Determined to fill in this particular blank, Herrmann and NGP sourced a VW Motorsport G60 16V from Germany and pulled the original conversion. Months later the deal fell through. Transverse-mounted 1.8T engines had just been introduced, and the project changed direction accordingly. "In typical Mike Herrmann style, this started off being just a big-turbo, no-frills 1.8T swap," recalled Sheets, "but it quickly turned into a custom-built liquid-air chargecooler, specialty application turbo, stuff that stands out conversion." And so the Golf rose Phoenix-like from the ashes yet again.
"I wanted more power than a stock 1.8T conversion," said Herrmann. "I didn't want it to be all show and no go." The first turbo selected turned out to be physically too large and would have meant suffering through sweltering Mid-Atlantic summers without air-conditioning. Not. Ross Machine helped locate an Australian supplier with a slightly smaller answer. "They had a GT35R turbo with the GT28 flange we needed, what amounted to a Garrett T3 exhaust housing with the full ball-bearing internals assembled with parts from Garrett's Japanese operation. At the time, this combination was not available in the U.S.," explained Sheets. "And even though an air-to-air intercooler is more efficient in motion, given our summer temperatures and potential traffic, we worked with Forge Motorsports in the UK to design and manufacture a more predictable liquid-to-air chargecooler, complete with its own radiator, reservoir and circulating pump."
The 2002 AWP 20-valve relies on stock internals and is fed by a 70mm throttle body mated to an NGP-built tubular intake manifold, adjustable-rate fuel pressure regulator and Ross Machine fuel rail with 550cc injectors. Engine management is controlled by a SDS EMF4 unit housed in the glovebox. Using race gas just to be safe, the barely broken-in variable valve timing 1.8 liter showed 325 hp and 260 ft-lb of torque on the DynoJet computer after its first real pull (scheduled to make ec's deadline). NGP expects more power after the fine-tuning is finished.
Power gets to the 8x15 Schmidt Modern Line wheels wrapped with 195/50-15 Dunlop SP9000 tires through a Quaife-equipped Eurospec six-speed, Spec Stage 3 clutch and NGP lightened flywheel. Despite a 1.5-in. drop and polyurethane bushings throughout, the motorsport-derived Sachs coilover suspension with self-adjusting dampers coupled with lightweight Autotech swaybars delivers a surprisingly supple ride. A Wilwood brake kit with four-piston front calipers, 11-in. slotted front rotors and Mintex competition pads provide ample stopping power.
"It's pretty much ready to go," said Herrmann. "I just need to figure out if I'm going to put cams in it and swap the stock exhaust manifold for a tubular version with a little more flow. I still want to do some cosmetic stuff, maybe polish or powdercoat the aluminum under the hood. This car started out as a $3,000 conversion. Now, 7 years later-after a full interior, a second motor and a much bigger handful of money-I might be done with it. And, I'll probably have this car forever."