you all give up to easily!!! thats why we never see any mentaly tuned golf engines!!
Ok you got a 1.8L So this is what your gunna do...
Full overhaull first, all new components, fit a 2.0L head with a decent camshaft, have it gasflowed, the ports are alredy bigger.. bolt on four side draft webber carbs, good 4-2-1 manifold, full zaust system.
There u go... ur gunna have a 1.8L engine that is a hell of alot more fun, And well worthy of geting the bonnet up at a show

On the other hand, Get creative with a welder and a bit of engine work, fit a Nice T3 turbo charger, or a superchager, that would be easier. Run it on ITBs and a megasuirt ECU

Me and my mate did this to a 1.4 and that would eat a 1.8L for breakfast (im not saying it wouldnt blow up with in seconds of doing so tho...!!) but it was very very powerfull for what it was.
So imagen the potential of a 1.8 block, Ok its SPI which is crap but that can be binned and Throttle bodies or Carbs can easiliy be fitted.
.... Now every one will say why bother when u can get a GTI.. Well there is no good answer to that, why bother indeed. Personaly i would do it purly because its a totaly indivudualy custom made/tuned engine, but im not the one doing it.
