Sorry - been busy @ worky, hence delayed response. My speeds were off a Yoko tyre diameter which I measured, which could / likely does explain difference to Quaife (which works out tyre dia off the profile relative to width I suspect). Anyhow, irrelevant - what matters is the relative speed. Your latest calc above shows the GU box does 105.968 mph @ 6000rpm. Your similar graph calc on the AHD 5 speeder indicates about (guess) 120 mph in 5th at 6000 rpm. That's a like for like comparison and shows a big difference in speed and relative top gearing. And "that's all you need to know" - the AHD has a 'longer' 5th, and the engine will therefore have to work harder to pull it. This comes back to my point about forever shifting from 5th to 4th and back to 5th (notably, when you get slowed up in the outside lane, and want to accelerate up to your cruising speed again). I am making an assumption here that you may have a reasonable 'press on' attitude to motoring - ie prefer to cruise at 80-85 (indicated) rather than 70, because the car tends to fall 'off the cam' if you drop to 70. This is all from experience with a GG-coded 1272cc engine. It can only be worse with a Mk1 1.1 engine. I believe that the later (hydraulic) headed 1.3 engines may have had more torque (Mk2 Polo and Mk2 Golf). They were rated, I recall, at 55 bhp, as opposed to the 60 bhp of the GG, but I have a suspicion they had upped the torque... Back to the data. This is not an exhaustive list BTW – just what I managed to get hold of. See below (click on to expand pic): When I was poring over this info, my conclusion was that the AFA box were the best standard box. It gives ‘shorter’ 4th and 5th gears, plus the 4.267 final drive (which is what you have to start with in a GU). It’s basically a close ratio box version of the GU, since you have 5 gears in the space of 4. However, this may not be your game and you may be chasing economy/noise reduction. It’s a personal choice. I can see the logic in both and you will certainly reduce noise with a 5-speeder but whether you achieve economy is a different matter since frustration may see that right foot planted everytime you drop to 4th to pick up enough speed for 5th again... The rider to this tale is that you may know that track days are my game, and I threw away the AHZ 5-speeder, and installed a 1 litre Polo GW or GF-coded 4-speeder complete with (standard) 4.571 final drive, upped the cooling capacity with a rad expansion tank and installed a Mk1 GTI oil cooler. It cruised at 4000-4500 rpm on the motorway, but the performance was engine pick up and urgency was upped for very little cost, and importantly without touching the engine. It ran like this for 6 years without any probs. The 4.71 reference is a motorsport CWP which I was trying to get hold of, but never found. Regards, Chris
Dont know what to say to all that but that's fantastic information, exactly what I was after, cheers Chris! So it would seem that the best option is the GW 4-speed (3.454, 1.952, 1.25, 0.894, FD 4.571) for its better ratio's than the 3+E which I currently have and would offer better 'performance'/response - using the term performance loosely of course, 1.3, et al... I'm presuming that a GW gearbox would fit in without any fabrication work? I think I will follow suit with regards to the rad/expansion tank and oil cooler. Any other advice or quick tweeks that can be done to the engine/chassis that would better prepare it for a trackday/sprint circuit? (I dont have alot of money at the moment but I was thinking of replacing the gearbox/wishbone/gear mech/steering rack bushes and maybe fit a neuspeed rear arb 28mm with a front GTI arb (as per a setup Graham Vanstone was going to try out I believe, though I know he's got Leda's, rollcage, top mount camber adjusters etc. that would be able to exploit such a large rear arb). Suspension wise I have an old but good condition Jamex kit but this is insurance dependant, same as the neuspeed rear arb. I dont know if a new set of standard or uprated dampers with eibach springs would be beneficial or not?) Any pointers as to the key areas to improve upon with a small engine Mk1 would be good. James.
