Partners / Partner Build Story

FROM THE
GROUND
UP

On a lightweight MK1 Scirocco, confidence through the next corner matters more than a dramatic stance. Ground Control brought serious suspension hardware to 799. The rest is a story written on the hill.

1976 VW SciroccoGround Control Suspension SystemsHill Climb / Time Trial / Track Sprint
01 / The Build

MORE THAN
LOWER.

This build was never about lowering a car for the sake of it. It was about giving 799 a more dependable platform under braking, through quick transitions and over the unpredictable surfaces of a hill climb. Ground Control's MK1 VW setup brings KONI dampers, coilovers and adjustable camber/caster plates into the mix.

The 799 racing green springs make an entrance. Up close, the black housings and pewter-finish hardware tell the more interesting story: purpose-built pieces designed to be adjusted, tested and used.

Custom green Ground Control coilovers and camber plates laid out before installation
Fresh from Ground Control: a suspension package made for this little green car.
Ground Control / Spring430 LB/IN7-inch main coil springs2.5-inch inside diameter, with custom 799 racing green powder coating.
Ground Control / Spring325 LB/IN8-inch main coil springs2.5-inch inside diameter, paired with helper springs for the coilover setup.
Damping & AdjustmentKONI + GCKONI Sport front dampers. KONI Race Series rear shocks.Hybrid camber/caster plates, helper springs and firm bump stops round out the package.
02 / Making It Fit

BUILT, NOT
BOLTED ON.

A fifty-year-old Volkswagen wasn't designed around today's race hardware. Getting the new plates into the MK1 strut towers took careful fitting, a little metalwork and the willingness to make the car better rather than simply keep it original.

01

Start with the details

Ground Control's VW race template provided the reference for the tower work. Getting the foundation right mattered as much as the shiny new parts.

02

Make room to work

The towers needed clearance for the adjustable plates. It was the kind of behind-the-scenes fabrication you never notice once the wheels are back on.

03

Find the baseline

With the hardware installed, the real work shifted to ride height, alignment and damping. No magic setting, just a better place to start learning.

Original Scirocco engine bay before fitting Ground Control camber caster plates
The original mounting arrangement before the build.
Installed Ground Control green-spring coilover in Scirocco wheel well
Ground Control coilover fitted and ready to run.
Detail of Ground Control hybrid camber caster plate
The details: adjustment, machining and race-ready hardware.
Ground Control adjustable camber caster plate installed on the Scirocco strut tower
Installed and at home in the MK1 strut tower.

From stock mounts to the finished hardware. Select any photo to see it in full.

03 / The Reveal

BEFORE.
AFTER.

Drag the slider to compare the Scirocco engine bay before and after the Ground Control camber/caster plate installation.

Ground Control Suspension SystemsEXPLORE GROUND CONTROLMK1 VOLKSWAGEN SUSPENSION
Full Scirocco engine bay before installing the Ground Control camber and caster platesFull Scirocco engine bay after installing the Ground Control camber and caster plates
↔
AFTERBEFORE

← DRAG TO REVEAL →

One week to Empire. The gray primer on the strut towers tells the story. This was a last-minute build, and we had roughly a week to get 799 ready for the Empire Hill Climb. The cutting, fitting and setup came first. There simply wasn't time for paint before race day. Paint is planned for this offseason, so the strut towers will be finished ahead of the 2027 season.

04 / Ride Height & Stance

THE CAR
ON THE ROAD.

The payoff is easier to see at speed. The Scirocco still looks unmistakably MK1, but now there's a more serious foundation underneath it.

Ride height is only the beginning. Alignment, damping and balance are a moving target, adjusted a little at a time as the car meets new roads.

799 Scirocco at speed showing ride height after suspension installation
799 in its element, putting the new setup to work.
05 / On Track at Grattan

THE SETUP
IN MOTION.

Static photos tell part of the story. At Grattan Raceway, the 799 Scirocco puts its suspension setup to work through corners, braking zones and transitions. Every run provides another opportunity to refine the balance ahead of the 2027 season.

799 Motorsport at Grattan Raceway, October 2026.

06 / Track Development

THE FIRST TEST
WAS A RACE.

There's no better way to learn about a new setup than to race it. Empire was the first real test. Grattan added another chapter.

SEPTEMBER 2026

Empire Hill Climb

P3Class #1 · 24.147

First event on the new suspension, straight into the deep end: changing grip, elevation and no room for excuses. A podium, with plenty still to learn about the setup.

OCTOBER 2026

Grattan Raceway

P3SMF Category · 92.415

Another course, another chance to try a different damping setting and feel the difference. That's how the car gets quicker: one useful adjustment at a time.

2027 / In the Paddock

BUILT TOGETHER.
DEVELOPED ON THE HILL.

The best partnerships go beyond the parts themselves. Ground Control is part of a car that will keep evolving, one setup change and one climb at a time.

Back to Work With 799 Explore Ground Control MK1 VW