Alex's Rabbit Project: Take-Two

[bmxguy]

I read about the stuff going on with the painter on BG. Hope that all gets resolved. That color is going to awesome.

[aeffertz]

sanded and respray? why what happened?
you talking about the bay paint ? it does look very rough but i just thought that was cause you took the pics with a cell phone or something

Yes, the bay. If you look back through a few pics, I sprayed it with a high build primer and it ended up like textured (found out I used too small of a tip for that kind of primer). But anyways, it really needed to be sanded and another coat of primer sprayed before any paint. But I don't think he did any of that as you can tell from the cell phone shot that it looks rough.

I read about the stuff going on with the painter on BG. Hope that all gets resolved. That color is going to awesome.

I love the color! Still haven't seem it in person, but it looks exactly as I hoped. I talked to him about the paint the other day and he said he probably shouldn't have even sprayed the bay, but he wanted to see what he was working with (whatever that means). He said it's going to get sanded down, primed and painted so hopefully it turns out. Like I said on there, he seems like good guy so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now and we'll see what it looks like when it's finished.

[aeffertz]

More updates.







Also got another NOS headlight bucket in the mail the other day, too. I like chrome.

[speed4568]

looking good

[Esevw]

Car is looking good, keep up the good work. I'm also in the same boat as you, I'm currently painting my gti too.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2

[sk8ordie]

[aeffertz]

So got a few things done today once I go back from work.

Picked up some new hardware for all the motor accessories and new bolts for the new oil pump.


Started bolting on the new Shorty pan, but the hardware store didn't have enough to finish the job, so I'll have to wait until they get some more in stock...


Slapped on a new oil deflector. It just rests on the studs, right?


Installed new tie rods and tie rod ends on the early steering rack, as well as new boots and bushings.


Started bolting some accessories onto the motor. I think the colors go well together and everything should look pretty sweet in the bay.


I have a possible location for the ignition coil figured out, just depends on how close it will be to the header.



Should clear the header. I think I will also make a rubber washer for it to help with some vibrations and I will also wrap the coil with some heat shield tape. We'll see how it works.

And I just cleaned some other parts that have been neglected, but haven't taken any pictures yet. That's it for now, though. The painter told me all the body work is finished. So I'm thinking it's getting primed tonight.

As always, thanks for looking!

[sk8ordie]

some business heading your way.

[rabbidmk1]

Looking great! Making me feel like a slacker on mine...

[d-bot]

oh that looks like OEM material used in cabbies.

Because we used the OEM fabric AND thread used in pretty much all Mk1s that came with the white headliner. They all used the same same material he has. The only different ones were the colored headliners, such as the red ones, that used different vinyl from the factory.

[aeffertz]

Good to know.

So I'm sure you guys have figured out that the paint wasn't finished by last weekend. Needed a few more days, which I wasn't too worried about. Was kinda skeptical of him finishing it in under two weeks. Said it's going to be done for sure when I'm home next (next weekend).

So I'm just ordering more and more parts. I'm going to be order all the brake parts soon and have a question. I've read on here that ATS Classics will need a spacer up front to clear the caliper. I'm running the 7" wheels and really don't want the front to poke anymore than it already does. Are the earlier calipers smaller than the later years? Is switching from one to the other an option? Or will I have a little grinding in my future?

Any info is always appreciated, thanks!

[BROsiah]

the trick i did to get more room to run a bigger lip on my wheels was
i run solid rotors but use GTI vented pads because they are thinner so from the mounting pad on the hub to the caliper is only like 15mm need to clear (my car is a 77 but i use later style 80 calipers BTW)

[rabbidmk1]

Excited for updates

[aeffertz]

You and me both! Still at the painters, apparently not getting the rest painted until Monday. So I'll have to wait another two weeks because I'll be gone for work...

Couple more progress pictures.







I got some parts in, more shiny..


New MK1 Autohaus fuel lines. These are nice!


I've done some parts cleaning too, but nothing worth posting yet. So that's it for now. Couple more weeks and I should have it back in my garage.

Thanks for looking!

[aeffertz]

Got a few more things accomplished today.

Got a few parts in the mail, so I could bolt some more parts on. I swapped the coolant flange with an earlier one to get rid of the thermo-switch.


Clutch kit is suppose to show up tomorrow so I wanted to put that on so it's ready, but couldn't do it on the engine stand. So I made a little crate for the motor to sit on. Works perfectly!



A lightened flywheel I bought of off here showed up a week ago and I had it sent straight to the machine shop while I was at work. Got it resurfaced and it's good to go except...


Can you spot the difference? The flywheel I bought was said to be a 190mm, however I'm pretty sure this is a 210mm. Dammit.



So, I have a 190mm clutch kit showing up tomorrow that's useless now. Can I use a 210mm clutch with the 4 speed which was originally a 190mm? God, I hate it when shit isn't advertised correctly on here. Although it is partially my fault because I didn't look at the pictures close enough, please know what you're selling if you sell something on here.

Another question, I'm going to need to switch out the speedometer cable with one that doesn't run into the EGR box thing. I always thoguht there was just a bolt that held it in, but on here there's something else. Anyone familiar with it? I put a vise on it but nothing really happened...


Thanks in advance for any help, I'm off to search for some info on the clutch...

[Mk1 fa'days]

The clutch cable is held in by a phillips head screw, yours is stripped

[aeffertz]

Okay, so that is a screw. I'll get that fucker out one way or another!

