Feb 3, 2005
Time to start a progress report on this methinks.
1992 phase 1 16v 3 door hatch....cost = £150
Another eBay bargain!
Car was bought with "power steering leak"...other than the odd bit of rust that was all that was discussed in the ad.
Leak coming from the rack area, haven't looked yet to see what exactly.
The drive home was a noisy one...lots of knocking and vibration. Ball joint or two definately gone. Heavy vibrations due to dead rear mount. Got thru 3 litres of PS fluid on the way home.
Bit of rust around the vent and rear arches, nothin to worry about.
The car is generally a bit neglected I feel, i.e. dirty interior, but I think its been standing around for a while. Drivers seats lots of rips.
Carpet in passenger footwell wet, could be a leak, could be matrix...that will be investigated.
Engine itself is pretty nice. Its got about 112K on the clock but sounds very smooth and quiet, be a shame to pull it out.
Initial pics:
The engine as it is now:
Didn't notice in the flesh but looks like coolant has erupted and got onto the airbox...
here u can see(just) the exhaust manifold right back practically touching the heatshield...
Here's the current tatty P1 interior
I got a MINT set of P2 cloth seats off jimbo, and I mean mint. Pics to follow
Also got a spare rack and pump off Jimbo.
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Been sat for a few days as when I get home from work it is getting dark so haven't done much...but decided tonight to get off my arse and do something...so I rigged up a floodlight on a stepladder so I could stick it wherever I want to work in the dark...perfect!
Decided to start doing the cheap/free things first until funds become available. So I wanted to remove all the interior and give it a good clean out.
Front seats - wanted to just undo the bolts from the underside to lift the whole assys out but as suggested they were pathetic...first came off OK but second was just a round blob of rust....the socket was just turning like a pencil sharpener on a pencil....so I didn't bother...
Took the seats off the rails from inside, leaving rails in place...this is fine as the new seats didnt come with the rails, just means I can't fully remove the carpet...no matter...
Got all seats out:
Boot carpet out:
Under carpet looks like rubble dust. Also found the odd bit of broken glass...maybe evidence of a break in once. Plus an ear ring and a couple of hairclips...obviously a girl has been in this car plenty of times.
I would like to get the front carpets out to dry them as they are quite wet up front but will have to leave I guess...will dry out sooner or later.
So next job I'll clean all the interior, hoover etc....not TOO fussed, just want it clean...feels a bit manky at the mo.
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Future plans?
Engine out....replace all knackered bits...i.e. balljoints, bushes whatever...rear mount. Engine can come out ASAP as that costs nothing and I can get on with cleaning engine bay etc.
New engine involving the btm end from the other project no doubt plus a head of some description TBA
Just get it as a nice, fast fun car...not going over board, I just want a nice hatch.
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