1994 Volkswagen Golf - Start to Finish

[Cory Wolfe]

Click Here For The Full Gallery

I finally uploaded a gallery of my work on the Golf. All photos are in mostly sequential order with captions to note the progress. It took me 10 months from when I bought it at the end of November to when I got it inspected at the start of this month. There was alot of down time in between the work I did. Total working time was about a month. Started out as a $500 purchase... I've spent of total of roughly $2,000. To be honest, $400 of that was lost to a scam unfortunately, and then another $400 can be accounted for with parts I bought and decided not to use. Overall, there's about $1,000- $1300 in the car itself. I haven't quite worked out the exact amount, however. It still needs some things and its far from perfect. I still need to switch out the quickly wearing down winter tires for the new all season tires I have mounted on steel wheels. In addition to that, it needs an alignment, the rear struts need switched out to the Jetta's (already switched out the fronts), still haven't given it a tune up nor addressed the CEL, and an exhaust hanger needs replaced. As of right now, I've put 4,000 miles on it since I first drove it home. It's gone from New Jersey to NW Pennsylvania, down to Philadelphia and back, out the Detroit and back and I've had it all over locally. Only thing I've had break so far was the glove box handle due to me yanking on it when I had it locked.

Full list of work done:

-Replaced hatch

-Replaced front and rear bumpers

-Replaced left front fender

-Replaced bumper support

-Replaced headlights and taillights

-Replaced grill

-Switched out steel wheels for factory alloy wheels

-Added factory fog lights including: fog lights, wiring harness, relay, and fog light capable headlight switch

-Added factory roof mounted amplified antenna.

-Added aftermarket stereo with component speakers and Sirius.

-Added factory keyless alarm with dash-mounted lock button

-Switched out tan "beaver" interior for black interior including: seats, carpet, floor mats, shift knob, lower and upper A, B, and C pillar plastics, hatch shelf, hatch plastics, and door panels.

-Switched out 2-piece door/console mounted seat belts for single pillar mounted seatbelts

-Replaced radiator

-Replaced front struts

-Replaced front brakes

-Replaced thermostat, coolant reservoir, and switched to factory VW coolant.

Before:

After:

The next chapter may be written soon. This Sunday will reveal more about that.

[ocnblu]

You've done a great job with it. You should be proud of yourself.

[Z-06]

Fantastic

[pow]

Tinted tails look great!

[Robert Hall]

Looks sharp!

[A Horse With No Name]

I love it!...Right now I am trying to find 2 door diesel MK V golf.....but going to be trying harder enst year.

Or maybe a MK 5 or 6 GTI....

Nice car, vipes...

[Cory Wolfe]

Problem is, I feel like I didn't really accomplish anything. I started with a beat-up Golf and now I have a slightly less beat-up Golf with some extra goodies. I spent alot of time to have the result be only slightly better than before.

[Blake Noble]

Well, I see a big improvement from what you started with. I have never seen cigarette burns in seats that huge before, so the new seats are one good improvement as was getting rid of the mismatched front fascia.

By any chance, would one of your next projects be swapping the tan dash out for a black one?

[Cory Wolfe]

Well, I see a big improvement from what you started with. I have never seen cigarette burns in seats that huge before, so the new seats are one good improvement as was getting rid of the mismatched front fascia.

By any chance, would one of your next projects be swapping the tan dash out for a black one?

If I get to it, yes. I'm looking into some interesting options right now, so what comes next isn't really in the works yet.

[caddycruiser]

Amazing. You accomplished a lot, even if it doesn't seem like it, the pictures alone say it.

[A Horse With No Name]

Problem is, I feel like I didn't really accomplish anything. I started with a beat-up Golf and now I have a slightly less beat-up Golf with some extra goodies. I spent alot of time to have the result be only slightly better than before.

Your right...for a grand you should have been able to clone an Audi R8. Seriously, great work, you should be proud of yourself.

[Cory Wolfe]

I think the biggest thing is, I wish I wouldn't have bothered to keep the replacement panels the same color. In the end, from the previous owner's respray, it doesnt match anyways. Had I done that, I could have body panels that are in top shape. That and there is still alignment issues up front, I've got rusty rocker panels, and the body just isn't in that great of condition.

[daves87rs]

Look good!