G60 Conversion go or no go?

I?ve sniffed up a smashed Corrado G60 -89 with less than 85k miles on the clock. G-lader refurbished about a year ago. The seller has agreed to sell me the complete drivetrain and everything needed for a conversion for about 500 quid. Although I may need to dismantle it myself… some 600 miles away from home :roll:

So how easy is the conversion… I know the driveshafts needs a fix to mount the mk1 CV joint and that the rear engine mount needs to be fabricated, but otherwise from mounting everything and connecting a bunch of electrical wires ?

What would be good to know is if the engine is possible to drive without the G-lader? Will the fuel mixture get rich since no air is pushed into the engine or is the engine system capable of handling that? Why this is of interest is because of MOT… not to keen on taking on all the time/money and paperwork for getting it completely road legal That will have to be dealt with later on.

The deal feels like a bargain, but I?m starting to have doubts since I have a second project/car which is not working at all for the moment. So should I fix up the Audi S2 now or go for a wild mk1 GTI60 :dontknow:? The sensible part of the brain says Audi but the emotional part screams G600000000000000000!!!

You've gotta buy the G60 parts!!! No question… Even if you just put them to one side for a while, and complete your S2. They won't take up too much room

No point in taking the G-Lader off IMO, as then you'll just be left with a 1.8 with the wrong fuelling (like you say) and also you might as well have used an original Mk1 1.8 GTi engine…

Not too sure on the technical side of things (i.e. wiring / engine mounts etc…) but overall, for 500 quid you can't really go wrong IMO  

There is a massive amount of work in fitting a G60 into a MK1. You've got the mounts to fabricate gearbox and rear - you can't really use a MK1 box so your better going for a 02A hydraulic box from a passat or something - you need to get the cable change parts for a Seat to convert it though. You need to convert your driveshafts to fit MK2 CV's as the MK1's will just shatter with the torque. Intercooler needs located, servo needs to be re-located and all that before you even start with the wiring!! Unless your 110% committed to the project and have plenty of spare time I'd say forget it - I know I done one with a mate and it took about 4 months of constant evenings and nightshifts! OK at the end it was a brute of a beast but no more so than say a MK3 2.0 16V conversion, now that one REALLY works !!!!!!!!!

i have a 93 mk1 cabriowith the 1.8l , it comes with the correct motor mounts, and the tranny should be strong enough. i am doing the swap this weekend.
all you need is the down pipe from a 16v scirroco or mk1 gti.

Cero said

There is a massive amount of work in fitting a G60 into a MK1. You've got the mounts to fabricate gearbox and rear - you can't really use a MK1 box so your better going for a 02A hydraulic box from a passat or something - you need to get the cable change parts for a Seat to convert it though. You need to convert your driveshafts to fit MK2 CV's as the MK1's will just shatter with the torque. Intercooler needs located, servo needs to be re-located and all that before you even start with the wiring!! Unless your 110% committed to the project and have plenty of spare time I'd say forget it - I know I done one with a mate and it took about 4 months of constant evenings and nightshifts! OK at the end it was a brute of a beast but no more so than say a MK3 2.0 16V conversion, now that one REALLY works !!!!!!!!!

Nice with some feedback from you guys

Cero: well I was planning to use the dark cold winter for the conversion and the time factor is not that important? though the learning of it and of course driving it, is what entices.

The problem here in sweden is the MOT, they will only allow a conversion of this kind if VAG would get me the correct paper/certificates that it can handle that power. But VAG, at least the swedish version of it, will not allow any powerplants above 112hp So what is left to do is to register the car as a ?rebuilt car? using a special organisation called SRFO (roughly translated: Swedish vehicle builders organisation) and all the fees to get it roadlegal ends up at above 8000 SEK, about ?600. Plus that I need to change more than just the engine/gearbox for the car to be called ?rebuilt?.

So the big advantage with the G60 engine is that is easily ?downgraded? for a MOT test (and then upgraded after passing through ) and not showing that much of a conversion and not raising any suspicion. Any 16 valver conversion will probably be spotted sooner or later and then forcing me to put the original engine back to get through MOT.

One way that also have come across the table is a 2 litre 3A conversion, but not as much power (at least not compared to a chipped G60 and economically feasible NA-conversion/tuning) as the G60. Also with the price I got for the the G60 parts a 3A conversion will probably be as expensive if not even more.

Hmm fixing up the S2 is probably the most sane way to go… just dont know if I?m sane

Kroegarn, think you've already convinced yourself mate. Once the job is complete it is FUN to drive although if it's an everyday runner you'll need to get a pilots license and a fuel tanker to follow !!. Good luck if you decide to take this route. Also meant to say, in the conversion you need to provide a lamda sensor in the downpipe from the manifold, if you get a S/S manifold get someone to weld a 'screw' fitting into it for the sensor beofre you fit it, there's probably another ton of stuff I've forgot but you'll find out haha  

cheers