From an early age, 27-year-old civil site engineer Eilir Thomas has been immersed in the world of cars, motorsport, and rallying. Growing up in Wales, where rallying enjoys a particularly passionate following, only fuelled that interest. The influence of his older brother Ynyr’s Mk1 Golf provided another early spark (cue the inevitable slippery slope into car obsession).

Much of Eilir’s early enthusiasm was shaped at home, working alongside Ynyr on the Mk1 and heading out for drives together. It quickly became clear that it wasn’t a question of if he would own a Volkswagen, but when. That moment arrived sooner than expected, following a short-lived stint in his first car, a humble Vauxhall Corsa. After all, everyone has to start somewhere, and the Corsa was merely the beginning.

The turning point came when a college friend needed to move house. Among his belongings was a 1991 Polo Coupé that required relocating, despite not being road legal. Sensing an opportunity, Eilir made a cheeky £150 offer and, just like that, became the proud owner of his first Volkswagen. “I loved it from the get-go,” he recalls.

Owning the Polo may have ticked one box, but it also marked the beginning of a far bigger journey. Over the next nine years, it would become a true labour of love and a steep learning curve, with Eilir taking on every aspect of the restoration and build himself.

At first glance, the car appeared to be a tired example in faded Tornado Red, having spent years exposed to the elements. However, closer inspection, particularly beneath the carpets, revealed something far more interesting: Framboise Red, one of the rarest colours offered on the Mk2F from the factory. Suddenly, the long list of issues; rust throughout, low oil pressure, and no MOT felt far less significant. After all, he now had a rare and worthwhile base from which to begin.

Work began in early 2017 with a complete strip-down of the engine bay, followed by the removal of the rotten battery tray and front scuttle and a clever modification relocating the fuel filler from the quarter panel to inside the driver’s door shut. Eilir also knew that if he was going to do this properly, it had to include a smooth engine bay, so he tackled it by removing the firewall, welding up any unused holes, and smoothing everything he could on the inner wings and chassis legs. Work continued into March 2018, when he began the laborious task of stripping away the underseal. As is often the case with projects of this scale, the underside revealed further areas requiring attention, quite a lot, in fact, but access was made easier thanks to a homemade spit constructed from two eBay-sourced engine stands. Thankfully, Polo shells aren’t too heavy. During this time, Eilir also turned his hand to something new: shortening the rear number plate recess and plastic-welding the modified boot handle. Both were a great success, achieving a factory-quality finish, a notable feat for someone simply willing to give it a go.

Closer inspection… revealed something far more interesting: Framboise Red, one of the rarest colours

Balancing the project alongside work and family life, progress continued into early 2019, when Eilir finally sealed the underside and applied etch primer before coating it with Raptor, tinted to match Framboise Red. By March, the body was off the homemade spit and back on the floor. Along the way, a 1.4-litre AFH engine had also been sourced, while he collected the various parts required for the rebuild. At this point, progress stalled. Eilir began working away from home, something that inevitably disrupts even the best-laid plans. With only weekends available, finding the motivation to resume such an extensive build proved challenging. It would be a full 12 months before work resumed, with the body coated with etch primer.

By October 2020, working away had taken its toll, and motivation was at an all-time low. Struggling to see the end goal, Eilir decided to fit the panels to the car in a bid to visualise the project and reignite his enthusiasm. This kick-started the project again, this time with a mechanical focus: a complete strip-down of the AFH engine, followed by a full rebuild with new pistons and bearings. By April 2021, the engine was rebuilt, allowing him to concentrate on the air ride.

The air ride has been assembled using an Easystreet management system, a boot-mounted tank and compressor, rear struts sourced from a Polish company, and a set of custom-made front struts. By October 2022, the final fit of the air suspension was a success, enabling the project to move forward, with the car now sitting exactly as he wanted, allowing work to continue in the engine bay in preparation for the final seal and primer.

January 2022 saw a freshly resealed and painted gearbox, followed by the bay receiving the final coat of etch primer and seam seal in March, ready for colour, which was applied in June 2022. The engine was dropped in as soon as the paint was dry. With the engine in place, the project went on hold for another 12 months to accommodate home improvements and the arrival of Eilir and Joanna’s daughter, Gwenlli. And if you don’t already know, with a newborn in the house, in the middle of renovations, and a half-finished Polo project, things can get pretty hectic.

A few more parts were bolted to the engine, mainly the set of motorbike carburettors and a Fiat Uno Turbo radiator, eliminating the need for a separate header tank. July 2023 saw the first sign of life when he fired up the Polo and the freshly built engine. If that’s not a motivation boost, nothing is.

