Brakes NA
The braking system on the NA is solid discs up front and drums on the rear. This sounds like a backwards step from a four disc set up but is more than good enough for the NA. In fact the same system was used on early US Turbos and our racers do little to them other than more aggressive pad compounds.
The rear brake drum uses a lot of VW parts. Not all are from the same vehicle and, with particular reference to the cylinder and shoes, the correct parts need to be used or the brake performance will be severely compromised. Everything is available, even the backing plates, and it is all cheap too.
The rear drum is seldom removed as the big hub nut, and its enormous torque setting, puts people off doing it. The rear shoes last a long time but it is worth checking how much is left through the inspection holes on the rear of the plate. There are three bungs in there (if they’re not that isn’t a good sign of careful ownership). Two adjust the shoes and the third is for inspecting the wear. Ask the owner when they last adjusted the rear brakes, typically it should be every 3000 miles.
Front brakes use a sliding single pot caliper. The calipers are becoming rarer but are easily refurbished. Lots of companies sell them on an exchange basis. Critical to their smooth operation are PTFE sliders on the caliper frame. Look for these. They don’t wear out but careless pad replacement can snap them. They are not readily available. Pad pins have been remanufactured now and must be in good condition otherwise the pads will not slide.
Discs are available from many sources. Buy the best quality (Zimmerman/Sebro) as the cheap ones neither last nor give good bite. The wheel bearing is integral to the disc. Any play in the wheel indicates wheel bearing issues but it could be a simple and cheap fix of tightening the tapered bearing.
Flexible hoses on the car are very easy to fit on the front. At the rear they are inboard more and are a bit more awkward to get to but all easy to do. Braded hose kits are available.
The master cylinder changes a lot during production. Test that the cylinder holds firm pressure on the brake. Check the fluid reservoir for black gunk too. Seal failure means a rebuild or full replacement.
Servos are really tough. Even externally grotty ones soldier on. The most common failure is a one-way valve in the pipework that stops sealing. Check the servo operation and use it as a bargaining point.
