Going into hibernation…
It pains me to say this but with a 4 month old son, a wife/family/friends and a busy job, opportunity to spend time on the car has become less and less. It just sits and doesn’t get driven, and I can’t bring myself to sell it; there’s so much that I still want to do to the car. So I’ve made the decision to put the car into storage for a year or 2. A fairly drastic decision I know but in order to preserve all that I have done, it’s the best option available to me.
There’s lots of things running through my mind as to what I would like to do to it. Seeing some mega builds, a 4-wheel drive conversion, engine/transmission rebuild, new brakes and a full show-quality respray (with a few minor amendments) are all in my mind. Absolutely, a respray will be done as a first port of call. As many might have experienced with their cars, I seem to sink lots of money into the car to move it forward and keep it maintained to a well kept standard, but seeing the potential of greater mods after 9 years of owning it, my frustration and disinterest for the car in its current state is increasing. With the car now MOT’d, taxed for another year and out of my sight, I can save a bit of money and use it for the above. This is definitely my life-long “Mk 1/2 Golf GTI” project.
So, taking a (hopefully brief) break on my thread, here’s how the car stands today.
Interior:
225-edition steering wheel.
225-edition mats.
Replacement LCR gear knob.
Seat LCR Genuine Centre Armrest.
Custom mounted Road Angel Sat Nav.
Connects2 iPod interface for the OEM stereo along with a Dension ice>Link Plus.
Audi S3 Bose speakers with sound deadening fitted in the doors/boot.
Wifi connectivity module to run iPhone Dash Command OBD-II software.
Custom mounted Static+ airlift gauge and 3-position switch in centre console; shut off valve located in glove box.
Boot build including 10-inch Kicker Subwoofer, custom built non-ported box and Rockford Fosgate amp. Fused amp cabling with on/off switch located in glove box. Custom built 2-piece false floor showing LCR wheel and air compressor set-up, along with a 2 Gallon Airlift air tank.
Exterior:
225-edition teardrop wing mirrors with black covers.
Mk4 Golf Bosch Aero wipers (front).
Skoda Fabia rear wiper arm and Bosch blade.
Honda S2000 aerial.
New genuine Seat front splitter fitted in May ’12 (still unmarked)
6000K HIDs, LED side lights and number plate lights.
Road legal pressed plates.
Chassis:
Brembo 40-grooved brake discs. Diameters: front – 323 mm. Rear – 286 mm.
Ferodo brake pads front and rear replaced in 2012 with new Brembo retaining pins.
Full Brembo refub in Aug 11
Avon 225/40 tyres on all four alloys. The spare 18’ LCR alloy has the original Pirelli P Zero Rosso tyre that has never been used.
New Seat centre alloy badges.
H&R 15 mm hubcentric spacers with extended wheel bolts on the rear.
H&R 5 mm hubcentric spacers with extended wheel bolts on the front.
ECS Rear Wheel Centering Plates.
KW V1 Coilovers mated with Stance.Solutions Static+ Airlift kit.
Powerflex complete wish bone bush kit.
New OE top mount bushes and bearings.
Mahle track rod arms.
Audi S3 front upper strut brace re-sprayed matt black
VW Golf Mk 4 rear upper strut brace again sprayed matt black.
Neuspeed 26mm RARB.
Full wheel refurbishment, finished in 2K BMW silver.
Engine Bay:
B5 80 mm TIP.
2.0L TFSI Coil conversion.
Polished rocker cover with new gaskets.
Forge cold-side dump valve relocation kit.
Forge hot-side silicone hose.
Universal FMIC. I think the dimensions are 550x225x64MM core with 64mm inlet/outlets.
Forge silicone hosing for FMIC set-up.
Forge 008 valve polished to a mirror finish.
Forge MAP Sensor pipe.
Forge chrome strut caps.
Forge short shift kit mated with 034 Motorsports solid bush kit (Awesome GTI).
Audi R8 (VW converted) oil cap.
Audi R8 (VW converted) water coolant pipe.
BMC CDA outer casing with a Green Cotton dual cone filter, attached to a twin air-feed set up. Fog lights deleted.
Matt black painted battery cover with carbon wrapped fuse box.
ECS carbon fibre engine cover.
CarbonMods carbon fibre inlet manifold cover.
Custom made carbon fibre washer bottle surround.
Forge billet washer bottle cap.
Forge billet
Ibiza power steering cap.
Polished charge pipe brackets.
Debaffled and polished charge pipe mated with a Forge hose to turbo.
Polished inlet manifold with NewSouth Power gasket.
Polished fuel rail with wiring to injectors hidden.
Polished throttle body with WhanAB billet throttle body cover.
WhanAB dip stick SS handle.
034 Motorsport oil catch can with 19mm hosing and 12AN fittings
Seat rubber bonnet seal (I can’t remember the correct name).
Complete SS nut/bolt kit, with various other bits polished and powder coated.
Items awaiting fitment (laying around gathering dust in the shed):
Powerflex dog bone bush kit fitted to a reconditioned dog bone mount.
Powerflex rear axle bushes.
New genuine pollen filter, fuel filter, oil filter.
Titan Pro-Race oil.
I’ll enjoy continuing to follow your RR threads on here. I know they’ll be a good source of motivation, and hopefully I’ll get to meet some of you at future shows; with or without my car…
James