the path to no return...(build) thread

[rhodri45]

i call it a build thread because i feel like this is as close to building a car as it gets. between restoring it, taking everything apart and putting it back together, finding new issues, etc.

bought a white mk3 GLX back in september, definitely a fixer-upper. engine runs great (2.8L VR6 as you guys know), 156k miles on it, but sounds like an old vr6. new used tranny swapped in, 5 speed. also had a brand new clutch. no stereo system whatsoever.

i intend for the car to be done (minus the teardrop wheels, i bet 1552 wont have them ready until tax return season, which is when i can get them anyway) by january 1st. sooner is better, but i can't rush myself with the self-paintjob or i'll f**k it up. The timeline is now SoWo, as i want to bring both the mk3 and the mk6, i have a driver already. i want the powerhouse done too. so everything is expected to be done by SoWo. Most of it, other than the crazy motor build, should be done soonish, like, well before SoWo.

Mods/Performance:

Engine:
-Neuspeed intake

Suspension:
-air-ride, manual switch management
-frame notched
-tie-rod's flipped (lower)
-5 gal skinny tank
-single viair compressor (for now, want another)

Interior:
-sony head unit
-4 pioneer 6x4 speakers (doors and rear)
-2 pioneer 4x4 speakers (dash)
-mk3 cabby dimple dash swap
-black leather seats
-brand new black carpet
-black everything interior
-white door handles (inside), white sunvisors, white oh s**t bars
-black/gray/white checkered headliner/parcel tray

Exterior:
-Jetta GL trunk swap (no spoiler)
-OEM Rep taillights, Clear & Red
-badgeless jetta grille (for now)
-OEM VW Longbeach wheels, 17x7, running 215/40's. perfect tuck

Fix/Restorations:
-new coolant resevoir
-new heater core
-new wheel bearings/hub assemblies
-new control arm bushings
-new full tie-rod assemblies
-new drive tensioner
-new windshield

__________________________________________________

planned stuff:

-exterior:
-body work for restoration. i need to do actual body work to pull a bad dent just forward of the passenger rear fender. also thinking about shaving the stupid rubber bumper gay things in the door.
-cut'n'roll fenders prior to respray
-full car respray, done correctly. Forest Green, glossy. with burgundy/maroon wheels.
-powdercoat the longbeaches burgundy after paint

-golf front end conversion:
-badgless golf grille (gonna do this in burgundy )
-golf headlights w/ integrated turn signals
-golf hood (awaiting paint)
-shaved front golf euro bumper w/ vr6 lip (in my garage, awaiting paint)
-black textured sideskirts (in my garage, awaiting body work/paint done)

-engine/performance:
-partial shaved bay
-autotech 262 cams
-all-motor build in the works. will be made to support turbos eventually.

-other:
-remove ABS completely (need a non-abs master cyl)
-remove SAI (might actually just fix it, since i will eventually need to go to cali)
-full caliper rebuild + red caliper paint (all 4)
-new f**king sub and amp, blew the old sh*t up.

current picture (crappy iphone pic for now):
its very very very dirty right now. got a few more things to do before i move on with the awesome.


Special thanks to James & Kevin @ JK Automotive & Performace. These guys run a great VW/Audi shop, and have helped me out alot, answering questions and getting me parts real freakin quick. And just for bein cool

Also special thanks to everyone in Charleston Dubs & the Low Country VW Club for all their help as well. Between body work experts, paintless dent repair, machinists, anything you can think of that you'd need for your VW, there's an expert in the club to help with anything you might need.

[rhodri45]

so to start it off, i had to swap in a new heatercore. heres a pic of the entire dash ripped out so i could get pretty much the whole damn A/C system (interior parts) off, ha



when i pulled it out, we found some clips broken, the box has a giant hole in it, etc. so we're getting some new clips on there, and gunna use a metal piece and some rivets to cover the hole (it originally had duct tape on it!) pics of this to come.

i havent put it back together yet, as i am waiting on the clips and the hole to be fixed before i deal with that.

once that's done, i have to replace the ignition switch too. then i can move on to making the car beautiful!!! (these two issues were the only two i had to deal with)

[rhodri45]

got the dash internals/ac&heater box back in. wasn't too hard surprisingly.


then i moved on to the ignition switch. i took apart the whole steering wheel assembly, but then after replacing the switch itself, i got the switch/key assembly back on the column. i then went to put the steering bushing back on w/ the spring underneath as it came out, however i ran into a problem. the small inner steering rod in the column was pushed in when i used a puller to pull the bearing off. idk how to pull it back out to get the bushing back on. any suggestions?

the green outline is the ignition/key assembly.
the red outline is the steering bushing/spring.
the teal outline is the inner steering rod inside the steering column.

the inner rod should be out about another 3/8" to 1/2", maybe even 3/4" longer, to be able to push the bushing/spring down to get everything else back on. how can i pull it out further? it was pushed in by the puller tool i used to get the bushing off in the first place.

the shop i'm doing my work at is really busy today, and they are already nice enough to let me use a bay and toolbox and lift AND store my car there, all for FREE, so i wasn't going to tell anyone to stop working to help me out.

any ideas how to pull it out further?

