How often do we get to own our dream car… especially us normal people who earn a meager salary which most probably diminish, just leaving behind some change for ciggies and that’s that.

It’s tougher for modders as spare parts are getting more expensive or even none-existent to actually get that abandoned project car at the workshop done up to our liking.

Don’t get me started on performance parts… the amount of cash invested in a fully-bulit modded ride with all the necessary arsenals might be enough to be deposit for that ‘lil home sweet home the wifey always wanted.

Believe me, I’m not exaggerating… as there were quite a few of ‘em owners who are more than willing to spend a few hundred thousands of ‘em dough at ease.

With the Retro movement bug catching up in Malaysia, quite a number of retro modded rides have been exhumed from the grave. More often than not, some of ‘em with extra dough will go all out and source out the rides of yesterday, from Down South to the East Coast.

There were some who were lucky enough to have friends who collected cars as if they’re Hot Wheels die-cast rides instead of life-sized models.

However there are also those who can be deemed lucky… really really lucky. Kean Yap is one of ‘em. He was so lucky, some might have thought that he’s been sleeping with lady luck herself.

I know for sure I’m not the only one green with envy over his luck getting a full-fledged Rabbit under his stable. The best part was he got it at quite a bargain, RM5000 and it’s in stock standard condition. Sleeping with lady luck surely has its perks.

Being in a club such as the Backwheel Bitches also have its perks. Club members were more than helpful to help Kean Yap to source out for parts to restore the Rabbit to its glory with a ‘lil bit of thingamajig touch form the owner himself, the Rabbit now dons a Mil-spec paintjob.

With ten active members who are all fanatically into modding up their rides to a certain individualistic art on wheels, Kean Yap surely is in the right group.

Having the Rabbit in army green just didn’t cut it into a Mil-Spec ride so Kean Yap took the initiative and customized its front grill to resemble a shark mouth nose art just like the ones on war planes and boats during the Second World War.

To top up the frontal look, a set of custom eyelid headlights resembling angry eyes. Any one of us who has watched Pixar’s ‘Cars’ would relate to it in an instance. It surely differentiates his Rabbit from the others, that is if you can actually find one in the first place here in Malaysia.

Being a huge fan of Mooneyes, Kean’s Mil-Spec Rabbit has quite a number of Mooneyes thingamajigs here and there completing the modification. It also sits low on an extremely negative camber set-up on a set of protruding Mooneyes wheels.

Nevertheless it didn’t restrict the Rabbit from being on go-fast mode whenever it needs to.

It would be a waste not to crank up the 1.8cc complemented by a 40mm side-mount Weber carburetor and be blown away by the mighty carbs once in awhile. The growl of the engine once it’s cranked confirmed its performance despite it being standard.

One thing for sure, you can never go wrong with German engineering. Chasing the Rabbit would be fun but on the other hand, it would never be easy, especially this one.

1980 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF MARK 1

ENGINE:

1.8 16-Valve with Weber 40mm with BWB’s The Gentlemen’s Ride gold sticker.

TRANSMISSION:

5-speed manual

Suspension

KONI adjustables

ROLLING STOCKS

Mooneyes custom wheels wrapped with 165/50/15 Nangkang Ultra Sport NS-II

EXTERIOR

Custom eyelid, custom shark jaw grill, custom bonnet brushed to bare metal, Speedhunters plate holder, Army Green color with Army stencil, custom roof rack and a crank piston hanging around at the back.

INTERIOR
Nardi classic wood steering, Events passes hanging around, Elvis doll, bunch of stickers on dash,  Mooneyes carpet, custom gearknob,  Mooneyes door lockpin.

Words: Hage’ | Photos: Haznajims