XSSIVE's "some assembly required" thread...

[XSSIVE]

Updated as of 5/10/13

Exterior:
- Shaved marker lights and plate holes on front bumper
- LED Euro tails
- Working city lights
- deAutoKey 5 LED city light bulbs
- "Carbon fiber" rear emblem insert
- "Atömic Punk" euro plate (for show use)

Wheels, Tires, Brakes:
- 18x8 Black Sparco Assetto Gara wheels ET48
- Hankook Ventus V12 evo K110 XL 225/40/18 tires
- Adam's Rotors Sport II front and rear black zinc plated with black powder coated hubs
- Carbotech 1521 brake pads front and rear. Custom order black finish
- 5mm ECS rear spacers
- 44mm front, 63mm rear M14x1.5 stud conversion
- Black 7 spline lug nuts

Suspension:
- H&R Street coilovers

Interior:
- R logo stainless seat inserts
- White LED interior bulbs
- OEM VW first aid kit
- R logo Mojo floor mats
- Euro cup holder
- Euro bottle opener

Engine & Transmission:
- Volant intake
- DEI Reflect-A-Gold covered heat sheild
- APR Stage 1+ software
- APR HPFP
- Borla catback exhaust
- Force Fed Engineering Positive Engagement Shifter Bushings
- Forge adjustable quick shifter and adjustable side quick shifter
- Audi TTS engine cover with custom Van Halen 5150 stripe paint job
- R8 oil cap
- Black washer fluid cap
- Black expansion tank cap

Stereo:
- Uber Stealth Audio under floor light weight (plywood not MDF) sub box
- Helix E 8W Esprit 8" low profile subwoofer
- Rockford Fosgate PBR300X1 amp
- Rockford Fosgate RF PEQ bass knob
- Rockford Fosgate power wire
- Scosche speaker wire

Vag-Com:
- LED tail light coding
- Windows up/down via remote
- 2 Stage ESP








A little back story...

I joined the Vortex back in 2003 when I first got my 337 and of all the various car forums I've been a member of when owning various cars for some sick reason this forum was always my favorite. Speaking of favorites, of the now 9 cars I've owned the 337 was my favorite...up until the R. I took a 5 year hiatus from modding cars and drove a bone stock SUV...scary, I know. I blame that on the MK5 body style (not a fan) and the choice for the USA to only get DSG in the last R32 (really not a fan of that).

Anyway, that's not important. What is right now is my 337 since I figure I should show you new guys that real quick...the mod list on it is way way way too long to type though.

Pics from 2005...








-Mike

[speeedfrk]

really digging those wheels. nicely done.

chris

[psipassat]

Looks good, those Sparco wheels look good for under a grand for a set. Looking forward to you living up the Xssive plate.

[EZ]

We've got similar taste. I bought a 337, sold it in 2005, but still came to this site every once in a while. Had kids after the 337 so was just waiting for VW to bring a 4-door R - and was stoked when Jamie made the announcement December of 2010. Picked up a white 4DR a few months ago and I'm loving it. 337 might still be my favorite car, until I go stage 1+ with the R.

Saw a 337 just two days ago - always makes me smile.

[webcrawlr]

In general I'm over the black wheel phase but still love it on white. It also helps that black is an accent color on the car to begin with. Looking' good!

[xxmagnusxx]

Nice wheels, I had the same set on my 2010 CW GTI before I put Contis and moved them to my R. Lookin' good!

[GTI Fanboy]

Lookin' good. Love the engine cover.

[Sales@DBCPerformance]

Love it, I like the fact that you have not put dark tint. Wheels show a lot nicer and stand out. Engine cover is killer. Great job!

[XSSIVE]

Thanks guys.

psipassat...I think it already lived up to the XSSIVE plate in one aspect...2 weeks of ownership, 200 miles and already a decent amount of mods and a bumper that's about to get a shave and fresh paint before its first rock chip. I'd say all that's a bit eXceSSIVE.

