Canadian Spent New Porsche 911 GT3 Money In Classic VW GTI, Sells It For A Fraction Of The Cost

How far would you go to relive your golden days in a car from your carefree days? How does investing $140,000 along with some 12,000 hours modifying it sound to you?

Absurd, but that’s exactly what Canadian Derek Spratt estimates to have spent on a Volkswagen Rabbit GTI restoring the classic hot hatch with a few modern twists, before selling it to a young couple from Vancouver for a fraction of the cost.

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His ties with the GTI date back to when he was a college student in Ontario. In the summer of 1984, his then-girlfriend and now-wife drove from Vancouver to San Francisco in the German hatch and had the time of their life. In 2011, when Spratt turned 50, he decided to relive those days, so he bought a 1983 Rabbit GTI and went to work.

Countless weekends and sleepless nights later, his project was completed. The German hatch received an improved suspension and braking along with a custom engine. Spratt chose natural aspiration instead of turbocharging, with the power unit kicking out 220 HP, 130 HP more than the original lump. The GTI was also equipped with adjustable and heated seats, electric windows, push-button start and a few other gizmos, including a touchscreen digital dash.

During the short time he had it in his possession, Spratt drove it to several car shows and recreated the trip from Vancouver to San Francisco with his eldest son. He doesn’t count selling it as a loss, as he’s actually happy that it ended up in a loving home, surrounded by passionate people.

For his next project, he plans to convert a 1961 Beetle to electric power. “The technology behind converting a vintage vehicle to an electric car really interests me”, he said.