Professional Restoration 

of

HMJ761V

USING

GENUINE PARTS

HMJ 761V was built on the 27th June 1979 and first registered on the 8th August the same year. It is believed that this particular car was one of the first to be brought into the U.K. in factory RHD specification and would have qualified for a 'T' registration suffix had it not been for the first owner insisting on having the new registration letter.

This car has had three (verified) women owners and subsequently was never crashed or thrashed and with only 88,000 genuine miles recorded it came with a comprehensive service history. The overall standard of the vehicle made a very good basis for a comprehensive restoration project. 

Parts for the pre 1980 GTI are hard to locate.

Work included every exterior panel, but not the roof, being replaced with brand new items. A genuine windscreen frame/scuttle panel (part no: 171 817 115) was purchased – but not required. All suspension components were dismantled, shot-blasted and repainted.

Extensive repairs were made to the rear suspension mounting points and repair panels were used for the front inner wings. New VAG inner rear arches were fitted. All exterior trim, suspension, decals, running gear and tyres were renewed. The car is now fitted with the optional alloy road wheel available for the 4-speed version in 1979. A manual compression test revealed the EG engine was in excellent internal condition but nevertheless had all of its ancillaries replaced including a complete Bosch fuel injection system and factory spec cooling system. The gearbox was rebuilt by Central Axles in Birmingham. The original seats were reupholstered in black leather and new carpet/soundproofing fitted. The majority of parts used were genuine VAG. 

All panel work was carried out to the highest standards. All welds were seam finished. The body was painted with PPG Autofinish paint, the shell and underside were then thoroughly wax-injected. 

Although the car has covered a thousand incident free dry weather miles since the rebuild and had a recent overhaul in 2004 – it is unlikely to return to the road in the near future.

Complete details of restoration, listed below.

Initial strip down revealed - spare seat used.

Rear panel and rear suspension removed.

Rear quarter panels cut away and new inner rear arches fitted (both sides.)

Front inner wing repair panels.

Front apron cut away.

New inner rear arches (both sides.)

New back end.

Engine removed.

Vehicle ready for front suspension strip down and underbody painting.

Inside of new front wings (underside/wheel arches) coated with 3M sealant - then painted.

Underside becoming VERY clean.

All new front apron/inner front wings.

Off to the paint shop.

 

Rebuilt 4-speed gearbox.

 

All new rubber boots etc.

New fuel pipes.

All new suspension and tyres.

A small selection of new parts.

Fitting up.

Restoration of HMJ 761V

(Started: August 1995 - Completed: February 1996)

All work professionally undertaken.

*VAG = genuine Volkswagen/Audi dealer sourced parts.
 

Full inventory and costing of restoration.