Two Builds in One!?

[waittllnextyear]

I've been throwing the idea of starting a build thread around in my head for quite a while now, and I've finally decided to go for it.

As the title implies though, there's something a little different about this build thread. Along with my love of cars, and specifically mine; I always have a bunch of small projects going on tinkering with other things. One of my longest standing hobbies is diecast cars; i've been growing a collection ever since i was little, and thus I felt that having a model of my car was a necessity. If anyone has ever tried to find an mkv jetta model though, you know it's not easy. After searching on ebay and waiting for christmas, the project began. I'll outline it's progress after my real car's.

Now enough talk, on to the build.

Here's Gily (pronounced Jilly (cus i figured that's how i would phonetically pronounce GLI)) soon after I got her in May 2010: an '06 Salsa Red GLI with around 18,500 miles and absolutely no options: unheated, cloth, manual, no sunroof/nav/etc.

Finding the right car was a search that started when I was about 5 and finally culminated in this choice; one that I am still very happy with. My largest requirements for the car were manual and interlagos plaid interior.

There aren't many pictures of her completely unmodded, mostly because she looked just like any other stock GLI, but once i started modding, pictures began to come more frequently.

First mod was a huge decision... if only i knew how much i'd be pouring into this car, the $185 for a K&N typhoon 69 in January of 2011 wouldn't have been so stressful.


By this time I had already tried to make a model version of my car by buying a 1:43 and painting the interior and exterior to look like my GLI; later attempts have been much more successful:



Also while home for winter break, I made a vinyl window sticker for my car:


After returning to school in the winter, I had been bitten buy the modding bug and in early february, soon after becoming a member here, I bought a set of used H&R Sport springs to give my car a modest drop and eliminate my 4x4 status. Unluckily though I didn't get a chance to instal them until I was home in the summer. A lack of time at spring break delayed the desired instal date.

Almost got the springs on in march, but didn't have the lock key for the wheels

By the time I got back in the summer, I had made a huge move and bought the Caractere front bumper and rear valance (with the intention of buying votex rep sides). Shipping from Belgium to new york, painting, and then shipping from new york to chicago took a while, but in August, the kit arrived on my door. Two days later, my dad and I were on the floor in our garage putting it on. Took a little longer than expected, but after a few hours and a broken glass of scotch it was on.


By this time, I had already managed to have the springs installed.

These two major mods helped ease my need for a little while, but not too long. Having the car with me at school junior (the next) year meant that I no longer had distance holding me back from little mod installs.

Finally entering Mass on the drive from Chicago via Niagara Falls

I managed to last until October before making my first small purchase: a trimmed engine cover to fit with my intake


Around that time, I started to get into photography and did a few rather pedestrian shoots that fall

First shot: way over backlit and bad coloring, but everyone starts somewhere

favorite from the night even though i didn't get the focus quite right
Full shoot album here

In mid october, I finally got the rear wheels a little closer with 17.5mm spacers from ECS:
Before:

After:


Another shoot after my first clay-barring went better but I am still learning. Clay Bar went far beyond my expectations


Random picture that i liked parked in front of a professor with an old mk2 jetta, taken on one of many visits to Providence College


Next came LED interior lights and soon after, painting the engine cover and a little attention in the engine bay:



Home for the winter meant finally getting to instal my painted votex rep side skirts from dubtechnik. It also meant christmas and some exciting gifts: LED tails, VAG-com, lots of giftcard money to ECS and the chance to start my smaller project




More on the mini-project in one of the next two posts

VAG-Commed led's to blink amber, programmed the remote to out windows up/down, turned off the lock honk when i use the key in the door but left it when i use the remote so i can be quieter at night , and adjusted the speedometer error. Can't remember if I did anything else then.

while i was home i also had time to paint some of the other caps and covers in the engine bay:


Second semester of jr year was a long time away from Gily during my semester abroad in france, where they live unblessed by the presence of the GLI (and surprisingly in rather scarce presence of the jetta) While I was there, though, I bought a used bsh race catch can that would be waiting for me when i got back.

