#1: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:00 am ---- Hey!
Have been on the site for a while asking questions and buying some bits and pieces, so thought I would share the progression of my project.
The car was bought in 2010, a 2002 138 GTI. Given that it was a 8 year old car at the time it was in pretty good condition.
The initial impression:
The back window wiper was gone, there was just a rusty bolt sticking out, some damage to the passenger side door, some deep scratches. The wrong hockey team sticker on the small side window and some protective plastic on the side, just below the door trim that had started to peel off. (seen in the pic by a line) But overall not bad. The interior just needed some cleaning and an airfreshner, given the previous owner was a smoker.
The test drive:
The cars steering wheel was a bit heavier than in my previous car, especially when going slow, you needed to work a bit harder, but suppose something you need to get use to. The ride was firm and an absolute joy in the corners. The engine seemed to be a bit lazy coming out of the lower rpm ranges, but once over 3k, it was a blast In contrast my previous car was a Opel (Vauxhall) Astra 1999 2.0L Sport. Only mod was the front grill and a K&N intake. The Astra felt more responsive already in the low revs, so though this would be due to the intake.
The pictures at hand are the car with its winterrims and tires.
So sealed the deal and took my new baby home.
Last edited by Scusbucked on Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:06 am; edited 1 time in total
#2: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:05 am ---- After driving around for a while and getting use to the car, I wanted to look into some mods. Plans were to keep the car rather original and just do some minor mods, but due to a failing clutch the money was then spent on repairs.
During 2010 I accomplished the following:
- back windows tinted
- hockey team sticker removed
- K&N Typhoon intake
- Griffith quickshift
Only have a pic of the intake unfortunately, including a dirty engine bay
Last edited by Scusbucked on Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:19 am; edited 1 time in total
#3: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:17 am ---- Then came 2011 and the initial plan of only minor modification was rather quickly scrapped
Accomplished:
- Denso iridium plugs
- Dectane angel eyes
- Dectane rear led lights
- Bonet airscoop
- Sportex back box
- honeycomb grille ph2
- ph2 boot trim
- boot silenced
- spare wheel removed
- 25mm lowering with Eibach springs
- Laguna splitter
- ph2 tweeters, did not have any initially?
- driver side door panel exchanged, no more cigarette burns
- ashtray replaced for a cupholder
Pictures from fall 2011
Here some pictures of the car now (March 2012):
Last edited by Scusbucked on Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:52 am; edited 3 times in total
#4: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: DJ-, Location: UKPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:19 am ---- Nice. Are them headlamp washers all fitted and functional there?
EDIT: just realised you are from Finland so I guess they will be
#5: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:27 am ---- Update 2011 November
Here in Finland it gets rather dark during the fall/winter, so one gets weird ideas... Washing your summer tires in a bathtub for example
Get the tires from the storage/basement
Put them into your tub
Give them a good rub down
Set them to dry
And put some wax on them to hybernate over the winter months
After this your bathtub will look something like this
Now fill up the tub up to about 1/3, put in some backing soda, let it sit for a while and scrub a bit where necessary. No one will ever know
Last edited by Scusbucked on Sun Apr 01, 2012 6:55 am; edited 1 time in total
#6: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:29 am ----
DJ- wrote:
Nice. Are them headlamp washers all fitted and functional there?
EDIT: just realised you are from Finland so I guess they will be
Yeah, the washers are rather standard here, but could look into removing them
#7: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:43 am ---- Update February 2012
Darkness filles the land and ideas just keep on coming
For some time now I have been annoyed by my interior, especially my console. After doing some research and watching clips on youtube on how to spray my cars interior I am ready to give it a go
As I forgot to take a picture on how things looked prior, here a rip off and note for me that steering wheel is on the wrong side
Dismanteling thanks to some great how to guides
Parts getting their bath
Cleaned and sanded
The DIY spray-booth, made from my walk in closet
An the end product
#8: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:52 am ---- Update March 2012
The scoops where also painted along with the interior, how ever I chose to go with a semi-gloss black vs the high gloss used in the interior. The colour reminds me more of the bumber colour, i.e. the bits that are not in the chassi colour. So will most likely give that another spray over. Initially the colour was a carbonfiber look and had a few scratches on it, so hence the idea to repaint it.
Pictures taken after the parts were cleaned and sanded.
#9: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:57 am ---- Given that I use spikes on my tires during the winter the noise level on the highway can be very loud, especially over 120km/h. One could argue to just stay within the limit of 100km/h and I should be fine
But decided to give the doors some much needed silent proofing.
In the end I only used up one box for both doors, so just went back to the shop and got reimbursed
#10: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: drunknmunky, Location: Blackburn and CatterickPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 6:27 am ----
Scusbucked wrote:
DJ- wrote:
Nice. Are them headlamp washers all fitted and functional there?
