Looking for a little help on damage assessment. 1983 A1, GTI Rabbit

Passenger front suspension went from 2.5-degree negative camber to 0 degree and steering wheel appears to be is turned about 30 degrees to the left.

Okay, here’s what happen, approaching a 90 degree left corner (Turn 6, Texas World Speedway, 2.9 mile), just after turn-in, the car went to oversteer, nose of car points at apex, then car drives over apex (all four tires off track), car traveling sideways, (me looking through passenger window), steering wheel at full lock-to the right),I never lift,car never gets passed 90 degrees, and eventually straightens out, I simply merge back on track. Soon as I am back on track, I see that my steering wheel (while driving straight) is turned about 30 degrees to the left.

Park car, see passenger front suspension (wheel), went from 2.5 degree negative camber to 0 degree, but toe looks good, grass between wheel and rim,jack up car, pull off passenger front tire, look for damage, I notice that typically I have about 1-2 mm of clearance between my lower spring perch and the shoulder of the tire at the top of the tire. This clearance is now about ½ to ¾ inch. Therefore, that is where the positive camber is coming from.
But see nothing obviously damaged, I checked top camber plate- nothing moved, tie rod looks straight, lower A-arm looks straight, strut and knuckle area looks good……….(it may be as simple as the knuckle and strut have slipped relative to each other-but that wouldn’t change my steering wheel position?).

Anyhow is there is a typical weak spot on these cars that I can look at a little closer? I realize that I have only spent about 2 minutes looking for damage yesterday before I had to load up and get home.

Thanks folks……….
Ron Vaughn
SWDiv


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