[car_overhaul] Dimma Projects

[mikebullock84 0]

Well hello, as you well remember from a previous topic i launched, i came across a factory dimma in a sorry state in the barn about 15mins from my house! It was in a bad way, had no front end and no interior, and the dash had holes drilled in it! and it was missing the wheels! but i still bought it! the previous owner had abandoned his project a while back, so there was alot of jobs that needed doing to it, such as fuel pump, alternator, filters etc etc

 

 

 

 

then i had the task of presuading my old man to let me remove a tractor that has been sat in our workshop for about 8 years waiting restoration, so i had to organise a telehandler and lift it out so that i could put the dimma inside and start work on it!

 

 

 

i then bought a 205 diesel for 150 quid off ebay which had a full leather interior. i took the dash and carpet out of this and put this into the dimma, what a nightmare of a job!

 

 

i then came across a red dimma project for sale on piston heads, and i snapped it up, as it came with a spare dimma bodykit, which was ideal as the purple car needed a front bumper! it has a knacked engine, but also came with a spare, its just the case of swaping the motor over. I bought it off a bloke who is on the forum, he has just bought a factory TT dimma, its got to be one of the best cars ive seen, let alone for a 205!!

 

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2008 by mikebullock84

[mikebullock84 0]

So now my plans changed, im now going to keep the red dimma and sell the purple one. So i kept the full leather seats for the red one and put in half leathers in the purple, i also installed the front bumper+lights etc. I also bought some new struts with lowering springs on, and fitted them to the purple one, as the old ones were buggered!

 

 

 

 

This weekend i got it started and drove it out, i had removed the doors to gain easier access when changing the interior, next weekend the doors will be on and it will be ebay i think, then i can start on the red one and get that on the road fro the summer!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mikebullock84 0]

So il post some more photos in the next couple of weeks, the purple dimma will be sold on by then and i can focus on the red one and also finish the 1.6 white in the backround of some of my photos, its just i work long hours as an excavator operator on a big development 6days a week, so i hardly have any time to work on them! cheers, mike

 

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d63/mike...1dimmas0069.jpg

 

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d63/mike...1dimmas0058.jpg

 

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d63/mike...1dimmas0073.jpg

[gerry 5]

wise choice i too would keep the red one and get rid of the purple!!

 

keep this updated fella and good luck

[damien 22 1 Cars]

how many dimmas!!

that purple one looks like the one in dungeness

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/687/dscf1874largejs0.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1962/dscf1875largerk1.jpg

[welshpug 1,621]

how many dimmas!!

that purple one looks like the one in dungeness

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/687/dscf1874largejs0.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1962/dscf1875largerk1.jpg

 

it seems that purple was a popular colour back in the day not the same one though, smooth bumpers and rear panel in the one you pictured.

 

 

If you do part with the purple one Mike how much would you be looking for? (inc the missing panels )

Edited April 21, 2008 by welshpug

[mikebullock84 0]

welsh pug- the purple dimma doesnt have any missing panels, the doors were just taken off so that i could move about in the workshop while installing the dash, i will be fitting them this weekend. It still needs work to get it right, for some reason the front lights dont work, aswell as the interior lights, probabll a fuse or something, cant be arsed to investigate any further! and the brakes need bleading etc and of course it needs a respray. It could be an awsome track car as it no sunroof, but now ive got the red dimma, ive lost interest in completeing all the odd jobs on it! Not sure what i want for it, im happy for you to make me a sensible offer via pm if you like, cheers

Edited April 21, 2008 by mikebullock84

[mak 0]

Mike,

 

I built the blue TT and sold it to Mark a couple of weeks ago. Although I'm not the owner anymore, I'm going to take the credit for it

[mikebullock84 0]

well of course mak you deserve all the credit you can get, that car was stunning, how could you ever sell? you can sure see the amount of time and effort that it took you!!

[mak 0]

I guess it was just time to move on Mike really. When I'd finished it I was kind of at a loose end with it, it wasn't really getting used much plus I'd owned it for four years so the novelty had certainly worn off.

