The Greenland Polo by the brit

13 minute(s) of a 249 minute read

Here's the last week of work, squeezed in when I've had some spare time.

Obviously, the dirt in the engine bay has been power washed away. My driveway's got a nice coating of grey Greenland mud on it now. After that, the 110v external power wiring was removed and I got a chance to inspect some more of the engine bay. It's a hydro clutch setup, which is great for me as it saves me hassle of installing that stuff if it had a clutch cable.

There's lots of stuff missing, or half installed. The rear engine subframe is hanging on by 2 bolts, and the steering knuckle unclips at will. A lot of the suspension bolts are hand tight too. I suspect that when someone was trying to remove the engine they though dropped the rear might have been easiest, and then changed their plan half way through. Well, it's all simple stuff to sort out for me - at least the subframes still on, so it rolls and I have less parts to track down.

In my stash of parts that just arrived, I got the drivers door cleaning up and the mirror installed. Unfortunately, it's a slightly earlier style mirror so although it works fine it's not the right shape cover. I'll have to track down a late model but non-power one later - it doesn't seem like a very popular option though.

I removed the front end, and replaced the missing bolts on the steering rack and rear subframe:



and at the same time, took a further look at what's left of the wiring in the engine bay. All of the engine wiring has been cut, as have the battery terminals etc. I have got replacement terminals, but wanted to double check my diagrams and test that I can remove the diesel +12v feeds that supplied the glowplugs etc.



So, for the first time in a long time the car got power. Lower mileage than I expected:



I've brought a few of the missing parts over from Europe for the car. The missing drivers side taillight was bolted on the moment I got it here, to close that big hole in the body, but today I mounted up the rear bumper.

How the car came, with newly installed light:



Power washed some of the worst of the mud off the bottom. I got to discover that the bottom of the car smells like a fish mongers, or the Jersey Shore. Lovely.



Replacement bumper from a matching red Seat Cordoba Variant. I know (hoped?) they were interchangable, but I still haven't cross referenced the part numbers to see if they're identical. Either way, it's a bumper!



Re-glued the foam to the re-bar:



Fitted. Still need to find the correct hardware to bolt it up fully, and to screw it onto the diffuser:



It's a used OEM bumper, so the scratches match the rest of the car nicely



I've also been slowly thinking about the engine that's going to be swapped in. It's a 1.8T 20v AEB from a early B5 passat (Nevar Lose except for Sludging version). Several things need to switched from the longitudinal setup to a transverse setup. The oil filter housing has been traded with a VW Fox owner for a ABA setup. The open hole on top needs to be tapped to M12x1.5 to use the turbo oil feed fitting. The hole with the socket in it will be used for the oil pressure switch, and is already the correct thread size.



And in the spirit of cross-referencing, I'm going to be doing a lot of it instead of just buying everything off the shelf in Europe. It's mainly the engine bay, so here's what i've found already:

ABS hubs are mk3 Jetta/Golf. I'm going to put new ones on when I do the front bearings:



Control arms are mk2 Golf/Jetta:



Engine mount bracket is mk3 Golf/Jetta:



Engine mount itself is a mk3 Golf/Jetta. Need to decide if I want to run stock, or give Black Forest a call for something upgrade:



Front engine mount bracket, mk3 Golf/Jetta.



Trans mount and bracket.. following a theme here, is mk3 Golf/Jetta:





Fan shroud/setup. This had me worried, but it turns out that a B3 Passat is the same thing. That means that a mk2/3/Corrado should all work, with minor trimming or modification.



I have a set of mk2/3 Golf/Jetta coilovers sitting around in case they fit.. The fronts are the same, which is great. The rears say they are specific to the Polo, but I just don't believe it. Maybe the length of the housing is Polo specific, but I going to be they all mount up the same and with the adjustability I should be able to overcome the height difference. We'll see how the weight of the polo does against the heavier mk3 though - I bet there's little difference in the rear though.



That's your update for now.

NON-PROJECT INFORMATION.

Background about driving cars in Thule, and the weather, from a guide for Military Personnel.

Lots of information from the "Newcomer's Welcome Package, 821st Air Base Group" found here: http://www.peterson.af.mil/shared/me...100412-027.pdf

Originally Posted by driving
SAFE VEHICLE OPERATIONS:
BLINDING SPRING
As the sun begins its transition from the dark season, it is low on the horizon. Glare from snow, reflection off other vehicles, and direct light can be blinding. If this happens, STOP IMMEDIATELY!!!! Keep a pair of dark sunglasses with you at all times during this period and all through the light season. Put them on and wait for your vision to return to normal. Also, the reflection from headlights off ice and snow in the dark season can be a similar hazard.

