Goodbye H853 DBD, Hello F708 TAC - 1989 Cherry Red Detailing Progress Thread

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

So following on from 12 years of ownership with H853 DBD and a long progress thread here:

 

https://www.205gtidrivers.com/forums/topic/156908-body_work-1991-gti-steel-grey-detailing-progress-thread/?page=18#google_vignette

 

After a bit of deliberation I sold H853 DBD on Thursday last week. Essentially my ultimate spec 205 has been a cherry red non sunroof 1.9, Phase 1.5. One of these came on the market recently and I put up a  tenantive advert for my existing steel grey 1.9.  Within a day a local guy came and viewed it and bought it for my asking price and I did a good deal on the cherry red, so it was all systems go - very bittersweet after 12 years and a labour of love, but time to move it on as it was getting a bit leggy and needed some work doing to it in the not too distant (front end mainly) and I didn't want to go down the full resto route. 

 

H853 DBD was collected Thursday night last week after my new cherry red F708 TAC arrived with me in the morning!

 

it's a lovely looking thing and has had alot spent on it over the last few years inc a full exterior respray, new sills and countless new parts. Ironically it's had the exact same bodywork done that I had done to my old one (rear bumper mounts and full sills), as well as alot of the same engine and running gear parts changed. 

 

Immediate plans for it are:

 

- Passenger side inner wing repair as it's just starting to split, so want to nip it in the bud before it starts. 

- Rear axle needs raising a touch as it's too low. 

- Rear bump stops are missing so those will be replaced. 

- New clutch and linkage set. 

- Remove stainless exhaust and fit standard one - stainless is way too loud at my age!

- Remove strut brace

 

Really chuffed with this one so far - it's all complete and hasn't been messed with and has been well looked after. 

 

Before H853 DBD was collected:

 

 

 

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Pics: 

 

 

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Few more: 

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Engine bay:

 

 

[Tom Fenton 1,633]

The rear does want to come up a bit, but I would drive it before and after the strut brace before making your mind up, they do drive better with one fitted to be honest.

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Good points cheers Tom. 

 

Also need to fit a new alternator as it doesn't appear to be charging the battery (battery remains at 12.5v whether enging running or not - I also have a dim battery light when the fans are on, and the battery died getting home last night after using the headlights etc in the dark) and I also have a cracked exhaust manifold which has been poorly welded before, so need to sort that too!

[Leslie green 162]

 Broke down already lol , anyway looks nice and a few jobs are it should be sorted

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Haha, kinda yeah, broke down on my drive when parker but ok after battery charged up. Usual new car issues but onwards! 

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Did some testing last night on the alternator, had 12v at the exciter wire and grounding it caused battery light on dash to light up - so figured wiring was all good.

 

Old alternator removed last night and new one fitted tonight - normal service resumed - alternator was broken! 

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Looked good on a drive last night though! 

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Period dealer plates, tax disc holder and window sticker fitted this week - I like geeky details like this!  

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Also fixed the rear bumper valance stays as they were loose as the rivets had snapped. Refurbed my scratched handbrake cover with some wurth dye. 
 

Horn then decided to stop workint - after some testing I bridged fuse 8 to the horn/rear demister relay with some wire and the horn starter working - which led me to conclude it was the fuse board itself that was faulty…

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Battery powered mini soldering iron in hand, cracked off the fuse box bottom cover and resoldered the dry joint…success! Demister and horn now working!

[SRDT 233]

Did you solder it in place? When I tried that the repair didn't last long.

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Yep did it in place with a mini battery powered soldering iron. Works for now, see how long it lasts - if it fails I’ll take the board out next time!

[chris 417 mi 64 2 Cars]

Where are you getting the plates and stickers from  ? wouldn't mind a set for my resto project 

Edited May 17 by chris 417 mi

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

9 hours ago, chris 417 mi said:

Where are you getting the plates and stickers from  ? wouldn't mind a set for my resto project 

From DMB graphics bud - messaged them via their facebook page as they don’t advertise plates or tax discs online anymore but can make them up

 

https://www.facebook.com/share/1CwnweTdGY/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

So my fix to the horn & demister lasted all of a few days! Bought a good used fuseboard and swapped it in - now all working fine again. 
 

