# UK 1989 Mk2 Golf Syncro by Gti Engineering



## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

*History*
GTI Engineering was originally founded by Richard Lloyd in '78. He was racing a Mk1 GTi and went on to win classes in the British Saloon Championship in '77, '78' and '79. These wins also attributed to the launch of this car in the UK. They developed and produced a range of sports conversions. In '82 VAG appointed GTI Engineering Official Audi Volkswagen Conversion Specialists, which meant conversions could be undertaken without affecting the warranty. They became dealer #315.
*Standard GTI 8v RE2000 Conversion*
tuftrided EN 24 crankshaft with 94.5mm stroke
machined cylinder block of 82mm bore
lead-idium heavy duty cranshaft bearings
lightened and balanced crankshaft
alloy autothermic pistons
gasflowed cylinder head with enlarged port diameters
gasflowed inlet and exhaust manifolds
42mm inlet valves (40mm on the carb head due to space limitations)
35mm exhaust valve
276 Schrick- (im still deciding between a 276 and 268 as mine had a standard cam fitted)
uprated valve springs
uprated oil pump
windage tray and sometimes an Oettinger baffled sump
modified distributor and injection system on the GTI
Compression ratio 10:1
Power 8v GTI
152bhp @ 5500rpm
158lbs/ft @ 5500rpm
0-60 7secs
0-100 20secs
Max sped
130mph
*Cars*
The first Syncro conversion was a LHD Syncro Gt 2 door 90bhp injection model, fitted with a Recaro interior and ABS. A more detailed review can be found in Volkswagen Audi Car magazine Aug '88 or Car magazine May '88. This was also the car featured in the later GTI Engineering brochure and was fitted with their Aero Tech body kit. 
I have contacted a former employee and they say that 4 conversions were carried out on Golf Syncros, but there is no further information of what spec they were. I only know of the above car an my RE2000 Syncro. Any more info is always appreciated and I would like to meet any others owners!
*My car*
























It was converted by GTI Eng 10 days before the registration date. When I bought it, it had covered 100k and was almost standard apart from a set of multi-spoke alloys and 16v rear clusters. It was still running on the original re-jetted Pierburg 2E2 carb. It was in reasonable condition and was fitted with the Syncro CL Sports interior.
It is keeping the original interior along with a few touches and a late GTI Eng steering wheel that came from a Rallye. I have also pinched the anti-roll bars, exhaust manifold and downpipe. The d/p with have to be modified to fit and Ill have a custom stainless exhaust system. I have fitted FK Konigsport suspension. Im awaiting a Powerflex bush kit, except for the trailing arm bushes. Im fitting a set of eccentric bushes instead. The front brakes have been uprated to 16v spec with a Goodridge brake lead set. The fuel system has also been upgraded with pump and filter/regulater. I am also waiting for a full Missinglinkz tramsmission set and MJ Interiors to do a couple of jobs. There is also a set of VDOs fitted. It was painted up at Volkskraft. Also fitting a Chromalux rear screen 
*Wheels*
old wheels were ATS motorsport 6x15








new wheels are VW Calmaster from a Golf Country Chrome









*Paint prep and final finish*
































































































































































































































































Final ride height








A few bits and pieces








































































Ive had this car since sometine in 2001. Ive spent all I can when I can and only driven it for 2 months when I first bought it
VW nut or simply a bit odd?



_Modified by Re2 at 12:37 PM 7-9-2008_


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

Heres some better wheels pics
















I originally had next to no money when i started out, so using VAG parts was the way i went. That has just turned into making VAG a bit better whilst still trying to keep it factory. Many of my custom parts were made years ago, but the wheels are the best parts ive bought in ages. 
I also contacted the original owner a couple of years ago. His only interest was how fast i get it to go! It came with the original crappy pierburg carb, so the engine was never strained either
*Twin carb teaser*








These are DCNF downdraft carbs and its all proper kit engineered for the Mk1 and Mk2








the UK syncro was available mainly as a carb'ed 1.8 using the pierburg 2e2 carb as usually fitted to the 1.6 and 1.8 golfs etc. There was an option of injection, but ive yet to hear of a UK inj car. The German/Euro cars were carbed as well as inj depending on the spec ie C CL or GT. Do not get this car confused with the G60 engined cars. his is twin carb'ed as I want more performance and the downdraft is the only way to go with the configuration of the head. Side draft carbs suffer greatly from overheating and predominantly air starvation due to the proximity of the bulkhead
this car was modified weeks before it was even registered. The Pierburg carb was a pathetic excuse for a carb. P*ss-ant little thing! 









