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Arctic Project (Take 2)

TubaMagna8

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So after attending multiple VBOA shows (I think 3) I have been toying with the idea of getting another Mk3 as a project and bit of fun. My first car was a Flame red Arctic 1.6 16V Auto, However after using it as my main mode of transport to uni it was costing too much in fuel as well as the usual age related rust issues. So i sold it and bought a Meriva, Nice car but wasn't a Mk3, then moved onto to a Yeti which i love, and hope to keep for a long while yet.

After seeing some stunning cars at VBOA, I felt the coming year would be a good time to search out a good example to bring next year. I've always missed my first arctic, and always wanted another that has the Aircon that works and would be a good base to add a few mods too.

I was scrolling through facebook marketplace and came across an R reg arctic with 58K on the clock and described as good condition, so gave the legend that is Gareth a message and he came down with me to have a look, and gave it a good check over. Long story short I agreed to purchase and they delivered it.

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Gave it a quick clean, as it was quite mucky, Front bumper could do with some work, but it has hardly any rust.

Bad points so far:
Catalytic converter is missing (One has been ordered)
Passenger rear door has a slight dent with a sketchy touch up job
Tyres i've never heard of
alloys need refurbing.

My plans for it so far:
Change alloys
Retrofit Electric mirrors
Retrofit MFD
New timing belt
air-con regas
general tidy up.

looking forward to documenting the restoration and the progress.

Quick interior clean (Before):
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After:
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Exhaust sketchiness!
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Clean underneath:
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I checked yesturday to see how much AC gas these hold and I was shocked, 900g and 295ml of oil.

Get the rear end jacked up and jet those arches out. Get up behind the fuel filler too. They hold the dirt :)
 
Nice to see you back in a Mk3 :) plans sound good will keep an eye out for progress pictures
 
As Gaz said back up in the air, wheels off and wash it alllll out exactly like I did -


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Will be good to see it develop
 
Yeah thats my plan in the next day or so. Also looking into steam cleaning & Waxoyl treaments.

can anyone remind me of the speaker max dimensions for the front doors?
 
Yeah thats my plan in the next day or so. Also looking into steam cleaning & Waxoyl treaments.

can anyone remind me of the speaker max dimensions for the front doors?
I'm sure I've got 6.5" components in my doors with adaptor rings
 
Started doing the doors, started with the rear drivers, as the window drops a bit on the first unwind. Think it might be the rubber/felt seal.
Inside of the door look mint and I gave them a bit of a clean out with some panel wipe put the sound deadening on them the thermal absorber stuff on top. Then finished off with some hammerite Waxoyl in the doors.

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On with the arches the other day, Jacked the rear up one side at a time. I don't have any axel stands yet, so had to make do. Gave them a good blast out and sprayed some waxoyl in there as a temp measure until i find someone to steam clean it and waxoyl it. Solid wooden box in the bag...

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I then cracked on with getting the roof liner out to sound deaden the roof, never had the confidence to do it on my other one, but with a few years more of experience i cracked on.

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Whilst i had the rear out i took the lights out and cleaned around those, they also gave easier access to get some sound deadening in the rear panels.
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Created an extra loom so i can add some footwell lights.

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Also learnt the hard away about shampoo vaccing the roof liner, Ended up using spray adhesive to stick it back on... tho it does look a lot nicer and cleaner even if it has a few creases in it.
Next stage will be to get the seats out and do some sound deadening under there as well as some cable management as well as doing the rest of the doors.
 
Good to see you in a mk3 clegg! I'm looking forward to seeing the progress! good work on gettin the basics done though, stop the rust before anything
 
It's spotless up in them rear arches. What a fantastic buy this has been...
 
Should have painted the roof lining black while its out with fabric dye
 
Should have painted the roof lining black while its out with fabric dye

Yea the only issue is it makes the inside of the car really dark!
 
Yet so much nicer
 
The condition of your artic is absolutely amazing, she should look like new once you have finished! I have had my Astra atlas 1.6 e-drive x16sz for 17 and a half years and I am having to put her into storage on Sunday due the inner and outer rear wheel arches being rotten on both sides, so I picked up a 1995 ls hi-torq which is 5 weeks older than my atlas for £250 because I hate modern cars and she is in very good condition compared to my atlas and will tide me over until the beast hits the road again. Good luck with your restoration!
 
Welcome back to MK3 ownership Clegg. That's absolutely mint that is, extremely rare to see any in that condition now.
I know I’m well impressed, put it in for mot yesterday failed on rear tyre but put spare on and it passed, didn’t want new tyres as I’ve got some new wheels for it… just need the tyres.
Going to put some 205 45 on these and run these, they’re off a corsa. C9B0A46F-F81C-4833-AE27-28E78A8A59A4.jpeg
Bit different to the norm but think it’ll look spot on.
New catalytic converter was fitted last week and been driving it a bit more and it’s good to be back.
 

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