building a mk2 8valve engine tips

[Ryan@Trackfocused]

hi guys,
i am currently working at a motorsport team and i was wondering if anybody could give me some advice? i mechanic on a vw beetle which has the 8valve engine in it and it runs on a carb. the championship is called http://www.funcup.co.uk/ feel free to have a look 
for my winter project i've been asked to build a test engine on a low budget. i am only 17 and really could do with abit of advice.
can anybody give me any tips on how to get good power out of this engine and that is really relible?

cheers guys

[danny_p]

are you running  inline watercooled 4's  or  nasty air cooled flat 4's

for aircooled cant really help but if watercooled  what are the rules ?   

you really don't have to worry about reliablity of the old 1.8 I4 8 valve  they are next to inpossible to blow up unless you do some really stupid nasty things to it repeatedly