1979 Scirocco GLS 1272cc

[Winston]

Cheers Mark

The long lost Glyn has returned to finish off the rest of the repairs on my sorry looking inner wings. one inner wing down... One to go!

This is the only before picture I have.

Before by Winstang, on Flickr

After

After by Winstang, on Flickr

Repair 02 by Winstang, on Flickr

Repair 01 by Winstang, on Flickr

Glyn also narrowed my wishbones and I gave him full artistic freedom for beefing them back up.

Narrow 02 by Winstang, on Flickr

Narrow 01 by Winstang, on Flickr

[Winston]

I had a quick mock up to try the narrow wishbones.

Fitment by Winstang, on Flickr

I started the final engine bay prep on saturday. this is how we are looking today. I still have plenty more to do.

Bare 01 by Winstang, on Flickr

Trying to capture the colour abit better and failing. That is the best I will get lock wise!

Bright gelb by Winstang, on Flickr

Bright yellow 03 by Winstang, on Flickr

[Winston]

Finding a coilover with shock bodies short enough to meet my needs has been a long road for me. Alot of companies told me I didn't need a shock this short, I got talking to Jamie at series 1 suspension after seeing his scirocco at early edition last year, he was right on my level and felt my pain, He has been developing a super short damper to be used with springs or air to get people really low!

My AVO's that I currently have on my car have 11" shock bodies on the front which is not far off H&R ultra lows and its still sitting with the rod bottomed out in most of my pictures. The new shocks have 9" shock bodies on the front.... Perfect!

Still Lower by Winstang, on Flickr

[Winston]

I have been on holiday for a week so no progress but I have come back to the NOS rear door handles that I ordered from VW classic parts before I left.

I wasted no time and modified them last night to take the internals from my front handles. No centrllocking, just long arms and a boot lock.........

Delete all the locks by Winstang, on Flickr

I do have a handle I already made with some pitting to the chrome. If anyone with an early Mk1 that wants to de-lock there passenger door? It goes on eBay at seven bells tonight.

[Winston]

Loads of progress nothing much to take pictures of.

Hidden mounted my swallow tail bonnet catch and cut out for the leaver.

Merica latch by Winstang, on Flickr

The engine bay is not far off now just abit more paint to strip.

Getting there by Winstang, on Flickr

[Winston]

My friends came round on Tuesday to help me hang my doors and trial fit my engine. That means loads of pictures!!!

Its the first time in 4 years the car has had all its panels fitted. Next step is to make my shit wings fit, I am sure they are meant for a Ford Capri!

Paneled by Winstang, on Flickr

It would be rude not to fit the bling whilst the engine was in. I wanted to see how the longer trumpets and ITB filp looked in the bay.

Mockle by Winstang, on Flickr

Head & shoulders by Winstang, on Flickr

I tryed my new coilovers to see if they went low enough, they did!

Slammed by Winstang, on Flickr

The reason I fitted the engine was to check everything cleared before it gets painted.

N/S Shaft by Winstang, on Flickr

O/S Shaft 01 by Winstang, on Flickr

Glad I did the trial as giant notch is not giant enough.

O/S Shaft 02 by Winstang, on Flickr

The good news is the driveshafts cleared the mounts allowing me to tilt the engine forward so the cam pulley clears the bonnet. (The engine is raised 2" on the rear mounts)

Pully Clerance 02 by Winstang, on Flickr

[Winston]

I managed to finally get round to finishing.prepping all the holes Arun welded up around the edge of the roof.

Be gone by Winstang, on Flickr

Finally by Winstang, on Flickr

Roof Holes by Winstang, on Flickr

I have had the lads coming round this evening to fingers crossed get everything lined up perfect. It is close but It has been an absolute nightmare due to the badly fitting wings. They have pushed me to breaking point and really let the car down even after much fettling from Gyln with body hammers and a blow lamp. bit of a joke really considering there description & how much I paid for them.......

Outside light by Winstang, on Flickr

Not else to update body wise. The panels go to the bodyshop next weekend and the shell to follow at the end of the month! There is so much left to do to the shell!

I have been shopping on eBay.de and ran into problems with them refusing to post to the UK. Thats where my German contact came into to play.

