Time-Capsule '89 VW Polo: When the Car Finds You
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ย. 2024
- To your average European, a 1989 VW Polo is background noise. But take that car and plop it in America, and suddenly you've got something pretty special.
[CARISMA is The Drive's new series exploring the connection between enthusiasts and their cars. See the full playlist: • CARISMA ]
"I think the car truly finds you. You can look all you want, but it'll find you without a doubt," owner Johnny says. "They'll be signs the universe will give you, and it's like, that's it."
Built from 1981 to 1994, the second-gen VW Polo supermini is a tiny car with a tiny 1.0 liter four-cylinder engine. Design-wise it has the face of an 80s Golf with the kammback shape of, among other things, the Ferrari 250 GT Breadvan. It all comes together in the kind of practical, no-nonsense package VW used to excel at making. It wasn't sold here for obvious reasons.
With an artist's eye, Johnny was immediately taken the first time he saw a Polo, in a Facebook Marketplace listing. That one didn't work out, but his sudden obsession led him to a guy who eventually helped him import his own from the UK.
It's a true survivor, with the only period-correct modifications like those rally wheels and a vintage OEM roof rack. It's like driving a time capsule down the road, one that landed in Johnny's life with its own history and stories to unpack.
"To me, the car is complete. There's nothing else I want to change or adjust with it. It's just perfect for me," Johnny says. "Older things in general, there's something about them that feels really real, and that just resonates with me. It's this desire to search for quality, that classic 'they don't make them like the used to.'"
Produced, shot, and edited by / tomgorelik
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We imported this for Johnny!!! 🤘
I've seen tons of people importing JDMs, but haven't been able to find someone that does Europe! You import only from the UK?
I love this.
I see that in the US, this is a rare car and kinda special for that reason - but it’s “just” a Polo. And that is what I love the most - seeing people genuinely adore these simple, durable, fun old cars that are not really worth a lot objectively, not that collectible, etc. But they mean something to YOU. And that’s a real bond.
Yup, not special to everyone, I'm on your side, I'd take the fuel hit for a 1989 ford town car or even 1990 when they changed them.
Feel every word. Gorgeous car. NYC here too with 3 cars. My little smart gets me from A to B, my Saabs (which I occasionally drive) get my A to Z. Love driving my 20 year old Saabs around, to me still one of the best drives around.
Hope you have parking space...
I had an audi a8 and finding parking or moving to the other side every other day was a pain... I upgraded to a smart and it was a smart move!
@@mocanlagunas Nothing beats the ease of a Smart in New ayork City. I keep the 2 saabs upstate in a parking lot. Found some very cheap parking in Saugarties, NY.
Love it. Great to see the UK car out there living a second life in the sun.
You’ve done a great job with it too. Looks really tidy.
Am so into these short docs that The Drive has been making as of late. Please keep it up!
thanks for your support ✌️
I have had a few polos of this era. I had an original 92 G40. I initially thought this was a g40 converted bread van as we call them here in the UK but then I realised it’s actually a G registration uk polo. For those that don’t know G tells us that the car is registered around 1990.
Cool video and I get it. Its cool that it’s so rare in America. That must feel special. We had these cars in vast numbers here. My friend from school, his dad had a blue one ‘jazz’ edition. He would take a load of us to school in it, a mile up the road. There’d be 5 of us squashed on the back seat. This was the 90’s, the days when you could risk that and all that would happen would be a word off the police. Great memories.
I appreciate that he considers the car a "finished project". So many classic car owners, myself included, think of our cars as never ending projects. That's usually because maintenance is never ending, but also a creative vision for a car can often have no bounds, whether in modification or in restoration. But I like that this VW Polo is finished with its light level of modification. Just superb!
For sure! I don’t think I’ve ever said that. Refreshing
thank you. Sometimes you have to know when to quit & just keep up routine maintenance :]
My first car was a 94 polo, good times man. You could dismantel and repair the entire car with screwdriver and a wrench. Car was super forgiving. I kinda miss this lil car
My first car was a '90 in red, given to me by my Mum. Amazing little thing, managed to pull me, my friends, two Alpine V12's and a pair of ported 10"s.......and I only had to turn it down a couple of notches at night to keep my headlights bright!!
