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AAZCD
AAZCD Reader
10/7/18 10:32 p.m.
Knurled. said:

Thread needs more Mexican Radio

Thanks for that. The chorus is stuck in my head now and I won't be able to sleep.

paranoid_android
paranoid_android UltraDork
10/8/18 5:21 p.m.

Is clear coat cheaper than paint?  This look would be very sharp on that car:

Just throwing an idea out there...

759NRNG
759NRNG SuperDork
10/8/18 5:37 p.m.

Test drove one of these in '81 for an entire weekend (500mi) in Houston while the dealership was investigating my credit......needless to say I didn't qualify(kinda knew that driving off the lot), but what a blast (for those who know what Allen Pkwy presents in less congested moments) was had 'dogin' that 911!

AAZCD
AAZCD Reader
10/8/18 9:13 p.m.

In reply to paranoid_android :

That is cool. I like the look, but when I saw the car this morning (after two days of heavy rain), it was turning to rust before my eyes. I had to act decisively.

AAZCD
AAZCD Reader
10/8/18 10:07 p.m.

Rain all weekend. The sun came out today. A catalyst and heat to oxidize the exposed bare metal. The occasional light scale was rapidly advancing to pitting. I had to stop it. Now.

Tractor primer. Tractor paint. Enamel. Economy. "Contains Rust Arrestor". Lots of Tractorey colors to pick from.

Old tools. I never bought a pneumatic DA sander. I always want one the minute I start sanding. My old electric DA did great for a while, then died. I fixed it. It died again. It is in the trash now (RIP old friend). Next time I'm on Amazon or at HF I'll find a replacement.

I found a half bottle of Rust-oleum Rust Reformer. "Instantly converts rust to a paintable surface." Instantly? The fine print says, "Wait 4 hours before painting with enamel or 3 days before painting with lacquer or aerosol paint." I am not a good 'waiter'.

 

At just the right time, Sam showed up. I had forgot all about Sam. Sam bought my old New Beetle and I had told him to stop by and I'd help him do an oil change. Good kid, but he is just now learning to work on cars. I enlisted his help applying the Rust Reformer while we gave the Bug time to cool down.

A trip to the auto parts store for an oil filter. Check over the Bug and do the oil change. Dinner. Back to work. I gave the Scirocco a good wipe-down, then masked it for priming. I set up my paint. Not quite four hours, but the sun is setting. Close enough.

I have a few paint guns. For priming I use an old HF $14.95 gun. I have a couple more, new-in-box, for when it dies, but like my old DA sander, I have a hard time letting go. Half way through spraying it stopped working. Clogged? No. I start taking it apart. A pin for the trigger is missing. Rather than switch to another gun, I search for the pin and find it on the tarp. It's pretty much night time now. I finish spraying in the dim twilight. It's okay. The rust is Arrested and the blindly sprayed, runny primer will be sanded anyway.

There is one beer left in the fridge. Peace.

Tk8398
Tk8398 Reader
10/9/18 12:09 a.m.

I know someone who has a few brand new VW 8V EFI intakes (with throttle body, fuel rail, injectors, etc) that they would probably sell cheap.  Some look more like the carbed 8V intakes, some look more like what is on there. They are not from US spec vehicles, so I'm not sure exactly what they fit, but they came from a giant stash of random VW parts that were going to scrap.  I could get pics if you are interested possibly for a megasquirt conversion.

crankwalk
crankwalk SuperDork
10/9/18 9:57 a.m.

Getting to work quickly. Nice!

Stampie
Stampie UberDork
10/9/18 10:14 a.m.

In reply to AAZCD :

We're honored for you to refer to us in your build. I'm in for one of my teenage lust cars.

pres589
pres589 PowerDork
10/9/18 10:49 a.m.

Waiting to see what body color you picked.  Kubota Orange might be quite nice on a 'roco.  

java230
java230 UltraDork
10/9/18 10:58 a.m.

Following along! I think the Audi V8 and quattro bits would be fun wink

AAZCD
AAZCD Reader
10/9/18 11:58 a.m.

I have a lot to learn.

The situation with the bare metal, open to weather is resolved. Now I can take some time to figure out where to take this build. After my post last night, I spent a couple hours looking at pictures and videos. I did some brief investigation on what people have done for engine swaps.

I love these two cars, but on a $2k budget I don't see much of that happening:

https://youtu.be/Uu7Ha4QU5YA

https://youtu.be/j3S0yoQDw6A

Tomorrow I start a 7 day week of 7 am to 7 pm shifts at work. It will allow me some time to research and plan without being able to do much work on the car itself. More Power is important, but so is everything else: Brakes, Wheels, Suspension, Chassis stiffness, Balance/C.G., Weight, Safety, Budget... I need to make a plan and right now there is too much that I don't know.

Tk8398 said: I know someone who has a few brand new VW 8V EFI intakes ...  I could get pics if you are interested possibly for a megasquirt conversion.

