only way you got TTY rod bolts, is if you have an AAZ, or a 90s 1.6L diesel..
IIRC, they started using TTY bolts in 89 or 90 on diesels..
I'm fairly certain they started around the time vw changed to 12mm head bolts. Regardless, the engine I'm building was made in 1990.
nah, i dont think they started using TTY stuff on the bottom end until the late 80s, or even 1990.. ive never seen TTY rod bolts FWIW.. so i never replace them. yours DOES have TTY bolts tho, just like you said.. but no, lots of the early 12mm engines, were all re-useable hardware besides the crank bolt, and head bolts..