2:21 dude wth back off
Class. My first car was an 88 Polo Formel E… always wanted the G40.
Great video. I absolutely agree with you that the car finds you. For me it was a 95' Volvo 850 wagon. I've had over 20 cars and it's the only one I never sold. 600K miles and still runs on it's original drivetrain
Really nice to see a mk2 Polo breadvan in the US, especially on the original British number plates, but why not get one from mainland Europe in LHD?
I passed my driving test in my dad’s 1986 ‘C’ plate Polo and ran a 1991 ‘H’ plate through medical school. Great little cars but the lack of servo assistance for the brakes on RHD cars was a major omission
About 30 yrs ago, while we were in Italy we drove one of these, overnight from Verona to the heel of Italy... Two couples, one baby, one baby seat, baby paraphernalia, luggage, roof-rack with more luggage... Had fun in the sun for a couple days and did the same thing again going back!
I imported a Eunos Roadster from Japan, with an automatic. I fully understand how Johnny feels.
My Mum had a silver E reg. brand new when I was 8. 😂 This video brought back some epic memories!
These were so common to see, that we would not even blink our eyes when we'd see one. The Polo was the more affordable version of the Golf; cars in Europe come in classes. Volkswagen in the time did not have an "A" class (Smallest) car (later on this was the Volkswagen Lupo) but the Polo was Their "B" class car. The Golf and the Volkwagen Jetta are their "C" class car and the Volkswagen Passat is their "D" class car. Most makes have their own A, B, C and D class cars, some makes even go further with "E" class cars like the later Volkswagen Phaethon. Volkswagen is known to sell high quality cars but in general relatively high priced and (in Europe) almost nothing was standard in these cars. If you'd desire options and accessories at the time on a Volkswagen, you better make sure you will pay a lot. You therefor will find many Volkswagen cars for sale without many options and accessories in basic line-up. The advantage of this all is: options and accessories which the car comes without, won't break down due to aging. Bare bone cars will last the longest. By purchasing a Volkswagen you will have to agree with the fact that things like Air-con, electric windows, Cruise-Control, heated rear window, central locking and more of these obvious things to have, you will most likely will have to do without. Only if you're lucky you will find any Volkswagen fully dressed, or even properly dressed; options and accessories wise spoken. They will last long though!
Also had an '89 Polo, although mine was a "C". Loved that little car. Buzzed around country lanes feeling like road of toad hall. Drum brakes without servo assistance required some commitment to stop, though!
Great story about a cool car, fabulous footage! I just gave away a coupe version of the Polo 2 (86C) after having in parked in a garage for over 15 years! I also had the 86C version, the predecessor, 1979 Polo 1, which I used for hill climb racing! Great cars - both of them. I'll miss them!
Ah, my first car was a "breadvan" Polo, but a facelifted 1991 model. Total rustbucket but so much fun.
These series are so good man. They just hit home
I've grown up with Polos being everywhere (and they still are), but it's great to see one over there and so loved.
I grew up down there and wonder if anyone remembers another bit of guerilla art that I loved. I don't recall the exact spot but I think it was somewhere heading west along the 101 where part of it went into a particularly dreary deep trench with high concrete walls on both sides. At the most depressing part, it went under a pedestrian overpass where some creative folks decided to drop loads of brightly colored paints which the cars then spread out into the most magnificent rainbow. It always cheered me up to see that splash of color amongst all that grey.
Long long way from the UK this 1989 VW Polo this 2nd generation Polo 1981-1990 now very rare in the UK
Uk here, i love this, that car looks so happy 😊 🇬🇧
British cars don't have yellow lights btw but who cares, that numberplate rocks! 🗽
Wow, what a beautiful Polo. As for those wheels, what a great choice. My first car was a 1988 Polo Ranger in Atlas Grey. It was supposedly my Mums car but she kinda lost that one…..
