A car so clean it belongs in a museum, this is the VW Golf mk1 built by Jörg Ballerman. I’ve seen this car countless times over the years, but I understand why car shows are eager to show this car at their event. This time I spotted it at the recent Risenation event. It’s a stunning machine where everything, and I mean everything, has been replaced, improved, or chromed. The foundation is a Golf Mk1 that rolled out of the VW factory in 1987 in Mexico Beige with a 1-liter engine.
Jörg acquired the car in 2002 with 95,000 kilometers on the clock, and that’s when the work began. It’s clear that things got out of hand. Every bolt and nut has been chromed, along with a plethora of other parts. We’re talking about brake calipers, exhaust, fastening clamps, and the list goes on.
The chroming reaches its peak in the engine bay, where everything shines. The original engine has been swapped out for a rare Oettinger motor. While it normally displaces 1600cc, Jörg bored it out to 1800cc. Additionally, Mahle pistons were installed, and the camshafts and crankshaft were balanced.
This car has seen its fair share of different wheels, partly because Jörg owns his own wheel company. In this case, it’s a set of BBS E17 wheels, 17 inches by 6 inches wide up front and 6.5 inches wide at the rear. The centers are made of magnesium and painted in the iconic BBS gold. It’s a delightful combo with the exterior color, Florida Blue, if you ask me.
Before you ask, yes, the car can drive. I just wonder how often Jörg gets to enjoy it on the open road.
