BlythBros.

  • Home
  • About
  • Matt
  • Taylor
  • Graham
  • Contact
  • BlythBros. Recommend

GTI

Picking up the ‘new old’ GTI

February 25, 2014 by Taylor Blyth
1984 VW GTI

The ‘new old’ 1984 GTI

I really had nothing to do with any of the work that goes into buying and licensing a car. I just remember receiving a package in the mail which contained a license plate and my dad calling me with directions to an import dealer in Albany, NY. I had just finished finals at school and had a week or so to kill before graduation so I was more than willing to drive the 3 hours each way to pick up my brother’s ‘new’ 1984 VW GTI. The only tough part was finding someone who was willing to tag along and then drive my car back.

We arrived at the shop in Albany (after a lunch break at a scary McDonald’s) and I walked inside and told them I was there to pick up the white GTI. They then handed me the keys. That was it. Really? I had brought my passport in order to prove my identity and had figured that they would be unwilling to release the car to someone other than its registered owner. Oh well. After a quick ocular pat-down on the car I noticed nothing troubling other than the fact that it needed some air in its tires. The car started right up and sounded like it had enough power under the hood to propel the small box to highway speeds. After affixing the license plate I thanked the dealers and left.

Posted in: Taylor Tagged: GTI, MkI, VW

Alfa Romeo Milano Verde Part 2: Disassembly and Diagnosis

February 3, 2014 by Graham

DSC_4183

Continued from Alfa Romeo Milano Verde Part 1: Introduction

Understanding why the Milano’s engine had seized so suddenly and ruinously on I-70 required minimal disassembly.  The first bolt revealed metallic sheen of the oil – not good.  17 bolts later, I was staring at a mangled connecting rod cap sitting in a rubble of rod bearing annihilation – oh no, crank is bad.  Then I noticed the coolant lingering in the lower oil pan, and started feeling better knowing that at this point, at least I’d get to meet another Alfisti, because the block was toast.

Now, the root cause of the spun rod bearing and subsequent destruction is more difficult to establish. 10 minutes prior to the excitement, I had checked the oil level, so oil was available, at least to the oil pump. The oil pump seemed to be working too, since the low oil pressure light never came on, and the oil pressure gauge never dropped.  Some cavitation damage was present on the oil pump rotor, but given the adequate oil pressure, not enough to blame for loss of oil film.  The oil itself was in good shape, having been changed 700 miles ago.

Posted in: Graham Tagged: Alfa Romeo, GTI, Milano, V6, Verde

A Mercedes, a Rabbit, and a Dragon

January 12, 2014 by Graham

426949From Taylor, BlythBro #1:

I initially heard of the ‘Tail of the Dragon’ through a friend about four years ago and had (regrettably) never done any research or looked for footage from the twisted roads of which he spoke. He had been down there in his stupid-fast Integra and told me that various car clubs usually hold a meet there every year or so. Lucky for me, I had recently purchased a 1987 190E 2.3-16 and was all set to start work in eastern Tennessee for summer of 2013. I knew the car needed some work to get it back to its original Bremen-spec racing form and had invested in a new suspension to start things off. Graham, just four and a half hours away, decided to stop by for the weekend to take me to meet up with a few of his friends at the Dragon.

Graham showed up at my place very late Friday and we noticed that the 190E was running a little louder than normal, as it was fresh off a natural muffler delete. Graham and I were able to pull a rear wheel up onto a sidewalk as we needed a quick solution to get under the body kit. Some 10 gauge wire strung to the rear control arm was good for holding up the remains of the cat-back system. It seemed somewhat stable. The new suspension, Bilsteins and H&R sports all around, had about 6 hours of total driving on them- including none by myself. Graham did the work on my car over at his place as I got to hoon around some nuclear laboratory lots in his GTI for the week. The fabled SLS system had failed/leaked beyond what I was willing to pay to fix and the decision to eschew it in favor of standard struts was not too difficult to justify. For any concerned purists- the SLS components have been living out their days in a very nice bucket in Indiana. Other issues such as a slight oil leak, idle issues, and very worn tires brought my 16v down a bit from its perch as a top-notch driver’s car. The 1984 GTI was much more aptly equipped in terms of tires (Dunlop Star Specs), brakes, and- perhaps most importantly- driver ability (an experienced autocrosser and former FSAE driver… whereas I am the type who sometimes dares to lay down some clutchless shifts and is no stranger to hypermiling).

