1987 Mk2 Golf GTI 3.2 vr6

[cauld1]

This one has been a long time coming! Bit of background first.

When I was 15 I had a summer job and had really wanted a mk2 golf. I bought a big bumper tornado red 8v gti. My dad used it for night navigation rallies and I then bought a classic Fiat 500 before I turned 17 to drive.

I drove neither of these on the road.

Once I had passed my test I drove a non-convertible Peugeot 205 Roland Garros on R plates. I loved it, but still liked mk2 golfs. When I turned 18 I bought a small bumper 1.3 Golf CL. Actually from an old member on here:

I then put coilovers in it and 13 inch ATS Classics (remains of the roland garros behind it!)

Anyways, in between the times above my dad, or rather I, was offered a 1987 Mk2 Golf GTI by my dads cousin. They had owned it from new and it had been off the road from the mid 90s after having suffered a small engine fire. Naturally we did not hesitate to say yes!

I can't for the life of me find photos of it from then, but I got it about 14/15 years ago. I was doing my GCSEs the time and still remember going to pick it up after one of my exams! It had been used extensively, including trips to the continent, even still having the 1992 Swiss highway sticker on the screen. When I say it had a fire, it was a K-Jet 8v engined GTI and we think one of the fuel lines burst and lit up. It must've been put out really quickly as even the likes of the header tank and washer bottle were only smoke damaged rather than melted. The bonnet was warped though so that got binned.

Fast forward to now, and I have been lucky enough to buy, pull apart, build, but mostly pull apart and keep a fairly big amount of cars that 15 year old me would love. Probably my proudest build is my BMW E34 525i Sport - as below (guess where this is going):

Anyway, I have a turbo sitting for the E34, but want to have something that I can enjoy and take to shows etc while doing that...

As the golf sat in the garage, bonnet off and front splitter off.

Pulled it out of the garage and had bad thoughts - note back bumper and rear arch extensions have also been off for a long time....it had a tow bar previously also!

Myself and my dad had notions of essentially fixing it up, putting twin webers on the 8v and just enjoying it, so 'started' to working on it last year.

Then stopped.

 

[cauld1]

All work had stopped when I was getting tyres on new wheels for the E34 and was talking to the mechanic that works beside the tyre fitters who also buys and sells cars. He'd just recently got a Audi TT in....so I bought it, going halfers with my dad. There was a reason for this.

Despite its high miles it is actually a pretty decent car. But for the money it would take to service, MOT, insure and tax it makes a better engine donor.

With the TT bought and home we had a bit of motivation back. So got back to work.

Overall the car is pretty good. Thankfully it has been garaged wince being taken off the road. But the area on the bulkhead behind where the downpipe heatshield goes is pretty miserable. Thankfully most of my good friends who are into cars have mk2 golfs so I have been offered offcuts from a good shell (around the filler neck is also crusty).

We got the engine and box out and gave it a quick power hose. So far so good.

In case anyone is wondering why it has LHD wipers, it is what is known as a Type 19. Essentially an earlier mk2 golf. It also has a Mk1 style steering wheel, indicator and wiper stalks and a slightly different front grille / back badges.

The interior is also really good, with the front seats out it looked like so:

Before we got much further we did a bit of garage re-jigging, swapping my 205 Rallye and the golf around (disappointed with myself in this). Also, that is a 'quick turnaround' impreza wrc ra project that I just can't get as enthusiastic about in the background. By this stage we had got to the 'ah **** it, we'll regret not cutting that out' stage that we hit with the BMW spookily close to 3 years ago so scuttle is going.

I don't think I mentioned, but this car was free. The TT was also pretty cheap so I am taking a 'treat yo self' approach and ordered a swap kit, hydraulic clutch conversion kit, fly by wire throttle conversion kit and other bits and bobs from Fabless Manufacturing in Canada. It really is nice stuff.

I also bought an 02J manual gearbox for this car, well two boxes, but anyway (the TT is quattro and dsg)!

 

[Ben P]

Nice!
Im wrecking my head trying to remember a past forum member that had a golf like that.

Was it Wingnut or something??

 

[cauld1]

As much as anything I'll be using this thread as a record of things done / parts bought etc.

We started on getting the interior out.

We also got the scuttle/bulkhead out.

Wheels - I have them bought. A good friend has a Mk2 Golf Fire and Ice with a 3.2 vr6 which is now turbod. He is going for 16 inch wheels next, so I bought his 17 inch compomotive THs off him, his car is below:

Originally the plan was to tidy the engine bay, change the engine and get it one the road, but, well, I just wouldn't be happy with the paint to be honest, so will be a full rebuild essentially. I am trying to talk myself out of a full interior job too, but that might come later, if at all!

If you haven't guessed, the engine bay is getting smoothed and as much of a wire tuck as possible is getting done. I want to run this static, i.e. coilovers, for a change, but we shall see! Hopefully have another update by the end of the weekend. Albeit a different engine, the below is the kind of level I'm going for:

Nice!
Im wrecking my head trying to remember a past forum member that had a golf like that.