In addition to beginning to work on the catch can (I stripped it and repainted it silver, though i'll probably re-do it again: i'm not so happy with the finish.) I got my car flashed to APR stage 1. This was first on my to-do list for the week that I was home, and Conrad at Autobarn City Volkswagen in Chicago is a great guy, helpful, very mod friendly, and hooked me up. Felt the difference immediately accidentally almost breaking the tires loose pulling out of the service department.
Said Catch-can in the prime phase:


Also on the todo list while I was home before heading out to boston for this summer was checking the DV (all good there), dehumidifying my inner left taillight, which had somehow gotten water in it, and color matching the backgrounds of my front and rear emblems.
An Instagram of these activities to save space:


Father was also generously very excited to buy a Yakima roof rack for my car to help cary bikes

Rack is great quality, defiantly recommend it; it easily fit three bikes facing forward with room for a fourth to face backwards. Along the drive, however, something knocked the headlight washer cover off of my passenger side and i'm currently in the process of getting a new one.


When i got to boston I finally had a chance to check my cam follower; banjo bolt was a pita though and i ended up managing to break the nipple off of a vacuum hose and had to replace it. Cam follower was looking good though, so in all it was still less expensive than having the stealership check it.


Broken vacuum hose (even more broken after removal) :


A new sticker and another three hour trip to the Scrub-a-Dub complete with clay and wax




brings me to two days ago when i received a very exciting package!!

Lots of goodies in there that i'll post up as i put them in/on. Also, thanks to Andy at ECS for dropping a couple of stickers in there free of charge

Finally on to today; I got around to hooking up my catch can: an easier instal than I had even thought possible. And put a K&N pre-filter (or in this case post-filter) over the breather in hopes that it might keep the bay a little more free of oily film.



Also put in my ziza projector fogs this afternoon.


Thus far I'm pretty happy with them- color match seems descent, but i'll have more details tomorrow after my first night time drive.

That'll do it for my initial post; i'll reserve two posts below this for a brief future plans post and a little about my 1:18 build

thanks for looking; comments and gentle, constructive criticism are certainly welcome.

[waittllnextyear]

Like everyone, the list of future plans for my car is practically endless, but also like many, in its entirety, it's practically impractical. Some of it is possible though or slightly likely

Have the parts already:
-Forge s/s short shift
-Revision D DV
-Noise Pipe delete
Future plans:
-AWE or custom magniflow Cat-Back Exhaust
-18x8.5 wheels, most likely with 225/40/18 or 235/40/18
-Air? Maybe if dreams come true and i get a job
-Votex Rear Valence

Mod List thus far:

Suspension/Wheels
-H&R Sport Springs
-Stock Classix on updated tires (DWS)
-17.5mm rear spacers
-15mm front spacers
-StopTech X-Drilled front rotors
-RedStuff front pads
Engine/Bay/Exhaust:
-K&N Typhoon intake
-Trimmed engine cover
-APR Stg 2
-APR DP
-BSH Race Catch Can
-BSH boost tap
-Forge F/B short shifter
Lighting
-LED tail lights (Mexico version) w/ rear fog
-Ziza projector fog lights
-LED interior lighting
Exterior:
-Charactere front bumper and rear valence
-Rabbit front grill
-dubteknic Votex rep side skirts
Interior:
-Newsouth vent pod and boost gauge
-Chrome trim euro switch
-Custom fit a USB charger port. thanks to this DIY
-Audiosources ANS-610 Headunit
-Golfball shift knob
-Dash Cubby
-Euro cup holder w/ opener

-Also followed this DIY to replace subframe bolts

[waittllnextyear]

This is stock images of how it looked before i started, tan interior and red ext, though i stripped the paint and started from the bare metal.

I also bought the norev caractere gti model and modified it a bit to go on the jetta model. actually fits pretty well now.



paint stripped and ready to go




Original floor liner before painting


Primed Body





During the painting process


First wheel test fit, temporarily done with hot glue. I got the wheels on Ebay, but they were not easy to find and it was slim pickings. I'm thinking I'll get vb3's in the next year or so, so I went with these.