[2mAn]

Can I use a 210mm clutch with the 4 speed which was originally a 190mm?

yes, its super close, but it fits. Ive got a 210mm setup on my 4 speed

[benjaminobscene]

The clutch cable is held in by a phillips head screw, yours is stripped

Yup, I replaced mine with a hex bolt of the same size. Here's a 1 piece speedo cable for early screw on clusters: http://www.rsjparts.com/catalog/prod...af52e752342f66

[aeffertz]

Yep, already have one on the way. Thanks, though!

[Esevw]

]

Everything is looking awesome bro, just curious about the picture above... isn't that the rear transmission motor mount bracket bolted on the front of the block? Right in between the water pump and the fuel pressure regulator and under the head coolant flange.

[aeffertz]

You're totally right. I was just slapping some parts on to see how they looked, and couldn't remember what that was for, so I just assumed it was an alternator brace or something since the holes lined up correctly. Took a closer look at it today and realized that wasn't the correct part...

This looks better...


Cleaned up some more parts. Here's some before and after shots of the lower airbox.






Forgot to take a before shot of the pedal cluster, but it wasn't too bad anyways. Fresh coat of paint and new rubber pads.


Then the UPS guy showed up and drop off an order from TT. I ordered a short shift kit and weighted shift rod, as well as some new exhaust manifold studs and nuts and the shift boot/cap for the underside of the car.


Next up I decided to bolt up the intake and header. Didn't go as smooth as I had hoped. First thing, I don't know why the gasket had this extra loop in it. So I just cut it out.


Small inconvenience. So I get the intake on and screw in the new exhaust studs. I try to put the header on but it doesn't quite fit. It hits the intake on both sides...



So, pull the exhaust off, pull the intake off and bust out the grinder to make some clearance.



There we go, much better.




I got some other parts partially cleaned, but they're not finished so I won't post them yet. And to end the day, I got some more pictures from the paint guy. Almost there!





More parts just ordered and on the way for a very busy weekend coming up. See you in two weeks!

[Mean 'n Green86]

great build. following this one

[aeffertz]

Friday can't come soon enough!

[rabbitnothopper]

]

Everything is looking awesome bro, just curious about the picture above... isn't that the rear transmission motor mount bracket bolted on the front of the block? Right in between the water pump and the fuel pressure regulator and under the head coolant flange.

...was going to ask the same thing
wtf? transmission mount bracket? OK...

[aeffertz]

...was going to ask the same thing
wtf? transmission mount bracket? OK...

I know these are some pretty pictures, but there are also words to go along with them.

You're totally right. I was just slapping some parts on to see how they looked, and couldn't remember what that was for, so I just assumed it was an alternator brace or something since the holes lined up correctly. Took a closer look at it today and realized that wasn't the correct part...

This looks better...

Cut me a little slack, this is practically my first MKI and it's been apart for over two years now!

[rabbitnothopper]

hehe yes i read your reply too

[Esevw]

I know these are some pretty pictures, but there are also words to go along with them.



Cut me a little slack, this is practically my first MKI and it's been apart for over two years now!

It's all good bro, just wanted to help you out lol.

[aeffertz]

No worries.

Well apparently Christmas was early this year again...


WHAT'S IN DA BOX?! I'm not going to list everything, but I'm really sticking to replacing/refurbing every part on the car.


This week was a BUNCH of new parts from AutohausAZ, MK1 Autohaus, the Potters, Powerhaus, Summit Racing and a couple members off here in hopes to have the engine running before I leave for work next week. Although I'm still waiting for my flywheel to get finished. If it doesn't get shipped out tomorrow then I won't be able to get it running this weekend. I'm crossing my fingers.

[aeffertz]

Well, the painter didn't quite get it wrapped up today.

I was still productive, though. Got a new rear oil seal put in and cleaned up/installed the dust shield.


Started installing the clutch, but I got word today the flywheel won't be finished until next Tuesday.
Never replaced a clutch before, but I think everything seems right. How's it look? There's not a transmission brace bolted on there or anything, right?


Resprayed the heater flange blockoff I got off another member on here to match everything else and got it installed.


Cleaned up the ported throttle body from scientific rabbit.


Cleaned up the Aux Air Valve bits and throttle body boot and mounted it with new hardware and silicone hoses from MK1 Autohaus.


Swapped out the outer part of the water pump to get the pulley to line up with the rest. Also cleaned up a couple more parts and was able to install the alternator and belt.


Started working on the whole shift linkage setup. Cleaned up the shifting rod.



Starting installing the linkage bits, but quickly realized I was missing a few parts...


Good news is I found what I needed, the bad news is that they looked like this...


One of the boots was trashed, but the others cleaned up very well. Who says you can't use a rubber more than once?!


Apparently everything is sprayed and ready to go now. So we'll see if it shows up tomorrow or not. See ya' tomorrow!

[Esevw]

Pressure plate for the clutch looks good. Did you torque down the bolts that connect it to the crank? And what kind of paint did you used to paint your motor mount, the black? I like how that black turned out.

[rabbitnothopper]

great. pics man. love the fresh look to all of the components

[aeffertz]

Thanks guys! I did torque down the pressure plate bolts. I'm glad you like the paint, I like to call it poor mans powder coat. It's just flat black Rustoleum.

And for now, I'll leave you guys this.

[lilrabbitGTi95]

oh its beautiful. It's not even my car, but I've waited SO long to see such a thing.

[Esevw]

Thanks guys! I did torque down the pressure plate bolts. I'm glad you like the paint, I like to call it poor mans powder coat. It's just flat black Rustoleum.

Heh, I think everyone who has a rabbit project is pretty close to being poor lol. I'm going to try that paint for my mounts, thanks.