mk2 1.3 1991 -> mk3 vr6

I have a mk2 1.3 thats j reg (apparently being post 90 makes the wiring a lot easier).

I have a mk3 vr6 donor.

I think I need a corrado pedal box and crossmember which Ive got an with accelerator cable (even thought the 1.3 one is fine apparently).

Do I need anything else?

I dont really care about wide track or not, so I guess its easier to use wide track with all the mk3 parts.

Do I need another rad or can I use the mk3 one/mount the mk2 one lower or something?

I have a friend who im paying to do most of the work as hes a mechanic whos always fooling around with cars but hes never done a vr6 swap into a mk2 so I need to know everything before so we dont run into any avoidable problems.

Been trying to sort this swap since 2009 whilst being at uni and im just finished and have all the money and parts available so I want to crack on as soon as.

Thanks, Oli

 

Ive read these before as well as a another couple of tuts but they all assume you are using 1.8 8v or 16v, as mines a 1.3 there may be other issues.

 

Ok bear with me.

Ive ordered the cross member and pedal box and using a mk3 vr6. Wide track/5 stud is fine.

I may be able to get hold of a vr6 rad/pipes which with the crossmember and mk2 mounts will fit, but first im going to try and make the mk3 one fit.

I have a custom built powerflow exhaust system which should do the job.

My dash is from a gti as the 1.3 one doesnt even have a rev count. So is that alright or will i need to get clocks from the mk3 vr6?

Thanks in advance, I know theres a lot of info already online its just everyone does it differently and im paying someone 400 to do it, but if we run into major problems Ill have to pay more so trying to figure it all out now.

 

is there a difference in mk3 rear subframes and corrado ones RJ?Something i never came across

 

Quick question about the clutch.

Changing to hydraulic seemed easiest, just swap over from mk3 and use corrado pedal box.

But I really like the way my mk2 'feels' when I drive it. Its older and lower than other cars ive driven. When I drove the mk3 donor I could tell the difference. Usually I attribute it all to suspension but now im thinking will having the hyd clutch make my mk2 feel different to if I had a cable conversion.

I guess the gear box is going to be different anyway, but I like the way my gears shift if that makes sense and it might be down to the cable.

If so can you link me to the conversion kit and is it as simple (or easier) than swapping for the hyd one?

 

Ok so ive got the lump in, but turns out there are some issues.

Gear selector: the 1.3 was shaft driven whereas the vr6 is rod/cable. So that needs modifying

Also the steering racks arent compatible, the teeth are different.

Will try and post all the pics underneath

 

Steering:








mk2 gear shaft:



also wiring loom doesnt look like a straight swap even though its a 91 mk2 jreg





Other than that just need to put reducer for my exhaust, swap fuel tanks, whack the rad and pedal box in then im done. Going to put a strut brace underneath the engine to support the legs and then either swap the rear axel for a gti one or look for a conversion kit to put big disc brakes on the back.

 

I'm assuming the car was originally non-PAS? Hence the difference in lower steering universal joints (u/js).

The gearbox you're putting in is cable-shift as opposed the the Mk2's original rod-shift, so all that old gear linkage needs to be removed and the Mk3 cable shifter installed.

You shouldn't have to have chopped any of the wiring loom...the engine component section of the donor loom will plug straight into your original fuse box. Depending on the age of the donor car though, it might have the lighting loom incorporated (rather than separate engine and lighting looms like the Mk2/earlier Mk3s). In that case you'd be better off stripping out the engine related stuff and keep your original lighting loom intact.