My 1996 Cabrio VR6 build

[DubAudiBrian]

I am starting this thread from my phone so I will have to cross post the info from VWVortex.

I am starting a VW Cabrio Vr6 build from scratch. I also bought a 98 GTI VR6 donor car. A LOT is planned for this barring $$$ and time.
well i started to rip out the interior today and get things taken out of the car and cleaned up.
i haven't posted in the MK3 forum in years and wanted to make a return.
I've been on vortex since 1999 and although my post count doesn't show it, I've been around the block a few times on this site.

some of the old timers may remember my original car when i lived in NoVa back in the late 90's/early 00's.
Sequoia green 97 GTI VR6 with 6 point cage, sparco seats, z-engineering blower, custom stereo, projektzwo mirrors, ABT wheels, and euro arches and moldings....




since then i've had these
2003 20th AE GTI

Fourtitude.com project car and SEMA 2005 show car

2008 A3 2.0T with GT28RS big turbo

2004 R32 with VF Stage2 supercharger

and now i have this 2012 TT Coupe 2.0T quattro

a stock 1998 jetta glx
a stock 2008 Rabbit 3 door

so i've wanted to build another MK3 for a few years now and figured i hadn't owned a convertible. For the past 2 weeks i've been searching around for a cabrio. Well this morning with the help of a local friend we found one. Went to look at it, and drove it home.
I will have to post pics tomorrow because it was dark when i got home.
It is a 1996 Classic Green (i think) with tan cloth, automatic and black vinyl top. I originally wanted to find a Jazz Blue but that became too difficult. So i figured if i could save some money, find a local car that had a good body to start with i would do a full color change and something more custom.

I will say I myself am not too mechanically inclined, however i have friends that are. Some of this will be bought and some will be built. My goal isn't to make a stunning show car, but something i have fun with that stands out some when i go to shows. I thought about shaving the engine bay and air ride and both of those will be too expensive for the estimated budget i will have for the car. At a few grand each i'd rather do other things with a more direct impact to the car.

The Plans
VR6 swap
manual transmission swap
Full color change: yet to be known
interior swap to black but redo the seats to compliment the new exterior color
pulled fenders
16" wheels but wide (typical stance stuff)
and maybe a few custom bit and pieces along the way.

There are some great people here in AZ that i know that can help bring this all together and give me some good advice, help, and pricing on things along the way.

I am going down to Tucson tomorrow to buy the 98 GTI VR6 for sale in the SW FS thread. This will hopefully be a perfect donor car for motor, trans, suspension, brakes, axles, dash, and various interior pieces.

Today i did this:
started off like this

then went to the remove the console


then went to the doors. these were easier than i remember because in 96 there were no allen screws along the door trim.


but i found out why my passenger front window didn't work. there is no regulator in it at all!


on to the back. decided since i won't need the carpet to trash it and clean and degrease everything i could



driver rear floor before

and after


and then i had to stop before i got to the passenger side. needed to eat, clean up and get to work to sell a car
so i left it like this for the night.


I have tomorrow off and will do the passenger side, clean the doors, probably remove the front carpet and padding and just leave the front seats and dash in.

[speedingticket]

2 good things will equal 1 great final product! Looking forward to your updates...

Is the build thread on Vortex in the Cabriolet section?

[blkmethdupdub]

Omg.....I love you....

[grethi]

[vdub10golf]

Nice, one of my good friends has a MK3 VR6 Cabby. Looking forward to seeing your build!

[DubAudiBrian]

posted the info in my original post.
come of the text is out of order , but the gist is there