[rhodri45]

got it put back together!



now moving onto dying the carpet.

then i need to find a black dashboard, and once i do i can finish the interior (except for sound system for now!)

[rhodri45]

carpet dye should be here tomorrow. but today, i took out the front seats, made the carpet ready for dye.

i also started polishing the engine up making it pretty.

but most importantly, i got a sneak peak at what my interior will look like, with mostly black w/ minimal white trim (door handles, oh-sh** bars, and sun visors). i know this trim is a terrible thing to do cleanliness wise, however white is baller as f**k. so, here it is!

i feel like it came out really well. the door panel needs a little work, but it was used off another mk3 w/ black interior...

[rhodri45]

did a GL trunk swap, i hate spoilers. also put on some unsmoked lights, i feel they match the white a bit better.



also reupholstered the headliner and the parcel tray...came out fantastic for my first try...



got my hands on a mk3 cabby dimple dash, and started putting everything back together. this is a pic with the black carpet, driver's side trim, and the dashboard fully installed. the interior will be DONE tomorrow

[Flyin18T]

Subscribed.

[path0s]

Did you have it out at oktoberfest?

Bump for a friend and a car coming a long way from sitting in a yard.

[rhodri45]

Subscribed.

thanks. i update frequently.

Did you have it out at oktoberfest?

Bump for a friend and a car coming a long way from sitting in a yard.

nah man it sat at my house again. its at JK now getting the bags though. also, after just washing it (didnt even clay it or wax it) it looks 100000x better

also, here's some shots of the interior! its dirty at this point, didnt get around to cleaning it back up.

after bags, i should recieve the shaved bumper and sideskirts and then im going to respray it myself. i've done alot of research on self paint jobs, and talked to a few people locally about how to do it. seems like the prep-work is the hardest part.

but between bags and paint, i need 6 speakers and a head unit already have a sub and amp. and then i need some better wheels o.o

[path0s]

Well if I have time I can help. I used to throw paint in the military for 4 years. =P no imperfections to body really so it'll be easy.

I can't wait for what's coming around the corner for everyone's cars in chuck town

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[path0s]

To add... if I have the extra money I'll be sitting pretty with a mk2

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[rhodri45]

To add... if I have the extra money I'll be sitting pretty with a mk2

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me gusta.

yeah, just found out about a friend of mine who i work with. turns out she has a compressor and a paint sprayer. so im going to sand it still, and then use her **** to paint in my garage. talked to james again (i go to JK every day now...) and talked to him more about how prep work goes and best place to buy paint etc...

also, once it is off the lift and outside, we're going to get rid of those ant nests
next week on tuesday jon roberts is gunna take care of the dings/high points, and im going to do the sound system wed and thurs, and start paint prep friday. soon as kevin gets his wheels i'll have those, then itll be pretty much done.

also, getting new brakes/fluid while its at jk, why not. and while im doing the dents/sound, im seafoaming the f**k out of it.

^^those are my plans for the next couple weeks. these all begin when the air-ride is done

[path0s]

Yea I can't wait to get some progress on the VR and MKV.. hoping to have it all done at once and see if james will do it on a weekend since its hard for me to get up there during the week.

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[rhodri45]

Yea I can't wait to get some progress on the VR and MKV.. hoping to have it all done at once and see if james will do it on a weekend since its hard for me to get up there during the week.

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or you guys can carpool.

[path0s]

or you guys can carpool.

Car pooling is hard when I go to work so early. I'll figure something out.

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[rhodri45]

Car pooling is hard when I go to work so early. I'll figure something out.

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sounds good.

updates: wired the sound system today!

-sony g660t head unit (cheap, w/ ipod capability)
-4 6x4 pioneer speakers (also cheap, with decent sound)
-2 4x4 pioneer dashboard speakers (not as cheap, but well worth it.)
-1 12" arc audio sub, with a 550w walmart amp. will upgrade that eventually.


trunk:

-air ride!!
-5gal skinny
-single viair compressor
-notched frame
-flipped tie rods



more pics tomorrow

[GTi2OV]

Lose the white handle BS, headliner, and tails...

[path0s]

I've seen this project in person.

The white handles are bleh, I think hell change them eventually. Second the headliner isn't great in the picture but it actually suites the car very well. Third, the tails are much better than smoked foe the final look he's going for. Everything is always done with the final point in mind.