Preparing the wheels


Floor Liner after Painting


Painting the interior. I primed everything then laid down a base coat of whatever was to be the most prominent color on any given piece. After that, I hand painted any details with testors enamels. The Plaid seat centers (as well as the speedo/tach gauge cluster is done with Testors decal paper (I don't know what the reviews are talking about, I love this stuff). Then I sprayed over the seats with a matte clear gloss then painted the details on them


Really proud of the dashboard detail, all of the details in this and the next shot are hand painted -mostly with a single haired brush



Gauge cluster printed on the testors paper and applied in the next image



Another Wheel test-fit



To make the rear valance, I put masking tape over the sections that I would be making pieces for. Then I outline the shape that I wanted and globbed the bondo on. Once it was a little, but not completely hardened, I used an exacto-knife to trim the bondo back to where I wanted it. Afterwards I sanded the pieces down, primed, and painted them



Test-fitting the interior just for fun. Used the original steering wheel and just melted and molded it into place a little to make it a bit more like the gli


One of the final wheel test fits and the desired lows.



Interior fully assembled and finished



Exterior (basically) fully assembled and finished



I got this method of lowering from a die-cast model forum that I found. Instead of cutting springs which can only be done once with not much room for error, it was sugested to use regular drinking straws and cut them to the perfect length. Worked well for me.


Suspension installed -the back will come down a little before it is finished, but the front is pretty close to where I want it. May come down a bit.


Front and rear bumper with my fabricated pieces glued on, but before I painted grill's center and put the front badge on

[RomanML320]

Very cool!

[v408w]

Not of a fan of front or back end and the back doesn't look like it fits right

[xk1llxy0urselfx]

The work on the model is great! As a model railroader I can truly appreciate the time it takes to deal with such small details and getting them to look just how you want them to. The paint looks better the second time. What scale is the model, what kind of paint did you use? Airbrush?

[waittllnextyear]

Very cool!

thanks!

Not of a fan of front or back end and the back doesn't look like it fits right

It's not for everyone; i like the look, but i can't stand the back either, the fitment is not so great; i'm going to eventually replace it with the votex rear with the center flat black/possibly textured, but i've gotta get the resources...

The work on the model is great! As a model railroader I can truly appreciate the time it takes to deal with such small details and getting them to look just how you want them to. The paint looks better the second time. What scale is the model, what kind of paint did you use? Airbrush?

thanks! i've been really proud of the details in the interior, i was so happy with how the dashboard came out. the model is 1:18, which is really what i wanted, would've settled for 1:24, but i'm glad it's a 1:18; it's what I have the most of. as for painting, exterior is actually just straight spray point unfortunately... it will most likely eventually get redone. and the interior is a mix: base is sprayed (except the carpet which is painted with a wide brush and acrylic) and details are all hand painted

[cbs_24]

I love your bumpers man. Very unique. Doesn't look like everything else I see posted on here everyday. Keep it up.

[dirtymanpon]

I like the front.

[jerseygli]

Interesting progress. I can't decide if I like the front or not...

[v408w]

The model is cool though

[kern417]

attention to detail is ridiculous. where do you find all those parts or do you fab/paint them yourself

[kevin splits]

Model needs stretched tires and low! Lol and some camber.

[kevin splits]

BTW that post filter is genius! On for driving off for shows. I've been running a dump hose to vent my catch can so the oily film doesn't happen.

[waittllnextyear]

I love your bumpers man. Very unique. Doesn't look like everything else I see posted on here everyday. Keep it up.

I like the front.

Interesting progress. I can't decide if I like the front or not...

The model is cool though

Thanks

attention to detail is ridiculous. where do you find all those parts or do you fab/paint them yourself

Thanks! the front bumper I took from a different model, which i'll post up eventually, it's a Norev golf with caractere kit; that i bent and ground down a little to fit. But I made some of the other parts (rear valence and grill since i lost it some how) from bondo. Wheels I bought on ebay and kinda glued to the hubs of the model's original ones. Basically everything else is just painted from the original, i'm gonna update that part's process later today.

Model needs stretched tires and low! Lol and some camber.

Haha, it will have a little more low hopefully when it's done, and depending on which way the wheels are turned they have more or less camber/toe because they aren't glued on very straight lol.

