: VW_GTIAlbert Uhler -'97 Gti Vr6After parting with his beloved orange bug, Albert was the first to convert to the watercooled team. He started with a Mk3 GTI, then moved on to a Mk2 GTI 8v before ending up in a Mk4 GTI 1.8T.
Although he liked the pampering of the fourth generation, he didn't feel the car suited him. Too spongy and quiet for his liking, the unrelenting monthly payments made it an easy decision to sell the car.
He set out to find the ideal Mk3 GTI, eventually locating a Sequoia green '97 GTI VR6. Sporting nothing more than a Euro headlight switch, Albert addressed the stance by fitting FK AK coilovers. Once the hatch came down from the nosebleed section, he addressed the exhaust note - the source of many enthusiasts' wet dreams.
Other VW motors have surpassed the venerable VR6 12v in performance, but many would argue nothing can compete with the sonorous exhaust note these early motors produce. To ensure pedestrians would hear him coming, Albert opted for a Techtonics system and K&N intake. Making sure the ingested air was correctly metered, Albert slipped an EIP chip into the mix.
Loud, low and unique, the car remained dependable until a bump punctured the oil pan. After seeing his car bleed to a stop, Albert fabricated his own skidplate in the event of another landmine.
Albert then decided to address one of his biggest gripes - the wheels and paint. Set on the Euro theme, he decided the staggered, deep-dished look of classic Borbet Type-As would do the trick. Several weeks later, a set of 16x7.5" front and 16x9" rear hoops arrived at his door.
He then tackled his second disappointment with the car - the color. "From day one I disliked the Sequoia and knew I'd change it. As a joke, Ryan's brother told me to paint the car Audi TT orange," Albert said. "I realized how much I liked the idea and went ahead with it."
Equally entertaining was that Ryan and Albert completed the bodywork just two weeks before Dubs on the Lake (et 9/06) where we spotted them and lined up this feature.
After its rebirth, the car rolled out of Ryan's garage with three gleaming coats of Papaya orange. The car also wore textured bumpers, moldings, indicators and chin spoiler from the European model.
With little time to spare before the show, Albert completed the look with a Votex roof rack and thus created another timeless classic.
Tech SpecAlbert UhlerLocation: Finksburg, MDOccupation: Contractor1997 VW GTI VR6
Engine: 2.8 liter VR6 12v with EIP stage 3 chip, modified Neuspeed P-Flo intake bracket and K&N filter, Techtonics 2.5" cat-back exhaust with Thermal R&D muffler
Driveline: Sachs stage 2 clutchSuspension: FK AK coilovers, custom steel skidplateBrakes: stock
Wheels & Tires: 16x7.5" front and 16x9" rear Borbet Type-A wheels, 15mm billet front wheel spacers, 205/40-16 front and 215/40-16 rear Yokohama AVID H4 tires
Exterior: Euro textured bumpers, side moldings and chin spoiler, bumper lights, rear Euro rebar and front radiator support, Highline badges, shaved rear wiper and removed spoiler, billet antenna, Votex roof rack Thule air dam, Audi TT Papaya orange
Interior: Momo shift knob and boot, OMP steering wheel, Abt billet lock pins
Audio/Visual: Alpine CDA-9851 head unit, Pioneer speakers, iPod interface, 10" JL Audio sub, Rockford Fosgate amplifier
Thanks: Dave and Phil at Nyquist Paints, Ryan, Jeremy, Norm, parents, all the haters for their motivation