Author Topic: My GT-G40  (Read 112793 times)

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #210 on: May 25, 2013, 11:12:06 pm »
To fill in the gaps from earlier, it's now got:

- a Stack wideband lambda gauge, which is a bit lovely. I've got it in the centre console where the voltmeter used to be, not sure where to re-house the voltmeter though.
- PPP nylon rear beam bushes, which my mechanic warned might be quite firm. But having spent a bit of time driving around today they don't seem bad at all, and the car feels a little tighter than it did before which is good. I've not really thrashed it yet, the tank had old fuel inside which I want to use up.
- fresh service parts, the usual
- treated tank straps - stainless ones on the way, possibly

All the gauges are plumbed in now - the oil temperature gauge has been disconnected for about three years - and the wiring has been thoroughly tidied up. The old Duostyling air fuel gauge has been taken out.

I've also had new alarm switches for the door shuts. The old ones had given up the ghost.

And a couple of bits of surface rust treated - thankfully it seems the fuel tank is fine. Good news!

If the weather holds I'll give it a wash tomorrow and start re-fitting the interior.

Offline Jezza-7

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #211 on: May 26, 2013, 10:42:02 am »
What have you got your oil temp gauge set to, for when its warm and when its too hot?

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #212 on: May 26, 2013, 12:07:13 pm »
That's a good question - it's four years since I set it up. I know it's 100°C when it turns red, and I think it's 70 or 80 when it goes from blue to green.

Offline Jezza-7

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #213 on: May 26, 2013, 10:57:03 pm »
Cheers, will give mine a play with when its in.

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #214 on: May 27, 2013, 07:46:07 pm »
Well, the weather has been appalling today so I've not bothered cleaning it yet. I have made some in-roads into rebuilding it though.



Step one is getting the interior re-fitted, as fun as it's been driving it around in this state.



Something new:


Door cards aren't in great nick to be honest, they never have been. So they were the first things to disappear:




As you can see, the membranes underneath are in a fairly awful condition. If you've been around long enough, you'll have heard me whinge about the state of my alarm installation. It was the first thing I had done to the car which I regretted on the grounds that it was so poorly done. I wound up with a footwell full of water the winter afterwards, took the door cards off and discovered they'd hacked the membranes apart only to do an apologetic job of putting them back together - a few strips of electrical tape. They'd dropped into the window mechanism, revealing holes drilled in the door which hadn't been painted to protect them, and some interesting plier-based butchery to get the solenoids in.

I repaired them 12 years ago, the duck tape had lasted well but I'm out to do it properly this time so I binned the lot. The passenger side is probably alright to save, if I Tiger Seal it onto the door and patch up the tears. I've also used a bit of Kurust on the crusty bits, then painted them in satin black Hammerite.



New carpets - they'll need fluffing up after being cleaned. Easily done. Note the state of the driver's side membrane, I think that's beyond saving.


Old plates were starting to separate after a year, so I've got some new pre-2001 plates for it.


Added extra, I've got a Stop Motion app on my iPhone and I've been waiting for an opportunity to try it out properly. So I propped it up in the garage and let it record. http://youtu.be/K7H_BxyQGig

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #215 on: May 29, 2013, 10:39:20 pm »
Chipping away at it. Phone camera pics this time, sorry.

New steering wheel - from a Corrado VR6. I've got two of these, and the other one was on the car for a couple of years, but I took it off when the leather went really manky. This one turned up on a Mk3 Golf in a scrap yard, I paid almost nothing for it. A fraction of what I paid at Inters 2003 for the other one. Just lucky, I guess.


The leather is quite dull but it's still smooth. As it owes me nothing I thought I'd try something out. Found some Lord Sheraton leather balsam in Sainsbury's for a couple of quid, did a bit of Googling and it seems a few people have tried it.


To my surprise, it came out looking alright.


The light was fading but you can see from this that the gloss has come back. It's not polish, so the leather isn't slippery, but it's soft and clean now. If it lasts, great. If not, I'll put the plastic Polo one back on.


In the garage, I've managed to get the passenger side door membrane back in place. Scroll back up to see the before pics.


Sadly the driver's side one really is going to be a replacement job, rather than a patch-up. The bits I've glued back into place on the passenger side are still attached to the door on the driver's side. Whoever fitted the alarm thought it would be a good idea to cut the membrane. I guess it saved them a few minutes, which is all they cared about. Nice to know.

Otherwise, the rear backrest is in, I've bolted the strips down along the bottom of the doors which hold the carpet in place and the seatbelts are bolted in again.

More tomorrow, hopefully.

