Would it be an absolute crime to swap a TFSI into a 78 S1 GTi??

Hello Everyone-

I haven't been on here in a while, but as time goes on I hope to make it further with my 78 GTI restoration this year..

I have been very particular when gathering parts for this car as I want it to be as "correct" as possible. The birth certificate from Wolfsburg confirms that the 1.6 EG engine and GE gearbox originally came with the car. My initial plans were to carefully rebuild the engine and gearbox and enjoy! I do have lots of experience with engine conversions though and often consider installing a TFSI engine and leaving the appearance largely original…

The purist in me says to leave the car original and correct, but I cant stop thinking about how fun the TFSI would be.

This is the car as it sits-


My goal-


I value your honest opinions-

Cheers,
Chris
 

Keep it original.....

If you've got the original engine I'd refit that.

stick the tfsi in that s2 behind lol, keep it original, thats what im doing with my 80'gti, removing the 16v and putting in  1.6 again

  After all your hard work if you were to not keep the car completely original, you are clearly totally insane.  

Not only that but forgetting all the time and expense you've invested in the new engine, you will devalue the car by anything up to to 50%.
Definitely not the smartest move I'd say!  

Now I am all for originality, but take for example the Jaguar E-Type.   Beautiful to look at but I woyld never want one, drove a fully restored V12 once and it felt like an absolute Dinosoar.

What I would love to have us one of the Vicarage recreations. Leave all the looks untouched, but update the mechanicals sympathetically.

Now the Golf drives pretty well compared to modern cars, but would you realistically want one as an everyday car over a MK7?

I think keeping the car absolutely original looking down to the alloys you have or even the steel wheels but having the TFSI engine and even PAS, ABS if it was possible would create a really nice car, especially if you didn't go mad with extracting mega BHP.  What you have done so far looks amazing, your decision but just my alternative opinion.  basically if VW built a MK7 with a MK1 body……

Thanks for the input guys.

My thoughts are that the TFSI (even if carried out very professionally) would devalue the car quite a bit..??? What is your opinion here?

It is a tough decision. I haven't sourced a TFSI yet, but If I do all of the labor, there is not much difference in cost of rebuilding/ restoring (to a high standard) the original 1.6 and 4-speed gearbox and purchasing a TFSI and 02J gearbox.. Of course there is some fab work etc to do..

I sold the S2 in the background last year only to make way for this car. I absolutely loved that car- it was a 1.8t-



Cheers,
Chris
 

Sort of acceptable to re-engine a common-or-garden early 80s S2 but a '78 series 1 GTI?

Definitely keep it original in my opinion. You've gone so far in doing that it would seem mad for many reasons to now drop a TFSI in.

Thanks for the input.

The replies make me want to lean towards my original idea- to restore the original engine and gearbox and let it be.

I have gone as far as to source a new OEM exhaust from VW classic, so I guess I should use it. I have also never driven a GTi with a 4-speed, so this should be interesting… Maybe I should do a thread showing the buid up of the car when it comes together-


I am located in the US and sourcing the correct parts for the car has been a bit difficult. I will get a majority of my interior bits from Newton, but I would like to use the original door panels (front and rear) if I can find a nice set. I really like the original style rear panels with arm rest and I don't believe these are made in reproduction.

Can anyone help here??

Chris

 

Don't forget to give Mark a shout on parts too funk-star