Shed of the Week: Volkswagen Golf Mk2
Shed thinks this Mk2 Golf might Need Your Love So Bad, but it's a little Over My Head.
Shed has heard that Fleetwood Mac might be touring again. Of course, it might just be rumours. Amazing to think that Fleetwood Mac have been around for over 50 years, though, puts the VW Golf's mere 44 years of existence into the shade somewhat.
FM's seminal album Rumours had been out for nearly a decade when this Mk2 Golf rolled off the Wolfsburg line in 1986. Now, just like the band, it's still around, still pleasing the public and providing entertainment. Well, OK, maybe not so much entertainment in the case of the 1.3 Golf. But this particular example could easily turn into a nice little nest-egg for someone.
Some may sneer at the idea of a 1.3 Golf Mk2 ever being seen as a money-maker. That's Second Hand News. But time passes, cars disappear, and interest inevitably grows in the next model along. After the Mk1, it must be the Mk2, a model that has every reason to be fondly remembered. Slightly larger than the 1, but not clumsily so, the Mk2 was better built and had better dynamics than its predecessor. Many consider the Mk2 GTI to be something of a high water mark in Golf design and styling.
And remember, classic status isn't just about how rare a car was when it came out, how many races it may have won when it was around, or how few of them there are left today. It can come from nothing more than fond memories. If your Dad had a Mk2 Golf when you were little, and you remember going off on lots of fun trips in it, chances are you'll have Big Love for it. You won't be the only one, either: there'll be people like you Everywhere. That makes it a classic. For this reason, it's highly unlikely to become a financial Albatross, especially at the sub-£1,000 asking price for a low-miler with such a clean MOT history.
It's a sound little thing by the looks of it, with no mention of rust popping up anywhere on the MOT history. There is a 'dead zone' between 2007 and 2012, with no tests being taken in that time. Looking at the mileages, it would appear that 7k was put on it after its 2007 test, and then the car was laid up for whatever reason until 2012 at which point the same family ownership mentioned in the ad kicked in. At some point between 2012 and 2014 it looks to have had a new speedo fitted, as 6,000 miles were lost between those dates. Less than 5,000 miles have been added in the last couple of years. The most recent test, in January of this year, was passed with no advisories. All quite interesting.
Mechanically, it doesn't get much more retro. Four gears, four cylinders, eight valves, cambelt - it didn't have The Chain, you see - and a charmingly paltry amount of horsepower: as little as 49hp, depending on which of the 1.3 engines this one has. The vendor (or more likely the PH ads specs bot) is boldly claiming 54hp, but that heady output only applied to the second-series 1.3 motor which didn't come out until 1987.
For old-school Golfers, this could be the car of your Dreams, especially as it's such an easy project. Stick a new air cleaner housing on the engine, buff up the cam cover, stick some blacking gunk on the bumpers and find a better set of seats down the scrappies, and you're off.
Of course, you could tell some Little Lies by turning it into a rare Golf Country. They were five-door cars, so this one would be perfect. Just bolt in a 1.8-litre motor, some long shocks and a Syncro 4WD system, nail on a set of bull bars, and paint it orange. None of that would be a major Tusk. Task. OK, I've run out of Fleetwood Mac song titles. Oh Well.
To all those who neither know nor care about Fleetwood Mac, the management would like to apologise. Should you take the plunge? You'll have to Go Your Own Way on that.
See the full ad here
It was a tool to get a job done; utilitarian is how I’d best describe it. If this is bought it’s going to end up modded in some way for the VAG scene; I can’t see how you’d think it was money well spent any other way.
Weak copy too, about as amusing as the car in question.
Just driven my 1990 G GTI with TDI conversion to work this morning, as I do most mornings.
Fast-forward another ten years, though, and we'll all be hailing it's originality (assuming it doesn't get modified) and, indeed, survival. Consider this: at ~32 years old it's a £1000 car at the crossroads of either being modified or preserved. The last of the Morris Minors or first of the Mk1 Escorts at ~32 years old, ie around 2000-2002, were already well on their way to being cherished collectors' items and being restored in significant numbers.
White goods? I think so.
I suspect by this time next week it’ll have been slammed/small wheels/stretched tyres/rusty bonnet fitted.
Shame as standard ones are rare now but if it lives on, good.
A Golf Country replica would be fun, though.
They did a 1050 as well, heaven knows how slow they must be...
But, it was great fun as a 17 year old.
(it was even more fun when a 2.0L 16v made its way into the engine bay)
When my dad drove it he complained that it was noisy in 5th at 80mph...it only had the four speed box....
I suspect by this time next week it’ll have been slammed/small wheels/stretched tyres/rusty bonnet fitted.
Shame as standard ones are rare now but if it lives on, good.
A Golf Country replica would be fun, though.
I personally bought a D reg Alfa 33 Cloverleaf when it was three years old for probably about the same as someone would have paid for that basic 1.3 at the time. The 33 wasn't exactly the pinnacle of Alfa's but I know which one I'd rather have.
Amusing write up as well, enjoyed the Fleetwood Mac references
.Mk2 Golfs with an MOT pretty much start at a grand for base 1.3 models like this these days, so it's on the money - old nag or not. The £100 days are long gone.
Edit: some pics:
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