engine swap question

Now after the holiday touch wood the golf has been super reliable, although I've noticed since I've serviced it (and assuming the new oil is much thinner than the old sludge) its burning a bit of oil and passing some stinky blue smoke. I assume 200,000 miles has taken its toll on the little HK lump and I will have worn rings and valve stem seals.

I'm thinking of swapping the engine rather than rebuilding it, but it seems more sense to put a 1.6 or a 1.8 carb lump in than another 1.3. I will be wanting a carb lump rather than injection as I'm no good with wiring and don't want the hassle. So my question is this; is there anything other than the following I'l need to convert?

engine
gearbox
inlet/exhaust manifold
subframe
fuel pump
front brakes

I'm planning on buying a cheap donor car to do this so I know I definately have everything (and because I'm tight and I'l break the car to make some money back)

you wont need fuel pump cus on the carb lumps there already on the engine, subframe you wont need either as there all same on non gtis, brakes i should get some gti calipers and discs straight bolt on from the 1.3s and vented too.

will my 1.3 driveshafts mate up to a different gearbox? I know theyre all the flange type with special bolts

Not sure about shafts but most of the bits are the same on all Mk2's.

If you are struggling to find a donor vehicle I got a 1600 carb lump with box and shafts thats ready to swap over - converted to GTi exhaust manifold and downpipe and its the 5 speed 020 with the silly final drive so its geared for something like 160mph (or sensible revs and fuel economy on a run....)

so if I was to buy that from you I wouldn't need to buy anything else? If thats the case I'l certainly bare it in mind, especially with that gearbox. I was after a 1.8 preferably for the extra torques but I am aware of the ridiculous cost of petrol at the mo...

ya you'll need new drive shafts i think mate and i thought subframes were different between the big blockas and small blocks, iv got all the shizz for a conversion off mine but just need a new golf to put it in... along wit the tompstones i just bought for it and the bbs's lmao,

I was always under the impression the subframe was different from the 1.3s too. I'm in no rush for an engine now as I really wanna get it resprayed before the summers over so I'm concentrating on getting it mint and theres nothing really wrong with the engine other than it burning oil

nah subframes arent different on the 1.3 16s n 1.8 carb only the gti ones are cus they have the anti roll bars

I didn't think the GTi subframe is any different - the brackets for the anti rollbar are already there on the back - just needs the clamps - or they are on the spare 1600 subframe I've got.....
TBH I would go looking for a Mk3 1400 lump and stick the 1300 carb and bits on it - would keep the cheaper tax (under 1500cc - its over £200 for 12 months otherwise) and it would give nearly as much power as a 1600.
The other issue with doing a 1600 or 1800 transplant is the wiring - the fuse boxes and looms are different on later cars (89 on I think) so you would need all the bits off an early car.
One thing I have always been told is not to build a car you can buy - although that does remove the challenge a bit sometimes....

hmmm I wasn't aware the fuse boxes were different, that makes me want a donor car even more, so at least I know I have everything. Never thought about the 1.4 route, had a 1.4 mk3 once, and I hated it cuz it was so damn slow, even slower than my mk3 is now. But then again I could have just been unlucky n had a ragged one...

Its not just the fuse box, the entire wiring loom is different as well ....if you can find a donor that is similar age to yours then it should be quite easy, the engine bay wiring loom will swap straight over - plug and play!
The trouble with Mk3 is that they are about 300kg heavier than Mk2 so making the low powered ones even slower!!

I would go polo gt engine on your inlet manifold and carb.

Thats the usual mk1 small block swap and gives quite a boost in "go" easliy up to 1.6 big block (due to the small block's crossflow cylinder head design.)

gt head has hotter cam and bigger valves. plus you can buy performance cams for it too.

Polo3 or club polo is usally good for advice.

Jon.