Golf Build- something different....

Hello all, I recently picked up my 01 TDI off a member here. The transaction was anything less than easy on my end and the seller was more than helpful.
I drove the car back from Ohio to Chicago. Took about 5 hours and managed 49 mpg.
Got the car home and started figuring out what i wanted to do with it. I could slam it and put some big audi wheels on it and be "hella flush" (whatever that means). I could leave it stock (yea right). Or i could make this some sort of rally styled ride (more my cup of tea).
First was the hood. It had lots of chips and some small rust spots from being exposed. I thought about having it professionally painted but then figured that it would be too expensive and its just my DD. So I settled with some roll on bed liner.

I decided instead of doing the whole hood i would follow the lines. I also did some above the headlights.


This is how it ended. I will get a better picture tomorrow. Didnt realize the sun was blurring the picture that much.



I also planned on debagging the trunk. When i removed the "GOLF" i noticed the car had been in a fender bender and the clear had been painted without removing the lettering... guess its time to bed liner the rear. I was fine with this and it came out to be one of my favorite parts of the car.







Also got some new hatch shocks! made such a difference. No more hitting my head!





Still need to get a new VW emblem.

Also got my new Frost heater! Im west of chicago and we get some nasty winters. Last year we got a snow storm that dumped 2' of snow on us in a matter of a few hours.



Came with M&Ms! As a marketing major i would buy from Frostheater again just because i got candy with my order. Much better than some stupid rewards program - too bad they only sell heaters.

plans for the car include the following:

-WRX rally wheels with snow tires
-Custom built skid plate that comes a bit up the front end
-Added lighting
-Roof Rack with spare
-fender flares modified from a rabbit
-Recaros from a GTI

Bought but still havent gotten on the car yet:
-Front grille
-New headlights (tried sanding and polishing but they are too far gone)
-New antenna mast
-New Monster mats

Here is what i am working on right now... It will be similar to this. Fully protect the engine and transmission as well as the front bumper for the high snow/ice. Will also be mounting two similar lights.

Creative use of the bed liner! Since you are planning some other body mods that require removing panels, and since you look pretty handy with a grinder, why not plan to apply to the panel innards, undercarriage, and frame? Would sure help with salty Chicago roads (I grew up in Northbrook). While I won't deal with that here, always thought of ways to use bed liner-type materials to enhance corrosion protection and overall durability. Might even deaden road noise if put in the right spots...

Thank you for pointing that out! I actually was under the car at one point and used bedliner on the trailer hitch and mounting points. The car is really clean and rust free so it is a great starting point (i refuse to buy cars in IL for this reason) I will be applying the bedliner to the inner fenders and the insides of the mud flap area (if that makes any sense).

Where else should i put it?

Tell me more about the roll on bedliner stuff? What brand, how to apply, etc?

Looks good, thanks!

Tony

aja8888 said:

Tell me more about the roll on bedliner stuff? What brand, how to apply, etc?
Looks good, thanks!
Tony

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I just used Duplicolor bedliner. This is my first time doing this, i am nothing close to an expert in body work.



The product is decent. It is a little more "rubbery". I prepped by sanding with a random orbital sander with 80 grit paper. It is an aggressive paper but when sanding paint it doesnt clog as much and it gives you a really good base for adhering the bed liner. I then used a mineral based cleaner and wiped everything down.

I then used a stick and mixed up the bed liner really well. You will see it gets clumpy. I then used a FOAM ROLLER. DO NOT USE A REGULAR ROLLER. The foam roller doesnt shred when applying the liner and it keeps the little rubber strands from clumping up. From there just roll on, drink a beer, roll some more, then repeat about 3-5 times. In the pictures it looks a little more gray but it is a dark black that matches the paint well.

Thanks, very creative! Nice work!

Is this supposed to be the poor man's crinkle finish?

Sweet! cant wait I love rally builds!!

50harleyrider said:

Is this supposed to be the poor man's crinkle finish?

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I suppose it could be. Although ive never seen crinkle finish on the outside of a car before (mainly on engine and drivetrain components).

The bedliner will hold up a lot better as it is rubber based and pliable. Crinkle finish is very hard and brittle.

I would think you can roll that on the inside of all of your metal body panels (skip the plastic), and on your frame and subframe. Anything metal that is not meant to move or be exposed to direct heat would be a great way to protect it and, as mentioned earlier, provide some more sound insulation.

kcunniff said:

I would think you can roll that on the inside of all of your metal body panels (skip the plastic), and on your frame and subframe. Anything metal that is not meant to move or be exposed to direct heat would be a great way to protect it and, as mentioned earlier, provide some more sound insulation.

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My plan is to remove the mud flaps and bed line the area behind them as this is the area most prone to rust. (since water, snow, ice, and salt tends to linger between the inside of the flap and body pannel)