Our Corrado VR6 and Golf GTI in Australia at last!

[VR6 STORM]

Hi,
this post has been a long time coming but here it is at last. We have had a hectic 3 months since arriving in Adelaide, sorting out a house, job, our container etc etc.
Our cars were released from customs just over a month ago and I got them back to our place safely on a temporary permit.

We had to pay the GST and Import Duties and get a CFC import licence exemption from Canberra for the A/C fitted to the Corrado.

I got the statement of compliance from Regency Park (DOTARS) and have spent the last month getting them sorted ready for the testing.

I have had to get a chartered engineer to do some design calculations on some mods I needed to do, but he knew his stuff for complaince 100%. I needed a report for the Golf from him to meet the compliance statement as you will see below.

The Corrado has been fairly easy with only rear child restraints being fitted to the rear panel, and a high level brake light.
The rear restraints went in a treat on the panel and look like a factory fit.
She is now booked in for complaince testing next week, so wish me luck!

The Golf has been more of a problem though. I had to get my chartered engineer to design a child restraint fitting for the rear as the rear panel is too flimsy. So I have had a beam made up that bolts onto the rear bumper mounts in the boot floor and has 3 5/16th tapped inserts for the fittings. I can post pictures if anyone is interested?

Harder than this though has been the requirement for side intrusion bars :(
These were not fitted to the euro spec MK1's, so again with the help of my friendly chartered engineer, we have come up with a bolt in design for these.
He has done a report to support the design for the complaince test.
I have had to remove the door glass and regulator to fit this up (drivers side only at moment as a trial), so you might notice in the piccies below that there is no glass in this side.
There is still a risk that I might need a full engineers report done on the car because of all the mods i.e. the Turbo Technics install, Emerald ECU, Eibach / Koni suspension, big brakes etc etc. I will just have to see what the DOTARS testers say on the day. Will just have to cross my fingers guys.

Anyway, I thought it was time to drag the cars out onto the drive, run them up and get some piccies for you all. Hope you enjoy them and sorry for any typos!

Nige

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/03/2008_0309carsatwoodcroft0017-1.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd190/nigelandmo/cars%20in%20Australia/2008_0309carsatwoodcroft0018.jpg
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/03/2008_0309carsatwoodcroft0019-1.jpg
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/03/2008_0309carsatwoodcroft0020-1.jpg
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/03/2008_0309carsatwoodcroft0025-1.jpg
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/03/2008_0309carsatwoodcroft0026-1.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd190/nigelandmo/cars%20in%20Australia/2008_0309carsatwoodcroft0027.jpg
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/03/2008_0309carsatwoodcroft0028-1.jpg
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/03/2008_0309carsatwoodcroft0029-1.jpg
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/03/2008_0309carsatwoodcroft0031-1.jpg

[The_Hawk]

They are some NICE looking machines.

Reckon I could handle a Corrado VR6 :D

[ope126]

Just Beautiful!

[VR6 STORM]

Thanks guys, its been painful, but Im getting there :)

[Treza360]

Freaking awesome looking vehicles there. So good you decided to bring em to oz. Shame you're in Adelaide though.
Congrats. :)

[GoLfMan]

awesome mate :)
loving both your cars, the Corrado is sweet but that Turbo mk1 would go like the clappers!
how much power is it putting out?

[VR6 STORM]

The Golf was only just finished before we left the UK.
I have miscalculated the compression ratio on her :(
Its a bit too high for the full boost potential and Ignition advance without risking a bit of detonation.... proper turbo car killer!
So she has been set up with the high boost map at 8PSI and fairly conservative ignition advance.
Currently she makes 173 HP and 200 ft lbs of torque on a Dyno Dynamics RR. Sorry I dont know what this is in kw and nM.
There is more to come but it will mean re calculationg the comps and machining the piston crowns a bit. Luckily they are Cosworth forged pistons so should take some machining.
I allready have an eip metal head gasket fitted.
I recon this will relelase another 25 brake horse. The torque figure is way adequate for the weight of the car and just about enough for the transmission to stay reliable.

[Mischa]

congrats on getting the cars out of customs greedy hands.

only one thing you forgot to mention though; coming to the volkswagen nationals in sydney in a couple months so we can all drewl over them :)

[balkanac]

I love the cars mate!! Especially the Golf!! If you decide to sell them, just let me know!

[Nick_80]

well, you can bring them down to the day of the volkswagen on the 6th down at glenelg to if ya want,

[Valver.]

