Forum Friday: 2001 GTI GLS Build

Volkswagens are a popular choice, which is why there are so many build threads on this site right now. For the past few months we’ve been highlighting a different one every Friday. Today we look at Forum user Dbrodard, who bought a black, 2001 GTI GLS with a lot of modifications already installed. Let’s look at the mods the previous owner installed, the work he’s done to it and what he plans to do with it in the future.

The Purchase

This GTI’s previous owner had installed a bunch of mods, many of which Dbrodard removed when he finally brought the car home. The windshield was one of the first things he removed and replaced because it had a crack in it. The power steering rack had a broken seal, so he had to replace that, as well. Other parts he pulled as soon as the car came home included a set of Fk shocks and springs, Euroget PCV hoses and a set of MK6 coil packs and their accessories.

He also removed some aesthetic modifications, like a mesh grille, hood extension and tow hitch. That left things like an APR diverter valve and turbo inlet pipe, a B&M short shifter and a VR6 Stage II clutch and aluminum flywheel.

Dbrodard decided to keep some of the aesthetic modifications, like the suede headliner and door cards, LED interior lights and black HID headlights, in addition to the upgraded speakers and subwoofer. The previous owner also upgraded the interior of the car with sound-deadening materials.

The Mods

Once he finished removing some of the modifications the previous owner installed, Dbrodard’s first order of business was to remove the OEM wheels which were inexplicably still installed on this heavily modified GTI and replace them with a set of BBS RC wheels that he purchased from a friend. He also added some ultrabright Ziza LED license plate bulbs.

The previous owner had either repaired the HIDs that came with the car or installed them with electrical tape that melted. Instead of replacing the HIDs, he pulled them out and replaced them with regular bulbs. Next, he replaced the MK6 coil packs with 2.0T red coil conversions.

A New South Performance Center Mount Gauge integrated with the existing boost gauge the previous owner had installed and helped him discover the fuel pressure regulator had rusted out, causing a dramatic drop in boost pressure.

He eventually replaced the whole suspension, from control arms and ball joints all the way to the axles and shocks/struts.

Dbrodard briefly switched out the RC wheels for a 3Piece wheelset, but those didn’t last long — hitting a pothole at 80 miles per hour bent one of the rims, so he switched back to the RCs. He also had to modify the intercooler because he originally mounted it too low and had to cut the bumper to fit.

New engine and transmission mounts were easy to replace.

The Future

We’re not sure what he’s planning to do with this car in the future, but his latest comment was on July 24, so we can probably expect more updates soon. Dbrodard has already taken this fantastic little GTI build to a bunch of different shows, so we can’t wait to see what his next updates bring.

The post Forum Friday: 2001 GTI GLS Build appeared first on VWVortex.

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