91 Cabriolet Entienne Aigner... feedback wanted

[JKerrDesign]

Just bought this.


[IMG][/IMG]

















Just bought her, wanted to post these and get any feedback...

[CajunSpike]

It looks like its in top notch condition. I have 3 red EA's myself. Click on the sig links to see mine, but it looks like you scored a good buy. What was the deal on that car? I haven't seen those vw center caps on those wheels before.

[JKerrDesign]

I put the VW symbols on myself. She only has 32,000 miles on her. It was sitting in this old ladies garage and she rarely drove it. power everything too.

[CajunSpike]

The car's I have were towed home on a dolly non functional with over 100,000 miles on it. So for you to find a true little-old-ladies car with that low mileage puts that car in a class by itself. All the etiennes were top of the line models with all the available options. May I ask where you found the vw symbols on the wheels?

[JKerrDesign]

Im a graphic designer, so i made them myself. I put vinyl over the existing caps. it looks good, not cheesy. i just finished my icon. i drew an illustration of a cabby

[CajunSpike]

There aren't many left in running condition, even fewer in showroom new condition as your is. That car is the closest I've come to seeing a factory fresh car. Even with the new paint on mine, theres always things that you see that shows the car has some age on it, but that car looks like you just drove it off the lot. If you get the itch to make a few more of those vw's(assuming they hold up to outside use), I might like a set or two.

Nice find. Welcome to the EA owners club.

[JKerrDesign]

the vinyl itself has a 9 year life to it, so they will hold up fine. its made for vehicles so let me know. I wouldn't mind making some sets

and thanks

[CajunSpike]

So when the rims are done, I was thinking those vw's would look just fine on them. They look like an excellent factory job.

[JKerrDesign]

definetly. how much is that costing? if you dont mind me asking. i am planning on lowering it and spacing the rears for H2O in Ocean City. Im looking to do that for the time being

[CajunSpike]

My burgundy etienne was rear ended in March. The body shop owner is a friend of mine and has gone above and beyond helping me get my car back into shape. After the car was painted he walked around it and said the job is perfect, but we really have to do something with those wheels. I had seen a photo on the web showing what those wheels(called castellete) look like with a mirror polish. Since I want to keep the car as original as possible it only made sense to spiff up the factory wheels rather than replace them. I'm not sure he will actually charge me to do this since I paid him big bucks to fix the car in the first place. I can ask if you want to know for sure. This is what I have in mind for the wheels to look like. The photo was borrowed from another website. Credit to whomever took it, not me.


My main ride. I did replace the black molding with chrome molding, the door handle to chrome, and the antenna to chrome.

[briano1234]

Polishing them takes a lot of work, but the end justifies the means. I don't have castelletes but I do have teardrops, and polished them because of the nick in one. And as much of a pain in the ass it was, they are sharper. Go Nike, Just DEW it

[CajunSpike]

You have a close up picture of those polished teardrops? I have a set of those too....they may be next on the polish list.

[JKerrDesign]

im pretty sure i want to keep the car as stock as possible also, since everything is in good shape. If you dont mind finding out about that polish job. Im not sure its something I dare try to do myself.

[Brightgolf]

wow man... nice car! I wish mine had that low of miles... mine has 142k on it but new engine, clutch, exhaust, tires, alternator, battery, among the million other things that are new. Looks great, I was thinking about polishing my wheels as well. And now that I've seen the picture I'm almost sure thats what I'm gonna do.

[CajunSpike]

My EA#1 has 108k miles. My EA#2 has 184k miles. The green carat has 134k.

[briano1234]

You have a close up picture of those polished teardrops? I have a set of those too....they may be next on the polish list.

Actually I don't have one showing the before or after....
The closest that I have is.

om a rainy show day


the video barely shows them
http://www.bugapaluza.com/photos BAP 11 Video at the 1:04 mark.

[JKerrDesign]

So i think i may evolve this thread into a project thread, since I will be doing lots to this car in the comin future... so stay tuned. more pics on the way

[Ackman]

Great find I love the color Awesome. I purchased mine in 07 with 80,100 mjiles on it. As of right now it has only 83,500 it sit in the garage most of the time since it is not my dd.

[Ackman]

Im a graphic designer, so i made them myself. I put vinyl over the existing caps. it looks good, not cheesy. i just finished my icon. i drew an illustration of a cabby

If you do make more decals I would been interested as well. I start polishing my castelles but I have not finished them. Like Briano stated alot of work but the end result is worth it.

[CISinjected]

So i think i may evolve this thread into a project thread, since I will be doing lots to this car in the comin future... so stay tuned. more pics on the way

eeeeeeeeekkk, be nice to her!!

