How to make your MK1 handle

**sports racer** · 10-08-2016, 01:18 PM

There's been a lot written about how to make a MK1 handle and basically it’s get the car low with suspension mods that cut down the body roll but there’s a dozen different ways to do this using a thousand combinations. Trying to get a MK1 to handle like a go-cart AND still give a comfortable ride is where the mystery and magic come in.

I’d like to know what have you done to yours that actually works. I’ll put forward my 2c worth based on the MK1's I've had over the years starting from my first MK1 bought way back in 1986.

It was a 2 tone black/silver 2 door 1978 GLS for my wife that was quickly modded with a 2nd hand GTI front sway bar (also called anti roll bar) and a 16mm rear bar bought new from Lovells Suspension (not recommended). I also fitted heavy duty springs bought from Lovells (not recommended) and made up a lower strut brace (highly recommended). Shocks were standard.

The springs raised the car by about 5cm and when I complained they said it returned the car to original height. I told them bullsh#t and send me a set that lower the car as originally requested. I gave the springs back to them and after a week they sent back to me the same springs with 2 coils cut off the rears and 1 off the front. That's when I realised it's safe to run cut down springs and I've never bought new ones since.

The Lovells rear sway bar was designed to be mounted on a couple of very weak tabs on the bodywork behind the rear beam, not completely on the beam. After a few months the mounts ripped off so I started looking at the American VW magazines for an alternative. At the time the Yanks were selling a lot of aftermarket parts for MK1’s and 2’s and everyone was using Neuspeed bars but they weren’t cheap.

Instead I went to the local wreckers and found a Mazda Capella front bar could be made to fit if I welded on all the mounts to my rear beam. Half a days work later I had a 22mm rear beam which sat completely inside the rear beam and reduced the body roll a lot more than the pansy 16mm one. With 14 x 6 mag wheels fitted with 195x60x14 Bridgestone rubber the car was a weapon through corners. I used to bait Japanese cars going into roundabouts and freeway on/off ramps and always left them behind. I also raced this car at the Canberra hillclimb track a few times and it set decent times for its class.

About 6 months later I saw one of the end mounts for the front bar had unscrewed so it wasn’t even attached. I hadn’t noticed any difference to the handling but screwed it all back together anyway. It didn’t make any difference so after a couple of weeks I took the front bar off and sold it.

My 2nd MK1 was a 4 door GL bought in 1987 and I did the same to it but used a 22mm Mitsubishi Sigma front sway bar for the rear of the Golf and it handled better than the 2 door. This car was never fitted with a front bar and was so predictable in its handling I could push it to the limit through corners and set up a 4 wheel drift just with throttle control. Easily the best handling car I’ve ever had.

A couple of MK1’s later I bought an original 1981 GTI and didn’t modify anything during the year I had it. What a piece of crap that car was, a well driven SUV could outrun it through corners. For 1981 it might have been a great car but by 2002 it was severely outdated (and starting to rust). Because it was original I didn’t want to modify it so I sold it.

Unlike all my previous MK1’s where I did all the work myself my current MK1 came with coilovers, camber adjustment plates, front and rear sway bars, polybushed everything and 15’s with 50 profile tyres. I haven’t driven it yet but I know how I’m going to set up the suspension if it’s not as good as what I expect. I’m predicting it will corner quick enough to go racing again but be very harsh over rough roads.

So, let us know what you’ve tried and what works and what doesn’t. Don’t make comments on what you’ve read or what a friend of your sister’s boyfriends uncle did. I’m after suspension modifications that you know will work because you’ve done them. I’ve seen a few cars that have had the suspension turrets extended or an adapter fitted that mounts the top of the shock higher (which lowers the car but still provides full suspension travel) – is this a worthwhile mod? Has anyone boxed in the cross bar on their rear beam to stiffen it? Did it work? Let us know.

Cheers

Paul

**Browneye** · 10-08-2016, 02:42 PM

I have had great success with the advice that I've found dotted around from sports racer. A front lower brace, coilovers and a rear sway bar are invaluable for the mk1.

Mine currently has a 23mm Mitsubishi pajero front sway bar hung in the rear beam which gives the mk1 fantastic rotation under trail braking.

Camber front strut tops can alleviate some of the suspension geometry issues that are encountered when lowering a McPherson strut car. The reduced angle between the control arm and the line formed between the ball joint and the strut top, means that camber is increased as the suspension is compressed (eg during body roll) allowing for better tyre contact during hard cornering. A better method however is using ball joint extenders, but I would never use on ANY car, and would warn others to do the same.

Interestingly, raised strut tops would actually result in worse handling characteristics in two ways. Firstly, they would make camber tops less effective due to the reduction in camber angle changes, especially under suspension loading. A car with factory height strut tops will benefit far more from camber plates. Secondly, by raising the strut top, the new suspension geometry actually results in a LOWER roll center, resulting in higher body roll forces (moments) during cornering.

15 inch wheels with good rubber will be the best upgrade possible. Aim for 7j, with a 195 tyre width and you'll be laughing. 15s will also allow for 280mm brake upgrades, which is something I would definitely recommend as well. Rear brakes are not as important as they do next to nothing. I'm still running 200mm mk3 drums and don't plan on upgrading any time soon.

**blinkx** · 10-08-2016, 03:38 PM

Have you guys got photos of your rear sway bar set ups? looking to do one but just wondering what others have done

also looking at front brake upgrades and want to do a 280mm but wasnt sure if there was a thread i should look at if theres one.

cheers

**sports racer** · 11-08-2016, 09:23 AM

Here's how the rear sway bar sits on my Seat Cupra. It's off a MK2 Golf and came with brackets that fit the Seat beam. If the brackets didn't fit I would have welded some on. The end mounts didn't suit the Seat beam so I used links from the front sway bar off a 1999 Falcon and drilled a couple of holes to mount them.

Here's the thread on brakes.

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/f13/280mm-mk1-brake-upgrade-44320.html

Cheers

Paul