G60, the saga begins...........

[Storm 0]

I picked up my g60 this morning and I'm getting worried already. This is all based upon a dream and no real experience of how the finished car will drive. The plan is for total new suspension, brakes engine tuning, alloys and a little bit of Ice, which all but the speakers I have.

 

The car is a two-owner faded paint 119K original. The second owner bought it with 36K on the clock and has never taken it over 3k rpm. He drives very sedately. It’s nice and tight. He serviced it himself and kept all the receipts. The car has always run Mobil 1. Charger was rebuilt by BRM @ 60K, so now needs work. The interior looks like brand new and under the bonnet the car looks like 2 years old. Will add photo’s soon.

 

I have spoken to the tuning glitterati: Darren & John (great guys), as well as been on Bahn Bremmer, EIP and probably all the other sites and decided that phase one engine spec will be: Charger,Chip, pulley, FPR, ISV, K&N panel filter, Pulley, Rear Fuel filter, Thermostat & Switch. Phase two will add oil cooler, RSR outlet.

 

Suspension is going to be Boge with 40mm drop from GSF or Bilstein & Ventura springs from ECP (any feedback on these would be much appreciated). All bushes mounts etc will be replaced. The brakes are fine and bite very well.

 

The budget I set aside was 4.7K or roughly the value of my VR (for sale in a month Aqua , 90K + Full documented VAG history, new suspension and brakes).

 

Well its started to go wrong already, driving back, all I could think about was how good my VR was. I know that the G60 hasn’t been tuned yet, so this may not be an issue. Blowing the budget would mean hell from the wife.

 

When I got to the bodyshop, the price shot up when they saw my new G60. The car had had one up the rear some time ago; it was a light knock (the boot floor is straight & the wings original) but the superficial rust around the seams was going to cost as one side needs to be cut out and new metal let in. The total cost is £1,722 for a glass out job, With muggins‘ere responsible for the strip and rebuild. Over the phone it was a lot cheaper. I looked around the bodyshop and knew immediately that these guys were good. The premises are clean and new. The work was there in front of me and awesome.

I am seeing two other bodyshops over the next week.

 

I know I can get out of it and probably make a profit, what do you guys think?

[W3RKD 0]

hi there. if you need to buy any gen vag panels for it i can put you in touch with a guy who will help... :lol:

[Storm 0]

Thanks Darren, will let you know.

[Henny 0]

Bilstein & Ventura springs from ECP (any feedback on these would be much appreciated). All bushes mounts etc will be replaced. The brakes are fine and bite very well.

 

I threw the set I had of these springs and shocks in the bin. They are mega harsh and choppy and really screw up the handling and comfort of the car. I'd advise avoiding them as much as possible. :?

[Storm 0]

Henny, do you know if the Bilstein sportline kit has the same springs?

[Henny 0]

Henny, do you know if the Bilstein sportline kit has the same springs?

 

That's the kit I threw away! :?

 

The kit is made up with the bilstein standard shocks and a set of ventura springs... The shocks just can't handle the springs so the ride quality is nasty afterwards. Bouncy, harsh, choppy and rough, not good at all...

[h100vw 0]

I'd fit the oil cooler at the same time as doing the Charger. You will be grateful of the access.

 

You have and FPR on the list. Are you fitting reds and an SNS chip?

 

 

Lastly, a 100 lines. 'Profit and G60, must not be used in the same sentence!'

 

Best of luck though.

 

Gavin

[Storm 0]

Gavin,

 

Its a question of cash now, so the reds and the possibly the oil coller can wait. I was thinking of selling the car as is for £2100 or teeny bit more. The rust at the back is my only concern. Essentially the last inch of the boot floor where it attaches to the rear panel and the two seams that attach to the rear wings are shot. The bodyshop said that rust cannot effectively be treated. Is this true?

 

Having spent alot of time thinking (worrying) about this, I am hoping to find a breaker and cut out the rear panel with the extra inch of boot floor and the bit of the rear wing up to the start of the rear lights. Once the spot welds have been removed, I can fit the wing repair panels first, butt-welding them in place. The rear panel can go next, followed by the boot floor. My dads next door neighbor is a welding genius, so I am hoping it will be perfect and that he will help.

 

Is this viable, particularly the but welding the rear wing? What should I expect to pay for the rear panel cut out? Anybody got one to donate????

[W3RKD 0]

i have a good shell if you want to cut bits off it to get you out of this hole mate ...

[PhatVR6 0]

convert it to a syncro whilst you're doing the work. I did with my mk2 when I took the rear panel off and found the boot floor to be bent.

[Storm 0]

Thanks Darren pm sent.

[h100vw 0]

Rust is bad news to erradicate. The seams are the worst bit. The boot floor wouldn't bother me. The best way I have seen to clear up the seams is lead filling, after you have sorted the rust and made sure there is no moisture in there.

 

Grinding off the wing side of the seam once you get the back panel out, to remove the rust before welding in the new rear panel is the thing to do.

 

I am not a bodywork kind of guy so you need to trust the advice of whoever does it for you. And don't be too surprised if it comes back in a couple of years.

 

Gavin

[Storm 0]

Gavin, I'm going to cut all the rot out. Just need the panel and I can get started. The bodyshop guy talked about epoxy priming to seal it, so hopefully I'll be okay.

[Storm 0]

What would be involved in an engine swap as follows:

 

a) take engine from 2.0 16V and install into G60

b) take engine from G60 and install into 2.0 16V

 

The cars would be side by side. I understand that the engines can be dropped out of the bottom, is the wiring straight forward or will I have to chop things around?

[Henny 0]

it's a lot easier to unbolt the whole front of the car and pull the engine straight out through where the front bumper/slam panel would normally live... Makes life a shed load easier! ;)

 

Why would you want to do this swap?!? :roll: Anyway, the fusebox (as I've recently learnt!) is the same on all C's, so you'd need to swap the complete engine loom, ECU and instrument clocks between the 2 cars to get them to work properly... You'll also have to be careful about how late a 2.0 16V it is, as it may have the PLUS suspension and therefore have different driveshafts and possibly CV joints... :?

 

You shouldn't actually have to cut any wires, just unplug 'em from the fusebox... 8)

[Storm 0]

Henny, thanks for this. I want a unique (almost) car ie a G60 wilth full late spec body and interior. The little bit of grot in my G60 is p1ssng me off.