BTW that post filter is genius! On for driving off for shows. I've been running a dump hose to vent my catch can so the oily film doesn't happen.

thanks! i was pretty happy with that find, I saw it in a picture on here or on golf mkv i think, but it took forever to find what it was actually called and where to buy it.

thanks for all the comments and opinions

[waittllnextyear]

In other news, I got another package yesterday from orientalparts.com; less stuff but pretty exciting. I'll let you all know about the quality of the parts cus i've been wondering, but based on first impression they seem pretty good.


Here's one of the items, but the other is a little more of s supprise, though you might be able to make some guesses by the shape of the box..

[AlexsVR6]

you should take the R badge off your “GLI"

[waittllnextyear]

you should take the R badge off your “GLI"

I was wondering when that comment was gonna come; I was thinking it's about time

[bryangb]

I don't get the R badge

[waittllnextyear]

I don't get the R badge

seemed like the right idea at the time.... we all do things that seemed like the right idea at the time...

[jerseygli]

nice jammies

[xk1llxy0urselfx]

If you want the paint on the exterior of the model to shine really well and look like the real thing theres a few companies that make some good paints that you can use with a small air brush. I have friends that do HO scale trains and when you use the right stuff you can get something that has a gloss like factory new and wont clog up all your details. To strip off all the old paint we use rubbing alcohol and for more stubbon things, soak overnight in nothing less than brake fluid.

[waittllnextyear]

nice jammies

ha most comfortable ones i've got

If you want the paint on the exterior of the model to shine really well and look like the real thing theres a few companies that make some good paints that you can use with a small air brush. I have friends that do HO scale trains and when you use the right stuff you can get something that has a gloss like factory new and wont clog up all your details. To strip off all the old paint we use rubbing alcohol and for more stubbon things, soak overnight in nothing less than brake fluid.

That's good to know; that's how i should've done it in the first place, but there's always time to do it again. I hadn't heard of using rubbing alcohol and brake fluid, I use a marine strength paint stripper that works like magic. Nasty stuff, but I haven't found anything yet that it can't get off

[waittllnextyear]

Model build process updated with some info and details

[waittllnextyear]

Plans section also updated

[xk1llxy0urselfx]

The reason for using the rubbing alcohol on models is it doesn't damage the plastics. Same with brake fluid. Brake fluid is for the stuff with tough paints that are harder to get off. The marine cleaner is probably overkill, and if its at all abrasive it can damage fine details.

My other suggestion would be, and as good as many of your things came out on the interior and exterior, would be to experiment with some wet transfer decal sheets that you can print yourself. They wont print white or yellow since they are clear when they come apart but they would work good on stuff like the emblems license plates and other little details. For mirrors you can use small pieces of reflective tape cut to fit. Just some more thoughts and ideas from the other end of the modeling spectrum.

[Ikey3125]

If you want the paint on the exterior of the model to shine really well and look like the real thing theres a few companies that make some good paints that you can use with a small air brush. I have friends that do HO scale trains and when you use the right stuff you can get something that has a gloss like factory new and wont clog up all your details. To strip off all the old paint we use rubbing alcohol and for more stubbon things, soak overnight in nothing less than brake fluid.

I do N scale trains also, the clear coat that you can use is by Testors. They have it in bottles that you can use in an airbrush, thinned of course. Great results with that, I hardly ever gloss my trains, as most get dull and weathered pretty quickly.

I want to say the ratio is something like 1 part gloss to 1 part thinner, maybe 2 parts thinner. The thinner it is, the smoother it will flow, and smoother flow means you won't get clogged details.

[waittllnextyear]

I do N scale trains also, the clear coat that you can use is by Testors. They have it in bottles that you can use in an airbrush, thinned of course. Great results with that, I hardly ever gloss my trains, as most get dull and weathered pretty quickly.

I want to say the ratio is something like 1 part gloss to 1 part thinner, maybe 2 parts thinner. The thinner it is, the smoother it will flow, and smoother flow means you won't get clogged details.

The reason for using the rubbing alcohol on models is it doesn't damage the plastics. Same with brake fluid. Brake fluid is for the stuff with tough paints that are harder to get off. The marine cleaner is probably overkill, and if its at all abrasive it can damage fine details.

