A1 drivetrain/suspension ??s

[Grumpa]

Are there any VW gearbox gurus in the midwest (Ohio, In, Ill, Mich) who can rebuild my 4 speed and install an LSD? I'm not crazy enough to try that job-yet. Also bouncing around in my gray matter in no particular order: any one weld-in camber plate better than the others, or is a plate a plate?; Bilsteins-rebuild old set and put coil sleeves on them, or buy new Bilstein coilovers?; anyone running the Diamond 13 x 6 spun wheel and do you like them?; sway bars-whose and how many on which end? (MidOhio,IRP, Blackhawk is where I will run); high rate coil/soft sway bar or low rate coil/stiff sway bar?; race exhaust header-worth the $$$?; gotta be nuts to start racing at my age-north of five-oh; anyone know the link for the Hutchens 2 device? Weigh in at will.

[Bill Miller]

Are there any VW gearbox gurus in the midwest (Ohio, In, Ill, Mich) who can rebuild my 4 speed and install an LSD? I'm not crazy enough to try that job-yet. Also bouncing around in my gray matter in no particular order: any one weld-in camber plate better than the others, or is a plate a plate?; Bilsteins-rebuild old set and put coil sleeves on them, or buy new Bilstein coilovers?; anyone running the Diamond 13 x 6 spun wheel and do you like them?; sway bars-whose and how many on which end? (MidOhio,IRP, Blackhawk is where I will run); high rate coil/soft sway bar or low rate coil/stiff sway bar?; race exhaust header-worth the $$$?; gotta be nuts to start racing at my age-north of five-oh; anyone know the link for the Hutchens 2 device? Weigh in at will.
[/b]


I was talking w/ John McFarland the other night (he lives in NE Ohio), and he had mentioned a local shop that he was going to send his box to, I can check w/ him. Can't really comment about the camber plates other than go w/ weld-in over bolt-in. If the Bilsteins you have are in good shape, just have them rebuilt, cost you a lot less than a new set. I'd stay away from the Diamond wheels. For them to work properly on an A1 VW (and I think most FWD cars that came w/ 13/14 inch wheels stock), you need to run a torque plate. By the time you put the torque plate on, they get pretty heavy. I'm a big fan of high rate front springs and no bar, and medium rate rear springs w/ 1 or 2 bars. Gives you a bit more flexibility w/o having to change springs. With an 8v 4-cyl VW motor, a header is pretty much a given. The dual-port cast iron manifolds are ok, but you'll get more out of a header, and it will weigh less.

[racer14itc]

Are there any VW gearbox gurus in the midwest (Ohio, In, Ill, Mich) who can rebuild my 4 speed and install an LSD? I'm not crazy enough to try that job-yet. Also bouncing around in my gray matter in no particular order: any one weld-in camber plate better than the others, or is a plate a plate?; Bilsteins-rebuild old set and put coil sleeves on them, or buy new Bilstein coilovers?; anyone running the Diamond 13 x 6 spun wheel and do you like them?; sway bars-whose and how many on which end? (MidOhio,IRP, Blackhawk is where I will run); high rate coil/soft sway bar or low rate coil/stiff sway bar?; race exhaust header-worth the $$$?; gotta be nuts to start racing at my age-north of five-oh; anyone know the link for the Hutchens 2 device? Weigh in at will.
[/b]

Here are my recommendations:

1. Harry Puckett does all my gearboxes. He's not cheap but he is THE BEST. He's in NC, but it'd be worth it for you to build a shipping crate and have him do it.

2. Call Jay Morris and get some Ground Control camber plates. Everything else is inferior, IMHO.

3. Buy some threaded body Bilsteins from Bildon. Bolt 'em on and forget about them. Someday if you want to revalve them, Bilstein will do it for you.

4. I don't like no stinkin' swaybars. Use springs at both ends to get your roll stiffness.

5. Walt Puckett makes THE BEST header for a VW. Period. It's only worth it if you want the HP you're giving away if you don't get one.

6. Wheels are a personal choice, super lightweight is great until you bend one. I run Panasports because they're STRONG.

Just my humble opinions.

:024:

MC

[loopracing]

I can do your gearbox. Blackhawk is my hometrack since 1969. Email me if you want

[Grumpa]

5. Walt Puckett makes THE BEST header for a VW. Period. It's only worth it if you want the HP you're giving away if you don't get one.

