The hot setup for the VW Scirocco and Corrado, cir...

Scirocco by the Years

Just like the 1975 Rabbit, the unique Scirocco was fitted with a carbu­reted, 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine. The 70-horsepower engine professional­pels the 1900-pound automobile to a 0-60 time within the mid-12’s. The next 12 months noticed the addition of one other 100cc of displacement, coupled with Bosch CIS mechanical gasoline injection. Horsepower was raised to 76, and 0-60 instances dropped into the mid-10-second vary. A single wind­defend wiper was additionally launched this mannequin 12 months. 

In addition to upgrades and refinements that centered across the automobiles day-to-day manners, a 5­ velocity transmission was in­troduced in 1979, and dis­placement was raised once more in 1981 to 1.7 liters.

For 1982, the Scirocco was fully restyled. A number of totally different designs have been proposed, together with a revision by Giugiaro. How­ever, an in-house design received out, yielding a brand new automobile with extra inside and baggage room together with a coefficient of drag of 0.38, down from 0.42. (One attention-grabbing footnote: Giugiaro’s design was bought by Isuzu for his or her Impulse.)

Nonetheless primarily based on the unique A1 Rabbit chas­sis, the marginally heavier Mk2 Scirocco was much less sprightly by the 1982 and early 1983 mannequin years, because the 74-horsepower, 1.7-liter engine left it at an obstacle towards different automobiles of the period.

That state of affairs modified halfway by 1983, when Volkswagen launched the Wolfsburg version. Powered by the Rabbit GTI’s 90-horsepower, 1.8-liter engine, and paired to a close-ratio, five-speed transmis­sion, efficiency was drastically improved. Volkswagen as soon as once more upped the ante half­manner by 1986, with the set up of the 123-horsepower, 1.8-liter, 16-valve engine from the Golf GTI 16v.

It wasn’t only a change of engines that made the 16-valve Scirocco a pleasant package deal, as Volk­swagen fitted bigger 0.1-inch brake rotors, a rear anti-roll bar, 14×6-inch alloys, and a four-­level decrease subframe reinforcement. Zero-to-60 instances dropped to round eight seconds.

Religious Successor: The Corrado

Launched as a 1990 mannequin, the Passat-­primarily based Corrado (B2 chassis) was a fairly large leap ahead for Volkswagen. The brand new automobile was bigger, heavier, extra highly effective and extra luxurious than the Scirocco that it changed. As you possibly can count on from this quantum leap up-mar­ket, the Corrado’s value was elevated as properly: $17,900 base value for a brand new Corrado, the place the 1986 Scirocco 16v began at $11,980.

The Corrado was first launched with a 1.8-liter, eight-valve engine that was fortified with a G-shaped supercharger denoted the G60. The “60” referred to the displacement of the su­percharger in cubic centimeters. The G60 Corrado put out 158 horse­energy and will scoot to 60 mph in about 9 seconds.

In 1992, Volkswagen got here out with the Corrado VR6. The two.8-liter, narrow-angle V6 changed the tremendous­charged 4 and produced 178 horsepower. With the brand new engine, the Corrado SLC’s 0-60 instances dropped to about seven seconds.

Along with the engine change, the six-cylinder automobiles additionally obtained five-lug wheels, 11-inch brake ro­tors and a revised entrance sus­pension geometry known as the Plus Axle. This Plus Axle system was designed to lower torque steer, a requirement for this fairly highly effective front-wheel-drive coupe. Regardless of the newfound lease on life, the $25,000 Corrado was discontinued in 1994, a lot to the dis­might of Volkswagen fanatics.

The place They Race

Racing and Volkswagens are like meals and roaches: in case you’ve bought the primary, you are certain to search out the second. It is simple to see why Volkswagens have turn out to be so widespread within the novice highway racing and autocrossing scene, as they’re cheap to purchase, simple to work on, and enjoyable to drive. There’s additionally a really robust aftermarket trade particularly aimed toward modifying the water-cooled Volk­swagen, and most of those automobiles have some­place to race with the SCCA.

For Solo II ‘s Inventory class, Sciroccos are all classed in E Inventory, with all Corrados positioned in G Inventory. In these lessons, modifications are restricted to bolt-on adjustments like tires, mufflers, shock absorbers and entrance anti-roll bar.

