1983 Volkswagen Rabbit

Is a water-cooled Volkswagen truly complete without a performance powerplant? I think not. And for that matter, neither does Roy Koenen, of Doornenburg, Netherlands. It’s a fact that the “go-fast” experience varies from enthusiast to enthusiast. For many, basic bolt-on ease takes center stage in terms of importance. Others, though, enjoy the full-pony approach of a supercharged 1.8L like that found beneath the hood of this ’83 Mk 1 Rabbit. Let’s take a closer look at Roy’s performance-packed Volkswagen.

Roy started the construction two years ago, and suspension modifications came first. H&R drop components were installed, providing four inches of total drop. To cut down flex, an upper strut brace was hand-crafted and installed in the engine bay, while a matching home-built unit stiffens the rear. Completing the rolling chassis is a set of white Corse 16-inch Speedline alloy wheels with tire selection coming in the form of Dunlop 195/40-16s.

Having upped the handling characteristics of the Rabbit, Roy opted to tap into the braking performance on his VW next. To accomplish this task, AP Racing four-piston calipers and 300mm front rotors were installed up front, while the rear received Mk 2 16v units. EBC brake pads were the only choice for Roy’s performance VW with stainless/Teflon brake lines to reduce fade under hard driving conditions.

Underhood enhancements were next. For added throttle response, Roy transplanted a hopped up 16v motor beneath the hood. Starting with a standard bored 1.8L block, the performance specialists from JD Engineering went to work on the head and the bottom end. JD’s formula for success comes from custom ground cams, balanced and blueprinted crankshaft, VW Motorsport pistons, and a G60 supercharger from a Corrado. After computer program tweaks, 290 hp at 7,200 rpm and 235lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm was obtained. Backing up these figures is a best quarter-mile time of 11.87 seconds. To acquire that exceptional 1,320-foot number on street tires, Roy added a Quaife LSD, VW Motorsport six-speed tranny, and Sachs clutch.

Exterior upgrades quickly followed as the third stage of construction progressed. Roy opted for a true European approach to styling by flaring open the fenderwell arches by nearly two inches and installing Euro-spec (to us) bumpers. Paint work came next and features Maritime Blue paint flawlessly applied with the color shaded to perfection by G. Bosch. During the reassembly process, Roy added in.pro. lighting front and rear with big rounds in the grille.

Last on the construction list was the interior. Keeping with the European racing flavor of the exterior, Roy installed a set of Sparco Rev racing seats together with matching Sparco four-point safety harnesses. Steering input comes from OMP, while a VW Motorsport shift knob is used to row through the six-speed tranny. For performance monitoring, a custom carbon-fiber panel was fabricated to house VDO oil pressure, water temperature, and boost gauges. You may also note the dash comes from a Corrado.

Finished in just under two years, Roy adds yet another impressive water pumper to his extensive resume of VeeDubs—including another Mk 1 Rabbit, two Mk 2 GTIs, a VR6 Corrado, and a G40 Polo. Needless to say, this VW owner enjoys the thrills of owning and operating his ride at drag and show outings throughout Europe, as we photographed this feature on location at GTI International in England.