Summer 2008
I have been sitting on a rebuilt Rotomaster TO4B since April with anticipation of moving forward with Project Callaway Stage I. I also bought new exhaust manifold studs, bolts, and gaskets. Seeing as the car once had a kit installed, I am certain the install should go rather smoothly as the block already has a provision for the oil return. In addition, we'll keep the install of the turbo system simple by not going beyond stage I which means no intercooler, obtrusive intercooler pipes, and no Miller Woods Microfueler to operate an injector at the throttle body elbow casting from Callaway. Recently, my friend Bill who installed a stage II Callaway Turbo kit in my old Mk1 Scirocco, has had some success with a Warm-Up Regulator from UnwiredTools, model UTCIS-PT which is pictured below.
It provides enough fuel to each of stock Bosch Fuel Injectors and while delivering the correct Air Fuel ratio per his wide band throughout the RPM range. This is music to my ears and shows that there is a work-around away from expensive stand alone fuel management systems and additional injector controllers which from all intents and purposes is what the Microfueler was invented for. Below is a part breakdown by New Dimensions of the stage I turbo kit. New Dimensions bought all inventory, rights, and tooling from Reeves Callaway in the early 90's respective to the Volkswagen application. While New Dimensions is now under new ownership as of 2007, "Turbo" Tim Hildabrand is still available in certain forums offering parts for these turbo kits.
Small photo shoot taken of the Rabbit Gti in May of 2007
Summer 2004
This car, by far, has the most interesting history of any of my former or current cars. Back in the fall of 2001, I saw an ad for a 1983 Rabbit Gti for sale in California. Within the ad, there was an opportunity to purchase a Callaway Turbo kit with the car. I was far more interested in the kit than the car once I thought about the logistics of getting all of it back to the east coast. At the time, I did not have a car for which to install the kit on so I was no at all opposed to getting the whole package: car and parts.
The owner, turned out to be the original, purchased the car brand new in 1983 and then proceeded to spend an enormous amount of money on major modifications for the time. This included a Stage I Callaway Turbo kit which was later upgraded to stage II. Andy King at R&A Applied Arts was local to the owner. Therefore, he was responsible for the installation and upgrades to the car. R&A Applied Arts was and is one of the most respected authorized Callaway Installers on the east coast.
The owner moved to California in 1984 and had to have the Turbo removed in order to abide by the strict CARB, California Air Research Board, emissions. As a result the turbo kit was removed by the company who would eventually purchase the tooling, inventory, and rights to the Callaway Turbo Systems as it related to the Volkswagen in the early 90's.
I decided that I wanted to move forward with just the Turbo parts. The downside was that the owner would not ship the parts. Months passed by. I finally got the courage to make and offer on the turbo parts and car in March, however, the car was just sold in the week that I inquired. I purchased the turbo parts and made a wedding trip to California that Spring. In doing so, I boxed up the parts and shipped them back to the east coast. The parts went on a 1984 Rabbit Gti that I would purchase later on.
I got in touch with the new owner of the Rabbit in hope of getting copies of the receipts associated with the turbo kit that I had owned. The owner never did follow through with my request. Nonetheless, more than two years go by and I saw the Rabbit Gti up for sale in May of 2004. The ad was about five days old and I immediately inquired on the availability of the Gti.
Although I had already installed the Callaway kit onto another car, I had visions of restoring this Rabbit back to what it looked like in 1984 with the Stage II kit, wheels, et cetera. I wanted to make it happen and did not want to let this car go by again. In addition, the car looked a lot better than it did two years previously. This owner fixed any and all problems with the car from mechanical to aesthetics. Just by the ad on the internet and through my conversations with the owner, I was more than confident that I wanted the car in an obsessed demanding way.
The car arrived three weeks later. I intend to compile some Callaway Turbo parts to either come up with a stage I or stage II kit. Please get in touch if you have any parts laying around perhaps collecting dust. This car is begging to have a turbo installed. I am open to Stage I as installation would be simpler and I could still enjoy 5lbs of boost. If you can help out, please email me. In addition, if you have any experience with R&A Applied Arts, I would love to hear about them.