I decided against putting round headlights on my car awhile ago. I still might go with a set of euro bumpers though because the endcaps are all broken and it is very hard to find them for sale. I also think I’m going to stick with the 1.8 8v in the car instead of swapping in a different engine (20v 1.8t). I still might add an old turbo kit to the car though.
I suddenly have an overwhelming urge to buy something german!
Also, sadly. me thinks Carnut1420 = 
^^^I'll have to stop by Gander Mountain to check stock. Maybe one's missing...
I have to agree. I read his post and immediately wondered if I could find a canoe on that site. I do have to say I'm quite honored he decided to start with my thread.
Oh and my favorite Ferrari is the Testarossa, and they are just as old.
Let us know how the shift kit works. It's one of many things on my Scirocco-to-do list.
I will. I hope to put it in when I do the clutch, but I don't know when that will be. I was going to install it the day after Christmas, but by the time I got the CSI airbox and coolant reservoir moved my hands were frozen and I put it back together.
Crewed for a guy in a 86 GTI...
For some reason I want me one.. Or a MkI... or something...
Nice car. I met Scott Williams from USRT a few years ago. He's a great guy and I'd buy his stuff anytime. He also drives a really nice 2.5RS subie. He's in SE PA so he's local.
I would highly recommend a Mk1 GTI. It is just a great car. You get a car that looks like some old beat 80's car and nobody gives you a second look, but is also fairly quick. It isn't fast but it is quick. It is the opposite of the Ghia, where everybody see it and thinks it is fast, but it is actually very slow. I can drive a Miata any day I would like, but I would rather drive this.
Here is a picture of it today. I know that is hardly any snow, but I still like the picture. This car is great in snow with the snow tires.
Today I got a present to myself in the mail. Everything in the GTI’s interior is in great condition except for the drivers side seat bottom. The left bolster and the seat bottom are both torn and I had just kept the towel covering the seat from when I bought it. Today I got perfect blue GTI seat upholstery and cushions to repair the bad parts on my seat with.
ratghia wrote:
Sweeeet.
I got the new upholstery in the car a week ago, but with the snow and everything else I have going on I never got any pictures taken. I also didn't remember to take pictures while recovering the seat. I haven't been able to do any work on the car in the past few weeks. It has just been to cold. I now just have boxes of parts sitting in my room sitting for me to work on the car. I also have more coming.
I just ordered a lot of maintenance parts for the car. I have had a small coolant leak that I haven’t been able to find a source of so I am just redoing everything. I ordered a new water pump and all new radiator hoses as a start. I also got a g60 valve cover gasket kit to stop the small oil leak where the rubber piece and the cork come together. I also ordered a timing belt kit for the car, and new front rotors along with hawk hp+ pads.
The odometer just stopped working today when it went to roll over a 99.9 today. I think it was just the plastic gear breaking. I am going to pull the cluster from my 1977 parts car to get the gear to fix it. I am also going to pull the rest of the parts off the parts car I need to do a proper a/c delete. I also want to redo the suspension on the car. The po installed some cheap struts on the car and they need to be replaced. I also might do some sport springs and chassis braces
Please ignore the dirty floor mats.
Great car- I used to have one!
FYI, those generation Bunnies were recalled because of the radio antenna. They ended to leak, and the water would drip on the fuseblock. They were known for starting all by themselves after the water shorted out the fuses and driving down the street without a driver. 
Make sure to check the gasket. Nothing a little silicone can't fix. I made a little cover for my fuseblock, just in case.
A/C delete? Why?
The number one reason I get from people selling their "project" DDs is that they are a pain to live with. After I put the A/C back in my Dad's Miata and tossed the stupid low suspension it was a joy to drive.
You may save a few pounds, but you'll kill the originality and livability.
It doesn't have a/c now. I meant to say convert it to a more proper a/c delete. The po pulled the compressor and lines but left all the vents and the big bracket for the compressor. I am just going to put in the cubby hole panel in the dash where the vents are now and use the alternator brackets from a non-a/c car so I can get rid of the big compressor carriage. I was going to put a/c back in the car at first but I didn’t mind not having it last summer because it has a sunroof.
I just got done replacing the water pump in the GTI. I had previously taken one off of a 1977 Rabbit and was hoping it would be just as easy. It wasn't. On a 1977 with no a/c you undo the 4 water pump bolts and it comes out. On my GTI with the a/c brackets with not compressor the water pump is buried behind everything they could fit in front of it.
When I finally got done I found that the car was still leaking coolant. I figured it was a lose hose and checked them all for tightness. It turns out that they complete water pump I bought didn't have the thermostat cover seal seated correctly or tightened down. I had to drain the coolant and pull the cover to fix the seal. I found that the thermostat was 90°c instead of the stock 78°c. I changed the thermostat in the pump with the original and put everything back together. After taking the car on several shakedown runs I haven't been able to find any new leaks.
This weekend I want to get the azenis back on the car and do the brakes. I have my first autocross on the 28th and I want to have the car ready for it.
Sounds good, rg. And having problems when buying a "complete assembly" over the counter isn't exactly rare, even though it's cheaper than buying the parts separately.
I've discovered this the hard way, since so many VW A2 parts are made in China these days.
Not mine, but just in case someone is interested:
In reply to ratghia:
Now I want MK I GTI
Aaron, Ryan and I took the GTI to NTB in York today for a front wheel alignment. Great guys there who are not afraid to work with enthusiasts. Its getting harder to find a shop that will align to your specs and let you sit in the car while they do the work. These guys were top notch!
I think after we pick up my MINI tomorrow night we are going back to Aaron's house and putting the Azenis back on the car.
I have only driven the car a little since the alignment was done but it does seem that having negative camber instead of positive and toe out instead of in has done wonders for the handling.
ratghia wrote: I have only driven the car a little since the alignment was done but it does seem that having negative camber instead of positive and toe out instead of in has done wonders for the handling.
RG, if that post doesn't show up in the magazine, I'm going to really hate sending in my renewal. 
Today I had my first autocross. The instructor I was with told me that I was on the correct line and not doing anything wrong and that I just needed some experience. I ended up taking 3rd out of 6 in my class. When I rode along with him it seemed that even though he wasn’t pushing the car as fast as he could have that it was way faster then I could go. I ended up with my final run being 2 seconds faster then that.
ratghia wrote: Today I had my first autocross. The instructor I was with told me that I was on the correct line and not doing anything wrong and that I just needed some experience. I ended up taking 3rd out of 6 in my class. When I rode along with him it seemed that even though he wasn’t pushing the car as fast as he could have that it was way faster then I could go. I ended up with my final run being 2 seconds faster then that.
That is how you begin. Nothing beats seat time. Doesn't matter what you drive, just get in the chair as much as you can.
And don't worry about winning stuff. Compete against yourself. If you come in two seconds behind someone in one event, and then only one second in the next, you're making progress.
You still got beat by a guy in an Escape... LOL Just teasing. You did a great job yesterday Aaron! I am VERY proud!
Per Schroeder wrote: Yep. typical FWD cornering trait. The flipside is that rear/mid-engined cars will lift the inside front. Nice looking car—I guess that makes me old, as I'm too am getting nostalgic for a Rabbit. Ahhh...... High School. I want to break out a NOS "Rabbit Injection" emblem I have.
My M3 (e36) airs the inside front regularly...
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