The Schrick 296 degree camshaft is abit more aggressive than I would have liked but it was cheap as chips! and a Polo Alpha Weber trigger wheel should save making another fit.

Schrick by Winstang, on Flickr

[Ryan]

It is close but It has been an absolute nightmare due to the badly fitting wings. They have pushed me to breaking point and really let the car down even after much fettling from Gyln with body hammers and a blow lamp. bit of a joke really considering there description & how much I paid for them.......

Been there mate!

Awesome build thread

[Winston]

Cheers Ryan! Its not cricket is it!

I had a visit from Arun yesterday. I removed the old studs from the top mounts using a large hammer. we then turned the down to suit in a make shift drill / grinder Lathe. Then Arun welded them in place. Im not going to do the wings as I intend to replace them with better ones at a later date.

Turret bolt delete by Winstang, on Flickr

He then welded up some more holes haha. The main one to tackle was the washer jet hole. Plenty of time, wet rags and patients later... Perfect

Washer jet after by Winstang, on Flickr

In other news, after hunting for about 3 years. I have finally tracked down and bought a full set of early bumper end caps from my friend Samual in Portugal. The drivers side are reps but you would be hard to tell!

NOS end caps front by Winstang, on Flickr

NOS end caps back by Winstang, on Flickr

It is not hard to lift the car onto the jack with no engine in but once the engine goes back in it will be real struggle getting a jack under it again. With abit of luck on ebay I stumbled across a 1400kg Air Jack. It uses exhaust gasses but im just going to use an airline till the engine runs. Air ride on a budget! Haha

Budget air ride by Winstang, on Flickr

[mark83]

great work as always, a excellent find a full set of end caps. Patience is the name of the game when it comes to scirocco parts.

[jimmy h]

Ruddy heck it's looking good Winston.

It is a true reflection on the effort and application you have applied to this project on every update, and each of these I look forward to - well done.

I know there must be times when you question it all, but you are getting close now, keep going the end of the tunnel is near.

*Cough* WINGS? I understand your frustration. I'm a serious perfectionist myself. Be careful not to compare any panel manufactured and formed over 30 years ago (and they will have been) nothing even Veng etc supplied for the MK1 for the last 20 years at least.

What I mean is: don't try and think you'll get a lazer straight panel fit on an old car, modern manufacturers can't afford time getting panels to be fettled by a 'beater at the end of the line. Panels and body fit on new cars have to be perfect to the nearest mm - it's all about profit - zero re-work.

Maybe you will find some uber rare other wings that might just fit perfect, but is the time looking worth it? and is it the Holy Grail after all?

Everyday I look at my car and think this could be better etc, it's like chasing rainbows, The single most satisfaction you will get is when you get behind the wheel again and drive it. Trust me

[Winston]

Cheers guys!

You make some good points with the fit Jimmy. Im just going to put some more hours into these wings because as you say. The next set of wings I buy will might fit as bad.

I can't wait to drive it again! Ive owned the car 5 years and only had it on the road for 5 months of that time.

[The Autoad]

Still the impressive attention to detail marches on! Fab thread and the car is going to be great

[Winston]

Cheers Ant! It means alot coming from a man of your skill set!


Because the welding is holding up the shell, I have been finding other things to do. I painted my gearbox in the middle of winter 2014 then this winter it started to flake off. After seeing it in the engine bay I felt the need to cut all the uneeded brackets off to clean it up abit. my attention to detail is getting silly!

3+E Shave by Winstang, on Flickr

Shaved Mount by Winstang, on Flickr

Also my 1.4 ABD Engine gets delivered on wednesday.. :ph34r: :wub:

[Winston]

My DSLR Camera is broken so this has ment a lack of updates so here are some pictures from my phone / instagram.

montage by Winstang, on Flickr

Starting at the top left

1. Vibratechnic mounts to stop the engine hitting the bonnet
2. Under mounted gearlinkage with hidden bolts..
3. Im keeping the Recaro RR reps they suit the minimal interior
4. 25 hours of fab work but whats gone on
5. Pair of Ronal Racing centres to step up to 14"
6. Stalk and ignition delete that arun made for me
7. The hole deleteing is getting silly!
8. Bay welding finished
9. Fuel tank cover with hidden bolts

This list of jobs is getting smaller and it feels like it might actually be painted some time soon.