Finally filled in the big gaps in the rear wheelarches. All steel, formed with everyday tools. Well, structurally all steel; I'd be lying if I didn't say there was a skim of filler on top.
 
There was always a question mark over the engine; on the dealer's back lot it was making a lot of white smoke that, "oh, I'm sure it didn't do when we parked it up..."
Hmm. Somehow it had developed some remarkably serious engine issues while standing, then! Bought it anyway as it was so cheap we could have tripled our money breaking it. Anyway, when we compression tested it, it was blindingly obvious something was amiss. Time for a new engine:
 
Well... took a detour from fixing the engine and started a front bumper instead. Fun fact - a trampoline frame has exactly the same curvature as the front end of a TT...
It's mostly done - mainly the upper grille opening needs bars across it, but there simply wasn't enough non-antisocial time to get the grinding done! So here's video 1 of 2. Definitely changes the look of the front end.

 
These things have a plastic slam panel, most of which has long since been cut off to allow the radiator to sit a bit higher. Finally made a steel replacement, got the radiator mounted, and then tried running the engine:
 
You'll probably be familiar with what an engine sounds like when running on open headers. The turbo quietens things down a little but it still sounds like Animal from the Muppets. So I've prioritised the exhaust before getting the engine running right:
 
All the time they are learning different skills, does it matter what car it is on?
Looks like a really fun (if a little different project).
Nice one :)
 
codfather79 said:
All the time they are learning different skills, does it matter what car it is on?
Looks like a really fun (if a little different project).
Nice one :)
Click to expand...
Agreed - and I guess one advantage that this thing has is that most parts aren't too massive. Easier to have my daughter working on this than, say, craning an R380 and 300tdi out. Well, I say easier; the engine bay's absolutely shrink-wrapped around the power pack such that you have to pull the engine and box as a unit for e.g. a clutch swap - but you get what I mean. Component weights are a bit more manageable.

Definitely going to teach Julia how to run diagnostics next - perhaps not the most exciting skill but useful, and will probably remain so for a long time to come.
 
Well, we're still not mobile. Got distracted by shiny things instead and fitted some spotlights. Spotlights are more important than things like fixing a wheel bearing, or fitting an anti-roll bar, or any of that lot, right? So... have some spotlights.
We did run a compression test together, but the footage got obliterated, along with most of what should have been in this video, in a mysterious file-deletion event. I don't ...think... it was me... but nobody else thinks it was them either. Never mind; the course of history does not turn on one Youtube video. At least, not on one of mine...

 
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