Picked this up in Feb for $650 for a project car for the wife. Finally brought it home yesterday to gut the disgusting fn carpet and interior and get the clutch swapped out.
I managed to get almost all of the interior out minus the door panels and dash (which will probably stay in anyway) and the trans yesterday after a really late start.
So far the car seems to be rust free minus the one big blister on the drivers rear quarter. I was pretty nervous about the rear floor and spare tire well as the top was less than water tight. However, I have yet to see any rust inside, phew.
After pulling the carpets and vacuuming up what wasnt stuck to the floor from all the fn pine sap. Im guessing there is still $1.53 in change stuck down there.
well its been in my buddies barn, which is a little damp, hence some of the green stuff. There are no really wet spots and no rust inside.
The car runs great. Its been parked since march when I got it. Yesterday I hopped in, turned it over for like 5 sec and it fired right up, didnt even need to charge the battery!
I actually drove it a mile to my house sitting on a brick and board with the top down hah.
dubbin91: Cheap is right up my alley. Let me know when you find them Ill take em for sure.
Ya, its gonna be a bit of work. The interior, aside from redying the seats, should be pretty simple. Ill probably do a nice system in this since its for my wife and she has been “systemless” for a few years now.
I want to pull the motor SO BAD, to get all that gunk out of hte engine compartment and clean up the motor some, but thatll just snowball into who knows what.
Long term Id like to strip this down to the unibody and get everything super sweet on it… but I need my barn built first
Didnt get much done last week as my wife was away and I was on monster watch for three days. I did manage to get the trans degreased and “desanded”. I swear someone smeared it in grease and rolled it in a sandbox. Its not perfect, but I can work on and touch it without getting filthy.
Then tonight I got the flywheel, clutch and pressure plate off. The damn clutch like “poured” out. All that on the floor is JUST from the clutch. Anyway, the clutch is pretty toasty it seems. I need to see about resurfacing the flywheel and/or just getting a lightened one.
I also managed to get the new rear main seal in, and the new pressure plate mounted and torqued. I still need to do the throwout bearing etc in the trans but I ran out of time.
vw clutches are so wierd. i remember seeing that when i did the clutch on a golf that i sold to a dude. his wife roasted it after i sold it to him so i went over and helped him change it.
If you do take the flywheel to get it machined, be absolutely sure that they machine the pressure plate contact surface(the small lip) the same amount as the clutch contact surface.
I love those cabriolets --first manual transmission car I ever drove Looks nice with the painted bumpers and fender/side trim. My buddies didn’t have that, but it was new enough (1991 I think) to have an airbag.
undeniably slow but so much fun to take through the revs driving around with the top down.
listens to “pink moon” by Nick Drake even though it’s from the commercial for the gen after that
I got the flywheel back last wed, just havent had time to put it in yet. Someone from a certain machine shop did it on the side for me for 55 bux. Not bad for a stepped flywheel with one pin.
Im hoping to get it back in soonish. Seems like every nite since I got it back has been crazy busy.
I did manage to get the shifter rebuild kit 95% installed. I just need to do the last two shoulder bushings under the shifter itself (probably once hte trans is all back in).
i remember seeing that when i did the clutch on a golf that i sold to a dude. his wife roasted it after i sold it to him so i went over and helped him change it.