Though nearly all the classics I see in Tokyo are absolutely pristine, there are a few that buck the trend. So in the spirit of doing weekly themes, welcome to T87’s “Basket Case Fortnight,” where the tires are flat, the rust is structural and the paintwork is cooked to a crisp. We’re opening this celebration of decrepitude with a lonesome late-model VW cabriolet, but the other cars will be from different marques, origins and model years.
I don’t know if, when they were teeing up the Golf Cabriolet for production back in the late ‘70s, Volkswagen and Karmann figured it would last as long as it did. But once in full swing, the replacement for the interminable Beetle Cabrio fared way better than what this type of vehicle usually does. This one got stuck in the rough, but many more are still green and putter about.
OK, I’ll quit the golfing gags while I’m ahead. Just one last thing, in reference to this post’s title: golf has been defined, allegedly by Mark Twain, as “a good walk spoiled.” Well, with this one, walking is the only remaining option.
The Giugiaro-designed VW Golf (or, for those of you with a bunny fetish, the “Rabbit”) burst on the scene in the spring of 1974 as a three- or five-door hatchback. Its stated mission was to replace the ancient Beetle as Volkswagen’s bread-and-butter car, which it did in most markets quite successfully by the end of the ‘70s. But the Beetle included a fancy soft-top variant, so the Golf had to have one of those as well to really take the baton from its illustrious predecessor.
Volkswagen farmed out certain niche production lines to various contractors. Beetle four-seater cabriolets had been built quite satisfactorily by Karmann since 1949, so it was natural for the Osnabrück firm to be up for the Golf contract.
source: Wikicommons
Work on the design started as soon as saloon production ramped up. The initial attempt seen above did not meet with VW’s approval, neither did a concurrent two-seater proposal, so a new attempt was made in 1977 with a roll-over bar, as well as a swoopier and sportier hip line, and a more abrupt rear end. Production started in February 1979 and would carry on for the next 14 years.
The odd thing about the Golf Cabriolet is how long it overshot the Mk1 Golf saloon’s 1974-83 production span. Karmann and VW did look into a Mk2 Golf Cabriolet – a prototype was made, but the result, handsome though it was, would have been uneconomical. So rather than having no drop-top at all, VW elected to just carry over the Mk1 design with minimal updates, such as a slightly Mk2-ish looking grille and beefed-up bumpers. This facelift was implemented in 1987 – pretty much at the model’s mid-life.
Our feature car is a Classic Line limited edition, one of the specials Volkswagen’s PR department dreamed up to keep buyers interested in the Cabriolet in the autumn of its production life. Initially, the Classic Line came in two colours: a dark blue with navy blue hood and a dark green with a black top. For 1992-93, a luscious dark red variant was added to the mix.
Cabriolets are clearly a cut above the regular Golfs. Even this overripe one’s interior still looks pretty great, all decked out in beige leather. This was (I think) specific to the red Classic Line, as the other colour combos got black upholstery.
By MY 1991, Golf Cabriolets were sold with a 1.8 litre 4-cyl. on all markets; said 1.8 delivered between 90 and 98hp (DIN), depending on local regulations and specs. Most would have been fitted with a 5-speed manual to eke out the most of that limited amount of power, but many Japanese Golf Cabrios got a slush box. It’s no GTI, after all.
Nevertheless, part of the Classic Line package includes a set of spiffing 15-inch alloys, adding a dash of ‘90s modernity to a ‘70s design. This did not help keep this particular example in regular use, obviously. I found it in a deserted parking lot of the Ikebukuro area – quite a busy part of the Japanese capital.
A very desirable and reputedly reliable imported car going to seed all alone within a thriving and trendy neighbourhood? Something here doesn’t add up. Yet here we are. Plenty of Mk1 Golf Cabriolets are to be found in good running order in present-day Japan, so there are enthusiasts out there. Pity this one was too well-hidden (in plain sight) to be saved.
Of course, it could be resurrected – but why would anyone bother? It’s not rare enough to warrant the expense: Karmann made over 388k Golf Cabriolets in total. A true best-seller, for a very niche model.
Related posts:
Curbside Classic: 1986 Volkswagen Cabriolet – What Women Want, by JPC
CC Outtake: 1986 VW Golf Cabriolet, by Yohai71
Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: 1988 Volkswagen Cabriolet – Nearly Extinct, Especially in New York, by Edward Snitkoff
Amazing ;
It looks so close to my ’82 MkI Rabbit Rag Top .