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #216 on: May 30, 2013, 10:35:15 pm »
Pictures speak a thousand words, so there are two here:





A collection of Polo, Golf, Scirocco and Corrado parts. Today's work:

- repaired the tears in the passenger side door membrane, gave it a wipe-over with anti-bacterial/anti-mould wipes just to be on the safe side
- re-fitted the passenger side door card
- removed the sagging a-pillar seals and fitted them the right way around  ::) using proper refit tape
- swapped the Polo steering wheel for my refurbished Corrado VR6 wheel
- cleaned the gear gaiter, slipped it back over the freshly painted gearstick and popped the Mk2 Golf gearknob back on top
- put the boot side carpets back in, easy job
- re-fitted the passenger seat

Tomorrow I'm planning to spend the evening repairing the driver's side door membrane, then I'll put the door card and seat back in on that side and it's ready to roll! Well, roll out of the garage and have a wash.

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #217 on: June 01, 2013, 01:09:47 am »
Just got in from the garage. A quick job turned into a bit of a project.

I bought some damp proofing sheet from B&Q earlier, and predictably I've spent this evening sorting out the driver's side door membrane. Having decided to make a repair piece, I got cocky and started again. Stripped off the old membrane, pieced it together over a the new sheet of plastic and drew around it.


Ended up with this:


Half way through fitting it. It's not the prettiest repair job but it's much better than what was there before. I carefully peeled the three dimensional bits off the old membrane and they're glued back on then sealed up with duck tape to be safe.


Driver's seat is back in, too. Just need to screw the door card back into place and I'll wheel it out for a clean tomorrow.

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #218 on: June 01, 2013, 09:08:37 pm »
Last stage of the process today!

The tedious bit:


Washed, dried, clay barred, waxed and the laborious job of making the bumpers and body kit black rather than silver. I do a big clean like this about once a year, it lays the foundations for not being so thorough during the summer. This year's was hardcore though, as it spent the winter parked on grass.

The finished item:


The interior:


Then I cleared the garage of all the crap I've been storing in Kettering and at my parents' house, sorting my spares into boxes and putting everything on shelves. The Polo's now tucked up, I'm going for beers. :-)

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #219 on: June 09, 2013, 10:56:58 pm »
So, today I've been reacquainting myself with the G40 by taking it out for a run to blow the cobwebs out a bit. Finally! The weather was too good not to.

Like most good G40 days, it all started with a tank of V-Power. And a coffee.


I've had a hectic week (more about that later) so the G40 hadn't done much since I got home last Sunday. This meant it was still clean, and with Bristol Volksfest about half an hour away it felt like a good opportunity to pop out and make the most of the elbow grease I'd put in. Chucked it in the Show n Shine, ended up among a group of early Polos, which was cool:


Sneaked out while the results were being given out, to beat the rush, and went to have a look at the roads which weave under and over the Severn crossings, then hit the M48/M4 and dropped down to Ogmore Beach near Bridgend to go for a walk.


Then darted back down the old roads into Cardiff, arriving at the inlaws' house in time for a Sunday roast. The car's feeling great, which means it's due for some trips to St Albans (office) through the summer as it really hasn't done enough miles over the last few months. I also need to pick a track day to take it on, as that was really good fun last year, and I'm planning to do the hill climb at the Retro Rides Gathering in August.


Happy.

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #220 on: June 24, 2013, 08:57:04 am »
Managed to charge my camera battery, so...







...new pics.

Offline z3i

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #221 on: July 04, 2013, 09:22:52 am »
Im loving those gauges in the head unit slot, look awesome!
How did you fit them in like that? Did they come with the mounts to face it towards you?
Many thanks, i plan on doing the same
Taylor

Offline Alex

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #222 on: July 05, 2013, 06:53:45 pm »
So an old couple in a Corsa didn't notice I'd stopped earlier.



Gauge pod came from eBay mate, was only meant to be temporary but it works so it's stayed.

Offline z3i

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #223 on: July 06, 2013, 07:25:25 pm »
So an old couple in a Corsa didn't notice I'd stopped earlier.



Gauge pod came from eBay mate, was only meant to be temporary but it works so it's stayed.

oh wtf! i seriously hate people that cant drive it enrages me!

how can you not realize someone has stopped!?! what a load of crap, shit excuse for they wernt paying attention, too busy being old and dying

shame mate, just after a fresh respray, if someone hits my G i would probably loose the plot and hit the roof!!

Offline JoeH

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Re: My GT-G40
« Reply #224 on: July 06, 2013, 07:53:16 pm »
Shame, you have one the mintist G's around
Will you get it repaired under insurance..
or do it yourself?