Pastel white 72

[JezWest]

Well those three months just flew by   

I do have a working car again. Took me over a year! That first drive is terrifying - absolutely everything seems unfamiliar - but also quite exciting. I have a long list of tidy-up items to address:

• Rear brakes and/or handbrake need tightening
• Clutch is a little loose
• Front pressures way too high
• Top off the gearbox
• New centre caps for the rims need to go on
• Front tracking is still a little off
• Valve clearances need checking

There were two reasons why I started this last round of chaos. Firstly the trans was whining very loudly. Secondly I still had gear ratios for an 1192cc mill rather than the 1776cc I have now. There is no more whining, which is amazing. I think I had been ignoring it for so long I'd stopped remembering that it isn't supposed to whine. The ratios are longer and feel better, although I have not run it on the motorway yet. I am really happy that I've got it all back in one piece and I just now need to drive.

Some things I learned over the last year:

• Cramped garages aren't very much fun for this sort of thing
• I'm not getting any younger - rationing garage time makes sense
• You can put one piece axle tube boots on over the bell of the axle!
• Remember that the VW distributor turns clockwise. I forgot this and so got the plug leads in the wrong order. Two MASSIVE afterfires reminded me to check the leads!
• Label plug leads - I used a Sharpie but I might look for something easier to see.
• Check the orientation of the front gearbox mount BEFORE installing the gearbox.
• Wiring a (temporary) remote starter for use from the back of the car is quite handy.
• Cranked ring spanners are really useful.
• Taking the time to have consistent wiring colours from the front of the car to the back of the car makes life so much simpler.
• Gearboxes with no oil in sound really gnarly. I did fill it before driving, it just sounded horrible when rotating the wheels during assembly.
• CSP make great parts: I installed a set of https://www.csp-shop.com/en/exhaust-heating/heater-hose-fitting-csp-255-165-csp-27591a.html these and they're so good!
• Now I am running studs & nuts rather than bolts, life is better.
• Look at your plug leads before putting them on. Pull the connector all the way out and check it is in good shape. Push it back in, but only so far that it will fit the spark plug perfectly.
• Cars get filthy just sitting in a garage. Buy a car cover if your car will just sit inside for months on end.
• Tyres/rims look weird without the engine installed. I thought my new tyres were definitely too wide and would foul the CSP Python exhaust. They didn't.
• Fuel hoses change length - when they have fuel in, under pressure, they get longer. If the hose feels tight when cold & empty it might well be ok.
• People tend to stare at 49 year old cars.
• I missed driving my car more than I realised. I was grinning like an idiot all the way home. Go drive your car.

A running engine: [ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ]

[JezWest]

Just been reading some of the build threads on here - very inspiring stuff - I need it at the moment.

I headed out to the Volksworld show a month ago on a beautiful day - first proper drive after having replaced the gearbox and all the other little things. Never made it to the show because whilst I slowed down for the traffic the car behind me didn't. Nobody got properly hurt, for which I'm very grateful. Those low back seats...are not awesome for the neck.

My car did a decent job of soaking up the impact. Which is another way of saying that all the bodywork behind the rear window (and a little bit in front of it) is wrecked. The engine didn't stop running (until I killed it) and the rear tinware, although pushed forward, didn't touch the pulley. Car was ok (well, you know...) to carry me the 80 miles home and felt absolutely fine.

I'll have to wait for the insurance folks to do their thing, so I'm in limbo for now. Keeping up with all that you folks are doing is quite a nice way to spend some time whilst I wait to work out what the future might be for me and this particular car.

[karl h]

what a shame 
hope you at least get some money to repair or for a new project

[jmarkha1]

really rough news but glad youre ok - hope you are able to either repair or rebuild something to get back to that excitement - best

Just been reading some of the build threads on here - very inspiring stuff - I need it at the moment.

I headed out to the Volksworld show a month ago on a beautiful day - first proper drive after having replaced the gearbox and all the other little things. Never made it to the show because whilst I slowed down for the traffic the car behind me didn't. Nobody got properly hurt, for which I'm very grateful. Those low back seats...are not awesome for the neck.

My car did a decent job of soaking up the impact. Which is another way of saying that all the bodywork behind the rear window (and a little bit in front of it) is wrecked. The engine didn't stop running (until I killed it) and the rear tinware, although pushed forward, didn't touch the pulley. Car was ok (well, you know...) to carry me the 80 miles home and felt absolutely fine.

I'll have to wait for the insurance folks to do their thing, so I'm in limbo for now. Keeping up with all that you folks are doing is quite a nice way to spend some time whilst I wait to work out what the future might be for me and this particular car.

[brewsy]

I headed out to the Volksworld show a month ago on a beautiful day - first proper drive after having replaced the gearbox and all the other little things. Never made it to the show because whilst I slowed down for the traffic the car behind me didn't.

Ahh man that SUCKS..
Sorry to hear that Jez. Was just catching up on your thread and looking forward to seeing how it was going!!

Marc

[alex d]

that sucks indeed! glad to hear you made it fine, cars and parts can be replaced! Hope it can be repaired

[JezWest]

Ok, I did get some insurance payout. Adding some other cash kept for a rainy day means that this car is getting rebuilt.

I don't have particularly wild plans - I was more than happy with what I had. I'm going to ditch the bumpers (the rear one looks like a pretzel!) and dig out the t-bars I ran just once when I showed the car at VolksWorld 2000. Apart from needing a new decklid (the current one looks like it has been turned inside out) and probably painting the headlight rims, I think that's it body wise. I'm sticking with the 1776, I have a couple of little mods to make, but nothing exciting. I'm going to try a center pull linkage as I like how it cleans up the look of the engine, and might be a bit easier to adjust. The manifolds are also going to be replaced - the ones I have are quite narrow so I had to 'modify' the fan housing with a hammer, and it just looks shite. That's all for the engine bay. Suspension will stay as it is. The wiring has become a little messy (for example, where wires were joined, they have a different colour at each end of the car which is irritating) and a bit too complex (several relay straps to keep the lights bright). So I'll be doing a lot of tidying up and also replacing all the lighting with LEDs.

I've stripped all the clean things (interior, under bonnet) and started on the oily bits. Not really looking forward to taking a saw to the rear apron - it got quite squashed so I'll have to cut it off to get the exhaust off and the engine out. Think of the bigger picture, I suppose!

I have quite a list of things to replace (seals, mostly). I have a few purchases already: set of wheels for whilst it is in the workshop; replacement fanhousing; linkage, new manifolds; NOS front wing; new other front wing; those t-bars (which will need a polish!).

Lots of ideas in my head for further things to do whilst the car is apart!

I have a tentative booking for early next year for the car to go and get sorted, so I better get into the garage!