New guy here

Hello people, thought i would drop in here and introduce myself. Ive wanted a mk1 golf since i was learning to drive but got bitten by the rwd/drift bug and got a 200sx then a bmw e30 which i currently still have, so ive nearly been driving 5 years and i still have a craveing for a mk1, so the time has come, im looking to get a 5dr mk1 with a small engine or maybe put a diesel in it if they dont come with diesels i havent looked too much yet. This will just be used as a daily so i can go a bit more mad with the e30 and keep it as my drifty toy.

Im looking for something that needs some work doing as a bit of a project and ive just started shift work so need something to do in my time off whilst my mates are all stuck in work. Im hopeing i can find out all i need here.

Hi Mick & welcome,

diesels do pop up occasionally but theyre quite rare. Will probably be easier to find a decent small block petrol.

Good luck with the search and post some pictures up when you find "the one"!

welcome mick,

as rossirvine said diesels & even turbo diesel mk1's are about but, rare.

most mk1's are fairly cheap to run & maintain, because they have simple mechicanics/etc…

good luck with your search, & might see you about, if your local too St.Albans?

yeah im local, live in ware and work in hatfield. I need to find one cheap first, and if i find it soon it wont be on the road till at least summer as i want to tidy it up a bit.

Hi and welcome!
If you do find a diesel it will probably be a wreck in need of major repair as they were rarer to start with and abused more than the rest, but if it's a project you want then that would suit you?   I got lucky with mine, two mature ladies used it for its first 25 years of its life to get the shopping and go to knitting classes! I had one before that which had been abused before and it still served me well as a daily driver though. It's the bodywork that suffers the most. Most of the few diesels in this club don't have the original engine, there's a couple of Mk2 TD's and MK3 TDIs under the bonnet. If you found a 5 door model with a big block petrol engine and therefore the right engine mounts, there are a few 1.6d and TD engines still knocking about from Caddies and Mk2's if you wanted to do your own transplant.
Like the others said, if you're not dead set on a diesel though, the petrol ones are a lot easier to find, and there's loads in good condition. A 5 door small block petrol you're most likely to find would be a late 1.3 'CL' or 1.1 'C Formel E'. There are more 5 door models in the big block range. Let us know how you get on.  

Mick, if I come across a mk1 diesel or small engine I'll let you know  

cheers mate thats much appreciated, ive been offered one on here already but its put og my price range.

am i being unrealistic in hoping to pau about £300-£400 for one that needs some tidying up doing?

an engine swap is something i wouldnt mind doing but ive learnt from the swap on my bmw that it drastically increased my insurance premium, but im not ruling that idea out, neither am i ruling out getting a caddy either.

hi welcome

hope you find what your looking for, the search is always pain staking but worth it  :wink: