Finally got a classic Golf

[Oneofthegreats]

Sorry, I think my general out there idea's everyone is taking asif I am 100% on them...

I think I put some things the wrong way, a VR6T I say would be wayyy to expensive a base to begin on for me, but maybe if it could be pulled of right, then the cost may be justifiable to me, in other words if I had things running N/A, then may consider a turbo...
I also undertand it will never drive like a MkV GTI, but it will be able to start warm quickly then pull away, not like some older 1.8's that need a good 5 mins before you can roll the car down the driveway...

I have actually just worked out who you are Golfworx, I very much respect you, your the lad that brought us the 1.8 8v turbo k-jet in a MkI!
Your car is pretty much what made me interested in MkI's! Before that I only liked MkII's...

I understand that my ideas are very out there and would require significant engineering assessment, but I actually think I could justify 20k if the job was done to the number...

I really want AWD on this car and that is really the only reason why I am steering away from 1.8's, so with all your input of the MkIV motors would a 2.8 VR6 be a better choice?

Cheers for the comments.

The$ 20K number was just for the engineers bill. Not anything to do with building the actual car sorry. You build you car & then add in the engineers cost!


Ok. start over then.


I've never done this conversion, so don't take it as gospel, but can understand what has to go into a conversion like this


"If" your dead serious about a AWD Mk1, this is how I would go about it. There are tons of other options, but this one would be suited & hopefully some will agree.

This has also been done numerous times in the UK with great success

I'd start of by trying to find a wreck Mk2 Rally or Syncro obviously shipping it from the UK (although I think twineng twinturbs has a syncro kit lying around) & gutting it for all its worth, cause you'll get the complete car incl. transmission, tranfer case, rear subframe, diff. prop shaft, driveshafts, big brakes, wheel hubs etc.

Cause your also after some grunt, I'd either choose a mildly built up 16v with a turbo setup, but the ideal choice is a 20vt, as its already turbo'd & there's a ton of bolt on & performance goodies available for it.
Power it upto 250-300hp on the safe side for a stock 20vt & make sure all the other components are upto the task eg. brakes, clutch suspension etc

I'd go for a 4cyl. cause once you add a VR6 & adapt a syncro bellhousing/transfer box setup there will be a substantial amount of extra weight in front of the car & upset what is already a imbalanced car even worse.


After alll of this & you'll have one rapid Mk1, which will be reliable good for everyday use.

The next drama is still with the engineers regarding chassis strength testing etc.

Or you could just build it & build it right & no one could tell the difference.




If only it was as simple as building it as it is to explain it! hahahahah



Do a search on ClubGTI, vortex etc. There are plenty of AWD buildup & conversions going on incl. some RWD conversion!

[STOIE]

Thanks for your commitment on this

I understood it's just for the engineers cert by the way...

Anyway, I have been fairly into the MkII AWD conversions, only thing that I guess downs me is having never driven one, I really don't know how the AWD system performs.
But as for the build I really don't think the actual building will be the hard part, it's getting it right to be on the road again.
Being that I have not dealt with cars being engineer certified, at what steps must one have a project car like this checked...?

When the shell is stripped for chassis testing, then when suspension, wheels, brakes, driveline I suspect.
Then I imagine for things like roll cage, seating brackets body dimensions etc.

But, do you know the actual breakdown???

[Oneofthegreats]

Thanks for your commitment on this

I understood it's just for the engineers cert by the way...

Anyway, I have been fairly into the MkII AWD conversions, only thing that I guess downs me is having never driven one, I really don't know how the AWD system performs.
But as for the build I really don't think the actual building will be the hard part, it's getting it right to be on the road again.
Being that I have not dealt with cars being engineer certified, at what steps must one have a project car like this checked...?

When the shell is stripped for chassis testing, then when suspension, wheels, brakes, driveline I suspect.
Then I imagine for things like roll cage, seating brackets body dimensions etc.

But, do you know the actual breakdown???

No worrys.


