> TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAR
My motor is a 1983 (Y) VW Golf GTI Mark 1. Its dark blue (not black!) and is fitted with a 1.8 litre 16V lump, Twin 40 Webber carburetors, Four-into-one outlet manifold and full Jetex SS exhaust System  - nothing sounds like a mark 1 - its like the RAF Spitfire of the highways - so distinct.

> HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THE GTI?
This particular car I've had for just over a year. Prior to this one I've had four similar examples.

> HOW MUCH DID YOU PAY FOR IT?
The princely sum of £2600.

> WHY DID YOU BUY IT?
Its the only car I find always makes me smile when i drive it. I've had more vehicles than I care to divulge but the Mark 1 Golf is the only car I never get bored of.

> WHERE DID YOU BUY IT?
From a nice guy who works for BMW as a mechanic over in Wokingham. Apparently he and his father spotted it on a local forecourt and decided it would be fun to have a little toy for the weekend. They had several cars in their garage when I bought it. I think the lady of the house was kicking up a bit of a stink about not being able to put her car on the driveway so luckily for me they decided the Golf had to go.

> HOW MUCH HAVE YOU SPENT IMPROVING IT?
When I bought my recent Golf it was prepped for racing. With a new baby in the house the fact that the car only had two seats, a roll cage and racing harnesses didn't go too well with the Mrs!! So I had to set about sourcing original interior parts sharpish, first call my High Wycombe breaker friends. Turns out they're not there anymore - I later established this was because they were convalescing at Her Majesty's pleasure; the fact they had so many cars hidden in the woods really didn't seem quite so coincidental on reflection. Anyway, if it wasn't for e-bay and a plethora of other Golf enthusiasts it would have been impossible to rebuild the interior. I guess, with the ICE I must have shed a grand restoring it. Annoyingly I couldn't source a red striped rear bench so had to go with grey, so if you know anyone who has a couple of pristine grey front seats for a MkI I'll pay top dollar.

In my opinion, BBS wheels are made for Golfs. So I had to swap the tired 6 Spoke Borbet Cs that came with it for some 15" Split rim boots wrapped in lovely Yoko rubber. Much better now thanks. I got a couple of minor exterior bits of trim though nothing unoriginal to either the late GTI or GTI campaign editions. It's basically unmolested otherwise - its all got to be tasteful you know. I hate it when people try to make an old classic look modern, or put on a private plate to hide the age - why? It makes it obvious you are trying not to let everyone know you can't afford a new one.

> WOULD YOU BUY ANOTHER GOLF GTI?
Only if its in better nick than mine. Which is getting more unlikely by the day.   

> DO YOU DRIVE ANY OTHER CARS?
No. That would be masochism. (See next answer).

> WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE CAR?
Depends on my mood. If I'm in the mood for a sports car I think the only super car that could capture the rawness of the GTI would be a Porsche GT3. If the mood dictates something more sedate, say an SUV, it can only be the Cadillac Escalade...Pimped of course.

> WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRIVE?
Anywhere as long as its in my Golf.

> FAVOURITE MUSIC TO PLAY IN THE CAR?
At the moment it's 'Plant Life - The Return of Jack Splash' (below)