1983 Golf GX (Silver)

Description:Model: VW GOLF MK1

Spec/Trim option: Golf GX (1457cc)

Year of manufacture: 1983
Mileage: 145000
Price: £1995 ONO
Location: Telford, Shropshire
Contact details: Call Chris on 07866 668163, 01952 228585, or email highflyingbird@ymail.com
Condition: Excellent daily driver
Service history: Service book stamped up to 2002, loads of invoices since then.
Mot expiry Date: August 2014
Taxed or sorn: September 2014

Description:

Regretfully the time has come to part with my MK1 which I have cherished for the last 6 years. Unfortunately due to a change in working circumstances, and needing a car that I can insure for business use and that is more suited to frequent motorway stretches, my little MK1 which I never truthfully thought I would be parting with, has got to go.

This is a really fine example of the Golf GX, which, if you don't know, was the high-spec run out model for the carburated version of the Golf (equivalent to the "Campaign" model for the GTI. This means it has such luxuries as fog lights and a sunroof, as well as the one-year only upholstery pattern inside. The first owner had this car for 20 years and maintained it meticulously. I have a massive folder of paperwork going back to 1984 demonstrating how fastidious he was in keeping on top of the car's maintenance. I am the 4th owner, and I have had the car since February 2008 and have looked after it just as carefully.

One of the owners in between had put an oversized and inappropriate looking set of alloys on it, as well as allowing the bodywork to deteriorate in places. So one of the first things I did in my ownership was to repaint the set of original steel wheels that were also included in the sale, and source a set of chrome hubcaps and clips for these. I also bought four brand new Pirelli tyres to fit to them. After about a year of running like this, a set of Pirelli P-slots caught my eye for sale locally, and I have been running on these ever since. However, the original steel wheels and hubcaps (with nearly new tyres) will be included in the sale if you wish to take them as well. The P-slots are in generally good order, though one is kerbed (see pictures) and one hubcap is missing. I have only managed two periods of about two weeks each where I had all four hubcaps. One got stolen very quickly on both occasions, so I haven't bothered to replace it. They are the Mk2 version of the P-slot wheels, and hubcaps tend to pop up on ebay quite frequently for these, at about £10-15 each. So you could easily replace the missing one, run it as it is, run it with the steelies, or put something else on altogether. The choice is yours.

Bodywise this car is in really excellent condition. I know, because I have spent a lot of money keeping it that way! Since I have had the car it has had the rear arches done twice - the first time was, unbeknownst to me, a bit of a botch but lasted five years. They have since been done again properly by a highly skilled independent bodyshop, the proprietor of which used to work as a body repair man for a VW dealership, and who has a very healthy and confidence-inspiring aversion to body filler! He does a proper job and it will last. He has also replaced the O/S sill, and both front wings. I have spent upwards of £1500 on bodywork in the last few years; like I said, I was expecting to be keeping the car forever, so I certainly didn't want it to be just "patched up". But circumstances change, and someone else will be able to reap the benefit of my investment. This car is truly the most solid and rust-free daily driven MK1 I have seen, and always elicits a great deal of admiring comments wherever it goes.

I also upgraded the filler neck to a stainless steel version for peace of mind that it would never rust away and cause problems to the fuel system. You will also inherit that peace of mind with the car!

The cambelt was changed in 2012 after an oil leak from the intermediate shaft necessitated it. This was only about 12000 miles ago so it won't need doing again for a good long while.

The engine has done 145000 miles, a genuine mileage backed up by the wealth of paperwork that goes with this car. It still runs very well now. I always maintain the ignition system meticulously, changing points, condenser, rotor arm, dizzy cap and spark plugs each year, despite covering an average of less than 5000 miles per annum in the time I have had the car. Consequently the car fires up eagerly on the first turn of the key. The carburettor is the Weber 36tlp which is the standard replacement for the Pierburg 1B3 which always die after about 100000 miles. There was already a Weber on it when I bought it, but it had a leaking diaphragm, and in those days the replacement kits were pretty keenly priced so I just bought a new one and had done with it. This carburettor has only had about 20000 miles use therefore.

The car is a great runner. I use it every day, as it has been my only car throughout the last 6 years. I have always been able to rely on it, and it has never broken down and left me stranded. A well-looked after VW deserves its reputation for reliability! The engine uses a small amount of oil, but not out of keeping with its age. I probably top it up about half a litre every 1000 miles or so. It doesn't smoke and there are no rattles from the engine bay, though I would say the tappets are a little bit chuntery first thing in the morning. There are similar cars out there with much higher mileages, so I have no reason to believe that the engine wouldn't last for a good long time yet.

The car is taxed until September and MOT'd until August.

Any inspection is more than welcome. I am confident that the first to come and see this car will fall in love with it as I did.

Bad points are few and far between. The kerbed alloy/missing hubcap let down the exterior a little, as does the front bumper, which is dented on one corner (from before I had the car) and quite badly faded. Inside, the car suffers from the usual bolster wear on the drivers' seat, but the rest of the interior, as you can see from the pictures, is immaculate.

Please come and have a look at the car if you are interested, I'm certain you won't be disappointed. I need to cancel the insurance policy very soon, in order to obtain a letter of good driving from my insurers to supply to my new insurers as proof of my entitlement to a no claims discount. So I'm after a quick sale and would be amenable to reasonable offers close to the asking price, which I believe is a fair reflection of the car's general condition and history.

And now for some pictures: