I'm back B1tches...

[DaveGLD]

After a bit of an absence from the forum, I've just bought a B1 Wagon which should be in my driveway as of tonight.





I sold my Golf GLD a few years ago but sort of regretted it, I loved the economy and how it drove, but not so much how it looked and the constant mechanical issues (although by the time I sold it I think I had sorted most of them!).

Since then we moved house and have welcomed another new addition to the family, a beautiful baby girl who is now 6 months old. While we were renovating and moving, I got sick of trying to cart building supplies and furniture around in my old Merc sedan, so I bought a Mitsubishi express van. Loved the space and cheap parts but it is a total whitegood and expensive to run. Because I'm not a tradie or a courier, driving around in a white windowless van makes me feel a bit like a sex offender or a backpacker who is renting a wicked camper.


A few months back I bought this Golf GLS:

I wanted to get it running and re-sell it but it was too badly rusted and the brakes were shot, so I started parting it out. At the recommendation of other VWW forum members I joined up on the EuroSA and Mk1 Golf Adelaide facebook groups and have met a hell of a lot of really awesome folks in the past few weeks who have come to buy parts off me.

With all the talk of Golfs and other VWs I started looking for something with a bit more street cred to replace the Express Van. I even considered Taylor's Mk1 Golf Cabrio but someone snapped that up very quickly, which was probably a good move because it would have been a totally impractical choice. So I started thinking about a Kombi - surely I could grab a late 70s bay window for a couple grand... so I started looking at Kombis and FAARK ME! Kombis have gone through the goddamn roof! $5k for a rusty non-runner bay window, at least $8-10k for anything drivable and registered.

So I noticed this B1 wagon that had been listed on the Euro SA facebook page since November last year. Thought it would have been sold by now but last week saw someone post about it and it was still for sale. Went and had a look and it was too good to walk away from.

Plans are to tidy it up along the lines of what I did with the Golf GLD, keep it stock except for some wheels, sound system and perhaps lower it. Going for some 14s with 195 tyres - either mk3 steelies, BMW bottle top mags or something like these period rims:

It's an auto so not going to win any races, but should be a great cruiser and runabout, while still having some of the cargo capacity and towing ability of the van.

Will be starting a refurb thread in the B1 subforum to document all the progress. Fun times ahead!

[sports racer]

I've always had a soft spot for the early wagons but my wife and kids think I'm crazy.

Good luck with turning it into a cruiser, should be sweet. Love that grill.

Now if only you had a Roundie and not Finnies, lots of room in the boot. I once snuck 3 mates into the drive-in.

Cheers

Paul