The SCCA’s Road Ready lessons re­ceived a reshuffling for 2000, and the water­cooled Volkswagens have benefited significantly. All eight-valve Sciroccos are within the new F Road Ready class together with many different eight-valve, water-cooled VW merchandise: Golf, Jetta, Rabbit and Cabrio. Different automobiles within the class embody the Datsun 510, Mazda Protege, MG Midget and numerous non-turbo, front-drive Dodges and Plymouths.

The 16-valve Scirocco, Corrado G60 and Corrado VR6 are all in D Road Ready, together with automobiles just like the Acura lntegra GS-R, Dodge Neon, Nissan SE-R, Merkur XR4TI and the VW New Beetle Turbo.

The Scirocco and Corrado are additionally eligible for the SCCA’s new Road Touring and Road Mod lessons, classes designed for late­-model, front-drive compacts. 

For highway racing, SCCA’s Improved Touring class has the Corrado VR6 in ITS, alongside some confirmed opponents just like the Nissan 240Z, 13B-powered Mazda RX-7 and BMW 325i. The 16-valve Scirocco has an equally laborious activity forward in ITA, the place it­ with the remainder of the category ­should cope with the 1988- ’91 Honda CRX Si. 

The SCCA locations the 1.7- and 1.8-liter Scirocco in 1TB, the place it faces the VW Rabbit GT!, the higher-horse­energy Golf GTI, the Volvo 142E and BMW 2002. The 1.6-liter Scirocco runs in ITC, the place it is without doubt one of the extra succesful chassis within the class. The 1.5-liter Honda Civics and CRXs are additionally robust, however the Rabbit and Scirocco chassis have been extraordinarily properly­ developed for this class. This may very well be the most effective place to race a Scirocco–offered you’ll find an honest chassis to construct.

Drivetrain

Volkswagens are famend for elements inter­changeability, which implies that the “huge mo­tor into little automobile” mantra holds true. Racing guidelines apart, a late-model Corrado engine may be made to slot in a Mk1 Scirocco. In fact, it has been mentioned that you must drop the motor to alter the alternator.

On a extra cheap stage, i1early all the eight- and 16-valve engines can match and sometimes bolt proper into any of the totally different chassis–though some swaps are simpler than others.

Most likely the simplest and most sensible avenue engine swap is to place the two.0-liter, eight­-valve “tall block” in line 4 from the 1994- ’97 Golf III/Jetta III into the Scirocco (or another A1 chassis). These engines bolt proper in, and the gasoline injection elements work prop­erly with no modifications. Plus, being newer, these engines will not want a rebuild and will nonetheless have loads of life left in them. VW rated this engine at 115 horsepower, but it surely responds very properly to tuning.

One other pretty widespread trick includes swapping the two.0-liter, 16-valve engine from a 1990-’92 Golf GTI into both the Mk1 or Mk2 automobiles. Whereas the engine produces 134 horsepower in inventory trim, this is not the easi­est venture. Sure, technically it is a bolt-in deal, however you’II want the consumption and exhaust manifolds (together with…plenty of different bits) from the 16-valve Scirocco for this swap, plus the two.0-liter engine from the Golf GTI. Whereas a doubtlessly costly venture, you will have a really fast Scirocco when accomplished.

If a 16-valve conversion is in your future, one option to construct a real monster is to bolt the better-breathing, 1.8-liter, 16-valve cylinder head onto the two.0-liter bot­tom finish. The 1.8-1iter head not solely breathes 16 % higher, however can be extra receptive to port­ing. (Strive porting a 2.0-li­ter head, and there is a good likelihood you will strike a water jacket.)

Clearly the 1.8-liter, 16-valve engine additionally bolts into the Scirocco, however simply shopping for a Scirocco 16v might be a better–and ulti­mately cheaper–expertise. On the identical word, swapping within the supercharged G60 engine is poten­tially extra work than it is price. VR6 swaps have been accomplished, but it surely’s not a mod for rookies.

For these re­stricted to the SCCA rule e book, issues aren’t as attention-grabbing. Improved Touring has few, if any, up­date and backdate allowances, so your greatest guess is to go together with the quickest Scirocco in every explicit class. Out of all the totally different Sciroccos, the one with the most effective hope in IT racing is the in­jected, 1.6-liter Mkl automobile in ITC.

