Scirocco Register

Hello I'm new on here but no stranger to 80's VW's. I have been rolling/sliding in this Polo which is loosing compression and it's M.O.T. and insurance is about to expire.


So having just been dumped out of Uni instead of looking at a new power plant for it I whimsically decided to purchase the Scirocco. I have always really liked the look of them along with all the other early watercooled VW's and they seem more affordable. So with no income I max'd out the credit card jumped on a Mega bus to Sunderland and drove the car home in the first weekend of the snow, it's an 89 Mk2 EX engined carbed GT..


The paint looks good in the pictures having had a recent blow over but what is scary is that no body kit or even door handles were removed for the work! I still think it will buff up good once I sort out what can't be seen!




So basically I have another 80's car that will need some TLC. So I have next to nothing in terms of budget but I can weld and am lucky enough to have my own shop (note the Mk2 Golf shell, a long term project)..


It has M.O.T till the end of January if I can fund tax and insurance I'll drive it and gradually work through what needs done. This is where I am at a loss where to start. Clearly a tyre needed replacing and the car is lumpy on start up possibly extreme weather an influence. I don't know whether to whip out the Pierburg carb and attempt to give it a service or aim to get other stuff done like going all out with the fuel tank and rear beam. Anyway I'll let the pictures tell the story..

Standard 1.8 carbed engine, rusty bits here and there, suspect a cam cover gasket might need replacing..


Rather oily looking carb, hope the breather is OK. Probably needs a real good clean..


Dodgy car alarm which has been disconnected and left to perish..


This bung hole is rotten, going to graft on a Polos spare bonnet piece on each side..


More rust on the tail gate this time, again I am not put off..


Now underneath, front end has evidence of wishbone replacement but not extensively..



Tank looks rusty,as is filler neck. Hope I can get the grinder wire brush cup going and a coat of Rustoleum..



The rear beam, look at Henry's cousin snearing at the state of the rear clips on the ARB bushes..


Finally the rear bench bracket will need a weld..


This will need welded back on..


So the real fear is underneath the body kit. I want to do as much assessment on the inside arches before removing anything.
I can already see rot underneath the rear valance..


Once rust free I want to get loads of Bilt Hamber cavity protection under the plastics and everywhere else possible plus good treatments underneath. I read Practical Classics and have read extensively into rust treatment/prevention so more info will no doubt follow.. A Weber DMTL might well be on the cards if I can't get my head round the Pierburg.

Sorry for all the pics, any advise, questions or comments welcome

MacColl

Hi and welcome.
The car looks good on the outside with little cosmetic work to do.
My number one priority would be the rust and then the Pierburg.
The rest will fall into place and as you have a garage to work in this makes life easier.
PLENTY of help available on here and other scirocco sites so please ASK.

Welcome to the site - I just posted on CP pointing you over, and here you are already

Al right Steve mate, Thanks

It's a 1.8 which I'm sure you have already figured out.

Welcome aboard fella. Nice to see another red GT!

Whereabouts are you in East Ayrshire, I'm from Killie originally.

^Thanks mate, been admiring the quality of the work on your GT. I have to say I am praying I don't have that kind of work to do body wise.

I live in Kilmaurs just outside Kilmarnock. Although I actually grew up in Edinburgh.

No more pictures I'm afraid.Discovered a few more horrors though.

Lurking under the hub caps on the front end is a sheared wheel bolt . I think removing the calliper,disk and welding on a nut should sort it.

The rear wheel bearings seem to be in a hell of a state. Don't think they were ever adjusted judging by how much slack was in them and the lack of locking ring on one side The pins were knackered also. Another of my VW's allowed me to make them safer and I nipped them up. I'll do a whole rear end refurb over the next few weeks. Tank out, rear beam bushes etc. Going to make my own ARB clips and use Rally design bushes. I think I'll even graft a Polo filler neck onto the Scirocco neck to allow the use of a spare locking cap I have.

Other annoying things like the travel of the handbrake. Should be able to use Polo stuff for the rear plate lights one of which is not working. It's all adding up to quite a lot of work but at least I'll feel the improvements when things like the bushes and suspension are upgraded.

I'm not going to complain about having my own workshop but I have never had it so cold. It's been consistently -10 below outside and not much warmer in the shop. A bucket of water and shampoo remains frozen in there.