Posted in: Taylor Tagged: 190E, 2.3-16, Cosworth, Dragon, Feature, GTI, Mercedes, VW

6,000 miles in the 84 GTI (in ten days)

January 4, 2014 by Graham

 

DSC_1245

Earlier in 2013, I decided that I wanted to go for a substantial roadtrip.  I settled on taking a 318is, but figured I’d sell mine and buy one in better mechanical condition.  After a 1,500 mile trip to make that acquisition, I wound up with a car that needed the drive shaft to be balanced, had less AC than the seller implied, and needed 4 new tires.  Normally these would be simple enough fixes, but I wasn’t able to get the car ready in time for the trip.  So, I decided to take my 1984 Rabbit GTI and every tool I own.

I had just driven my GTI, ‘the Git’, to the Tail of the Dragon on Dunlop Z1 Star Specs (and demolished them), and during the first 50 miles of my road trip, I realized that their ability to, um, not kill me while driving through a rainstorm was limited. So, I rerouted to Peoria, IL, where my friend Andrew would let us stay in his apartment so that I could get some tires mounted in the morning.

After getting the tires mounted in Peoria (and resisting the temptation to spend hours in Harbor Freight), we started for Seattle, and didn’t rest until we made it there.

tripDSC_1127DSC_1284DSC_1451

Once underway, there were only two instances of undesired shutdowns.  The first was the result of water dripping down the windshield onto the cowl, and through the old seal onto the fuse box.  All of the relays take on water when this happens, but the first to go was the fuel pump relay.  After an hour of troubleshooting, we figured this out, and were able to make a jumper to get power to the fuel pump.  Later on, I bought a switch to make the start-up process quicker and more fun.

The second issue was my unskilled interpretation of the fuel gauge.  Luckily, we were 2 miles from the gas station in Brandon, IA when the car sputtered to a halt, and even more fortuitously, I had packed a skateboard, which made the descent from the Interstate into the town a breeze.  I’m surprised that my girlfriend didn’t have me drop her off at the nearest airport at this point.

After that calibration exercise, we made it to Minnesota, where the sun began to set. That state is so green that I can see Al and Tipper Gore settling down there, if they ever get back together. And I really hope they do, because the love story at the beginning of An Inconvenient Truth is the segment that everyone can agree upon.
DSC_1590DSC_1668DSC_1685DSC_1597

Getting back to the drive, South Dakota took up the whole night of driving, during which I took a sleeping shift, so I have no idea what happened there. Here’s my best guess: We drove straight for hundreds of miles.  I woke up in the Black Hills area and took over driving again. With my girlfriend asleep, the GTI managed to hit 104 on a downhill section.

A quick note on food: I had chicken-fried steak in Illinois for my meal of the day. As in, I ate that in the morning and let the fat burn for the rest of the day. I ended up doing the same thing in Wyoming.  I’m not a fan of food-strategy or dieting in general, but I liked the lump-in-the-stomach energy delivery that it provided.

The mountainous ascents in Montana and Idaho were the next major obstacle, though the GTI made quick work of them.  Having recently driven my 318is at altitude, I would say that the GTI felt less anemic.  Passing power remained adequate and it wasn’t a strain to maintain our typical hot hatch driving style.

After crossing the flat plain of eastern Washington, the dark descent into Seattle was particularly perilous.  I-90 seemed to spiral endlessly to sea level, challenging my fatigued brain along its tortuous path.  Heavy traffic arranged in 3-4 lanes made for an adrenaline-soaked final stint.DSC_1811DSC_1829DSC_2187DSC_2305

Making our way out of Seattle, we spent an entire day courting Mt. Rainier.  Following a quick oil change in the Autozone parking lot, I gave the GTI a proper workout through the breathtaking surroundings, driving at 9/10s for  200+ miles.  That drive alone justified the trip.  When traveling so far from home, the front wheel drive comes to be an advantage, as it makes the driver really work to get the ass-end of the car out.  And really, once the car starts to get sideways, the odds of returning home in one piece suffer drastically.  The GTI simply excels at safely guiding its occupants through punishing drives.

The route we took along the Oregon Coast was scenic, with a more relaxing drive in store. And, the GTI’s tall greenhouse and sunroof made for some excellent touring.  The cloth seats remained cool and dry, the vent windows maintained a great cabin temperature in the absence of AC, and the foam seat cushions made up for any harshness in the suspension.

DSC_1907DSC_1976DSC_2403DSC_2948DSC_2717

After visiting Crater Lake, Mt. Hood, and Portland, we started to make our way back to Indiana along the Columbia River, eventually arriving at Boise.  Two long days through Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois culminated in our arrival back in Indiana.

