Grahams81-Leon 4wd, Big Turbo - Back in the saddle :-)

[Willie]

Looking good but not too sure you've used a spot weld drill before.
The theory behind them is to drill one piece of metal and leave the other totally whole.
Not too sure if this would have made any difference on your project but thought I'd point it out invade it became valuable later on.
I'm really tempted to fit an independant rear end to mine

 

[grahams81]

Looking good but not too sure you've used a spot weld drill before.
The theory behind them is to drill one piece of metal and leave the other totally whole.
Not too sure if this would have made any difference on your project but thought I'd point it out invade it became valuable later on.
I'm really tempted to fit an independant rear end to mine

Well spotted Willie i havn't used a spot weld drill !!! i didn't have one so just used a 7mm TIN jobber on the s3 part, going to put a tack of weld in the holes and seam weld the errr seams.

I will get a couple of spot weld drills ordered up before starting on the leon.
Thanks for the tip tho mate.

 

[Mo Arif]

legendary build thread of epic leon proportions

 

[grahams81]

legendary build thread of epic leon proportions

Thanks Very Much Mo.

I popped round my mates and picked up his axle stands, also went to collect my parcel from the post office - some more SCH10 316 pipe bends and a length of straight pipe.
So thinking i've got loads now to build the manifold. The collector still hasn't come from the US yet but im not too woried cos i havn't ordered the head flange yet.

Gonna wait until the 4wd conversion is nearly complete before i order the turbo.

Anyway just sitting having a sarnie so thought i would update - got the car up on the 4 stands. Removed the original back axle, exhaust..

shot of wheel arch -

Got to get back at it and get the fuel tank out then the leon shell is ready for me to butcher it.

Gonna try and get the s3 parts i need all prepped and free from the half shell.

Back at it.

 

[oldskool]

fantastic work!

 

[traumapat]

Keep the photos coming .
Inspired.

 

[grahams81]

fantastic work!

Cheers Bud !

Keep the photos coming .
Inspired.

No Probs, here's some more

Got the petrol tank off, came off quite easy with the help of gravity !!!!

So now the leon is ready for the panels to be removed, i've still gotta get some box section to brace the outer wheel arches together and maybe up to the boot lip of the roof.

The bad news is i'm going away to Ireland with work tomorrow for 2 weeks so i won't be updating for a while
But once i return i'm off work for a week so should get the 4wd part complete in a full week.
Gonna start contacting suppliers for prices on the turbo, clutch & flywheel, might end up buying from across the pond as they seem to be cheaper but paying the import tax is gay !!!

Anyway put the red rocker cover on and took some more piccys -

I wasn't sure on painting the rocker cover red, with the car being blue but after seeing it i'm really glad i went with it - i might get red coolant hoses to stick with the theme.

So Long,
Graham.

 

[m0rk]

I don't know if you've done stuff like this before - if you have then that's all good.

If this is your first time, this is going to be amazing - I'm almost imagining you stood scratching your head in the middle of your car where the floorpan used to be

All meant in jest - and I'm looking forward to the cutting.

 

[grahams81]

I don't know if you've done stuff like this before - if you have then that's all good.

If this is your first time, this is going to be amazing - I'm almost imagining you stood scratching your head in the middle of your car where the floorpan used to be

All meant in jest - and I'm looking forward to the cutting.

No worries m0rk, if there's no jest then there's no fun and i will get you a pic of me stood in the middle of my car..
I've been modding cars since i started driving, starting with my old green nova GL (grand luxury !!!!!) it even had a 4 speed fan !!!!! SR interior & exterior loads of ice, i even rebuilt the engine with my old man.

The only car i never really modded was my last one (had it 5 years aswell) - Only found the need to put some sticky Toyo R888's (285's on the rear) on it and drive it -

The car before was a scooby plenty of mods on that, Full exhaust, remap, full STI interior & Defi Gauges, Wheels, suspension, manifolds etc etc....

Never done anything quite as big (mad) as this though, but the memory of the 4wd drifts in the scooby and turbos keep me going to complete the project. I am a bit nervous mind, but i only paid £600 for the car so if i wreck it i will just stick the motor in another car and dissappear off the forum with massive amounts of shame !!!!

Anyway here's a couple of links to people who have done the 4wd conversions to golfs -
http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/p/402888/2781588.aspx
and
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3017529

They make for good reading, and plenty of pics which is nice.

 

[oldskool]

dude, getting this far into the build is very praiseworthy and as for disappearing off the forum with lots of shame, a a fellow engineeer, I cant see that happening, keep up the good work and we will all celebrate with you when u fire that thing up and set off into the sunset, drifting round the rounabouts as you go.

