This V5-Swapped MkI Golf Is The Project Car We Wish Was Cheaper

It’s not all that often that a modified MkI Golf catches our eye, but this one is keeping it in the family by swapping out the original motor for the 2.3-litre V5 found in the MkIV Golf.

From the pictures on the eBay advert it also looks like the car is almost completely stripped out, making it about as heavy as a jar of mouse breath. It has two front seats taken from an RS 4, the owner says, but it does sound an alarm bell that not all the pictures seem to be current; only one seat is visible in one of the pics. If you can’t be bothered to take new photos for your advert, why should anyone bother to buy your car?

With 168bhp theoretically on tap from the characterful and unusual V-engine, this thing is most likely pretty quick. The build has only just been completed, says the seller. The wheels are going to be a matter of taste, being just that bit too wide for the car, but it could be a great laugh.

It looks to have been built with care, if the expensive KW coilovers are any guide. The seats probably weren’t cheap and it’s also had a new exhaust, claims the seller.

Although we like the idea, the £9000 Buy It Now price is a bit off-putting. He seems to have taken the standard Mk1 Golf going rate and added on everything he’s spent (plus a bit extra), but as we all should know, it doesn’t work like that. There’s a largely tidy MkI GTI that just needs seats, priced at £5000; £4000 cheaper than the modified car, and it’s not alone.

What’s more, the left-hand drive car is currently in Poland despite being advertised on eBay UK, so we don’t know how you’re supposed to view it. The engine swap and concept are more than worthy, but the more you consider it, the more it seems like it’s a case of nearly, but not quite.