My other suggestion would be, and as good as many of your things came out on the interior and exterior, would be to experiment with some wet transfer decal sheets that you can print yourself. They wont print white or yellow since they are clear when they come apart but they would work good on stuff like the emblems license plates and other little details. For mirrors you can use small pieces of reflective tape cut to fit. Just some more thoughts and ideas from the other end of the modeling spectrum.

Thanks for the suggestions; i'll defiantly keep them in mind and try out some different things as i move forward.

[waittllnextyear]

Got a good amount of work done on the car today cus I didn't have to go in to work.
Here's the updates:

Pulled off the cover, intake piping, and heat shield, as well as the battery to get access to the shifter and the rubber gasket into the cabin to route the vacuum tubing through for the boost gauge.



Since the install instructions for the NS vent pod gauge said i'd have to remove the headlight switch anyway, i figured i'd do both at once.
Taking the vent out was surprisingly relatively easy once i found a good way to it push from behind


Routing and "locating the nylon tubing" were by far the longest part of the day though. My hand was too big to easily get to the rubber gasket to cut off one of the nipples, and instructions failed to tell me that the easiest way locate the tubing on the other side was to flip the lower dash down and just feed the piping from down there. That I had to find out on my own after 45 mins of searching with a flashlight through the tiny openings for a thin pice of tubing

Once I got that figured out though, the rest of the instal went smoothly. The "autotap connectors" that NS supplied to splice the gauges wires into the wires from the headlight switch were completely useless, though, and I ended up just doing that the old fashioned way, but that worked out just fine.

EuroSwitch instal was also really straight forward, "U" shaped "tool" made from a paperclip actually worked like a charm this time to get the wires out of the harness and everything went together quickly and easily. Very happy with the quality of my $30 knock-off euro switch.

I had forgotten to print out directions for the short-shift, but i looked them up on my phone and figured it looked easy enough to do without paper instructions. I was blown away by how straight forward this instal was. Fairly certain a monkey could do it.




Two final pics i snapped of the engine bay before i closed it all up and took it for a test-drive. What do most people do about the boost hose? didn't seem to be any logical lines to bring it along, so i just left it on top since i have an engine-cover any way.

One with the post-filter off, and it certainly seems to be protecting my bay from some nasty vapors...



I was amazed how short the f/b throws are with the forge short shifter at the minimum distance, I might even be increasing them, but i'll see how i feel at the end of a week or so. If I keep it this short, I might need to get a s/s kit as well.

Finally a picture of the finished product all lit up: Very happy with everything


More updates on the model to come soon; not sure what the next updates on the real car will be

[VMRWheels]

I like the depth of detail of the thread updates. Keep it up!

Btw, nice job on the model.

[waittllnextyear]

I like the depth of detail of the thread updates. Keep it up!

Btw, nice job on the model.

ha, hoping that was serious and not sarcastic, so thanks!
if all goes well you may be fielding an order from me in a couple months

[VMRWheels]

ha, hoping that was serious and not sarcastic, so thanks!
if all goes well you may be fielding an order from me in a couple months

Definitely wasn't sarcastic. haha

And sounds good! We actually have a shipment of 18x8.5 ET45 Super Silver VB3s arriving the week of July 5th if you are interested in picking up a set. We don't receive shipments of them in 5x112 very often.

[peskyrabbit]

Is that just a die cast model? how does it come apart like that? Im interested in doing a rabbit exactally like mine.

[rocketdub144]

You should take off the useless airbox

[waittllnextyear]

Is that just a die cast model? how does it come apart like that? Im interested in doing a rabbit exactally like mine.

It is just a a diecast model. this one was pretty good quality- carpeted floor liner and everything- but most come apart very easily. removing a few screws, splitting some plastic welds here and there and a bit of patience will get almost any apart no problem.
Also, Rabbit should be much easier to find than the jetta was

You should take off the useless airbox

I suppose for some reason that never occurred to me.... the heat shield fits into it so well that i just left it on. Although it has scratched up my arm pretty bad on a few occasions.... perhaps i will do that tomorrow