I'd really like to see some pics. Even if I don't go with it as part of the build, I could learn a lot from having an EFI set-up to work with on the current engine.

In reply to pres589 :

We are still undecided on color, but I think it's going to be a gray or silver with a bright colored rally stripe and wheels. SWMBO says the highlight color should be 'hot-spicy', Kubota Orange would fit.

Stefan
Stefan MegaDork
10/9/18 1:28 p.m.

Yup, Bosch CIS is what happens when German engineers decide to "improve" a carburator.  A better solution, when it works, than a carburetor in nearly all situations.  An absolute PITA when it doesn't work.

Main things to watch for: 

Vacuum leaks of any kind, it works kind of like a MAF solution for EFI, everything after the fuel distributor is under vacuum and can and will impact fuel mixture.

Dirty or clogged fuel components, don't let modern fuels sit they do a number on the insides.  Many, many 924's have been sidelined due to clogged fuel distributors due to sitting.

Dirty electrical connections, many euro cars of this period suffered from connectors that oxidized easily.  Clean and polish the connectors and protect with electrical grease or KY Jelly, etc.

EFI is much more simple and clean by comparison that it really cleaned up the engine bay of my 924.

Mmmm, I'd love to swap an ABZ into my 924.  I don't think I've seen one mounted in a transverse setup before.  I guess you could modify the car to put it amidships... I can't wait to see what you do with the project!

AAZCD
AAZCD Reader
10/9/18 5:03 p.m.

In reply to Stefan :

I did some quick tape-measuring and the ABZ is not going to fit in the engine compartment unless I get very creative. A 924 drivetrain might actually be the work-around for that, moving the transaxle to the rear. Fun thought, but a bigger bite than I can chew.

Getting my 2.0T FSI & Quattro working in this car is beyond my learning curve for now and I already scrapped or sold key components. If I change engines in this car for $2019, I think that my best solution is to find a wrecked Jetta, Golf, New Beetle, or Audi TT that I can buy as a complete car and swap directly, including most of the harness and fuel system. Add into that parts car swap: axles, brakes, 5 lug hubs/wheels, some suspension components, and maybe a cup holder.

Good news: The Bentley Manual arrived in the mail today and it has full wiring diagrams.

Bad News: I'm going to need them:

Stefan
Stefan MegaDork
10/9/18 5:38 p.m.

In reply to AAZCD :

Looks like the stupid electrical system they put in the 924.

Oh wait, the 924 was a VW project that Porsche did for VW.

Except VW freaked out over the oil embargo, scrapped the project to do the Scirocco instead.

Porsche bought the 924 from VW, made a few more changes of their own and put it out as a replacement for the 912/914 as their entry level car.

At the time, it saved Porsche from going under as it and the 928 helped save them (granted it was due to 924/944 sales and hardcore owners who hadn't been buying the 911, started buying them again when they heard it might be going away).

Pete Gossett
Pete Gossett MegaDork
10/9/18 7:15 p.m.

In reply to AAZCD :

From my experience with a MkI GTI, an ABA swap with a mild cam, header & exhaust will make it a really fun car. It felt like the correct amount of power for the chassis to me. 

Billy_Bottle_Caps
Billy_Bottle_Caps Dork
10/9/18 8:36 p.m.
Slippery said:
yupididit said:

Dude, I  love your threads! 

I’d have to agree. 

me too

BirgerBuilder
BirgerBuilder Reader
10/10/18 4:23 p.m.

The 80's VW wiring is a royal pain, I am real happy to have 90's wiring in my caddy now, complete with easy to remove connectors that don't shatter when pried apart. 

AAZCD
AAZCD Reader
10/10/18 6:26 p.m.

My brain is tired and my eyes are sore.

Today's reading list included these and more:

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/1988-vw-golf-20-16v-megasquirt-revival/109481/page4/#post2600087

https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4773933-MK1-ABA-swap-A1-ABA-swap-Rabbit-ABA-swap-Rabbit-2-0-swap-2-0-into-A1-2-0-into-MK1-info-thread

https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?668507-FAQ-Thread-for-Sciroccos

https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?1894286-The-official-20v-(to-start-with-and-then-FSi-with-4wd)-build-thread-aka-Brits-Gone-Wild!!

Thoughts:

I need to keep it simple and straight forward as a $2019 build. Lots of cool stuff is possible. I can work on this car for years. For now, I need to focus on a one year timeline and $2,019 budget.

Right now it sits as a 37 year old car that someone abandoned to a junk yard. Just making it a safe, reliable, running car is a good start.

The ABA swap looks like a very good step, advancing the car, keeping on budget, and growing my knowledge base.

I have never participated in any sort of car show or driving competition (One PCA Autocross and some track time just for fun). My goal for the Challenge is to participate, learn, and have a good time. If that works, I'm sure it will be a slippery slope to get in deeper.

