Just bought a 1986 VW Golf MK2 for $300. Anybody here know about watercooled VWs? I heard somebody on the Magazine staff wrote a book about these once.
This is going to be my 200X Challenge car. 
Just bought a 1986 VW Golf MK2 for $300. Anybody here know about watercooled VWs? I heard somebody on the Magazine staff wrote a book about these once.
This is going to be my 200X Challenge car.
the vortex I used to have a VW cabby. The vortex was my favorite place to learn VW's.
I know someone that has built 2 of them to the point that not much other than the shell was original (although he used almost completely OEM vw parts from others cars).
As far as justyard upgrades, there is a ton of suspension stuff available.
Passat A-arms fit, and are alot stiffer, and wider (use R32 solid rubber bushings too)
Use an Mk3 steering rack to match the wider track.
I think a Passat front swaybar will work, but im not 100% sure on that one.
Passat VR6 front springs (with a bit cut off) are just about the right stiffness
Bilstien struts (the guy I knew found 2 sets in the junkyard he used on his cars)
Corrado front brakes, , or corrado rotors with audi 5000 calipers will also work.
16v golf master cylinder is bigger to go with the bigger brakes
For the rear, a corrado rear beam has a built in swaybar and the right brake lines, along with disc brakes. (although you may have to change the under car lines since yours is an early one)
Cut VR6 Passat springs also work on the back
Corrado seats fit and give you more headroom if you are tall
IMO one of the worst parts of the Mk2 is the shifter linkage, which can be dealt with by swapping to a Corrado tranns, but you also need the shifter, cables, pedal cluster, and G60 clutch and flywheel.
Engine stuff I dont know as much about, you could turbo the 8v, keep the CIS head and put an audi bubble block or ABA 2.0 bottom end in it, swap in a 16v, swap in an ABA (which would require the whole CE2 harness from a newer Mk2), swap in a VR6 (same thing with the wiring), or whatever else you might come up with. Most of the stock ones i have seen run like crap, and I live in cali so you cant do much as far as modifying them, so thats really the only reason I dont own one. The diesel ones usually run good, but the parts cost almost as much as stuff for a porsche 911 or something, so that isnt my idea of fun either. lol
I test drove 3 MkIII's while looking for my current ride. Really wanted one but every one I test drove had 2nd gear issues so had to pass. Lots of aftermarket support.
TJ wrote: the vortex I used to have a VW cabby. The vortex was my favorite place to learn VW's.
Looks like lots of cool stuff in the classified section. Recaro Interior for $400.
Aftermarket support is a lot better than my Suzuki Swift was.
Every used Mk3 purchased by anyone I know has needed a tranny and a clutch, its just the way they are.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3679223 I drove the car in the above post for several hours, it was quite a bit of fun. :) It was sold mainly becasue it wasnt running well enough to pass smog again and he had bought a diesel one to replace it. Most of the stuff done to it was all pretty cheap.
Travis_K wrote: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3679223 I drove the car in the above post for several hours, it was quite a bit of fun. :) It was sold mainly becasue it wasnt running well enough to pass smog again and he had bought a diesel one to replace it. Most of the stuff done to it was all pretty cheap.
I wonder where he got the roof rack?
I can ask him if you want. He might even still have it, I dont think it was on it when he sold it.
Lot's of good VW deals on my local VW forum: www.michiganvw.org
Travis_K wrote: As far as justyard upgrades, there is a ton of suspension stuff available. Passat A-arms fit, and are alot stiffer, and wider (use R32 solid rubber bushings too) I think a Passat front swaybar will work, but im not 100% sure on that one. Passat VR6 front springs (with a bit cut off) are just about the right stiffness Cut VR6 Passat springs also work on the back
You keep saying "Passat." I do not think this means what you think it means.
Every Passat i have ever seen was a rebadged Audi A4: longitudinal engine, usually FWD but often 4wd, and 99% of them with the 1.8t engine.
Were there ever any A2 chassis based Passats? (In which case I will have to redefine my definition...)
The Audi TT has the solid rear bushings (also) but I am not convinced that they are a better solution. I am getting about 70k out of a set of stockers on my Mk2 and that's better than industrey average for that style bushing. The more floppy the bushing the less likely it will tear.
The type of passat I am talking about has either a VR6 or 16v, and has a similar suspension design to the MK3 as far as the A-arms, etc. Its the B3 chassis I believe? But that im not sure. They made at least 2 body styles before the ones you are talking about. As far as the bushings, I was told by some that had tried stock, poly, and the R32 type that the R32 bushings are noticably better.
I brought an 87 GTI to the Challenge several years ago (the year of the monsoon.) We swapped in a 2.0 Passat engine and did the other cheap tricks from the vortex and in Per's great book. Made it as stiff as possible. Probably the easiest car to find parts for that we ever brought (although the other cars were a volvo 242 and a 1G eclipse...)
Well color me enlightened. I always thought those were just Jettas with some sort of butt ugly bodykit.
+1 on the swappability. VW makes one design and then really, REALLY gets their money's worth out of it.
After looking at pics of the different models, I am pretty sure the springs you want are from a B4 VR6 Passat, the rest of the stuff I cant remember which of the 2 its from, id be happy to ask if anyone is seriously interested and doesnt have them in their local junkyard to look at.
You want the 16v jetta or corrado g60 master cylinder. the 16v gti master is still the smaller one.
Just my two cents...
I once had an '87 GTI with a 1.8L 16V engine and CIS injection.
I replaced the lower end with a used 1992 Passat 2.0L 16V long block and put my 1.8L 16V head on it. I did this primarily to keep the CIS injection. I found out later that in doing so, I had raised the compression ratio, which explains why the car RIPPED!!! This combination made for a very quick little GTI.
This was in the mid-90's, so the passage of time might have made me remember the car as being a little faster than it actually was. It was a BLAST to drive, though!
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