Heres the single DCOE attempt, but i decided against this due to the bulkhead mods needed. I had already ceramic coated the exhaust manifold 
I started out by going the single carb route by using a Weber DCOE on a Lynx manifold. The manifold was flowed to accomadate the different inlet lengths. After trail fitting to see how things would go (ie the dirty great bulkhead hole) i decided that the twin downdrafts were the way to go> i already knew of them but they are a hard thing to get hold of. It finally took over 2 years to get the secondary airbox (that replaces the standard GTI airbox) and the alloy cam cover with the necessary cutout. The carbs are a German motorsport company item, but the best thing to replace the little girly standard carb
























a GTI Engineering carb head is a rare thing, let alone the syncro specific engine. I also got a back issue of Volksvagen Driver with the re-done article on the Golf Syncro. It was interesting to see that they mentioned the original LHD GTI Engineering Syncro, and then stated that the conversion was available for RHD, but as far as they know there werent any done. We know better!


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

one small detail I cant decide on is which gearstick knob to use
This came from a late 90's syncro van and has syncro written on it








and this one I made years ago from a modded standard knob using a scanned 20 yr old sticker I got in one of my brochures








Heres the best pic i could find to show the Edition 1 siglachrom rear glass. Its more tinted than usual and has a gold flip in the sun








a couple more pics of the carb set-up
















im also going to get the engine rebuilt- but I cant decide on black engine block or to return it to the blue block it left GTI Engineering. Blue I think as its a kinda resto project








after many years of looking and favours asked in foriegn places- I now have a pair of these super-rare obsolete G60 Syncro wing badges! Only taken me 5 or 6 years to get them!
well after years and years of searching i finally have the wing badges fitted today and they look f'ing top! 
*however......*
I then get told that the guy I bought these off has the early pre '87 badges too! Now i never even knew these existed, so temptation struck and Ive spent more $ on badges!








This has a chrome surround and also has an etched background like the 
dash badge below








Im going for the pre '87 look anyway as I have a grill badge like this but 
with a chrome surround grill








Here are the rest of the badges to match with a GTI Engineering badge too 
(took me ages to find this and then a box load have been sold on Ebay!) The 
Golf badge was also hard to find new. I plan to fit the Golf and Syncro badge
as they are suppossed to be on the right side, and as I have a later rear end 
with the VW roundal in the middle, Im going to fit the GTI Engineering badge 
where the Volkswagen badge would have been on the early rear end.








As you can see there is differnces with the script of the Golf G60 Syncro badge 
that dont match up with the old fashioned script (2 scripts were used on the 
Mk2 Golf Syncro)








but I just dont know if the chrome surround badge will stick out from the
paintwork more than I wanyt it to. Ill find out soon, but I do rather like the 
old fashioned badges!
ive been playing today and fitted a couple of the wheels- only a couple you say! What a lazy git! Well, its been a mixed bag today. Firstly the wheels look soooooooooooo bloomin good, but the front wheels catch the brake caliper








































I need to buy some slimline calipers to make the clearance. I cant put spacers on as the wheels are ET28 and already dangerously close to my standard arch's. Im aso going to have a think about tyre sizes later too. Im using 195/50/15 as thats what I already had from previous alloys. Although Im thinking about 185/45/15.
I also added the badges to the rear of the car. 








I received the earlier syncro wing badges today and as soon as I opened the box, I knew they were larger than the G60 ones! I really ddidnt know what to do. I put one on the car and walked from side to side, but I was still unsure. So I went and had a cup of tea








When I came back, I realised that they werent really out of scale, so Ive kept them. Got some 5mm spacers so Ill get those on as soon as Ive bought a new trolley jack. Its a bugger to get wheels on when gravity and a leaky valve are doing their best to thwart you








Its bucketing it down over here and my garage is a tad tiny so Im waiting for the inevitable 10 mins of sunshine to happen whilst Im at work
Heres a couple of pics Ive found
Facet red-top fuel pump mounted to the rear arch skin








Filterking fuel regulator. I chose this glass one for the retro look and I also managed to get a mini VDO fuel pressure gauge








This is the remodelled dash surround i made a many years ago and then got it covered in leather. Ive relocated the Syncro badge that was originally placed on the glovebox












_Modified by Re2 at 12:36 PM 7-9-2008_


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## gdoggmoney (Feb 21, 2004)

Very nice!


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

thanyou. The thtread is kinda "cut and paste", so if there are any qu's plese fire away!


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## gdoggmoney (Feb 21, 2004)

*Re: (Re2)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Re2* »_thanyou. The thtread is kinda "cut and paste", so if there are any qu's plese fire away!


For good measure:









I have a ton of questions I will probably remember over time. I will be bugging the crap out of you since you basically have my car's twin, down to the original color.
DId your car come with Air conditioning or power steering? Mine was a power steering car, but no a/c.
I also had a 1.8l Carb'd motor. 
As soon as I had that carb off, I chucked it at the concrete and then thought about peeing on it. The rest of that crap..... God..... why..... the carb head was different also, intake manifold had coolant passages etc.


