There's something about an engine swap that demands recognition. Depending on the conversion, the obstacles and time involved can be enough to drive a mechanic insane. Fabricating new motor mounts, for example, or replacing the subframe, adapting the electronics; these aren't simple bolt-on tasks you and your buddies can knock-out one night. They require hours of precision labor, which is why we have the utmost respect for the two Volkswagens here.
Judging by the impressive spec lists of the Mk3 Jetta and Golf, you'd think these Canadian boys from British Columbia are long-time VW enthusiasts with past projects on their resumes. Yet Mark Montgommery and Peter Szigeti are newbies, and each popped his tuning cherry with these rides. Did they get it right the first time? You be the judge. But bear in mind, that even if the styling and choice of parts may not be to your taste, it takes true dedication to go the extra mile and transplant an engine in your first project car.
Mark's Jetta 1.8T
1995 VW Jetta GL
After Mark Montgommery won Best of Show at last year's Pacific Waterland (et 2/09) with his '95 Jetta GL, our sources told us to dig deeper and find the inside story on this far-from-subtle Volkswagen.
Mark's Jetta is different from many in the VW scene. Its aggressive Rieger styling with a very visible front-mount stirs fear on the road. It also has a coordinated Sparco interior to back up its hardcore exterior. Not your typical European flavor, but the soul of this car can be found in its engine bay.
Never intended for the Mk3, Mark's shaved engine bay features a 1.8 liter 20v turbo from the Mk4. And we're not talking about a puny stock turbocharger either.
Not usual for a Mk3, check...
Not usual for a Mk3, check out the 1.8T with GT3071R turbo
The 27 year-old never modified a car before but he admitted this wasn't his first VW. He started driving in an '84 Rabbit GTI. "But I swore I would never own another VW after all its electrical problems," he ranted. "I only bought the Jetta off a friend's mother because it was cheap. It was bone-stock but in bad shape. I didn't think I would do anything..."
For the next five years, Mark slowly built his Jetta 2.0 from scratch. But the 115hp sedan wasn't going to cut it, so he researched his options: "I wanted more power and did everything I could to the stock engine except internal work. I contemplated a supercharger but stage 3 would be roughly the same price as a VR6 swap," he told us.
Then he had a revelation. While doing car deliveries for a local VW dealer, Mark often drove Mk4 1.8Ts. "I thought, damn, I'd like to do a 1.8T swap. So I found a brand-new swap for $3500 CDN with tranny and engine harness," he said.
From start to finish, the swap took four months with the generous help of friend Paul at PCM Power in Coquitlam, BC. The fabricator used Mk4 mounts to fit the motor in the Mk3. The challenge was that one mount was higher than the other, so they built one side higher and cut down the other to finesse the 1.8T inside. An additional mount at the rear was constructed for a stronger foundation.
 Sparco steering wheel and...  Sparco steering wheel and a custom cluster using Auto Meter gauges |  | |
Before the motor was finalized, Mark and Paul switched out the peanut-sized K03 turbo.
"Paul was into big turbos and told me to get one because it would be more work to swap it later, so I went to Kinetic Motorsport and they hooked me up with everything I needed - fuel pump, injectors, wastegate, blow-off valve and Garrett GT3071R."
A custom exhaust manifold along with a 3" exhaust and a Vems Genboard stand-alone ECU allowed the motor to boost at 3000rpm with a peak of 18psi for daily driving.
Transferring power to the front wheels was a five-speed Mk4 transmission, upgraded with a stage 4 Competition Clutch and lightened flywheel. Although the software needs some tweaks, he puts the power near 330whp.
After the swap, Mark decided the engine bay should be addressed, so he smoothed as much as possible.