Also sorted out some little details like correct clips for the boot mat, replaced a broken A pillar trim etc. Also fitted a new gearknob as the old one was cracked on the top. 

 

Tomorrows job will be to replace the aftermarket aerial base as it’s crap and also slightly leaking in the heavy rain we’ve been having.

 

also got a water leak from the tailgate drain holes in the boot - I’ve sealed the locating pin on the slatted board and the spoiler fixings so far but no luck.

 

Will replace boot lock gasket next and seal up washer jet - if all that fails I’ll be getting the rear screen removed and rebonded!
 

 

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

New correct aerial base fitted today, and an original fully working Philips radio cassette which I bought from someone in Lithuania on a retro audio facebook group. Looks awesome, even if the sound ain’t great!

[SRDT 233]

22 hours ago, ATK said:

So my fix to the horn & demister lasted all of a few days! Bought a good used fuseboard and swapped it in - now all working fine again. 

 

Once the fuse box is out of the car you can flip it over and solder it correctly. When done this way it will last years if not decades.

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

18 hours ago, SRDT said:

 

Once the fuse box is out of the car you can flip it over and solder it correctly. When done this way it will last years if not decades.

Difficulty I saw in this was you'd have to break through the board plastic to do this

 

Swapped in a good used board for now - hopefully it lasts!

[SRDT 233]

You don't have to damage the board at all, I only did it once on a test board to see what was going on with the inner solder joint. The fuseboard that I did repair and then used for years wasn't this one.

 

Once the board is upside down on the bench you just slide solder wire between the plates and put your soldering iron on the outer joint, the inner joint is close enough to the edge that you can see when the solder melts and once you've filled the little square it won't fail anytime soon.

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Lots of jobs done recently…

 

Car went into Body and Soul Autoworks in Cardiff to have the following sorted:

 

- Inner wing rot cut out and repaired

- Full new standard exhaust system inc manifold

- New clutch and gear linkage set

- Rear axle raised as it was too low at the back - bearings were ruined one side so axle bearings done also

- Coolant change and gearbox oil while clutch was out

- Rear bump stops added as they were missing!

- New front wishbones

- Bonnet adjusted

- Localised paint repair around aeriel base

They also gave it a good inspection and said it was all in good order which is nice to hear!

I then spent the weekend giving it a good detail and did some easy bits:

 

- Replaced drivers side headlight with correct Valeo item

- Replaced all wiper blades

- Replaced dash coin tray, dash trim and ashtray with near mint ones

- Replaced boot lock gasket

- Sealed rear washer jet

- Dyed all bumper trim with Wurth dye - came out great

- Touched up various interior trim parts with Wurth dye

- Replaced rear speakers with some jvc’s

- Full detail

- Replaced front grill with brand new backing and freshly repainted front section, and new badge

 

Very happy with how it is at the moment and time to get it on daily duties!

 

Still got a boot leak so next week job should be to remove and rebond the rear window. 
 

Also need to see about adjusting the front bumper as even though it’s straight I thinn it could do with lifting up a bit to close up front/side gaps. 

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Some leather treatment on the seats this evening - hopefully prolong them a bit as decent seats seem to be few and far between these days!

 

[ATK 157 2 Cars]

Few bits done over the last week or so

 

- had rear screen taken out rebonded and refitted - waiting for rain now to check to see if its solved my boot leak!

- fitted new spoiler retaining clips

- Had handbrake mount welded as it had cracked

- Fitted good used tps as existing one wasn’t reading correctly on multimeter

- Did a full setup as per Haynes manual and idle is now spot on, also set mixture to 1.5% with a Gunson gastester, running great now

- Broke my glovebox as it had jammed shut, and had to fit a replacement! 
- sorted some loose window scrapers

- Rewired my rear speaker so now have all  4 speakers working

 

Next jobs are to sort the rubbish handbrake and strip down the front brakes as they are squeaking a bit. 
 

Gettint there! 
 

also found an old pic of me from around 1992 ish with my Dads 1.9 GTI - F586 MJM