Forgotten GTX

[GT Matt]

Hi all, and welcome to the start of my latest Scirocco adventure.

Now finally realising I'm really a mk2 person and totally regretted selling my mint GT2, I was lucky enough to acquire this Jan 1988 (87 spec) GTX yesterday from a VW breaker in Nottingham. This does now mean the mk1 Storm will be going but this GTX is totally worth it!

A bit of history on the car. Was a dealer registered demonstrator for Kennings Luton in Jan '88, then purchased by a lady in Biggleswade in March '88 and then now in my hands.

The most remarkable thing though is that the car was parked in their garage sometime around Christmas in 1993 and didn't come out again until this year.

It has traveled a meagre 55000 miles with full VAG history with the last service in 1993 at 54000 miles. I think it is due it's next service about now on age rather than mileage!

It obviously needs a serious recommissioning and doesn't quite run properly yet due to 22 years of crud and stale fuel in the tank. All fours tyres are perished and exhaust is blowing etc but nothing that time and money* won't sort.

* - funds for restoration become available once mk1 Storm sold

Body is totally rust free with a few dings and little marks but the interior is as new, and my absolute favourite mk2 interior and steering wheel as well!

Obviously, this wouldn't be a resto thread without photos, so here's some taken yesterday before and after a wash................

Pre wash (looks cleaner than it actually was)








Here's post wash and some of the interior (you may recognise the location too!)















It's currently residing at the Rocco Grotto aka Rust Republic (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rust-Rep ... ts&fref=ts) and thanks goes to the main man Ant for his help yesterday.

Updates to follow once work starts................

Matt

[Dr. Dub]

THAT. IS. AMAZING.

Now a trip to the Grotto is a must.

[Rusty dan]

WOW! Where do I sign up to some Scirocco's bought from breakers! Did you have to pay a handsome fee for such a looker Matt?

[GT Matt]

Paid a fair price for it. He knew what it was worth but he also realised it needed money spending on it.

[GTXTRA]

So looking forward to seeing this one progress.

[unknownmale]

Great find!

[farley381]

Arrgh, images blocked at work!
I'll have a look tonight.

[farley381]

Oh wow! Seen the pictures now - that is good.
It just goes to show that there are still cars hidden away.
When I bought mine in 2012 it had been garaged up in 2005 & forgotten.
But that's in a different league, what a find.

Looking forward to seeing it on the road.

[Lukeh17]

Love the car mate, look forward to seeing it get back on the road. I especially love the interior.


Good luck with everything.

[litlekris]

I bet the Biggleswade owner has more history and photos on this, have you made contact?
Don't think I could loose the mk1 for this still but each to the own mate,

[GT Matt]

Thanks for all the positive comments chaps!!

Cycling got cancelled late last night so had an unexpected day on the GTX today.

This included replacing the cambelt and tensioner (was still on its original one!) and changed the oil and filter. Old oil still had a golden glow to it, had only been in the engine for 1000 miles but over 22 years!

Also checked all the electrical consumers, every light worked at the first attempt just like everything else electrical bar the rear washer which turned out to be a failed pump. New pump fitted and all sorted. Also took out both washer bottles and gave the a good rinse out in boiling water just for the hell of it. Both now lovely and clean inside.

Have started to make a list of new parts needed to recommision it, these include:

4 new tyres
Fuel tank (prefer to go new rather than try and clean the silt out out of the old one)
Fuel tank sender and lift pump (disolved away!!)
Bottom arms and ARB bushes/clamps
Strut top mounts
Exhaust system - can't decide whether to stay standard of go 2 inch Jetex???
Wiper blades
Brake flexi pipes
Wiper blades all round
Water pump and coolant hoses (precautionary only)
Distributor cap & leads
Clutch cable (precautionary only)
Aerial

Can't find much more than needs doing, seems to be in excellent order.

After this, I got round to doing a bit of polishing, well removing the staining from around the rubbing strips after 22 years of dirt build up. Ended up hand cleaning the panels and all the gaps between the trims with a finishing polish as it started to look very good and very very shiny!

As always, the mandatory photo's:

New cambelt:



Polish time:














Finally - does anyone recognise these two reprobates???



Update again soon.............

[the edmundator]

If it were my choice, I'd get either a custom stainless or a standard exhaust. Custom stainless aren't actually that expensive (probably not much more than the Jetex) and will last longer. A good exhaust place will be able to set up the exhaust so you get exactly the look and sound you're after.

[Pirnmill207]

Hi Matt,

What a find!! I saw Mr T's photos on FB and yours show much more detail of the overall condition. Ant restored our own '86 GTX that had been laid up in a driveway with the window open for 5-6 years over 2013-14, and it's been great fun and proved a real eye catcher when out on the road.

Looking forward to watching progress on your car and seeing another original P slotter back on the road

[farley381]

I'd have a word with Britannia Tyres (on Siddalls Road), they made a (Powerflow) stainless steel system for my wife's Mini Cooper (2003).
It's been on now for about 6-7 years with no trouble, sounds great too.
They might need your existing one to use as a pattern?

Cheers, Andy

[DJPremier]

Utterly amazeballs. Me love a GTX. I will face grotto-wards and howl gently. :b