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Thread: Turbo Diesel Cabriolet Project (with head porting pics)

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2005
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    Gosford Central Coast NSW
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    Turbo Diesel Cabriolet Project (with head porting pics)

    I thought I should start a thread for our Cabby. Its a 1991 with:

    > power top
    > power windows (working)
    > converted to 1.5 diesel by previous owner

    We got it in 2009, November. The car needed a new vinyl top, a lot of cosmetic body work, and not a lot else.

    I fitted a new top myself about 3 weeks after we got the car, and the ensuing list of mods/repairs is as follows:

    > mk3 rear drums, new wheel bearings
    > remove after market alarm
    > new stereo, 2 new speakers in stock locations in rear, 2 new speakers behind the door cards in front (sneaky) and 2 8" subs and amp in boot, in new side-panels so as to keep stock boot space
    > front lowering springs
    > modified rear suspension mounts for 30mm lowering on stock struts
    > new Bilstein touring class shocks (VERY happy with these!)
    > fixed rust in windscreen sill
    > replaced passenger side door
    > replaced tailgate
    > resprayed front and rear bumpers, LHS rear quarter panel, pass door, tailgate, rear brake drums all in factory LA5Y Helios Blue.
    > E30 BBS wires, 14x6.5

    This is how the car looked recently at our wedding and at the 'nats.:

    Nationals day...




    Wedding day...



    A couple of weeks ago the car developed the classic 1.5D headgasket leak - a little oil in the coolant and losing coolant from the front of the head. I thought initially I would simply repair, but we had plans to turbo the 1.5 anyway and with some unrelated bartering I managed to score a 1Y 1.9 Diesel engine.

    The 1Y is still indirect injection, and has a largely mechanical pump (with some parts of the pump simply electronically controlled. It is however internally setup to work just as well as a turbo engine as it is without, so we quickly decided that the 1.9 was going into the Cabby instead of a repair of the old 1.5 engine (which will still be put to use in another car, don't worry).

    We began work readying the 1.9 for installation over the weekend. We first gave it a pressure clean, then began pulling everything off for a proper clean and paint, and general tidy up. After pulling off the sump and discovering a world of black horrid muck and some water, I have cleaned most of the bottom end up already, and a base coat of bright yellow is on the block, CAT style

    Plans for the engine are to run the Garrett T2 that used to live on my AAZ from my mk3. This will give it plenty of low end torque and good midrange, which will be great fun in the lighter mk1 chassis. It should also make it easy to tune it to run smoke free or close to it. This week I'm working on modifying the exhaust manifold so that i can run it upside down, getting the turbo down behind the block so we can run the n/a engines intake manifold, which will let it breath better and improve the off boost performance. I'd like to get it to up around 90hp at the wheels, and with whole lot of torque on hand form about 1800rpm it should be great fun.

    I'm also going to upgrade the master cylinder and booster to the SEAT/Mk3 style ones for better stopping power and a longer ratio gearbox and 210mm clutch to finish off.

    I'm glad to be putting some effort back into a mk1, its been too long!
    Last edited by gldgti; 14-08-2011 at 09:25 AM.
    '07 Touareg V6 TDI with air suspension
    '98 Mk3 Cabriolet 2.0 8V
    '99 A4 Quattro 1.8T

  2. #2
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    very pretty

  3. #3
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    Braidwood, rural NSW
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    Users Country Flag
    That's a really good looking cab, love the colour and that you're going the diesel route.

    I've been interested in turbo diesels ever since I saw the Top Gear guys succeed in building a turbo diesel MK1 that got better than 60 mpg and sub 8 sec to 100 ks.

    Keep us posted.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Orange NSW
    Posts
    5,745
    Good stuff mate.

    Can't wait to follow the progress.

    APR Tuned | KW Suspension | INA Engineering | Mocal Oil Control |
    Website: http://www.tprengineering.com
    Email: chris@tprengineering.com

  5. #5
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    May 2005
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    Thread Starter
    Quote Originally Posted by sports racer View Post
    That's a really good looking cab, love the colour and that you're going the diesel route.

    I've been interested in turbo diesels ever since I saw the Top Gear guys succeed in building a turbo diesel MK1 that got better than 60 mpg and sub 8 sec to 100 ks.

    Keep us posted.
    Ha - never seen that one but will be searching youtube tonight for it
    '07 Touareg V6 TDI with air suspension
    '98 Mk3 Cabriolet 2.0 8V
    '99 A4 Quattro 1.8T

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Darwin, NT
    Posts
    225
    Not a huge fan of the 'Cabrio', but this one I really like - very nice!
    - Mk2 Golf GTI 16v, 2-door, Tornado Rot, BBS RS, 1988 - SOLD
    - E30 325i Coupe, Manual, Alpinweiss
    - E30 325i Touring, Manual, Diamantschwarz x 2
    - On the lookout for another E30 325i Coupe, Manual (red would be nice)...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Gosford Central Coast NSW
    Posts
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    Thread Starter
    Quote Originally Posted by Domel View Post
    Not a huge fan of the 'Cabrio', but this one I really like - very nice!
    Thanks! I think the Blue really suits the car, especially with the bbs rims. I never wanted a cabby, but we got one (it was diesel and my wife liked it) and since then we've fallen in love with it. The way they feel on the road is so good, driving it always puts grin on your face. Plus, driving a car with no roof is awesome.
    '07 Touareg V6 TDI with air suspension
    '98 Mk3 Cabriolet 2.0 8V
    '99 A4 Quattro 1.8T

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Darwin, NT
    Posts
    225
    Quote Originally Posted by gldgti View Post
    Thanks! I think the Blue really suits the car, especially with the bbs rims. I never wanted a cabby, but we got one (it was diesel and my wife liked it) and since then we've fallen in love with it. The way they feel on the road is so good, driving it always puts grin on your face. Plus, driving a car with no roof is awesome.
    This thread made me look some up on carsales Agree, the wheels suit the car very well, plus the colour and body kit (although I think this is standard?) are just spot on, too. Nice
    Last edited by Domel; 21-06-2011 at 09:45 AM.
    - Mk2 Golf GTI 16v, 2-door, Tornado Rot, BBS RS, 1988 - SOLD
    - E30 325i Coupe, Manual, Alpinweiss
    - E30 325i Touring, Manual, Diamantschwarz x 2
    - On the lookout for another E30 325i Coupe, Manual (red would be nice)...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Gosford Central Coast NSW
    Posts
    4,386
    Thread Starter
    yep, thats all standard 90's cabriolet body kit.
    '07 Touareg V6 TDI with air suspension
    '98 Mk3 Cabriolet 2.0 8V
    '99 A4 Quattro 1.8T

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Orange NSW
    Posts
    5,745

    Quote Originally Posted by gldgti View Post
    Plus, driving a car with no roof is awesome.
    Yeah you really don't get it until you drive one. They're super cool.

    APR Tuned | KW Suspension | INA Engineering | Mocal Oil Control |
    Website: http://www.tprengineering.com
    Email: chris@tprengineering.com

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