[car_overhaul] 205 1.6 Gti Full Rebuild

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

Evening all, I don't post alot on this site but use it quite a bit for info and the odd thing for sale. I have a project on the go at the min and as it's a 205 I thought i'd share it with you all. Back in July I bought a miami blue non sunroof 205 1.6 gti on ebay after I sold my mi16. I always wanted a miami blue 205 so I got this one anyhow and drove it home from London. About a month later I buffed it as it has sever lacquer peel, as most do. It didn't please me so I went about doing a full rebuild and paint job. I stripped it over a few days and then got the shell off to get the rust spots sandblasted. Once that was done it went to the bodyshop. They did a full respray incl inside boot and engine bay, arches etc. The engine bay was sanded down and all the defects smoothed in with isopon to 'seal' the metal as if this wasn't done a year or so down the line it may bubble through. I just got the shell back last week and began re-building it. I got lots of new genuine parts for it, such as lights, waterpump belts gaskets etc.

While the shell was away I was busy getting lots of stuff sandblasted. I did all the small bits myself. e.g manifolds, brackets. I then etch primped them and sprayed them satin black.

 

Before

 

After

 

The car is done with 2k paint and the latest ici lacquer. There is 7 base coats on it and same in engine bay, but it is then rubbed down again and done with basecoat and hardner, to get the original finish.

 

 

 

 

I re-built my back axle and the inside of it was mint so that helped save a few ££ as I just replaced the bearings a seals.

I then got my engine stripped down cleaned and painted the block with frosts' detail grey paint. It's the closed colour match to standard bare alluminium, but I don't have to worry as much about corossion. I then honed the liners and put new liner o-rings in and new piston rings, headgasket, sump gasket etc. The block had a broken head stud so that was fixed with a helicoil and then the head was checked, cleaned, valves re-faced and cam shimmed up. I got that all built up a week or so ago.

 

 

 

The gearbox was also totally stripped, outside blasted and then done with eastwood metal lacquer which is heatproof to 120 degrees and fuel resistant.

Im now getting along nicely with all new brake pipes, fuel lines etc. I'll hopefully get the interior started this week as im off work. My seats are 100% now with no bolster sag and good frames from a low mile 205 from a scrappy. Ive also got lots of stuff plated yellow for it and it wasn't much dearer than painting it. I just took a bulk load of it to a firm.

 

 

Hope you all like it, comments welcome.

[Baz 421]

Great work! That should be lovely when finished, the standard of your workmanship looks second to none!

 

What sort of timescale has it been?

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

Cheers Baz, It was stripped in around August time and it went to the bodyshop around mid September time. I knew i'd have to wait on it a while but the guy how done the work is top class and has done a few cars for us before which is why I wasn't bothered. I've just been gathering up the parts since around that time through ebay, here etc. Got a full set of seats for £2.82 on ebay which was great, but I always have to plan what Im getting as I'd go over to England the odd time during the year and try and get the bits I need. The only problem with N.Ireland is it's hard to get decent bits for 205's. I should get most of it built this week as im off. The engine and gearbox is all ready to go in now.

[Rupertfinch 6]

Your MI was lovely, but this will be a belter! Between yours and Miamichris's, I'm going to have the shoddiest miami in the North!

 

Excellent work - keep it up.

[miamichris 9]

Nice one Richard, you kept this one quiet mate! Didn't know you were doing a miami, the work done so far looks sweet though

 

You're well ahead of me anyway, my shells just about to get the rusty parts sandblasted

 

Can't wait to be at the rebuilding stage myself, i'd say its a lot more satisfying putting on all the nice new shiny parts!!

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

Nice one Richard, you kept this one quiet mate! Didn't know you were doing a miami, the work done so far looks sweet though

 

You're well ahead of me anyway, my shells just about to get the rusty parts sandblasted

 

Can't wait to be at the rebuilding stage myself, i'd say its a lot more satisfying putting on all the nice new shiny parts!!

 

Yea Chris I was just working away at it at nights and that. Take your time and get all your bits done properly as there is no point rushing them when it's stripped right down. Do it right 1st time around then you've no need to worry:).

 

Ive got a bit more work done to this now. Got all my engine and gearbox and loom in, bar the brown multiplug bit that ive misplaced somewhere . Also have my fuel tank, exhaust system and rear axle and handbrake cables, brake shoes etc all in. New underlay and my clean red carpet put in.

Im ready for the new windscreen now so I'll get a hand with that. Some pics so far

 

Rebuilt calipers plated yellow and with new seals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main bits are done now so it'll just be a matter of small jobs which take up most of the time but leave it right.

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

Looks great,. hats off to you for having the patience to go as far as to having things replated etc.

[miamichris 9]

you aren't long getting things back into the car are you, it'll be built in no time!

