Newb bound to the Sh*tbox Rally in a MK1 Diesel

[Jack_It]

Hey all!

Total newby to VW, but I'll probably have plenty of questions and a really great build to keep you entertained with for the coming months.

Long story short, My old man and I applied for the 2015 Sh*tbox Rally, and got in. Next year in May we go from Canberra to Townsville via the Birdsville track. My dad found a S1, MK1 that his mechanic had stored in his yard for a guy who didn't pick it up after nearly $4000 worth of engine work... We've secured it for the allocated Sh*tbox amount and are about to get it back on the road with some rego.

Visually she is rough, but mechanically great - sure the brakes are a bit rusty, and the gearshift linkages are loose, but it drives, stops and runs very well for something that hadn't been started in 2 years.



Story is that this was THE first diesel golf to be registered in Australia, it was on the road 4 months before they were in the dealers, if anyone can shed some light on release dates and info from the 70's we'd love to know, this thing still has its log books from the 30km service in early 1978, we bought it off the original owner.

in prep for the rally I'd like to lift it (yes, lift it), find some 14's that I can put some hefty rubber on, sling on a roof basket, and fab up a front and rear bash bar that can easily be removed and swapped for stock stuff.

I also chanced this guy at my local wreckers - and should be scoring parts as a 'donation' from them... I don't know whether to auction off the arches or put them on for the trip, I'd be devastated if they were busted up after munching a tyre or something...



Anyway, I'll be around for a while, I'll make a build thread and if anyone is keen when we get the all clear to start donations, then I'll try to bring her to some events or throw up the links for our fund-raising. BUT that's not why I'm here, I'm sure you lot can help out a heap with troubleshooting and telling us we're fools for taking this thing where we are.

Many thanks
Team Jack-It.

[eri_12]

Welcome!

[Jarred]

welcome

sounds like a good (albeit, slow) and fun base for a rally car.

[sports racer]

Raising it and building it for the dirt? You sure you want our advice, we usually work the other way.

There is a MK1 owner from Orange already on this forum and he has an engineering workshop, might be worthwhile getting in touch with him.

Cheers

Paul

[nick_mk1]

I'll buy the arches? I need some decent flares for my vr turbo


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[GLDoldcoot]

If you put bigger diameter wheels on it you will need to change gearbox ratios or add a turbo. I tried 13 inch light truck tyres and even this made a difference. Now I use a five speed box and a turbo. I modified the rear spring cups to take about an inch of rubber packing to stop the shocks bottoming out when I pick up my drums of chip oil. Gonzo travels about 100k a day on pretty rough roads, and now has 570K on the clock.
Good luck!
Rob

[Jack_It]

Thanks all, luckily it's not a rally race, so to speak - more along the lines of Variety Bash, Kidney Car Rally etc, A fundraiser via some of the more remote roads of Australia! have a look at www.****boxrally.com.au if the filters will let you!?

Raising it and building it for the dirt? You sure you want our advice, we usually work the other way.
There is a MK1 owner from Orange already on this forum and he has an engineering workshop, might be worthwhile getting in touch with him.
Cheers
Paul

THANKS! yeh, as cool as it would be scraping rail, one river crossing and I'd need a snorkel...

Would be good to be introduced, probably one of the mines engineering places as there isn't anything specific to road cars in town, and I can't say I've spotted a MK1 around... there is a tidy MK2 GTi and a few always parked up around the corner from a mates place, might be him, never know!

I'll buy the arches? I need some decent flares for my vr turbo
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Happy to do that! I'd prefer to sell off parts than see them busted up in the middle of far west Queensland, funds will go to our total. It has a Front Apron too... make a reasonable offer and we'll sort something once we get the wreck or parts, or they'll go on Ebay later on.

If you put bigger diameter wheels on it you will need to change gearbox ratios or add a turbo. I tried 13 inch light truck tyres and even this made a difference. Now I use a five speed box and a turbo. I modified the rear spring cups to take about an inch of rubber packing to stop the shocks bottoming out when I pick up my drums of chip oil. Gonzo travels about 100k a day on pretty rough roads, and now has 570K on the clock.
Good luck!
Rob

Again, luckily it's not a rally race, more of a treck with a cause in mind over some crappy roads, looking into 14's with something like a Maxxis Bravo in a 185R14 offroad tyre. We need 2 spares, so considering putting road tyres on those so we can skip across the tarmac on the fronts easier and swap out when we hit dirt further north.

Gotta work out some suspension mods, there are a few ideas out there based off the Golf Country, hopefully I can find a taller strut and spring or make up some lifting plate inserts. We have a few months to think about this at least.

Picking her up Friday

[Jarred]

The shock can be taken out separately from the strut housing, so as long as you can find something with the right diameter, you should be able to come up with something. Maybe some mk 2 springs might work as well.

A strut spacer (between the strut top and the strut housing) might be an option too. Reasonably common in the 4WD'ing world.

As for fitter bigger diameter tyres, you'd want to not go too far above the stock rolling diameter, just for the sake of performance, as mentioned above.

[Jack_It]

Strut spacers were first port of call, have a friend who builds truck bodies, he has the welding and engineering skills, hopefully we can come up with something.

might do some tyre tests, I don't think a tyre 5-10% bigger in side wall is going to bother us too much on the trip we're doing, it's no autocross.

[sports racer]

You might be surprised with the tyre test. I fitted tyres 2cm taller and it killed my acceleration, noticibly slower and I'm running a 2 litre in my MK2.

Don't forget to take the side skirts off the red 4 door when you sell the arches and spoiler. They all fit together.

There can't be many MK2's in Orange so the one you've spotted is probably Preenys. He had a twin engined MK1 for sale some time back too. He loves engineering challenges so he'll probably have a few ideas for a dirt MK1.

Have you tracked down anyone who rallys a MK1? I know of one here in Canberra who might be able to give some advice.

Cheers

Paul