EZ...Yeah man, there was something special about the 337 even over the 20ths which were fairly similar. It just had the right combo of factory parts and color combos to get me to sell a 1 year or so old Camaro SS for one and not regret it at all.

webcrawlr...To me black wheels were the only option for this car. Everything is piano black on it so why not the wheels. The silver wheels just made it look too happy for lack of a better word. It needed a bit more of a sinister vibe.

GTI Fanboy...Thanks. The engine cover is staying but not in that color since there's nothing else silver on the car. So it's getting a custom respray while the bumper is being shaved. I'm not saying any more about the crazy ass idea I have for it though. It will be a love hate thing for some people I think.

Sales@DBCPerformance...I actually keep tossing and turning on tint. I'm pretty sure I won't bother but If I did it would be real light 40-50%. Odds are I won't bother though since I've gotten tint tickets before and just don't want to be bothered with it again. I was just looking at some Adam's rotors on your site. Those are on my future "to do" list with some Carbotech pads since the stock pads dust so much I've had to clean the wheels 4 times in the whopping 200 miles I've put on the car.

[EZ]

I put 35% all the way around on my windows. Cuts down on the heat during the day and you can drive without sunglasses, but you can still see at night. Haven't decided down the road if I'll powder coat the stock wheels black or pick up some black Oz's, but agree black wheels on this car looks great!

[hussdog426]

Looking good

[XSSIVE]

EZ...I've had all sorts of tint on various cars over the years from 5% (back in the stupid kids days of my first car ) to 20%, 35% and none. For this one I doubt I'll do any tint but if anything it will be real light.

hussdog426....Thanks!

Well chalk up another minor mod. While cleaning out the garage (You should see the amount of parts I have left over from past cars, it's scary...full turbo back 337 exhaust anyone? Stock 2000 Civic Si injectors and fuel pump...the list goes on.) I found some 5mm spacers also left over from my 337 so I tossed them on the rear. Minor change but just right.

[EZ]

How are you liking the wheels? Seem to be a good value and I like the look.

[XSSIVE]

I flat out love them. Everyone who has seen them in person has had nothing but good things to say about them. They look good in pics but they look perfect on the car in person. Something about pics always makes wheels look a bit smaller. The style was the selling point for me and the price was just a bonus. If they were $250 or $300 a wheel I still would have bought them based on the look alone. The fact that they're under $200 a wheel was just gravy leaving more money for other mods.

[peruski]

Love the wheels. So much so, I'm now considering them for my CW 4dr.

Any idea if there is a VW center that would fit? That would make them perfect to me.

[XSSIVE]

I'm not sure if there is a VW center cap that will fit them. You could always have a round VW sticker made to cover the Sparco logo if you wanted and just use the stock caps. I like the Sparco logos vs VW logos so it's not something I'd bother with on mine.

[XSSIVE]

Perhaps I should change the name of my thread to "some reassembly required" after today.

Bumper and engine cover off and ready to be dropped off at the body shop tomorrow. Goodbye plate holes and marker lights!





I also unhooked the soundaktor while I was tearing things off.

[XSSIVE]

Bumper and engine cover won't be done 'til early next week but I did install (and order) some little BS mods while waiting...

-R8 oil cap
-Black washer fluid cap
-Black expansion tank cap
-White LEDs for all interior bulbs
-Hatch pop kit (in the mail)
-R logo stainless seat inserts (in the mail)
-"Carbon fiber" rear emblem insert (in the mail) I got tired of the matte plastic behind the chrome VW so until I decide if I want to paint it the pseudo 3m di-noc carbon fiber will do.
-VAG-COM windows via remote

Next on the to do list is to hook up the city lights in place of the shaved marker lights.

I'll take some pics when the bumper and engine cover are back.

[XSSIVE]

Back from the K&M Autocraft (Thanks to Keith and the guys there!) with a fresh marker light shave and custom engine cover paint job the "Atömic Punk" is born!







The guitar the cover is based on...



The reason why I did the Eddie Van Halen 5150 Kramer guitar style engine cover....

