AE92 1990 Corolla GTi restoration

[themightygez]

With my Fabia now sold I found myself looking for something to keep me busy whilst I save for my teenage dream a Lotus Elise.

Since 1990, my family has owned a Corolla GTi which has spent 7 of its 18 years sat on the drive looking sorry for itself and only being used in between other cars as they came and went.

As I was looking for something to use in the meantime, I got the Corolla jump started and off for an MOT. It has covered 96,000 since 1990 and amazingly only needed one new shock and a new battery for the MOT. As there are only a few of these left on the road and as it has some sentimental value, I thought I'd try to get some respectablility back into the car.

Following this, I set to work on trying to tidy up the body to see what state the car really was in.

Some pics to show the 'state' it was in.....

And a couple of pictures of how the engine was looking before and after....

I've spent a weekend carrying out a first cleaning session with various paint rennovators, pollishes etc. Following this, I invested in some quality pollishes and waxes and spent all of last weekend using both machine and elbow grease to get the following results....

Following the MOT, the car seems to be running as sweet as a nut. I have been to a local bodyshop who did a fair amount of work to my Fabia and in the next next few weeks the car will be going up on the ramps so that we can inspect the sills. Basically it's make or break as if they are beginning to go, it doesn't make sense to spend £1500 on the car if it will be on the scrap heap in 12months time!!!!!!

As the earlier picture shows, the exhaust has seen better days - does anyone have any ideas how this can be tidied up??

All the best

Gethyn

Edited 25 November, 2008 by themightygez

[themightygez]

Could this be moved to the project car threads??

[Wardy]

Looks like a decent turnaround so far, especially consdering its original state!

What machine were you using on the paintwork, what pad(s) and polish(es)? Also your method; did you paint clean, clay etc as well? Might be useful to include that info, as well as reminded yourself what you did

Is the exhaust still in reasonable nick? Do you just mean ideas for brightening up the backbox?

Steve

[Dmac1969]

Thats a pretty rare car now , hope you can save it!!!

[themightygez]

Just trying to jog my memory on what I've used so far......

First weekend of work:

Autoglym shampoo wash

Squidgee dry down

Fast Glass Windows

Autoglym Pollish

Zymol Wax

(All by hand)

2nd Weekend:

Autoglym shampoo wash

Squidgee dry down

Fast Glass Windows

Autoglym Pollish twice (by hand)

Turtlewax Pollish (with machine)

Mur Wax (by machine on wet car - got soaked and covered in cr*p!)

Wonder Wheels for the alloys.

[themightygez]

Looks like a decent turnaround so far, especially consdering its original state!

What machine were you using on the paintwork, what pad(s) and polish(es)? Also your method; did you paint clean, clay etc as well? Might be useful to include that info, as well as reminded yourself what you did

Is the exhaust still in reasonable nick? Do you just mean ideas for brightening up the backbox?

Steve

Exhaust is still working fine but looks worse for wear. I'm scared if it goes to for a replacement exhaust, it may sound a little over the top!!

[ap0gee1978]

Could this be moved to the project car threads??

Done.

FWIW, my old man had an F-Reg MR2 in the same colour (and of course with the same engine). It was great until the floods in Autumn 2000 put the garage it was in under 2' of water and pretty much wrote it off... :(