[the brit]

Hello, my name is Jamie, and I'm going on a stupid 3,000 mile trip to buy a junk car, and then drive it 3,000 miles back, within 5 days.

A couple of months ago a 1996 VW Golf Harlequin blew up a weird corner of the interwebs, when it was spotted going into a central California junkyard. The person who had owned it since new had evidently donated it to a charity, who thought it was junk, and promptly sold it to the yard. Lots of people tried to buy it, but no luck. It went into the yard, got stripped and vandalized, and that was the end of it. Except I had called their corporate office as a member of the media, and I kept perusing it..

Then I went to Europe with a couple of US cars for the Worthersee GTI Treffen, and came back to a voicemail. The car was mine, I just had to pay, do paperwork, and get it out of there.

To pause on the Worthersee trip for a moment, here's a quick video from the opening stages of it, in case you're interested..:

So.. The Harlequin.

Here's photos of the car a few days after it went into the yard:

and here's the 'now' photos, that a non-car enthusiast friend took for me this week:

Battery cables cut out. All fluids removed, by drilling or draining. Seats, and lots of other parts are gone, not least the wheels. Back window smashed.

So.. my plan is to fly to San Francisco this Saturday. I will then fix the car on Sunday/Monday/Tuesday, and then drive it back to Pennsylvania before Friday when I have a hard deadline to be here in the morning. Seems flawless.

I love documenting my projects on TCL / VWVortex, so i'm going to try and do so here. Otherwise, social media links are:

Instagram.com/xjamiexoe
Facebook.com/therealJamieOrr
https://www.youtube.com/user/british16v (at least until I have enough followers to change the channel name :laugh

If anyone's in the Bay Area and wants to hang out, I'll be there this coming Sunday to work on the car. Here's the FB Event page with details: https://www.facebook.com/events/162554380950847/

 

[TooFitToQuit]

Road Kill, but with crayons.

 

[ohiodub_99.5]

You are a special one Jamie... god-speed and all that jazz opcorn::laugh:

 

[Crispyfritter]

I'm in. This is awesome. Let me know if you need any help in the middle of the country.

Chris

 

[BagelConsultant]

I'm in for this thread :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Kwabena]

Subscribed!

Bummer that I was bored in the Bay area last weekend and would have enjoyed meeting up.

 

[G0to60]

I love it!

 

[jreed1337]

cool to see you save it. :thumbup:

i went to the yard to check it out and thought there was no chance.

i heard lots of people tried to buy it with no luck, how did you end up getting it out of the yard in one piece?

 

[the brit]

Oh, and here's some photos of the Harlequin that I completely restored last year here in PA, and then shipped to Europe. It got new floor pans, new paint, new wiring, interior, and finally a new head gasket just before we left. We drove it on the Nurburgring, through Paris, and all across Germany etc.

Nurburgring:

On brief display outside the Porsche museum:

 

[NeverEnoughCars]

IN!
:beer:

 

[Fastvolks]

Saw this on the insta today, seems like a lot of work in short time! Can't wait to see the transformation :beer:.

 

[the brit]

Thanks everyone!

Road Kill, but with crayons.

That's the best description I've heard yet.

You are a special one Jamie... god-speed and all that jazz opcorn::laugh:

Thanks :laugh:

I'm in. This is awesome. Let me know if you need any help in the middle of the country.

Thanks, it's appreciated.

cool to see you save it. :thumbup:

i went to the yard to check it out and thought there was no chance.

i heard lots of people tried to buy it with no luck, how did you end up getting it out of the yard in one piece?

I called their corporate HQ immediately, as a member of the media, and kept going from there. It was a brick wall, until I got the right person, who was awesome. Sadly in the interim the car went downhill fast.

 

[jreed1337]

I called their corporate HQ immediately, as a member of the media, and kept going from there. It was a brick wall, until I got the right person, who was awesome. Sadly in the interim the car went downhill fast.

glad to hear it! best of luck to you. :thumbup:

i can donate some Blue DE seats to the cause if you want.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?8410138-FS-MK3-Blue-Drivers-Edition-Seats-From-1998-GTI

 

[SWeetie]

In, this gonna be good :beer:

 

[GLI Dan]

Best of luck.:beer:

I really like the subtle color match of the wheels on the restored one in europe.

 

[BltByKrmn]

Oh, and here's some photos of the Harlequin that I completely restored last year here in PA, and then shipped to Europe. It got new floor pans, new paint, new wiring, interior, and finally a new head gasket just before we left.

I thought you were nuts, but then I saw this. Good luck. :beer:

 

[Crispyfritter]

Would you mind describing your plan of attack? Taking any parts with you? Got a line on some parts? Will you be doing the work in the yard?

Chris

 

[Metallitubby]

I support this decision. :thumbup:

 

[the brit]

glad to hear it! best of luck to you. :thumbup:

i can donate some Blue DE seats to the cause if you want.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?8410138-FS-MK3-Blue-Drivers-Edition-Seats-From-1998-GTI

Thanks. I'm hoping to find a car in the junkyard that I can get at least a drivers seat from, and just rock that home until I get a real set. There's also a tiny chance that the person who bought the correct set might be reachable still..

Best of luck.:beer:

I really like the subtle color match of the wheels on the restored one in europe.

Thanks! I used 16" BBS OEM wheels from Europe, as a subtle upgrade, with the added colors inside the faces. The work was done by Perfect Metal Finishing in Newark, NJ and they really nailed it on a tight deadline that I gave them :laugh:

I thought you were nuts, but then I saw this. Good luck. :beer:

Probably still nuts..

Would you mind describing your plan of attack? Taking any parts with you? Got a line on some parts? Will you be doing the work in the yard?

Chris

Myself, and the interwebs, are scouring through the photos looking for all the parts that are missing/damaged. I have a parts car here at my shop, which I'm going to raid, and carry the parts on the plane with me, along with tools.

I've been trying to find a company with local outlets there that would be willing to supply consumable parts, such as oil, coolant, a battery, brake fluid, etc, but Advance Auto doesn't have stores there, and I have no contacts for PepBoys, Autozone, etc. Worst case, I'll hit a Walmart super center for most of that stuff. I'm also planning to carry a new oil pan, filter, etc on board the plane.

 

[Shmi]