 

[grahams81]

dude, getting this far into the build is very praiseworthy and as for disappearing off the forum with lots of shame, a a fellow engineeer, I cant see that happening, keep up the good work and we will all celebrate with you when u fire that thing up and set off into the sunset, drifting round the rounabouts as you go.

Cheers Mate, i was only kidding about disappearing off the forum bud.
I am sure i'll have this bad boy back on all 4's shortly....

 

[alans]

an amazing project, keep working it will be so worthwhile when finished. Great pics keep them coming!!

 

[MrBen2k7]

Awesome built, keep it up!

 

[K03heco]

Damn, I'd never attempt something like this. You got skill if you pull it off, good luck with it

 

[INA]

I put the new cambelt covers on but it appears im gonna have to trim the middle one to make room for the engine mounting bracket -

.

Nice build Mate!
It amazes that no one is really concerned over the big gapping hole that was once your timing belt tensioner...

 

[Ivan_t]

Good luck with the project,
till now, you had sick cars, i hope that leon will be as good as your old cars.

 

[grahams81]

Nice build Mate!
It amazes that no one is really concerned over the big gapping hole that was once your timing belt tensioner...

Thanks mate, i'm not too concerned about the big gapping hole in the cover because thats where the engine mount gets bolted to, i just modified the centre cover cos they sent me the wrong one (without a cutout for the engine mount leg, probably of a4 passat etc) and cleaned the engine mount up ready for a lick of paint. I will have a look once fitted if theres any gap i will knock up a bit of plate to cover.
And Issam been thinking about what you suggested and a borg warner EFR might be a lot easier and tidier in the bay, internal wastegate would be saving 500 dollars alone.
Gonna get busy and do some reasearch on the efr's
So long for now and thanks for all the comments guys,
Graham.

 

[Danny@INA]

If you need to know anything on the 4wd swap just let me know as I done it to my mk4

 

[Ronin225]

If you need to know anything on the 4wd swap just let me know as I done it to my mk4

Danny any chance you could PM me some pics, advise and maybe required parts for the 4wd conversion
I bought a BT recently which was from a mk4 golf 4 motion running a 1.8t so downpipe is already modified to clear front transfer box
Had a look through your thread but were you able to keep the interior too?
Sorry for the hijack graham

 

[grahams81]

Danny any chance you could PM me some pics, advise and maybe required parts for the 4wd conversion
I bought a BT recently which was from a mk4 golf 4 motion running a 1.8t so downpipe is already modified to clear front transfer box
Had a look through your thread but were you able to keep the interior too?
Sorry for the hijack graham

Thats ok mate just don't make a habit of it

You got a build thread Danny ? And did you bother bracing the shell when you removed the back end (did you support the shell on axle stands etc) ???

Ronin, all the leon 4 panels can be bought from seat, but they cost nearly 2 grand (thats for all the little brackets etc for the conversion). Thats why i decided to go with the S3 shell for £200, phoned a couple of breakers and 2-300 quid seemed to be the going rate.
I used VAGCat to identify panels which are different between the 2wd leon and 4wd and compiled a list of part numbers from there. Still have it if you want ?

I know its hard to imagine from the pics whats involved but when i start removing the panels from the leon i think it will be a lot clearer whats involved.
I don't think its for the faint hearted or people that hav'nt done welding etc before.

The main differences between the shells are -
The boot floor is higher on the 4wd for clearance for the diff etc, also the spare wheel well is in a different place.
The chassis frame rails (the boxy type section that runs beneath the car for rigidity) are different in respect to the height and angle, where the rear beam / trailing arms mount, and the coil spring mounts are diferent.
The cross members are different as one is used to hang the diff assembly from.
The floor plate beneath the rear seats / above petrol tank is different.
The actual petrol tank has a cut out for the propshaft on the 4wd version.
The tunnel has mountings for the propshaft supporting bearing (near the hand brake assembly) i got these off the s3 shell.
The innner wheel arches are different cos the 2wd shocks mount through the top of the inner wheel arch and the 4wd uses brackets from the wheel arch.
The rear seat mountings are different - im planning on a cage so never really looked into this but the S3 rear seat mountings are totally different. The originals could be removed from the 2wd inner arches and welded to the 4wd arches but not too bothered.
Everything else is just normal stuff, obtain a 4wd gearbox, complete back axle, propshaft etc.
When i get back from my 2 weeks away i am off for a whole week so i hopefully get the conversion finished and flood the thread with pics !
So long.