1990 Golf Gti - boosted daily driver
Discussion
I thought it was time I shared my wheels. I bought a very tidy Mk2 Golf a couple of years ago with the intention of fitting a 20 valve turbo engine from the recent vw/audi group.
The car:
The engine:
The initial work was carried out in 2007 & finished a week before a 500 mile round trip to Cumbria. The intention was always to build a car for go, not show (as anyone who's looked under the bonnet can testify!). This is a list of the mods so far:
1.8t AGU engine
K03 sport turbo
Megasquirt ECU
Custom intake, intercooler & exhaust install
Koni suspension
15" steel wheels
280mm brakes
Hydraulic clutch operation
Apexi boost controller
The project hasn't followed any current style or trend, it is an interpretation of my ideal daily budget transport. Hence the 5 doors (anyone with kids will understand), the sensible suspension height, high profile tyres (to improve gearing) etc. It has been utterly reliable, the only breakdown being a leaking clutch cylinder, in last years snow it managed the commute even when 4x4's were getting stuck. The most recent addition has been the Apexi which is fab, boost comes in stronger & holds all the way to the red line. Another visit to the dyno is imminent but I reckon current power is around 230bhp - double what it had originally! The car weighs a little over a ton, I'll let you do the maths but lets just say it 'punches above its weight'. There's a load more info on my website (google conrod). Hope you like it!
The car:
The engine:
The initial work was carried out in 2007 & finished a week before a 500 mile round trip to Cumbria. The intention was always to build a car for go, not show (as anyone who's looked under the bonnet can testify!). This is a list of the mods so far:
1.8t AGU engine
K03 sport turbo
Megasquirt ECU
Custom intake, intercooler & exhaust install
Koni suspension
15" steel wheels
280mm brakes
Hydraulic clutch operation
Apexi boost controller
The project hasn't followed any current style or trend, it is an interpretation of my ideal daily budget transport. Hence the 5 doors (anyone with kids will understand), the sensible suspension height, high profile tyres (to improve gearing) etc. It has been utterly reliable, the only breakdown being a leaking clutch cylinder, in last years snow it managed the commute even when 4x4's were getting stuck. The most recent addition has been the Apexi which is fab, boost comes in stronger & holds all the way to the red line. Another visit to the dyno is imminent but I reckon current power is around 230bhp - double what it had originally! The car weighs a little over a ton, I'll let you do the maths but lets just say it 'punches above its weight'. There's a load more info on my website (google conrod). Hope you like it!
I love it! I think these older more classic looking Golfs are very smart in standard form, and cope with minor detailing modifications very well. I used to clean one of these for a old bloke that was recently widowed and i was always hugely impressed what a shampoo, wax, and 'back to black' would do for the old girl. Its one of those cars, when clean, looked super fresh and bold in a eighties/nineties style. Your engine mods are spot on too, no doubt you can shame some seriously expensive metal, but thats not the whole point is it? It looks like a cracking every day drive that can give MLM's and tail gaters a bit of a slap if provoked.
A handsome motor sir! A proper friend/pal of a car you have there, one that no doubt you have a extensive knowledge of each other and properly fast and effective when required.
How much has this motor set you back to date? I really considering replacing the second car with something like this after seeing yours. What was the build cost for the engine, I don't need specfics, just to the nearest 500 notes for the engine and car..
oh and shameful as it is to ask, whats the mpg return.....?
A handsome motor sir! A proper friend/pal of a car you have there, one that no doubt you have a extensive knowledge of each other and properly fast and effective when required.
How much has this motor set you back to date? I really considering replacing the second car with something like this after seeing yours. What was the build cost for the engine, I don't need specfics, just to the nearest 500 notes for the engine and car..
oh and shameful as it is to ask, whats the mpg return.....?
Brilliant Sleeper! Practicality for the family and the thrills for you when you need them the most! Best of both worlds!
Ginger_Wizard http://www.clubgti.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=13... see here on clubgti for 1.8T engine in a mk2 golf etc
Ginger_Wizard http://www.clubgti.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=13... see here on clubgti for 1.8T engine in a mk2 golf etc
Edited by PaulG40 on Monday 14th September 11:56
Thanks for all the positive comments!
The MPG is reasonable. According to the on board computer I get over 30 on a run and low 20's around town. The computer uses the vacuum signal to work out MPG & I don't think it understands positive pressure (boost), however under full boost it reads 3MPG which is probably about right!
GingerWizard said:
How much has this motor set you back to date? I really considering replacing the second car with something like this after seeing yours. What was the build cost for the engine, I don't need specfics, just to the nearest 500 notes for the engine and car..
oh and shameful as it is to ask, whats the mpg return.....?
I'd have to guess the cost, it has been built on a budget but at funds have allowed it's been upgraded. The initial cost was around £1k for the engine/box plus another £500ish for wiring, plumbing, mounts etc. I already had the ECU from a previous project (£300). Plus around 100 hours of my time for fitting, mapping etc. Since then I've swapped the 'box (250), turbo (250), converted the clutch to hydraulic (100), boost controller (250) etc etc, the list goes on! oh and shameful as it is to ask, whats the mpg return.....?
The MPG is reasonable. According to the on board computer I get over 30 on a run and low 20's around town. The computer uses the vacuum signal to work out MPG & I don't think it understands positive pressure (boost), however under full boost it reads 3MPG which is probably about right!
PaulG40 said:
Ginger_Wizard http://www.clubgti.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=13... see here on clubgti for 1.8T engine in a mk2 golf etc
Or you could just check my website (conrod co uk)...... Edited by bertelli_1 on Monday 14th September 18:46
Flying Toilet said:
I love this car. Have admired it a few times. If it's the one in TMA that is?
Took me ages to work out what TMA meant! Yes, thats the one. You get around Milton Keynes don't you?!Here's another pic with the single lamp grille, I had to remove the inner lamps as they interfered with the IC. Fog lamp holes are due to become brake cooling ducts.
Edited by bertelli_1 on Friday 18th September 23:10
bertelli_1 said:
Flying Toilet said:
I love this car. Have admired it a few times. If it's the one in TMA that is?
Took me ages to work out what TMA meant! Yes, thats the one. You get around Milton Keynes don't you?!Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff