Singer Style: Breathing New Life Into A Mk1 VW Scirocco

Xerox, Kleenex, Jacuzzi, Jet Ski, Zamboni. These are all brand names proven to be exceptional in their field, and as result they have become synonymous with any application of a similar product.

Singer, is unquestionably one of the most acclimated outfits when it comes to the art of resto-modification. They brought a level of fit and finish to classic Porsche modification that was previously never seen at the quality and frequency they deliver. Combine that with the fact that most of their commissions involve a nearly complete reimagining of the chassis, and it’s clearly understandable why Singer occupies the pedestal on which they sit.

When a client of Mike Ngo’s shop Eurowise in Charlotte, North Carolina said he wanted a “Singer style” Mk1 Volkswagen Scirocco build, his intent couldn’t be clearer.

This build would be one where Mike and crew would be expected to go above and beyond anything they’d delivered before. No expense would be spared or detail left unaddressed in transforming this somewhat under-represented Volkswagen chassis.

Outwardly, the car looks remarkably simple, the same of which could be said of many of Singer’s own cars from an at-first-blush sort of look. Of course, the fresh paint is concealing an considerable amount of care and attention to detail.

The Scirocco rolled into the Eurowise shop straight from a Bring A Trailer auction. It was three quarters of the way through a complete restoration then, but it didn’t stay that way for long. “Thankfully, the previous work wasn’t too bad,” Mike said, before describing how most of it was undone within a few days’ worth of disassembly and media blasting.

Regardless of the quality of the work that existed previously, Mike didn’t want to hang the foundation of this build on the sweat of another shop.

Before reassembly, the car received a full color change to Porsche’s Mars Red. The luscious red was the only color the owner would even entertain for the car; it’s a fitting hue and the rich scarlet does a great job accentuating the Mk1’s ‘rad era’ lines.

Helping the cause is a complete Zender styling kit featuring a new grille in addition to bumpers and side skirts. Rather expectedly, the grille is color-matched instead of being finished in contrasting black, just the way Zender would have done it if this were their catalog car.

Refinished brightwork run around the car, and those polished door handles came from a Porsche 944. The VAG parts bin has so much greatness within.

What would a Singer Porsche-inspired Volkswagen build be without a suitable powerplant? Among other things (like a bagged, turbo LS1-powered Mercedes-Benz), Mike and Eurowise are known for their prowess swapping VAG motors from one chassis to another. Mike, still a licensed Volkswagen tech, originally released his own all-encompassing, bolt-in VR6 conversion over eight years ago.

Swapping motors into these cars in a serviceable manner is largely where he’s built his reputation, and a part of the industry in which Eurowise still innovates.

The frequency in which the Eurowise name came up in discussion is how this car showed up at Mike’s door in the first place.

A Eurowise VR6 package plants a Porsche Cayenne-sourced 3.2L under the hood. As a ‘Stage 2′, the install includes a Eurowise shortened steel oil pain, down-pipe and custom exhaust. The clutch has also been converted to operate via cable to maintain a more analog feel.

The beauty of the in-house components speak for themselves within a tidy tucked and shaved engine bay.

Appropriately resto-modding an interior is very tricky business. Embed too many upgrades and you’ll disrupt the the cockpit, practically and visually.

Restraint was used from dash to deck lid inside this car, starting with the two-tone custom gauge cluster.

Below the dash are OMP aluminum pedals, and affixed to an authentic Porsche square knit carpet are Porsche-style foot rest panels. The aluminum lettering on the branded door sills match the rest of the brushed elements within the interior.

This includes the three-spoke Momo Prototipo steering wheel.

Brown leather is used on nearly every surface, including the 4-point roll cage.

Rear seats are a point of discussion in cars with cages, but, in a build like this one, I’m not sure omitting them in favor of delete panels would have been the right move. The upholstery work is just so well done that stopping it at the B-pillar would have been almost disrespectful.

Also, in the world of drivability, seats do help eliminate the rather tinny tones that come from gutted cars. The aural experience in an ’80s automobile is important, but a buzz box experience in a car where no other half measures have been taken simply wouldn’t be fitting.

RS door pulls are a final interior nod to the designers over at Porsche.

In the hatch there isn’t an air suspension setup, subwoofer or fuel cell. What you’re looking at is a completely bespoke Eurowise electric air conditioning system.

AC components are ugly (and quite frankly quite large), but so are sweat stains. So, the air conditioning system in this car – which is very similar to the kind used in mobile homes – was only allowed to exist within the confines of the spare tire compartment. Similarly hidden is a modern Alpine Bluetooth audio system.

Wheel-wise, would you really have expected anything other than BBS RSs to sit under a classically-styled Volkswagen of this nature?

There’s no aggressive stretch, poke or camber here, just an appropriately-specced set of 15-inch wheels that sit within the fenders thanks to ST Suspensions coilovers.

H&R has provided upgraded sway bars and Prothane polyurethane bushes were installed while the car was blown apart. Finally, Wilwoods up front and late-model OEM Volkswagen discs in the rear bring the brake system up to date.

“We delivered this car to the highest quality we could based on the owner’s vision and budget,” Mike remarks. In terms of a Porsche-inspired Scirocco, I don’t know if a more well rounded example exists. As an exercise in updating and refining the Scirocco without disturbing its charm, this car excels.

When I asked Mike if he’s done any more vehicles of this ilk, he replied that recently most of his shop time has been spent designing, testing and installing overland parts for Porsche Cayennes.

Could we see a ACS-style Cayenne in Eurowise’s future? One can only hope.

Dave Thomas
Instagram: stanceiseverythingcom

Photos by Keiron Berndt
Instagram: keiron_berndt

VW related stories on Speedhunters