Arson recovery update

["Ian Overholt" <ioverholt@hotmail.com>]

We have made lots of progress since Friday.  Doug did not sleep very much 
this weekend.  He worked on the car until midnight Friday, then ten to ten 
on Sat.

The focus of this weekend was mainly cleanup and quick reassembly of major 
things.  The entire interior was removed (except the dashboard).  It takes a 
long time to scrub the smoke remnants off of glass and metal surfaces.  You 
can actually see through the windows now!  The plastic gauge covers were 
ruined by smoke as was the nice black dash instert.  The hazard switch got 
toasted by the fire.  Luckily that switch and the rear harness seem to be 
the only electrical victims (so far).

I found a '77 auto (!) in the junkyard which I pulled the rear wire harness 
from.  I also got a rearview mirror, a good hatch seal, upper speedo cable 
and a silver dash insert that is in really good shape.

Doug sprayed some primer on the exposed metal at the back of the car.  I 
pulled more burnt wire out of the C-pillars and fished broken glass, melted 
plastic and ash out of the fender wells.  We put in rear lights, side 
markers, a license plate holder, the wire harness and a Mars red hatch.  The 
gauges were transferred to the silver dash insert (which looks really nice). 
  Saturday evening the car looked like Jeckle and Hyde.  The front of the 
car is a really nice deep red with H4's, Kamei spoiler and black plastic.  
The back of the car is grey from the primer, the bumper has no plastic and 
the hatch is orange.  The back looks like your typical beater, while the 
front looks like a well-kept car.  The sides still have melted car cover 
stuck to them.  It's kind of an aggressive look anyhow.  LOL!

This week we will splice the '77 rear harness to the '81 wiring (VW just 
couldn't keep the wire colors the same, could they?) and attempt to start 
the car.  With working lights in the rear we can take the car somewhere more 
appropriate to either finish fixing it or swap the goodies into the next FSP 
car.  Doug knows a guy in Fullerton who has done a lot of fire repair 
before.  He also does crazy stuff too.  The last time I was there he was 
working on an A2 GTI that had A3 GTI underpinnings.  By underpinnings I mean 
he swapped the VR6, tranny, suspension subframes, brakes, everything.  He 
does frame work, body work, engine work, whatever.

Doug and Mike went to look at a silver '80 yesterday, I can't wait to hear 
the outcome.  More to follow...

BTW, thank you list for all the support and encouragement!  Oh, as the arson 
investigator said "You will see the arsonist within the next few days".  
Well what do you know, he popped in to say hello on Sat.  The police were 
notified.

Ian Overholt
'88 16v
'78 Champagne Edition


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