Jetta Smyth Ute Conversion spotted at salvage yard (Maryland)

hskrdu

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 17, 2003
Location
Maryland and New England
TDI
2003 Golf GLS 4D 5M, 2015 GSW SE 6M
Was a bit surprised to see this Jetta Ute conversion at a salvage yard (LKQ in Edgewood, MD). By the time I took these pics, it had been stripped, but the original pictures from LKQ show it was fairly complete, and the interior was quite nice (hard to believe by the time I saw it). Given the cost of the conversion kit, something else must have gone quite wrong for it to end up here (?) instead of sold off as a project. I'm not as good anymore at recognizing non-TDI engines, but it looks like it has a 2.slow installed....but what is that in the truck bed? Sad sight....

Click on thumbnails for full size pics / link.


 

JDSwan87

Black Swamp Thing
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Location
Michigan near Toledo
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI, 5 speed Lagoon Blue Metallic(sold); 2005 Jetta TDI Wagon auto
That's a shame!
The engine in the bed appears to be an ALH based on the injection pump and hard injector lines.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Yeah, maybe someone started a project that may have included a TDI conversion and just gave up.
 

hskrdu

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 17, 2003
Location
Maryland and New England
TDI
2003 Golf GLS 4D 5M, 2015 GSW SE 6M
I feel like I know should know VAG engines better, but I'm so used to seeing the same ALH in it's context, that I didn't know what I was seeing in the Ute bed. It didn't seem set up like a 2.slow, but isn't the oil filter in the wrong place for an ALH (or maybe it's not sitting at the right angle)?
 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
Looks like something that could have been a remnant of a divorce
 

AGTDI

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 22, 2021
Location
AG CA
TDI
2002 Jetta Wagon
or a cause of a divorce....

Whenever i see a cool half completed project....divorce is one of my first thoughts.

Still on first wife.
 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
or a cause of a divorce....

Whenever i see a cool half completed project....divorce is one of my first thoughts.

Still on first wife.
Exactly what I was thinking, spending too much time on projects can lead to losing the wife AND the projects
 
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