Hi All,

Just found the forum, good info.

I have tried to use the search function for this but had luck, so...

If I wanted to build a 4x4 VRS estate what is the easiest/most cost effective way of doing this?

do I buy a 1.8T 4x4 estate and swap all of the VRS parts into it?

I obviously cant do it the other way around at the standard VRS estate must have a transverse mounted motor for the front wheel drive?

I'm competent with spanners so the work/mechanicals does not bother me.

Input appreciated,

Regards,

Edited 23 April, 201016 yr by runabout

Yes, the cheapest way is to buy a 1.8t 4x4 then remap/312mm brakes/coilovers/seats/bodykit/wheels/bumpers then you will have a look-a-like

both the 4x4 and vrs are transverse, all you would need to do is put vrs parts on the octavia 4x4 the only thing is the interior will not all go in as the estate rear door cards are not the same as saloon/hatchback ones.

if you are going for the bother of an engine swap look for trevorb33 on here he has put a ko4 equiped seat engine into a vrs, theres no reason why you couldnt do that and get more power

both the 4x4 and vrs are transverse, all you would need to do is put vrs parts on the octavia 4x4 the only thing is the interior will not all go in as the estate rear door cards are not the same as saloon/hatchback ones.

if you are going for the bother of an engine swap look for trevorb33 on here he has put a ko4 equiped seat engine into a vrs, theres no reason why you couldnt do that and get more power

Thanks for the replies,

They made a VRS estate so those door cards will fit wont they?

Also if both motors are transverse then how hard would it be to find a 4x4 at a breaker and do the swap the other way? What would be required? Gearbox, propshaft, rear axle?

Edited 23 April, 201016 yr by runabout

the other way would most likely need the 4x4 rear floorplan welded into place along with all the supsension, petrol tank and obviuosly diff etc etc then you need to make sure you get all the loom to condrol the haldex rear diff and make sure all the haldex inputs are available to be used plus you need to find out if the signals will work.

personally start 4x4 then add in parts, much easier and less hassle.

the other way would most likely need the 4x4 rear floorplan welded into place along with all the supsension, petrol tank and obviuosly diff etc etc then you need to make sure you get all the loom to condrol the haldex rear diff and make sure all the haldex inputs are available to be used plus you need to find out if the signals will work.

personally start 4x4 then add in parts, much easier and less hassle.

Understood thanks, the 1.8T 4x4's are cheaper to buy too.

Do you know of any good breakers of VRS's?

Definately buy a 4x4 estate and then put the interior and bumpers from a VRS estate in it.

The 4x4 has a totally different floorplan as it has a tunnel for the propshaft and the boot floor is raised to allow for the rear differential.

You don't even need to transplant the engine, just remap the 4x4 engine and it will be ~207bhp which is more than a standard VRS engine and almost as much as a remapped one.

You would have to change the 4x4 suspension to coilovers though to drop it to the same height as the VRS. If you put a RARB on it note that you can't use a RARB suitable for a VRS you need a different RARB for the 4x4.

Welcome to the forum. You have found the right place

I literally just bought a vrs engine to do exactley what your talking about but decided to break my car instead and sell the parts due to a s-l-o-w amount of interest in buying the car complete.

I've pm'd you but feel free to get back in touch if you need any more help.

Welcome to the forum, you're correct re there was an estate version of the vRS so rear door cards will fit. You'll have to do some searching for one though, unless you buy a donor vRS estate and swap all the bits across!

Start 4x4 then add in parts, much easier and less hassle.

Defo the way to do it. So much easier this way round plus 4x4's at breakers are like hens teeth.

Welcome to the forum, you're correct re there was an estate version of the vRS so rear door cards will fit. You'll have to do some searching for one though, unless you buy a donor vRS estate and swap all the bits across!

I know just where you can get all the parts you need/want :

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/159141-the-hearse-mk1-octavia-performance-standard-parts/

Just for runabout. This was the car less than a week ago. It look a lot more sorry for its self now :'(

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/156873-feeler-the-hearse-for-sale/

Edited 23 April, 201016 yr by octimark

Thanks all,

Just making sure its possible to do at the mo, wont be able to get rid off the current car for a few months but I think this is the direction I will go as I need an estate and 4x4 for towing jetskis etc.

