The past week in Car repair

[Calimus]

Here's an example of how they should fit. This isn't the mother of examples, but it should look like something in this fashion.

[gull]

That fits way nicer than mine.

[bbrown]

That fits way nicer than mine.

Agreed.

[Calimus]

I won't lie. We were very lucky when we found the crabby cabby and Kuklaki has done a remarkable job finding all kinds of crap for me to fix. Unfortunately, she currently just sits in the garage as the top has gotten so brittle that putting it up or down causes new cracks. Until I can find gainful employment again, she's a garage ornament

But then, it's not like we don't have a host of other toys to enjoy. I'm really itching to start the next part of Crabby's evolution. I have the 1.8l 16v from my rocco that I'm going to rebuilt and then toss that in. Should give Crabby all the power she needs and I'm going to put some new suspension under her as well. She sits nice, but she needs to go a bit lower. Oh an not to mention the new top, and then a paint job. Once all that's done, I think that will be it.

damnit, I need a job

[kamzcab86]

I am primarily concerned with the way that the top doesn't fit into the "shoulder pads" as seen here

That boot is definitely an '80-'81 boot. To look "right", you'll want to get an '82-'89 boot.

The color keyed bumpers were just a way to mask the flawed chrome dipped/sprayed bumpers. I noticed this because my rear bumper had spotty chrome platting, but my front bumper appeared to have only a few minor flaws once I stripped the paint and primer.

The bumpers from '82 to '87 were "bright aluminum" ('80-'81 cars got true chrome); same goes with all the other trim bits on the exterior. The exceptions: the grille emblem, which was chrome-plated; the side trim centers and the rocker panel trim, which were polished aluminum (gives the appearance of shiny chrome, but gets dull over time).

[Briano1234]

Stumbling idle.

Clean the corrosion off he pins on the ECU and clean the grounds.
The all Sender didn't have a keeper on the connector. DOH how could I have missed that.

[bbrown]

That boot is definitely an '80-'81 boot. To look "right", you'll want to get an '82-'89 boot.

That's what I was concerned with. I guess I am back in the market for an '82-'91 black boot...

The bumpers from '82 to '87 were "bright aluminum" ('80-'81 cars got true chrome); same goes with all the other trim bits on the exterior. The exceptions: the grille emblem, which was chrome-plated; the side trim centers and the rocker panel trim, which were polished aluminum (gives the appearance of shiny chrome, but gets dull over time).

My front bumper definitely had chrome plating on it. Maybe it wasn't original, but trust the guy who had to sand it off. Thanks for the advice and info. I hope this SteakSauce guy doesn't make his way over to this forum. I can't stand the Tex drama at times. Thanks y'all for being so down to earth and mature over here.

[Briano1234]

I hope this SteakSauce guy doesn't make his way over to this forum. I can't stand the Tex drama at times.

First I have never ever liked A1 it is the k-mart of sauces, how such a bland evil tasting goo ever be put on a quality piece of meat.
With that said, who the hell are you calling mature, You saying I am old or something? Dem's Fighting words.

[kamzcab86]

Forgot to say in my previous post: Nice work on the bumpers. Painting them black makes them look a little more Euro.

I hope this SteakSauce guy doesn't make his way over to this forum.

That moron couldn't find his way here even if he was provided a direct link.

[Briano1234]

Well, Blue cabby had a stumbling idle.
Decided that I needed to clean a few things.
Took the connector off the Digifant ECU and removed it and the Hall Sender from the bracket, cleaned the grounding points.
Found corrosion on 4 of the Digifant pins, cleaned them, Cleaned the connector, then noticed that the Hall Senders clip was missing so it was never really tight to the
plug. Put it all back together and presto it isn't stumbling any more.

Green Cabby had a floating ground. When you turned on the lights the Turn signals would blink once every 20 seconds.
If you put on the brake lights, the turns would turn on.
If you turned on the lights and Key on, the running lights would work, but the turns would just glow.
If you turned on the flashers, the brake lights would alternate blinking with the side markers.
The Hi-Stops quite working.

