{"id":566,"date":"2024-11-07T23:57:28","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T23:57:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/automototransportas.lt\/index.php\/2024\/11\/07\/throwback-a-war-ready-vw-golf\/"},"modified":"2024-11-07T23:57:28","modified_gmt":"2024-11-07T23:57:28","slug":"throwback-a-war-ready-vw-golf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automototransportas.lt\/index.php\/2024\/11\/07\/throwback-a-war-ready-vw-golf\/","title":{"rendered":"Throwback: A War-Ready VW Golf"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t2024 Intro<\/span><\/p>\n

Earlier this week, Mario shared the story of Rywire\u2019s completed EV-powered Honda Civic project, which is currently making its public debut at SEMA 2024 in Las Vegas, at the CSF booth. In that post, Mario\u00a0talked about the\u00a0sheer number of Civics featured on Speedhunters since 2008\u00a0\u2013 over 200 in total\u00a0\u2013 and highlighted the incredible diversity of these builds. Rywire\u2019s twin-electric-engine, all-wheel-drive EK is a perfect example of the innovation we\u2019ve seen.<\/p>\n

This got us thinking about other platforms that have shaped our feature car content over the years\u00a0\u2013 like the Nissan Skyline GT-R, the Toyota Corolla AE86, and, of course, the Volkswagen Golf in all its forms. Unsurprisingly, the number of Golf-related stories on Speedhunters\u00a0is comparable to that of the Civics, with the same diversity being a\u00a0key factor in many\u00a0of the builds. For this week\u2019s throwback post, we\u2019re revisiting one of those Golf builds \u2013 a wild Gatebil-spec creation from 2014 that still stands out in our memory \u2013 for all the right reasons.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

2014 Feature<\/span><\/p>\n

Evolution is a funny thing. I\u2019m referring to the process that means we\u2019re all constantly evolving and modifying ourselves and our environments to better suit us. The unswerving need for everything<\/em> to be better is what makes us human. It\u2019s what made us walk upright and work out how to harness electricity. But when that spirit is satisfied, comfortable even, it can mutate and run a little wild with some pretty spectacular and unpredictable results at that. Like a 4WD Mk3 Golf with over 550hp at the wheels, Advan wheels, and\u00a0roof-mounted air intakes\u2026 And yes, I did just use the discovery of electricity in relation to a modified \u201992 Volkswagen.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

The way we discover feature cars has evolved over the years, and there are now so many different methods \u2013 at shows, on social media, people email us, or we simply stumble across them in the street (yes, really!). On very rare occasions, it\u00a0happens like it did when we found Stefan Behrendtz\u2019s Golf. As you will probably know by now, we love Gatebil events for the sheer variety and the \u2018what the hell is that?\u2019 creations we come across.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

It would have been easy to miss this Mk3 Golf amongst the pits and wild builds. But after a\u00a0couple of days at Mantorp Park in Sweden earlier in the year, Larry, Rod, and I had all asked each other too many times if we\u2019d seen that<\/em> Golf. On track, it was fast, really fast, and all the signs were there \u2013 from the impressive amount of traction to what appeared to be rear-mounted radiators.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

Then, there were the purposeful arches and 17-inch Advan RG wheels. The eclectic feel of the VW meant there was more below the surface that we needed to find out about, too. These mutant builds, put together by creators with little care for the \u2018right\u2019 wheels on the \u2018right\u2019 car, are the ones I love the most. They\u2019re indulgent and built for reasons of pure purpose.<\/p>\n

\"VR6<\/figure>\n

You\u2019ve got to be pretty committed to the cause, too, because although VW did build an AWD Mk3 Golf (called a Syncro), it was never designed or intended for this sort of abuse. So already you might be thinking, why start here?<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

I can see a load of reasons. For a start, the Golf platform is massively popular, which means everyone has a memory or an attachment of some sort. Plus, there are loads of them out there, so picking up a base isn\u2019t going to be a problem. Who knows? Not Stefan, because he bought it looking a lot like this in late 2013. In fact, Mantorp Park was its first proper outing after he\u2019d gone through it and made his own modifications.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

What led Stefan to own this Golf sounds funny when he explains it. He says that after building a pretty kick-ass, five-cylinder turbo Volvo 740\u00a0\u2013\u00a0complete with a whole bunch of race parts fitted\u00a0\u2013 he decided to stop playing with cars in the summer of 2013 and sell up. That\u2019s not the funny\u00a0bit, obviously,\u00a0no, the amusing thing is having \u2018given it all up,\u2019 he then bought a BMW E46 M3. Giving it up\u2026 Really? That\u2019s never going to last!<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

But he didn\u2019t get on with the BMW, so he sold that after only four weeks. So we\u2019ve gone boosted, heavily modified RWD four-door saloon, legendary naturally aspirated sports coupe, and then in December 2013, he spotted this Golf for sale. All-wheel drive, turbo hot hatch \u2013 it\u2019s like he was completing the set. Stefan remembered that it was all he could talk about when anybody would listen. A viewing was arranged \u2013 he had to make it his.<\/p>\n

Pocket Explosives<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

I can\u2019t imagine what it must have been like to take a test drive in Sweden in December in a Golf with a dyno-proven 568whp. Sure, it\u2019s 4WD, but in my book, that just means all four wheels are going to be spinning when you leave the road\/track instead of two. Stefan was completely convinced and knew after a 10-minute passenger ride he was sold on it.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

