Project Chronicle

We replaced all speakers and the headunit, and also had custom speaker enclosures made using 3-D modeling. This setup also retained the rare "Aktiv" speaker grills that were an optional upgrade on MK2 VWs.

All plastic pieces were removed and dyed for a matched finish throughout. The headliner, which is no longer available, was removed and recreated by a local upholstery shop.

J&B Autobody stripped the body down to bare metal, fixed all dents / dings, addressed any corrosion, and resprayed the GTI in its original Montana Green finish.

We removed the interior in its entirety for restoration and deep cleaning. The headliner was crumbling and replaced. The extent of mouse urine was significant and required hours upon hours of scrubbing and disinfecting.

We removed the engine for a modest overhaul that included repairs to the fuel and electrical systems along with replacing any and all engine seals, cooling system components, and more.

The bodywork was stripped of all original paint and prepped for a full respray. This also included engine removal and complete removal/disassembly of the interior.

The GTI has arrived at AMMO NYC studios, and like all projects, the assessment stage reveals some surprises and immediate concerns. First, the GTI has been dormant for so long that the interior has been taken over by rodents. The trail of mouse detritus goes deep into the dash. The smell of urine is....obvious. New carpeting is a possibility if we can't clean the current rug to a satisfactory level, and we already knew the headliner was missing. Second, the body is loaded with dings and dents. While paint-less dent removal is an option for some of the damage, there are other dents that are far more severe. The driver's rear quarter has the most damage and will require bodywork to repair. The clear coat is also missing from the roof and hood. The engine doesn't run, though we did confirm it turns over. That's good news, but the fuel system is in dire straits, with a non-functioning distributor and fuel pump. The distributor on the 16V VWs is made of unobtanium, so sourcing replacements will be a challenge, which is why we're looking at some alternatives that address the challenges of the notoriously fickle CIS-E system. ....which is why we removed the engine, stripped the interior, and began preparing the body for a full respray. This GTI is going to come back as a practically brand-new car, and we couldn't be more excited to share this revival with you.