For those who’re planning on tak­ing a Scirocco autocrossing, you possibly can swap the 1.8-liter from the Mk2 into the lighter Mkl for a potent Road Pre­pared mixture, enable­in a position since all Scirocco eight-­valve automobiles are listed on the identical line in FSP.

Solo II Road Ready replace and backdate al­lowances don’t assist the Scirocco 16-valve or Corrado, nonetheless, as they’re listed sepa­rately from different automobiles in DSP. Since the Scirocco and Corrado are each primarily based on extra generally modi­fied automobiles, there are various elements obtainable to make their engines put out extra energy. 

Step one in any horse­energy improve­ment program for a Scirocco facilities across the exhaust system. (Nonetheless, the Corrados have well-engineered programs from the manufacturing facility and must be over-looked till later.)

There are various programs obtainable for the Scirocco, with practically all the main tuning corporations providing one thing. If it is happening a race automobile, search for a system that makes use of 2.25-inch tubing. On the road, it’s possible you’ll need to keep on with some 2.0-inch-diameter pipe, as a number of the 2.25-inch programs are a really tight match and thus rattle. Mandrel-bent tubing and low-re­striction mufflers also needs to be a part of the system. Aluminized tubing is most prevalent, however extra firms are providing high-quality stainless programs which can be a sensible choice if the automobile might be subjected to salt.

The subsequent place to search for extra energy on a non-street-licensed car is by changing the manifold, downpipe and catalytic converter. The foundations for each Road Ready and Im­proved Touring enable for removing of the catalytic converter and the usage of headers. (Many headers are actually smog authorized, nonetheless; test what your native legal guidelines require.) The headers ought to have pretty lengthy, equal-length main tubes to permit higher torque at decrease rpm.

Ensure that any header that you just use has a flex pipe or a ball-and­-socket association at its collector. The rocking movement _of the engine will rapidly crack a header that doesn’t have a versatile joint. When you’ve got a 16-valve automobile or an eight-valve automobile with the manufacturing facility six-bolt manifold, you possibly can substitute simply the downpipe and catalytic converter with a twin downpipe with lengthy secondaries. This may yield robust torque figures, near-header horsepower figures, together with higher”longevity.

For those who port the manufacturing facility cast-iron manifold together with the longer twin downpipe, you possibly can improve high finish a bit extra. There are additionally higher-per­formance catalytic converters obtainable; Techtonics affords custom-fit, high-flow cats that provide low re­striction and hold your exhaust clear.

On CIS-injected automobiles, the consumption may be improved barely. There is a flapper valve on the backside of the in­take field that directs heat air into the engine throughout start-up. On higher-mileage automobiles, this valve tends to get caught, stopping cooler air from getting into the engine. The Corrado’s airbox may also be re­positioned solely with a conical filter that con­nects on to the air­circulation meter.

As a result of system’s mechanical design, the CIS automobiles are usually not geared up with com­puter chips, so consumption beneficial properties listed here are accom­plished by cautious advert­justing of gasoline stress by way of the warmup regu­lator. Operations like this are often greatest left to an professional tuning store. Nonetheless, the VR6 Corrado’s gasoline injection may be tweaked by way of an after­market laptop chip with revised ig­nition and gasoline map­ping, whereas the increase and engine maps on the supercharged Corrado may be cus­tom tuned by way of differ­ent engine chips.

In case you are delving into the engine, you can port the consumption manifold and the cylinder head for extra energy, though SCCA IT and Road Ready guidelines solely enable machining inside one inch of the cylinder head ports/manifold junction.

If making ready a race engine appears a little bit exterior your space of experience, devoted VW tuners like BSI Racing and Shine Racing Providers have the amenities to ship a fully-prepared engine or cylinder head.

Whereas the SCCA guidelines restrict cylinder over bores to solely .0472 inch, the 1.8-liter engines may be bored out to round 2.0 liters if it is so desired; the two.0 liters can then be punched to 2.2, and the VR6 mo­tors may be elevated to about 3.1 liters. One other widespread and effec­tive non-race-legal mod can be to put in an alternate camshaft. Like many motors, the Volkswagen powerplants profit from larger ­elevate, longer-duration camshafts, which make a great addition after the straightforward consumption and exhaust adjustments are made.

