My Story... I had many options available to me when looking for a car to buy, but after driving a VW Jetta back in 1994, I couldn't resist its Euro style. It really defined the term "Euro" in its entirety.
The car is the second Jetta I've owned, the previous one was a maroon VR6, which has been passed down to my younger brother who had the engine re-bored to a full three liters. To replace it, I'd been close to buying a Golf GTI but those plans were thwarted after laying my eyes on this Cactus green Jetta. I took delivery in November of '02 and started planning the project immediately - I wanted it to be totally unique and serve as an expression of my individuality.
In South Africa, the '98 Jetta 2.0 came standard with silver dials, color-matched smooth Euro bumpers, Euro fenders, etc. It also came with a leather interior as it was the "Executive" version. The only options not taken by the original owner were a sunroof and CD-shuttle.
During the first week of ownership, I upgraded the exhaust with a Powerflow stainless steel system. The following week I had Koni's Special "D" kit installed, which offered damping adjustment and a softer ride than other kits I'd seen on the market. It lowered the ride 2.5" in the front and 1.5" in the rear.
I was concerned about keeping the car as clean and simple as possible. The less modifications I did to the exterior, the easier it would be to repair in the event of an accident. I didn't want the hassle of moldings or a body kit in the event of the unexpected. The only swap I did was the hood, which is a Mk3 Golf piece; the headlights being Hella Mk4-look units, the grille was from Kamei and the stock front spoiler was exchanged for the lower Euro VR6 lip. Finally, the foglights and front indicators were exchanged for crystal-clear in.pro units to match the headlights.
The rear of the car was cleaned up by removing all badging except the VW logo. The tail lights were swapped for in.pro smoked units, and this completed the exterior.
The biggest decision was about the wheels. I finally settled on 17x7.5" BBS RV 208s, which were super-light (33 lb per wheel) wrapped in 205/40 Yokohama A539 tires.
The interior was upgraded with a Momo Champion leather/suede steering wheel and a Momo Race Air leather shift knob. These were complimented by Abt Sportsline aluminum pedals and footrest.
I wanted the Euro-look and the project had exceeded my expectations by that stage. However, two years later I felt I should revisit the car and have another try. The impact of the look wore off on me and what I had thought was perfect was, in reality, far from it.
First the front grille was swapped for a debadged Mk4-style FK grille. This meant the front now resembled a Mk4 more closely. The rear in.pro lights were exchanged for crystal-style smoked FK units as well.
The suspension, which had gone through several upgrades during the course of the previous two years, was again changed in favor of a Weitec GT coilover kit. Since I'd lowered it with only 0.5" left on the coils, the car now sat much lower. This then caused the Yokohamas to rub on the inside of the fenders. I already knew the solution - simply opt for tires that would stretch across the wheel, thereby giving a rounded sidewall to reduce the rubbing. So I opted for 205/40 Dunlop SP7000D tires and the rubbing was eliminated. The ride was softer as well, since the Dunlop compound and sidewalls were softer than the Yokos.
At the end of it all, I think I did a decent job... However, I still don't feel I can use the term 'perfect' yet. There's always plenty of things I'd love to do and my only restriction is cash.
Tech SpecNoor AbrahamsLocation: South AfricaOccupation: Lion Tamer
1998 Jetta 2.0Engine: two liter 8v with Powerflo exhaust system, K&N air filter
Brakes: five-lug conversion on the hubs
Suspension: Weitec GT coilovers, aluminum strut brace
Wheels & Tires: 17x7.5" BBS RV wheels ET35, 7mm H&R spacers on rearwheels, 205/40-17 Dunlop SP7000D tires
Exterior: Hella Mk4-style headlights, FK Mk4-look debadged grille, Golf hood,Euro VR6 front spoiler, in.pro clear side markers, front indicators and foglights, FK smoked tail lights
Interior: Momo Champion leather/suede steering wheel, Momo Race Air aluminum/leather shift knob, Abt Sportsline pedals and footrest, aluminium door pins
Audio/Visual: Sony CDX-M850MP head unit, Macrom speakers, 10" Bazooka tube with built-in amplifier