New Guy

Hi Guys,
Just signed up as I've recently bought a MK1 driver. First of all I admit that I will be doing an engine swap, but apart from that I plan to keep it looking pretty much standard as the day it rolled of the production line and will be having it re-sprayed in it's original Baikal Blue. Hopefully my pictures will be attached (phone pictures, so not the best).
Let me know what you think. And also can anyone in the north west recomend a good body shop? As a decent spray painter seems difficult to find in my neck of the woods.

Hello Munky…

What engine you planning on using?

Looks good! 8)

Welcome onboard!

cheers guys. Looks like a quality forum so far!

I was idly looking through ebay and I found an 89 16v engine. I say engine but I really mean pretty much the entire front end, engine, gearbox, subframe, suspension, driveshafts, brakes, fusebox, ecu and loom. When the guy said he'd take ?175 for it I became a very happy munky! Just in the process of stripping it down for a recon.
I think there are going to be some long nights and head bashing before it's done, but I think this forum looks like a great place to get info from.

Are you aware of everything you will need to do to get the 16V into the car?

A few of the more major things to think about are:

1. Engine mounts - The drivers side engine mount needs to be cut off the chassis leg, flipped upside down and re-welded in further down the chassis leg. Best to look at a Gti engined car to see exactly how it goes.

2. Fuel tank and fuel lines. You will need the Gti tank/pump and fuel lines. The fuel lines are bigger on a Gti. Your current ones won't be able to supply enough fuel.

3. Exhaust manifold. The 16v manifold and downpipes dont fit the Mk1. You either need a four branch specifically for a Mk1 16v conversion, or if you are hendy with a welder, you could get fabricating!

Sorry if you already know this stuff, it's just that people are told "yes it will drop straight in" and don't realise all the extra work that is involved!

Oh - I hope you are planning on upgrading the brakes to at least Gti spec!!!

Later,
AL.

I sort of knew about most of those points, but thanks for the tips. I will definately be uprating the brakes, the standard stoppers are pretty awful. My main concern is which driveshafts and gear linkage to use, I have been told to use cabrio drivshafts as I've got a 16v box.

The drive shafts them selves aren't the prob, it's the size of the inner CV joints. They have to be the correct size for the drive cups on the diff outputs. I think the cabrio ones are correc, but the Scirrocco GT's etc I think fit too…
You will deffinately need to get rid of yours though, so before you buy any from the breakers etc, just measure the cups and inner joints with a tape or rule.

As for the gear linkages, you will need the full set up from a Mk1 Gti, including the actual shifter. You also need the steering rack as it has a bracket welded to it that is needed.

AL.