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84 Rabbit GTI track build

49K views 201 replies 35 participants last post by  PerkeyTurkey 
#1 · (Edited)
This is a continuation of a previous build moving in to a new car. My 83 had bent frame rails and was never a solid start. There should be some quick progression in this thread since I will just be swapping my nearly finished project from the 83 to the 84. The 84 is overall clean but needed some repairs to the lower half of the core support. The 84 is being repaired and will start to get a slew of parts transferring from the 83 upon completion of the core support repairs.

Specs are as follows:
Engine:
OBD2 ABA bored .050
Wossner forged 12.3:1 high compression pistons
SCCH knife edged crank shaft
SSCH lightened intermediate shaft
ARP headstuds
Techtonics Tuning HD valve springs
Techtonics Tuning chromoly retainers
Techtonics Tuning adjustable cam gear
Techtonics Tuning lightweight intermediate shaft gear
Port and polished OBD2 head converted to solid lifters and clearanced for oversized cam
+2mm Supertech stainless intake valves
+1mm Supertech stainless exhaust valves
Kent Cam Race 300* race cam
Racelang 4-2-1 stainless header
Techtonics Tuning 2.25 stainless catless exhaust with magnaflow muffler, using v-band clamps
Megasquirt v2 engine management
Nubwerks ABA intake flange with custom runners to fit Mikuni 43mm throttle bodies from GSXR750
1.8t 31# injectors
16v windage tray
Mocal 19 row oil cooler and sandwich plate with Goodyear -8 hose and Integrated Engineering -8 black fittings






Transmission:
CRU coded O2A from passat 16v
OE flywheel lightened to 14 lbs
Sachs VR6 clutch disk and pressure plate
O2A mounts to fit MK1
Pedal clutster and brake master cylinder brackets built to house hydraulic conversion





Suspension:
SCCH 2" spherical drop pin kit
Prothane polyurethane bushings
EuroSport camber plates





Brakes:
Corrado Girling 60 calipers and 11" front rotors
mk2 rear disk conversion
Stoptech braided steel brake lines
Mintex red brake pads

Wheels and Tires:
949 Racing 6UL 15x8 +36 offset 11.6 lbs per wheel
205/50/15 Toyo RA1

Safety:
4 point welded DOM .090 roll bar and rear strut brace
MOMO fiberglass bucket seat
Stroud 5 point seatbelt
MOMO wheel, NRG quick release hub
MK1 steering column lowered 1.5"

Electrical:
EZ Wiring 18 circuit mini kit
Painless Performance rocker switches
MK1 oil temp, oil pressure, volt meter gauges
Porsche 944 8k tachometer
Innovate motorsports LM1 AFR gauge

Some previous and current progression photos:

Day I brought the 84 home


Pulling the JH and trans out


Core support damage



New core support from the junk yard (yes I am staying square)


Old core support removed

To conclude this first post I am ready to fit the new core support to the 84. That should happen this weekend. I will be pulling everything from the 84 and putting it in the 83 to sell as a complete car. wiring interior engine trans etc... until next time... :peace:
 
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#6 ·
Corrado :sly:
 
#8 · (Edited)
So I have had some set backs. Of course I get told one thing and something else happens.. or in this case doesn't happen. But I will actually have some progress starting this weekend. I am forced to employ a friend of mine to do the welding as my brother is too overwhelmed with house and owning his own business type projects. I have started ordering parts to restart the build. I have sold 2 cars so that is also helping motivate me as I have reduced side projects by 50%.

The car is being moved this weekend for welding to begin. I will have the strut towers raised and my eurosport camber plates welded in. I want to remove the spare tire well and have a filler panel placed. I want to remove the sunroof and have a filler panel in place for that as well. A couple small pieces have been ordered to finish things like the exhaust and throttle body manifold. Once the core support is done, I can drop the engine in and start reassembly. I cant express how excited I am. Big things are coming.

83 being take away. This is where everything for the 84 build came from.


2.25"V-bands ordered for the exhaust, and NubWorks ABA manifold flange brought in for future upgrades



Roll bar cut from previous car. If 1 more car sells I will have the funds to order all the tubing necessary to put in a compliant cage in the car.


I am hoping to have a true update after the weekend. It has been way too long.
 
