For last week’s throwback post, we took a have a look at a Mk2 VW Golf Cup automobile built by Euro Magic in Osaka, Japan. The Voomeran Golf showed just how well a number of select JDM styling cues can work on a European automobile base.
While that Mk2 was a race automobile turned road automobile, the Mk1 we’re today is the alternative. And there’s quite a bit more to it than that, just as you’d expect from a Gatebil construct. Let’s wind the clock back 10 years to envision out Simon Jonsson’s drift-spec Golf.
2014 Feature
When you feel the urge to drift, you’ve gotten many off-the-shelf options – but when you need to make an announcement and go sideways in style, converting an iconic front-wheel drive hot hatch to rear-wheel drive for drift duty is the one approach to go.
But why go to all that trouble? Because you’ll be able to, in fact…
I do know that feels like a classic get-out clause, similar to when someone says, ‘If you’ve gotten to ask why, you’ll never understand’. But you recognize what? They’re cliches because they’re true. Sometimes, you’re left with a spare engine, and a drunken idea takes shape, or a friend lays down a challenge. Or possibly you similar to the form of a Mk1 Golf and the concept of re-powering one with a Volvo engine and drive being sent to the rear wheels.
The opposite problem with asking those questions is kind of often, the individuals who do the stuff you’re questioning simply can’t answer you. That’s what the fervour we have now for automotive culture can do – it might probably take away your powers of logic and sensibility, leaving you with a heavy attitude of ‘I can try this’. That is how Simon Jonsson ended up with the creation I’m about to indicate you.
So reasonably than have him justify the ‘why’ when he told me he desired to go drifting and he needed a RWD automobile for that, I just thought, fair play – that’ll do for me. Sometimes, that’s pretty much as good as a crazy set of circumstances that result in a project ending up somewhere totally random. The view under the bonnet is what caught my eye first after I saw the Golf because let’s face it – there’s not quite a bit that actually stands out on the outside.
Or possibly there’s? Those are five-stud wheels, huh? Since the Mk1 Golf is 4×100, in fact… So, to the trained eye, the clues are there when you look closely enough. Volvo front struts explain the primary image on this chapter (you noticed it was five-stud then, right?), those 15×7-inch OZ Racing mesh wheels being a reasonably perfect Volvo RWD offset of ET23.
To enrich the front (and to maintain donor cars to a minimum), on the back, there’s a Volvo 1030 solid axle, which began life under an early 240 model. Mounted in its latest home on a custom 4 -link setup, you’ll be able to just see the lower bars of it here.
This also explains the additional flare on the arches, as Simon had so as to add 30mm on either side to cover the wheels. It was either that or having to narrow the axle, which might have been more costly but perhaps only a little bit harder to realize in the long term. The flares mimic the unique Mk1 Golf black plastic trims pretty much.
The one other external changes are the handmade alloy bumper bars, but even these are somewhat consistent with how the originals would look though. Paint them black, and a big percentage of people that saw them would probably be fooled.
Catch up with, and it’s harder to disregard the signs. Sure, at night, the yellow headlamps won’t be so great, but they are only plain cool, and I’ve all the time been a fan purely for aesthetic reasons. The 2 air intakes are much more obvious at this distance, with the left-hand pipe feeding straight into the mouth of the turbo.
It should have been hard to withstand making the Golf stand out more. There’s no wild body kit and even polycarbonate windows screaming ‘race automobile’, just the body mods I’ve mentioned and a few tinted back lights. Oh, and the Volvo candy red paint job.
But as restrained because it is on the surface, it’s like a lava flow of crazy underneath…
Volvo For Life
The Golf has a comparatively short wheelbase in comparison with the larger Volvo monocoque that the engine, gearbox and other driveline and suspension components would have called home originally. To be precise, the Golf is 2,400mm (94.5 inches) between wheel centres, and the Volvo 240 is 2,649mm (104.3 inches), in order that extra 26 and a bit centimetres means there’s some clever chopping occurring here.
First up, you’ve got to cope with the essential obstacle of the Golf originally being FWD. In spite of everything, VW designed this space for the transverse-mount four-cylinder engine to take a seat neatly across the front end.
But when you need to turn the engine through 90 degrees and have it pointing the facility to the back end, that bulkhead needs chopping out. But that’s just the beginning because once you cut a hole, you’re weakening the shell, and that’s not good.
The engine hasn’t been left standard either. I assume when you’re going to the difficulty of slotting in something random, then strong H-beam rods with ARP bolts, a VX3 cam, and another neat upgrades are to be expected. Running on E85, this ups the usual B230 power figure from the 170hp-odd that it might have had originally to circa 260hp on the Golf’s rear wheels.
Have a look inside the driving force’s footwell, and you’ll be able to see the beginning of the custom-built transmission tunnel and the cage, which, although is bolted in, is mounted on proper boxed feet.
Whereas the gearbox would have originally sat within the engine bay on the top of the VW motor, now it’s in between the driving force and passenger seat. Again, as a substitute of going for a motorsport-inspired shifter and even an aftermarket gear knob, Simon has used an original Volvo five-speed topper. But then after I asked what gearbox he’s using, he tells me it’s a BMW ZF five-speed! Which supplies me one other head scratching moment…
Here’s a clearer view of the fundamental home brew tunnel. Simon could be very modest in regards to the construct and after I first spoke to him he was quite surprised that I desired to shoot a feature. But the actual fact this has all been built with basic tools at home and a MIG welder means it’s more about inspiration than fabrication skills.
Since the engine and box protrude into the passenger area way more than the originals, the entire driving position has needed to shift back to accommodate them. You’ve already seen the brand new pedal box, but moreover, the steering wheel boss has been prolonged with the column being dropped a number of inches to maintain the angle good.
Now when you look again you’ll be able to see the Sparco bucket seats are mounted quite a way back in comparison with where the usual seats can be. Although the advantages is perhaps small, little things like this can all the time help with weight distribution within the seek for that perfect 50/50 split.
Within the rear the usual floor was completely cut out and replaced with a flat panel. The battery has been offset (again for weight distribution when there’s only a driver in place), and is now held in place between the rear strut brace and rollcage.
The Golf remains to be very much a fresh construct and Simon hasn’t really had much of a likelihood to get it properly sideways. But with an influence figure of roughly 260hp on the wheels and an all-up weight of what – possibly 1000kg or less – it’s like meeting your latest best friend. You don’t really know one another, but you recognize it’s the beginning of something really special.
The Speedhunters
Instagram: thespeedhunters
Bryn Musselwhite
Instagram: shoottheproducer
Photography by Larry Chen
Instagram: larry_chen_foto
This Article First Appeared At www.speedhunters.com
