Planning

08/13/00   To recap:  I've owned this Jetta since 1991 when it had 32K km on it.  It is a 1990 purchase from Guilford Motors in Guilford, B.C., Canada.  It was ordered by the service manager with some extras.  It is a Wolfsburg edition for the most part but it was not a Wolfsburg.  It has color coded electric mirrors, color coded rear wing, A/C, power door locks, teardrop alloys, and undercoating.  It remained virtually unchanged until 1994 when I put a sound system in
     My sound system built slowly.  Originally, it was a Sony in-dash CD and a HiFonics Hercules (400x1@2ohms) and an isobaric box I built myself that housed two Soundsteam SS10s.  It sounded pretty good with the stock sound system, but the stock system couldn't deal with the bass and there was no way to cross it over.  I then got a HiFonics Gemeni (50x4@4ohms) and crossed it over to run the stock speakers except for the stock powered door woofers.  This kept me going for awhile but I really needed to upgrade the high end.
     To upgade, I bought a Polk Audio  component set ( I don't remember the number, but it was their best line and it was when they were making stuff that sounded good) that included the MM3000 tweeter.  I then bought a pair of raw MB Quart QM100's (6.5") and put them, the tweeters, and the Polk passive crossover together.  I built custom map pockets in the doors to house the Quarts and pods by the rear-view mirrors for the tweeters.  At around the same time I bought a 10 disc changer for the system and an AudioControl EQL.  My system stayed relatively unchanged like this from 1992 to 1996.
    I then realized I needed more and better sounding bass.  My SS10s had been working very hard and were showing their age.  I wanted big, deep, well defined bass, but not a huge box so I called up the USD guys who had been playing with aperiodic membranes and bought a pair of their entry level 12s and a membrane for each.  I built the box and they sounded great.   The box is very small even for todays standards and for that time it was a miracle of sound.     I was having some trouble with my headlights dimming with the bass, even with 2 guage all the way to the back so I bough a 1 farad cap that helped, but never eliminated the problem.  I also wanted to upgrade my EQ abilities so I purchase a Precision Power DEQ230 that worked wonderfully.
     Since then I have had to put in a new deck but the rest is the same.   While building my system for the Bug, I removed the DEQ230 and replaced it with the EQL.  Unfortunately, the EQL was a major source of alternator noise.  At the moment I am without an EQ.  Future upgrades will probably include a Soundstream D'artanianm amp, MB Quart Q Separates, another PPI DEQ230, and either JL, Image Dynamics, or Eclipse Aluminum cone 12's in my aperiodic box.
     As far as the Jetta itself, it stayed completely stock from 1990 to 1997.  I then puchased an ABD K&N air filter, plug wires, and cross drilled and vented front rotors.  This had me sounding a little better with a little more poop, and definately braking better without vibration, but power and handling wise I was still lacking.   Next in line to go was the exhaust system.  Replaced with an Autotech 2.25 aluminized system, power was up and sound was great.
   Needing still more, the downpipe was replace with a Brospeed header, an Autotech high flow cat was bolted on, and the cam was replaced with a Neuspeed 270.  On the original cam fitment, the mechanic(not me) put the belt on 1 tooth retarded.  My top bottem end was great but I would lack power for freeway speeds.   I had a local mechanic fix it, but he placed it one tooth too far advanced.  The motor screamed up top, but I would stall it all the time at stoplights.
    Finally, Mark at Advanced Motorsport Solutions put the belt on right, as well as installing one of their DigiProm chips.   WOW!  It has been heaps of fun ever since, with the only problem being it often doesn't start on the first try, but alway on the second.  Apparently it was somekind of glitch, but they had their hands full with new produst stuff and I don't know if they ever fixed it.
     As far as suspension, around the time the exhaust was going in, I bought Neuspeed Sport springs, Bilstein Sport shocks, Neuspeed front and rear swaybars, and upper strut brace.  With all installed and the rear springs on the highest perch on the struts, the front end was about 1/2" higher than the rear, and quite obviously.  So I did the cardinal sin, I cut a coil off of the front springs.  I was I little worried, but springs are cheap and it look totally retarded with the front end higher than the rear.  It now sits totally even and I have never really notice a problem with the handling.
      The last thing on was the MSW Type 55C 16" wheels with 205/40/16 BFGoodrich Euro TAs.  The tires have since been changed to Nitto 450 Extremes but nothing else has changed.
  In mid '99 I felt my motor was getting a little tired.  After all, I had been driving it hard and it had 175000 miles on it. So, I found a 2L shortblock from a '98 Golf with only 15,000 miles on it.  A new tranny was ordered up from Sean at Kraftwerk with a Quaife limited slip diff., and every other item needed for the rebuild was ordered from Jeff at Velocity Sport Tuning.
    Future plans include driving it harder and tinkering with building carbon fiber parts, but as far as putting more money into it, I'm done.  What I want next my Jetta can't do, and that includes either rear or four wheel drive and tone of torque and power.  I'm thinking of a late '90's M3 or early '90's M5 or ultimately, an Audi S4.  Wait and see!