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.

I was recently viewing the latest edition of Spike's Car Radio where Jerry Seinfeld made an appearance, and he and regular guest Zuckerman captured a sentiment I've experienced with the 1992 500E I bought a few months ago. It's the roller coaster of emotions that come with a new acquisition, and how oftentimes, once you get behind the wheel for the first time, there can be some disappointment. Not over any one glaring flaw, perhaps, but just the realization, It's here. It's your problem now. 

Seinfeld notes, "You open the door, you get in, and immediately, emotionally crash. Hopefully, it changes when you start the car and drive it, but usually when you first get in it, there's almost always seems to be a moment of, 'What the hell did I do?'" Truly, I felt this with the 500E not only because it was immediately evident the transmission was in a state of decline but also because the 500E is not one of those cars that immediately registers as special. 

Obviously, there's a ton of, "If you know, you know" factor with the widebody W124 that was built by Porsche, but you have to be OK with that being the reason you like it. Right now, I haven't driven the car more than 5 miles, and it wasn't all that enjoyable. It's almost worse that every review on YouTube talks about how amazing it is, yet I have a 2002 E55 sitting outside. However, the M113 in the E55 is SOHC, and the M119 in the 500E is DOHC, which is a totally different experience. 

Here's the hope: once the transmission is replaced, and once proper tires are installed, and the suspension is appropriately refreshed (within reason, since we're keeping the original SLS components), it will be the car I want it to be. After swinging by the shop last week, I was reminded just how much of the total package is made up of those front fenders - they're gorgeous. And, the mechanic telling me how many people stop by each week asking if it's for sale doesn't hurt, either. 

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.

In the days after deciding to plunk down a bunch of cash on a hardtop for my 1990 911 Cabriolet, I saw a picture of the same hardtop on a later 993. I will admit: I didn't love how it looked. There was something about it that just looked "off," which is always a risk when dealing with aftermarket parts. However, every photo of the D. Morris hardtop that I saw on the 964 seemed to look bang on, which is largely what drove the purchase.

I'm happy to report at these early says that the results, now visible in-person, seem to validate my hunches. The top is just resting on the car in the photo, but it looks absolutely bang on. There are some issues with the brackets - this is a common complaint about the D. Moris kit fitment - but once we get that straightened out, it should be pretty straightforward to wrap up installation. 

I had major reservations about taking the plunge on this investment, but I'm happy to report it looks like a sound move at this juncture. 

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.