Project Rouge - 1985 GTL

[GTXTRA]

July 08











Once i have a proper look it'll be clean up time and get ready for MOT after been sorn for 5 or 6 years.
After recommissioning the long term stored valver back in '06 am assuming the worst re fuel tank/filler neck.
Plans beyond that? - none yet.

Costs so far? the truck to move it. :)


September 08
Flew through MOT, NO ADVISORIES. Tester couldn't believe how clean and straight it was - he gave it a right going over but ended up wanting to buy it!
Now taxed but haven't gone for any long runs due to a flashing temp light.
So far sorted in no particular order - adjusted timing belt, new Battery, replaced split gaitor, new tyres/wheels, new rear box (bit of a mission), oil/filter, coolant, brake fluid, boot lock seal, cracked rear lights, wiper blades, bumpers, loose seats.
Needed a mate to help with the gaitor and to help remove a very stuck old rear box - and Tim at the Phirm had to adapt the correctly ordered but incorrectly supplied new one to fit well enough for MOT purposes.

Apart from that - dead chuffed with how this has turned out - fingers crossed on the warning light front.

[GTXTRA]

January 09
Changed the radiator this weekend and took it for its longest run to date - 100 miles - picking up the Mk1 seats from deepest Kent today.

Still waiting for news re the missing Webber I bought off here then its off to the Phirm for Dr Tim to set up properly long. Needs a cambelt change and tappets sound like they need adjusting.

Really motors along nicely but I do need to sort the floaty standard suspension, this did come in handy today though, seats were on a farm with several small lakes making up its long muddy drive.........thankfully a nearby hand car wash place saw me cruising back to town in a gleaming Project Rouge. Loads of double takes as the old car swept past the modern stuff

Still to come - coilies (AP probably), lower strut brace (club gti group buy), short shift/weight (cheer redgt2 still not on), new rear lights and then a paint quote - likely £500-600 I reckon.

Thinking the beasts 15'' Castellets will look good on this too when lowered?

Temporary look
Valvers old RA's now on Project Rouge........





needs some serious lowering, AP coilies at some stage and i stiil might end up putting the Castellets on this instead but for now this'll do!

[GTXTRA]

March 09-
GTL Before -


GTL After Watanabes and AP Coilies fitted.



this also fitted to today along with new track-rod, top mounts, goodrich hoses, cambelt.



car now feels really good - no more wallowing around!

cleaned her up and then went for a bit of a blast today before the camera came out.










i am REALLY chuffed with this old motor.

[GTXTRA]

bit more pottering/cleaning up on Rouge today -

[GTXTRA]

Dfunks recently broken Storm has provided a very nice set of front and rear carpets to replace the manky ones that had survived for 24 years - ditto for the Storm steering wheel, a few feeds in autoglyms finest and it's come back to life nicely.

Sorting a retro stereo for this, already have a standard aerial courtesy of ex mr brown caged roc - and an immobilser to come too.

Sunroof leak seems to be sorted now that I have been able to completely clear out old mud/grime from seal/channels.

Big news - Rouge just handled a round trip of well over six hundred miles since Friday without a real problem. Clear glass took some getting used to again on long sunny runs and idle got a bit erratic when caught in the madness of Central Manchester road-works.
Not the quickest of the fleet but with the suspension mods and the shortshift/weighted gear knob a real hoot.
Did London-Formby via the A-roads beyond M54 on Friday. Popped over to see Redlee in Chorley on Saturday and then did Formby-Manchester-Doncaster-Notts-London run yesterday.

[GTXTRA]

Another wheel swap -



I quite like it - Watanabes up for sale and this might only be a temporary look.

[GTXTRA]

increasingly liking the look of the Castellets on this..............struggling with what appears to be a 2e2 on its last legs frustratingly.
New fuel sender fitted after heavy handed removal of old one cracked it when checking the inside of the tank.
New seat tilt cables picked up today, hope to replace snapped ones on Monday.

[GTXTRA]

todays word is WEBER.


happy.

[GTXTRA]

The weber still turning out to be a huge improvement..........so much so the exhaust started blowing...............new one from one of the ebay cheapo deals needed a couple of adjustments by Jelly down at the Phirm on Friday but now safely on.




Need to sort an oil leak - Reckon this has been the cause of a rather fumey smell recently.
MOT due soon - get that out of the way (and the TAX.....) then it's just the gauges and ICE to worry about.
Aiming to get this painted over winter.

[GTXTRA]

flew through MOT. guy was embarrassed by lack of things to comment on!

[GTXTRA]

more treats from JustMatz -

Rouge demoted to outside parking today...........taken this one as far as i can apart from the paint...........is it time to sell?

[GTXTRA]

Quickly re-garaged due to NOT sorting the sunroof leak out as i had hoped.
Been experimenting with various potions including Capt Tolleys Creeping Crack Cure -no really!- around the hinge/brackets are and under the rubber seal adjacent to brackets. Fingers crossed.

other recent problem has been a slow puncture cured by a tyre refit and then made the mistake of filling up the petrol tank before the recent Notts trip. When i replaced the fuel sender back in the summer i had damaged it enough (muppet) to allow fuel to blow through the hairline cracks. luckily i had another spare and this was swapped by the rather more gentle hands of the Welsh Wizard Ant.

Car went through 99k on approach to Ants and performed superbly on the whole trip there and back - AP coilies particularly impressive on the A1 and the mad roads of Nottingham.

Gauges, new discs/pads after Christmas and then oh shit - one of three cars that need paint in 2010.....................

[tinkerbel]

Hi
Try getting some Vaseline under the rubber surround I once had a leaky one and that did the trick, same with screens.
Tinkerbel

[GTXTRA]

New front discs and pads (VETECH from GSF) plus 3 new out of 4 caliper bolts fitted this weekend - 'low and slow' continues to make me smile.

[GTXTRA]

Fitted this Polo Coupe S steering wheel today - not leather but much nicer to use than the huge standard ones.



New brakes have made a huge difference - can't get enough of driving this old thing - just passed it's 25th birthday too!