I know alittle bit about the ins & outs of this, but first & foremost I'd highly recommend giving your local engineer, or shop around till you find one who you like to deal with & is prepared to take on the job & outline your exact intentions for the build & I'm sure he will guide you along.

I'd rather not go into the breakdown, as different engineers will operate in different ways to achieve the same goal.
One engineer may say a different thing or have a different idea to what another engineer does & says.
So once you find a good engineer, stick with him. I'd highly advice against palming them off against each others work, cause it will cost you dearly.

I know there will be many on site inspections along the way.

[STOIE]

Okay, sounds like the way to do things.
I might know a guy actually ...

[Jarred]

Tim's the man. He's the guy who'se thought about all these kinds of things before, and in full depth as well! He's who alot of us turn too when we think we have some fandangle idea for a car.

I honestly think, if you restore the car & make improvements to the chassis/suspension etc to make it nicer to drive and add a simple 16VT or 20VT, you'll be happy. It'll be turn key reliable, (it would be EFI afterall) make a truckload of power (for a small car) and will eat alot of other newer more expensive cars. (as Golfworx has said!)

There' are also a few things to worry about with engineering in regards to emissons.

[JP-009]

Hey Aaron, any pics?

WOOT! another Mk1 to terrorise the streets of Canberra

[STOIE]

Tim sure is a knowledgeable guy, I read his build thread about 50 times over!

@JP,
Yepp, I will upload the pics he sent me.
It was too dark to get any pics by the time I got back home.

The current engine has some issues, as I said it doesn't idle, which would make me believe, idle needs to be higher, jets and plugs.
It boiled a little on the way home, was an hour of peak hour traffic so what can you expect considering the radiator has had better days...

Anyway, these things don't bother me, at this point I am waiting till monday when my folks head overseas then into the garage it goes and work will begin!
My first focus is getting out the couple of dings the body has and then sand things back looking for rust... after that start pulling sheet apart!

[STOIE]

Photo's now up in the build thread:

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f55/stoies-77-mki-golf-build-thread-44140.html

[STOIE]

what condition are the chrome bumpers in?

Check out the photos, but I would say they are pretty damn good!
Do you have some black plastics you want to trade???

[RedVR6]

I reckon it would be easier to get your Mk5 R32 down to 700-800kg than build an AWD Mk1. Crazy idea, but would be heaps cool if you can pull it off. If you're going to go to that much effort, why not go a mid mount V10 TDI or go the twin VR6 engine option as has been done in the UK before??

[STOIE]

Haha, thats maybe going a little too far, or is it ... hehehe
Anyway, I am not interested in purely having the quickest car in town, I want a fast oldskool dub, that performs like hell and a grandma can drive it with ease.

[GoLfMan]

Check out the photos, but I would say they are pretty damn good!
Do you have some black plastics you want to trade???

unfortunately not. But I'll see if I can rustle some up

[gldgti]

Anyway, I am not interested in purely having the quickest car in town, I want a fast oldskool dub, that performs like hell and a grandma can drive it with ease.

bahahahahaha!

seriously, this is the most unhelpful post i've ever made, but..... you bought the wrong car.

you really cant have all those things.... not unless you have a goldmine in your backyard that nobody else knows about. you can have fast, loud and harsh, or you can have nice and reliable and easy. In a mk1, anything else is dreaming.

[GoLfMan]

in regards to rust.

gut the interior, get a heat gun and take all that nasty nasty tar sound deadening off the floor!!! Also do the same in the raintray.

Check for rust in the inner guards, and where ever dirt can accumulate over the years and hold moisture.

good luck!

[STOIE]

Thanks GM, that's exactly what I am planning to do first up.

As for gldgti, I am not fazed about having two billion hp, I want something though that doesn't have a clunky gearbox, seats that don't adjust and an engine that needs 30 mins to warm up.
I am not planning on having a sub 10sec golf, if I wanted that I would go a completely different way, I want a nice cruise car basically but with a twist.

As a side note, I have found someone that has put a VR6T 4motion in a MkI caddy... so at least I know it is theoretically possible...
my mk1 caddy 4motion project - VW Caddy (AKA VW Rabbit Pickup) Forum