If you've been following Project Jetta we apologize for not pursuing a grueling pace. In et 4/08, we had great success making 416whp after a turbo swap and connecting rod upgrade. We finished the last chapter by adding a sexy set of TSW wheels (et 4/08). So this month is the first time we've attempted any interior mods, considering it's where we spend all our time.
Having coilovers and a strong motor to crunch into corners was nice, but the leather seats VW installed made it feel like autocrossing on a beanbag. So we were determined these would be the first to go. Fortunately, Corbeau hooked us up with a pair of its stunning TRS seats finished in Microsuede.
The TRS racing seat is one of the company's most aggressive offerings. Its high bolsters around the legs, ribs and shoulders allow comfort with hardly any body shifting. Whether on the street or track, Corbeau's TRS seat should enhance our driving experience. What's more, the TRS comes in two width fittings, with the regular TRS designed for up to a 38" waist, while the TRS Wide fits up to a 42" waist.
To enhance the installation, a pair of Corbeau's five-point harnesses would also be fitted. Impractical? Maybe. Excessive? Most likely. Fun to have and enhanced safety? Most definitely. Provided they're used correctly, a five-point harness is a real asset, especially for weekend track events. And their importance was increased by the loss of the stock seatbelt and seat airbag.
It is possible to retain the stock seatbelt buckle when you install the Corbeau seats. However, there's a mess of wiring you need to deal with, so we plan to get another buckle from a dealer or junkyard seats. That way we can retain the conventional seatbelt for short journeys or when we're in a hurry.
When we set out to install the harnesses we anticipated the seats would be a more complex task. How wrong we were. The belts take about four hours, depending on the fastidiousness of the installation.
There are many ways to install harnesses. The goal is safety. The key is to keep the shoulder straps horizontal. In the event of an accident, the straps will pull back, rather than down.
After exploring a few ideas, we decided to retain the use of the rear seats, so a harness bar between the crevice in the back seat would be close to the 45 recommended limit on the harnesses, but this was the only way to retain the functionality.
We completed the makeover with a Shutt steering wheel. Now admittedly, this sacrifices another airbag, so those harnesses were suddenly more essential.
There are pros and cons to installing an aftermarket wheel. The loss of multi-functional controls can be a problem, and seeing the instrument cluster can be more difficult as well. However, a good wheel can change the feel of the whole car and bring a beautiful finishing touch to the interior.
To complete the steering wheel installation, you'll need a hub adapter. We used a Sparco adapter specific to the MK4. Make sure the wheel attaches to the adapter, and the adapter attaches to the column before purchasing.
 Seat Installation Supplies:...  Seat Installation
Supplies:
Ratchet set
8x 5/16" bolts 1.5" long
4x matching bolts |  1. Because our stock seats...  1. Because our stock seats have airbags, the battery terminals should be disconnected before you start. Located on the top of the seat track covers are small, circular covers that conceal the Torx screw securing the covers to the tracks. Slide the seat back to access them. Once the screws are removed, the covers pull right off, allowing the seats to slide off the tracks |  2a. Two nuts under the front...  2a. Two nuts under the front center of the seat keep it in place. Once they're removed, the seats can be lifted at the front to disconnect the airbag and seat heater harness as applicable. |
 2b. Once these wires are...  2b. Once these wires are disconnected, check that the seat is free, then pull it all the way back and remove it |  3. The supplied Corbeau seat...  3. The supplied Corbeau seat frames come with sliders attached. However, they need a bit of work - a couple of bolts through the front of the frame mean you'll have something to secure the front of the seat when it's reinstalled |  4a. At the back of the frames,...  4a. At the back of the frames, you need the two rollers from the stock seats that hold the rear of the frame into the track. A large Torx screwdriver will allow you to remove them and refit to the frames |
 4b. A large Torx screwdriver...  4b. A large Torx screwdriver will allow you to remove them and refit to the frames | 
4c. |  5a. Now secure the frames...  5a. Now secure the frames to the seats with the four Allen bolts provided by Corbeau |
 5b. Slide the seat into the...  5b.Slide the seat into the tracks and bolt the front of the seat into place | | |