engine swap for smaller size and power steering

Hi, I recently bought a 1987 mk1 golf 1.8 cabriolet automatic for my sons 21st birthday in December and i have two questions i wonder if anyone can help me with.

1) I would like swap the engine for a smaller engine, 1.4cc would be ideal as i would like to get the insurance costs down.

  2) I would like to get a power steering conversion to make driving it easier.

  Does anyone know if this conversion is possible and do they know anyone who can do the work?

Thanx

David

Bromley, Kent

Hi,

1) Putting a smaller engine in will make the insurance worst because you then have a modified car. There was never a cabby with a 1.4 engine. All cabbys from 84 (I think) were 1.8.

2) You can do power steering through two routes:
The first one is mimic the setup on mk2 Golfs, you can use most parts - the sticking point is the rack as there was never a right hand drive mk1 Golf Power Steering rack. Others on here have had success with some Toyota racks. TSR Performance use to sell a kit but it cost £££
The second is to consider electric assist steering by using a Corsa column. CrazyQuiff does a kit and so do a few other guys on here. Cost can range from £400 to £800 through this route.

Do a search on this forum and you will find that this has been discussed loads of times !!

We've got a copy of Classic Car here at work and a chap in there has a mk1 cabbie with renault 5 power steering - no information on it at all, but worth further reading.