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Topic: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v (Read 2686 times) previous topic - next topic

Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Hi,

I'm a bit of stickler for OEM or OEM plus stuff. I have an '88 GTi 8v with rough teardrops. They're nice enough refurb'd in the proper diamond cut finish but I think mine are too far gone with pitting to achieve that. I'm not really a BBS fan so was looking at the Bottletops that came standard on a 16v - were they ever a dealer fit / factory upgrade to the 8v? I've seen they were avaialable in accerssory brochures from the era (but it's in a foreign language so can't be sure what i am reading).

Thanks,
Matt

Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #1 –
I've a few of VAG UK's dealer accessory (as opposed to factory options) brochures and the bottle tops feature in two of them.

They're not dated but judging by the images I'd guess they're both from mid - late 1980's.

They're in a general wheel section, and while some other styles are quoted as specific to certain models the bottle tops aren't.

Will try and stick up a few images later.

Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #2 –
Thanks! So maybe they were avaialable as optional wheels then. That's good as if they were optional wheels then it could have been factory/dealer fit rather than me trying to copy a 16v.

Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #3 –
As far as I can remember I think they stopped the bottletops around the time they switched the qtr light windows late 87, my 86 16v I had in 90 had them but I never saw an 8v with them, think they were specific to 16v, also to KJet pre digi cars.

If yours is 88 then it's an E or F reg and could be K Jet/Digi E reg or Digi F reg, if K Jet then it would be acceptable for bottletops if it's digi then Le Castellets would be correct.

Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #4 –
3 x accessory brochures - from what I can see of the VW ones only the one below has what could be taken as the publication date ( April 1986).

The detectives out there could maybe work out a rough latest print date for the others from the photos.

The images in the final postare are from a GTi-Engineering 1990 brochure, might give you an idea of wheel types were available at the time.

Everything's been automatically resized - might magnify up if you right click and view image...























Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #5 –


















Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

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Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #7 –




Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #8 –
Almost 100% sure that the bottle tops  were available as an upgrade on the 8v small bumpers, they used to sometimes have samples on racks in the showroom so you could spec up your car .. they weren’t as popular when the 15” wheels came in especially the RAs which pretty much everyone wanted ....

I had some on my 8v and really liked them, however the colour match on the center caps was never quite right and I wanted stock stock so went with teardrops which I am not a huge fan of but you can’t have it all...some poor people have to live with big bumpers




Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #9 –
You are probably right, just around 1989/90 when I bought my first 16v, well first VW it was just over 3 years old and had only seen 16v's up to that point with BT's and it was the one I wanted and I saw loads of 8v's as of course they had been around a few years before the 16v, so if they were offered it was from 86 as mine was one of the first in the UK on a D plate Aug 86 up until they went big bumper maybe in 89, as you say by then 15's were available.

Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #10 –
Doesn't help with the bottletops but found this info today although I had to edit it......

85-ish changes:
dual tip exhausts on GTI models
dual exhaust cutout on rear lower valance introduced
MK1 style side stripes dropped
side repeaters added
single washer tank/pump instead of separate bottles/pumps for front/rear
GTI downpipe changed from 'toilet bowl' to 6 stud flange

Late 86 16v introduced.

Late 87 changes:
5 slat grill replaces old 7 slat grill
front 'GTI' & 'GTI 16v' grill badge font & clip design changed
left side rear 'VW' roundel & 'Volkswagen' badges removed, larger central 'VW' roundel with indent in panel introduced, right side 'Golf' badge font changed
single piece glass front doors replace 2 piece MK1 style doors, mirror moved to front of door
digifant injection replaces k-jet on 8v models
chunkier stalks introduced
wiper arms swapped to the other side on RHD models
chunky rubbing strips
bonnet & washer jets changed
better quality dash fitted to all models as standard?
steering wheel changed to single button
jack panel modified with a little extra webbing material to floorpan area
wiper loom hole enlarged, presumably so the extra plugs that pass through here for ECU looms can fit through easier

88-89 changes:
digifant engines now have a blue 2 pin push fit ECU coolant temp sender, earlier models have a white threaded 2 pin sender
large spline wheel column adaptors start being fitted
handbrake lever & mount bracket, cables & rear calipers changed
light switch changed to 11 pin
16vs got red/black tinted rear clusters, also on 8v '1 in 10 million' edition
256mm brakes on 16v
2 piece plastic timing belt cover

89-90 changes (90 spec):
CE2 fusebox introduced
complete wiring loom changed
engine management loom hole on scuttle to rain tray area behind coil moved
front wings all have 2 holes for big bumper brackets
hazard switch moved to top of steering column
dash clocks now have 1 plug instead of 2
coolant level sensor control relay removed, now internal to clocks (except with Digifiz & early Jetta CE2 which had CE1 clocks, relay is moved to fusebox)
16vs got plain rubber injector lines instead of braided
thin rubbing strips, sill trims & front fogs on GTIs
big bumpers on GTIs & GLs
outer column housing
ignition lock housing, ignition switch & stalks
fusebox holder brackets
driver side dash under tray
fusebox cover
boot carpet made of foam instead of carpet
back panel on rear seats made of painted fibre board rather than carpeted
colour coded boot plinth on GTI
wiper spindles are thicker
header tank, lower hose, cap, level sender, level sender plug & mounting bracket
longer gearbox earth to a stud on engine->gearbox mounting bolt introduced
lower engine bay heat shield on 8v GTI models
sidelight holders have different plug
front indicators have different plug
horn loom has different plug
reverse switch has different plug

later 90 model improvements:
key in ign live for stereo
chunky plastic scuttle & ecu covers
side impact bars in doors
loom tape instead of thick plastic sheathing stuff
stainless sunroof deflector arms
jack panel modified with wider egg shaped dimple

MK2 production dates/chassis number spread
01.08.1983 - 19-E-300001
31.07.1992 - 1G-N-300000
hard data on chassis number production dates for major shell changes:
31.07.1987 - 19-H-990000 - last month early doors were fitted
31.07.1988 - 19-JB200000/19-JW990000 - last month of Typ-19 production (JBxx means made in Brussels, JWxx means made in Wolfsburg)
01.08.1988 - 1G-KB000001/1G-KW000001 - first Typ 1G chassis rolls off the production line
??.11.1988 - 1G-KB075001/1G-KW240001 - 256mm brakes fitted to 16v
??.12.1988 - 1G-K-400001 - CE2 electrics fitted to Jetta
01.08.1989 - 1G-L-000001 - CE2 electrics fitted to Golf

Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #11 –
Looks like part of rubjonnys guide to upgrades and the trashing of The tpye 19 nonsense

Two 8vs registered the same day , one a 19 one not

Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #12 –
Yeah there was one error in that list i posted that I edited, it said 16v introduced late 87, it was actually late 86.

Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Damien.wrl on
Looks like part of rubjonnys guide to upgrades and the trashing of The tpye 19 nonsense

Two 8vs registered the same day , one a 19 one not



Let's not get into this, clearly neither are type19, as they both have the mirrors in the wrong place and the wipers go the wrong way, ;-)

Re: Bottletops - were they ever a dealer/factory upgrade to the 8v

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Eddypeck on
Quote from: Damien.wrl on
Looks like part of rubjonnys guide to upgrades and the trashing of The tpye 19 nonsense

Two 8vs registered the same day , one a 19 one not



Let's not get into this, clearly neither are type19, as they both have the mirrors in the wrong place and the wipers go the wrong way, ;-)

The one on the right is a genuine type nineteen, different handbrake and 19 chassis number , the other is a 1G .. admittedly neither have the mk1 side decals , spookily the 19 doesn’t have tinted windows