@RUSTY.RYDER

Back then, Golfs weren't as common in the market or I at least didn't know where to find a good one, and I managed to purchase this one for £1,250. To afford it, I saved up over two birthdays and a Christmas, on top of this I had a paper round that earned me £20 a week. The car, true to its nickname "Rusty Ryder," was riddled with rust—holes in the A and B pillars, a body crying out for attention, and an engine that had clocked over 320,000 miles. Despite its 1.3L engine producing around 55 horsepower, it still ran, not well but it ran.

With the invaluable help of my dad and amazing brother, we embarked on restoring the car. Every panel needed fixing, replacing, or repainting. We tackled the rust, welded new body panels over the places we cut out, and we also gave the inside some love and care by adding a new roof lining and painting any of the aged areas. Once this was done it went off to paint, one thing I love about this car is the PAINT IS FACTORY colour code LA5T spelling last as it was made December 1991 right before the Golf MK2 stopped productio

Once the car was structurally sound, I began personalizing it. My first modification was fitting a Hella double-deck rear spoiler, which came along with a set of old BBS wheels my brother got me. This spoiler is a rare find and adds a distinctive touch to the car's rear still to this day one of the better looking things that I don't see to much. I also installed clear Hella tail lights these where purchased at a car show just by asking... if you don't ask you don't get, giving the car a cleaner look we also added clears all over if there was a light we would make it clear. To complete the lighting setup, I added Hella light covers to the inner grille lights, enhancing the front-end aesthetics this is one of them things I had seen since first wanting a MK2 golf.

Determined to improve performance, I researched and decided to swap in a 1.8T engine from a Mk4 GTI. This turbocharged 1.8L engine produces between 180 to 220 horsepower, depending on the specific variant. The swap transformed the driving experience, making it more responsive and enjoyable mine was the AGU version so pushing around 184hp but you can imagen with a car light car like a mk2 Golf it feels like a go cart. We also shaved the engine bay, welding in new smooth plates to clean up the look and showcase the new engine properly.

To complement the performance upgrade, I added a set of WORK Equip 01 wheels, paint-matched to the car's body this was a small touch I did to make sure that they felt like MY wheels not just some random wheels. These wheels are known for their classic design and high-quality construction. I also spent two years searching for a Zender body kit to complete the car's look. With my brother's help, we finally found a complete kit, including Zender side skirts, a front lip, and rear this kit took ages to find and also couldn't find any information about it but seeing BBS kit and big bumper kits I knew I wanted something different and something to give that low look. These parts are rare and add a unique flair to the car.

As a surprise for my 21st birthday, my brother gifted me an air suspension setup. This addition not only improved ride quality but also allowed for adjustable ride height, enhancing both aesthetics and practicality

Overall

I could talk about this car for years but some main things I want to say without my brother Mitchel I wouldn't even be into cars so without him I would have nothing his help mind and work has made this car what it is today and just an FYI if you see me at a show don't ask me anything as I only know MK2 golfs and 1.8t's so I cant help with anything.

RUSTY.RYDER