..MK1
(A) TO MK1 (B) DIFFERENCES. EXTERIOR
* Front bumper is 1 narrower on MK1a than MK1b * The MK1a front bumper is flat at the front & normally painted matt black. Only the earliest of mk1a had matt bumpers* Front bumper bar iron on mk1a is different than mk1b & not interchangeable. It is interchangeable if you fit the same bumper skin and foam insert* Mk1a does not have central locking from the door key, Mk1b does. * MK1a has smooth wing mirror housings, Mk1b has textured effect. * Mk1a had no side skirts from new, MK1b did. Only very early mk1a's had no skirts,most 85/86 models did have them* Mk1a had black moulded door & panel protector strips, Mk1b have colour coded clear plastic strips.
* MK1a cars had front mud flaps as well as rear flaps, MK1b only had rear flaps * MK1a had black unpainted plastic rear sill protectors.Very early cars only * Mk1a bonnet different from mk1b & not interchangeable. Ive swapped them??? why different?* Very early Mk1a had black caps on wheel nuts. * MK1a has metal lower front spoiler, mk1b is plastic. Mk1a is plastic too just different shape,mk1a has different front panels* Mk1a had triangle alloys, Mk1b has teardrop alloys. MK1a 5.5J & MK1b 6J , so MK1b are slightly wider. ( cheers MartG) * Mk1a engine cooling grille is metal & was split into two sections, MK1b was plastic & single entry type which protruded further outwards from the body. * MK1a had roof mounted manual aerial, MK1b had electric aerial mounted on the rear o/s wing. * MK1a only had sunroof & tintop options, Mk1b had T-bar, Sunroof & tintop options. * Very early MK1a sunroofs have no dot pattern in the blackout paint. MK1bs do. INTERIOR
* MK1a had two tone seats, Mk1b are single coloured. * Mk1a interiors ( excluding seats, headlinings & sunroof cover ) were all black. * MK1a original radio very basic compared to MK1b. * Inner door handle backing plates on MK1a different thickness to MK1b & not interchangable between the two. * MK1a wiper / headlight switches are more squarer than the MK1b's rounded type. * MK1a has no glove box key lock, Mk1b does. * Mk1a headlights dont rise on the first switch position, they dont have dim/dip, so its side lights only. Mk1b lights do rise on the first position & operate in dim / dip mode with side lights. * MK1a has sub woofer under drivers seat, MK1b didnt have this. some late spec JDM cars have the woofer* Between seat cubby box has lid support on MK1b only, not on MK1a. * MK1a had only one behind the seat coat hook, MK1b had two. * MK1a inner door cards are different than on MK1b, switches sit in a semi-circular pod, although the switches are interchangeable. * The air vents at either end of the dash on a MK1a have silver center knobs, MK1b had black only. * Radio surround on MK1a is different to MK1b & incorporated a small light. * Centre arm rest on a MK1a incorporates a padded arm rest, MK1b doesnt. * On a MK1a the ashtray is located forward of the gearstick, on a MK1b its to the side of the centre console. * Heater controls on a MK1a are basic design with levers & knobs for air flow etc, on a MK1b they are push buttons with green L.E.Ds & motorised direction flaps. * The Mk1a heater control panel incorporates the cigarette lighter, on a MK1b this is housed under the ashtray flap & the cigarette elements are not interchangeable. * Lights up warning buzzer found on MK1b only & only on F & G regs . * Dash speedo lights on MK1b 'F' & 'G' reg ONLY had dimmer switch fitted. * MK1a boot trim is different shape to MK1b & not interchangeable. * MK1a boot has fibre board covers over the inner wing area behind the o/s/ & n/s boot panels. ( cheers Kev ) * Mk1a has no radiator cover trim( rubber gasket stuck on underside of bonnet instead ), MK1b does. mk1a does have rad cover,its a different shape to allow for the different rad bracket shape though* MK1a coolant filling procedure warning sticker on the engine lid is yellow, on a MK1b its blue & white. * Tyre pressure information sticker on the bottom of the drivers door on a MK1a is different to MK1b. * MK1a dash gauges have larger increments than MK1b. * MK1a had no rear speakers, MK1b did. * MK1a steering wheels had exposed metal supports, MK1bs were covered. * MK1a steering wheel 2.5" larger than MK1b ( cheers MartG) * MK1a had black front strut top caps, MK1bs didnt. * MK1b T-tops ONLY had front strut brace fitted as standard. MECHANICAL
* ECU is NOT interchangeable from MK1a to MK1b * MK1as ECU is more aggressive for fueling than MK1b. * MK1a weighs less than MK1b. ( cheers Kev ) * MK1a has different radiator brackets to MK1b. ( cheers Kev ) * Mk1a has two mounting bolts on the brake master cylinder, MK1b has three bolts. ( cheers Kev ) mk1a has two bolts ,mk1b has four,although 87 cars may have either* Air filter on a MK1a is in the engine bay, on a MK1b its in the boot behind the n/s boot panel. * MK1a drop links are different length to MK1b. * Brake discs are smaller on a MK1a than MK1b, but calipers are same size & interchangeable. just the piston bit of the caliper,not its support bracket* Cam covers have 16 VALVE in blue on a MK1a, on a MK1b this is in red. * MAP sensor on a MK1a is square, on a MK1b this is rectangular & NOT interchangeable between the two models. * Rear suspension subframe is different between a MK1a & MK1b. * MK1a have single jet injectors, MK1b have twin jet, higher flowing injectors & are interchanglable providing the engine bay loom is changed between the two models. * MK1a TVIS comes in at a lower RPM than MK1b. * The air intake temp sensor on a MK1a is on the TVIS manifold ( after throttle body ), on a MK1b its on the intake pipe ( before throttle body ) * Mk1a have a VTV dashpot under the throttle body acting on the throttle stop, MK1bs dont have this. * MK1a has smaller clutch (200mm) MK1b has larger clutch (212mm) * MK1a has smaller diameter rear anti roll bar than the MK1b. * MK1a has C50 gearbox, MK1b has C52 gearbox. * Rear track rod control joints are different on a MK1a than Mk1b * Struts are different on MK1a than MK1b & are not interchangeable without cutting studs & drilling holes. Also theres the 87 models that have a variation of all or none of the above,including engine fitments...oh and tool bag colours varied across revisions lol_________________
I guess that's only on imports? 