when i started learning the differences of the 1st gen series and difference between SA fenders/bumper vs. FB. my first thoughts was how the SA fender/bumper kinda resembled the rotor corner and apex seal.

 

This thread did open my eyes as to why the Series 1 looks so much better than Series 2/3. It's not just the bumpers, it's the way the front fender doesn't have a big curl forward at the front.

I mean, I guess I was SEEING it, but I never noticed it, you know? I always focused on the way the front under-lip looked a lot better.

Trivia: I also have an '83 GTI because I like the way they look. American build with the corner markers and square headlights, not the German build blah-ness. And my favorite A2 Golf is the early small-bumper cars, the late big-bumper cars look really bulky...

 

I had two '84 GTI's back in the day. One red and one silver. Always wanted to change out the lights and grill for the round ones like the Cabriolet had, but never got around to it. Fun cars in the city but terrible on the highway (my now wife's Omni was faster and smoother on highway trips).

 

Today a girl backed into me at the bank.. she was doing like 3-4 mph and did not hear me blaring my horn as she slowly made her way into me.. the bumpers absorbed the shock, and left no damage to her car or my car ( well the rubber looks wavy now, but they always kind of had that ) . so yeah SA>>>>>>>Fb bumpers ALLL day. Had they been FB bumpers they would be cracked and the valence and fenders would have probably received some damage. I still took her insurance just in case something internal starts leaking / trans starts having issues engaging. But that low-impact collision really made me appreciate them a lot more. They pretty much absorb the impact with the built-in springs! Also that dark silver car above is what I want my car to look like, except with bronze TE6 spokes .

This poor car has had bad luck with ladies BTW. 15 mins after buying it some ditz crashed into me destroying the right tender, a month later another female hit my rear quarter panel and dented it ( fixed that with a PDA guy, 300$ down the drain) . Some girl I went on a date with CRACKED MY DASH by putting her feet up on it and last but not least my friend's roommate decided to smoke a blunt in his garage with my car in there and my window was rolled down.. needless to say, my car smelled like pot for a few days before I left some baking soda in there for a few days .. Like Ladies STOP TRYNA KILL MY BABY!

 

Best SA Bumper Story I can throw down is getting rear ended at a stop light by a Semi. Bumper pistons did their job! Scratched on the top from the fr. lic. plate on the Semi, so lots of angst by body shops to remove/strip/repaint/re-assemble/re-install bumper, to the tune of...$1300 (!). Hagerty insurance didn't blink an eye. Impressive. Trucker, meanwhile, hit me (light changed, I don't think he could even see me in front of him over the nose of his cab), just rolled on by when I pulled over to survey the damage. Fun Fact: RX7 running down a hit-and-run Semi? Doesn't work ;P

Frogman, you sound kinda Cursed.

Stu A
80GS
AZ

 

I've had some rather odd interactions with truckers over the years. Got love tapped in my 626 (similar to 7aull) and he didn't notice. Then there was the one trying to yell/talk to me in the next lane while driving my Miata down in Tn just before getting into the back roads that lead into the West entrance to the dragon. Thankfully traffic cleared and that conversation didn't continue

 

I'm convinced It's because i removed the Biker looking Jesus Cross's from the hood and rear and my friend made a joke that only a stripper would put that on the car. God made sure to punish us 5 mins later via spoiled brat . I need to put some bible verses under the hood man..

 

While we're at it, my SA bumper story concerns me at a stoplight facing up-hill. Some fancy SUV (didn't actually notice what it was) pulled up behind me and stopped, just like any normal person would. Then suddenly they decided it was time to go, let off the brakes, probably hit the gas (it was a bit of a hill) and rear-ended me. At first I thought I had somehow rolled back into him; of course it turned out I hadn't. At the time (and to this day) I was missing the wide rubber strip on the bumper and the paint already had a few scratches there from before I bought the car. Ended up crunching in his front grill and left me with absolutely no visible damage. I still want to find a bumper strip though .

 

I still want to find a bumper strip though .

Rotsa Ruck. Mine got lightly dinged in my Rear-ender too, and Mazda sez "NLA" - so, making do...


Stu A
80GS
AZ

 

I need a dash cap for a 82 GSL....