When VW Sport produced this bright yellow one-off Mk2 Golf Zonker in the late 80s, with its VW Motorsport 16v motor and Synchro system, it was pretty damn radical. And that was before Callaway got its mitts on it…
The iconic Mk2 ‘Zonker’ is something of a cult creation on the water-cooled VW scene. An official prototype built by VW Sport, back in 1987 the car featured all-wheel drive and ABS way before its time. The three-door GTI was actually built on the assembly line at VW AG’s advanced Halle 54 production line in Wolfsburg. With its all-wheel drive, ABS and forced-induction (which we’ll get to soon) the car was effectively the forerunner to VWs Rallye Golf.
After being built, the Zonker was sent to VW Motorsports’s factory in Hanover for a high performance 16v engine, along with close-ratio five-speed ’box and even a catalytic converter for the car was soon to be destined to US shores.
When it landed Stateside, the real fun was just about to begin. Now, some names are synonymous with tuning cars. When you hear this particular name in question, those of a specific generation will certainly appreciate that behind it is a long-standing history of performance tuning and reliability.
Callaway Cars
That name is Callaway Cars, which was created by one Reeves Callaway (1947-2023). Callaway’s turbo and tuning kits have made their way into many different cars over the years since the late 70s. Most only know of the later Corvette cars, parts, and accessories, which were available in the global aftermarket world.
You might be wondering why we are speaking of a tuner that, basically, had his bread and butter in “American Muscle”. Well, Reeves had his hands in a couple of very well-respected and renowned VW projects and performance kits, too.
There are many “Callaway kitted” Mk1 GTIs and S2 Scirroccos still alive out there today, especially in North America. Most old-school and some new-school VW heads know of them. Probably most notably, Reeves had created a phenomenal 1983 Rabbit GTI demo. Well, it was until Callaway’s involvement with the Zonker project.
Callaway ups the power of the Mk2 Golf Zonker
On its arrival to the US, the Zonker was sent straight to Callaway’s Old Lyme, Connecticut facility, where it received the full works. A Garret turbocharger and custom inlet/intercooler fronted the upgrades to the engine which, once dyno’d, saw the car deliver a healthy 219bhp. When you consider that a little later, VWs flagship Rallye only produced 160bhp, you appreciate just how special the Zonker was at the time.
The car’s current owner
Fast forward to 2024 and the car is now in the hands of Tom Giordano, from Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. Tom grew up with a love for European cars. And he is no stranger to VWs, having owned many a 16 valve, a few Sciroccos, a few Mk1 Rabbits, and a Mk2 Jetta. With this car included, he has actually had no less than two Callaway cars. Admittedly, Tom likes to acquire rarities and “things from when I was a kid, that I could only have dreamed of owning at the time”. This being a one-of-one example, The Zonker definitely fits into the category of rarity!
Tom acquired the car back in 2011 (yes, over 12 years ago) and to this day, he is still shocked that he owns what is best described as an icon of the scene. How did he find it in the first place?
Buying the Zonker
Well, one day, Tom was scouring VW Vortex (as we all used to do from time to time) and came across a posting of the car being for sale. Deep inside he said to himself that he would love to buy it, “It’s the Superhero of Golfs. Why wouldn’t you pick the very best Golf ever made! Plus, being the only one, one of the rarest VWs in existence?” However, he actually passed the thread on to a friend who was actually going to visit the seller to buy other parts.
When the friend got there, you know exactly what happened. Yup, an offer was made, and the friend bought the car. Luckily for Tom, six months down the line, the friend found that the car “wasn’t for him” and offered it up. Tom made a deal and snapped up the Zonker straight away. He wasn’t going to miss out again and he’s owned it ever since!
When Tom finally got the car, he says: “It was beautiful! It still smelled like new and had very low miles!”. As with any car acquired second hand (or third or fourth), Tom started this journey by making sure it was sound.
Modifying the Mk2 Golf GTI Zonker
Straight away, he fitted a new exhaust manifold. Through the years, the turbo outlet flange had started to crack due to the heat created from the boosted motor. This, along with upgrading the front brake setup to the tried and true, Corrado G60 11” rotors, were the first of the maintenance changes. Tom went through the car and fixed, as he put it ;“All the small things that would leave you on side of the road”.
The biggest issue he discovered was that it didn’t like to run for long periods of time, finding that the car would run hot and the Callaway Micro Fueler (Callaway’s extra injector controller), would have the car running rich, by dumping too much fuel, eventually fouling out the plugs. This proved troublesome as it would leave Tom roadside having to remove the custom top mounted intercooler/intake manifold, as the plugs reside underneath it.
Transmission changes
In many attempts to resolve this, Tom decided to switch gears and pull out the old CIS-E system and retrofit a newer DIGIFANT-I (Digi1) set-up, sourced from a Corrado. This proved to be the proper resolution, along with preserving the original VW parts and management, keeping the OEM look and feel.
Tom was able to have his good friend Blair Garland from Tommy’s Automotive in West Chester, Pennsylvania, rebuild the transmission, which was a major task. Tom says that “this was a huge ask”, of his friend. The car was now drivable and most importantly, reliable, meaning roadside overhauls were a thing of the past. He could also now row through the gears with ease.
Bringing back the former glory of the Mk2 Golf Zonker
As the Mk2 Golf Zonker was now several years old from initially being put together, there were obvious signs of age and wear elsewhere. The front BBS spoiler was cracked, along with what he says was “a weird tone” on the driver’s side door. Tom knew that nothing less than bringing the car back to its original state would suffice. So, he worked with PPG to have the door and trunk jambs scanned to get as close as possible to the original and unmistakable yellow shade. The jambs would be the least faded from sun and elements. A perfect match was soon found, and the car had a “glass out” respray of Post Golf Yellow (the original colour of the car).
The paintwork, the repairing of the fibreglass front spoiler, reinstalling the BBS body kit, took almost a year to complete. Skip to a few years later, and Tom also cleaned up the engine bay to what you see here. He also installed a Digifant air filter box, to make it more OEM proper.
Chassis modifications on the Mk2 Golf Zonker
With the change to larger front brakes the OG wheels just wouldn’t fit. The wheel size had to be uprated from 14” to 15” to accommodate the Corrado G60 set-up, but thankfully the OG RZs have been swapped for the larger diameter of the same wheel. The addition of AP coilovers has the car sitting as you see it today, which is a subtle change but just makes the car look even better in our eyes.
The coilovers were sourced from his friend Marc Scheper at Bolt Action Euro in the Netherlands, when the OG VW Sport setup finally went soft. Tom says that the hardest part in bringing new life into the car was, “Sourcing parts for a one-of-a-kind car, especially when it’s closest sibling (the Golf Syncro) was never available or brought to the US market. In the future, Tom looks to freshen the engine bay further and move to an engine management system that allows for more drivability than it does now, but the car is what it is and will always be, The Zonker.
Tom has had lots of help over the years with the car and is proud to still be the owner. He openly states that the Mk2 Golf platform is his favourite and with this car in its current form, and to quote, “I feel the car is the most drivable GTI there is – more solid than the Mk1, and I know I’ll get some hate from that! I love how the all-wheel drive feels through a turn, and the turbo lag is classic 80’s! Plus, it’s yellow, what’s not to love about that?!”
Showcasing the Mk2 Golf GTI Zonker
If you see Tom at a show or venue, he is more than happy to tell The Zonker’s story. Over the years he’s told its tale many times to people who don’t exactly know or believe in its provenance and actual build parts. He says that many a time he’s endured, “people bending over to see if it really has rear axles, like the story was made up”.
Over the past 15 years, the car was seen in limited display. Of late though, with chassis exclusive car shows like Mk2 Mayday and others, the car has been out, out, and on display for all to see, getting the love it deserves. The car is a piece of VW history and it’s great to see it in its full glory.
He states that the people in the VW community, “have been very happy to see it. The reaction it gets at shows, is much different now to that it had a few years ago. I think people are more open and excited to see the car and hear its story, now.”
When asked if he would do it all again, Tom clearly says, “Yes! I have a beautifully preserved, one-of-a-kind, car to hand down to my kids!” Tom is now “Very slowly building an S1 Scirocco, with all kinds of the rarest of parts”, which we know will be a stunner! Applause to you Tom, for your accomplishments here keeping a legendary car up to snuff.
If you want to read more about the build, check out the Zonker thread here.
Words: Ted Dorset. Photos: Tony Watson.
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