Turbo Squareback - History & Rebuild Thread

[dub-disaster]

I'll take some measurements Antony and PM them to you to compare. I asked for helpers with mine, but didn't get any - so (hopefully!) they're now posting some on to me. My setup clearly would need them to avoid the spring going loose in the seat on full droop. Currently not too impressed with Gaz, but the proof of the pudding will be in the driving!

That would be great Andy ill pm you my drawings with dimensions so you cab measure the same bits I did. i have to say that gaz customer care is shit there is no other way to describe it. They showed no interest in trying to improve on there original design which was clearly flawed as the springs where loose at full droop and there was something along the lines of half an inch of bump travel before you're on the bump stop wick probably had another half inch travel in it.
They where general un co-operative and sent me the wrong springs 3 time in a row hence me now having a collection of springs.
I understand companies like this have little time to do research and development for such a small market but some decent customer care and a little bit of willing never goes amiss!
On the flip side there kit is well made although the dampers they use are only of mediocre quality.
Did you go for the damping adjustables up front or not as you can have the solid heat treated piston from gaz gold used if your not worried about adjustablilty.
On softest setting mine are very reasonable on the road but i haven't done Mich hard corneing or had the geometry set correctly yet.

[P1rik]

Where did you get your door seals from ?

[Andy]

VW Heritage - they were nearly £50 each!

[z3i]

Enjoying the updates and work congratulations with the baby
i cant believe how rubbish that bodyshop was!!
im sure you can get a big length of that door aperture seal from heritage for cheaper and then you have to cut it to shape?

[Andy]

Been plodding on with this slowly. Helper springs arrived from Gaz, so bought some SKF wheel bearings and some new hubs ready to build the struts up. Just need a free Friday afternoon to press the bearings in at work now.

Pulled the rear axle off ready to fit a G40 item with Mk2 Golf rear discs hanging off it. The rear shock bolts were seized to the shock bushes, so ended up cutting the bolts off. Will drill the remnants out at some point as the shockers are still serviceable.



Progress got stalled as I noticed a few scabby bits underneath which really needed attention. I think being in and out of a paint oven a couple of times probably exacerbated things where the stonechip/underseal's going baggy.



Anyway, I've hit the lot with a wire brush and Vactaned it. No pictures of it as it stands now, after each session my eyes were full of underseal and rust, so didn't really feel like taking pics! Next job is to seam seal and/or stonechip the appropriate parts.

Removed the rear axle brackets and the fuel pump assembly carrier. After 20+ years and a spate living by the sea before my ownership, these bits looked like they'd been down the bottom of the sea. They got shipped off for blasting and powder coating.



After:



The fuel pump carrier looks fairly pitted still, but given that it's £75ish for a new one and special order from VW Classic Parts it'll do as is!

Need to get my finger out to get the arse end back together and throw brakes and suspension back on. Then it's easy street and engine refresh time.

[Andy]

Had the seam sealer out tonight to sort the underneath at the rear. Have some stonechip to go on the areas that don't need seam sealer, so hopefully it'll help things last a fair bit longer without further attention.





Sealed the rear rolled arches up with seam sealer. I was under the impression that the bodyshop were going to do that, but they were still black hammerite as per my efforts 8 or 9 years ago. Presumably another optional part of the job as far as they were concerned.



Yellowy brown shite in this picture is Waxoyl rather than tinworm!



Was feeling pretty chipper after all that, not far off being able to bolt the new rear axle back up and stick the new coilovers on. Whilst I was lying on the floor I thought I spotted a bit of crap stuck to the bottom of the passenger door. It's not dirt though, it's tin worm. Really starting to feel like I paid top dollar for a backstreet spray job.

[z3i]

take
 it back to the bodyshop. you paid hard earned money for a shite job. if
 we had let that roll out the door our customer would have exploded! and
 we would probably respray plus some of thier money back
if you kick up enough fuss they will sort it and its not right!
i think im getting more wound up about this than you! haha

[Yoof]

Problem is- the bodyshop don't really give a shit. After rectifying the battery tray with a hammer last time, to solve their initial fuck up- neither of us left being impressed at all, this is a £2k+ job, not a few hundred quid special. The paint is good- but the craftsmanship and care behind it is utterly shocking.

Shame, as previously they've done some good work. I think money back and find someone who is willing to put care into their work.

[z3i]

Problem is- the bodyshop don't really give a shit. After rectifying the battery tray with a hammer last time, to solve their initial fuck up- neither of us left being impressed at all, this is a £2k+ job, not a few hundred quid special. The paint is good- but the craftsmanship and care behind it is utterly shocking.

Shame, as previously they've done some good work. I think money back and find someone who is willing to put care into their work.

£2k plus is serious money! its a shame. yeah, need to find someone with some passion in their work, and working with cars is a hobby not just a job
shame you guys are so far from me :/

[SamG40]

That's shit.

[Alex]

It's embarrassing. I couldn't hand something over knowing it was in this state.

I don't get it. Seems like a different bodyshop to the one I've left my car with twice now, who were always careful with it, took their time and went out of their way to help.

[PeteG40]

Difference is Alex, andy can tell a few people they are shit. You can tell an industry. I say we all add them on Facebook. Then tag them in Andy's photos. Then when they block one of us for it. Another one tag photos. Until they either have to give up Facebook of give a refund.   Who's up for it?

[Alex]

The hole in that logic is I didn't have an outlet to write for when my car was painted. I had just finished at Max, and was a year away from my regular slot on PVW. They could've done anything to my car, and I'd have been unable to do a thing about it other than moan on forums and Facebook.

Plus you'd be amazed if you saw some of the work handed back by bodyshops for mag coverage. I've seen welding worse than I'd be able to manage, and I've never welded in my life. I've seen paintwork with runs in it and panel gaps you can get a thumb into. I've seen one car which came back with suspension parts missing and driving aids not hooked up properly. Took me a long time to find a bodyshop I felt I could trust, I've had my fingers burnt before. Eastcote Customs painted two of our project cars and they were both fine.

Don't misread that as defending what's happened here, because this isn't good enough even for a cheap job. I'm just surprised and disappointed it's turned our like this. Disappointed because I've been singing their praises since I got mine back, I feel a bit let down that they've not lived up to that recommendation by a long shot. Ultimately though, I'd be hard pressed to recommend them again based on this. Unless of course they come good and fix it.

[Andy]

Been a bit slack on the update front... Anyway, ended up stonechipping the whole of the underneath of the rear end - only realised tonight that I'd not taken any photos. Now it's all metallic mint again:


Got new hubs and bearings for the Gaz coilovers:


Stripped down the original rear axle, as I'd decided to retain drums at the rear - don't need discs on the back, and having completely stock off-the-shelf parts wherever possible only makes it easier to maintain in the long run:


The G40 axle I'd got had been blasted and powder coated in the past. A few bits had got chips and cracks, so they got wire brushed back and the rust treated.




The axle then got a massive dose of black satin Hammerite over several evenings to ensure it was well covered. It's now got new rear axle bushes popped in it. At the same time I cleaned up and repainted the drum backing plates for the rear:


Have a massive box of goodies from GSF to rebuild the rear brakes with all brand new parts, so they'll be getting put together this weekend. Hoping to get the time to put the front coilovers and brand new 256mm brakes on too.

I really can't be arsed with making up new brake lines, so I've measured up and checked ETKA and will get Automec to make me some up in cupro-nickel.

[mark_crox]

Looks goods ...
don't blame you about the lines. they where a total pain the the arse on my car.. never want to do them again! But may have to as I'm fitting 2 brake regulators to the rears