Some general Mk1 questions

**B767** · 22-03-2011, 01:50 PM

I’m buying this Mk1 in 2 weeks now. I once had a 3-Door golf before which I had bought for $3200..but later gave it to my friend. The one I’m looking at is a 4-Door (I’d prefer a 3, but I don’t really mind.) I was just curious as to what it usually takes in general to get these cars good. This golf has had a new (relatively) 2.0 Audi engine put in it and all parts that have been removed (cosmetic) are included. The engine runs perfectly with a steady idle too. So I was thinking how this car would perform – with the beefier engine and all – since the golf comes stock with 1400 & 1600cc engines. And the GTI comes with 1800.. Would it fly like a rocket? Or would it only be useful for smoking a V8 off the lights? I also wanted to know if it would be good as a nice daily..
I hope to Make it look reallly nice. That means; rims, paint, tint, coilovers, exhaust, stretch. I’m in my final year of school and on my red P’s. So this would be my first car. Sorry for all the concerning queries, but since I have seen the threads of the Mk1 section.. it got me wondering.
My friend owns a paint shop – so theres a discounted paint job. I could help prepare it and tape it up to get a further discount.

I want a nice set of coilovers, some sweet deep dish mesh rims that I could get some fresh stretch on. Tyres aren’t a problem as the car comes with some nice ones already.
Last but not least. Brakes. I know that the golf mk1’s are notorious for mushy brakes. I wanted to know what the go with changing the rear brakes was.. I would like to have all discs – not a fan of drums in any case. Is it a simple conversion in which the drums are removed and the discs bolted on? Or something completely different and expensive?

Thanks
-KDub

**GRN_VAGN** · 22-03-2011, 02:00 PM

a 2L will go very well in a mk1

Ive driven a 2L Mk1 and it flies, handled well too.

If everything works well, then it should be a nice daily, once you start adding fat rims, lowered on coilovers, ect ect it will get worse to drive everyday in my opinion.

Just enjoy it and post pics when you can

**paintz** · 22-03-2011, 02:56 PM

bolt on mk 3 drums front use mk 1 gti calipers .
It will fly with a 2 litre in mine has an audi 1.9 head on a 1.8 block. The electrics are the issue of many headaches.

**Jarred** · 22-03-2011, 03:16 PM

first things first mate, get it running sweet. no point having fantastic super cool suspension and wheels and etc if you cant drive it, cause it runs like a bucket of bolts. As goes for the new paint job. New paint is great, but it wont help the car run better

So spend some money fixing things, servicing, replacing worn bushes, upgrading brakes etc before you go too crazy with the looks.

regarding rear discs, yes it's do-able, but there are a few things that need doing besides just the rear discs/calipers themselves. Frankly, there's nothing wrong with rear drums, especially on a mk 1. You're better off getting a bigger booster and master cylinder, and upgrade the front discs and calipers to something GTI spec.

a 2.0 will make the mk 1 nice and peppy, providing it's all running good. Exhaust, cam, intake (bigger carb, or is it EFI?) will make it go better, and wont cost too much, but still give good performance increase.