#12 · (Edited)
A few things happening over the last week. Haven't had much time to do work but I dedicated my Saturday to getting the engine bay prepped. I have done a lot of degreasing and scrubbing in the bay. PO drilled a lot of holes in the random areas so I think I will have those welded up and smoothed when I have the firewall sealed up. I have also spent some time scraping the sound deadener from the floors. Still have a way to go in that department. Some pics for now. Once I get shorter springs I will drop the engine in. I don't want to put a ton of stress on the spherical lower ball joints as it sits in its current monster truck height.

Removed CIS clip/bracket



Removed the rusty battery tray



Drilled some holes and mounted the brake and clutch master cylinder bracket


To my home made pedal assembly




Sprayed some rust inhibitor on the welds but got a little carried away since the finish came out fairly well
 
#18 · (Edited)
Felt ambitious today. I borrowed some lowering springs to drop the front so the engine weight wasn't killing the spherical ball joints. I wasn't planning on dropping the engine in but I was in the zone. Only hold up is that I don't have the front mount that bolts to the core. Gonna have to do some digging. Pleased with how easy a simple things went together. Amazing how easy it lined up. The previous car I built had bent frame rails and was noticeable with the lower trans mount. No major pics. Just a couple quick shots.



 
#19 · (Edited)
Made a run to the junk yard today. Picked up the front engine mount and hardware for that and the upper trans mount. I also grabbed a few other things for some side projects I have. I placed an order with MMP for the Corrado brake caliper adapters on Saturday. Received an email from them stating they had the brackets back in stock. Looking forward to the caliper rebuild and install. Tried putting the axles in but I am pretty sure I have the wrong ones. I tried using Corrado axles.. dunno how I ended up with them back when I started sourcing parts. Gonna order Scirroco 16V axles this week to keep things moving. Got the oil cooler and radiator installed along with the motor mount and hardware I snagged from the junk yard
 
#24 · (Edited)
Some more progress today after work. I knocked the steering lock mechanism out of ignition housing and bolted it in to place.



I trimmed the tunnel to fit O2J shift tower, drilled some holes to mount it from under the car. I just need a bracket across the top to finish it off



Once the shift tower was mounted, I bolted the header in place to check clearance. I am gonna have to modify the header to clear the shift box.



And finally got to see how the shift cables were gonna fit.



More updates coming soon, especially if parts I ordered start arriving. :peace:
 
#25 · (Edited)
A couple things have begun to arrive. The MMP Mk1-Corrado brake caliper adapters, and the BFI ABA catch can adapter I ordered last week arrived. A moroso catch can is on its way as well. Today I spent a little time on the interior trimming and fitting the dash to sit lower and lose the weight of the glove box. I will need a bracket to support the dash in the center now but that wont be tough. Next up I need to order a rebuild kit for both Girling 54 brake calipers. Get them cleaned up, painted, and mounted to make sure my wheels still fit. Anyway, here are some pics.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Today I was able to do a little work. I needed to find a place for the catch can. Not a lot of room for it next to the frame rails so I found a good spot for it on the fan shroud. It came with a mounting bracket and T-bolt clamp to hold it in place. I will need one more bracket or tab welded on the can to secure it to my liking. Here is how I have it set up by drilling a hole and using the shroud mounting bolt.

Bracket mounted to the fan shroud


Catch can in place


Hoses and fittings on and routed







I also made sure to do a test fit of the MMP caliper adapters. That didn't go so well. The MMP bracket when bolted to my hub, the 11" rotor hits the bracket. I did a little spacing of the rotor to see if I could get it to clear. So it seems the bracket is just 1-2mm thicker than necessary. I emailed them to see if it is a manufactures issue, if not I can have the bracket machined and it will maintain its strength and fitment. Ill update on that when I hear back from them.

MMP bracket installed, you can see the mark left by the rotor.



Here is how tight the fit is between the rotor and bracket



I spaced the rotor with washers between the hub and rotor just to get an idea of how much room I will need to clear



Now it fits but obviously not safely


 
#29 · (Edited)
Did a little more work inside the car today. I trimmed some unnecessary brackets from the the firewall and under dash areas. Also used some dry ice on some of the heavier gooey carpet glue spots on the floor. Still a lot more to do on that project.

Old fuse box bracket removed



Trimmed the driver side dash bracket and removed the kneebar section



Removed the passenger side dash bracket and knee bar completely, little surface rust needs attention.



Todays scrap pile


 
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