A real find for me, this; the German Motor Parts (GMP) racing Golf coming to light after all these years. GMP was started in 1975 by Joe and Claudia Klitzsch in Charlotte, North Carolina with the aim of supplying spares and tuning parts (from such notable companies as Sach, Oettinger, BBS et al). One year on, they then bought a green and mustard colour '75 VW Rabbit as a daily driver, which soon was transformed into an SCCA GT4 racer (Joes being a regular in the series). The car was a regular winner, but as time and tide came and went, the Rabbit was put out to pasture (the back of the workshop, but lets not spoil the analogy) in 1990. GMP went from strength and to mark the company's 35th anniversary, they chose to pull the old gal out of mothballs and restore her to her former glory.
Instead of me gassing on about it, get your Zeiss reading glasses out and get stuck into these features; a nice article on
Eurotuner about the finished car:
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| 20 years in hiding, the GMP Rabbit (oh go on then, Golf) is pulled blinking into the public spotlight |
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| Note welding on bottom of stub axle, where its been cut to add static negative camber |
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| Modified ream beam, with a-frame style links |
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| Ingenious oil cooler mounting mirrors air intake induction on other headlight; has ducting for dedicated cooling |
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| Note off VW Motorsport strengthening panels, designed to stiffen up the front end. Who's gonna be the person to make a killing by re-manufacturing these? |
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| As well as remaking these tuff, tuff, TUFF flared wheelarches |
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| Who needs stretch when sidewall looks this good? |
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| Fuel cell, circa 1980... |
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| ...and dry sump tank |
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| Original builder Joe Klitzsch (middle) and sons |
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