Hi all, been lurking a lot but haven't posted much. I'm going through a moral dilemma...
I am the second owner of a completely mint 23k documented mile '81 manual. Just about everything is perfect.
But, I'm also the owner of a VW/Audi parts business and I am one of only a handful in the world that can get factory surplus parts, including engines.
The purist in me says keep the car original, and for the last 3 years of ownership I've done just that.
The "I mod everything I own" part of me says I should do something to is, but then I'm no longer original.
I toyed with making it one of the only TDI's in existence, but I think transmission/revs would be more work than I want to tackle.
I would keep it original unless I planned to keep it long term.
Otherwise, being in your (excellent) position, I'd pick anyone of those with a "R" in it...
Very true Michael, and agreed. I guess the biggest question was is it worth it for me to keep it original. If I mod it's not like I'm painting over an original Picasso, but once I go down the path I can't really go back.
As we all know these cars are fun to drive, but stock it certainly is not fast! The VR6 engine I got for next to nothing, so that's really really tempting.
I vote for leave it alone. It’s a unique car. Keep it the way it was built. Every part of that car has a story behind it. Drive something else when you want speed/safety devices/handling, etc. It will also be easier to sell later on. The car, as is, is good enough.
However, it is your car. If you plan on keeping it, or just don’t care about resale value, mod away. Be careful though. The interwebs are full of stories about project cars that are either:
Never completed, then sold
Never completed, then left to rot
Completed, but not well
Completed, but at extreme cost
Competed, but doesn’t perform as expected.......etc etc etc.
I vote for leave it alone. It’s a unique car. Keep it the way it was built. Every part of that car has a story behind it. Drive something else when you want speed/safety devices/handling, etc. It will also be easier to sell later on. The car, as is, is good enough.
However, it is your car. If you plan on keeping it, or just don’t care about resale value, mod away. Be careful though. The interwebs are full of stories about project cars that are either:
Never completed, then sold
Never completed, then left to rot
Completed, but not well
Completed, but at extreme cost
Competed, but doesn’t perform as expected.......etc etc etc.
Wise words, I had a 450 hp Audi TT DSG I recently sold - with launch control it'd stretch your face. That car was fast. This is more of a gentleman's cruiser.
I don't have any data to back this up, but my impression from looking at listings is that engine swaps generally decrease the value of a car. The exceptions would be engine swaps that are well known in the community as being of very high quality.
If your plan is to keep the car for a long time an no plans of selling in the foreseeable future, then a swap might be worth it if that is what brings you more joy. If you are planning to sell the car after only a few years, be prepared to have a smaller pool of buyers that are interested in it and that may impact the price they are willing to pay.
Do whatever you want with your car that will make you happy.
At the end if the day you are the one paying for it, insuring it, driving it, and putting in the wrench time.
Agreed... said the guy with an uncompleted mod
There's still plenty of stock examples around. Personally, I don't think the PRV is an important part of the car's DNA. It's a pretty unique car with an off the shelf engine, not an off the shelf car with a unique engine. You're not removing a turbo v6 from a grand national or hellcat out of a hellcat.
I am a big Proponent of engine swaps, More the merrier! But as a German car mechanic that works on VAG cars, I'd never put on of those engines in, I hate working on them and have seen alot of destroyed 2.0TFSI engines CFTAs of whatever they call them. Many of the issues I have with them could be remedied and I have to admit some sound wicked and make great power.
I think you should dig into the TDI idea more, I don't believe a Diesel Delorean has been completed. What about an older Passat TDI transmission, can the R&P be flipped for a rear engine set up? they would have the strength and ratio a Diesel would need.
I came to that same fork in the road about six years ago: Make the car more enjoyable or sell it. I finally landed on the former and embarked on a VR6 conversion and I couldn't be happier. There is a link to my blog below.
VR6 engine (367 rwhp/377 ftlb); Type T4 turbo; A/R=0.70/0.68; Air-to-air intercooler, Megasquirt MS3 Pro, Manual tranny w/ HD output shaft; Remote mounted oil filter.
Adjustable dampers and ride height springs from QA1/DriveStainless; SS triangulated LCA brackets, boxed in LCAs, PU bushings, ventilated front brake rotors - all from DMCEU; UCAs with -3 deg camber from Reid Performance; 15" rear rims x 4 http://deloreanvr6conversion.blogspot.com
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Originally Posted by CFI