With a smooth bay, rebuilt engine, wings, doors, and tailgate on, and the air ride fully operational, it was a massive step forward in realising his vision. Why stop there? After all, the car was running, primed, and practically ready for paint. “I decided I wanted wider arches,” he says. October 2023 saw Eilir cutting out the front and rear arches and custom-fitting a set of Mk1 Golf inner and outer arches, giving the Polo a 35mm-wider look on each side. This also enabled him to achieve perfect wheel fitment.

October 2023 saw Eilir cutting out the front and rear arches and custom-fitting a set of Mk1 Golf inner and outer arches, giving the Polo a 35mm-wider look on each side

Another learning curve was started… TIG welding. Although it wasn’t strictly necessary, he could have had someone easily make a custom exhaust, but Eilir wanted to do it himself. Creating a two-inch custom-made stainless steel exhaust took some doing, but with perseverance, it was achieved successfully, nicely coupled to the stainless steel four-branch manifold he had already fitted. The result sounds fantastic. From May to July 2024, he spent significant time on final prep and bodywork before moving the car to his own shed in October, ready for a coat of high-build primer in his makeshift spray booth. And yes, Eilir applied both the primer and the rare Framboise Red colour himself.

The painting went well, and he was pleased… that was until demasking, only to find that the engine bay, painted just over two years ago, was a shade or two off from the new mix of Framboise Red. Faced with the choice of repainting the car or removing the engine to repaint the bay, he opted for the latter, ensuring a perfect finish.

By December 2024, the car was a few steps from completion, with a final flat and polish to the paintwork, followed by the careful refitting of windows, lights, bumpers, and interior. The interior has been treated to an OEM+ look using an early set of Mk2 Polo seats and door cards, with the headlining and sun visors covered in black leather. The Easystreet air management system controller has been mounted in the lower section of the dash, while an AEM wideband gauge monitors the air/fuel mixture. The steering wheel is a BBS-style with a carbon-fibre insert.

The final push and the decision to unveil the car at Ultimate Dubs 2025 took things right to the wire. Extensive checking, tightening, and MOT prep work were completed, along with a rolling road session on Thursday to set up the carbs, and an MOT on Friday, all before setting off for UD on Saturday. Everything went smoothly, and Eilir arrived in a car he is immensely proud of, having done everything himself from stripping, body repairs, modifications, and paint to the engine rebuild and exhaust fabrication.

The car initially sat on a set of Borbet A’s, which have since been swapped for a set of desirable Tramont TY2 splits: 7×13 on the front with an offset of ET20 and a 15mm spacer, and 8×13 on the rear with an ET10, shod in Yokohama A539 175/50R13.

Since the unveiling at Ultimate Dubs, Eilir has taken the car to as many shows as possible, along with Joanna and the two children, Gwenlli and Tomi. Asked what the best thing he’s done to the car is, he said, “Ooh, that’s a tricky one! I think it has to be the bodywork and paint, having done everything myself. The engine rebuild and transplant just transform the car and bring a huge smile to my face every time I press the throttle. The raw feeling of the car, especially on carbs, is just amazing.”

Eilir has also picked up awards for Top 15 at VAG National Entyrety, Top 15 at Thrtn, and Best Paint at Nevermore Show

Going to shows has had other benefits, too. Not only has he been able to catch up with like-minded enthusiasts, but Eilir has also picked up awards for Top 15 at VAG National Entyrety, Top 15 at Thrtn, and Best Paint at Nevermore Show. His favourite show to attend was Rollhard at Bicester Heritage Centre, picking up awards or not, the appreciation the car received is a clear indication that his self-built hard work was well worth the effort.

So… is it finished? Is a home-built car ever truly finished? Answer: Don’t be silly! “Future plans include a standalone ECU, throttle bodies, and a set of cams for the 1.4. Other plans include a set of Wilwood calipers for the front and a move from air ride to coilovers with something sticky for the tyres.”

What is the standout feature of the car? “It has to be the colour, even though I do keep getting asked if it’s Porsche Rubystone, hence the sticker in the rear window, and then the OEM+ look with the wider wheel arches and neat touches with the eyebrow spoiler, bonnet vent scoop, and Zender rear spoiler.”

Building the car has been a challenge and, alongside helping with anxiety, has given Eilir focus through some tough times. Since completion, attending shows and interacting with people has gone really well. So well, in fact, that he started running a Cars & Coffee morning once a month. Search Facebook for Ceir A Coffi Bala Cars & Coffee to see the dates. So far, 30+ cars have turned up at each meeting, and numbers continue to grow. They have also raised over £500 for charity, which is always nice to hear. If you fancy a Sunday morning outing to Wales, be sure to drop in, you’ll be more than welcome.

We look forward to seeing Eilir and his family at various shows this year, with some possible upgrades on the cards. Perhaps one day, the Polo will even be finished.