Cheers for now

So the M.O.T is scheduled for Thurs and I have a few parts sourced that will help. Going to be busy over the next few days...


List of things to get done:-

Sort out rear plate lights, fitting fresh Polo ones and sorting the rust around them
One front fog is faulty, not a bulb might be a relay or wire?
Making own rear ARB clamps along with one needed up front (pictures will follow)
Rear bench needs bracket welded.
Putting recently refurbed VWII callipers on with braided hoses and Brembo discs and pagid pads.
Fit fresh carb mount and give carb a clean up/replace vac hoses etc.
Fit new outer CV boots, the ones on the car have clearly been cut down which I believe would fail an M.O.T.
Fit cam cover gasket and breather pipe along with a bit of engine cleaning
General service, GSF gave me Carplan semi synthetic oil?? any use? might well do a fairly quick oil change in a few weeks.

Future plans having done some thorough web investigating are:-

Full Superflex Polybushes but with standard bump stops/mounts. The rear beam and axle will be removed treated for rust and painted up when this is done.

Boge dampers the gas ones from GSF and some springs that will lower the car between 20-40mm. As long as this gives good handling characteristics. I believe that bump stops can be slightly trimmed to allow the more travel of the Boge dampers matching to the spring? This will be done if indeed my struts take inserts. Failing that I would look at the more expensive option of Koni STRT kit. The Mk1 Golf Owners forum has great discussion/guides on suspension and bushes.

Sort out a stereo maybe just Alpine 6x4's in the doors or make something custom to take components?

General TLC of the paint and trim having been vandalised in Edinburgh in the festive period (don't park a car that is close to maroon in colour near the Hibs ground ).

More pictures less talk soon..

Good to see another Mk2 localish to me. Looks like a good find, particularly for up this end of the woods.

Hello mate, I your not far

I never see these out west if you'll excuse the pun.

Looking nice - wish I had the setup you had. *Dumb question alert* - what is the green thing to the left of the carb? I hope it's not important as mine doesn't seem to be conencted to anything :D

Thanks, It's a vacuum reservoir think it equals out the vacuum pressure in the system. Having fresh vac hoses and in the right configuration is important for these carbs (from what I've read). The Haynes seems pretty good also.

Check this out or on Club GTI for guides in these carbs..
http://www.edition38.com/forums/index.p ... pic=174704

wreckgar wrote:Looking nice - wish I had the setup you had. *Dumb question alert* - what is the green thing to the left of the carb? I hope it's not important as mine doesn't seem to be conencted to anything :D

They get junked/disconnected when people fit Weber carbs, but otherwise ought to be connected up.

oops, mine is standard carb, guess I need to sort that as well, LOL

the edmundator wrote:

wreckgar wrote:Looking nice - wish I had the setup you had. *Dumb question alert* - what is the green thing to the left of the carb? I hope it's not important as mine doesn't seem to be conencted to anything :D

They get junked/disconnected when people fit Weber carbs, but otherwise ought to be connected up.

So I was unrealistic about getting the car mot'd last week. Thankfully don't start a new job for a good 12 days, just can't leave things alone..
Welded and painted the rear bench bracket..

Got rid of horribly wired alarm and soldered/shrink rapped where needed also fixing front fog connection..

Corrosion on plate lights was a lot worse than I thought so the grinder was out..

Used this stuff like wallpaper paste which draws the remaining pitted rust out..


Leave it covered with cling film overnight then wire brush and wipe off..

Welding was a nightmare because of all that factory wax seeping out but managed to get adequate metal ready for more of the Bilt hamber stuff then filler, etch primer, seem sealer..

Test fit of fresh lights..


front ARB clamps were rotten on one side so I made two new ones, probably remake with thicker steel when I get Polybushes (Also CV boots fitted)..



Cleaned washer bottle with soap/bleach and rice (uncooked) shake it to remove the dirt!


Plenty more to get done what a mess of oil on the carb and inlet (to get new mounting plate) also new cam cover gasket after a bit of cleaning..


Finally the bonnet has dandruff, need to scrape this perishing soundproofing off..

I am super-impressed with the effort going in here, esp the tailgate welding.

And I never knew about that rice technique!