Campaign- long term rebuild

Hi all!

just joined up but had my Campaign since around 98/99 where I stripped it to do a resto mod build, fitted a fully rebuilt KR and gearbox, sourced a Scirocco KR intake manifold and engine wiring loom, made some minor body repairs and had the rolling shell painted in a fresh Mars red coat, I guess it’s about 70% built up, and has been covered up in a nice dry garage since about 2003!
Having some health issues just now, and have a SWB Quattro Sport to finish for my mate then plan to get the golf home to assess and hopefully finish off.
Still planning to keep the KR, but wondering if I should go onto carbs?
The only thing I don’t have to go full stock is front seats, but I have a mint set of mk2 recalls in it which look sweet
I’m sure when I get started I’ll have plenty questions, it’s been a while since I played with this old stuff and the brain is a little less reliable now…
a pic of it when I bought it, and one earlier this year when I had a peek at it!

cheers

JTP
 

So was in Mums garage today and thought I'd lift some covers to see what horrors await me. It's been 18 years since the covers were lifted and I'm pretty chuffed at what I saw. There are a few small bubbles but I'll live with that! [

Your car , your choices, but as you have the 16v scirrocco manifold i think it would be nice to keep it.  Its surely as vw would have done it if they had put the kr unit in a mk1. And very nice by the way

abfmk1 said

Your car , your choices, but as you have the 16v scirrocco manifold i think it would be nice to keep it.  Its surely as vw would have done it if they had put the kr unit in a mk1. And very nice by the way

Fully agree, that's such a neat conversion you'd be mad to change and go carbs. The scirocco intake is a rare thing now. Looks like a great car.

Found some photos of it's refresh when I first bought it, will add more when I copy them!

abfmk1 said

Your car , your choices, but as you have the 16v scirrocco manifold i think it would be nice to keep it.  Its surely as vw would have done it if they had put the kr unit in a mk1. And very nice by the way

I wanted to build it as it would have been done, if the factory had built them, but still can't shake off the sound of a set of 45's \ bike carbs, and after all the doctors and nurses are always recommending good carbs

Pistol said

abfmk1 said

Your car , your choices, but as you have the 16v scirrocco manifold i think it would be nice to keep it.  Its surely as vw would have done it if they had put the kr unit in a mk1. And very nice by the way

It was hard to find the manifold back then, I don't think we had ebay, internet was nothing like today and information on the conversion was really mouth to mouth!

Fully agree, that's such a neat conversion you'd be mad to change and go carbs. The scirocco intake is a rare thing now. Looks like a great car.

Some more pics of the car as I was stripping /  building it, apologies for the quality from the old paper photos


building it up

Great looking car there mate and good story to go with it! Very much looking forward to seeing how this shapes up - and just to play devils advocat: carbs would sound sweet!!  

Thanks G-Dog! Since my health scare I now know what good carbs are :')
I think it's only sensible to follow on the direction I started, well for now, I have a spare BAM from TT build and may eventually go down 20vt route

Dragged some of the covers off today, while I was cleaning out "my" side of mums garage and looking at what parts I have / need
Bought myself a set of MIM wheels like I had on my first on so will send them for a refurb and started the shopping list!

Spent a little time at the car today, hooked up some power to see if anything was going to work?
Boy was I surprised in a good way  
I had to change a couple of fuses for the sidelights and indicators, replace some bulbs that were robbed over my poor years but everything works except the rear wash wipe. Was quite delighted to see no bleed from the clock lcd
Cranked the engine over, it turns pretty slow but it did build oil pressure and you could see oil on the camshaft so hopefully the motor will be ok. It was rebuilt with all new gaskets, seals, big end & main bearings, new oil pump, bores honed and new rings. Head was fully cleaned up valves lapped in and a new cam chain. Need to order a rotor arm, fuel pump and battery then I'll have a go at getting it running again

What is the general consensus to fitting discs on the rear axle, is it really worthwhile, obviously everything on the brake system is going to be replaced.
Wouldn't mind some recommendations for upgrades. I'm sure I have fitted the 16v servo and master cylinder (m/c will be getting replaced as it's sat dry since about 2003) but is there better options, what front calipers should I go for, I'd prefer to use something tried and tested and any brackets easily available, I'm going to run 15" wheels. Has anyone run 17's, I like the wheels I have on it but fear they are just too big. Planning to use a standard spring / shock set up as my coilovers experience on my TT isn't positive!
Apologies it's a lot of questions, and thanks in advance to anyone who replies