Great cars - that's an unusual layout in the Mk1, but looks great :)

[DubSteve]

That makes it 6 now right?

Before you know it Australia will have over 100:D

[hazards_golf74]

nice cars gotta love them :D

[DVR68U]

hey mate nice cars , cant you get a set of doors maybe from a SA import or ones that have already been pasted in Aus and fit them on for the inspection, then just swap back to your doors ?
ive got a mk1 4 door that was a import and the doors have no side intrusion bars, it makes a big difference to the final weight of the doors lol. it got through the inpection but it would have been along time ago.
good luck
cheers brenton

[aprr32]

You may have some problems with that small radiator in the Adelaide heatwave in the Golf.There doesn't look like there's much room for a bigger one with the intercooler on the side there.Nice install, looks like someone did their homework!As for the Corrado, well they speak for themselves--- AWESOME.

[VR6 STORM]

Guys, thanks for all the nice comments.

With regard to the doors, there is a MK1 3 door in the wreckers here and I did check out the doors. Yes they have the intrusion bars fitted, was only on Aus models according to VW ETKA illustrated parts catalogue.
I did toy withe idea of swapping them but its a pain as would have to get them resprayed etc. The new door bars are almost done now, just got to get them powder coated before the final fit.

I hope the Corrado passes at Regency park, if so I will be bringing her down to Glenelg meeting. Yes I think that makes 6 Corrados in Australia now.
Mine is one of the 500 Storm models that were the last off the line, so is rare in the UK now let alone here :)

The Golf rad is the standard GTI one, I will have to see how she goes in the Adelaide heat :o more worried about the intercooler really as its a bit small, but the ECU monitors the air temps too and will pull out ignition if it starts to get over 60 deg or so.

[evorobin]

Good feeling when the cars outfront after the long journey. My 8v was exactly the same as UK in the Adelaide heat. Keeping the valver cool has been $$$ spent. How long did Regency hold you up for the Rado?

[DVR68U]

hey mate when i said swap the door i meant just for the test lol ;) then swap them back .
cheers brenton

[Oneofthegreats]

Congrat's on getting your car's out there Nige.

Hopefully there wasn't any damage caused to them in transit.

That's a nice setup in the Mk1. Especially being a TT kit.

In regard's to your side intrusion bar's, I too had to go through all that with engineer's.

No big deal, just fiddly & time consuming. I ended up making my own bolt/weld in style.

Designed & built by me & more than what the engineer wanted. Also not that heavy either.

(Note: the little non-painted one is how "not to build them"!)

http://xs225.xs.to/xs225/08114/dsc09690714.jpg (http://xs.to)

http://xs225.xs.to/xs225/08114/dsc09691619.jpg (http://xs.to)

http://xs125.xs.to/xs125/08114/dsc09692644.jpg (http://xs.to)

The bolted up at both end's with stainless domed headed allen bolt's & welded in the middle.

I went down this path as I could build in them in two pieces, fit it as one, then slide them apart to bolt them & then plug weld the centre.

Didn't have to remove any part's other than the door trim.

Hope this help's.

[VR6 STORM]

hey mate when i said swap the door i meant just for the test lol ;) then swap them back .
cheers brenton

Yes I guessed what you meant about the doors just for the compliance test:) I could have done that but they might have gotten funny about it and sussed out what I was going to do:o

[VR6 STORM]

Good feeling when the cars outfront after the long journey. My 8v was exactly the same as UK in the Adelaide heat. Keeping the valver cool has been $$$ spent. How long did Regency hold you up for the Rado?

I called them up on Tuesday and they said bring it down next tuesday, ie the 18th!!! Amazing eh:)

[VR6 STORM]

Congrat's on getting your car's out there Nige.

Hopefully there wasn't any damage caused to them in transit.

That's a nice setup in the Mk1. Especially being a TT kit.

In regard's to your side intrusion bar's, I too had to go through all that with engineer's.

No big deal, just fiddly & time consuming. I ended up making my own bolt/weld in style.

Designed & built by me & more than what the engineer wanted. Also not that heavy either.

(Note: the little non-painted one is how "not to build them"!)

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/ (http://xs.to)

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/ (http://xs.to)

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/ (http://xs.to)

The bolted up at both end's with stainless domed headed allen bolt's & welded in the middle.