[JKerrDesign]

eeeeeeeeekkk, be nice to her!!

no worries. its going to be more of a restore with little tweaks here n there

[JKerrDesign]

[JKerrDesign]

[DarthVW]

My burgundy etienne was rear ended in March. The body shop owner is a friend of mine and has gone above and beyond helping me get my car back into shape. After the car was painted he walked around it and said the job is perfect, but we really have to do something with those wheels. I had seen a photo on the web showing what those wheels(called castellete) look like with a mirror polish. Since I want to keep the car as original as possible it only made sense to spiff up the factory wheels rather than replace them. I'm not sure he will actually charge me to do this since I paid him big bucks to fix the car in the first place. I can ask if you want to know for sure. This is what I have in mind for the wheels to look like. The photo was borrowed from another website. Credit to whomever took it, not me.


My main ride. I did replace the black molding with chrome molding, the door handle to chrome, and the antenna to chrome.

I have an EA too and i got the moldings and door handles from a 87' cabriolet since they have the crome trim that you show here. They look so much better i think and still look original since its still from another cabriolet.
Im missing one molding to complete the 6, hopefully i can get that one from a junker soon.

[DarthVW]

So i think i may evolve this thread into a project thread, since I will be doing lots to this car in the comin future... so stay tuned. more pics on the way

I have a EA too, on Midnight Blue, got it with 95k miles like 3 months ago.
Still plenny of things to do and restore. Will be a slow process since i dont have
much money and knowledge, but im determined to keep it running and the most original and good shape that i can.
I love the car and cant wait to keep it very nice, is all worth it plus this forum and other websites with Cabriolet info helps a lot.
For some reason Midnight Blue seems to be the rarest color of the 3 these days, ironically is the one they produce the most units back when they made it.

[CajunSpike]

Its been a while, but I'm getting those rims done at a shop that refinishes them for $245.
My main ride is up to 114k miles and running nice.

After I got the car back, I didn't want to not be able to drive it while the wheels were sent off, so I'm taking the same type wheels off my EA #2, sending them to be polished. When they come back, I'll put them on Ea #1.

[89gli89e30]

John.. Where are the updates?? I know this car still doesn't look the same.

[JKerrDesign]

SOOOOOOO... it has been brought to my attention that I have not posted up on here in a while, and I suppose I should update everyone on the progress, so here we go.

In December, on my way to the Ravens Steelers Sunday Night game, I hit a deer, and it messed up my fender, door, hood, bumper, etc. on my passenger side. (adn we lost the game, worst day ever) The majority of the damage was to the fender, but I have not had the time or money to really get it fixed, especially since it is my daily. I am still looking for an affordable (MarkII around here)... the damage could have been a lot worse though.

But since then I have lowered it (Raceland Coilovers), replaced the entire stereo system, wires and all, Put some BBS RZ's off of my buddy's corrado, replaced the headlights and put the quad setup back on (the dual broke when the deer hit me). I actually like the quad setup better now that I have had both.

Anyway, here are some pics of where it is at today. I am going to startt he body work soon, and was going to re paint it with a base green and clear coat it, but I am slowly falling in love with the flat green look that it is now. I do not see many flat green cars, and of course want to be different. We will cross that bridge when we get there though. First thing is deer damage.













I also picked up a set of 16" BBS RS's, but the poke would be rediculous so I think I am just going to re-finish them and sell them for some funding.

[CajunSpike]

I can get a fender from a junkyard car right now, for ridiculously cheap if you need one. The door is on the car too, both are white.

[JKerrDesign]

I can get a fender from a junkyard car right now, for ridiculously cheap if you need one. The door is on the car too, both are white.

i may, but what about shipping? I appreciate you looking out. I might be able to pop the door out. not sure yet.

[CajunSpike]

I shipped a rear hatch to new york..cost me $25.
Shipped a knee bar to new jersey and that ran $18.

I expect a fender would probably run about the same amount due to size.

Junkyard would probably only want $20 for the fender, so I'm guesstimating you're looking at $50.

[89gli89e30]

John.. Crazy rays this sunday.. I could meet you there if you plan to stay over that way.. I really need to go..

[JKerrDesign]

went to the junkyard last weekend, and picked up a few things

two new skirts (since one brokw form the deer)
new headlight housing (also broken from the deer)
some emblems
strap for the rear seat latch (Makes putting down the seats 100x easier!)
etc.

Im going to wrap the skirts in a black vinyl, and continue the vinyl partially up the flares (about 30%) where all of the road debris hits... i think its going to look pretty cool...

I also ordered new trim clips, so I can get the trim back on FINALLY.

next up is the fender work. I am really diggin the flat green paint, so I am not sure what I am going to do as far as paint goes yet... just trying to get it all done for h20.

[lndshrk]

very nice cabby! 2 seriouse questions though..what is a Entienne Aigner and how does it differ from other cabby's. And do all cabby's come with 4 headlights?

[briano1234]

very nice cabby! 2 seriouse questions though..what is a Entienne Aigner and how does it differ from other cabby's. And do all cabby's come with 4 headlights?

Entienne Aigner is a designer that was asked to do a "Cabby Model" It was a "Designer Car"

It is special as there are very few made.

For more information see:
www.mk1vw.info
or
www.cabby-info.com