Okay
Take the Drivers side bulb assembly out, and cleaned all the bulb sockets bulbs and connectors. Still did it.
Take the passenger side out and do the same with the same result.
Take a Jumper cable and Jump frame ground to the driver side, and all is well.

Take a 12 gauge wire strip it and add a connector and attach it to the spare grounding point.
Strip 6 inches of wire off, twist it, and loosen the bumper bolt and wrap it there.

Frigging POS HONDER of the daughters, brake lights on all the time.
After changing all the bulbs to make sure they are clean, Found that there is a rubber button on the brake pedal, that
was missing, this hole was big enough to allow no connection to the pedal so the brakes were on always.
Take a 10mm bolt use it in place of the button nut the back and JB-Weld that sucker.
Did the same for the clutch pedal switch that operates the cruise control.

Electrical issues seemed to be the common thing this week.

[CalAltaDubber]

This will not beat me!!!

I went to replace the rear shocks in the project car. No problem the nut came off the attachng bolt at the bottom of the shock rather easily.

But that was where it stopped being easy! the lower bolts on both sides were seized. Not at the bolt head but inside the shock itself.

The bigger hammers didn't work and sought advise (most of which was useless.

Finally I determined that I could fit a hack saw blade between the shock and the mounting point.

The result was cutting the bolts on either side of the shock with the blade (no handle just the blade).

So far the job that should have taken me a weekend to do is now into its fourth week.

[Briano1234]

This will not beat me!!!

I went to replace the rear shocks in the project car. No problem the nut came off the attachng bolt at the bottom of the shock rather easily.

But that was where it stopped being easy! the lower bolts on both sides were seized. Not at the bolt head but inside the shock itself.

The bigger hammers didn't work and sought advise (most of which was useless.

Finally I determined that I could fit a hack saw blade between the shock and the mounting point.

The result was cutting the bolts on either side of the shock with the blade (no handle just the blade).

So far the job that should have taken me a weekend to do is now into its fourth week.

Welcome to dub hood, a sawzall or a torch makes that a enjoyable job.
Mummify the replacement with teflon tape and never-seize


You will never have to cut it out again, and I speak with 30 years of hate for those.

gotta love Mr Torch at times like that.

[eric4321]

Well I just got done flushing the cooling systems on the GMC and Cabby. Why could VW not put a drain petcock on the radiator???? Phil I feel your pain. I bought my 81 Rabbit thinking I would have it fixed in a week or 2 and it has ben 2 years. On the bright side though that is what made me enter the world of the MK1 VW.

[Briano1234]

Well I just got done flushing the cooling systems on the GMC and Cabby. Why could VW not put a drain petcock on the radiator????

I had one put on my diesel dub when I replaced the radiator, and it was basically useless as the lower radiator hose was lower then the radiator

[CalAltaDubber]

Well Phil I feel your pain. I bought my 81 Rabbit thinking I would have it fixed in a week or 2 and it has ben 2 years. On the bright side though that is what made me enter the world of the MK1 VW.

Oh I jinda expected some problems with this project. It had been pretty streight forward until I got to the suspension. Then it seemd everything had to give me a hard time. But that's what happens when you try to restore old cars.

Latest fun (if you can call it that) I was installing the drive axels, on the passenger side, I was manipulating the end with the inner CV joint. I must have moved it too far and one of the ball bearings fell out and the cage came out in my hand. ARG!! Got that put back together and installed, so I went to install the one on the driver's side.

This time I get the whole thing mounted and I am starting to tighten the screws when I notice the boot on the inner CV joint has pulled out of the flange. After a few choice words, I removed the axle. Would you believe it is cheaper to purchase a complete axle assembly than just the inner CV boot?

I guess I now have a spare to play with and put together.

On the lighter side, It will be running this week end