Happy 40th, Scirocco

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The rubber pieces by the front hood are called “splitters,” a popular addition used in the 1980s to redirect airflow

The VW Scirocco was first sold in Europe in 1974 and then in North America in 1975.

The car was designed by an Italian designer by the name of Giorgetto Giugiaro. He also designed the Lotus Esprit, the BMW M1 and a couple of concept cars for Lamborghini.

The Scirocco was a sportier car than the VW Rabbit due to its longer body and lower roofline. Some back then compared the two to the Bug to the Ghia. The Scirocco was said to be created as a “direct replacement for the Karmann Ghia.”

Geraldo Velasquez, a resident of both San Diego and Mexico, is the owner of this 1980 Scirocco 1 presented on these pages. This story is to commemorate the 40th birthday of the German car that started some of the compact racing in the 1970s-1980s.

“The car use to be raced by the H&R Suspension company in Oregon,” Velasquez said, “I bought the car and modified it even more.”

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This issue of Mundo Volkswagen was sold in Mexico between 11-2014 to 12-2014

The rubber pieces by the front hood are called “splitters,” a popular addition used in the 1980s to redirect airflow at high speeds. The Kamei wing on the hatchback does the same as the air passes through. The parts look “passive-aggressive,” according to one of the visitors passing through the Balboa Park, as we took photos. I responded that they are subtle additions, but functional as they help keep the car planted during high speeds.

Above the Zender front air-dam is an original euro-bumper that is lighter than the original U.S. spec bumpers. The grill in front is also made by Zender in which the HELLA headlamps are mounted to. Velazquez jokes and says that he uses them to flash unsuspecting Porsches on the freeways “so they can move to the slower lane. ”

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Mundo Volkswagen is sold throughout Mexico

“My favorite part of this vehicle are the rear louvers,” Velasquez said, as he pointed to the metal shroud masking the rear window. The louvers were used to block direct sunlight back then. Window tint was not made available until “1982,” Velazquez said. “I know because I tint windows [on commercial properties for a living].”

During our photoshoot, he had his windows tinted blue, but then changed them to black because the colored tint took away from the vehicle’s “period-correct” modifications.

Velasquez has a knack for color coordination. He even requested that the outfit for the model, Margarita, have the same type of blue as his car. She’s a University of California, San Diego student that thought the car was “cute.”

Velasquez purposely left many of his parts in the original matte black finish, to contrast with his blue paint that resembles the same color on the BMW M3.

The wheels were made by Diamond and measure 13″ X 8″ and they are wrapped by Yokohama Advan 215X50X13 tires.

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Margarita Maksimova’s fashion is courtesy of Couture Prototype. The top is by Dolce & Gabbana, the skirt by Benetton and heels by Manolo Blahnik.

“The tires and my Audiovox pull-out stereo are the only Japanese parts that I am allowing on this Scirocco,” Velasquez scoffed, “everything else is European.”

The interior sports a pair of Recaro seats pulled from a wrecked Porsche 928. Velasquez modified the base of the seats to fix them inside his cockpit. They are comfortable but they are stiff enough to hold him during the Gran Prix races down in Mexico. The seat-belt covers and steering wheel are both made by MOMO and Velasquez kept the shift knob simple by installing the “golf ball” that was used by many VW tuners back then.

The suspension is provided by a track ready H&R coil-over kit and the stabilization is assisted by the mishmash of Autotech, ABD and Neuspeed bars.

The engine is a high-compression 1.6 liter with various additions and modifications. Its got a three-angle valve job, Autotech race cams, Nology Wires, an oil cooler and a larger intake manifold and throttle body. The exhaust was enlarged to 2 inches, and the beefy sound exits from the Magnaflow muffler.

“That’s all I can tell you,” Velasquez said as he shut the hood, “because when I race in Rosarito next week, I do not want my competition to know all of my secrets.” Many of his parts were enhanced in Mexico, like the chroming of some of his brackets, and the port-and-polishing of his throttle body.

After 24 years of building some of the fastest MK1s on both sides of the border, it is evident that Velasquez has transcended to a new phase in tuning. His ability to work on his own vehicles and combined with his rare collection of German and Italian parts — puts him in a league of his own.

Stay tuned to Mundo Volkswagen for the best VWs at the border – as Velazquez’s “Hecho en Mexico” Scirocco.

Author / Photography: Mike Madriaga
Model: Margarita Maksimova
Assistant: John Suarez
Story for Mundo Volkswagen