First post - Big hopes

[Preen59]

Plus the skylinesaustralia forums are full of f&*^%&%s (I met some of them in person).

Heh, so its not just me that thinks it.. I really hate those boy racers. Really.

Good luck with this one i like where you're going with it. I've always wanted to stick a puffer on a mk1 diesel. So i'll keep my eye on what you get up to.

[Golf Loon]

Welcome mate.

Dont crack the head off a running Diesel, transplant the engine whole.

Good luck with the rest of the project.

[DVR68U]

yeah many a mk1'ers dream would be a boosted diesel mk1 , torque and economy
cheers brenton

[smithy010]

Welcome Axel,

I'm another mad dieseler. I did a diesel transplant on a petrol LS last year. I won't mention the issues i've had with the diesel recently, but it's certainly great to have the diesel engine in the mk1, even if it is a slug!

Hope you hang around, and add some more views to our community, especially our smaller diesel community!

Cheers

Smithy

[axel]

Welcome mate.

Dont crack the head off a running Diesel, transplant the engine whole.

Good luck with the rest of the project.

Geez I didn't think this forum was that busy. Thanks for all the interest/ecouragement everyone.
My initial thoughts exactly on transplanting the engine whole.
Diesels are the go certainly. Playing around with Petrol engines has been done to death plus the RTA and cops don't seem to approve. Especially turbos
Have spent some hours on that diesel website - yikes. There is some reading to do there.

What I will be reading up on is tricks to protect the new chassis from the usual rust issues. I have a fair idea where all the rust problems are, just need to look at the white one in the backyard haha!

BTW, I have moved from Sydney to a place not quite ideal for playing with VWs - Dubbo. I now have the space and the workshop but all those bommadore and falcooon parts around here are no good to me!

Anyway, will spend some serious time reading up on all previous gritty here and the vwdiesel site before I raise up the spanner. I have a Hanes ws manual already. I know there are better ones around. Will see how far this one gets me.

The car was initially intended to tow my bike trailer with my KTM around the countryside on my cheap veggie fuel. We shall see if it can prove to do this comfortably and reliably. A nice new seat and a loud stereo will help.

[axel]

I see we have a local from Orange here! You may have some contacts I can utilise this side of the blue hills?

[Jarred]

I've always wanted to do a mk 1 diesel, cause it makes so much sense as a daily commuter, but I've never known enough to be confident to start modding/repairing things!

That diesel website sure is great. There is a guy from the US there, building a pretty crazy TD engine. made me want to do it, but all the parts he was using are the ducks nuts out this way! So chances are a whole new engine would be the go.

as for the front pews, well, you can make anything fit, but in reality, most mk 2, 3 and early Seat seats will fit in without a trouble. PM Golfloon, he's always got a few lying around.

[axel]

Yes I have noticed the seats in these things are odd, brilliantly simple design, but odd nonetheless.
There are issues with using custom seats in cars nowdays as such work needs to be engineered as far as I have heard. We shall see.
I love the German kooky designs.
The main attraction is the simple design of these cars, especially the diesels. It's nearly prehistoric.
Out of interest, what are the biggest issues I am likely to face with the Mk1 model restoration: rubbers/seals/gaskets/(consumables) or other spare parts? Are there components that I will face replacement that will need to come from O/S? I have read heads are always a potential issue.

[Jarred]

Mk 1 parts arn't as hard to find if you look in the right places. VWW is one such place, but as far as consumables are concerned, yes there are plenty of options OS and on ebay (OS). with the US dolllar as it is atm places like http://www.germanautoparts.com/Volkswagen come in pretty handy, as they have new OEM stuff, for pretty much everything.

That's if you want to buy new stuff. People on the forums will be wrecking cars every now and then, or just have parts lying around. really not too hard to find IMO

[Preen59]

I see we have a local from Orange here! You may have some contacts I can utilise this side of the blue hills?

Plenty of contacts dude and happy to help. My old man is very clued up (as far as contacts go, he knows heaps). He runs his own mechanical workshop. If you need parts etc let me know and i'll hook you up with a phone number etc.

I was going to say, hey dubbo, thats only an hour and a half away. Been there many many many times kart racing over the years.