HERMAN THE GERMAN! '91 Scala 20vt

[treefingers]

Thanks for the kind words :), and an amazing compliment mr funk!

Today was MUCH better. Got loads done! So I'm feeling particularly good this evening albeit a little frazzled!

Seam sealed the rear arches, hopefully this will mean the repair arches will be the last ones to grace this car! I need to spray some black stone chip into the arch wells at some point also, I just don't have any at the moment.


Fitted the Weitecs today. This was a job I was looking forward to.. Bet you can't guess which one is the new one?


The old shocks were pretty much rust welded on. I'm having to be so careful around the new paint!


That's much better




Steering rack polybushed. I hate the purple bushes. Why purple!! Why not black!!? That linkage is a massive PITA to get on! It's currently my least favourite part of the car haha.


Need to shorten the rod on the mk2 golf servo.


Finally I did some painting. I like painting.


There's good news too.. I can now use the current workshop space to work on the car evenings and weekends! I wasn't sure where I could keep it where it wouldn't get damaged. This is cool news for me :)

[Chris6969]

Wow! This is actually Car Build Porn! Keep up the fantastic work geez.

[treefingers]

Thanks man :)

Found a better colour for the silver on the engine parts, I like it a lot better. Cleaning and prepping an engine for paint is a long process! Didn't realise how much work it takes, especially without steam cleaning and media blasting. I used some 'Gunk' degreaser and a paintbrush to remove the grime, then hosed it off, then repeated. I then spent ages with a screwdriver, sandpaper and wire wheel on a drill getting the rust and flakey paint off the block. This took ages.. I'll definitely soda blast it next time. I then used Simoniz high temp paint.. straight on, needs no primer. I decided against painting the head as it's in pretty good nick and I would have had to take it off to get a decent finish I think. Looks ok though, I'm happy :)



Next job on the engine is gaskets, cam belt and water pump.. then I've gotta find a gearbox and some engine mounts and I can get this baby in! I'm after a mk3 Golf diesel 02A CTN box for a cruisy 5th gear and a quiafe diff. Hopefully the only big buys left are the diff, management and wheels/tyres. We'll see though!

[dozzum]

Looks awesome.

Making me even more jealous now you've gone red aswell.

[treefingers]

thanks man :) it's all about Mars red!

got some good bits done over the weekend. not as much as I had planned, but progress is progress..

black stone chipped the wheel arches. looks a lot better.



refurbed the bearing housing and pressed new bearings. took some gristle to get the old ones out! I messed up one side though, we pressed the bearing on the wrong race so I need to buy one more side. got new ball joints in the post.. once they come the whole chassis will be refurbed :) (minus one tie rod end, seems to be ok)



refurbed the wishbones too. they were also in crusty shape! welded a seam along the joints for strength. fitted poly bushes to the wishbones too. old ones were a pita to get out. the things that take up all the time seem to be the things that seem like they should be the simplest!!


polybushed and painted the rear beam. need to buy some new bolts but not sure if I need 8.8 or 12.9 for suspension? if anyone knows that would be a great help :)

[treefingers]

i'm having a couple of days off from the car.. and it feels amazing. I'd forgotten what free time was like! What with working all day for moneys then working all evening for the car I've been completely shattered and needed some time off to refresh. If I'm to finish this thing for June I can't do too much slacking though.. gotta finish this pup for the amazingly hot summer we're going to get! (we hope). I'm just so aching to finish this car but my list of things I need to buy is increasing, not decreasing! I've been driving the work van pretending I'm driving my finished Roc, making turbo and gear change noises with my mouth. If it ends up being anything close to how I imagine it to drive it'll be awesome. Think it's going to be a hell of a lot of fun! :)

This is what I got up to earlier in the week though..

Soo assembled the rear brakes.. first time I'd had any dealings with this type of brake, the springs are quite stubborn to assemble to say the least! I suppose they do their job well! New springs, Febi drums, Bosch brake shoes, Febi bearings. Master cylinder seemed ok so I just cleaned it with some clutch cleaner. Had to disassemble a few times to get it right! It's starting to look a lot nicer under the arches now with new and refurbished parts.. Good riddance to all that horrible corrosion!!


Had some problems assembling my first side. For some reason when I fitted the drum the stub axle was pointing way too far downwards, like positive camber. Torqued up the stub axle fine, tried different drums, still the same. After much confusion I realised I'd been an idiot and fitted the stub outside the backplate when it should go behind.. doh. I'm assuming when I torqued up the stub axle in the wrong place it bent the backplate because the drum doesn't sit flush, it rubs on the bottom of the backplate while there is a gap at the top. It seems unlikely to be a bend stub, and the bearings must be seated correctly because the old drum sat in the same position.. Strange that it should be bent though, it didn't seem like the force of the stub would be enough to bend it.. I suppose it's only like 2.5mm steel though. Just means I need a new backplate, which is a pain! I'm learning though because the other side went on fine and straight! Gotta keep f-king up to learn I suppose!!

See how the brake drum is skewed to the back plate?


and the gap at the top..


I'm assuming I need a new backplate, but I'd love to get a second opinion just so I know!

PS happy birthday to the MK1 today :)

[Mr Funk]

I've been driving the work van pretending I'm driving my finished Roc, making turbo and gear change noises with my mouth.
:)

Brilliant. How does it handle? Are the coileys up to scratch?

[treefingers]

the body roll is terrible, needs slamming!!

[Mr Funk]

needs slamming!!

Always this.
Always

[GTXTRA]

needs slamming!!

Always this.
Always

YEP.

[dozzum]

Looking awesome. You are literally building my dream rocco right there, except mines a single wiper...
If you ever decide to sell it and I haven't restored mine yet can I have first dibs. I'll make do with one kidney.

If you take the backplate off the side that looks wrong Im sure it will be easy to work out whats gone wrong, but I think your right that the backplate got bent.

[eefy]

Tell me this will be making an appearance at the National Meet this year ;)

[treefingers]

Looking awesome. You are literally building my dream rocco right there, except mines a single wiper...
If you ever decide to sell it and I haven't restored mine yet can I have first dibs. I'll make do with one kidney.

I'm hoping that the next time this car will be sold is after I die, at which point it's yours!

[treefingers]

Tell me this will be making an appearance at the National Meet this year ;)

It would be awesome to.. hopefully man! :)

[jond]

Hi great build project and some nice work just been looking at the top pictures of your new coil overs i also have a similar set fitted to mine and the springs are fitted opposite to yours with the small one fitted at the bottom do you know if there is a right way to fit em or does it not matter which way round they go keep up the good work