GW boxes go in with relatively little work: you need to swap the short Polo studs from the end g/box mount for the larger Golf studs. Take out using 'double nut' technique or file flats onto the 'washer' base and spanner off. List of things you can work off to spice up a Mk1 1.3 for circuit use (in addition to above, all from my experience): * lowered springs + Koni T/A dampers all round. Play marginally with ride heights by hammering the dome on the front spring top cap (Bonraths, but made with a hammer instead... Don't go OTT) * Lower wishbone brace + wishbone poly bushes (nylon if you can get them) * 1.5 - 2 degrees of camber on front * poly front and rear engine mounts (traction improvement, and saves snapping front pipes every year. Rear mount is noisy though). Gearbox mount poly insert if you want (effect less notable). Poly rack mounts if you want. * standard GTI front and rear roll bars. (Neuspeed/Eibach okay depending on use - not nice if you use back roads/road rally terrain like I used to do) * rear discs, with GTI rear slave cylinder - beware you need to learn a tail happy car under braking * rear beam + top mount poly bushes * 5 speed Polo gear linkage (the bit at the junction of the gearbox rod and the gearshift rod) for a shorter (narrower) gearshift gate I personally would not spend anything on the engine, seeing as the gains are, %-age wise, low and you can have reliable fun without it. The only think mine had was an electronic ignition system using a distributor from a Mk1 Seat Ibiza 'System Porsche' with a Mk1 GTI black box thingamajig (found under near side scuttle) to control the low tension side. Gets rid of annoying points. Somewhere amongst all that, I guess there are some new ideas! HTH Chris
Spot on thats a good list to work to. Are these H&R Camber Adjusting Bolts be ok to use, or can you achieve this camber with OE eccentric screws? Or is there a better way of doing this? Is the rear slave cylinder basically the bias adjuster as per Mk2's with rear discs setups? For the linkage mech, is it a part on this Polo 5 speed diagram? (the 4 speed Mk1 diagram for reference here) Have you got any more info for the electronic ignition? exact parts and possible costs? sounds interesting... You dont happen to have a GW gearbox lying around do you? Thanks for the new ideas!
Are the 1.1/1.3 boxes shorter ratio than the 1.6 GTI box? And would 1.6 GTI box fit onto a 1.3 or a Polo Gt engine?
No, just use the standard adjustment you have available on the upper strut to hub nut. Youll get nearly 2 degrees easily. All you need is a flat surface to do the camber and then a re-tracking. No, it's the Mk1 GTi slave cylinder you need - sits in front of the axle on the nearside. Not used on 1.3s (poss on 1.5s- don't know) but deffo on GTis. Tapers off rear axle braking as the back lifts and gets light under braking. Add some sharper rear discs and it's a must. 5-speed part number 24 and 25 is what you need (+ bolts and inserts which come with it). Differs from the 4-speed if you look carefully. No - I just saw it one day, looked about right, took it away and it fitted. You know the original System Porsche Seats? Try the 'net - you'll find one. I think I had a bit of the Seat wiring just in case. I'd tried to convert the internals of a standard Mk1 GTI distributor to a 1.3 distributor, but got no where. This came up and that was it - job done. No, long since gone. You need a mucky scrapper with loads of Mk1 Polos to get those now. Whereabouts are you - I know a few around the place. Chris Edited by: Chris Eyre
No - the only boxes which fit on a 1.1 or 1.3 are the 084 or 085s. 020 or 02A or 02Js do not fit. I did see what looked like a cable change Golf box on a Mk4 Golf 1.6 once. That block is derived from the old 1.1 / 1.3 as far as my eyes tell me. I believe this box is known as an 02K (but derived from the heavier 02A/J) Howeever the weight penalty and general hassle getting one to fit (cable linkage, all the engine mounts... snore...) would make it a waste of time and energy in my book. Chris
Thanks for the info again, you live and learn... Would those polo parts fit my current 3+E or is it just for the GW 5 speeder linkage setup? I will try and scour t'web for the info/pictures/diagrams of the seat system porsche ignition setup, or if it isn't too much trouble, which parts would need to be sourced and which parts kept/altered and how would it all work? I'm from Nottingham. James.
No, fits all 4sp. Just need to set them up right. Two or three goes may be required. You'll lose 3rd/4th or reverse to start with, guaranteed. All parts are standard. Mk1 GTI sourced box in scuttle replaces wires to points and wires to low tension side of coil. Condenser wire remains. Distributor is standard. Needs setting up with timing light. Hmmm, no can't help easily there. You must know what I mean. Posh scrappers are no good to you. Failing that, try: http://www.polo-gt.co.uk/ http://www.vwpolo.co.uk/
Perfect! I think searching, or placing a wanted ad on the relevant sites (like the ones you've mentioned) will yield the 'box I need, hopefully. If you have any other words of advise, feel free to add to here or PM me. Cheers, James.
I think you've got plenty there. There's not a huge amount more, but the improvements there are massive. Sorted handling and you can get very deep into corners. I'll add to the list an Autocavan SuperBrake linkage kit, but you'll be lucky to find one really. No longer made. Take it to Curborough and Kames in Soctland and you'll have a hell of a lot of fun. Short tracks are great levellers - I could set quicker times than a third of the cars entered at Curborough at times. Partly through practice, years of knowing a car etc, but the key thing is the car is capable of it. Chris
