Tweet
Project: TRRRUNK (Jetta R32!)
It seems appropriate to start this with story time. Once upon a time, I owned a MK4 R32. It was a very nice car, my first nice car, and I treated it as such (except for that time I lowered it on v-maxx coils). I sold it last April to a forum member, bilagain, because I thought I wanted something different. I bought a B6 A4 from a friend and drove that for a while, then my situation changed and I became able to lease new cars for a (very) reasonable price. The problem with these leases is that they are short term, so I don't get to waste money on them with modifications. I've thought for a while that I needed a project, but I never knew exactly what I wanted. I thought about Porsche 944s and MK3s and MK1s but nothing I could find really got my wheels turning.
As luck would have it, I happened to be browsing the vortex classifieds one day and stumbled upon the perfect project, another 2004 R32. It spent the first part of its life in Texas, where in 2009 it was in a front end accident that caused it to be totaled. A year later it was re-registered with a rebuilt title and shortly thereafter made its way to Pennsylvania. The most recent owner was selling it because he lives in Philadelphia and will be doing a lot of commuting, and R32s aren't really great at that.
After a few sleepless nights plotting out my plans and convincing myself and my wife this was not a terrible idea, I flew to Philadelphia and drove it back. It made all 600 miles back without the slightest hitch.
Here's the first picture I took of it coolin' on the corner in Philly.
And the second, at a rest stop on the PA turnpike:
As you can see, there are some problems, but the price I paid was reflective of that. The good thing about it, and why it is a perfect project car, is that I will not feel bad about bastardizing it. My original thoughts were that I would make it a race car, cage and all, but now I'm not really sure what I am going to do. Fortunately I have the aforementioned lease car to daily while I do whatever I want with this thing.
The bad:
GTI bumper
Bad body repairs/some support panels still bent
less than ideal tires for performance driving
Came with two sets of headlights, but both are reflectors style with cloudy plastic lenses, not what I am used to.
The good:
Came with the Enkei RPF1 wheels shown in the pictures as well as factory Aristos
Lots of mods, including:
Porsche front brake calipers
BW Performance stage 1 flex fuel (E85) conversion
2 sets of lowering suspensions, including ST coils
2 sets of adjustable rear control arms
SAI block off/delete
Whatever I decide to do with it as projects go, I want to be sure it can make it to Wookies in the Woods next April. I took my lease Golf R this year and it was awesome, I can't wait to make a run in a real wookie.
Updates to follow as they occur.
As luck would have it, I happened to be browsing the vortex classifieds one day and stumbled upon the perfect project, another 2004 R32. It spent the first part of its life in Texas, where in 2009 it was in a front end accident that caused it to be totaled. A year later it was re-registered with a rebuilt title and shortly thereafter made its way to Pennsylvania. The most recent owner was selling it because he lives in Philadelphia and will be doing a lot of commuting, and R32s aren't really great at that.
After a few sleepless nights plotting out my plans and convincing myself and my wife this was not a terrible idea, I flew to Philadelphia and drove it back. It made all 600 miles back without the slightest hitch.
Here's the first picture I took of it coolin' on the corner in Philly.
And the second, at a rest stop on the PA turnpike:
As you can see, there are some problems, but the price I paid was reflective of that. The good thing about it, and why it is a perfect project car, is that I will not feel bad about bastardizing it. My original thoughts were that I would make it a race car, cage and all, but now I'm not really sure what I am going to do. Fortunately I have the aforementioned lease car to daily while I do whatever I want with this thing.
The bad:
GTI bumper
Bad body repairs/some support panels still bent
less than ideal tires for performance driving
Came with two sets of headlights, but both are reflectors style with cloudy plastic lenses, not what I am used to.
The good:
Came with the Enkei RPF1 wheels shown in the pictures as well as factory Aristos
Lots of mods, including:
Porsche front brake calipers
BW Performance stage 1 flex fuel (E85) conversion
2 sets of lowering suspensions, including ST coils
2 sets of adjustable rear control arms
SAI block off/delete
Whatever I decide to do with it as projects go, I want to be sure it can make it to Wookies in the Woods next April. I took my lease Golf R this year and it was awesome, I can't wait to make a run in a real wookie.
Updates to follow as they occur.
Comment