The Project Pad

Looks like the perfect donor! I like where this is going... :popcorn:

Thanks, I do too… I think...

Made some progress this weekend. Here's a summary…








I broke the engine and head apart along with the tranny and transfer-case; so the weights weren't bad at all. Fluids were drained, parts given an initial cleaning, cardboard laid over the floor then through the house and down to the basement they went. I'll grab a scale and weigh everything as soon as I get things a little more organized.

Haven't done much with the TT other than sell parts from it... it's been right around the freezing mark here lately so I thought I'd take advantage of the nice weather and go out to my open air garage to address some maintenance / modification items. Had a gummed up PCV system that needed care and pulled the turbo to do some more porting and add a meth nozzle to the TIP...

Original...


Ported...


Wastegate porting...


More Porting...


External WG springs...



I'd been trying to find a thin nut/washer to use to secure a meth nozzle into the TIP but couldn't seem to track one down. This little c-clip / washer combo ended up being plenty secure - although I didn't end up using it...



Just drilled a small hole in the TIP and worked the nozzle from the inside out. The nozzle holder took care of the rest...

This project looks really cool! I'm looking forward to more updates!

Thanks! It's been a serious exercise in patience as I can't just jump into the Haldex swap or engine build... but it does give more time to plan things out I suppose.

I've got a mystery coolant leak to deal with before I can start testing these meth locations... I think it's the water pump but it's been way too cold to put any time into a thorough search - there's a chinook coming so hopefully I can sort it out this weekend.

I've been chasing a bad clunking sound at the front drivers side for a bit and changed a wheel bearing and a few bushings but haddn't cured it yet... so I jacked the front of my car up and while I was wiggling the wheel back and forth, vertically, I noticed the front damper was flexing back and forth like spaghetti - the coilivers aren't even that old

As I was researching replacements (went with Bilstein PSS) I decided to just get a haldex friendly option and fit the fronts and do my best to get the floor pan in before winter so I can bolt up the rears.


Emptied most of the goods out of my "shed" and started selectively cutting...


Removed the hatch and finished the lacerations...


Getting a little practice drilling out spot welds without tearing the area up...



So the R32 floor pan is a closer fit than the TT pan - back seat brackets and wheel-wells are different - but they're essentially the same. And they're both about 9" shorter than the GLI pan... basically I'm thinking I'll carefully remove the GLI pan and cut a strip out to splice into the TT pan. I'll see if I can get some good comparison shots.

This is awesome, straight from pretty much stock to a haldex swap lol. Keep taking pics for us!

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Vroman wrote:This is awesome, straight from pretty much stock to a haldex swap lol. Keep taking pics for us!

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Haha, ya it's a little unorthodox for sure but I've always hated the feel of fwd so I thought I'd sort that first. Plus I keep changing my mind on the engine build... going to try and get it right the first time and leave it.

Quite a few people have done this swap but I haven't come across anyone who's documented it very well so I'll try to keep up with pics and the details of the process. Basically I'm just trying to get the suspension sorted for now and then I'll swap transmissions and add the driveshaft after that.

All_Euro wrote:

Vroman wrote:This is awesome, straight from pretty much stock to a haldex swap lol. Keep taking pics for us!

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Haha, ya it's a little unorthodox for sure but I've always hated the feel of fwd so I thought I'd sort that first. Plus I keep changing my mind on the engine build... going to try and get it right the first time and leave it.

Quite a few people have done this swap but I haven't come across anyone who's documented it very well so I'll try to keep up with pics and the details of the process. Basically I'm just trying to get the suspension sorted for now and then I'll swap transmissions and add the driveshaft after that.

I've been wanting another AWD project so if this proves easy enough, the falling prices of the Mk4's makes this pretty enticing. I'm definitely tuned in and subbed!

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To build Frankenstein, one must learn to expertly dismember a corpse

FYI you can run the TT trans in fwd, it doesn't care. My buddy 4motion swapped his Tdi golf last winter, tho he still hasn't gotten the haldex wired...

PRY4SNO wrote:To build Frankenstein, one must learn to expertly dismember a corpse

Well... my vision has a little more finesse' to it but the TT disassembly should def help the assembly process. My thought on keeping "scarring" to a minimum involves aircraft style rivets but I won't know for sure how feasible rivets are until the TT pan is fully out.

Scalpels and sutures my friend. The concours appearance comes from a keen eye and deft hand.

scubagli wrote:FYI you can run the TT trans in fwd, it doesn't care. My buddy 4motion swapped his Tdi golf last winter, tho he still hasn't gotten the haldex wired...

This is basically what I have in mind too. Once the suspension is fully in I might swap the tranny over right away but may have to wait for warmer weather instead - the big sky, no walls garage I have is great for fresh-air but not always cooperative with my modifying/maintenance schedule.

While the TT trans is out I thought I'd get the clutch disc rebuilt (lsd & stronger clutch to come later) and maybe strengthen the 1st & 2nd gear shift-forks with a few tack welds - depends how the timing of things work out.

One issue with using a TT as a base is that the driveshaft is too short. Sourcing an R32 driveshaft around here will likely be too difficult or expensive so once the TT transmission is in my car, I'll get some measurements and see about having spacer(s) made. If the wiring follows suit right away, great, but if not I'll just use a Powertrack insert in the meantime.

PRY4SNO wrote:Scalpels and sutures my friend. The concours appearance comes from a keen eye and deft hand.

Haha - sutures I can do but these hands don't possess a welder of any kind and I'm 20 yrs out of practice anyway. There are some pretty good TIG artists around though...

Are you sure the TT prop is too short, I thought they worked and you just need extra sheet metal in the rear...I could be wrong though.

All_Euro wrote:One issue with using a TT as a base is that the driveshaft is too short.

Get me some measurements.

There are a few kicking around in the garage that might work

scubagli wrote:Are you sure the TT prop is too short, I thought they worked and you just need extra sheet metal in the rear...I could be wrong though.

The threads I've read say the TT prop is too short and you need an R32 piece - but if it does fit, I'll be stoked. Since I'll be splicing the TT pan into the back, you'd think the rear end would attach at the right distance away from the trans... but I believe the front section of my floor pan is longer... I'll measure after the floor is in and post up.

PRY4SNO wrote:

All_Euro wrote:One issue with using a TT as a base is that the driveshaft is too short.

Get me some measurements.

There are a few kicking around in the garage that might work

Ah... never considered using one from your parts Coupe. This TT d/s has two pieces but the overall length is about 2075 mm and the bold spacing is roughly 3x83mm.

I don't know what's going on but the front of my car sure is bouncy lately...

One broken spring one blown damper...that might do it....

Mega bummer.

You going to try talking to Vogtland again? Or just look for replacements?

Have some propshaft measurements for you. Taken from end of flange face to centre of bearing.

CQ: 600mm x 963mm
B5S4: 550mm x 570mm +/- 2mm (flanges were wrapped in plastic)