Having worked through the mill of the ABF conversion with DannyP and driven the ABFed Syncro (vs my 8V 2.0 crossflow) I have got to atest to the ’16V not being suitable for the Syncro’ as being a complete myth.
It’s possible to hook up the transfer bracket to the ABF block without too much work and it will retain the transfer box better than a standard bracket. You will also need to fabricate a tubular manifold and look at moving the shifter into the interior of the car – hardly rocket science.
The power delivery of the ABF is strong and linear and it is my feeling (having driven this pair of very similar cars) that it is THE one to go for in a ‘driver’s car’, especially over an 8V of whatever flavour.
The increased power delivery over a larger rev-range means that you can make greater use of the traction and handling characteristics of the Syncro (properly set up). The only question is how will the extra weight of the ABF affect the handling?
At the end of the day for Danny and I it’s all about the driving. The biggest test will come on Friday, when both cars are on track at Castle Combe.
Starting from a KR motor is somewhat retrograde when ABF motors are available for well under £500 from a Toledo, which gives you the motor, the loom, the cable-change mech (shifter end), a set of 280mm front brakes, correct weight and height rated-springs, the cable-change clutch mechanism and cable, the NS driveshaft, the powersteering lines, the washer fluid bottle, the rad-fans and a host of other nice, better-than Golf2 parts. I wouldn’t be surprised if the air-con could even be fitted (although that’s a lot of extra weight) – The Toledo is largely a Golf2 shell.