 

It certainly took a lot of effort to put it together, about three years in total, a year for the engine, a year for the interior and a year on all the finishing touches.

 

Best of luck with yours! I obviously know the dimma inside out so if you ever have any questions mate just ask

Edited April 22, 2008 by mak

[Headling 0]

some awesome cars there! love the Blue dimma! makes me want to make my 205 track car into a dimma! e-bay here i come!!!

[milk_churn 0]

Some serious Dimma porn going on there! nice

[mikebullock84 0]

ok right guys, a bit of an update, well i sold the purple dimma, and kept the red one with the knackered engine. It came with a spare, so i set about taking it out and replacing it, managed it in a day, but the old engine had a piper cam and big valve head (receipt for 800 in service history) so i wanted to put this head on my replacement motor.

 

I sent this head off to my local engine tuners, they replaced 3 sets of valves that were bent and cleaned it all up! nice! I then took the lightened and balanced flywheel and uprated clutch off the old motor and put it on the new. Turns out that a piston exploded causing major bottom end damage, hence why i kept the head...

 

 

 

 

the pup watches me yet again, i swear he is a 205 expert now!

 

 

 

Another 205 is bought for spares, this time its a 1.9 with spax, 1.6 box and ported head, it kindly donates its lowered rear beam, twin headlights, and anything i need to complet the dimma. Once she is finished il try and get this back on the road.

 

 

 

 

progress gets a little slow due to new 'modern' car! which is a golf mk 4 v6 4 motion!

 

 

Got the engine back in now, about to fit the rear beam one night this week. Jobs left to do are to prep bumpers for the old man to spray, fit seats, wire in twin headlamps, thats about it, id love to get to pugfest, as ive never been to a car show before! -shocking!! fingers crossed i make it!

 

Edited June 16, 2008 by mikebullock84

[S13Nick 0]

dimma's are amazing, they just look right at every angle! especially the wheels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mikebullock84 0]

well hello people, sorry for a late reply, but here goes, here are some recent pics, hopefully it will soon be on the road. I have fitted the full leather interior, a dimma show cage, a recon 1.9 gti beam, the electrical system has been rewired, (windows,lights, alarm,imob etc) and i have been busy rubbing and body filling the bumpers and boot ready for spraying. enjoy the pics...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

then now this week the bodywork is almost finished..... my father sprayed the bits that needed paint last week, i have been busy refitting the bumpers

 

Jobs left to do are to bleed the brakes, connect handbrake, sort out a gear linkage problem and MOT test, then i should be driving about for the first time!

 

[mikebullock84 0]

 

 

 

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

Looks great although there is 1 or two things id change! good effort that man!

[All Praise The GTI 3]

Damn you!!!!

now i really want to keep my dimma again, get it finnished and get it on the road for the summer,well whats left of it

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

Looks great Mike. Nice to see it being reborn Don't forget the black strip in the front and rear bumpers and personally I would add some black electrical tape down the edge of the door where it meets the rear quarter. The normal GTIs have this and it ties the windows in together IMHO. A lot of people forget this when they respray.

 

Also nice to see it staying 8v too. A rare site now

[mikebullock84 0]

yep henry i was going to do exactly what you have suggested! Yes you are also right about the 8v thing, i dont have the funds to go 16v or turbo 8v so i must be one of the few dimma owners still with just a 1.9!

[Guest Lisa]

Awesome, why can't the outside of my house look like that lol!

[mikebullock84 0]

well to round off this thread, im adding these finished build photos, as ive completely forgot to do so! It has now passed the MOT, although its taken alot longer than i planned to get it on the road, shame i missed out on pugfest and other shows, but there is always next year!

 

 

 

[marsy 0]

Well Done Mike, looking wicked pal!

[GSXR_J 0]

Awesome mate, looks really well, just one thing I'd like to know - where did you get them french looking number plates from? Kinda finishes it off well for me!

 

Nice!

[Galifrey 1]

Just had a little accident in my underwear...