G60-equipped Corrados provide one other avenue of improved perfor­mance, because the drive pulley of the supercharger may be modified for one with a smaller diameter. This may trigger the unit to spin quicker and yield extra increase.

As well as, gasoline enrichment kits can be found that improve energy. Later kits embody elements to bypass the idle stabilizer valve, leakage from which might stop the G60 from getting most increase. Nonetheless, there could be a drawback with an excessive amount of horsepower. (Sure, there’s such a factor.) On a front-wheel-drive automobile, like these Volkswagens, a whole lot of horse­energy is wasted with inside wheel spin.

On later Sciroccos ( 1984 and up), the fac­tory differential comes geared up with a small spring and brass washer mechanism that may provide some limited-slip motion and may be improved with a shim locking package, which is out there from firms like Ve­locity Sport Tuning and BSI Racing. These kits offer you as much as 40- to SO-percent lock. The benefit is that they’re low-cost (usu­ally lower than $100) and may be put in with the transmission within the automobile.

OPM Motorsports affords a clutch-type lim­ited-slip differential for round $700 that may be very widespread with IT racers. The subsequent step up is the Quaife torque-­sensing limited-slip differential. It’s ex­pensive (about $1100), however many individuals swear by it. Plus it has no put on gadgets, making it a one-time buy. Just like the OPM diff, in­stalling a Quaife re­quires a whole teardown of the trans­mission. Corrado homeowners have the op­tion of both the Quaife or OPM lim­ited slip, too. 

Excessive-performance clutches can be found when you’ve got slippage issues; nonetheless, a low­buck manner to enhance the clutch in an eight-valve automobile is to make use of a 16-valve stress plate with an eight­valve disc. Typically instances, a slipping clutch is an indication of a nasty clutch pushrod seal, which permits oil to spew onto the clutch disk; be sure you substitute the seal every time a clutch is changed.

Brakes

Almost each producer of brake pads makes one thing for the Scirocco and Corrado. Road driv­ers ought to keep on with pads corresponding to the Carbotech SSF compound, Efficiency Friction HPS, Mintex Road or PBR Metalmaster.

Autocrossers can kick it up a notch with Carbotech Imply Inexperienced or Panther compounds, and highway racers are inclined to favor Hawk Blue or Carbotech Panther compounds. For extra on brake pads, take a look at the March/April 1997 challenge of GRM.

The earliest Sciroccos must be upgraded to the bigger Kelsey Hayes calipers for banana-style pads. In case you are working in Road Ready, you possibly can replace all strong 9.4-inch rotor Sciroccos to the 9.4-inch venti­lated discs discovered on 1984 and later Sciroccos. Rotor adjustments, corresponding to cross drilling, slotting, and mixtures of the 2, aren’t authorized in most racing lessons and actually do not assist that a lot.

Suspension

Modifications to the Scirocco or Corrado suspension ought to solely be accomplished after you determine what you need to do with the automobile, as practically each change to be made might be accomplished otherwise relying on the automobile’s meant use. Road drivers require one avenue, Solo II Inventory class competitors requires one other, and Solo II Road Ready and Improved Touring require a 3rd method. If you already know what you need to do, do it proper the primary time. 

The Volkswagen suspension is a reasonably well-known amount, and there are various firms that provide all the obligatory substances for whichever sort of suspension that you just’d prefer to create.

Road drivers have the simplest activity: Open up this journal to the T2K characteristic, level a finger at a YW tuning agency, and let the VISA do the speaking. It is a fairly easy recipe of gentle lowered springs, bigger rear anti-roll bar and gentle shock absorbers (Boge Professional-Fuel, Bilstein, and Koni Sport come to thoughts).

To tie every thing collectively, chassis reinforce­ments for the higher and decrease entrance suspension factors are often used. (Aftermarket decrease chas­sis braces typically copy the Scirocco 16-valve piece.) Put these all collectively, and also you’re just about assured an honest journey, good dealing with and improved chassis dynamics.

The foundations for Solo II Inventory class indi­cate that you may set up any entrance anti-roll bar, use all the manufacturing facility alignment adjustment, and run any shock absorber with inventory dimen­sions. The overall consensus has been to in­stall the most important entrance anti-roll bar that you’ll find (22mm is the most important one we all know of for the Scirocco, 25mm for the Corrado), although it does appear to go towards some con­ventional knowledge.

