mk2 1600 ryder. Uprated cam and exhaust questions

[scaffold]

Hello all,

Relatively new to here but not to older cars, and I've a question that I'm sure one of you can answer for me.

Sat around in the other "office" last month me and my mate decided that rather than wait for the right gtis to turn up we'd both buy 1600s and, as a Top Gear-esque challenge, do what we could to our cars for 600 sheets and fight it out at the next track day. Now, further down the line an engine swap may be on the cards, but for a couple of hundred notes each we've both managed to pick up a 1600 locally.

So the crux of it is, I've picked up a weber converted J plate that leaves me a little under 400 to spend on making my 1600 faster round a track than his, however, I also need to maintain some semblance of everyday practicality as it's to be my car whilst my partner uses my other car as her's is in the garage. So I'm currently stood at mk3 gti top mounts and coilovers [I had these left over from a previous golf project], uprated panel filter and holes in the drivers side of the airbox and thinking of a fast road cam. People have suggested an 8v gti cam but, rather than use the standard item, could I alternatively use a Kent 270 GS2H [or similar uprated 8v gti item] without the need to be cutting/changing or modifiying anything else?

I've also got my tame pipe bender on the job of a decat pipe but what's the deal with using the 8v gti downpipe? I'm assuming that I'd need to use an 8v gti manifold too? He's handy with a welder so I don't suppose anyone in Somerset has one that I could borrow to measure up/anyone got a CAD file that I could use to make one up from?

Obviously all help in this matter will be rewarded when I follow up with the tale of how I thrashed him got on but really any help would be appreciated.

cheers

morgs

[Diamond Hell]

Sounds like good fun.  I approve 

Find a GTI head, (PB code motor) preferably with manifold and downpipe, use this with the Weber and you should be well up on power (or at least close to original!).  This head has bigger valves and you can blank off the injector ports with pennies.

Cut down the inlet manifold heater to about 1cm in height. to improve airflow.

Since you've put the coilovers on (*spits*) have you had the alignment sorted?  I'd say stick -1 degrees of camber on the front and fit a set of Toyo T1-Rs on the front at least.  You'll get better turn in, be able to carry more speed through the corners and the tyres shouldn't overheat too badly on track.  If you are genuinely looking to optimise the handling keep those control arms level at rest, which should see the most grip and reliable handling.

The biggest gain you'll get on your budget is stripping the interior out - lighten and simplfy to make faster!

Keep us posted with progress.  When and where's the track day?

[Sam]

As mr H said, with the early golfs its all about handling. The ability to late brake and Fast through the bends and you will be laughing.

[scaffold]

The next track day should be Castle Coombe in a little over a month    still waiting on the chap in the lab coat to come in left of screen and hand over the envelope with more details!

Progress will be posted, and as more questions arise I expect the thread may well grow  

I'm just reading through Khares [help me reach 100] thread which seems to have some good advice in it. I am still wondering whether or not I can go with the gti head but a slightly lairier cam [Kent 270]though.

The inlet manifold heater is the "hedgehog" right? and you're saying take it down to 1cm rather than by the same amount? Just want to check before butchering things!

Any mileage in an uprated dizzy?

Interior already set aside for the track day, just a single bucket for the day itself   I'll have the suspension set up for the track in time for the event itself as we've previously done the same sort of competition with rwd japanese two seaters, white vans and sub 1litre engined cars...we find it a good way to give projects and modifying some direction and purpose 

Cheers for the advice.

morgs

[Sam]

From what I have read online you will be better off uprating the plugs rather than the dizzy itself. Having said that if you are gonna run a 'lairy' cam it will be worth adjusting the timing to get the most from it, this should be two screws in the dizzy to either advance or retard.

So, PB head, 270cam, uprated plugs (possibly better battery), coilovers, good rubber and I would look into upgrading brakes to 16v too along with braided hoses. Could look into stiffening her up with strut braces front and rear.

[scaffold]

Fair play, so a pb head with the injectors blocked off and uprated plugs should do the trick? Excellent work. I shall continue with sourcing of some parts!

Stiffening is also being looked into with a chopped down and re worked pair of strut braces soon to be fitted.

Excited? You betcha. Hoping that this is going to fly!

[tech1889]

I have some 8v parts you can have cheap.. Eg head manifold downpipe..

[lemski]

I wish I had the money and another mate who would do this. Could be a laugh. I look forward to updates.

[Mew]

From what I have read online you will be better off uprating the plugs rather than the dizzy itself. Having said that if you are gonna run a 'lairy' cam it will be worth adjusting the timing to get the most from it, this should be two screws in the dizzy to either advance or retard.

So, PB head, 270cam, uprated plugs (possibly better battery), coilovers, good rubber and I would look into upgrading brakes to 16v too along with braided hoses. Could look into stiffening her up with strut braces front and rear.

K-jet distributor has a different advance curve (more suited to gti cam funnily enough) to the carb dizzy, so that is why it is recommended.....

[Diamond Hell]

Go hunt out a cheap set of 280mm front brakes on a SEAT or Passat and a 22mm master cylinder, too - late braking FTW.*

*You will need 15" rims to do this, but there are far more, cheaper 15" tyres out there than 14" ones anyway.