now............. what to do with myself and the wabit????

[Jarred]

just orderd in a new front panel from vw parts $180 brand new genuine part!!!
wabit

I'll be very interested about seeing how this goes! i've got a "new" front end (yanked it off the shell the other week) and I'm not entirely sure how it's going to go on, and how much i should do and stuff. So i'll let you do it first and go from there!

[TassieGTi]

As I was telling Dom yesterday…. you have two options with the front panel, both of which are available from VW. You can get the entire front panel for around $300 or just the lower front skin for around $200. In most cases you only need the lower front skin

To remove the old front panel, drill out all of the sport welds with a spot weld drill bit. Then it is a case of butchering the old front panel to get it off, before cleaning up the surfaces with a grinder.

This is what was left after I butchered the US spec front panel on the caddy:



You have a couple of options for attaching the replacement front skin. You can have it welded on or use a metal bonding adhesive such as Lord Fusor. This is the way most of the modern manufacturers are going these days, especially for simplistic panel work.

Either way, you’ll need someone to give you a hand or a heap of G clamps

New front panel attached:



Look forward to seeing further progress this weekend, Dom

[static1800]

A little of topic, but are their any legallity issues with removing the top panel that seperates the enginebay and fan/duct area? like in the above shots?

Can imagine you would have to duct cold air to the vents? or you would get hot fuel/oil smelling air through.

[Valver.]

You don't run vents/heater box at all! It isn't legal anywhere in a fully registered car as far as I'm aware, but who cares

[TassieGTi]

It is not illegal to remove your rain tray…it is just a requirement for rego that you have a working demister system. So as you mention…removing the rain tray and keeping the factory heater system is pointless unless you want to suck in the engine fumes. If you want to get rid of it all together you can always use an aftermarket race/rally type demister system to meet rego requirements

Anyway……back to the Cabby build

[WABIT]

hehe yeah i did.... well the old man did... right after i read your email... it was getting sent to me hehe

as for the engine bay.... valver.... its not going in 100% this weekend.... its only going in to arrange the fuel/air system....

wabit

[WABIT]

WELL GUYS.... ITS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND I DID IT ALL BY MYSELF..... WAS ABIT TRICKY BUT I GOT IT!!!!!

im sooo exited and happy right now.... i was jumping around and yelling...

you guys mught not think its a big deal but this is a big thing for me

pulling the engine out by myslef!!! woot wooot!!!

ill get pix asap

wabit

[Tim]

hahaha pulling things apart is the easy bit. Its putting them back together thats a killer!

[Oneofthegreats]

Well done chief. Feel good to accomplish something like that by yourself.

Did you do it the same way I did it?

[WABIT]

yeah pretty much mate.... i just had an engine crane up top to hold the weight while i undoo the mounts... and yes i was lying under the car

then after the bolts were out... i used a steel bucket to counterbalance the gearbox while i lower it.... i put the jack under the sump and held up the gearbox, moved the bucket and lowerd it down... it was the best feeling

wabit