I've played and collected guitars for 18 years and of course EVH is a big influence on me as a player. I also build guitars as one of my jobs so I had to tie together my two loves of cars and guitars and it seemed like the perfect fit. Plus if you're at all familiar with Van Halen and the song Atomic Punk you'll also know why it's a very fitting name for the car based on the lyrics.

I also decided to use the incorrect "metal umlaut" for the name based on the long standing tradition of incorrect umlaut use from metal bands like Mötley Crüe and Motörhead and many more.

Anyway, I'm lovin' it and am so glad I decided to do something crazy with the engine cover instead of bland old black or body color or whatever.

[GTI Fanboy]

Epic engine cover.

[blackdemonGTI18T]

really like the engine cover, very creative and different.

V
W


V
H

[EZ]

Looking good. The side marker delete really cleaned it up. :thumbs up:

[lovecarsDrV]

Great job, the cover looks fantastic!

[dc/dc]

How did they go about the shave process? I love it.

[speeedfrk]

shave and paint look awesome in the pics. any defects close up. im leaning on shaving mine as well. the paint matched markers that i have now bother me from time to time. just looks like a blank piece of plastic that vw messed up.

[XSSIVE]

Thanks guys!

dc/dc...I honestly don't know all the specifics on how they worked their magic. Since this shop has done several local VWs from MK1s to MKVIs (quite a few forum members actually) is why I decided to trust them to do it since they've done it many times.

speeedfrk...You can't tell they where ever there. If I told anyone it was a euro bumper they wouldn't question it (not that I would, I rather give the body shop credit where it's due!). I've had 9 different cars and nearly every one has had custom body work over the years. My 337 was shaved as you can see (rub strips and fender lights) and that was a great job too. I had an Integra that I bought shaved and it was a crap job where you could see the outline of the shaved keyhole in the hatch. Anyway, as for the R it looks amazing you can get your eyes as close as you want in any light at any angle and there's no sign of where the markers were. I'm not a fan of the paint matched markers, it looks a bit ghetto to be honest. The bumper has enough plugs in it with the tow hook and washer caps, it doesn't need two more. Better off with clear, smoked or amber lenses than painted ones. I was actually going to shave the washers and tow hook hole but decided not too since the washers are functional and I needed a place for my front plate so I had to keep the tow hook hole.

[dc/dc]

dc/dc...I honestly don't know all the specifics on how they worked their magic. Since this shop has done several local VWs from MK1s to MKVIs (quite a few forum members actually) is why I decided to trust them to do it since they've done it many times.

Ok thanks!

[psipassat]

Very nice, you are right it is Excessive!!!

[nectar13]

car looks great! i'm with DBC...fishbowl all the way. nice choice in wheels, and very clean mods. front bumper makes me want to shave mine.


it's funny how fanatical folks are about 337s... myself included.

[speeedfrk]

well i wasnt going to add anything about it, but i had a 337 in 05 for about a year. loved it. kept mine all original except a GIAC flash and a boost gauge. car was clean. only had 30k miles on it when i had it. i miss that car but it was after i had my first R32 so i was always frustrated with the wheel spin.

[XSSIVE]

The 337 was an awesome car. They really got it right with that one in terms of upgrades over the standard MKIV GTI along with the color combo, stock wheels and no sunroof. I actually wish I could have gotten my R with Nav and Kessey but no sunroof.

[XSSIVE]

Well this sucks, the vinyl used for the "space tape" 5150 sticker on the engine cover couldn't take the heat and it bubbled after the first drive. So I had to pull it off. I ordered a "5150" chrome emblem similar to the "337" one I had on its engine cover but a different font. At least I know that will take the heat.

Some fun/abuse of photoshop....

[1082_R32]

love this car man.

[GTI Fanboy]

Sad to hear about the Engine Cover.

[XSSIVE]

1082_R32....Thanks, me too.

GTI Fanboy...Yeah it does suck but I got a chrome "5150" badge to use there which should look good too. It does lose a bit of the guitar vibe but gains a bit more car vibe so it should work out. I also ordered an R badge too, I may make it a "5150 R" to further tie together the car/guitar theme. We'll see what looks best.