My take on it is that rear discs don't add any benefit to a car the size and weight of the Golf over properly adjusted drums. I think most people swap them as discs look better - but it comes at a cost.
As for fronts, I upgraded mine to 256mm using the now hard to find Audi carriers and calipers as they are a straight bolt on. A lot of folk seem to go G60, but whether that is because they are even bigger, or easier to get hold of I don't know.
Wheels are a personal choice - I think 17's are too big. I'm running 14's, and wouldn't go any bigger than 15. I find that cars that were designed around a 175 or 185 tire lose steering feel and get a bit tramliney as the tires get wider. But like I said, it's a personal choice.

Thanks Paceman, it's been so many years since I was driving a mk1, not even this one but I don't remember the brakes being terrible, albeit their reputation back then (early 90's) for being rubbish, I was well up to speed with keeping them well adjusted!
I have the 16v servo and master cylinder fitted, have discs fitted to the back but will fit new calipers all round and a new master cylinder. I think I try to get the Audi carriers and upgrade the disc size, even if it's just to look better behind the wheels, or last choice fit the Vauxhall calipers. Don't think I need to go up to 280mm!
I'm slowly trying to catch up on what works, what's being done etc in the way to upgrade \ improve when I get ready to start building up again

Cheers

After sitting in the garage since 2002/2003 this is its first time it's had all the covers off and seen daylight for real, still looks pretty decent and looking forward to giving it a clean to start with..Have a few parts on order so will attempt again to get some smoke from it before too much more

Spent  some time looking over the engine wiring loom today to see what state I left it in, have to say I'm disappointed in some of my previous workmanship  I found that the new Scirocco 16v loom doesn't have the fuel pump trigger and the link to the ISV from the ECU,  so having kept the old looms from the Jetta chopped I de-pinned some correct colour wires and pinned them into the white plug, then pinned in the wires for the MFA for when I refit the original gearbox. Found some other old repairs in the dash loom for lighting so removed the PO's scotch locks and blue crimps and soldered in new cables..
Fuel pumps should hopefully arrive early this week and I'll have another attempt at making smoke!

Looks well mate! looking forward to seeing it running again  

Thanks G-Dog, appreciate the support!

So I had a bit of  time to myself and set about checking out the rest of the wiring looms, while waiting for my AUTODOC delivery, well it came yesterday and some of my items have been substituted by STARK, so some time on their customer chat I'm no less frustrated and left with the choice of suck it up or take a 10 day delay for replacements…
Found some bad wiring going to the fuel pump so chopped it out, pulled out the tank sender for a look inside the tank, drained out the last litre of stinking fuel and built up the fuel pump, soldered in the new wiring inside the cabin, checked the timing belt and went for some smoke.
This engine has never run since I built it in 2002, it turns over pretty slowly but the battery from my TT I think will be going back for a warranty claim so jumpers from the Landcruiser has it spinning, I get a few pops from it so adjust the timing a bit and it's getting better, eventually it's running, wish I could say it was good but I have some vacuum pipes missing or blocked and just the manifold/ down pipe on so it makes plenty racket. No cooling system so didn't keep it running long but have to say I'm delighted.
Next jobs I'll be checking all my previous work, installing the dash and running in cables for a radio &speakers, strip out seats and carpets to soundproof and inspect floor,
Planning to fit the factory central locking from the Jetta, maybe electric windows as I've stored the electric regulators for over 30  years then start on the underside clean up and stone chip, remove and replace  all the running mechanicals and refit original gearbox.Progress is expected to be slow.

 

An hour or two today after rehab saw me finishing off the loom for the VDO gauges, I've been salvaging terminal blocks and cable from the old Jetta dash loom to try to make it look less home made and installed one circuit for lighting and one for the instrumentation which just unplug at the console to remove it, finished up testing all the other electrical items and built up the dash, for what I hope is the final time  

Will look into upgrading the wiper motor, as I move into the engine bay,  as I'm sure mine will be pretty slow now, what does everyone use for this?

Cheers!