Hello, I'm new on here so thought I'd start a thread on my mk4 cabby project. It was supposed to be a quick clean, refresh and back on the road, but it's become a bit more than that.

A mechanic I certainly am not, so it's slow going at the moment and I'm learning as I go.

I owned this a few years ago and reluctantly sold it to my brother in law when the Mrs got a company car as we had nowhere to keep it.
So when he offered it back to me for £400 last Xmas I jumped at the chance.

Here it is the day I collected it, covered in crap from being sat in his ivy infested garage for almost two years.





The first job was to give it a quick clean.


Then I picked up a set of Borbet A's in 16x7.5 ET30 that needed a good refurb, had them dipped to get rid of the horrific paint.

Then had them refurbed and painted in gloss black, and wrapped in Toyo T1R 195/40/16



This is how they look.



I'll update with more later.

 

Gave the bay a little clean, painted the rocker cover and fitted a K&N filter.


Also took the rear spoiler off, I prefer how it looks without it. And changed the backbox for a Scorpion one I picked up on eBay for £15.


A few bits that are waiting to go on.
Gmax suapension -30mm and new TCA's.


I also managed to find a B&M shifter.


Hopefully ordering a Powerflex bush kit, and a brake upgrade soon. (Mondeo and ST170 set up)

This is how the cars looking at the moment, the engine is in a terrible state.
But I am trying to get it cleaned up, and there will be an engine swap in time.
Not sure what route to go with an engine swap just yet though.



And that's where I am up to yet.

 

Cool car. It looks so different after it was washed. I like the wheels but they need to be silver so that you can see them.

 

Cheers mate. I'm not a fan of silver wheels, but I do think I went a bit too dark with the black.

I'm going to plastidip one of them darkish grey and see how that looks.

 

Looks nice clean car like the wheels but I agree with Glenn silver

 

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Good job you took that spoiler off, it's for an Orion not a cabby there are 2 different types, only found that out the other week as I have both in my garage.


Ginger


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I thought it might be as it didn't fit right, about an inch short on either side.
But now I have holes in my bootlid that I need to repair as the previous owner fastened it on with wood screws!


I also put the Mrs to work painting a few bits for me.


The old bottom water pipe was doomed, so I made a new one from 15mm copper pipe.



Also removed the old linkage that had seen better days.

Just waiting for some 6mm rubber mat to show up, so I can make a gasket to put between the shifter and chassis as they apparently vibrate like hell without it.

Thanks for the comments.

 

Nice keep the pics coming.

 

Small update.

Powerflex bushes for the front end arrived, so put the new TCA's and ARB together.

On the car with new suspension on.

Not too sure why I have a slight negative camber though?

These also arrived in the post. They're in much better nick than my old saggy ones.


I also tried fitting my B&M shifter, but came across a problem.
When the linkage and stabiliser rods are fastened in place, the shifter will not line up in the cabin.



At the moment it's fastened up in the cabin and the linkage is fastened on, but the stabiliser rod is about 6mm too far forward so I can't get the bolt in.
Anyone have any clue how to fix this? As it's driving me nuts.

The Mrs putting the bumper on while I had a brew, it was blowing a gale!


A few random photos.




Any help with the shifter issue is greatly appreciated as I'm pretty far from a mechanic, so I'm completely baffled by it.

Cheers.

 

Looking good I had to do the same with my water pipe but now done a FRST conversion so using mfi water pipes

Also I'm using a puma linkage

 

Cheers Marky, the old pipe was buggered and they seem impossible to get hold of.

I got the linkage fitted yesterday, I just filed out the hole to make them slightly bigger and it went in. I haven't driven it yet but the change feels so much better.

I'm hoping to get an engine change done sooner rather than later but I'm not sure what route to go down yet.