16v Golf Track car

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iguana

Original Poster:

7,048 posts

266 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
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I checked out the mk2 16v Golf track car yesterday from the PH classifieds, as im building something similar so thought I would check out how this one was set up because the guy is very local to me.

Basicaly a very impresive package for bog all cash, its still a fully trimmed car because of the sprint regs and I guess the cage adds a few KGs but WOW does that thing handle, the A520 Yokos, the anti roll bar kits front and rear, Koni race shocks & springs, and not least it running approx 3 degrees neg camber on the front really make it impressive, I cant stop thinking about it, it makes my Bilstein sports suspension equipped mk 2 golf road car feel like a saggy old boat. Very good bodywork for a track car too.

I only went for a look but ended up thinking of buying it and even made a low & but not accepted offer!. The engine is pretty much stock except for fast road cams which do no favours for bottom end grunt and im sure it needs rolling road setting up as the top end felt no stronger than standard, but it is still a westfield & caterham worrier at twisty tracks. The chassis could certainly handle more power and would really kick arse on track days.

I cant justify it financially as I have got 2 Golfs and a variety of engines to put in them at the moment but it is an impressive package so I thought i would let a PHer know about it. Please buy it someone as I am sooooooo tempted and if he came down in price a bit id have bought it! but realistically 3 mk2 golfs on my driveway plus all my other heaps, that would be just daft and the missis would kill me!! You've got to take me out on a track day if ya get it tho.....

I know a few of you race & track day Golfs so any set up advice or spare bits etc please e-mail me or post up on here. Im fine for engines as I have a choice of very high spec brand new 1850cc 16V race engine or AudiTT 1.8T lump im trying to do it to a budget which means probabally the 16v engine is the cheaper solution but all advice greatfully recived.

Cheers.

spnracing

1,554 posts

277 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
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Sounds interesting - it might be worth me buying it just for the 'full race' Koni's if thats what they really are.

I'll have a look for the ad...

JonRB

75,686 posts

278 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
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Putting the ubiquitous 1.8 Turbo in a Golf is a fairly popular conversion at the moment.

See here and here for more info.

>> Edited by JonRB on Thursday 10th October 12:19

spnracing

1,554 posts

277 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
quotequote all
With the 1.8 Turbo in you'd probably need an LSD or at least a Quaife ATB to get the power down.

Car looks OK but I only paid £2200 for my race car which at the time had a Vulcan full race engine - though not height adjustable Koni's, just normal. (I assume these are properly adjustable, not just height adjustable on three circlips? The race engine alone cost £2000 to build.

iguana

Original Poster:

7,048 posts

266 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
quotequote all
SPN im not sure what exact spec the shocks are but ive got a set of ex race konis and springs that are destined for my car. Im probabally going to use road eibach springs tho as i want to use it on the road primarily.

Engine wise i realistically think the 16v engine is the route for me, as i own it already and it is realy top spec ie racewere bolts, baffled sump carrillo rods etc etc currently lowering compression ratio as it was 12:1 which is daft for road use as im keeping the K- ket injection for cost reasons - how much octane booster would i need!! so i think 10.5:1 and coz im usingh fast road rather thna race cams if i put a K star kit on it i 'should be able to use normal unleaded for the road and super/opimax for track days

I realistically think its got to be good for 180 bhp ish, as a standard 16v lump with an exhaust and k star is good for 160.

I think more more power than that I will have to throw money at it which ive not got so ill be happy with that.


My only quandry is do I do all this to my normal nice big bumper fully trimmed road car which then will be worth quite a lot if i want to sell it. Or do go the more track orientated route on my battered old blown engine small bumper gti which at sale time as you point out is going to be worth £2k tops despite what ive spent on it.

money or rather the lack, of it is a right bummer sometimes huh.....

spnracing

1,554 posts

277 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
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I need fully adjustable (for corner weighting) struts for my Golf - but its a Mk1, I don't know whether they're interchangable? Probably not.

Re. the K Jet - if you use this, you can do very little with the mixture. Thus the only benefit you'll get from Optimax is if you wind ignition advance up. If you do this you'll have to run 98 all the time or the engine will pink in normal road use.

Have you thought about some kind of engine management system to advance the timing on a better curve? What other mods are you considering to the injection to get more fuel through?

iguana

Original Poster:

7,048 posts

266 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
quotequote all
quote:



Have you thought about some kind of engine management system to advance the timing on a better curve? What other mods are you considering to the injection to get more fuel through?



Hi spn really ive only thought of the AMD K star system it contols fuel & ignition & lets standard cars run on 95oct and get more power at the same time. Ive seen it quite a bit on 911SCs and i am a fan, it sort of allows mapping of a non ecu engine.

My buddy keeps rambling on about bolting on his old Lancia integrale injction system but I want to keep it relitively simple an cheap and not a complete botch job

trefor

14,656 posts

289 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
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Talking of rapid Golfs and TT engines, has anyone been embarrassed by this little stealthster lately?

www.mrkiv.dial.pipex.com/

iguana

Original Poster:

7,048 posts

266 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
quotequote all
SPN im pretty sure the race konis i have got are fully adjustable platform jobbies, ( I need to have a rummage in the barn to check ) they are a bit extreme for my needs so i maybe willing to do a deal to fund getting a set of fast road Konis or Bilsteins etc.

james

1,362 posts

290 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
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Iguana,

If they're surplus to requirements, I'd offer to swap them for a few passenger rides in Peters Golf. Not only will you see just how quick a Golf can go, you'll also learn a lot about how to drive one extremely quickly. There's not much can keep up with young Mr. Nixon on a flying lap

I've raced against him, and I can tell you, you'll be getting your money (or dampers) worth. Just make sure you wear strong underwear

James

iguana

Original Poster:

7,048 posts

266 months

Thursday 10th October 2002
quotequote all
I would certainly love a blast in the race mk1 golf, in fact I love passengering in anything going at trackdays so any offers greatfully accepted, except perhaps Knockhill- its a long way from the South east!!.

Slightly bad deal to swap for race konis on my side tho!! No I dont really want to get rid just yet and if they are as supple as the car in classifieds I drove thats no problems on the road, im used to driving porker 964RS's on the road so after them anything is soft!