy
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by Storm Boy »

Your car looks like a very good basis for restoration, glad you decided to go ahead with it. I too have a brown mk1 storm, can't wait to see yours when its finished. My car is missing the chrome trim on the front and rear windscreens altogether, so I could well be interested in the ones you are replacing if you want to sell them.


Stormboy
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by Stormboy »

Hi you are welcome to them when I replace them, in fact you can have them for free! It's just nice to see another enthusiast benefit from them, can't wait to get it done now, it goes to the restorer next week.


mark1gls
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by mark1gls »

If it's just the inner and outer sills it should be a straight forward job to fix, if you are dropping the rear beam before it goes into the restorer clean the threads up and start soaking them in some penetrating oil, DONT USE WD40 it's rubbish at freeing up rusty bolts use a proper penetrating oil like Plusgas.

First link I found so might be cheaper in other places, you can also get it from motor factors
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Plus-Gas-Lubr ... 53fb45593b

Soak the bolts for a couple of days, keep spraying some penetrating oil on when you can and when it's time to undo the nuts just losen them a little then do them back up, then losen a bit more then do them back up a little and so on..... as this will clear the rust/dirt from the thread as if you just try to undo the nut in one go the nut thread will get blocked and lock the nut and the bolt will just shear off, if this does happen it is repairable but more work to add to the list...

Glad you are restoring the car and good luck with the restoration and if you need any help/advice we are always here to help. :good:


Mk1 78 Scirocco GLS 1.6 FR, weekend toy.
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Stormboy
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by Stormboy »

Thank you mk1gls and I take your advice on board, the only problem is if I drop the rear beam first then I've no way of getting it on the trailer to the restorer, bit of a catch 22, might let him do that, it's a shame because I would like to take as much of it as I can, how difficult is it to drop the petrol tank? Thanks again


mark1gls
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by mark1gls »

You do need to drop the rear beam out of the way to take the petrol tank out and as you say you need it mobile to get it on a trailer so you will have to put the beam back on.....

I left my fuel tank and beam on but I did check around the rear beam fixings to make sure they was rock soild and the nut's could be losend before the welding was done but I only need some work doing to the outer and inner sill and the rear wheel arch outer and inner and then I dropped the tank after the work was done and was suprised how rust free and clean it was under the floor above the fuel tank but if the restorer is going to put the car on a spit/rotar (guess they will as it's alot easier to work like that as the car is unside down) then it all need to come off anyway.
Might be worth finding out what they are doing and either cleaning and losening the bolts which hold the beam on and then doing them back up to make sure they are free so they can easily remove the beam and fuel tank while it's with them and then collecting the rear beam and or fuel tank from them and giving them a good clean and paint.
Might be worth also having a go at the bolt which holds the bottom of the rear shock to the beam as they can also rust soild.

Old thread and on page 4 my rear beam and a couple of pictures of the floor and fuel tank.
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1729&hilit=+respray&start=45


Mk1 78 Scirocco GLS 1.6 FR, weekend toy.
Mk1 88 Golf GTi cabriolet 1.8 DX. Daily drive.
Membership No. 323
Stormboy
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by Stormboy »

I checked the rear beam mounting points and they seem solid just a bit of surface rust so that's a relief! I've already been through vw heritage site and have a whole list of parts I want to replace, the rear beam I intend to get shot blasted and powder coated before fitting new bushes and lines, I might replace the petrol tank for the sake of around £100 there is so much I want to replace and do goose I just need to rain in my enthusiasm a bit and take my time! Thank you very much for your advice and I will use that advice when removing the rear beam. My only real concern is the bottom of one wing which is rotten ( see pic) I'm hoping it can be rebuilt with new metal because trying to find a wing is near on impossible.


Storm Boy
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by Storm Boy »

Stormboy wrote:Hi you are welcome to them when I replace them, in fact you can have them for free! It's just nice to see another enthusiast benefit from them, can't wait to get it done now, it goes to the restorer next week.
Wow, thanks very much, very generous of you.


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dingorocco
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by dingorocco »

After having you take me to see this car a few years back I am really glad that you have decided to restore it to its former glory,

Next time I am in Blighty i will get in contact and head over for a viewing if thats ok... ;-)

Only advice I can offer for the minute is take way to many pictures of how it fits together and while disassembling.

Good luck :good:


If it aint a MK 1 then it must be a donor

Brownrocc resto thread... http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3070996
Stormboy
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Re: Restoring mk1 storm after 27 years owned

Post by Stormboy »

Hi dingorocco, long time noe see, hope things are well with you and glad your still in the scene, I have fond memories of the trips we did with parts! Your more than welcome to come and see the car I will pm you my phone number and thanks for the encouragement.


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