My new daily project with a 1.4 TDI

[FraH2o]

22 hours ago, mk2 said:

It's much easier to clean the headliner when it is out of the car...

Take it down from the front, then work along one side, then the other side. The edge sits in a slot, so the headliner is slightly (about 5mm) bigger than the roof. I put it on a big table and use clothes washing detergent (cleans upholstery the best), then rinse with a hose outside. Be gentle, because it is easy to break it. There are two plastic tabs at the back that slot into the metal section that holds the tailgate hinges. You have to move it forward when you finally remove it 👍🏻

 

Thanks for advice Mk2, I?l try to remove it and clean apart.

[FraH2o]

After a year and more of following this model, I knew that when it came to window lifters it wouldn't be easy.
I started with the passenger side

I replaced all guide mechanism: good work going down, but the raising is very slow.

After 2 days of work, I registered the window, cleaned and use silicone spray on the felt window guide. Finally the window works good.

Many thanks for guide find in "How to do" and to Mk2 for precious advice and some help from Elsa

 

 

Once i completed the question on poer window, I started the reassembly of the upper panels with the new handle group

 

 

 

[mk2]

How did you remove the sticky paint from the plastic?

Volkwagen's worst ever idea that plagued all vdub and audi models. That rubbery paint affected so many cars. All because the engineers didn't realise that some people use face and hand moisturiser, perfumes, lotions and insect repellents- all of which affected the paint. Bad idea... Nightmare to remove.

[cutr1]

12 hours ago, FraH2o said:

After a year and more of following this model, I knew that when it came to window lifters it wouldn't be easy.
I started with the passenger side

I replaced all guide mechanism: good work going down, but the raising is very slow.

After 2 days of work, I registered the window, cleaned and use silicone spray on the felt window guide. Finally the window works good.

Many thanks for guide find in "How to do" and to Mk2 for precious advice and some help from Elsa

 

 

Once i completed the question on poer window, I started the reassembly of the upper panels with the new handle group

 

 

 

Ciao dove hai trovato la maniglia e apri porta?
La maniglia dello sportello so che è introvabile ma ho visto che è nuova

[FraH2o]

On 5/5/2023 at 8:36 PM, cutr1 said:

Ciao dove hai trovato la maniglia e apri porta?
La maniglia dello sportello so che è introvabile ma ho visto che è nuova

Intendi la maniglia nera, era la originale grigia riverniciata da me, la maniglia apriporta cromata l'ho presa su autotodoc.

Translate for forum people:

The inner door handle is the original grey degrased, sandend and black painted, the new chrome door handle to opne door from inside is new on autodoc.

[FraH2o]

After I finished the dirver side poer window, for superstition and to check everything, I did various tests in 2 days in opening and closing the windows to see if they worked well and without hitches ... everything ok.

Once everything was tested, I closed  the  plastic foam shields and  finally I  mounted the upper door card

I then worked on to cleaning of the last part of the interior .... after 2  hours of work, the front seats also present themselves in an acceptable condition
Slowly I'm going to the end and interior.

 

[FraH2o]

I also go on with another problem that I had underestimated...

The front speakers. On the golf mk3 much easier and simpler. The wolf is a different story

The Lupo speaker (integrated into the support) measures 37mm in height against the door and 54mm in total

The woofer impact alone is 76mm.

Using a single 25mm high adapter would move the woofer more inward in the door, but with contact/interference with the glass.

I took another pair of rings to increase the height ... but in doing so the sum gives me 43mm

 

Original speker

Impact speaker

 

If I left the total height at 43mm the woofer would go beyond the door panel, with consequent cutting and modification on the panel itself…which I want to avoid like the plague.

With the dremel I eliminated a slice of 7mm to get the correct height

Once the height is fixed, I coupled the  rings together by placing neoprene tape between them and between the contact area on door.
I then lined the neoprene with electrical tape…but that's just for testing.

I mounted the woofer… I lowered the glass and calculated a space of 8mm of clearence with the glass completely lowered: mission accomplished.

I then took some adapter cables for the woofers, again to mess with the original system as little as possible.

I wait the arrival of the protective covers for the woofers and then I will assemble everything

I did a quick test to hear if they sounded right…..and they sound just right. Very happy to have saved them and given a new life on this "little yellow box"

[FraH2o]

While waiting to find a TT 8n knob in good condition  (which to mount it the rod would have to be shortened.... and ii don't like too much) I mounted an Audi copy (I don't know the specific model ... but pleasantly surprised by the quality).

Modified the mouthpiece with the dremel to couple it to the Audi TT collar.

Overall, I would say well integrated.

 

 

 

[FraH2o]

Working  outdoors in the rain is quite annoying, but the rain is good for one thing: it reveals if there are any leak.
Without door card I noticed water, and perhaps a little too much in the front area right from the speaker area.
In the front mirror attachment area, the gasket engages in the door  and acts as a drainage channel... too much water that falls on both the speaker wiring and window lifter.

 

I will disassemble the mirror and with waterproof putty I will try to seal that area.

I then continued the work of light soundproofing of the pockets…

…and finally mounted the new light switch with satin aluminum control knob.

 

[Rich]

TT bits are so nice I indulged myself in a TT after my lupo TDI. 

[FraH2o]

After a short break for work on wife's Touran 1T2 (now also on coilover), I return to work on the Lupo

I tried to dampen the yellow groove around the rear deflector glass by adding a groomet to decrease the black and yellow gap between the front glass and the rear glass

 

[FraH2o]

Then I started to restore its appearance ... at least to the rear.
She is very dirty ( 13-14 months) and the bumper is new. Live it has no differences, but from photos and perhaps with phone macros they look like 2 yellow. The new parts are painted using as tint references the "aged yellow" of ex door strip

Now watching the rear fitted bumper , I can see and like my black band on the side and it gives continuity to its "halfed" line. Some people tell me that "raise" the height.....maybe on pics, on live for my is good and enough lowered

 

 

[FraH2o]

I rewired everything without ruining the electrical system too much for the relocation of indicators and front parking light in the fog light pod.
I didn't take any pictures...

