Black 85 Golf 2 door

[srgtlord]

Heres a few snapshots of a fairly clean 1985 golf shell I picked up recently. It spent almost its entire life in Virginia. For 200,000 miles on the clock it only had one real rust hole where the battery tray used to be so I welded in a new panel It came with a set of KW coilovers and recaro interior. Ill post more pics as this project progresses.



 

[srgtlord]

Aaaand done! Well almost




The engine is the 1.6 NA from my 87 golf that rotted out. There were a few other oddball parts that I swapped from the donor vehicle as well. I removed the coilovers and put a set of Bilstein HD struts on all the way around with Moog Cargo springs. This was done in hopes of having the suspension last longer than 2 years and to drive the car through the winters of New England.

 I removed the 2 1/4 inch exhaust due to the fear of the clamps coming loose while driving down the road and replaced it with the Bosal exhaust system I had on the Donor vehicle for 4 years.

 I wired the glowplug system into the Gas fusebox so I could heat the glowplugs exactly like the stock diesel Golf.  ANd I went a little crazy and converted the VDO gas tachometer to a Diesel Tachometer. I still need to calibrate it though as it shows 2000 rpm's at idle.

There was a little wobble from the tires when I first drove it but that must have been from the flat spots that developed from the car sitting for almost 3 years in total between the previous owner and when I owned it. The car probably needs a front end alignment and I know it needs me to install the front sway bar.(The previous owner removed it so he could get maximum lowering....)  Other than the small nit picky things like the windsheild wipers that were installed crooked by the previous owner and the very slight rust around the rear quarter glass and the need for a new paint job other than the black spray paint that it currently sports now Im happy with it.

[vwroadkill]

need any parts... I am breaking down a rust bucket mk2 jetta...

[srgtlord]

vwroadkill, Im all set in the parts department as I still have the rotted out golf donor shell  

Ill list some slight issues Ive had with the vehicle since Ive been driving it. The windshield wipers were stripped from the linkage. So instead of replacing the assembly like I should have I just tack welded those suckers on    I recently wired up the reverse lights as the 85 wiring harness had the large 8 prong plug and my transmission had the 2 prong plug.

 I had more lighting issues when the marker/blinker stop working due to water buildup is the lens....No amount of di-electric grease could have prevented this. I ended up fixing the issue with a new bulb.

Now a new issue with the headlights. The previous owner wired up the headlights backwards so when the "highbeams"  are suppose to be on the "low beams" are on. This worked fine until one day the low beams (which are actually the highbeams) stopped working. Im guessing either corrosion/melted/loose wire at this point. Ill find out this weekend.

[srgtlord]

Turns out the low beam 10amp fuse melted instead of blowing...Still no voltage the fusebox.... Time to chase wires...

[srgtlord]

So after quite a few years of the serpentine on 3 bolts and 2 brackets later Im switching to a v-belt setup from an mk-1. The serpentine bracket has become unobtainium even from the dealer. So $150 and 3 hours later I have the complete non/ac setup from an mk1. I may have to switch to a 40mm hub if I dont have the proper waterpump pulley...

[srgtlord]

What a living nightmare. The place I went to in Hudson Ma had a complete setup from one of the early 1.6 engines. My engine lacked a crucial mounting point for the bracket. Also the waterpump pulley was for a 40mm pump and my pump is 30mm. I ended up grabbing the bracket from my cousin's caddy pickup thats been sitting for 6 years in a field. I also happened to dig out a waterpump pulley that was 30mm and the correct offset. So between The junkyard in Hudson; my cousin's truck ; and the pile of vw parts that came with my red vw 7 years ago; I pieced together  a setup that appears to be working. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

[srgtlord]

3 years and 100,000 miles later still going strong

[srgtlord]

-1 degree Fahrenheit the other day. Managed to get the beast started


https://youtu.be/-4mCQfipHpA

[srgtlord]

Well almost 5 years later and Im still driving the Golf. Im splitting the miles on my 50 mile commute between the Golf and a 1990 Cutlass supreme when the Golf is broken

Recently I drove my sister's 2010 honda fit on the highway and noticed the wind wanted to blow it off the road. My 34 year old Golf does not have this issue. Guess they do not test new economy cars in wind tunnels anymore

[srgtlord]

Well Ive been driving the car less this year due to various issue. Replaced the headgasket, timing belt, alternator, delivery valves, injectors and injector lines. At nearly 400,000 miles the exhaust snapped in half at the end of my 47 mile commute to work. Time to break out the mig welder again

[ORCoaster]

What is with the welder?  What happened to tin cans and bailing wire with a touch of muffler tape thrown on for good measure?

[srgtlord]

If I could get away with it I would. The problem is the entire downpipe rotted out at the seems on the entire length then broke free. I figure while the whole thing is apart Im putting a resonator so highway speeds will be bearable without going deaf.

[ORCoaster]

I agree with the resonator.  I tried a Rabbit without one for a time driving 4.5 hrs on the highway commute and was deaf from the drumming in the ears by the end of the ride.  Put on the extra piece and was never sad I did that.

[bluehues84]

Not bad for its age.