Pete Gossett
Pete Gossett MegaDork
10/10/18 6:55 p.m.

In reply to AAZCD :

Good plan! I’d set your Craigslist & Facebook Marketplace searches for a bit farther north, and see if you can score a rusty but running donor car, preferable already ABA-swapped.

You really don’t want to touch the Bosch CIS setup: if it’s working, leave it alone. If not, it’s probably not worth fixing in this situation. 

paranoid_android
paranoid_android UltraDork
10/10/18 7:59 p.m.

Sounds like a good plan!

AAZCD
AAZCD Reader
10/17/18 10:41 p.m.

My week of work is over. While I was on shift, I spent a lot of time looking at Craigslist and FB Marketplace. I had never really looked on the FB Market before and found a lot more low priced, local cars available there than I have seen on CL. Lots of Jettas and New Beetles available, but not many with the ABA engine. I didn't want to act on any of the listings until I was near the end of my week. Getting off of a 12+ hour shift, then driving an hour or two to look at a car in the dark, just didn't sound fun.

There was one local Copart Auction that had my interest. A 2001 Audi TT Quattro with a rough body and bad clutch. A 1.8T Quattro Scirroco? Yes, please. That would be fun. Practical for the $2019? ...nope. As the bid reached $1,000 I let it go, glad that I wouldn't have to figure out that transplant.

Tuesday afternoon, I messaged a guy about a $250 '99 Jetta. I'm thinking it will be good for suspension including 5 lug wheels and brakes. Possibly engine, fuel system, and much of the wiring harness.

Mrs AAZCD (Vi) came along for the ride today to pick it up. She stayed in the car and took a few pictures while I poked around the parts cars talked about 'man stuff' with Ray and his dad. They have a Subaru with a bad engine they'll let you have for $150 if you're interested.

This '99 Jetta has the AEG engine; 2.0L that will bolt to the Scirocco's transmission, but needs a little more fabrication and creativity than the ABA engine to get it mounted and running.  A stock 2.0L engine from a Jetta is not a powerhouse. They are rated at 115 hp and 122 tq. Most VW forums that I have scanned thru laugh at people who ask about making more power with the AEG engine. Reliable and economical, not a racing engine. BUT... I swapped a Honda B20 (2.0L CR-V engine) into a '95 Del Sol and it was a fun driver. That was rated at 126 hp and 133 ft-lb tq. in a 2400 lb car. The Scirocco is about 400 lbs lighter, just under 2000 lbs for a 1981. The AEG swap might just work as a first step. I'm going to get a look at the engine mounting,  fuel system, and how much of the electronics I'll want to transplant for a '99 Jetta to '81 Scirocco swap. The theory sounds simple, but I've cut apart a few VWs and Audis and found that German engineering is not simple.

 

Pete Gossett
Pete Gossett MegaDork
10/18/18 5:41 a.m.

In reply to AAZCD :

If you actually want a TT Quattro, there’s one down the street from me, and I bet it’s cheap. It had been listed locally for months with the price slowly dropping, when I saw it was now down the street(this guy flips cars). It’s been at his place for months now too & I saw an ad where he mentioned he didn’t have a title. 

Addicted
Addicted New Reader
10/18/18 6:37 a.m.

As a multiple mk1 90's engine swap survivor I'll throw in my 2c's (Currently G60 Scirocco and ABF 16v Golf(Rabbit))

With all my mk1's I've bought a complete 90's car and swapped the entire electrical system front to back (not as difficult as it sounds)

Don't fit an AEG :) just not worth it, you'd be better off fitting Megasquirt to your existing engine (EFI injectors and rail from 90's cars fit) compared to the AEG

The ABA is probably the best choice when it comes to swaps, everyone's done it and there is tuning potential. Although maybe finding good ABA powered donors is getting harder.. I still think of 90's cars as 'modern'....

AAZCD
AAZCD Reader
10/18/18 10:26 a.m.

In reply to Pete Gossett :

If it was just down the street here, I'd be interested. I do think that would make a good eventual goal for this car. Realistically though, that is not where I'm going right now with it and I don't want to have another parts car sitting around for a year.

AAZCD
AAZCD Reader
10/18/18 10:40 a.m.

In reply to Addicted :

Don't fit an AEG :) just not worth it, you'd be better off fitting Megasquirt to your existing engine

You are right. It's probably a Rabbit hole that I don't need to go down. Half way in, I'd probably be sick of it and find a better engine anyway. I have a lot to do to the car before swapping an engine in and there will be plenty of local options coming up on the market by then. There is also an Import Car Repair Shop just down the road from me with a dozen cars (Mostly VW) in their side lot. I've never been to the shop, but I should approach them and see what they might want to get rid of and maybe even give me some tips.

I know nothing about Megasquirt other than what I have read in a few build posts. I have reflashed some Bosch ECUs with Nefmoto, but am still very much a novice at fuel control. Lots to learn over the next couple months.

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