Except for the clean mask now about to go up

Now begins a very delicate part that can decree a job well done or ****.

The grille is a really pain to align both from the fender corners and with the bumper.
I'm studying to make a monolith with the bumper and to fix the corners with neodymium magnets to adjust the joints well and to avoid its shitty clips that break one day and the next.

This should be the last real big stumbling block to completing the toy....the rest is all detail and descent

 

 

 

[FraH2o]

I continue with the the front.

A  trouble  is the coupling of the mask on the side with the fender.
Vw proposes the clips, that break one day and the next… so i try to found another way to solve this problem that ruins the whole line.
I had been thinking for some time how to couple everything in a solid but not constrained way with the risk of breaking the clip or the mask itself.

Neodymium magnets of 7kg each.

 

After checking the various dimensions and thicknesses, I positioned the magnets and the result was very satisfactory in terms of tightness, coupling and the possibility of adjustments

 

 

 

 

[Rich]

Nifty little work around. 

[FraH2o]

I have reached the first conclusive phase but it is not finished: well but not great. 🤦‍♂️

Glass half full and half empty.

Half full: As a global vision I have achieved the result that I had set for myself and in the photos always seems a little microcar ... live (which however fall on my flaws) it is quite pleasant and satisfying

Half empty: Assembled the front and a series of troubles that ruin everything. The attachments on the right side of the bumper are fixed and need to be reviewed (I have the slots on the corner of the bumper itself broken) and the grille and bumper coupling which has two attachments gone and I need to study.

I foresee plastic welding session.

I booked windshield replacement at home, so I don't have to move it or leave it alone.

Today I'm disassembling everything and I'm going to start the previous setup phase

 

I made a video where you can see the functioning of the "Mini R53" mod but that cannot be posted here.

i post at least with the parking light on

 

 

And here the trouble to fix immediately ( i started today in the afternoon)

 

 

 

[mk2]

Paint some anti corrosion wax around the magnets. They rust really easily... Love your method 👍🏻😎 (I used polyurethane panel adhesive).

Great work! Keep going. What is your next job?

[FraH2o]

59 minutes ago, mk2 said:

Paint some anti corrosion wax around the magnets. They rust really easily... Love your method 👍🏻😎 (I used polyurethane panel adhesive).

Great work! Keep going. What is your next job?

Nice tip Mk2 and thnaks, i'll do it today when a take out the front bumper.

Next step are: complete the audio setup (still wait silicone speaker protection), replace the broken front glass, light adjustment and wheel alignment. I think a the end of July will be ready.

[FraH2o]

Yesterday afternoon Iworked on right the corner of the bumper and I first tried to repair the missing tabs on the bumper with plastic welding

A very complicated work without pliers and a hot air dryer with a nozzle. Difficult and high risk of further damaging the bumper.

I started thinking about pairings and operting space inside the bumper and fender

I disassembled the fixing bracket between the fender and bumper and I started thinking about how to fix it and make it solid and stable and at the same time functional for future disassembly.

I fixed the problem by bolting the bracket to the bumper and bolted the whole assembly to the fender internally using flat head bolts.

Internally I found enough space to tighten the 3 flanged bolts quite easily

And with some satisfaction I had my desired result, and also the front grill was better repositioned

Now with lines and couplings I'm almost at peace.
The grille unfortunately has 2 clips broken  of total 4  
I'll see with 3d printer if I can redo the clips.

 

 

 

[FraH2o]

While waiting for the woofer protections to finish the inside, I'm going on with something details to do (now there's little left).

Cleaned both the parcel shelf and the headrest (which I will mount only the front ones)

A few pieces to refresh with matt black

- Battery upper bracket 

- Wiper arms

Usual method: sanding, primer, 3 coats of matt black and final matt clear

 

Another small mod to continue the yellow-black combo (also the yellow is quite ruined): the roof-side strips.

 

Sanded with 400 and then invented a support for painting and these are ready to go back in position (just after replace the windshield)

 

 

 

[FraH2o]

We are almost at finish line ... but at the review (MOT or TUV) it goes in beautiful granpa mode: 7cm higher, oem rims and oem headlights. 

But first I finished the woofer protection in the door

 

And then at home the last part that separated me from the mot test: new windshield

 

 

[FraH2o]

06/07/2023

Test Mot passed
Tunsd to suitable daily use 😊
And first semi-official release

Test and today then wheel aligment

Photo taken by work matewho caught me in the parking lot

 

[tchouki85]

hello, it's always a treat to read your modifications😍😍, congratulations for the tuv, I find your original idea for the grille and I think I'm going to put magnets on each side, because me too the alignment does not suit me not at present😉

[FraH2o]

15 hours ago, tchouki85 said:

hello, it's always a treat to read your modifications😍😍, congratulations for the tuv, I find your original idea for the grille and I think I'm going to put magnets on each side, because me too the alignment does not suit me not at present😉

Many tahnks Tchouki...i always foolow your (very smart and interesting progress). The alignment of grill was ever a trouble to solve for me, and magnets  seems works good.

[FraH2o]

I continue with some missing details and  before a few complete and clean ride photos

I reassembled the roof profiles converted from yellow to black paint…which  looks much better in the original color version imho.

And finally the wheel alignment