Suspension was also essential, so Eric fitted Autotech sway and strut bars. H&R coilovers lowered the car to the perfect ride height and gave an aggressive setup for the street.
Although performance was the focus, he realized a stock-looking car wasn't going to cut it. "I like speed and horsepower, but also like the clean, Euro look," he told us.
To start, Euro bumpers smoothed the car, while Rieger front and rear valances plus side skirts added some spice. Eric admits the Rieger pieces are a bit old school, but he still likes them. A shaved hood and rear wiper cleaned up the lines more, while a badgeless Kamei grille personalized the front. Finally, Projektzwo mirrors and a Zender hatch spoiler added more character to the GTI.
Next came wheels, and Eric wanted something with Euro flavor but nothing that would hurt the car's performance. "I've ridden in some cars with stretched tires and pulled fenders and it wasn't for me. I was doing 5000 miles a year and didn't want an awful ride."
You can't go wrong with BBS, so Eric picked up a set of the newer 17x8"RG-R wheels. The wheels were wrapped in Yokohama Parada Spec-2 tires.
"My goal was to keep the exterior clean. There are no graphics and everything works nicely together. I've never had to roll the fenders and didn't want to cut the car up."
Interior mods were kept tame as well. After browsing other cars, he fitted alcantara seats from an '01 Audi S4. He also installed New Beetle headrests plus Sparco and Momo accessories to enliven the cockpit.
One of his favorite mods is the carbon B-pillar deletes, which do away with the seatbelts. "I like the little things you don't really see." With no belts, Eric uses Schroth harnesses to secure himself.
Lastly, the trunk houses a full size spare and 12" JL Audio subwoofer in a custom fiberglass box that Eric built in his garage. "I'm really proud of it because I didn't know what I was doing laying out the fiberglass so it was rewarding to see how well it came out."
Despite adding his own cosmetic touches, Eric upheld his goal for a performance car. If he's not polishing the GTI in his garage, he's driving it balls out, making full use of his modified VR6.
1998 VW
GTI VR6
Owner: Eric Heishman
Location: Carlisle, PA
Occupation: VW/Audi sales manager
Engine: 2.8 liter VR6 12v with Vortech V2 supercharger, C2 Motorsports hardware and chip, 4" MAF, 42lb injectors, Forge 007 DV, K&N filter, deleted air conditioning, powdercoated intake tube, manifold and bolts, BFI Delrin motor mounts, low temperature thermostat and fan switch, Brospeed exhaust header, test pipe with deleted cat, Techtonics 2.5" exhaust with Borla muffler
Drivetrain: five-speed manual with Peloquin LSD, modified fifth gear, ACT four-puck race clutch, Autotech 9 lb flywheel, Dieselgeek short shift, Corrado G60 mount
Suspension: H&R coilovers, Autotech front upper stress bar, 28mm front sway bar, front lower stress bar, rear upper stress bar and rear sway bar, polyurethane bushings
Brakes: cross-drilled and slotted Brembo rotors, Hawk pads, stainless steel lines
Wheels & Tires: 17x8" BBS RG-R wheels, 10mm rear spacers, 205/40-17 Yokohama Parada Spec-2 tires
Exterior: front and rear Euro bumpers, Rieger GTX front lip, side skirts and RR-X rear diffuser, Hella Mk4-look headlights, Kamei grille, shaved hood and rear wiper, color-matched handles, Projektzwo mirrors, Zender hatch spoiler, modified rear emblem
Interior: Oe Audi leather and alcantara seats, New Beetle headrests, Audi TT dead pedal, Sparco four-point harnesses, steering wheel and shift knob, Momo pedals, "Thatcher" carbon B-pillar delete panels, Auto Meter gauges and pod, Euro headlight switch, upper Euro glovebox, concealed fire extinguisher, turbo timer
Audio/Visual: Kenwood KDC-x817 head unit, 7" LCD visor monitors, 12" JL Audio W3 subwoofer in Mk4-look trunk enclosure with spare wheel and two amps, MB Quart components, DVD player in glovebox