*Please feel free to move if this isn't in the right section or it becomes too long and boring ZZZzzzz*
BackgroundI had my first G40 a few years back as my daily runner and was hooked! Several (slightly disappointing) cars later I decided to buy another G40 to work on as a project.
I was looking for a standard car, condition wasn't too important. I had a picture in my head of an older person who had a G40 locked away in their garage and suddenly decided to sell it not really knowing what it was!
Instead I found this G40 when I was least expecting it and not really in the position to buy one just yet, having already got one car trying to sell and another one on it's way. I spoke to the owner re the car, confirming it was standard but not knowing much else about it. Having considered this for a few days (bearing in mind it was about 200 miles away) I decided to let it go but asked the guy if he would let me know if he hadn't sold it in a week.
A week went by and I got a text to say it was still for sale ...... oh dear! Now I had to go and look at it! Drove up to Manchester and came home with a G40 .. ooops! (and £2,000 lighter!)
I am lucky that my boyfriend has a workshop where I can store the car and work on it until it is ready to be driven. I am also even luckier that he works for Volkswagen/TPS.
We found the history of the car and confirmed the following:
Built on 2nd June 1993 in the Pamplona factory in Spain
Registered 01/08/1993
Maritime Blue
The plan is to keep the car original and standard.
Car exactly as it was bought:
Week 1We have looked up the service history, sent off for a new service book and sent it to the dealers who are still around for them to stamp it up for the past services.
Ordered a new thermostat, little plastic 'thing' where the parcel shelf strap attaches to the inside of boot, Original Polo Manual (mine is a bit tired looking) and the best of the lot ......... Towing eye cover!!! now obsolete since I bought the last one! Actually I think there is one left at the factory.
Week 22 surprises for my G40 came along. A new scuttle tray and the bit of plastic inside the engine bay which says intercooler?! We had though that this might be in German which would've made it uber cool but no such luck. We've re-ordered the stickers which go on this too. (Pics to follow of this.) Also bought some decent spark plugs.
Spark plugs and thermostat were changed and flushed out the coolant etc. Staight away it runs much better and the temperature rises as it's meant to. We've left a full service for now as I'm not driving it yet and couldn't wait to clean it!
I bought a heat gun and got to work on the front bumper. Wow, what a difference!
I washed, clayed, polished and gloss protected the whole car as well as blacking all the bumpers. It does make you think if the seller did this in the first place he could've got £500 more for it! Here's the result:
Not quite as great I took off the tail pipe and found this. It is however the original exhaust so I don't feel so bad now! I quickly stuck that awful tail pipe back on!
Next steps are to give it a full service, get the charger rebuilt (I don't really want to drive it until this is done) and give the engine bay a good clean. Watch this space!