I can think of quite a few reasons it’s been left unloved .
I don’t see any rust bubbles anywhere and yes, this would be an easy resurrection to a fun car that’s also an easy driver .
I remember my psycho. b. ex G.F. and others hollering for me to slow the hell down as I ripped up and down the Mulholland Highway in it, that was before I upgraded the suspension to GTI spec. .
Nice to learn these got the 1800CC engine, my ’82 only had a 1600CC and could well have used a bit more .
-Nate
“I can think of quite a few reasons it’s been left unloved.”
Agreed. I’ll wager this little guy misses his owner, and his owner wished things were different…
It was love at first sight when I met my coworker in my boss’ office in the Loop on my first day. Instant. Will never forget it. We locked eyes and everyone in the room saw that spark. They laughed about it for years later. She lives in San Francisco and moved to Chicago to take the job on the team a year sooner than I. The problem was she wanted to return to the Golden Gate because she was a complete California Girl. That included her white on white Golf Cabriolet. She hated the racism pocketed in the Windy City. When we met, she changed her mind and stayed.
Yet our jobs required constant jet travel throughout the US. It put a crimp on our availability. Our jobs required secrecy so that no location could be fowarned. We were required to see our location’s daily work environment, not the freshly scrubbed ones they did if they were warned one of us were coming. Our schedules were secrets and we even had fake schedules locked in our office because once our offices were broken into to get at our schedules.
When we could, we spent time from work, driving around the Loop in her white Cabriolet. One would think an interracial affair in 1991 in Chicago wouldn’t be considered odd, but we got looks. She was absolutely gorgeous. Model perfect. Me? Everyone knew I was one lucky SOB. She was not only awesome and professional at work, off-work she was off-work.
But California beckoned. Her mom missed her. She missed her family. So we had to part and she returned to Mason Street in SF with her White on White Cabriolet. I will forever see that beautiful woman with her perfect smile, with the top down in that car.
Fortunately, I still flew to San Francisco and we’d spent as much time as we could with one another as we worked together. But I am a Chicago boy and she is a California girl, and one day I met a Portland girl, and she met a California boy. We still loved one another, but we knew we needed other things than love.
Last year, my wife and I met with one of my old coworkers. While talking about shared experiences, she asked me about that California girl. God how she loved telling my wife about that! It made me both embarrassed and very happy at the same time. Falling in love is a good thing.
Now you know why my heart breaks when I see a White on White Cabriolet.
A gentle pat on the shoulder for you, Dude. Nicely told…
Still have a ’85 Cabriolet in the barn. Needs a new top and complete new interior. Was a fun car for a few years I a couple decades ago when it was my daily. Even put GTI springs and yellow Konis on it. Could use the extra room in the barn, but can’t bring myself to part with it. Think it would be loads of fun with an ALH TDI swap. . .
Depending on what caused it to be parked a younger me, with more time and less money, would have definitely considered getting it back on the road again, if the price was right of course.
I’m not a VW or FWD fan but I am a convertible fan and the tan interior alone makes it worthy. All black interiors aren’t a good thing in a convertible. I know having had two with black seats and one of the big requirements when I purchased my current rag top was no all black interiors.
I’m not seeing any real signs of moisture on the inside so I’m guessing the top is still weather tight. Yeah it looks pretty crappy but I’m sure with work most if not all of the pollen/mold/mildew could be removed and it would look much better. Certainly not perfect but the way I look at is that if I’m driving it the top will be down and mostly out of sight.
And I thought I was the only one with a girl and a Golf Gti Cabrio story to tell. Unlike in VanillaDude’s case, it was one-sided; JR was looking for someone to spite an old boy friend with and I was standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was early 90s UK and she was a Sloane Ranger of sorts (well, with her mixed heritage looks she did not exactly fit the type) and these Golfs were almost de rigueur for that ilk. She was a good driver when sober and utterly fearless when drunk (which she often was). Alas, it did not last – once I served my purpose, I was disposed off unceremoniously. She later sold the Golf to make room for an MX5 after caught DUI in London. She has been dead for a year now – the drinking finally caught up with her I suppose. The Golf? Who knows – it might still be alive; after all, they are now collectors vehicles with a strong following…
A gentle pat for you, too, T.
Oh this was a very long time ago and besides, from what I gathered, she had been visited upon by a short-tempered Karma with a splitting headache – so getting overly upset about it now would be pointless I guess… Thanks anyway.