Timeless bagged 180bhp 1.8T 20v AMK S3 engined Volkswagen Golf Mk1

When accomplished fabricator and sprayer, Dan Sycamore of Sycworx fame turned his attention to his own Golf, we knew it would be special but this is next level. It just bagged ‘Best Mk1’ at Edition 38. Praise indeed…

Words: Graham Leigh

Photos: Tony Mathews

SYC RIDE, BRO

Timeless bagged Mk1 Golf 1.8T – this small-light Mk1 is as good as they get

Surrey-based 44-year old, Dan Sycamore has a rich tapestry of a car history to his name. The stunning Mk1 Golf you see before you represents a nostalgia trip for him as, at the tender age of 17, his first car was a red three-door Mk1 Golf 1.1. “I remember walking through the playground at high school and one of the prefects drove into the car park in a black Mk1 GTI with tinted windows, rims, dark lights and an exhaust, I’d never really noticed cars before but I was immediately grabbed by this hot hatch and I just fell in love with the shape of it. This led to me buying VW mags and I even drew Mk1 golfs for my GCSE art project, I was definitely hooked.”

Buoyed by the Max Power scene of the time, the £500 base car was adorned with TSWs and big bore exhaust before being sold on to fund an XR2 that was colour coded and received the obligatory lairy cam and four branch manifold. The modified bug hit even harder with the next car in the Shape of a Vauxhall Nova. He installed a 2.0 16V Turbo engine, sprayed it a deep purple and fitted Porsche wheels. Other modified highlights over the years have included a Mk1 Audi TT resprayed in the not-so-subtle but oh-so-cool hue of Porsche Acid green, a stanced BMW 330i and a Skoda pickup finished in candy over metal flake paint. In addition to the Mk1 being featured, Dan currently owns a T5 on air and a Mk3 Golf VR6 that he is considering restoring. “Everyone knows me for what car I’m driving. I’ve got worse with age!” Good man.

The nostalgia trip of returning to where it all started was strong and the plan to find another Mk1 was hatched. Dan was already considering 1.8T power so when his neighbour offered him his 180bhp Seat Cupra Leon after it had been hit by a drunk driver, it acted as a catalyst to find a suitable Golf to house the engine.

“I won a Top 20 slot at Early Edition and then Best Mk1 at Edition 38"

Before long Dan and pal, Stu were travelling up to Oxford where they inspected and subsequently bought a 1983 black Mk1 Golf GTI for a seemingly reasonable £1200 (2007 prices, those were the days my friend). “The chap I bought it from had two Golfs. I think this one was a parts car for the other one as most of it was missing or broken. At the time I wasn’t overly bothered as I wanted a project but I learnt a valuable lesson. Trying to build a complete car with so many parts that needed sourcing was a terrible mistake as I soon realised the money I saved getting it cheap didn’t really pay off when I had to source so many bits. The bills really do start stacking up”. The fit and finish on the finished article is even more impressive in the context of the fact that the shell was a lot more rotten than a roadside inspection had initially suggested. Dan’s full tear down had revealed that the front floors and sills were pushed up and corroded and that the rear arches, inner rear wheel housings, filler cap surround, and sunroof all needed attention due to rust. “Once I’d committed to it I had to decide what way this project was going to go and me being the perfectionist I am, I decided it was all or nothing. The design brief ended up being to build my ultimate Mk1 just how I would have wanted it back in the day but with the benefits of newer technology. I didn’t want to follow trends so I didn’t go to any shows during the build, I just did it my way. I wanted it clean, classy, low and wide.”

During the restoration, Dan decided that he wanted the car to sit low but also tuck wide wheels under standard wings. Geoff at HavAir came up trumps with a full air ride system that incorporates HavAir air struts, Viair twin compressors and Bedlam Autowerks manual custom manifold, manual switches and gauges. Dan showcased his engineering and fabrication skills with the next stage. “I made a jig and ended up moving the front turrets inwards by 20mm and raised them 20mm. No one has noticed this yet as it’s very subtle but with the shortened lower arms I’m tucking 8.5s under the standard front wings. At the rear, I narrowed the beam and flared the rear arches out of steel. I wanted them to look standard but a bit more aggressive. It’s running 9s on the back shoehorned under the arches.”