SPEED LIMITS
The speed limit on base is 25 MPH (40 KPH) maximum, but lower in some places (such as the dining facility, base gym, and the flightline). Citations for violations are written by the Security Forces, and can cause you to lose your driving privileges for a week, month, or the rest of your tour. Remember that these speed limits are not a minimum speed to drive – they are the maximum. When road conditions are less than optimum, or during the dark months (when it is REALLY cold), remember to reduce your speed accordingly. The roads here are hard packed earth and gravel. When they get wet, you slide. Often, what appears to be a packed gravel and sand roadway is actually that type of material spread over the surface of packed snow or ice for traction.

SUMMER FOG
When the temperatures change dramatically in the summer (and it does), fog develops over North Star Bay and will move into the Thule AB Valley. This fog can be so dense as to obscure the entire roadway. Should this happen to you, STOP! Pull to the edge of the road only if you can do so safely. Leave the motor running, with the headlights and emergency flashers on. Do not attempt to leave the vehicle, as you could be struck by another vehicle whose driver cannot see you. Wait until the fog has lifted enough for you to safely operate your vehicle to your destination.

STORM SHELTERS
Storm Shelters are emergency shelters on the roads to BMEWS and North and South Mountains. Should you be out on these roads and a storm suddenly comes up on to your party, don’t take an unnecessary chance by trying to make it back to the base. There is a phone there connected directly to the operator. Let the operator know where you are and wait out the storm. You can find these phase shacks, even during storms, by the reflective arrows along the road near, and pointing to, the shelter.
Originally Posted by weather
Here at Thule you are dressed properly for the cold and go from a warm building to a warm vehicle (the majority of newcomers use the base taxi) to a warm building. When the weather is too harsh (i.e. blizzard, unpassable roads, etc.) you are required to stay in your quarters. (Mother Nature has her own schedule of ―three day weekends" for us.) There are periods during the summer months that you will actually see people walking outside in shorts and short sleeve shirts! There are other days when only a windbreaker may be needed. Temperatures at Thule range from minus 30 to plus 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It has reached a high of 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and has dropped to minus 47 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. Winds of 30 to 100 knots are common during arctic winters.

For three months, beginning in late November, the sun is below the horizon, gradually Ieading from twilight to 24 hours of darkness. When the sun returns in late February you gain 20-40 minutes of daylight per day until late April when it remains above the horizon for 24 hours a day for nearly four months. The summer sun is very bright and dark sunglasses are recommended. In mid August you will witness the first sunset since April, and from that point on you receive 20 to 40 more minutes of darkness per day until November when again you have 24 hours of darkness with the darkest and shortest day of the year being December 21st. In the late spring, most of the snow from the shore of North Star Bay to the edge of the ice cap usually disappears as moisture is absorbed directly into the air. Tundra, base rock, and a thin layer of powdery dust remain. This marks the beginning of Thule’s mud season.

During the winter season (Sep 15 - May 14) the high winds blow off the ice cap and cause a local weather phenomenon known as "storm conditions." These storms are a deadly combination of wind, snow, and sub-zero temperatures. A storm begins when a low pressure area west of Thule over Baffin Bay causes surface winds to blow off the ice cap from the southeast. The wind is channeled into the valley where Thule is located. The valley amplifies the wind, and it increases in velocity. The loose snow is picked up by the high winds and can severely restrict visibility. You will notice a change in storm conditions from "storm Normal" to "storm Delta" caused by the high winds. During a storm in March 1972 the anemometer on a storm shelter (Phase Shack #7) recorded the 2nd highest wind velocity ever on earth: 207 mph

Arctic winter storms are divided into these classifications: Storm Normal, Storm Alpha, Storm Bravo, Storm Charlie, and Storm Delta.

Storm Delta represents the most serious threat to life and property. Two factors (visibility and temperature) are assessed to determine the applicable storm conditions. When any two of these three factors are present, the appropriate storm condition is declared.

- Storm Condition Normal - Business as usual.

- Storm Condition Alpha - Initial warning of a potential Arctic winter storm. No danger exists at this point; however, all personnel should prepare for Storm Conditions.

- Storm Condition Bravo - All pedestrian traffic will use the buddy system (two or more people traveling together). All personnel must stay on approved roads. If you are traveling alone in a vehicle, it must have a comm radio or use the buddy system.

- Storm Condition Charlie - All non-essential base facilities close. Return to quarters. Pedestrian traffic is prohibited. Call the base taxi or use the base shuttle bus service if dedicated vehicles are not available.

- Storm Condition Delta - All personnel are restricted to the buildings in which they are located at the time a Storm Delta is declared. Absolutely no pedestrian or vehicular travel is permitted. Only emergency vehicles will operate during this condition and only at the direction of the Base Commander.

WORMHOLES
No there are not giant arctic worms here at Thule. What happens is the sun melts the top layer of snow and ice during the day, and then freezes during the night. You can’t tell from looking whether there’s snow, water, ground, or just open space underneath it, or how high it is. Sticking to the roadways is your best option.