Project Jetta

[Damian Grihalva]

This thread will document the build of the newest edition to my vehicle family. Seen:

A 1982 Jetta. I hope you enjoy it.

Well with the GTI sold as of 4ish hours ago. I'm starting to put into motion my Jetta build plans. Unfortunately the Wifey claimed 1/2 the $$ from the project (hey, we got bills too) and so I have to take it a little slower than I wanted, but isn't that life...

First up, what do you guys think.... trying to pick out what front end I want to use.

Early Westy

My personal fav, Mk1 Scirocco

Or the old-faithful Quad Round.

Could go with single rounds too. Kinda like that look. But give me your ideas folks, I'm more interested in the interior/powertrain, the rest is up in the air.

Let me know. I'm undecided. My plans will be for a unique mk1 Jetta. so....let me have it.

Modified by Damian Grihalva at 8:43 PM 3-27-2010


Modified by Damian Grihalva at 8:06 PM 4-10-2010

[Vamped]

Westy would look kinda cool!

[Damian Grihalva]

Ya, I have a secret parts source that has an early westy rabbit that I could get the grill for a steal.

[Muffler Bearing]

oh, cool, you can use dumbodder.

[Damian Grihalva]

Wow man, thanks for the input.

[eurojettanut]

please, go euro single or us 4 quad, but not round...please....

and muffy, turn your spell check on !

[Damian Grihalva]

I don't want to change the fenders if I don't have too ~ just don't want to have to re-paint. But I have a buddy with the westy grill out east of me that'll give it to me for a song.

Honestly, I do not like the 4-square US grills, I'm simply looking at options. I'd like to use a Euro grill, but have no idea where to find one.

[eurojettanut]

the euro parts just bolt on. no need to mod anything,all holes are there, just pull your stuff and replace with euro. 15 mins of work.
shoot me an im if you want euro lights & grill.

[Damian Grihalva]

Sorry for the lame-o 'I'm GOING to by a Mmmmkay 1 Jetta and build it' kinda feel, but once you see this take shape, you see I can be more than just a beginner dubmodder user.

Speaking of which, I may have located a 2L 16v motor, 1.8 16v head, and I already have an 87 GLI trans for it.

Also FOUND an 82 Jetta shell to use ~ the guy who owns it is pulling the ABA motor out this week, and I'm picking up the shell.

Planning to buy an 87 GLI scrapper for the interior, dash, wing, and wiring harness(s) ~ wonder if the bumpers will work?

As for the suspension, I'm picking up a buddies coil-overs and sway bars from his rabbit. Already have an 87 Rocco rear axle beam with discs, and I bought new rotors a bit ago for the GTI project that I never installed. Just need to figure out what to do about front brakes.

[Damian Grihalva]

Quote, originally posted by eurojettanut »

the euro parts just bolt on. no need to mod anything,all holes are there, just pull your stuff and replace with euro. 15 mins of work. shoot me an im if you want euro lights & grill.

Best news ever. IM sent.

[Damian Grihalva]

Here's what it'd look like with euro grill and my old Holkenhiems (sp)

[Sko0t]

westy!

[Muffler Bearing]

Quote, originally posted by eurojettanut »

and muffy, turn your spell check on !

it is on

[eurojettanut]

Quote, originally posted by Muffler Bearing »

oh, cool, you can use dumbodder .

[Vegeta Gti]

if you can find another early westy core support let me know..i wanna have a backup just in case...

[staydubbin]

this is what im building my mk1 gli to look like

[Muffler Bearing]

Quote, originally posted by staydubbin »

this is what im building my mk1 gli to look like

[RendSever]

Early Westy

[staydubbin]

Quote, originally posted by Muffler Bearing »

i used that picture for my cell phone...

[s-rocc]

rabbit rad supports and fenders look all wrong on jettas

[Vegeta Gti]

I think it looks great, as why I did it

[that_guy_bry]

how hard is said scirocco 1 front to do on a mk1 ..sorry for being a thread jacker

[Damian Grihalva]

I heard they bolt in...but for some reason, I'm not totally convinced.

