I had a mk1 1.3 disconnected the overoost and had to get big jubilee clips to span the intercooler to stop it popping the end caps off then i went like an absolute bastard!!
I was 18 when I got it and there was a local lad who had just had a mercury grey RSturbo that had a 1.9 power engineering upgrade and I blitzed it once it got traction
got through a few turbos, first one i done I dropped the engine after that I got to from under neath. (18 year old skinny arms)
the standard boost gauge is half circle with about 3/4 around it went into red. mine used to go past that and hit the 2 fixing screws at the bottom lol