I went down this path as I could build in them in two pieces, fit it as one, then slide them apart to bolt them & then plug weld the centre.

Didn't have to remove any part's other than the door trim.

Hope this help's.

Thanks for the piccies mate. Thats a good bit of fabrication there. They are not dissimiar to what we are doing other that mine are one piece, so have had to remove the door glass, regulator and quater light divider:(
I will post some piccies of the bars once the passenger side is done. I need to get them powder coated before I finally fit them up.

No the cars were perfect when we went to see and pick them up, so congratulations to both John Masons the UK shippers and to Wridgways, the Adelaide shipper end of the deal.

[KI11Z]

wowzers, thats some nice garage fillers there! how much does the mk1 make atw with the turbo conversion? is it like a stage2?

[VR6 STORM]

Hi the Golf make 173 brake so about 155 or so at wheels? I only have a SHP dyno plot. We got 200 Hp out of it with more ignition advance, but there was a tiny bit of detonation occouring, so the ECU has a few degrees taken out of it just to make it safe. It still makes 200 ft lbs of torque though :)

[h100vw]

The MK1 sounds noice though. Nige has promised me a go, which I am looking forward too!!!

I promise to drive it like my Camry, thrash it in second, so you can miss out 3rd ;)

Gavin

[pinzvidz]

Oh wow, just spotted this thread. Nice work, glad to see both vehicles arrived here in one piece! Shame about the crap weather in Adelaide atm, I'm sure both of them would be a bit shellshocked after the cold UK weather! :D

[VR6 STORM]

Ta for that, yeah weather has been poor, not hot enough!!!:)

Hey Gavin, you dont need to miss any gears in this baby!:D

[h100vw]

Nigel got the Corrado through the test today and it is now officially registered in SA. I took a few pics this morning outside my house and I'll post them when I get time.

Sounds great though I don't think enough of the local population realised how lucky they were to be driving along side such a rare car!! ;)

Gavin

[evorobin]

Congrats Nigel. Hope you will be showing it on the 6th mate!

[KI11Z]

. . . . . Sounds great though I don't think enough of the local population realised how lucky they were to be driving along side such a rare car!! ;)

Gavin

WORD! :D . . .

[VR6 STORM]

Yes I will be along on the 6th.
I might see if I can win a prize for best Corrado??? :D

[h100vw]

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/03/P3181611-2.jpg

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/03/P3181608-2.jpg

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/03/P3181609-2.jpg

Nigel's second drive on SA roads round to my house on the way to work, prior to the compliance test.

Gavin

[Water Boy]

Dude have u taken that Mk1 for a fang yet... Blow off all the ricers :D

[h100vw]

No, still needs to get it past the compliance monkeys.

Gavin

[WABIT]

damn monkeys i hate them hehe

love both cars

wabit

[VR6 STORM]

Thanks. I will keep you all posted as to the progress on the Golf. The newly made door bars are off at the powder coating shop so I will get some shots of those installed once they are back :)

[Nick_80]

Yes I will be along on the 6th.
I might see if I can win a prize for best Corrado??? :D

HA insane, i spose we better get crowd control down there, or maybe you can hide your car away under a cover so you don't steal the show!

excellent work, can't wait till i see it in real,

maybe i cal win a prize for best 1976 Audi Fox :P

[VR6 STORM]

HA insane, i spose we better get crowd control down there, or maybe you can hide your car away under a cover so you don't steal the show!

excellent work, can't wait till i see it in real,

maybe i cal win a prize for best 1976 Audi Fox :P

Ha ha, in the UK you would win a prize for a 76 Audi Fox, cause that would be a rare beast indeed!! :)

[Volvo Driver]

Yes I guessed what you meant about the doors just for the compliance test:) I could have done that but they might have gotten funny about it and sussed out what I was going to do:o

They are very lax on stuff in SA AFAIK, once a car is rego'd there you don't ever need to get a Roadworthy for it when you sell it, I don't think it would matter too much ;) And if you were worried, hand paint those doors red :p

Nice cars and glad that there is more of them in Aus!

[sports racer]

Any update? How are the cars liking Oz weather? Did the Golf get a decompression job and how does it run?

Cheers

Paul

[h100vw]

The Golf is on the street now. Nigel had to have an engineer do brake tests, lane changing and a load of other stuff too. The job is done and it's been rego'd for a couple of months now.

I drove it a few weeks a ago and it goes well.

Over to Nigel for the tech specs.

Gavin