So weird seeing UK plates in the US
She's beautiful, love the wheels.
Man those rally wheels are the cherry on top… What a cool classic Polo!
In 1990 my mate was 18 for his birthday his Dad said do you want gold or silver? He said Gold and recieved a brand new 90 G plate Polo GL in Gold! He gave me numerous lifts to College it was rare better than everyone else's £500 rot boxes!
this is cool af and shot really well. but it deffo looks 10x better in NYC than it would in the UK ngl lol. the wheels are spot on
I just dont get why he imported a Polo from the UK and not from Germany. Those right hand cars are even more exotic.
Damn. Now I want an old golf 😅
Don't show Donut, James will have another heart attack...
YO lol
Beautiful, simply beautiful.
My mother's first car ❤ navy blue, ill never forget it
The mud flaps just make it.
Your all doing a good job with the channel, I just found it, I'm sure there is a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes.
thanks! indeed there is, but it’s worth it ✌️
i have an 84' polo 86c... not many of these in the US. Awesome to see a video on one... even though it's a breadbox
4:27-4:33 Nice shot.
That is epic - well done, man
I really like it and not sure ive ever seen one yet it looks familiar, nice car.
right? to American eyes it’s like an alt-Golf.
The video shots were amazing!!!!
Uk plates in the states.... immense.
Dude. You ARE a crazy person.
Not a fan of FWD, but I aquired a Mk3 Golf GTi 8 valve free from a mate a few years back and really liked it. Always liked the style of the Polo breadvan. The wheels on this are uber cool.
Wait until you drive a 16V.
Did somebody hire the old Petrolicious crew? If so, I like it. The Mamiya 7 is nice, too.
next-gen Petrolicious
Very cool video!
thanks for watching!
I totally agree the car finds you. I was looking for something fun to drive, somewhat practical and economical. Test drove wrx nah. Looked at frs can't fit a car seat. Looked at vw gti, not trying to get into the revenge of the nazis lol. One day i saw a focus ST drive by, and i was like omg that's it! Found one nearby and immediately jumped on it. It's been a fantastic car. It's a blast in the canyon roads. I can fit my toolbox in the back and groceris. The kid loves going for a drive in it. Win win win
Sick. I want an old car
5:48 the clock movement
I live in Portugal (Europe) and we had a lot of those in the 1990s around here. I guess I still see some around.
But my main question is: Can you make a video teaching how do american citizens import cars from abroad into the USA?
I mean, when someone here in Portugal imports a car from a foreign country, they have to chance licence plates, pay loads of import duties and inspect the vehicles in official authorised entities...
Well, I guess that used UK cars are so much inexpensive that you saved loads of money to compensate for all the other expenses relating the import duties, I guess...
Nice ride, think you need tighten the chain on that bianchi btw:)
good catch - this happens when I loosen & tighten the rear wheel to place on the car mount 100 times haha
Cars and cycling... like peanut butter and jelly.
What type of investment bankers are this guys parents?
Where can I find more info about this guy's Yamaha XS650? Looks like a lot of modifications has been done to it.
Loved mine. It could a huge amount of stuff in, unfortunately it kept stalling Every time I stopped.
That thing is't you average 1989 Polo. It only did 2k miles a year and is just under 60k miles now.
I'd put a chrome VW badge back on it, not the black one.
How are you driving around Williamsburg with a UK plate ?
How can he drive that VW Polo on British plates in New York?
Peak hipster 😅
👌
Breadvan as its known in england #bready😊
Although I do have a love for the Breadvans, can't help but to think "Why would someone import a German car in RHD to drive in a LHD country?" He could have bought one from Southern Europe where they have very little rust, are LHD and quite cheap to buy...
I'm from Spain and even kammbacks are pretty rare to comeby...
@@Franface31Polos were built is Spain around this time
Ffs put the bike in the back
Siri, show me an insufferable hipster
What triggered you, snowflake?