Trials and tribulations of a cheap G40

[physicsfool]

Quick update:
Club polo track day was a success, really good fun hooning around, quickly learning how far i could push the little polo. Ended up being my driving ability that topped out. But what a day


Action shot, courtesy of Mark Croxford


Good mix of non polos too


But good track and management, Thanks again for sorting it

[physicsfool]

I have also purchased a few more bits:


To bling it up a bit


But finally after 8 months on a waiting list I have managed to get a council garage


And this meant i could pick my new shell up, courtesy of Mark. A rust free G shell. Who knew they even existed



So this means i can start stripping the mk2 to pop the engine back in its rightful place


Also look to overhaul the oil seals on the charger while its all apart


So its going to be a busy winter.

[markg40T]

looks good in its new home. hopefully will do you well.

[Rich_Royal]

Good luck with the new shell Martin, sounds like you've got a good one. I'm excited to see it all come together.

How far from home is your garage?

[physicsfool]

Now then Rich, on a good run its 13 mins from my flat. On a busy day its more like 30. way over on the west side of York.

Had a late night session yesterday, got the front up on axle stands and stripped the existing suspension and ARB.



Just in the process of Painting the subframe and stripping the front legs off the mk2 ready for the new springs and shocks to go on. Then simply drop the engine and get the old girl moving again....... In theory

Also well impressed with my Aldi LED tube lighting, mega bright and rechargeable with magnetic ends and rotatable. All that German quality for £25

[physicsfool]

Progress has been slow lately, work getting in the way and the location of the garage relative to me isn't great so i find late evenings are when I tend to nip over.

But I have sorted and re-wrapped all the wiring and popped it back in the car. I have also re-attached the master cylinder back on.


Only part of the rear beam that needed refreshing was the bushes. drums have been done relatively recently


I have also run the fuel lines under the car and in the process of refitting the fuel tank.

Now just to fit the front brakes, suspension as well as the subframe, just need to finish painting the subframe

[dan182]

Would love to see how it fits on your new suspension how much were shocks and springs?

[physicsfool]

So the subframe is on and master cylinder. Luckily the brake lines were still in place



New FAG bearings in the front struts


I borrowed some spring compressors and put the front suspension together


Now its just a case of throwing the rears back on and getting the shell rolling again.

Hi Dan i bought the kit of someone who had it sitting around from new, i think i paid around 350. Looks like a quality piece of kit but who knows until I have it back on the car and its all settled

[physicsfool]

In a dark and damp garage somewhere in the north, 3 grown men wrestled with a petrol tank and won.....eventually


I was joined by 2 skilled G40 mechanics, both Matt and Rich made this particular grim Yorkshire Saturday a whole lot more fun.


Plan was to drop the engine back in a wrestle a few of the bigger jobs


Bar my poor planning and missing a torque wrench it all went to plan


While storing the engine in my mates garage i must have damaged the TB plastic clip. So on the hunt for another


Last night i bled the brakes and dumped some fresh dot 4 in. As well as popping the new engine mount on. In the process of cleaning the kluber grease off the inside of the charger before re-assembly. As all the seals and bearings look in good nick (only serviced 2 years and 8K ago).

Attaching both fuel pumps and making sure all the internal wiring is sorted, got a quote off Greenlight for £350 with all mods declared. So will be going for that, hopefully that will motivate me a bit more

[Jester]

sweet update, keep motivated man it'll be worth it in the end!
...' 2 skilled G40 mechanics' LOL

[Etches]

Looks great dude! Glad to here you are still cracking on with this!

[z3i]

You got a genuine g40 shell!! and a straight one

[benh999]

I've missed a bit here.  The 1st g40 shell was on its way to the body shop and next thing I know it's being picked up by the scrappy's crane?


I thought the shell had been fixed and welded prior to the intended full respray?

What cropped up for it to be scrapped?

Ben

[physicsfool]

Haha so many things have happened in my 3 years of polo ownership.
But the welding on the sills ended up being sub par. The real problems started when the windows, windscreen and rear lights were stripped at the body shop. Was going to require a hell of a lot of welding then expected as the seals were hidings a lot of rust.
Economy and reality unfortunately kicked in and that shell was sent to the heavens. But the one i have acquired to replace it is solid. And i only need a few more days of sunshine and free time to get it running again

[physicsfool]

Quick update after a period of tinkering with my passat instead

Managed to sort the TB out, so many kind people lurking after the various forums


And to finish the engine part i need to sort the intercooler and oil cooler


Cannot decide whether to go for a thinner longer intercooler, will pop the charger in and see what fits best


Moved the polo into the garage of the flat i am currently renting, this will increase my motivation to finish it quicker


Plus it is a much bigger space


Hopefully i will have a much more infomative update soon now i can start tinkering again