'98 Seat Ibiza GTI + other cars [new wheels]

Oh that brings back memories!
I had one, a 1.9TDi 90BHP model when I lived in Mallorca.
Such a comfortable car that went like stink and handled like a go kart.
Always wondered what the GTIs were like.

Makes me miss my old Ibiza - it's the car that got me into retros properly. You might see some photos if you look at my profile.

Cheers Craig. Yes, still have it although it’s looking a bit sorry for itself at the minute. I’ve been planning to have some arch and sill work done and it resprayed (still white). Will be getting it MOT ready after the Ibiza and then paint sorted. Hopefully!

That's cool! Always thought Seat nailed it with this GTI.

I always fancied the Cordoba GTI but very few of those were ever in the UK. The VW booted Polo never got a hot engine in it unfortunately :-<

Good luck with the refurb.

Small update.

Taking a quick break from work I thought I'd paint the mirrors. There's a few small runs and a little bit of yellow base colour where I'd over masked it but for the most part they've come out pretty good.

Quite rare beasts these days! I bought a bright yellow Cupra 16v version about 6 years back (sadly for its engine as it was completely rotten).

I had loads of spares for YEARS from it but I fear most of it got culled when I last moved house

Keep the updates coming!

The car is mostly ready for its MOT now, it just needed a clean. An MOT tester once told me, which makes sense, that having a car washed and looking good will more likely have small items just told to get sorted rather than failing on something silly like a bulb and having to return. With that in mind this car needed a damn good scrubbing!

I was planning to take the Ibiza over to my parents as my brother has a load of top quality cleaning products and jet washer from when he owned a car wash but because I'm still working I can't take the risk of passing something on to my family. I had to make do with my 10 year old cleaning products and jet washer.

Before:



Took ages to get all of the dirt off it. It seemed no matter how many times you went over a panel more dirt would emerge. On the rear bumper there was this horrible, oily patch (under the boot lock) that just wouldn't move, even with the jet point-blank. I ended up getting some washing up liquid on a rag and it was gone in seconds.

When it was finally clean and dried off I got the T-cut out to try and get the bonnet, roof and rear hatch back to its normal shine. This didn't exactly go to plan. T-cut it twice and this was the end result. I sent this photo to my brother who said it was pretty knackered and probably wouldn't get much better than that but once more might help. Did it again and although it's not great it is better and has a bit of a shine.

My brother came over to drop some bits off to me last night and had a look. He reckons it's not as bad as he thought from the photo and is going to give it a go with his kit when he gets the chance. For the time being though it's fine.

After:



It looks 100 times better!

The interior still needs a tidy up. I picked up all the bigger bits of curse word from the carpet but I am going to use a petrol station vacuum rather than my nice house one for the rest of the little bits.
I've also changed the gearknob from the horrible, ill fitting, fake carbon-fibre Ripspeed one, put new lock pulls on and put in a Blaupunkt headunit I had lying around to tidy it all up a bit.


While the roads were quiet I took it for a quick spin around the block on private roads to make sure it drove okay. Apart from the brakes having a lot of rust on the surface, so not being the best, it drove pretty well. In the two minutes of driving the brakes felt better so I will continue with some aggressive braking on the way to the test station.

I've also done some work on my other cars in the meantime as well but I will add them to this thread rather than having their own because although I love the cars, they aren't the most thrilling to have a thread about because there are only small bits I'd be doing to them.

2002 Citroen Saxo VTR
Brought this recently as I missed the VTR I scrapped for the engine to go into the defunct AX project. There's a few bits it needs to make it perfect (I want it completely standard because it's hard to find them not). The drivers mirror was cracked on the casing, theres an exhaust blow from either the downpipe or front of the centre pipe and there's a few small rust scabs in the strangest of places.
First job was the mirror. It a strange coincidence the place on eBay I brought the Ibiza mirrors from also had the mirror I needed for the Saxo so this was purchased at the same time. I forgot to take a before photo with it on the car so took one when it was off instead.

After.


1999 BMW Z3 2.0
Originally belonging to my neighbour I bought it from him back in Feburary for an absolute steal! He actually knocked on my door the next day with a copy of the Classic Car weekly newspaper showing me an artical on the Z3 and the current prices. He wasn't happy despite me paying more than the webuyanycar places.
During this pandemic my dad has decided to get his DIY hat on and start sorting jobs out around his house. One of which was jetwashing the driveway where the Z3 is currenty occupying a space because I've run out of space at my house. Typically the battery is knackered and it won't start without a jump and it's an automatic so can't just be pushed. A few days ago I went around just to jump start it and move it off the driveway. It would have been rude not to put the top down though and take it for a quick drive to keep it moving


Pictured with the Saab as well, which I will get around to updating the thread I have on it.


2010 Alfa Romeo Mito Cloverleaf
Far too new for RR but I do love this car and there might be a few that appreciate them as well.
Owned this for a few years now and this is my work car. It has been off the road for about four months though after hitting a cats eye on the motorway at about 70mph and blowing the front passanger tyre completely out. It skidded sideways, controlled it and limped it to a cut out on the M5 in the smart motorway section. Changed the tyre and gingerly drove home.


I ended up having a new front wheel bearing, both rear bearings and four new tyres. While getting the tyres done I also got the tracking sorted. I take my Mito to Italia Autos in Walsall. I found the guys channel on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/viper1251), decided to give him a go and hes a top guy so have kept going back. While he was changing the bearings I also had a service and the timing belt done because the history was a little sketchy.
Was MOTd a few days ago, passing with a few advisories, so is now back in daily service.

The Ibiza looks an interesting project, they seem to be in the 'no mans land' of age. Too new to be worth saving and too old to most people to care about them. I'll be bookmarking this to keep up to date with its transformation.

I regularly travel down to near Woodbridge and on my route i pass a L reg 3 door Ibiza that i keeping meaning to knock and ask about.

I own a 2010 6j 3 door and i love it, well built and a decent all round car which looks pretty smart to.

Congrats on the MOT pass, given it's been standing the advisories aren't that daunting.
Tyres, wheel bearings, brake clean up / refurb and a good clean up underneath and rustproofing will make it good.