So what had he bought? A combination of bastardised and specialised hardware brought together to create a complete weapon of a Golf. There was some work to be done under the skin, with a new fuel system, cooling system, ECU, and other changes made.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

VW\u2019s VR6 six-cylinder engine has kind of been eclipsed in recent years by the smaller, four-cylinder turbo lumps from within the Volkswagen Audi Group. But the 2.8L and later 2.9L engines love<\/em> the boost.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

Another change Stefan made was to upgrade to the Precision Turbo 6266, which is mounted at the back of the engine bay, simply because there wouldn\u2019t have been\u00a0enough space to have it any lower. The intercooler sits at the front,\u00a0but even with the rest of the cooling system in the rear and the\u00a0bulkhead having been persuaded to give a little more room,\u00a0it\u2019s still a tight squeeze.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

As I mentioned, one of the things that had caught our eye was the mesh lower half of the tailgate. Here, the license\u00a0plate recess and surrounding metal have been completely removed to allow airflow to escape\u00a0the two radiators.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

The air comes in through these rooftop vents, which are cunningly hidden away under the roof line profile yet still provide enough air to keep everything cool.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

It then travels down into a sealed box through these large-diameter flexi tubes. Rearward vision is largely unnecessary in something as powerful as the Golf, so who needs an interior mirror anyway? The grey tube to the left is for the fuel filler, as the tank is also buried in there. The box serves two purposes\u00a0\u2013\u00a0one is to contain all that fresh air and make sure it gets to the right place, and the second\u00a0is for safety in case the\u00a0radiator bursts.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

There are more air intakes on either side of the body, again recessed\u00a0with no intake scoops to spoil the slippery lines of the Golf. At first, I wondered how effective they\u2019d be\u00a0\u2013\u00a0my limited knowledge of aero questioning whether there would be some sort of vortex in the entrance\u00a0\u2013\u00a0but the airflow\u00a0is obviously enough to keep this thing cool.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

Then, at last, the air can be sucked through the massive radiator. I\u2019m guessing having this extra weight over the backend helps with distribution across the platform, as the VR6 engine and turbo are no lightweights up front. However, there\u2019s also the trick 4WD system helping to even things out as well.<\/p>\n

Handled<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

When you look closer at the Golf shell it actually seems to be a pretty good place to start a project like this, as the interior is essentially one large box for you to create a good working environment within. Here you can see how the seating positions have been pushed back to once again help with the weight distribution. You can also see how far the steering column has been extended.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

With the whole dashboard and bulkhead area having been stripped back, a floor-mounted pedal box has been installed. This sort of dedicated hardware means you can rely on it to perform when thrashing around a track. Because\u00a0in the heat of the moment you don\u2019t really want a pedal snapping as you stamp on it.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

As you\u2019d expect it\u2019s strictly business in here, and unless you really know your VWs you\u2019d never actually guess this was a Golf. You can see the gear indicator display\u00a0at the base of the screen, and the clip on the dash pod in front of the driver is designed to hold a tablet, which has a virtual dash display and is fed by the MAXX engine management system. Although, since these pictures were taken Stefan has picked up SYVECS S6 ECU to replace it, as the latter has some cool added\u00a0functions he\u00a0wants to try.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

An\u00a0original VW Syncro system wouldn\u2019t be up to handling the power figures the VR6 is capable of producing now. Originally\u00a0Stefan was running an O2J gearbox modified with parts from SQS Racing in the Czech Replubic, and although it\u00a0was a\u00a06-speed dogbox it\u2019s got that trick sequential gear shift mounted to it. Unfortunately a week or two after this shoot\u00a0\u2013\u00a0again at Mantorp Park \u2013 the \u2018box went bang. Something about the power being too much for the 02J! So now there\u2019s an 02M transmission\u00a0being fitted during the winter months.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

There are now also Peloquin front and rear differentials all the way from Athens, Georgia, in the US, with a Golf 4MOTION final drive and SQS Racing heavy-duty driveshafts. So it\u2019s a real international line-up which has come together to make it all work. The Haldex ECU has been deleted and replaced with an SQS solenoid which is adjustable.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

This means Stefan can choose from anywhere between a perfect 50\/50 power delivery split to 70\/30 front-to-rear. Although he can\u2019t go more than 50\u00a0per cent\u00a0at the back.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

Brembo 4-piston calipers have been adapted to fit at the rear and K-Sport 8-piston calipers do the job at the front. I didn\u2019t get an all-up weight from Stefan, but having seen him in action they do the job of slowing him down just perfectly.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

Stefan\u2019s\u00a0Golf is a direct representation of the components that went in to creating it.\u00a0If you take them one-by-one they all do their job perfectly well\u00a0\u2013\u00a0and we\u2019ve all heard names like Advan, Precision Turbo, Sparco and Brembo before. But then mixed in with them there some not so easily recognised. Put the lot together though and you can see how my theory of evolution works.<\/p>\n

\"Golf<\/figure>\n

So it\u2019s\u00a0a Frankenstein mix of parts, slightly battle worn and a renegade in the pits. But there\u2019s one element which sums this build up better than any other for me\u00a0\u2013 the attitude it took to build it.\u00a0See that sticker that says \u2018FULL PUNG\u2019? Pung is Swedish slang for \u2018balls\u2019. That\u2019s a motto for life right there!<\/p>\n

The Speedhunters<\/strong>
Instagram:\u00a0thespeedhunters<\/p>\n

Bryn Musselwhite<\/strong>
Instagram:\u00a0shoottheproducer<\/p>\n