Was it Wingnut or something??

Yep, that's the very one!

 

[Nazor]

I love this and it’s going to be awesome judging by the BMW but alas I shall not be happy until the 205 Rallye is been sorted. Have a word with yourself will ye!

 

[cauld1]

I love this and it’s going to be awesome judging by the BMW but alas I shall not be happy until the 205 Rallye is been sorted. Have a word with yourself will ye!

Ah Patrick, once I have someone arranged to do a cage for the 205 I can get that sorted handily enough . Not going to lie, the golf is a gift as it has all pretty much been done before to some extent unlike the BMW, and equally easy to work on. The 205, I'm trying to sharpen my French and Spanish still for it!

 

[big_pete]

Can’t wait to see what you do with this. Your e34 is my favourite build of all time, ever!

 

[cauld1]

Can’t wait to see what you do with this. Your e34 is my favourite build of all time, ever!

Thanks Pete. Plan is similar to the E34, i.e. same colour but modernised.

 

[clrrk]

Good to see you’re working on this finally, even if it does make me very sad that I sold my MK2 3.2 project

 

[southsky sunrise]

Subbed. I just know this is going to be epic

 

[Scherni]

Following this! Looks lovely!

MK2 golfs with the TH comps are beautiful!

 

[jimc]

love it, Th comps , i had planned a set for my Rallye but then sold it

 

[veedubnoodle]

Awesome!!! Can't wait to see more!

 

[natogreen16v]

Woo. Another car you won't need to bother painting the bonnet for

 

[ilovequo]

Very nice, even better that you got the base free!

 

[cauld1]

Good to see you’re working on this finally, even if it does make me very sad that I sold my MK2 3.2 project

Thanks Clark. It's still not getting my E28 done but sure!

Subbed. I just know this is going to be epic

Thanks!

Following this! Looks lovely!

MK2 golfs with the TH comps are beautiful!

Thanks! I hadn't originally planned on them but they came up at the right time so had to be done!

love it, Th comps , i had planned a set for my Rallye but then sold it

Thanks, love a rallye, they're getting to be very expensive now!

Awesome!!! Can't wait to see more!

Thanks!

Woo. Another car you won't need to bother painting the bonnet for

One better than that, currently don't even have a bonnet!

Very nice, even better that you got the base free!

Thanks! Yea, that definitely helps justify some of the spending!

 

[cauld1]

Windscreen removal did not go to plan.

But on the plus side all good in behind the seal bar a little bit of surface rust.

In behind the rear door cards is pretty good too on both sides.

Also took the rear side windows out, thankfully without breaking them! Again, happy with behind the seals.

My header tank arrived from fresh reflections. Debating whether to leave as is or paint it.

And some bonus shots of the less pretty parts to be sorted, could be a lot worse!

 

[natogreen16v]

I was gona say you've next to no rust to sort until I got to the last photo and wondered why it rotted there then I remembered the fire.

The car is in great condition otherwise. All the usual spots are sweet

 

[cormac81]

I was gona say you've next to no rust to sort until I got to the last photo and wondered why it rotted there then I remembered the fire.

The car is in great condition otherwise. All the usual spots are sweet

Mine has rust there too, it must be the lack of heatshield from the exhaust.

 

[natogreen16v]

@cormac81 I've never seen one go there. That's odd but makes sense without the shield

 

[cauld1]

I was gona say you've next to no rust to sort until I got to the last photo and wondered why it rotted there then I remembered the fire.

The car is in great condition otherwise. All the usual spots are sweet

Yea, shame about it, wee bit around the hole for the bonnet cable too. Struggling to find a repair panel for it, but may have access to a shell for cuts.

Tbh even the rear arch seems to be solid despite a fair chunk of surface rust. I think my cl which looked outwardly tidier probably wasnt as good as this aside from the bulkhead!

 

[cormac81]

@cormac81 I've never seen one go there. That's odd but makes sense without the shield

#typ19spec rust.

Such a great base for a project. Looking forward seeing how it progresses.

 

[Gambit]

Doesnt look too bad at all bar the bulkhead issue - look forward to seeing its progress

 

[TheDaniel]

This is gonna be a hell of a build judging by the BMW.

Looking forward to seeing the progress!

 

[cauld1]

Bit more progress this weekend.

Decided that in order to run the wheels I've bought at the height I want I'll need to run wider front wings, which I need to work out getting from Germany.

Due to this, ease of access down the line for wiring, to get at the back of some holes to be welded up and curiosity I took the passengers side wing off before closing up the garage this evening.

Not amazing but I'm happy that it'll be easy enough to sort. I can only imagine how most mk2s look here as you won't see it until it's very bad! Have also started into taking the audi apart to get at the engine, so if anyone needs bits (not engine, loom, steering wheel or brakes give me a shout).