My Spanish Polo 16v

[sports racer]

I bought this last night off Hayden and drove it home from Newcastle (500ks). Great drive, so much fun and I couldn't believe how quick I got home.

It's got a H&R Cup Kit so handles really well together with extractors, big bore exhaust, Garlock EPROM, Adjustable Cam Gear and fantastic brakes. Well, they're heaps better than anything I've driven for the past few years.

I don't know why people say the ABF 16v is only good for top end power, this one pulls well from down low and I had no trouble driving through Newcastle using 3rd and 5th. It has a short gearstick so finding 2nd was a pain for the first 10 min but I'll need a few days of driving to see if I want to put the standard gearstick in.

At it's new home




Not sure about that rooflining. Maybe it will grow on me.



Plans are to do some track days (Wakefield Park is only a hour away). If I can convince my kids this is better to take them to school (100ks away in Canberra) then it will be my daily instead of the boring Passat. That means 200ks a day of driving fun.

And why is it my Spanish Polo? I've been talking to people at work about buying it and everyone scratches their head when I say Seat Cupra but when I say it's a VW Polo with 2 doors they all nod their heads.

That's why I'm going to put VW Polo badges on it.

Cheers

Paul

[HaydEn]

Legend. All the best.

Miss the little rocket already..

[dylan8]

These are a hoot to drive.
Love driving Water Boys 16v cupra, is great hooning around the streets as well as out cruising on the highway.
Any plans other then maybe the shifter and headlining?

[sports racer]

I've already fixed the aerial so it gets a radio signal for more than 20ks away, pretty important when the local community radio station is crap and Canberra is 100 ks away. The fog lights are back in and the boom box is out - I need the space to carry my bicycle.

My old MK2 Golf would leave the Cupra for dead through the twisties so that’s where it needs the most work. As a daily the suspension is too stiff for the roads where I live. It’s got 195x45x15 tyres currently fitted so I’ll take the wheels off the MK2 which have 195x50x15 and that should soften the ride a bit. If it’s still too stiff the MK2 springs and shocks will go in and I want to take the VR6 rear beam as well if it fits. It has a built-in antirollbar and I’ve got a 25mm bar that can go on as well. There's also some 16’s and 17's in the shed which will get some road legal race rubber.

The engine will be left alone for now, it gets to 180ks real easy and there's a lot of other things that can be improved when I take it to the track, including my driving skills.

Long term I'd love to fit a wide arch kit like this and I might have a go at making that front bumper/skirt.

[Water Boy]

VR6 beam will not fit.

Remember is polo ream beam and suspension.

[Sharkie]

Nice!

BTW, these were sold as VW Polo's in South Africa (both sedan and hatch), so you should be able to find the necessary VW badges if you look at parts suppliers there. I had 1 but it was a sedan with the 1.8 FI single cam (MK2 GTI) engine, still a lot of fun though.

Also look here for aftermarket bits .... Vw Polo up to '02 - Volkswagen - Vehicle Categories

[sports racer]

Remember is polo ream beam and suspension.

I thought these had the same suspension as the MK2 which is the same (mostly) as the MK3?

[sports racer]

This is what happens when you've got a couple of old Golfs and have no idea which wheel would look best. First the 15's off the MK2.



Then the 17's.



I ran out of time to try the 16's but here they are with another 15 inch.



Nice disks, no wonder it stops so well.



And which wheel did I end up with? The BBS reps of course.

[Water Boy]

I thought these had the same suspension as the MK2 which is the same (mostly) as the MK3?

They do not. 100% 6n polo rear struts. Much shorter than mk2/3 golf.

[HaydEn]

Mk3 syncro struts

[sports racer]

This is the 2nd day of driving it to work and as much as I love hard sprung cars, driving 200 k's per day is slowly starting to wear me down. The suspension has to be a little bit softer so whatever I can swap from the MK2 will go into the Cupra.

Is the front end all MK2/3 Golf?

The short shift gearstick will go as well. It's nice for the first 10 minutes but after the novelty has worn off it's a pain.

The key only works the ignition and boot, not the doors, so I’ll pull apart the door locks and see if they can be modified to accept the key. If not then all the locks will be swapped from the spare Cupra so 1 key does everything. The only way I can get into the car is with the remote and I don't like what can happen if the battery goes flat. I’m getting too old to climb into a car via the hatch. The remote only works on the drivers door which has an aftermarket electric door release but I’ve got a couple of spares so I’ll fit them to the boot and passenger door so they all lock/unlock at the touch of a button.

The radio needs to be rewired so it works off the auxiliary, not the ignition circuit. It may not sound important but when you’ve got Led Zeppelin blasting out of the speakers at the servo it’s a pain having to turn them off when you fill up with petrol. If you can’t annoy everyone around you what’s the point of growing old?

These are all little things but they take the edge off what should be a great little car. Slowly, bit by bit, this will be turned into one sweet Cupra that I can drive 1000 k’s per week and still smile every time I get out of the car.

[Water Boy]

Is the front end all MK2/3 Golf?

Correct. I have my mk3 coilovers in the front of my cupra.

[sports racer]

The interior looks great but that drivers seat isn't very supportive. Need to replace it with something better or pull it apart and fit some new padding.





Engine needs a good clean.

[Matt P]

I ran out of time to try the 16's but here they are with another 15 inch.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]21102[/ATTACH]

Are the multispokes the 16s? If so, if you ever get sick of them please pm me

[sports racer]

The ones on the car in the picture are 16's.

PM sent.