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Unrestored 16 Valve: 1991 VW GTI

The seller of an untouched Volkswagen GTI 16 Valve claims to have driven the car for less than 100 miles after searching for two years for one. That’s a strange way to enjoy a car you’ve longed for, so we suspect this is more of a case of an ambitious flipper given the opening bid of $10,000. Still, cars like this GTI found here on eBay are legitimately significant hard to find in any condition, much less well-preserved like this one is. 

The seller is quick to point out this car is unrestored and not unmodified. It is the latter, featuring some period upgrades such as the Neuspeed shift knob and steering wheel as well as a modified coilover suspension. It also features one of the most desirable upgrades from the era, the very pricey Quaiff limited slip differential. The OEM Recaro seats were also recovered in VW’s tartan cloth pattern. While it is undoubtedly not a stock example, the modifications seen here are all reversible.

More importantly, the original DOHC 16V motor has been left stock, with no sign of the ABD “Big Bore” cold-air intake that so many MK2s are modified with. The engine bay is quite clean and the only enhancement is the replacement of the fuel pumps, as the original equipment suffered from failure-prone plastic accumulators. You’ll note the suspension / chassis modifications carry over to the engine bay, however, with the presence of a Neuspeed front stress bar.

The OEM BBS wheels are the best look for this car, and the paint looks as good as the seller proclaims it to be. In fact, some areas are down to primer due to the previous owner buffing it so vigorously. The plastic fender flares haven’t damaged the metalwork beneath, as the seller has inspected them to reveal shiny paint. While we don’t see the opening bid of $10K as a particularly productive way to sell this car, the seller’s not incorrect that these survivor hot hatches are commanding a fair price when they do pop up.

Comments

  1. Avatar Scot Douglas

    Not as fun as the original GTI 8V, but still very nice. (But not 10K nice)…

    Like 0
  2. Avatar Patrick D.

    Oh look! A unicorn!

    Unmolested VW Golf Mk2 GTI 16V are pretty much extinct.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Superdessucke

    Nice car but knowing VW enthusiasts he probably got this 100 miles ago for 4 grand plus a Tupperware container of pot brownies. They are third on the cheapness scale, only behind Volvo and Saab enthusiasts, LOL!

    You wouldn’t come close to getting your money back out of it – especially if you drove it as intended. At 5- 6k it might be worth a look. Not at 10 tho.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Ben Kline

    I had a 91 Jetta GLI that I loved for 6 months until I took a Corrado SLC with the VR6 for a ride. See ya Jetta, hello Corrado.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar LJSW1982

    Should the US spec front bumper have the Euro (rectangular) license plate recess?

    Like 0

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