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

the UK Syncro predominantly came with sunroof and power steering only. Companies like GTI Engineering offered aftermarket A/C etc. The carb head requires lots of work to flow it -the chap who did my brothers Jetta Syncro swore he would never do another! Imagine how strangled my car was with a 2l engine and that carb! There were approx 650 Mk2 Golf Syncro and 115 Jetta Syncro


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## NVmyVW (Aug 29, 2001)

*Re: (Re2)*

Thats a real nice make over


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

ive been busy scanning stuff, so here goes.......


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

*Re: (Re2)*











































_Modified by Re2 at 3:28 PM 7-10-2008_


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

*Re: (Re2)*


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

*Re: (Re2)*


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

*Re: (Re2)*

heres a few article about the original GTI Engineering Golf Syncro


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

*Re: (Re2)*


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

*Re: (Re2)*


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

*Re: (Re2)*




































































_Modified by Re2 at 3:56 PM 7-10-2008_


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

ok i promise that I wont post anymore old pics and my next post will be pics of the car currently and i will have fitted a few more things


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## brit mk2t (Feb 11, 2007)

Nice.... what are the parts in the chrome goody section.... i can see door latches, hood latch and the very rare boot trim..... but what is the long piece...?


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

*Re: (brit mk2t)*

the long piece is the sunroof wind deflector. Theres more chrome elsewhere in boxes, but not too much. I like driving more than polishing








Well, Ive been busy in the loft more than on the car, and its amazing what you loose when you squirrel things away.
The rear screen isnt fitted properly at all and is only resting there. I tried to show the tint, but it just wouldnt work




























_Modified by Re2 at 12:18 PM 8-17-2008_


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## wolfsburg-motorsport (Dec 10, 2007)

Lookin good there mate, those oldie scans remind me of the ads in Autocar years ago! Will have to keep an eye out for it next time im in Derby!


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## gdoggmoney (Feb 21, 2004)

Gorgeous. Keep it up. Your car's lame twin is still sitting and waiting for more work. Been busy with 7.5 month pregnant wife!


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## greekin2 (Sep 26, 2006)

*Re: (gdoggmoney)*

simply awesome..


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## greekin2 (Sep 26, 2006)

Just located my Premiere Issue of European Car, formerly VW & Porsche (USA and Canada periodical) from August 1991. There is a nice write up of the VW G60 Golf Limited by VW MotorSport... reminds me of what is said here... If I get a chance I will post the article...


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

ive got a couple of Limited articles too. Ill try and get some more done soon. Thanks for all the props!


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

*Re: UK 1989 Mk2 Golf Syncro by Gti Engineering (Re2)*

well Ive not really had much time to play with the car with shifts, mums illness, and crappy weather, but I ave been collecting some parts. Ive just collected an Aerotech bodykit with some spares and I also have a new GTI Eng steering wheel too. Ive also managed to find a 5th calmaster wheel


_Modified by Re2 at 6:56 AM 12-8-2008_


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## gdoggmoney (Feb 21, 2004)

Been busy working on mine. How goes my car's twin but with GTi engineering bits?


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

ive been busy caring for my mum who passed away last week


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## gdoggmoney (Feb 21, 2004)

*Re: (Re2)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Re2* »_ive been busy caring for my mum who passed away last week


I am sorry to hear that.







My condolences.


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

ive since got my hands on an Aerotech bodykit, so when the car painted again in the future, Ill put the kit on. Ive also found another nice retro GTI Engineering steering wheel that Im going to use along with the small bumpers. The wheel previously shown will be fitted along with the bodykit sometime in the future. Ive also managed to get a front NOS black small bumper from Doncaster and a NOS rear bumper from the Isle of Wight- the last ones showing that arent a bit knackered. These things were easier to find a couyple of years ago!! Apart from that Ive collected a few assorted Golf and syncro badges before they are even harder to find
heres the new steering wheel. Made by Personal and I havent seen one like this in any brochure or feature









Here is the kit
I bought it from Adz who bought it from Harry ( his is the red car and Mk1 ) It needs more repair work than I thought but fiberglass can be fixed and its not a common kit
























Its being stored anyway for now and at the rate it takes me to build cars, Ill probably be retired by the time i fit it to the car! Adz also had a spare pair of sills and a rear bumper with a frenched numberplate recess


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## stewardc (Feb 2, 2005)

*Re: (Re2)*

I want a set of these wheels BADLY.


_Quote, originally posted by *Re2* »_Heres some better wheels pics


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## Re2 (May 16, 2002)

i have since sold these 
: (
I really need to update this thread!!


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## Issam Abed (Feb 12, 2004)

*Re: UK 1989 Mk2 Golf Syncro by Gti Engineering (Re2)*

Very cool thread. Thanks for sharing!


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