Re: 1978 Scirocco I

["Bob Burns" <rburns@in.net>]

On 14 Sep 96, Geoff Eyres (Geoff Eyres <scirocco-l@privateI.com>) 
wrote:

> I am currently looking at buying a 1978 VW Scirocco Fuel Injected. I
> was wondering if there is anything that I should look out for, as
> far as defects, common problems.

If memory serves, the brake lines from the master cylinder to the 
rear of the car run inside the body. You should find them in a 
channel in the floor pan under the carpet on the drivers side. This 
is a common rust site and the corrosion will attack the steel brake 
lines.

No exterior rust is a good sign. Rocker panels, rear fender lips, 
base of the windshield, and base of the A-pillars are where you will 
see rust on these cars.

> What size engine does this one have?

1458cc. I almost bought one new in December '77, but waited a couple 
of months a bought a new Toyota Celica instead because I thought 
1500cc was pretty small for an engine.

VW was trying to meet EPA requirements while not going to the
expense of a catalytic convertor on non-California cars. '77
Sciroccos had the 1588cc engine with Bosch CIS injection for the
first time and that seemed to work pretty well, but they reduced the
engine size while keeping the power up _and_ keeping the emissions
low in '78. In '79, Sciroccos went back to the 1588, but Rabbits
(built in the US for the first time) still had the 1458. Cats didn't 
appear on 49-state cars until 1980.

> The guy wants 600$ for it.

If the car runs, doesn't have major mechanical headaches, and doesn't 
have obvious rust, $600 sounds like a fair price based on what I see 
in central Indiana.

> I like Type I's, is that a good year?

I like the first generation Sciroccos, too. I've never owned one, but 
I really like the looks of them. I'm racing a '79 Rabbit in the SCCA, 
but I'm on the lookout for a Scirocco. My choice for years, though, 
would be '79 or '80 since they have the 1588 engine.

Bob...
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