Scirocco Register

Right, seeing as I didn't do a thread for my last roc, thought I'd get round to doing one for this one



Ever since I had my Helios Blue 16V (converted) I've craved getting another scirocco and having been burned badly by a Corrado VR6 (metaphorically) and replaced the daily polo with an A5, the itch got stronger.

After perusing the ads on here, eBay, carandclassic, basically everywhere and after having a deal fall through an a grey F-reg GTX, I'd pretty much given up hope of finding a reasonably priced injection mk2.

But then the advert for this popped up on eBay, with an exceptionally long and detailed description of the car, service history and recent work. I messaged the seller on a whim to confirm if he still had it and we started chatting about the car. Unfortunately, work and money constraints meant I couldn't go see the car till February, having initially enquired at the end of December. However, the seller was more than happy to wait for me to find time to come and view and subsequently get the money together as, having offered my polo tdi as a straight swap (which was declined), he skipped through my photobucket feed and found pictures of my previous scirocco; its time at shows, being cleaned and trophies it had won. This lead him to say 'you're exactly the kind of person I want it to go to'.

So, went to look at it on 1st Feb and after much going over and chat, I paid the deposit and collected the car two weeks later once the buyer for my polo had collected.

To say the drive back from Leicester was interesting is an understatement the car only had a 063 battery on it, it was dark, raining and the wipers were pretty poo; also add to that a handbrake cable snapping on me on the way back.

Anyway, some pictures of when I first got it (next day at work)











I always said I'd never buy a red car but I overruled myself this time as it was too good an opportunity to pass up owning what I believe to be quite a rare car. I mean, I've know about RE2000 16v golf's and corrado's but never an 8v and certainly never in a scirocco; unicorn car perhaps? Despite having done 175k its still pretty nippy, although I think a breather keeps blocking (could be the wrong oil, will swap out at service in June)

Anyhoo, the time came to crack on. First, sorting through the mountain of spares that came with it and deciding what to keep (still on that one ). Then, onto the list of problems:

- replace battery for correct one (fixed)
- uprate headlights/sidelights (fixed)
- fix handbrake (fixed)
- sort tracking (only a bit out but it bugs me!) (fixed)
- fix heater (its stuck on hot; slider moves so guess its the valve?)
- unblock breather and service the car (fixed)
- sort super bouncy suspension (the guy i bought it off said it had sports shocks and springs, its got coilovers )
- attempt to make it red again (and fix some surface rust in places)
- stainless exhaust (with manifold if can find one)

So, the handbrake cable wasn't much fun, bought one from work (ECP) got it all in and then on tensioning, the threaded part at the top pinged off meaning two new cables from heritage as it helpfully wrecked the other cable when it broke



So, after that, quick swap of wheels which I kept from the polo and an attempt to make it red again, although it hasn't quite worked, may need a professional to come and do it! Also, if can get hold of some C-spanners I may lower it a bit more but want to get an exhaust done first before that.

Looks nice on those rims

The heater might be a simple fix...check that the cable is attached at both ends first!

Must admit I was tempted when I saw it for sale...mainly for the engine.

There's resistance on the slider like its pulling the cable, it doesn't move around like nothings connected (I know as one broke when I converted my old one to 16v) guessing the valve has completely collapsed, not a job am looking forward to tbh!

Good to see this important old motor ended up in a good home - heater valve is an easy fix Jonno. just remove the induction pipe and it should all be pretty accessible.

This is the same basic engine spec as my BRM 2-Litre 8V of course - Brian Ricketts RIP , for those that don't know, was the Tech Director at GTI Engineering before he set up BRMotorsport in 1988. I started using Brians Leamington Spa garage back in January 1990 before getting the full BRM152 as he referred to it done eighteen months later.

His motorsport background included engineering Broadspeed Dolomites and the mighty Jaguar XJ12C before Richard Llloyd asked him to help prepare the orginal Mk1 Golf GTI in the 1977/78 British Touring Car championship. Thu s GTI Engineering was born and BR went on to engineer the first RHD GTI's, the first RHD Quattro, the first Polo (Mk2) with a servo - all before VAG said it could be done.

This was the biggest engine conversion for the 8V that Brian would sanction. In basic terms the engine conversions that were offered for 'A1' chassis cars like ours went thus:

RE2000 16V/BRM 180 - 2 litre 16V 180 BHP
RE1900 16v/BRM 170 - 1900 16V 170 BHP
RE2000/BRM 152 - 2 litre 8V 152 BHP
RE1900/BRM 143 - 1900 8V 142 BHP

BRM 135 was based around a gasflowed head only plus a cam - think the GTI name for that was Plus Pac.

The blocks were all bored out in the days before the Mk3 Golf GTI 2.0 litres started appearing.

So not massive compared the modern plug and play stuff but - as you have already discovered Jon - great fun anyway. I look forward to getting our two cars together at some point this year.

I think you're right in terms of Plus Pac Sean, from what I remember on the GTI Engineering site, there's the RE1600 and RE2000 8v and 16v and the Plus Pac's which were, as you said, gas flowed head and cam

Fingers crossed the heater valve is easy because if the weather stays good, I'll be melting otherwise!

I'll be in the roc at Stanford and I'm definitely coming to the National so some good chances there

looking good fella, i was looking at this when it was advertised , and saying to myself " if only i had the wonga " lol. those wheels completely transform the cars looks, well done on choice

scrappy1382 wrote:looking good fella, i was looking at this when it was advertised , and saying to myself " if only i had the wonga " lol. those wheels completely transform the cars looks, well done on choice

Cheers dude

I spent close to a month chasing it and was quite worried about it being snatched away as it were, typically I put the deposit down and he had a raft of calls!

Spent a bit more time on the paintwork, getting there, hoping to find something to remove the sticky crud left by the side strip removal, though the bonnet is almost at the stage of shiny I like



Bear in mind, all done by hand, no machine polishing! Am knackered

Heat gun and patience works... Adhesive remover is the only thing I used to get the last remnants off. I have autofinesse stuff which I found really good but there's loads available.

Well a £40 tracking job turned into a £200 one two top mounts and one rear bearing later (with some stuff still to sort before MOT time in June) we got to Stanford Hall



Not sure about the grille badge, just something a little different

However, after the long trip from B'ham to Stanford Hall then Ross-On-Wye to visit inlaws then back again, it appears she's in desperate need of a full service as she's a tad pongy so that's next on the list

Although whilst loading the car, I noticed a slight orange scab on the inside of the boot, next to the rear turret on drivers side methinks need to sort that sharpish!

The red shed saga continues!

After further investigation, the patch of rust is nowhere near the turret ( many thanks to James Butler for taking a look at it ) so will sand it back, treat and paint it when got the time.

Big thanks to Bill for assisting with a fix on the heater at Stanford Hall

Finally got round to giving her a service too, she seems happier for it and going by the set of the old plugs and oil, it was much needed!



Car is also back on the snowflakes for mot, may give them a lick of paint and leave them on tbh

Don't know if you did change them but new dissy cap, rotor arm and HT leads do make a lot if difference in starting and running?

mark1gls wrote:Don't know if you did change them but new dissy cap, rotor arm and HT leads do make a lot if difference in starting and running?

Checked the leads, cap and arm first and they're in good nick so didn't change them, starts and runs much better now, though the king lead looks a tad ropey

Bugger

you can fix that no probs.
sounds like most of what it's failed on is off the shelf stuff and in need of a good wire brush n a lick of hammerite or your favourite under seal.
If you get too bogged down I can see about popping over n lend a hand.