My MK3 Cabrio VR6 Project thread

[VR6 NRG]

CROSS POSTED FROM MK3 FORUM


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.

I am going down to Tucson tomorrow to buy the 98 GTI VR6 for sale in the SW FS thread. This will hopefully be a perfect donor car for motor, trans, suspension, brakes, axles, dash, and various interior pieces.

[vortexpert.]

you need to put those sparco seats with harness in the cabroi!

[jhayesvw]

congrats on the mk3 cabrio.
I have tried to talk my wife into one for a few years.
I would do a VR swap to it also. But no other major engine mods.

[Code3VW]

I can't wait to buy the cabrio from you in a few years! I've wanted a VR6 cabrio since seeing Henry's, but I don't have the patience or pocket book to build for one.

[VR6 NRG]

I can't wait to buy the cabrio from you in a few years! I've wanted a VR6 cabrio since seeing Henry's, but I don't have the patience or pocket book to build for one.

let's hope i have both to do this as well. logistics and $$$ are gonna be the toughest parts. and deciding on what color i'm gonna paint it will be a tough decision.

[Code3VW]

I am good with any shade of white or grey. That color you showed us looked good too. I could get excited for a ferrari red, as well.

[sec914]

Just sold my cabrio vr6 2 months ago, miss it alot. sold it for 3,000

[VR6 NRG]

So yesterday I took the drive to Tucson with a friend to pick up the new donor car. A 98 GTI VR6 drivers edition in ginster Yellow. It's high miles but maintained well (drivetrain). What we thought was a bad alternator turned into a shredded serpentine belt just 10 mins after driving it away after purchase.
Luckily we didn't yet get to the highway when it happened and pulled into a gas station.
After some quick searching and 3 stores later we located a new tensioner and a belt.
The seller met us where the car was parked with tools and a flashlight and within 10 minutes we were on our way with a new belt. The engine pulls extremely strong for 280k miles and the TDI transmission at 80mph is at 2500rpm. So I'm getting great MPG too

huge thank you to Ben and Lief for coming through on the fix. And thanks to Lief for a smooth purchase.

[DrivesMeCrazy]

Damn Brian, can't believe you got Leif's car. Any chance if you have "leftovers" let me know!

My tensioner blew up recently stranding me a hundred miles out of town!

You going to Tool Tuesday?

[VR6 NRG]

Damn Brian, can't believe you got Leif's car. Any chance if you have "leftovers" let me know!

My tensioner blew up recently stranding me a hundred miles out of town!

You going to Tool Tuesday?

I wish i could see TOOL on Tuesday but my work schedule won't allow it. i saw A Perfect Circle 3 times in the last year and saw TOOL when they came to Phoenix the last time. but i really wish i could go.

[vortexpert.]

i have the money, i should have bought the yellow gti. good show brian! what are you going to do with the shell?

[VWnutAZ]

[VR6 NRG]

a few people have shown interest in the shell. but i really don't know what is going to be left over at this point

we hope to start tearing into things this coming weekend.

[VR6 NRG]

it sounds like we are going to start taking one of the cars apart on Saturday. not sure which one though.

[vortexpert.]

strip the gti. that way you can take inventory of whats good and what needs to be fixed. then the cabrio can still be moved.

[gnatman]

I need a cheap car that I can drive when my car is being worked on

[DrivesMeCrazy]

I bet both of your cars would end up needing to be worked on Curtis!

[gnatman]

I bet both of your cars would end up needing to be worked on Curtis!

hush you.. so you saying buy a honda?

[..Derek..]

it sounds like we are going to start taking one of the cars apart on Saturday. not sure which one though.

I would start with the Cabrio since you should be painting the bay - that way as things come off the GTI they can simply be moved to the waiting Cabrio

[VR6 NRG]

I would start with the Cabrio since you should be painting the bay - that way as things come off the GTI they can simply be moved to the waiting Cabrio

this is also what we were thinking, get the cabrio apart so it can be moved away, then work on the engine of the GTI while the cabrio is being painted.

[VR6 NRG]

something is getting taken apart tomorrow. still don't know which one. logistically the GTI will be easier to get to Tempe where Jason's shop is. but we'll see.

[VR6 NRG]

now it's two more weeks to get to start on taking apart the cabrio but in the mean time i will start taking apart the interior to get it to as minimum as i can.

[VR6 NRG]

well i started to rip out the interior today and get things taken out of the car and cleaned up.

started off like this

then went to the remove the console


then went to the doors. these were easier than i remember because in 96 there were no allen screws along the door trim.


but i found out why my passenger front window didn't work. there is no regulator in it at all!


on to the back. decided since i won't need the carpet to trash it and clean and degrease everything i could



driver rear floor before

and after


and then i had to stop before i got to the passenger side. needed to eat, clean up and get to work to sell a car
so i left it like this for the night.


I have tomorrow off and will do the passenger side, clean the doors, probably remove the front carpet and padding and just leave the front seats and dash in.

[VR6 NRG]

some updated photo's from this weekend's progress


engine was sold within 12 hours via a craigslist post


passenger frame rail smooth and mount removed

and how it sat late Sunday just about everything removed and some smoothing began.

[VR6 NRG]

oh and this is the color i've chosen
Audi Exclusive Ipanema Brown

[Heidelberg2az]

nice! Look forward to seeing how this progresses!

[jhayesvw]

why did you pull the brake parts out?
just easier than working around them?
I hope youre not going to put ABS into it.
its an awful mess AND frequently is partially broken.
Im excited to see your progress

[..Derek..]

why did you pull the brake parts out?
just easier than working around them?
I hope youre not going to put ABS into it.
its an awful mess AND frequently is partially broken.
Im excited to see your progress

It started life as ABS - look at the orientation of the mounting studs on the booster.. In my entire life I've only seen 1 cabrio that came non-ABS

[Lowassveedub]

Who's doing the work? That doesn't look like D's shop in the pics.

[..Derek..]

Who's doing the work? That doesn't look like D's shop in the pics.

That Jason guy with the A8 on huge wheels and one of the techs from Audi North.. Im in the middle of a different Cabrio VR6 project for this one guy.

[Lowassveedub]

Thought it would have been you since you seem to be the resident VR Cabrio guy!

Wanna build me a nice MK3 VR??

[..Derek..]

Thought it would have been you since you seem to be the resident VR Cabrio guy!

Wanna build me a nice MK3 VR??

Remeber that white one you had about a dozen cars ago you so quickly bailed on.. or the silver 4 dr...

[Jettin2Class]

Wanna build me a nice MK3 VR??

Or you could buy one ready to go.

[AZTDiVR6]

You bought that ginster huh. that thing has been for sale off and on for a couple years now.

Save as much of it as you can. ginsters are much rarer than green cabrios. His was one of three i knew of in tucson.
My old one, liefs and brandon's 2.0.

That cabrio isnt even painted under the carpet.

[Fige]

looks like a fun project. good luck