C-Red Mk2 8v GTI Build

[c-red]

Well I finally have a starting point I'm happy with. The Mk2 CL I bought just required too much work. Its straight as a die though and would be a good starting point for someone more mechanically adept than I.
I ended up buying DubDan's '87 South African 8v Small Bumper GTI. Inspected it on Sunday on the way back from down south which got me into a little trouble with the good lady, but hey. Paint is a little sad and there is a few pin dents but its a nice honest sort of car. Its had a fair bit of work recently, and touch wood it should be pretty reliable.
Dan is being so nice as to drop it off to me tonight and then the modding will commence. I've been collecting parts for quite some time now, and I have...

JOM Coilovers
JOM Badgeless 2 light grille
Smoked Crosshair Headlights
Hella Smoked Rear Clusters
German Bra
Mk3 Style Handles
Brand New 16x7 ET25 SSR Mesh
Electric Japanese Fire & Ice Recaros - Not the naff Euro fabric

Basically I'm just going to slam it to within an inch of its life and roll around in it. I'm not wanting it to be quick, just very stylish.
Jash

[Jarred]

sounds cool mate. Cant wait till we see some pics!

[Eyez]

Is this the same Jash that owns C-Red Tuning ?
You finally realised that Euro has more style than Jap

[c-red]

Is this the same Jash that owns C-Red Tuning ?
You finally realised that Euro has more style than Jap

Yeah thats me, yes and no. I've pretty much done every Jap car I want to, so now I'm going back to the Euro Stuff. Mk2 GTIs were too expensive when I got my 205GTI and I've always wanted one - so here I am.
Jash

[KI11Z]

oooo, ssr meshies! and new pics!

[c-red]

Well Dan dropped the car off tonight - many thanks to him for that.
A few niggly little things I'll have to look at, but at least its all there and the interior is in good nick.
The paint is extremely sad though all over and there are a ton of small blemishes. Small dents, scratches and other misdemeanours. There is a LOT of work to be done on the outside.
Jash

[Eyez]

Yeah thats me, yes and no. I've pretty much done every Jap car I want to, so now I'm going back to the Euro Stuff. Mk2 GTIs were too expensive when I got my 205GTI and I've always wanted one - so here I am.
Jash

Possibly the most fun I've ever had in a car was my 205 GTi ... I had one when I was 18 in the uk ... handled like a go-kart ... went pretty good after the Mi16 conversion too
Love the Mk2's ... big bumper ... big arches ... dumped ... perfect.
Good luck with this project anyway ... I've seen what you can do with Jap so I'll be interested to see how you go with Euro.
Cheers
Stu

[c-red]

Stu,
My 205 was the first in the country with and Mi16. Ran quad 45 tb's on a 306 Maxi Manifold. Made 132hp at the front wheels which was pretty decent for 1995. I had the biggest Group A Tarmac rear torsion bar in it. Peugeot Talbot Sport called me when I ordered it to make sure I knew what I was letting myself in for...
I've had tons of Euro Stuff over the years, 2.3-16 190E, 944S, 944 Turbo, 911 with a 3.6 and tight LSD - hairy that was. I went Jap mainly because I was sick of the Porkers breaking.
My Mk2 is just going to be my daily belt around car. I need 4 doors as I have a couple of kids and getting them in and out of a 2 door is extremely painful. I'm sticking with the small bumpers initially but we'll see how long that lasts...
Jash

[c-red]

All My Bits Are Here...

...Let the modding begin!
Jash

[Lorenz]

Looking forward to seeing this all come together, list of mods so far sounds good.

Ive gone form the Jap scene and made the good move of coming over to the Euro side of things, but still want to somehow incorporate the JDM flavour into Euro's

[Gipson]

wow man thats an impressive list!
ill be down your way next week so ill throw those parts in the back of the work ute and drop them in. get some photos up of the progress and good luck!

p.s definatley snap some big bumpers on it wade (GOLFBALLS) front one will be up for grabs when he gets back from europe

[c-red]

Got stuck into the Golf last night after work.
The 16s that were on it had to go. For innumerable reasons. It felt like they werent running hub rings so they wobbled all over the shop, and 205/50/16 for the loss.
Started with the Hella Tails, I picked them up real cheap and they came with the Euro switchblocks that all the yanks hanker for will be putting them up on Shebay unless any of youse want them. Tail lights went in sweet. It looks like Mk2s are held together by 8mm nuts, as opposed to the 10mm jobs that hold Jap cars together. All good. When I pulled the stockies off there was a globe rolling around in the indicator lens - scratch one odd noise from the rear.
Next job was the wheels. I had nothing apart from a set of Mk3 14x6 Stockies with 165/60s that I'd painted red for something else. Put them on quick smart. They are waaaaaay too small, but at least they didnt wobble or rub.
I then pulled the rubber strips off the side, dreading finding a whole heap of holes, fortunately none. Just a whole heap of contact cement and double sided tape. Caramel wheel required.
Next installed the billet golf ball knob and removed the Balinese Taxi spec steering wheel cover to reveal a whole heap of black electrical tape holding the steering wheel together. Epic Fail. I have a 300mm Momo Team on order. No Power Steering and a 300mm wheel should bulk me up good for next summer.
I then started on the smoked indicators, and I probably shouldnt have. One lens wouldnt come off and I didnt want to butcher it, so I tried pushing the assembly from the back to get it out to no avail. I started on the other side with marginally more success. The Golf now has a winking front. One orange one smoked indicator.
Found the grille today, long story, so will be installing the cross-hairs and it tomorrow morning.
I've done a fair few k's in it now and a few things have become apparent.
Something is seriously awry in the suspension. It feels like one or both front wheel bearings have flogged out and something is adrift at the rear too.
It pings its arse off on anything more than about half throttle, even full of Ultimate.
It gets hot too, the stock guage varies from Hot to Danger Will Robinson! There is a supplementary temp guage fitted in the console in Fahrenheit ffs, which doesnt indicate it getting any hotter than about 80 deg C when converted. I had a thought that maybe a temp sender somewhere was rooted putting it into a different fuel map, causing the detonation.
Oh and I have no effing idea of how the central locking works. I cant make it work with the key, it works when the car is running though. Sometimes. Anyone?
I'm very happy with it, and very much looking forward to getting it to the next level.
Oh and it got the tick of approval from my 8 year old daughter. She was upset when we got in my 303whp Evo 7 to come home tonight - "Can't we take the Golf Daddy? Its cute". From someone who has ridden in the cars she has thats a glowing endorsement.
Jash
PS - Will have some pics up tomorrow, and I fitted up an SSR Mesh today - 165/40 on a 7 for the win.

[Spyda]

Pics of some of the other cars too plz

[GoLfMan]

.......................

sounds like a good project mate

[jayjay]

yea! i dont see any pics! and it's tomorrow already...