What's this car worth?

I don't have a ton of info on it, here's what I have:

 It was originally built to SCCA ITB spec, but is pretty rough now, cosmetically. Cage is welded in, has NASCAR style door bars. It has a clear title.

This car belonged to the brother of my good friend. I should know later today if it runs or not.  So, given the limited info, what do you think it is worth if it runs, and if it doesn't. 

Here are the pics I have:

I assume this is an older Golf?  Kinda looks like K-Jet fuel injection.

Does it include a log book? 

My WAG:

$2000 w/ a log book and it runs.

$1500 w/o and it runs

$1000 w/ and doesn't run

$500 w/o either.

So ITB and that engine would make it probably a Mk1 GTI. When I bought mine about 8 years ago it was about 6K for a good running and ready to race version. In a I've been sitting and needs some work, I'd think 1500-2000 depending on quality of components. 

That is a Mk1 Rabbit/Golf, likely GTI.  

Sorry, apparently you can select multiple images to upload, but it only works if you upload them one at a time. So, here's the missing images:

Yikes.  If it's been sitting like that for awhile, I'd plan on rust in the floor pan.  It's likely the fuel cell will need to be refurbished or replaced.

Ian F said:

I assume this is an older Golf?  Kinda looks like K-Jet fuel injection.

Does it include a log book? 

My WAG:

$2000 w/ a log book and it runs.

$1500 w/o and it runs

$1000 w/ and doesn't run

$500 w/o either.

I’d agree with this or a bit more. MkI GTIs seem to have climbed in value over the last several years. 

My feeling is that this shell didn't start out life as a GTI. The brownish/maroon dash is not the red or blue of a GTI and the rear door cards are not GTI either. I can't imagine someone swapping in standard rabbit interior bits in a stripped out race car. I think it just got the grill, airdam and plastic arch trim treatment, just like myself and everybody I knew did in the early 90's. Interesting that it received the earlier tail lights at some point as well.

 Any value of it being a factory GTI if it was one is long gone. It is a race car. I don't have a clue how to price derelict race cars.

I would seriously investigate the depth of that strut tower rust before going any further

I always loved those wheels. 

In reply to Jumper K Balls (Trent) :

it also has the small taillights of the earlier cars.

Value is somewhere above or below scrap value based on if they will deliver it to the scrapper or you have to pick it up.

A wise man once said "Nothing is less loved than last years' race car."

One time I picked up an ex-rally-car dodge omni that looked a lot like this. When i towed it home, things went fine. The next time i tried to tow it to a different location to actually work on it, the rear axle mounts ripped out of the body and jammed the back wheels into the wheelwells. Luckily I was less than a mile from home so i towed it back dragging the rear tires on the pavement and parted it out on the spot. 

Log Book - $2K

No Log Book - what ever scrap is going for.

Ian F said:

Yikes.  If it's been sitting like that for awhile, I'd plan on rust in the floor pan.  It's likely the fuel cell will need to be refurbished or replaced.

This was my first thought.  There are two “drains” in the rain tray behind the shock towers.  If they get plugged up with leaves and crap, rain water runs into the cabin causing the floors to rust.

Ask me how I know...  

GRM: where you can post one photo of a no-longer-stock engine bay and three people will tell you what car it is.  :-)

DWNSHFT said:

GRM: where you can post one photo of a no-longer-stock engine bay and three people will tell you what car it is.  :-)

That's EXACTLY what I was thinking. Freaking geniuses hanging around here. 

DWNSHFT said:

GRM: where you can post one photo of a no-longer-stock engine bay and three people will tell you what car it is.  :-)

Yeah; but, it’s not exactly an uncommon car for a group of autocrossers. That thing is worth being gifted to someone who wants it.

DrBoost said:

DWNSHFT said:

GRM: where you can post one photo of a no-longer-stock engine bay and three people will tell you what car it is.  :-)

That's EXACTLY what I was thinking. Freaking geniuses hanging around here. 

What is scary is that I'm an early water cooled VW enthusiast. So when I clicked I said, neat a mk1 race car. But I get the feeling you could post a shot of almost any 30-40 year old engine bay in here and someone would pop up and say. "Neat that's an XYZ engine bay"

To the OP, That car is worth 1k in my neck of the woods if it has papers and can be returned to sort of street spec. As others have said its value as a race car all depends how well its documented and how long its been sitting. If it doesn't run don't let that be a deal breaker, those 8v motors are some of the toughest vw ever made. clean the ground put a fresh battery and fuel in it and chances are it would be running again.