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It has begun...

The GT engine and gearbox have been fully removed from the car, and in their place is a G40 engine and gearbox sans wiring, charger and coolant system.

Andy (with a small amount of help from me - I'm useless!) has stripped the GT engine out, replaced the clutch on the G40 engine, drained the cat's p*** (gearbox oil) from the gearbox and fitted the box to the block, then we've manouevred the new engine into the engine bay ready for wiring up tomorrow!

Have also discovered just how solid my engine bay is today, had to touch up a couple of rust spots but nothing major. It's had new rust-proofing at some point too. Dead chuffed.

Unfortunately it seems the Longlife exhaust system fitted to my car is going to be a pain to get fitted onto the G40 downpipe as the GT one with the decat is too long. Need to get that sorted once the car's running. It'll have to be a pikey bodge job just to get it mobile, not too long a drive getting it to the Cardiff Longlife branch. At the moment the entire exhaust system is laid out on the floor.

Busy day!

One GT engine, left to cool overnight and ready for removal!


With the coolant drained and wiring loom removed, Andy removes the GT inlet manifold ready for use later


GT Engine ready for coolant system to be disconnected.


GT engine fully stripped of wiring loom, inlet manifold and coolant system, ready to be removed.


I've waited a long time for this... the GT engine finally departs the engine bay.




The G40 engine and box makes its way into the cleaned engine bay.


How the car is now, G40 engine and box in situ awaiting the charger, wiring and other bits and bobs needed.

Happy Dayz! I bet u cant wait

good luck with the project!


im sure ull love G40

Nice work!

I'm helping my mate with a MK1 Golf 1.3-1.8 conversion at the moment, and I know how satisfying it is getting the engine and box out and standing in the engine bay!

Ooh you lucky person.. I'm very jealous Hope it all goes smoothly.

Didn't manage to get started on the car till 1:30pm today, but still had a productive afternoon/evening/night.

The day began with the finishing touches being made to the engine mounts and the radiator pipes being connected, then, with the engine fully assembled the time came to put the G40 parts onto the GT inlet manifold. Then the downpipe went on (with 6 inch gap - to be rectified tomorrow) in went the spark plugs, on went the inlet manifold and dizzy, then the throttle body and boost return assembly. Suddenly it started to look like a G40 engine rather than just a block!

By about 9pm today we'd got the wiring loom in place, carefully routed to look as factory as possible (thanks Andy!) and the intercooler and boost pipes were in. Front bumper was removed for easy fitment of the intercooler then with that done the front wheels finally touched down.

Unfortunately however, this is where it had to stop today, since the charger isn't here yet.

And here's where it got fun, we decided to try and start it without the charger. After much swearing and a drained battery, the damned thing wouldn't start. Quick swap around of the leads and a helpful jump start then suddenly it came to life.

Loud and rough as f**k as the exhaust isn't joined to the downpipe by anything more than a length of aluminium cold air feed pipe but it was alive. So so satisfying!

It's even moved under power from the new engine, only about 2 feet though!

Pics today are a bit crap as I left my digicam behind so had to use my phone, and having removed the bumper without gloves (couldn't feel the bolts properly through latex) I didn't fancy handling my phone to take pics. Basically as it is now the bumper's back on and everything bar the charger and airbox is in place. Hasn't got a bonnet either yet.

THe exhaust by the way, dunno if I've explained it well enough before, is too short for the standard length G40 downpipe. The GT downpipe is about 6-8" too long, so that extra length will need to be put between the G40 downpipe and the Longlife exhaust system. Fun!

Boost return and dizzy in place!


Properly pikey exhaust bodge, knew that air feed would come in handy one day!


Bumper removed ready for intercooler to be fitted:


Thought I'd take a pic to show you this while it was off the car. My centre box, given some speed bump whacking punishment. Ouch!


Should be done by lunchtime tomorrow!

Mate that is looking top! your doing a good job there!

Although my exhaust fitted ok to the G40 engine without a problem.

keep it up!

James - the downpipe from the GT system had the flexi pipe welded onto it. Stupid welding by Longlife there, just had to get that transferred across.

If they'd done it properly in the first place it'd have gone straight on. B@stards.

It's finished!

The G40 turned up at 9am this morning, much to my delight! So we had an early start today, dropped back to my parents' place to finish off the wiring niggles and get the conversion finished.

In went the charger (with a lot of swearing from Andy lol!) and the boost return inlet was blanked off. Then I fitted the airbox while Andy packed up his stuff into Yoof's car, started it up and it ran surprisingly well considering it had no downpipe and hasn't had the timing set up properly.

Then Andy left, and Dad came back to see it and help me put the bonnet back on, after which the real fun began.

I had to make a 3:30pm appointment with Longlife, and there's a school just up the road. Let me tell you this, a G40 with just a downpipe is an evil sounding piece of machinery. Wooooooooorrrrwooooooooorrrr then let off the throttle and it was popping, banging and making a rough rorty grunting noise. Scared the s**t out of a few of the younger kids there (oops!) and got some funny noises. Forgot about the alu pipe bodge, put my foot down to get across a roundabout and it blew the pipe straight off, the noise got even louder! This time people were overtaking me to get away from it!

Still, the exhaust is now fixed, and I'm actually quite happy with the noise levels. It's not quiet, but it's not too loud either. Just how I like it.

Still feels like my car too, just with a little more low down poke.

Remembered the digicam today!

Evil looking black Full Blend charger as it arrived this morning:


How we left the car last night:


Charger and blanking plate fitted to the engine!


Airbox in, all finished!


How the bay is now, tidied up, with bonnet fitted and scuttle panel cover back on and wiring tidied up a bit. Sorted. The car's in a s**t state though, messy inside and out and the number plate fell off the front after I drove out of the garage (doh!) so it's cable tied in place for now. It won't be by BVF!


I'm eternally thankful to Andy for this, he's done a properly good job of it!

hi mate

looks really good

hope you don't mind me asking but about how much did the conversion cost without the longlife repairs

Bloody hell, that was quick!

Glad to see it's finally done, after years of listening to "I've had enough of this bloody GT, I'm getting a G40!" :p

Nice one Alex

Have you found a buyer for the GT engine?

whoa..!.. looks good man!

youve been looking forward to the conversion and now all the fun is over .. in 2-3 days

im so envious/jealous of you!!

that looks like some proper good work there.

wish i was fortune enough to have a G40 lump to play nice with, just gotta put up with the idea of finally making my 1.3CL into a GT powered car

will be a proper licence looser

The conversion cost.... a lot. I think it's best I don't think about it.

Had to have new injectors and a remap yesterday from Pitstop, the bill hurt but it's better to be safe than sorry.

And the charger is run in now... fooking awesome!

GT engine will hopefully be gone by the end of this week, if buyer one comes to collect. Have a few more interested too.