Hey fellas! Chris here. This is going to be a repair/build log for my Canadian '89 Mk2 Jetta 1.6td (LHD). Putting this here because I'm bound to run into issues, and this community has been an amazing source of information! Plus, it'll be helpful for me to document & maybe someone will find it useful someday.
CURRENT STATUS: Parts OrderedBACKGROUND:Back at the end of November 2025, I was driving home, and the SUV in front of me suddenly stopped abruptly. Basically got brake checked (and unfortunately failed). That's a long story, and I won't get into the chain of events but...
I think the damage looks worse than it is. The engine didn’t stop when I hit them, but the alternator light came on. I shut it off immediately. Their bumper contacted my grille and hood. Grille is toast. Rad support bent. The radiator was punctured, and coolant dumped all over the road. The headlights are obviously ruined. And bent the hood and right fender. From what I can see inside… no extreme damage. It does appear the OEM airbox got punctured by the back of the headlight. Once the car is back in my hands, then I can get a better look and will update below.
And so the rebuild begins! The vehicle was branded, unfortunately, and the Ministry of Transportation here requires a structural safety, mechanical safety, and wheel alignment before I can get it back on the road. So it'll be tricky navigating the optimal way to do everything... as the car will need to be towed several times over the course of the repair and getting it back on the road. The intent is to do 90% of the work myself (some of this will be a first for me) and the remaining 10% will be paint or minor body work by a shop.
NON-RELEVANT BACKGROUND:
I was fortunate enough to be gifted the car from an estate when a family friend passed away... the car was originally purchased from the Dealership in 1988 by a German immigrant to Canada. From what I gather, the car was manufactured in Germany in early 1988 before being shipped to the Canadian market for sale. It is a 1989 model year. The original owner passed away, and the car went to his son (our family friend). It's only been winter-driven the first 3 years of its life, and the most recent 3 years. So it's been primarily a Summer car for most of its life, and I was planning to make it back to Summer only within the next year.
I've always loved the car, so when it was passed to me, I spent a lot of time learning about it, immersing myself, and restoring various parts. The car only has some minor surface rust. Interior is extremely good... when I opened the cup holders in the back, there was still the silicone bead pack in it. Don't think the back seat was ever even used. There were some things it needed though, primarily under the hood. The biggest of which was a head gasket job that I did this past year. Including a brand new head, cam, valves, seals, etc.
MK2s are much more sparse in Canada than the UK. Even the USA has a much bigger availability than here, so parts are a challenge, and I'm frequently jealous of the meets I see everyone do over in the UK lol but I am happy to be one of the Canadian torch carriers. So with all of the funds I've put into the car (15k-20k CAD) and the history behind the car, I've become very attached. Hence, the want to keep it alive. As I'm sure this entire club understands! Unfortunately, much of my family and co-workers think I'm crazy to still plan on repairing it after this. But, I'm confident I can figure out 90% of the repairs myself... with some help from the community! The other ~10% might have to be shop work, but we'll see how I make out!
Pre-Crash
(https://i.ibb.co/Ld7nzVNc/IMG-7967.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Ld7nzVNc)
(https://i.ibb.co/394GLzcq/Broken-airbox.jpg) (https://ibb.co/394GLzcq) (https://i.ibb.co/Wp2tB5bd/Driver-side.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Wp2tB5bd) (https://i.ibb.co/SXPTJ8wv/Front-End.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SXPTJ8wv) (https://i.ibb.co/CpMy4ZQc/Passenger-light-and-rail.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CpMy4ZQc) (https://i.ibb.co/pBV0jdVJ/Passenger-side.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pBV0jdVJ) (https://i.ibb.co/S7J39PYF/Under-hood.jpg) (https://ibb.co/S7J39PYF)
TO-DO LIST- Strip off all damaged bits & assess for surprises.
- Straighten out bent lip on the upper apron and inner wing.
- Get new hood & fender painted. Replace. Along with side marker light.
- (Final Step) Wheel alignment. Structural Safety. Mechanical Safety. Rebrand to rebuilt with MTO.
PARTS LISTAn ever-developing list of the parts I need/want for this repair...
Needed:
- Hood (191823031E)
- Hood Hinges (https://fablessmanufacturing.com/hidden-hood-strut-kit-vw-mk2-golf-jetta/)
- Right Wing/Fender (191821022E)
- Slam Panel (191805591)
- Grille, Trim, & Badge (191853653F, 191853661, & 323853601)
- Radiator & Coolant (191121251CF & G12evo)
- Rad Fan & Switch (165959455AM & 191959481C)
- Headlights & bulbs (191941753A/B (https://blackforestindustries.com/collections/mk2-diesel/products/mk2-7-crystal-clear-crosshair-headlights-pair?variant=9626791215148), )
- Side Marker Light (https://www.uniquestyleracingstore.com/collections/1985-1992-volkswagen-golf-gti-mk-2/products/1984-1992-vw-golf-gti-jetta-a2-mk2-depo-clear-smoke-or-black-smoked-chrome-banana-fender-bumper-side-marker-light-blsmvwgolf84?variant=40907970216073) (176945071 / 176945072)
- Alternator (maybe)
- Air Intake & Filter