1994 called, they want your mk3 back

[hinrichs]

I keep thinking about it but not really sure. The kits that are available now are very different than the ones I was looking at years ago and never bought. I feel like my rear airs out before the struts are at 0 psi, but it doesnt seem like anything should be touching. the plates would make it look a lot better aired out thats for sure. I do plan on also getting new wheels, just cant make up my mind on how I want it to look. Hard to find decent setups, miss years ago when I could find almost anything I wanted.

Also thew in my italvolanti wheel. Its a lot like the bbs wheels you see, but doesnt have the weird plastic/wood center. I bought this years ago and someday would love to have it re-wrapped since its not in the best shape and very dry. Also need to make the horn work but I might just not worry about the stock wiring and end up running a foot switch.

italvolanti by minthinrich, on Flickr

[gnmzl]

Damn you are good. Its just a RHD swap, the carpet and firewall are different. Tunnel is just extra padding which I am not sure why it came with 2. I have done a lot of interior swaps on these and dont remember seeing that before.

Ohhh I get it. It looks kind of like a tunnel and since there is already some carpet on the pic, thought that was the tunnel since you need the bracketry to support the 3 piece drive shaft when doing an AWD swap into a non AWD chassis and got all excited.
There is a small secret - before I got into BMWs, my game were Opel (GM), Lada and of course VWs. My Mk3 is the longest owned vehicle by me and still have it. Also, the first RHD car I drove was a Mk3 too, so you sir have my attention for sure
Are you going with the rear wheel centering kit? I've always been on the fence about that, I like both looks and could never decide which is better.

[saturnstance]

I'm super excited about all this.

[hinrichs]

RHD swap? or some kind of swap. I'm not VW savvy lol

Good guess.

It is RHD stuff, but I also see odd things like some carpet, a firewall and a tunnel, so my guess would be RHD + AWD swap.
Please, say I'm right

Damn you are good. Its just a RHD swap, the carpet and firewall are different. Tunnel is just extra padding which I am not sure why it came with 2. I have done a lot of interior swaps on these and dont remember seeing that before. This whole setup came from my other friend who used to live with me. He had to give up on his project and my friend bought it, then I ended up getting the swap. The firewall needs some work to get back to stock as it was started to get shaved since he was going 1.8t swap and using a drive by wire pedal.

Most of the parts together and organized.

parts pile by minthinrich, on Flickr
dash/hatch by minthinrich, on Flickr

Dash cleaned up well.

rhd dash by minthinrich, on Flickr

[gnmzl]

It is RHD stuff, but I also see odd things like some carpet, a firewall and a tunnel, so my guess would be RHD + AWD swap.
Please, say I'm right

[saturnstance]

RHD swap? or some kind of swap. I'm not VW savvy lol

[hinrichs]

Ran over to my friends on my lunch break to pick up a lot of parts. Anyone wanna try and guess what they are?

IMG_7265 by minthinrich, on Flickr

IMG_7266 by minthinrich, on Flickr

Also cut some new vinyl cuz the white was boring.

stickers 2 by minthinrich, on Flickr

[hinrichs]

Awesome, I think you will have fun with the air ride. Any install pics?

I will get some pics, really kinda threw it together kinda shitty. At the moment I am really not happy with it at all. I dunno if its the airlift struts, but I really miss the old bagyard struts I had.

[cblock406]

Awesome, I think you will have fun with the air ride. Any install pics?

[saturnstance]

Goddamn it lol I thought I was moving fast. I need to step my game up. Seriously awesome progress.

[hinrichs]

Love how this is coming out so far. Those full texture bumpers were a good call, gives it a cool look.

I basically built a CL clone before with my old 2 door, just never did the rhd swap on that one. So this is kinda my attempt #2 on that. I am just happy this one is old enough to get antique tags which I need to apply for and also that everything is manual.

