[wvonkessler]

Dear Grassrooters:

What other vw/audi suspension parts can you get from a salvage/wrecking yard to build a suspension for an A2 rally car, e.g., Passat springs, etc? Rates?

What other vw/audi brake parts can you get from a salvage/wrecking yard to build better brakes for an A2 rally car, e.g., Corrado brakes, etc?

What other vw/audi engine parts . . .? Anyone tried 16v pistons in an 8V? Head porting?

What other vw/audi transaxle/transmission parts?

What other vw/audi etc. etc. etc?

The purpose of this exercise is to take a 1986 GTI and to build it on the cheap (except for safety gear . . . it will have a multi-point cage, FIA spec seats, etc), as well as to have a plethora of cheap wrecking yard spares.

If you would be so kind as to share your boneyard tips, it would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Wilson

 

[mattjohnston]

You can use corrado front 11' brakes, but will need at least 15' wheels. Corrado master cylinder, you can use scirocco 16v or GTI rear brakes. You can use a corrado dash if you wanted too, a corrado tranny if you wanted to go hydraulic (would need pedal box etc....) Depending on your class, you can use pretty much any motor from any year, check www.vwvortex.com.

 

[Pete Gossett]

For the Corrado tranny, you would also need to swap over the cable shift linkage. Would it possibly be easier to just swap ratios, or find a GTI trans(is that the 02A?)?

Pete Gossett
Central IL Region SCCA
Solo-2 Chair
93 VW Corrado/42GS

 

[mmclaughlin]

All of the stub axles for the back have the same bolt pattern. You can bolt rear disks from anything with rear disks (you can even switch to the 5x100 wheels, if you really wanted to).

You do not have to change the master cylinder (necessarilly). I put disks on the back of my Rabbit, upgraded the fronts (11" with Wilwood 4-pots), and I still have a little extra rear bias. If you want more rear bias, or plan on putting in a proportioning valve, this can be good.

The Corrado uses a front/back brake circuit with a proportioning valve (stock) rather than a diagonal split, so you might find one of those amusing to play with.

The Corrado tranny is stonger and has a cable shift (the cable shift allows you to put the shifter wherever you want). There are two different Corrado trannies. Midway through 1990 (actually, October), VW switched from 195 to 205 tires, keeping the same profile. The later years, due to the taller tire, got lower gearing. Oddly, they did not change the ring and pinion, they changed all of the gears.

If you wanted a Corrado tranny, you could get a clutch master cylinder from almost anything, or you could get the Corrado unit with the whole pedal assembly (the pedal assembly just bolts in as one unit).

The basic block style has not changed for a long time. The new 20V heads still uses the same headgasket shape as the first 1.8 8V.

Seats are swappable from just about anything, if you are not buying a racing seat.

I still have a 1990 Corrado tranny (the taller gearing, sorry) with the shift box. I believe the Passat used the same tranny. If you are interested, let me know.

The dash was also mentioned (though I do not know why you would want it). I have a dash, with instruments, switches, ventilation, etc., if anyone is interested. I bought a Corrado as a parts car for my Rabbit, a while back, and I still have parts that I wont be using. I already sold the rear brakes (I already had disks) and I threw the fronts away.

Poke your head in as many VW/Audi cars as you can. Very little actually ever changes. If something looks like it might bolt on, it more than likely will.

Matthew

By the way, if you want dimensions from anything I have, even if you don't want to buy them, just let me know.

 

[mattjohnston]

Matthew, with those corrado disks and willwood calipers, what wheel size are you running? 15' Also, did you make the adapters for the calipers, or use something like the RPI kit...

-matt

 

[mmclaughlin]

I run 15" wheels with RPI adapters. It is a nice setup, but more than the car needs. A Rabbit, likely an A2 as well, is better off with 10" brakes. Maybe 10.5", if you wanted to make some of your own parts. Even with 15" wheels, the wheel clearance is very small and gravel would cause problems. I bought the brakes because I was planning on putting a G60 motor in. Now, the G60 is going to go in with whole new front suspension, so it is a moot point.

I am currently putting the Corrado knuckles on the Rabbit, so I bought new adapters. I have the adapters for putting 11" rotors and Wilwood 4-pots on an A1 if anyone wants to buy them for a street car, but I would not recommend 11" disks for Rally.

Matthew