Project Chronicle

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.