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[rhodri45]

Lose the white handle BS, headliner, and tails...

don't tell me what to do.

thanks mike. im getting sick of the door handles, but i like the rest of the white honestly.


and no way in hell am i taking the headliner off i love it

[path0s]

and no way in hell am i taking the headliner off i love it

Yea its way to funky fresh.



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[rhodri45]

Yea its way to funky fresh.



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[path0s]

D00d mkv will be paid off this month time to begin!

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[rhodri45]

D00d mkv will be paid off this month time to begin!

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finally. lets get these cars done!!!! ha. got the wheel bearings done and control arm bushing done. need an alignment.

i seafoamed the intake manifold, and it appears i am burning oil now everything is cleaned out. i may need to replace some seals/gaskets...however, im gunna drive it a couple more times, make sure its not just seafoam all up in there still burning off.

after alignment, i need tint. finish mounting the dash speakers, then im going to paint it. in my garage yay me. oh also i need a new sub and amp. this walmart amp killed my sub, and this amp BLOWS.

and then after that, windshield, and wheels from kevin, then i should be done for the time being. ill go back to working on the mk6, need some suspension upgrades then k04 on that beast, and then yeah you know what i want.

[path0s]

Just make sure after the seafoam you get a oil change within about 300 miles

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[path0s]

And now that I have money coming in I may just wait and get some FK silverlines. And I plan on getting the flakes and tarmacs at the same time

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[rhodri45]

im telling you david's are streetlines, just buy his for now, im sure they'll be cheap. i havent talked to him about price.

also, how'd the 3m stuff work?

and yeah, we'll be getting wheels around the same time. tax return will pay for the wheels and tires for the jetta

[path0s]

Ecs chimed in and they even said sport editions and Highsports are g85s as well as the color. Total is have to spend 200 ish + shipping for other things.

Or I just get stainless steel silverlines with all the low I want. And spend 900.

Headliner went decent. At first I was losing my cool trying to rush then I stopped, collaborated.... and it worked. A couple of spots where it came through but I should be able to fix that, for now I'm sure it will be fine. Can't notice unless you right under it I think

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[rhodri45]

Ecs chimed in and they even said sport editions and Highsports are g85s as well as the color. Total is have to spend 200 ish + shipping for other things.

Or I just get stainless steel silverlines with all the low I want. And spend 900.

Headliner went decent. At first I was losing my cool trying to rush then I stopped, collaborated.... and it worked. A couple of spots where it came through but I should be able to fix that, for now I'm sure it will be fine. Can't notice unless you right under it I think

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the sticker on them says streetline! ha. idk.

anyway, nice on the headliner. i might have to redo mine since i forgot to pull the foam off, its gunna start to sag soon.

we'll redo yours when the time comes

[path0s]

You don't have to pull the foam. Either way it adheres. I left the foam inside mine. And it was no problem at all. Stuck instantly after I let it sit

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[rhodri45]

james was saying mine will start to sag eventually

[mk2drew12]

Moar!

[rhodri45]

Moar!

workin on it

[dubbinslowly]

update

[path0s]

I don't think he's doing anything anytime soon. He's leaving to fixxfest this month.... I think the next thing hes waiting on is some wheels

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[rhodri45]

I don't think he's doing anything anytime soon. He's leaving to fixxfest this month.... I think the next thing hes waiting on is some wheels

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no more fixxfest, plans got cancelled

however, i did get my hands on a neuspeed intake! a guy in our local dub club traded in a mk3 gti vr6 and stripped the more sellable parts off it before trading it, so i bought the intake.

he now has a mk4 20th btw, so i'd say it is an upgrade. it came with alot of stuff done to it as well.

anyway.

updates: wheels!
-17x7 longbeaches
-got the camber and toe fixed up on the front, waiting on a true alignment.
-i need new tie rods or atleast tie rod ends, too much play, and new rack boots, before i can align it properly.
-and some camber plates in the rear would be nice too.
-also, need to tension the e-brake cable. too lazy to do it ha maybe tomorrow. anyway, pic for ---the wheels:


-got a little bit of body work to do before paint, possibly shaving the door rubber stop thingys on the sides, they're gay.
but gotta get the steering **** and alignment properly fixed before paint. after that, paint paint paint.

__________________________________________________ __________________

furthermore, i think i'm almost done getting the car mechanically sound. i need to fix the secondary air problem, idk what the problem is or how to fix it, but someone said the pump is probably f**ked, so i might just kill the whole system and run a CEL. who cares about CELs anyway

once the car is mechanically sound (rattle fixed hopefully, tie rods, rack boots, alignment, another oil change/flush, ebrake cable) and it looks pretty (body work, paint, and better wheels than longbeaches) a friend of mine who has a b5 audi a4 have been talking about some powerhouse setups for the vr6 updates on that to come.