Tod's Page

My GTI is a work in progress.

The engine is a JH 1.8L, compression increased to 11.8:1, Ported head with polished combustion chambers, Autotech header, Crane (764-0014) 290deg cam, TT adjustable cam gear, Dual 40mm DCOE's, and 7lb flywheel.

The car is a 1984 Rabbit GTI. It's rusty. As soon as the engine compartment is finished, I will be doing some work to the floor as currently you can put your feet on the ground through the floor. The rain tray, bumpers, heater, windshield wipers, and rear seat have all been removed. This will basically be used as a test bed for the drivetrain until a solid shell is found.

PROJECT TAKES A TURN...

The engine is installed and running via a couple of jumper wires to the coil and electric fuel pump which is temporarily mounted to the core support and pulls 93 octane fuel from a gas can sitting on the floor. As I look at all that needs to be done just to drive it down the road, I also notice more and more rust in areas that lead me to think that this shell is too far gone. The search for a solid shell to move my engine and trans to intensified and then ended abruptly after looking at a friend's '77 Scirocco. This car is rock solid. I must have it...

DECONSTRUCTION

With the sudden change of plan, the next step is to take every part worth saving off from or out of the GTI and make room for the incoming Scirocco. Currently, the engine is about 5 minutes from being dropped out of the shell and interior stripping is nearly completed After that it's down to popping the doors and hatch and prepping the very rusty shell for it's trip to the scrap yard. Sad but necessary.

THE ROCCO (Hase-Ersatz = Hare Replacement)

There is now a 1977 Scirocco sitting in my garage. When I purchased it, it had already received a 1.8L (Hydraulic head) transplant along with a 9A transmission. The engine runs great, but I discovered a knock... I pulled the oil pan to find the #1 rod bearing to be shot along with it's crank journal... Not to worry, I have the engine I originally built for the rabbit sitting here already bolted to a 4K transmission via a 7lb flywheel and new clutch.

TRANSPLANT

I dropped the knocking 1.8L and 9A transmission out of the Scirocco and raised the previously described JH headed 1.8 and 4K into it's place. Upon test fitting the DCOE's into the Scirocco I discovered that the rain tray will need to be modified for their use. (I had removed the rain tray in the GTI to open up the engine compartment a bit) I decided that for now I would install the Scirocco's CIS system onto this engine in order to get it up and going sooner. I don't want to cut the rain tray out of this car as this is a very solid car and I want to keep it as unmolested as possible. Eventually, I will modify the rain tray to appear factory and yet allow clearance for the DCOE's air filters...

PLEASANT SURPRISES

While working under this car, it became very apparent to me that the previous owner liked to do things right. The car has H&R springs, Bilstein shocks and struts, Polyurethane bushings throughout, new ball joints, new lower control arms, and Neuspeed rear upper tie bar and front lower tie bar. There is currently no upper tie bar in front and no front sway bar. I plan to put the GTI's sway bars on this can and find a used Neuspeed front upper tie bar to complete the package.

WOW

So with the engine and transmission installed, I finally get to try out the short shift kit I had built for the GTI. It consists of all bronze bushings, steel ball and socket rod ends, a 2 lb weight in the center of the long rod, hardened 8mm threaded rod, and a bolt on extension for the forward and backward pivot arm (makes it like the short shift kits you buy). The side to side arm from the GTI was used as well as it was about 10mm longer than the Scirocco unit. This shifter is nice and tight and has very short throws. I may build more of these and try to sell them now that I have actually been able to test it.

The WOW title of this section came when I drove the car for the first time. I carefully drove the car around the block a couple of times before I laid into the throttle too much. I had taken off from a stop and was doing about 7MPH with the clutch fully engaged when I quickly mashed the pedal to the floor. This surprised both me and both front tired as they immediately broke free from the pavement below and began spinning. I let off and slowed to the posted 35MPH speed limit. I was shocked at the throttle response and immediate power. In disbelief, I rounded the block and did it again, this time revving to 7000RPM before power-shifting into second (The first real test for the shift linkage). Once through the shift, the tires lost their grip of the road again. I then returned to the house, and parked the car. Needless to say, I was more than thrilled with the performance.

Side note: a couple of things about this that really shocked me was 1) This is the CIS from the stock 1.6L Scirocco motor with the small airflow plate. 2) The tube between the throttle body and fuel distributor/airbox is the stock small diameter piece (with a Techtonics Tuning sticker on it for some reason). I may upgrade to the GTI pieces just to see if it makes a difference...

SHOW

August 15th was the Old Fort VW Club show which is a mere 15 miles from my house. I decided to take the car as a lot of my VW friends were hoping it would make the show (Mind you, it's not pretty yet) To my surprise, there was only one other Scirocco in the whole show. It was a green '79 all original paint and engine. The only modifications were a Weber single blade throttle body, 1 piece airdam, and lowered suspension. The car was beautiful and rightfully took the "Best of Show" trophy. (In a field of mostly air-cooled cars I might add). I actually had quite a few people poking around my car. Lots of people peering under the hood at the nastly little 1.8L that sits in there...

NOT MUCH HAPPENING

(October 29th) My next venture will be replacing the Scirocco's stock CIS system with the DCOE 40's. I have machined all of the components for my own linkage setup. I'll post a pic of part of it. I didn't want to spend a fortune or have linkage that covered up the beautiful carbs so this mounts to the bottom of the drivers side Weber, and will use a cable bracket I have made to bolt on with the front two valve cover bolts on that side to hold the stock Scirocco cable. There was talk of moving and this and that, so to up to now, I have kept the CIS in place to facilitate driving the car should I be moving...