[funnee84bunny]

Quote, originally posted by Vegeta Gti »

if you can find another early westy core support let me know..i wanna have a backup just in case...

wow, all that they didn't even take the time to get the headlights in the right spot. that looks like ass


Modified by funnee84bunny at 8:15 AM 3-30-2010

[Vegeta Gti]

for your info, guitars. the projectors weren't made to jus boltnin, there is more fab workmin this car then u could ever dream of attempting. plus the angle is off in a moving vechile. still the first and only early westy swapped jetta. hate if u like, but i don't see u doin anything like it

[Vegeta Gti]

they are even, level and centered to the grille and rad support.

[D.E]

What a reaction. They do look a bit off. Or maybe you just have some Angry Tape on.

[Damian Grihalva]

well guys, I appreciated your enthusiasm for the headlights, but lets get back to what this thread was started for. And that means a road-trip.

She don't go fast, but she goes...

50 miles later, I'm at Don's Sportcar Salvage....

....where they have one of these...

Kachow!

Boom-baby!

Spec sheet?

Loaded up and ready to go.

My international goes international.

[Damian Grihalva]

So, since this build looks like a 'look what I can do with dubmodder' ~ lets look at one of the shells I'm looking at getting for the build. Namely this 1982 Mk1 Jetta.

Its so cool, it even comes with a hood scoop ~ I hear its a Kamei (sp) prototype!

Front end.

Custom high-flow exhaust.

Suspension work

And color.

In the performance catagory,

a 1993 GTI ABA block swap. But I'm letting the PO keep this motor-trans and will be building the 16v above for it.

With custom wiring.

No rust in the bulkhead.

But there is funkiness in the rain tray.

Sooper cool wheels tho...

[Damian Grihalva]

Interior is nothing to write home about, but here are some interior pics.

Front seats.

Rear seats.

Door cards look okay, maybe a little work.

Back door cards, lookin' better.

Dash ~ needs the most help. When I first saw this Jetta, the entire dash wiring harness was puking out ~ but the owner put it all back in place when we started talking. Not too bad, but definitely needs work, especially an instrument cluster.

I should clarify, this is one of a couple Jetta's I'm looking at. As long as its not destroyed when the owner pulls the engine/trans out, I'll pick it up. Otherwise, I've got a couple other options available.

[Damian Grihalva]

Got a couple things coming for the build today. Its going to be sweet!

[Damian Grihalva]

Quote, originally posted by Damian Grihalva »

So I bought it today. Wife says its ugly. Doesn't like the body at all ~ then she said: I should have known.

$475 clams w/ the 93 ABA 2.0 and the funkiest wiring job I've seen to date. Wife and I were quite surprised it made it home. Of course, there was steam coming out the engine bay when we made it here... but I think I forgot to hit the 'toggle' switch for the electric fans.

Heck at least it runs!

[greggearhead]

Bitchin!

[Lumis_Wolfy]

MK1 jettas ftw!

[Damian Grihalva]

Yes they are 15s.

Forgot to add a few pictures. Here's the motor getting offloaded at the shop.

Then, since I have the car now. I took it for a test drive.

First, like I said, the interior is a bit of a rats nest.

But at least I got some money back from the purchase!

;D

But the real good news is that I took it for a 'speed test' out on 24 ~ there's a good straight 4-lane divided highway section between my house and North Woodmen... I gave it all it had.

Either that or I just played with the tach and speedo.

What here it is at about 85ish ~ Oh...look at those RPMs, going to have to get that desiel 5th in the new trans! ;D ;D

Anyway ~ like I said, the dash needs some work. The panel is not doing so good. basically hanging out.

Dash looks pretty good. I like the 'storage' tray under the glove box. Definitely a cool dash.

That Jetta plate in the center console seems to scream 'give me a big stereo'...

...perhaps eventually.

Yike, the wiring nightmare.

At least the car has the cover for it....

Too bad its all cut to heck!