So I was looking at the car, and it just wasnt low enough. I spun down the coils, just wasnt enough and they didnt ride great. Thought about just getting a better set of coils, but I know what I would have wanted from years ago which I am sure dont even exist anymore. So while browsing around on what deals were still going for the holidays I made a decision and placed my order. Air made the most sense in certain ways since the fiance wants to drive the car, and since she has never driven anything lowered I wanted the ability to raise it up.

air by minthinrich, on Flickr
air 2 by minthinrich, on Flickr
air 3 by minthinrich, on Flickr
air 4 by minthinrich, on Flickr

Just a little shorter than the struts. My ride height I have set to about the same as what the coils were, maybe a bit lower. I am not really happy with the setup at all since I cant seem to get it dialed the way I want to. Bagriders did ship me a 3/8 manifold and I wanted a 1/4 so they are sending flow controls which hopefully will make everything better. Its just very fast right now and annoying to deal with. I might also add the height sensors but need to price everything for that out yet. I have installed a lot of V2 setups which is very similar to the 3P. Trunk is thrown together till I get more time to really get it sorted like I want. Valve block and all lines come in under the back seat so its all hidden which is nice. Some pics of it down, it still needs some massaging to get the front fulled laid out but its close.

air 6 by minthinrich, on Flickr
air 5 by minthinrich, on Flickr

Had some issues, might have sorted them out. Going to replace the wheel bearings and maybe an axle yet. Drove it to work. Also threw on my oem votex rack (kicking myself for not waiting as a mint one with the tool popped up locally)

air 7 by minthinrich, on Flickr

Not sure if I will pick it up tonight or sunday, but getting something very special for the car from my one friend.

[bwwaaaa]

Love how this is coming out so far. Those full texture bumpers were a good call, gives it a cool look.

[hinrichs]

Quick progress. I like it.

Wasnt sure at first if I would make a build on here, but this is a recap mainly of what ive been up to. Been kinda busy on it.


So I was looking around on marketplace which I seem to be doing all day anymore. I was trying to find a donor motor/car and then I saw some seats pop up. Figured for $50 why not. I would love to find a new driver bottom cover to replace this one which was patched, or figure something else out but no one seems to have ever seen them before. I know some of the euro seats are oddballs.

seats by minthinrich, on Flickr

Installed them that night. They look a lot like a mk4 seat, but they are mk3. I wanted something different but these fit the bill being so cheap. Nice to have a 60/40 rear split now and an arm rest.

seats 3 by minthinrich, on Flickr
seats 2 by minthinrich, on Flickr

Starting to get happy with the interior. I have a really cool old steering wheel I want to install, but kinda torn on just sticking with a euro oem wheel. Cant find a good deal on a hub which is whats holding me back on that one for now.

[saturnstance]

Quick progress. I like it.

[hinrichs]

Decided the car needed the euro treatment right away. Emailed Orchid Euro to see what they had in stock. Jamie is off on a major trip but thankfully his wife was there to help me get a few things sorted out. She had a few bumpers and hatches pulled for me, and I said "I wish you still had some full texture bumpers in stock". Well thats what I came home with in addition to a rad support, front rebar, euro switch, amber markers, and a cl lip. All of this was really just so I could mount the smoked e-codes that came with the car. I know I can use those stupid brackets....but yeah they suck. I dunno what it is about the full textures, but I sure love them.

bumpers by minthinrich, on Flickr

Decided on my lunch break to throw on the rear. Yes it fits weird on one side, same as the stock bumper did. Not really sure why its off but ill get to that some day. Also gave it a quick clean and treatment and I was very happy with how it looked.

bumpers 1 by minthinrich, on Flickr
bumper clean by minthinrich, on Flickr

Later that night it was time to pull the front apart and swap it all over. I had a hell of a time with it due to a power steering line thats not correct. I will get around to that eventually, but the front is on. Still debating on keeping the jetta front or going back to golf/gti. I wont be getting a early vento grill, but an early na grill if the jetta front stays.

bumpers 2 by minthinrich, on Flickr
bumpers 3 by minthinrich, on Flickr
bumpers 4 by minthinrich, on Flickr

Next day decided to run up to the local fire tower (same spot I race at) and get a quick picture of the new bumpers.

fire tower by minthinrich, on Flickr
fire tower 2 by minthinrich, on Flickr

Cut some stickers for fun since the back window was very empty.

stickers 1 by minthinrich, on Flickr