The manufacturing facility crash bolts for the Corrado can yield as much as three levels of damaging camber with 1/8-inch toe out. Scirocco homeowners ought to take up as a lot slop as potential with the manufacturing facility bolts, together with the decrease ball joints, for max damaging cam­ber (most likely lower than 1.5 levels). Coupled with Korn Sport shocks, you can also make the automobile extra bal­anced and impartial. The massive entrance bar will scale back physique roll to the purpose the place you restrict camber change, permitting extra entrance traction fairly than much less.

In Road Ready and Improved Touring competitors, you might be allowed any spring charges, and adjustable coil-over conversions can be utilized and are very talked-about. This may permit you to restrict physique roll and camber change with out reso1ting to giant entrance anti-roll bars. The truth is, many racers take away the entrance bar solely (extra widespread in highway racing than in autocrossing) and use larger spring charges to make the automobile understeer much less. The rear suspension, nonetheless, works greatest with giant anti-roll bars, which can stop the within entrance wheel from spinning whereas exiting the nook. 

Generally used spring charges for the Scirocco are 400 to 600 lbs./in. up entrance and 275 to 400 lbs./in. on the rear. With the upper entrance charges, you do not want a entrance anti-roll bar, and a wholesome rear bar (25mm or 1- to 1.25-inch torsion bar) will hold the entrance finish working.

For Road Ready racers who do not need to swap to coil-over spring perches, there’s another choice for larger charges. Neuspeed markets a spring known as merely the Race spring which has a fee for the fronts round 350 lbs.fin., whereas the rears are round 250 lbs./in.

On the Road Ready and Improved Touring stage, cus­tom-valved shocks are the best way to go. Speak with firms corresponding to Koni, Floor Management, Truechoice or Carrera to your particular wants.

The higher strut bearing is commonly a failure level for each the Mk1 and Mk2 Scirocco, though Corrados have few, if any, strut bearing failures. (If your G60’s strut bearing fails, you possibly can improve it with models from the YR6.)

The final word resolution for higher strut bear­ing issues on Sciroccos can be a set of camber plates. For those who go together with this route, discover a set that permits adjustment for each camber and caster. Some producers additionally machine spacers that you may bolt beneath the plate, growing much-needed wheel journey with out elevating the automobile.

Talking of alignment settings and journey top, on an autocross automobile with larger spring charges most individuals like round 2.5 levels of damaging camber (extra when you’ve got Hoosier radials) and 4 levels for the Improved Touring automobile (that is for the skin entrance; round three for the within).

Toe-out might be set round 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch. The journey top must be set in order that the decrease management arms are parallel to the monitor floor whereas the automobile is sitting nonetheless. This may stop a whole lot of the undesirable geometry adjustments that happen when the automobile is lowered an excessive amount of, which can result in bump steer and untimely CY joint put on until the axles are shortened.

Polyurethane bushings might help stop undesirable alignment adjustments, whereas nonetheless be­ing considerably comfy on the road. For those who’re prepared to surrender some consolation for efficiency, Delrin suspension bushings are additionally obtainable. Shine Racing Providers goes one step additional in providing bearings to exchange the versatile bushing joints within the entrance suspension. This might solely be really helpful for sure competitors lessons, because it’s unlawful for Road Ready autocross use and can be exces­sively harsh for the road.

Wheels and Tires

Usually, the quick Inventory class autocrossers are on BFGoodrich g-Forces or Kumhos, whereas the highest Road Ready and IT drivers have a tendency to make use of Hoosiers. Tire widths must be round 215 to 225mm for Sciroccos, and not less than 225mm for the Corrado.

Wheels, as with every race automobile, must be as mild and as vast as potential inside the rule limi­tations: six inches vast for 1TB and ITC, seven for ITA and ITS, inventory sizes for Solo II Inventory, and limitless for Solo II Road Ready.

What Extra Can We Say?

If all of this speak on Sciroccos and Corrados has piqued your curiosity, search for extra edito­rial on these automobiles in future points. Later this 12 months, we’ II element the buildup of an ITC Scirocco.