 

is that new underlay you put in? just asking because mine was fubared due to water leakage at some point so I threw it away, now i'm wondering where to get new stuff from..

 

I spent my day with a wire brush in an air drill taking off underseal type sh*t from my engine bay and arches to get the shell ready for paint, definitely up there with the worst jobs i've ever had to do

 

btw, for some strange reason I really like that little red mini

[vicious-monkey87 0]

hey mate, lovely car! i wish i had the time/money/patience to do something like that!

 

you're RCT on the RMS forums aren't you? i saw your thread on there a few weeks ago!

[cybernck 400 1 Cars]

superb work, i always enjoy this sort of rebuild with all my senses .

 

and it's somehow cool (in a weird way though ) that you're keeping it stock 1.6 inside and out,

makes a difference from all the more-or-less upgraded 205 GTI's.

 

keep up the good work and keep the pics coming.

[Craigo 0]

looks fantastic so far mate, make sure you get more pictures up!

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

Thanks for the comments folks,

Update-

Ive now got all the engine bay finished bar one bracket that I need to get for the afm to sit in the standard place[k+n on it when I got it]. I got my airbox powedercoated along with my jack and wheel brace. I just need to build the jack up now. It's ready for fluids now. Ive also got my front and rear bumpers fitted with new red inserts and clips etc. They were done with the plastic care dye you can get on ebay and it did a good job to hide the whiteness of the 2 bumpers. I got 2 new driving lamps on ebay for alot less than the genuine ones as I couldn't justify peugeots price. They fitted like dam all so I just swapped over the lights to my original casings that were fine. It was a straight swap and now they sit very well. I still have to make my own door membrains as I want to have no leaks in the car. It's ready for it's wheels now once I get the 2, 10mm fine nuts for the track rod ends. It's really starting to take shape now. There was alot of nights spent at it in which it looked like I didn't do much, but those last small things done right, make the car:).

 

 

 

Edited January 25, 2009 by Redtop

[miamichris 9]

fantastic work mate this thread inspires me to work harder on my own miami!

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

looks beautiful. showroom fresh and built to last. inspirational stuff!

[205freak 7 1 Cars]

Looking really good it should be on a showroom!!

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

I now have this car running after numerous wiring problems. Just a typical old loom with some bad connections. Just had the brakes bedded in and the drums adjusted up, and the engine is running well with no leaks atm and good oil pressure.

 

Few pics of it now. Still have to get a moulding and a few clips but it's more or less done:).

 

 

 

 

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

Looks good, but is that a swift FF1600 I spot in the corner in the first picture?

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

Looks good, but is that a swift FF1600 I spot in the corner in the first picture?

 

 

Yeah it's a 94 swift, with 95 suspension.

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

mmmmm nice, your own?

[Rupertfinch 6]

I had the privilege of seeding this car in the flesh yesterday and it's even better than it looks in the pictures. The word 'mint' is too often bandied about but in this case it's entirely appropriate!

 

You've really done an excellent job Richard. Now what was the price you agreed to sell it to me for...?

Edited April 14, 2009 by Rupertfinch

[Ludi 2 2 Cars]

I can tell you something connected with your work.

I made full rebuilt on my engine,and all my car.

I finished yesterday,so when I take the first run I was the proudest man on the earth,theres no better way to be proud to your self than looking the reactions on the people.

 

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

You've really done an excellent job Richard. Now what was the price you agreed to sell it to me for...?

 

 

Cheers Mark. There's no price tag on it, as it's not for sale .

 

Ludi your car looks very well. What all have you done to your black car? Standard 1.6 or a conversion? I see you have no indicator in the front left wing. Do you not need side repeaters in your country or is it because it's a early phase 1?

[Ludi 2 2 Cars]

Thanks for the compliments Richard,well this Pug starts like 1.6 gti August 1984,but since 1989 its 1.9 with 130 bhp,and before 2 months I begin my engine and body overhaul,now its 1.9 with 157 bhp,its 8v and its totally clean (it was striped and painted like new,inside and outside,rust free ),yes its phase 1,and I like phase 1 more than ph2,it simple and nice looking,nothing better than that.

 

But I have to say that your car look very nice too.Almost like mine.

 

 

Best Regards,

Viktor

Edited April 14, 2009 by Ludi

[Redtop 14 2 Cars]

Since it was a nice day, thought i'd get the car cleaned and take some decent pics of it now that it's totaly finished. Have my genuine mudflaps on it and some decent gti mats now. Only problems were with things I didn't replace, coil pack went pop and the fan switch, but nothing major. Hope you's like it

 

 

 

[Alteran 1]

Wow. What a beautiful looking example, complete respect for what you have achieved here!

 

All thats needed now is a Cosworth rear wing, Underbody neons, 6 inch bore exhaust and a Impreza bonnet scoop......

 

(Joke....!)