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My MK3 Cabrio VR6 build thread

113K views 492 replies 99 participants last post by  Andrewrg 
#1 · (Edited)
NEW PICS ON PAGE 3

i haven't posted in the MK3 forum in years and wanted to make a return.
I've been on vortex since 1999 and although my post count doesn't show it, I've been around the block a few times on this site.

some of the old timers may remember my original car when i lived in NoVa back in the late 90's/early 00's.
Sequoia green 97 GTI VR6 with 6 point cage, sparco seats, z-engineering blower, custom stereo, projektzwo mirrors, ABT wheels, and euro arches and moldings....




since then i've had these
2003 20th AE GTI

Fourtitude.com project car and SEMA 2005 show car

2008 A3 2.0T with GT28RS big turbo

2004 R32 with VF Stage2 supercharger

and now i have this 2012 TT Coupe 2.0T quattro

a stock 1998 jetta glx
a stock 2008 Rabbit 3 door

so i've wanted to build another MK3 for a few years now and figured i hadn't owned a convertible. For the past 2 weeks i've been searching around for a cabrio. Well this morning with the help of a local friend we found one. Went to look at it, and drove it home.
I will have to post pics tomorrow because it was dark when i got home.
It is a 1996 Classic Green (i think) with tan cloth, automatic and black vinyl top. I originally wanted to find a Jazz Blue but that became too difficult. So i figured if i could save some money, find a local car that had a good body to start with i would do a full color change and something more custom.

I will say I myself am not too mechanically inclined, however i have friends that are. Some of this will be bought and some will be built. My goal isn't to make a stunning show car, but something i have fun with that stands out some when i go to shows. I thought about shaving the engine bay and air ride and both of those will be too expensive for the estimated budget i will have for the car. At a few grand each i'd rather do other things with a more direct impact to the car.

The Plans
VR6 swap
manual transmission swap
Full color change: yet to be known
interior swap to black but redo the seats to compliment the new exterior color
pulled fenders
16" wheels but wide (typical stance stuff)
and maybe a few custom bit and pieces along the way.

There are some great people here in AZ that i know that can help bring this all together and give me some good advice, help, and pricing on things along the way.

So MKIII forum hello again old friend.
 
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#439 ·
Not doing door cards. It would take away from the look I wanted which was just the seats to stand out and not be bombarded with areas of color all over.


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#442 ·
got some new adapters for the front wheels today from Adaptec Speedware. the ones i had were old and no name and caused a bad vibration at highway speeds. Adaptec had these to me within the week and are gorgeously made. installed them, drove, then re-torqued, the car drives glass smooth on the highway now at 75mph. very happy about this since i will be driving to Cali next weekend for Oktoberfest @ Big Bear.
 
#458 ·
the side skirts ended up fitting pretty well after some work done. Josh the painted ended up putting 8 screws in each side and urethaned them on. we let it stay like that for a week then took the screws out, filled in the holes and sprayed black over them, and unless they are in a weird angle in the sun, you can't tell where the screw holes are.

some new pics over the last few weeks. Went to Big SoCal Euro in San Diego and had fun







this is the painters' A3 in big bad orange


and this is my favorite so far. taken and edited by Illinspired Photography
 
#461 ·
Brain did you ever find a new trunk lock? I was cleaning the garage and found my extra one buried at the bottom of a parts tuperware. Let me know if you need it i have it here in my tool box.
 
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