P.S - Got your PM mark, tried to reply but it keeps crashing

Got a removable tow bar as well as the vrs bumper if you need it mate. Its a shame your not in a position to do something now as I would be interested in doing a deal for the shell and all parts that havent sold to save me the extra time and effort in stripping everything off the car. Can even supply the vrs engine Its all about timing isn't it. Story of my life

I know its all about timing!

Can anyone advise on the best specced model of 1.8T estate to buy? I can see there is one called an elegance, any good?

Elegance is top spec, bar L&K

L&K?

I think you can only get the 4x4 1.8T in either Elegance or L&K (Laurin & Klement), they are both very good specs with loads of extra toys some of which you don't get on a VRS anyway (Xenon lights, heated seats). The L&Ks will probably be more expensive because there were less of them produced than the Elegance and were a slightly higher price new.

Edited 23 April, 201016 yr by chicken_eyebrow

Laurin & Klement have garish colour leather lol, i have an elegance spec 4x4 octy, tis nice lol

still heated seats are on the to do list somewhere at the bottem

I also see some are putting in the 6 speed box from the TT etc, what are the advantages of this, accelleration only?

And would the 1.8T 4x4 I buy be cable throttle or DBW?

Edited 23 April, 201016 yr by runabout

It's DBW as far as I know (have done a throttle body clean on one and seem to remember it was the same as my VRS)

6 speed box is supposedly stronger although a few people running 300bhp plus VRS on here have fitted them I'm not sure it's a pre-requisite and if you're only mildly tuning the 4x4 you might as well stick with the 5 speed I would've thought

the 6 speed has shorter gears but apparently it is alot stronger than the 5, but the 5th speed ratio is similar to the 6th

5 speed will be fine for 300 im fitting 6 speed for 3 reasons

1) because i can

2) peace of mind

3) because i want it done just incase i decide to go further at a later date

edit: yeah its dbw

Edited 23 April, 201016 yr by boomsly

I'll probably stick with the 5 speed as 300hp would be my limir for an every day driveable car thats suitable for towing etc.

Shame i'm not in a position now, there is a 4x4 1.8T with minor front end damage on ebay now, I coud buy that and a vrs estate and part the rest out!

Definately buy a 4x4 estate and then put the interior and bumpers from a VRS estate in it.

The 4x4 has a totally different floorplan as it has a tunnel for the propshaft and the boot floor is raised to allow for the rear differential.

You don't even need to transplant the engine, just remap the 4x4 engine and it will be ~207bhp which is more than a standard VRS engine and almost as much as a remapped one.

You would have to change the 4x4 suspension to coilovers though to drop it to the same height as the VRS. If you put a RARB on it note that you can't use a RARB suitable for a VRS you need a different RARB for the 4x4.

The 4x4 comes with RARB anyway same as R32 and S3 I thought?

Basically the Octy 4x4 share a lot of the same parts as the S3 and R32. Does'nt the 4x4 has the same engine as the VRS on the later models sharing the K03s Turbo as apposed to the early Golfs and Octy using just a K03 on the 150 BHP models? So there would be no point swapping a VRS engine over.

The R32 and S3 interior is another option if VRS are not easy to get hold of, although rear seat may be a issue on the estate

diesel or petrol gearbox though?

later 4x4s do have ko3s however its not the same engine code so is not exactly the same as the base vrs engine. However Bowders is right, little point in an engine swap, my old 4x4 and my friends modded 4x4 running similar mods to my vrs pull just as well.

Vrs interior......(dont flame me) is nowhere near as decent as some of the other vag offerings, plus an elegance will have side airbags the vrs will not so why retrofit vrs seats to a car and lose airbags, chose seats that do have airbags accordingly.

The 4x4 comes with RARB anyway same as R32 and S3 I thought?

If he plans to fit a stiffer aftermarket one they're different because of the 4WD assembly. In fact I don't think I've seen any aftermarket ones for the 4x4 :S

AFAIK the 4x4 always had the K03S turbo but runs the watered down map so it only boosts to 0.5 bar instead of 0.7. I think the 4x4 engine also doesn't have the variable valve timing for cold start warmup that the VRS does but not sure? Not that it affects performance anyway.