6. Wheels are a personal choice, super lightweight is great until you bend one. I run Panasports because they're STRONG.

Just my humble opinions.

:024:

MC
[/quote]


How does one contact Mr. Puckett regarding a header? I talked to a Pan rep and was informed that there is nothing in 13" for a Rabbit, and finding a 6" x 14/15" is next to impossible. Are you running GC springs, too?

[JamesB]

MK2 snowflakes are 14x6, same as mk1 cabriolette 14x6 castlettes (and they are forged.) SSR makes a 14x6 but not sure about the offset for an mk1.

GC kits use eibach springs and you can order them in many different spring rates for about 60 each spring.

[nordtexan]

You beat me to the punch, Grumpa. I was about to ask about this Pucket character, too.

Has anyone dyno'ed a "Puckett" vs a Techtonics?

So, I am hearing that the 14" snowflakes are really that great a wheel? I am surprised that they are so readily available at the salvage yards. Should I stock up?

[zracre]

snowflakes are awesome but be sure to check them for cracks before purchasing them...My old A1 had no bar in front with stiff springs and a huge bar in rear with softer springs...seemed like the hot set up for the time...

[JamesB]

well, check your whells regularly for cracks, you never know when the alloy may fail due to heat. Snowflakes are easy to find, and really cheap at times. With a large VW scene in the area you cannot find them for dirt cheap at the yards in the DC area, but if you look long enough you can pick up a set of 4 for under 50 bucks.

The other OEM wheel of choice (and pricey if you buy inside the VW scene) is the carbrolette forged 5 spoke, stronger and lighter then the snowflake but kids are asking as much as a new set of SSR's for them. I just lucked out someone gave me a sweet deal on a good set of 4 of them.

I currently run 550f/350r with a bsi rear bar. I ran that setup at school, but on bilstien sports up front and boge turbo rears, I swaped out the shocks for bilstien revavled. So that should improve things a bit.

[Bill Miller]

Snowflakes are a great wheel, for what they are. They're readily available for not too much money, and they're not grossly heavy (like say teardrops). Snowflakes can usually be had for $50-$100 / set of 4. The one thing you need to check on, is if they're bent. They're a pretty soft wheel, and I've seen plenty of square ones.

Last year at the Summit Point 12hr, Kirk had some new 14x6 Kosei wheels that he got from Phil&#39;s Tire Service. They look great, are pretty damned light, and weren&#39;t that much money (<$125/wheel IIRC). Get in touch w/ Phil, he&#39;ll hook you up! :023:

[racer14itc]

5. Walt Puckett makes THE BEST header for a VW. Period. It&#39;s only worth it if you want the HP you&#39;re giving away if you don&#39;t get one.

6. Wheels are a personal choice, super lightweight is great until you bend one. I run Panasports because they&#39;re STRONG.

Just my humble opinions.

:024:

MC
How does one contact Mr. Puckett regarding a header? I talked to a Pan rep and was informed that there is nothing in 13" for a Rabbit, and finding a 6" x 14/15" is next to impossible. Are you running GC springs, too?
[/b]

I&#39;m surprised that Panasport doesn&#39;t make a 13x6 wheel anymore in a 4x100 pattern. I bought some new ones not that long ago. Oh well. :mad1:

I use Eibach springs.

PM me if you want Walt&#39;s contact info,

MC

[loopracing]

Here&#39;s another option for headers...Stahl makes anice VW header

www.stahlheaders.com

[flaboy]

does anyone have a pic of the snowflake wheels you all are talking about?.

Tim

[shwah]

It is the stock GTI wheel

http://vortex3.rely.net/gallery/albums//Events/Enthusiast/CVO%20Treffen/2004/A1/010.jpg

Or in this case GLI....

[Bill Miller]

Came stock on all A1 GTIs and some A2 8v GTIs (albeit in a different color scheme). Came on A1 Jetta GLIs, as well as some A1 Cabriolets (again, in different color schemes). It also came on some of the B2 chassis Quantums (GL5 syncros IIRC). The A1 GTI, GLI, and B2 Quantum wheels were all the silver/black color scheme. The A2 8v GTI wheels were all silver, and the cabriolet wheels were many different colors (I&#39;ve seen all white versions). Oddly enough though, I&#39;ve seen far more silver/black ones than any of the other colors. I can&#39;t even count how many sets I&#39;ve had over the years. It&#39;s probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-50 wheels. In fact I have 8 or 10 right now (4 are on my A3 Golf GL).