We were mostly lucky to make it so far with so few problems.  That being said, there is something to be said of taking a simple car, investing the time and money into maintaining it and developing intimate mechanical knowledge of it, then hoping for the best.

DSC_3444DSC_1944DSC_2146DSC_3504DSC_3511DSC_3554DSC_3661DSC_3844

 

Posted in: Graham Tagged: Feature, GTI, Rabbit, Road Trip, VW

Choosing a Car for a Summer Road Trip

September 11, 2013 by Graham
Road tripping
Road tripping

GTI

 

With Independence day set to fall on a Thursday, resulting in a 4-day weekend, I sensed the prospect of a substantial road trip as I planned my vacation days earlier this year.  See, with Thursday and Friday allowed as company holiday, I’d be able to invest 3 of my total vacation days for a yield of 9 total days away from work.  Add to that my propensity for 10-12 hour days of driving, and a serious driving vacation was afoot.

Jetta Sportwagen TDI

This spring, the cars available for the trip were my Jetta Sportwagen TDI, my e30 318is, and my MK1 GTI.  The natural choice for unnaturally long stints in a vehicle is something reliable, capacious, comfortable, and frugal.  And in light of my obstinacy, that quickly narrowed down the choice to the e30 and the GTI.

The 318is is remarkably spacious, given its footprint, but mine lacks A/C, deeming it somewhat uncomfortable in cases where it is hot and humid out i.e. the whole summer in the Midwest.  As for reliability, it needs a new rear main seal and given its compression test results, would benefit from some new rings as well.  But, it’s never broken down on me, so it’s reliable, but not mechanically perfect.  Finally, its highway fuel consumption figures of 30-32 mpg on premium fuel are certainly economical.

1991 BMW 318is

The GTI trades comfort and frugality for superior cargo capacity and reliability.  Around town, the GTI is the right amount of car – zippy, nimble, and generally tractable.  Introduce a 70 mph speed limit, and the GTI requires 4,000 RPM to swim with the school of cars on the Interstate.  Most of that extra effort makes it into the cabin in the form of noise, be it from the engine, the tires, or the wind.  And there’s no A/C.  Yes, the car has never stranded me, and yes, its hatchback holds more than enough luggage for a 9-day trip, but it lacks a certain serenity required for sanity in an 80+ hour road trip.

So, having spent the winter installing a new dash, stereo, headliner, seats, and more in my 318is, it made sense to indulge in these new niceties in the form of a long trip.  Then it started to get hot outside, and I realized how oppressively hot the 318is would be in July with the windows up.  With the windows down, it would be cool enough, but at the expense of considerable wind noise.  With my girlfriend planning on accompanying me for the trip, I knew that neither the heat or noise would be acceptable.

Clearly, I needed to sell my 318is, and find one in better shape…

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: 318is, e30, GTI, MK1, Rabbit, Volkswagen

Recent Posts

  • Alfa Romeo 164 winter car
  • Hindsight: a year after the garage fire
  • Milano Verde Transport to Colorado
  • Replacing my Milano with a Milano
  • My Milano is Gone.

Archives

Tags

2 wheels 2.3-16 164LS 164Q 205 GTi 318is 325i 900 911 990 Adventure Alfa Alfa Romeo Andrew Audi Autobahn BMW Carrera 3.2 Dragon e30 e34 Feature Germany GTI Illinois Kentucky KTM M20 M30 M42 Mercedes Milano Milano Verde MK1 New York Pennsylvania Peugeot Porsche Rabbit Road Trip Saab Texas V6 Verde Volkswagen VW

Pages

  • About
  • BlythBros. Recommend
  • Contact

Tags

2 wheels 2.3-16 164LS 164Q 205 GTi 318is 325i 900 911 990 Adventure Alfa Alfa Romeo Andrew Audi Autobahn BMW Carrera 3.2 Dragon e30 e34 Feature Germany GTI Illinois Kentucky KTM M20 M30 M42 Mercedes Milano Milano Verde MK1 New York Pennsylvania Peugeot Porsche Rabbit Road Trip Saab Texas V6 Verde Volkswagen VW

Categories

  • Autobahn 27 Series
  • Graham
  • Guest
  • Matt
  • Taylor
  • Uncategorized

Recent Posts

  • Alfa Romeo 164 winter car
  • Hindsight: a year after the garage fire
  • Milano Verde Transport to Colorado
  • Replacing my Milano with a Milano
  • My Milano is Gone.

Copyright © 2025 BlythBros..

Church WordPress Theme by themehall.com