Another Gti-6 Conversion...

[chris-gti 14]

205 GTI RESTORATION DIARY

Before (it's really not as good as the pic makes it look):

Day 1:

The donor car (S registered 306 GTI-6 with 80,000 miles showing) was driven in at roughly 9 am after a short test drive to ensure all systems working. Airbag light noted as flashing, probably due to damaged wire on seat belt pre-tensioner under passenger seat, neither electric window operational and front wiper motor noisy. This is an alien feeling for me, to drive a perfectly serviceable car into the garage to purposefully strip and break for parts. kind of wants you to give it a good send-off ceremony... or maybe i'm just soft.

Stage one was to strip the 306, as i am using a large quantity of components from the 306, this is being carried out carefully, ensuring as little damage occurs to components as possible.

Step one was to remove all the un-necessary parts from the 306, this included the wheel arch liners, front bumper, bonnet, radiator, A/C condenser and piping, fans and PAS pipes.

Once these were removed the job of removing the engine and gearbox began, firstly removing the brake calipers, struts and drive shafts, then removing the front sub-frame, complete with steering rack. Once these were removed the exhaust was dis-connected and removed from the manifold, then the lower engine stabiliser mount removed, whilst underneath i also dis-connected the lower coolant hose and the speedometer connector. Next i removed the battery box, ECU, dis-connected the remaining wiring, dis-connected the clutch and the throttle cables, methodically working around the engine until the only attachments to the car it’s self were the upper engine mount and the gearbox mount.

At this stage i supported the engine on the crane, using a seat belt as a lifting strap. The engine balanced well on the two top lifting eyes so i removed both gearbox and upper engine mount and lowered the engine onto the engine trolley. After this i lifted the front of the car clear of the trolley with the engine crane, using the towing eye as a lifting point. Once the engine was clear, i lowered the car onto axle stands and then swapped them for the engine trolley.

Once the engine and gearbox was removed i started on the rear of the car. As I plan on using the rear beam from the 306, this meant careful removal. A very straight forward job, i cut the two brake feed pipes from the chassis, unclipped the hand-brake cables and undid the 6 beam mounting bolts then lifted the chassis clear of the beam on jacks. I left the wheels on the beam to make removal easier.

After this i made the car secure on axle stands and the trolley and set to work sorting and tidying my workspace ready for the next stage.

Whilst the 306 is still watertight, i plan to use it as storage for the parts which I don’t immediately need, I will be removing the 306 on a trolley then dropping it onto a large pallet and using the telehandler to “park” it in its new space in the field.

The next step is to make a start stripping the 205, I am looking forward to this as i have had the car apart more times than i dare to count and should have it stripped in no time.

The plan is to strip the 205 down to a bare shell, possibly only leaving the roof lining in place, turning her over and treating some rust patches, then priming, spraying then under-sealing before turning back over to complete a full shell re-spray and re-build using the 306 parts. Before any paint work is done, the mounts for the beam will have to be modified to accommodate the wider 306 rear end and the bulk-head (firewall for all you yanks) will have to be modified to take the ‘6 exhaust system (I would rather modify the bulkhead than alter the exhaust angle as i don’t want to affect the gas flow).

I am still undecided on both the colour and the transmission to use, however I am swaying towards a graphite grey and the ‘6 box even though there will be a right hand steering lock issue.

Hopefully more updates later in the week.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

I'll be the first and say keep the 205 beam, Any wider and it makes the car dull and understeer badly, If your thinking the beam will be better than normally in the same state of disrepair or even worse due to the weight, best option is the 205 beam and 306 arms plus you don;t get the silly rear steer either

Also 6 speed box's are quite weak and don;t take a huge amount of abuse, 3rd Gear likes to shed it's teeth quite often.

[chris-gti 14]

Maybe i will have a re think on the beam. My standard 1.6 unit is in need of some tlc and 309 bits seem to be getting really difficult to source especially on my tight budget. Would 306 arms work on 205 tube?

 

As for the gearbox. I was tempted to stick to my 1600 be1 but thats getting a bit hesitant engaging second every now and again.

[welshpug 1,626]

I'd rebuild the 1.6 beam, stick some larger torsion bars and arb,

 

Personally I'd sell the 306 beam complete, take the calipers off and sell them separately, bit more cash that way if known to be good (free nipples and sliders, handbrake mech)

 

the 306 beam will likely need just as much money spending on it as your 1.6 beam, especially if you want to make it fit a 205 which as miles said, isn't a great plan. the best handling 205's run 205 beams

 

306 arms will work, and you'll gain half a degree of camber, bit of extra track width too, but not too much, enough to allow wider rims without rubbing on the trailing arms or using spacers.

Edited June 17, 2013 by welshpug

[chris-gti 14]

Ok. It looks like a beam rebuild is on the cards. I agree that the original geometry is the best i've ever driven.

 

Hopefully getting the 205 in tonight so hopefully more updates.