Nick Duval’s Volkswagen Jetta was “in need of a friend” when he discovered it lacked the attention he felt it deserved, and it was parked and forgotten in a field on his girlfriend’s family property. “And a friend I was,” he retorts, as he struck a deal to buy the car for just $400 (Canadian dollars). That came deep in the middle of a Canadian winter, and Duval wasted no time giving the VW some TLC, working out in the -40-degree elements in the field to get the car started and back on the road. Three and a half years, a proper LS engine transplant, and a massive chassis overhaul later, the once-modest four-door sedan is now a unique ripper.

For Duval, 27, cars have been his means of self-expression, an outlet for learning, and a way to connect with a like-minded community. His story, however, defies normal convention. “No one in my family was into cars,” he explains, “so it was something I explored on my own. I wanted to do something different, push my skills, and meet people who shared the same passion.” That journey started early—his first vehicle, a 1977 Chevy K10, was resurrected from a 12-year slumber in the brush at his uncle’s home when Duval was just 17. Over three weeks, he rebuilt the truck and drove it 12 hours home, marking the beginning of a lifelong obsession with building and modifying vehicles.

The 1990-model Jetta Wolfsburg edition, affectionately coined “Putt Putt” by his girlfriend when she was just a child, had sentimental value—it had been in her family since before she was born. “When I first got the car running I could see why she gave the car that name,” Duval quips. Initially equipped with a 64-horsepower 1.6L turbo diesel, the car offered great fuel economy but lacked excitement. “I loved the styling and the practicality, but I couldn’t resist the urge to give it more power,” Duval says. Over the next year, he transformed the car into a muscle car in an eco-box’s clothing, beginning with an ambitious rear-wheel-drive conversion and culminating in a 376-cubic-inch LS3 engine swap.

The heart of the build today is a turbocharged LS3 V8 that Duval assembled entirely on his own. With OEM LS3 internals, a Summit Pro LS Stage 4 turbo camshaft, and a VS Racing 88mm/102mm turbocharger, the setup delivers 1,200 horsepower at 22 psi of boost. “I wanted to keep things as stock as possible for durability, but I spec’d everything to handle the power I knew this car was capable of,” he says. He built the custom hot-side and cold-side piping, fabricated a NASCAR-style boom tube exhaust, and paired the engine with a Holley Dominator ECU for precise tuning. There’s also a small Nitrous Outlet single-stage, 200 horsepower dry nitrous setup for a little more grunt.

The powertrain is backed by a GM 4L80 transmission, modified with a full manual valve body, a Circle D triple-disc billet lockup converter, and a billet flexplate. “I built the transmission myself with a 300M input shaft and other internal upgrades from Extreme Automatics,” Duval explains. The rearend is equally durable, featuring a Ford 8.8 setup with Moser 44-spline axles, Strange spool, and 3.55 gears. Panasport wheels are wrapped in either Nitto 315 radials (street) or Mickey Thompson ET Street 26×10 (track) rubber.

Chassis modifications were extensive. Duval cut off the front half of the car to fabricate a tubular front end and back-halved the rear to accommodate the RWD conversion and tubbed wheel wells. The suspension is fully custom, with QA1 Camaro struts and springs up front and QA1 14-inch travel shocks paired with 100-lb. springs in the rear. “I taught myself how to weld on this car,” he admits. “I built my own 4-link and Panhard bar to handle the torque.”

The car retains its original Safari Brown paint and sleeper aesthetic, but the interior and the instrumentation are far from stock. “I kept the OEM cloth upholstery but added a chromoly roll cage, Racequip harnesses, and Kirkey seats,” Duval says. A Holley 6.86-inch Pro Dash displays all critical data, integrated with the Dominator ECU that provides the directions to the engine, fuel, and ignition system.

Duval has a passion for the process, teaching himself to carry out nearly every modification he’s been able to dream up for this car. “I am mostly self-taught—I do have my level one automotive certification and my red seal in heavy-duty mechanics. Besides that, though, I taught myself everything I know as far as the basics of tuning and fabrication, how to weld, build my own suspension, convert the car to rear-wheel drive, and build high-horsepower engines, differentials, and transmissions. I’ve also learned wiring along my journey, which has proven to be incredibly handy,” he explains.

Duval estimates he has more than 2,000 hours invested in this project over the years. “In Canada, we have a really long offseason—about eight months—and that allows us to really take the vehicles apart and revamp them.” And this car has always had huge changes each and every year. “This is going to be a pretty relaxed winter,” he says facetiously, noting his list includes only a built 4L80 transmission swap, the addition of a mechanical fuel pump, cutting the floor out and crafting a tube chassis, and doing some bodywork and paint.

While the Jetta’s quarter-mile best of 9.71 seconds at 146 mph is impressive, Duval is far from finished. “This winter, I’m building a tubular chassis, reworking the suspension, and painting the car,” he shares. The goal? An 8-second pass. “I know the car has it in it; I just need to make sure everything is ready to handle the power.”

Duval is relatively new to drag racing, sparked by a friend’s invitation to a local eighth-mile event in Neepawa, Manitoba. “I always wanted to do it, I was just super nervous. But the moment I hit the track, I was hooked,” he recalls. At the time he first lit the tree, the Jetta was powered by a more modest LM7 engine paired with a T56 manual, but the thrill of racing pushed him to pursue more power. “Every time I race, I’m reminded why I love this community. Everyone is so open and friendly, and there’s nothing like the camaraderie at the track.”

Duval encourages others to take a measured approach to building cars. “Start small, learn what you’re doing, and take your time,” he advises. “It’s okay to ask questions and be patient—you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

“Putt Putt” may have started as a forgotten relic in a field, but under Duval’s care, it’s become a legitimate race car—one that perhaps endears itself to spectators and fellow competitors more for its very un-muscular upbringing. “This car embodies everything I love about cars—the creativity, the engineering, and the people,” he says. “It’s not a build; it’s part of my story.”