«The nostalgia trip of returning to where it all started was strong and the plan to find another Mk1 hatched

The aforementioned Seat donor car was stripped but the only part that was utilised for this build was the FWD 02M 6-speed gearbox. A crash-damaged S3 came into Dan’s workshop and a deal was made. The S3 AMK engine was mated to the Cupra ‘box. The factory ECU and loom was retained and adapted to run in the Mk1. This has proved to be reliable and usefully allows diagnostics to be read. The engine was raised as much as possible for clearance. All mounts were fabricated in Dan’s workshop to ensure that the powerplant sat perfectly within the notched body. Custom driveshafts were needed due to the heavily reworked geometry. Dan had decided that the car was to follow a retro-looking theme and he elected to go for a period correct 15” BBS RS 001 wheel choice he describes as an “easy decision.” They’re an integral part of the low and wide aesthetic and look amazing with their staggered 8.5/9” girth. Body-coloured centres work well and Nankang NS2 185/45/15 tyres wrap up the killer rolling stock nicely.

Dan has nailed it with the colour choice. Despite looking classic, it’s actually a more recent BMW hue. “I painted it with the help of my pal Stu. It’s such as buzz to see it in colour. The restoration took years as I moved workshop, bought a house had a family in the interim. It amounts to a 13-year build, splitting my time between work, family and the Mk1.” An early rear valance works well with the minimum look of the small bumpers. A GTI duckbill front spoiler looks purposeful and the black CL rear arch spats subtly punctuate the side profile.

With the exterior looking amazing, thoughts turned to the interior and what colour scheme would work with the inspired exterior. The decision was made to go with a tan interior which works amazingly. Joe at Trim Deluxe came up trumps with a job that carries on the high-quality theme. Alcantara headlining, parcel shelf and boot panels contrast nicely with the leather dash and centre console. The seats have leather bolsters with Alcantara centres with the door cards following suit. The mix of textures give the interior a highend look whilst the body-coloured exposed door tops and C pillars retain the signature Mk1 identity. “I’m so glad I was put in touch with Joe at Trim Deluxe. He’s a great guy, very easy to deal with and his work is just incredible with huge attention to detail.”

The car was eventually finished in 2020 but with a house move and the small matter of a global pandemic, the car wasn’t properly seen in public until this year. Dan was keen to build the Golf for him rather than following any trends or chasing likes. However, the reception from the scene couldn’t have been any better. “I won a Top 20 Cars slot at Early Edition, People’s Choice Best of Show at Dubstaval back in July, and then Best Mk1 at Edition 38. I wasn’t expecting that but I’m stoked, to say the least. The love it’s been getting makes the blood sweat and tears worth it.” Well deserved.

»I made a jig and ended up moving the front turrets inwards by 20mm and then raised them 20mm"

DUB DETAILS

• ENGINE: 1.8T 20v (AMK) S3 engine with stage 1 remap, transmission: Seat Cupra FWD 02M manual gearbox
• CHASSIS: 8.5x15 and 9x15” BBSRS 001, Nankang NS2 185/45/15, HavAir air struts, Viair twin compressors, Bedlam Autowerks manual custom manifold, manual switches and gauges, narrowed rear beam, repositioned front turrets, shortened lower arms, notched frame
• EXTERIOR: Full bare metal restoration, widened rear metal arches, painted in BMW Sepang bronze A32
• INTERIOR: Trim Deluxe full leather/Alcantara retrim including roof lining, dash, centre console, door cards, seats, parcel shelf and boot install
• SHOUT: Stuart Allen for so much help with the car right from the start, Ian at Bedlam Autoworx for all custom CNC machining, parts and help, Rob my go-to Audi tech for all his help with the engine, My loving wife, Suz for tolerating my addiction to everything VW, Ibz at Vagtronics, Joe at Trim Deluxe for the incredible interior, Ryan at Dubsta for the amazing Dubstaval event.