EDIT: just realised you are from Finland so I guess they will be
Yeah, the washers are rather standard here, but could look into removing them
why remove them there awesome im in the process of fitting mine
#11: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 6:29 am ---- Now to replace the plastic grill under the bonet, which can only be described as worn or even toothless
Here old vs new(or new used part)
Now fitting it to the car, with and without pics
The grilles are not installed at this point, just to see the difference.
Also not sure whether to shoot them in black.
And here the finished installation
#12: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 6:49 am ---- Still to come for this year are:
- finishing cat-back exhaust
- debadgeing the car
- repainting the scoop
- touching up interior leather where worn with vinylspray
- painting brake calibers, rusty and show from behind rims
- led license plate lamps
Maintenance:
- wishbones
- brakes
Overall I like to keep the car "clean" looking. Its my daily drive, which I use also to visit customers, so do not want to go overboard and would not be my style
Engine wise I will need to do something... open to suggestions Looking for mods to increase torque.
Perhaps getting a manifold? 180 GTI throttle body? 2.2L inlet manifold?
#13: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Necro, Location: BedfordshirePosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 8:30 am ---- Looking good mate
#14: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Edward, Location: In the garagePosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 10:30 am ----
2.2 inlet is too long and hits the oil filter fitting. Also touches the radiator too.
#15: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 10:33 am ---- Ty, Edward. You got a nice ride b.t.w. not looking to go that hard core though
#16: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 12:14 pm ---- On the other hand found this on the glorious www
#17: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 10:42 am ---- April is here and brought in snow, as if there wasn't enough already this year. Although my car is not the lowest (I can fit the tip of my shoe under the splitter) it can be challenging in these conditions
Yes, that green plug is there to keep my baby warm during cold nights
#18: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 10:10 am ---- Over the easter weekend came around to tackle the debadge and to do some touch up painting on the scoop and some interior.
The debadge worked like a charm with the how to guide
The badge is still there, along with a dirty car
The trick with loads of water and the hairdryer. Used water that was mixed with dishwash detergant, but the easiest way was really to heat up the glue that remained on the car once the badge was removed and just pull it off.
And the end result
Will put some more pics up once the weather is better and can get the car washed properly. No use doing it now, as it will look within days the same.
#19: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 10:17 am ---- Found it weird, that the scoop that I sprayed went a bit bad after the first time I got it washed. Had done 3 coats of primer, 4 coats of colour and 4 coats of lacker and still this result
So did some touch-up painting and shot it this time in high gloss black.
Came out nicely
#20: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: BioCustoms, Location: LeedsPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 5:18 am ----
Scusbucked wrote:
Found it weird, that the scoop that I sprayed went a bit bad after the first time I got it washed. Had done 3 coats of primer, 4 coats of colour and 4 coats of lacker and still this result
So did some touch-up painting and shot it this time in high gloss black.
Came out nicely
looking good mate, if your useing spray cans to paint your parts thats why there going dull spraycans always do its a waste of time if your looking for a lasting finish
#21: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 1:39 pm ---- All sprayed parts have been done with a spraycan, but this time around did not have a problem after going through the car wash. Don't know why it happend, talked to someone who paints cars for a living and he could not explain it either...
#22: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: martinius88, Location: Rushden, NorthantsPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 2:49 am ---- nice ride, the cable to keep the car warm on cold night.. How does that work? Not something we have here in UK, well not that I'm aware of!
#23: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:56 am ---- Its basically a engine heater, so when you start the car, its not a "cold" start. During the winter when temperatures drop to -30 and more, this will also ensure that your car starts
#24: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 10:12 am ---- Today the weather was great, sunshine and 15 degrees. Time to give the car a nice clean from the inside and outside. Also had my summer rims put on it
First coat of wax applied this year by hand, many to come
#25: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Richie_206, Location: southamptonPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 4:24 pm ---- I do love a black 206. Very sleek and the look smart!
#26: Re: A northeners 138 GTI Author: Scusbucked, Location: FinlandPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 1:41 pm ---- Finally got my internet connection back! Last weekend I decided to give my car a proper wash and a nice shine
Gave it a go and machine-polished the car. First with 5000 grid, then with 10000 grid.
Here the car after a good wash:
Some 4 hours later, it was getting late, but the results speak for themselves
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and some protective plastic on the side, just below the door trim that had started to peel off. (seen in the pic by a line) But overall not bad. The interior just needed some cleaning and an airfreshner, given the previous owner was a smoker.
In contrast my previous car was a Opel (Vauxhall) Astra 1999 2.0L Sport. Only mod was the front grill and a K&N intake. The Astra felt more responsive already in the low revs, so though this would be due to the intake.
