Ring54 - 1980 GTI

Discussion in 'Mk1' started by Ring54, Jul 11, 2022.

  1. Ring54

    Ring54 Paid Member Paid Member

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    I finally feel like I belong on the forum now, cause I finally found a GTI! I had been looking for a mk2 big bumper gti or a mk1 GTI 2 years ago as my first car, and after buying a Mk2 Jetta GTX to bridge the gap to finally get a GTI I put myself into a cycle of mk2 Jetta GTX's (I've since sold my first car, then moved onto another GTX in better condition) but my goal was a GTI. Well, a year ago I knew of a 1980 GTI that was unlisted and the owner was thinking of selling, although it was way out of my price range. However with selling my first GTX, and working quite a bit as well as buying and selling parts, I figured if I was going to make expensive decisions I had better do it before starting post-secondary schooling and found myself financially in a position to purchase it! This car is a bit special for us over here in NA as Canada was the only country to get the GTI in '79 and '80 in North America before both Canada and the U.S got the Westmoreland GTI's in '83 and '84 so I am extremely lucky to own this car. Its got a redone interior, lowering kit, aftermarket exhaust and its sitting on ATS cups. Its still got the original 1.6 but I've been looking into a 1.8 swap to spruce it up a bit, still with the 1.6 it was smiles all the way home in it lol. Here's some pics for you guys!

    Also a note: Are memberships and stickers still purchasable through the forum or is there a better way to go about it? Thank you (:

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  2. Tristan

    Tristan Paid Member Paid Member

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    Really cool, I quite like that!
    Hello and welcome to the forum.
     
  3. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    yep you can use the shop link above to purchase stickers and clubgti membership :)
     
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  4. Zender Z20

    Zender Z20 Paid Member Paid Member

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    What a beaut... health to enjoy.

    Looks to be in fantasic condition and very original too, personally I'd keep it as a 1.6 because of that alone.

    ATS cups are a classic for the MK1, not much can better them for looks.

    Possible you've got a 'Carello' front grille, but less the inner lamps.

    Could stand to be corrected but I think they pre-date the 'Hella' version you commonly see on European cars.

    Did read somewhere they're favoured by US owners because the lamps sit further forward and allow more room between it and the radiator enabling aircon to be fitted... might just be inter-web speculation though.

    The lamps adjust like an eye in a socket... quick Google brought this up - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2394514
     
  5. Ring54

    Ring54 Paid Member Paid Member

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    I'm a fan of the ATS cups as well! I have some momo quasars I need to finish up so I might check out how those look as well on it, but I reckon ill be sticking with the ATS's as they're that perfect mix between oem and aftermarket. I think you're right about the carello grille and I was wondering what it was off of, I have a later cabriolet quad round grille stored right now and the inners are completely different mounting which I found a bit odd but it definitely makes sense now, looking at that example and some others it seems like it may be cheaper to go back to stock single rounds!
     
  6. Ring54

    Ring54 Paid Member Paid Member

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    Thank you!
     
  7. AndyBa Paid Member Paid Member

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    That looks really nice, even if it has the steering wheel on the wrong side [:D]

    How do older cars weather in Canada since your winters are worse than in the UK. Over here (and especially Up North) our local councils do their best to promote rust by using copious amounts of grit salt on the roads..
     
  8. Ring54

    Ring54 Paid Member Paid Member

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    Depends on whereabouts in Canada really, on the opposite side from me in eastern Canada they get a lot more snow so need a lot more salt and honestly that really goes for all of Canada other than us in Vancouver for the most part. Over here in Vancouver, BC, our winters are basically just rain! I'm pretty sure we only got a couple days of snow this year and even then it was turned to slush either within the day or within a couple days, so we do get less salt but people still don't know how to drive and they have to put a good amount down (the rain does an okay job washing it away though), so overall older cars definitely have a better chance of surviving on the west coast rather than somewhere like Alberta or Ontario (the east coast is the absolute worst). Shoot, on Vancouver Island if I remember correctly, they don't even use salt!
     
  9. Ring54

    Ring54 Paid Member Paid Member

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    Thank you Jonny, I just ordered and sent you a message as I may have blundered it up a bit as well :thumbup:
     
  10. watercooled Forum Member

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    Wow what a nice car,very hard to find in this condition...well done,love the wheels and always wanted them but very hard to find in my country and $$$ if you find them.
    Consider an upgrade to an 2.0 block ,find a low mileage motor and just fit your injection ,small power increase but good lift in torque which in a light car like yours you will really benefit from this.
    Find a 1.8 mk 2 GTI K-jet (earlier model ) head and get it fully reconditioned and you could also spec a replacement upgrade cam for a bit more power because K-jet is not fussy on cams and displacement to a point unlike EFI system .
     
  11. Tristan

    Tristan Paid Member Paid Member

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    Better brakes on a left hand drive!
     
  12. AndyBa Paid Member Paid Member

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  13. Ring54

    Ring54 Paid Member Paid Member

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    Funnily enough, I actually have my eye on a 1.8 mk1 gti head on a 2.0 ABA block running a 288 cam, the owner isnt sure if it has any head work done as it was all done by a previous owners (im hoping it would to keeo up with a cam of that size though lol) So I've thought about getting that and dropping in a milder cam. I also had my eye on an RD block 1.8 from an '87 GLI, but from what I can find through research I would have to run 93 and have the timing just right unless I wanted to wire up the knock sensors. I think ill have to do more research for the pros and cons of all the possible swaps
     
  14. Ring54

    Ring54 Paid Member Paid Member

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    I just had to look this one up, very interesting!
     
  15. Tristan

    Tristan Paid Member Paid Member

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    Well yes, it is a mk1 in the original post lol
     
  16. costel1969

    costel1969 Paid Member Paid Member

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    Very nice and very rare piece of automotive history you have there. At least the car isn't in Alberta as I am - she would have to be put away for a good chunk of the year to keep her in good condition.
     
  17. Ring54

    Ring54 Paid Member Paid Member

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    Thank you! I'm quite fortunate that this car has been a coast car its whole life, It was actually stored in a California for a couple years which no doubt preserved it additionally. its too bad that up there in Alberta you guys don't have much of a window to drive your older cars, also from what I hear you guys have to deal with quite a few potholes as well!
     
  18. costel1969

    costel1969 Paid Member Paid Member

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    It's the weather that's the killer here, goddamn snow and ice and then the salt/grit that's used eats cars alive to be honest.
     
  19. Ring54

    Ring54 Paid Member Paid Member

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    I can only imagine, compared to the weather you guys have to deal with up there I count myself lucky only having to deal with rain!
     
  20. Ring54

    Ring54 Paid Member Paid Member

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    [​IMG]

    The car looks a bit more proper now that it has the club sticker on! [:D]
     
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