TomB

15 minutes on foot... Sorry :-)

Luckily I was only doing 30mph, or it could have been worse, and fortunately there was nothing coming the other way so the wheel bounced off the bridge parapet and came to rest on the pavement. Thank goodness for high bridge parapets, or I could have got into trouble at work; part of my job is to prevent road vehicle incursions onto the railway, not cause them :-)

Got overtaken by my off-side rear wheel last night, leaving the Golf and I stranded on a busy road until the recovery truck turned up. Ho hum... Should all be fixed tomorrow, and a valuable lesson learned. Sometimes the Torque setting 'FT' is TFT... :D

True, the initial cost can be high, but the whole life cost can justify it. Best advice I was given was buy a complete cheap set & then replace bits as and when they break. That is of course no good if it breaks at a crucial point when no-where's open :lol:

On the Golf: More Mastic in the balance weight, all new brake lines & hoses on. HOWEVER, one snapped bleed nipple means progress has ground to a halt. Oh yes, and one sheared bolt that holds the brake drum backing plate to the subframe meant much anger, followed by some welding....

Now then!

On the Golf: New wishbone, all brake lines & hoses removed (replacements to go on tomorrow), new track rod end. EDIT. Oh yes, and stuck the sheared balance weight on the driveshaft back on by filling it with Mastik... Still to come before it can pass the MOT, new cill & valance. Soon to come - New frelling car, I'm getting tired of this...

Due to those very useful links, it turns out it's an 020 code 4T. I think it's going to have to be a recon box tbh, as at least then I'll know what I'm getting is spot on, and has a years guarantee. Thanks for all your help though, Tom

Cheers nia573, let the hunt commence! :-)

I'd second the relay check. My old valver's 1st headlight loom eat relays on a regular basis (including turning the lights on at random & flattening the battery). Good luck, Tom

The gearbox on my MK2 GTD is unhappy and needs replacing. Is there a kind soul out there who can tell my the type of box (080? perhaps), and what other cars it's shared with please (I'm thinking a Passat from the same era perhaps)? It's the standard 5-speed from the GTD, but any suitable replacement with the same final drive that will fit will do! Any assistance greatly appreciated... Cheers, Tom

I haven't done it myself, however IIRC you should be able to bypass the matrix by connecting the two hoses together as you mentioned, although it's not the ideal time of year for it! I think there were a couple of posts with long responses in the engine bay section a couple of weeks ago, as it would appear to be that time of year when they go pop... I'm pretty sure there's a method whereby you don't have to remove the dashboard as well, but like I say, I'm fortunate enough to not have carried this procedure out. Good luck, Tom EDIT: http://www.the-corrado.net/wiki/index.p ... eplacement

How did you get on Jim? What was the cause of the problem?

A little quicker than that, especially if you're having to dodge the bloody things :-) Ask toonvw for more details /ot trainspotter type info. I'm glad you're getting to the bottom of it, it sounds like a beaut! Cheers, Tom

...and she has a Mk2 GTI as well. Must have a dub streak in the family 8)

Replaced the standard solid disks on the Golf with vented ones and appropriate pads. Had to take an angle grinder to one of the old caliper bolts though to get the metal sheath off! Then bled the system to get rid of the air. Also replaced my side repeaters with smoked ones & changed the oil. Rocker cover gasket & then glow plugs next.... :-)

Repairing the engine definately :-) However, the gas flowed head and the konis will probably only appeal (in value) to the enthusiast when you come to sell it. If I were in your position, I'd get the valve stem seals etc. done without the flowed head, and replace your standard suspension with a good setup (but perhaps not konis, I think there's a whole thread on suspension options somwhere). If you're not happy, then you can always change later and sell the setup you had on, and if you want to go faster, then you could charge it :-) I can sympathise mate, as I had an expensive time with my old valver shortly after purchase. Cheers, Tom

Fantastic. :-)

I'm no expert but the engine quote sounds about right if that includes bits. Does the coilover price include the Konis as well? If not, then that sounds a little pricey to me. As to whether it's worth it, well that depends on how much you paid for the car, and how badly you want to keep it going... Good luck with it, Tom

Just like to recommend Footman James (0121 561 4196 / 0845 458 4356) for their great service. I know mine's only a group 9 rather than a group 15, but even so, Fully Comp with £150 excess including full breakdown cover, all mods declared for £225 is good... :-) 8)

Long term, there are some good aftermarket aluminium rads on eBay. A friend bought one for his 306 Rallye and it dropped his temps by a good 10 degrees. In the interim, anything that will fit will do you, as long as it cools your water! Cheers, Tom

That's dreadful. It didn't look too bad from the first shot, but the late ones really reveal the true horror. I find the weld in the A-pillars particularly distressing... Did you ever drive the car? If so, could you tell? Cheers, Tom

Nick, good work that man, talk about a steep learning curve... Today I rid myself of the grey & tartan interior that came as standard with the GTD (for some reason they didn't get the fun GTI bits) and put in a full black cloth GTI interior, carpets and door cards. The new seats are SO much more comfortable although my fingers are shredded from the carpet. Malleable it isn't...

Welcome to the forum mate, Tom

Welcome to the forum & good luck with the restoration. Tom