My new Euro Trash

[B.rad]

For sure.

If anything were to happen to the Cobalt... I'd just take the turbo off of it... and put it on the VeeDub.

That would be nasty.

[USMCFieldMP]

Starting to clean this thing up. Removed the Factory Headlight Wiring Harness, since it wasn't connected to anything anyway (Headlights are hardwired to a switch). I did a little bit of wire/hose tucking, as well. You can actually see the transmission now. Swapped out the worn-the-fuk-out MOMO Shift knob for a classic MKI Golf Ball shifter and Accordion boot. One of these days, I need to get in there and remove the EGR System, SAI (Secondary Air Intake) System, and A/C Compressor. I planned on picking up a dash for it on Friday... but if ZZP finishes up my Cobalt, I'll be going to pick that up instead.

There's a new long tube header for it waiting to be installed at my garage right now and I've got a set of VF Engineering Motor & Trans mounts on the way, as well. Quality pieces. Not cheap either: $495 + Shipping. Of course... I'm not paying any where near that much. After that, my next planned modification will be a MSD Ignition Coil swap. 40,000volts compared to the stock 10,000volts. It gives a SERIOUS improvement in performance.

[USMCFieldMP]

VF Engineering Motor & Trans mounts arrived.



Starter died on it. Got a new one on the way from a MiVE member. Should have her up and running again with the new mounts and starter on Monday.



Might start looking into making a Switch Box for it here soon so that I can eliminate the key, and all the other random switches that are in the car. Any suggestions?

I thought about buying a Longacre pre-wired box or two... (about $50-$60 a piece)



I REALLY like their Carbon Fiber Series (just looks better, imo... plus I like the Red Cap on the Ignition switch)... but I want the ability to expand and get another multi-switch panel, like the one with 4 switches pictured above for when I add Nitrous to the car, but the Carbon Series only comes like this:



I looked at the Moroso, as well... but they are a lot more expensive ($125)...

[YelloEye]

Looks nice man, whats your method of antitheft if you go keyless?

[BLAZIN07SS]

anti-theft? lol he has to hotwire the car to start it

[YelloEye]

true but there's only so many frayed wires under there to touch together

[USMCFieldMP]

Looks nice man, whats your method of antitheft if you go keyless?

Hahahahahaha... the thing doesn't even have Door locks right now. Anyone with a lick of sense could get in to it and steal it, if they really wanted to. Also, I paid $1k for it. If its stolen... I'd get $2k-$3k back for it. Go ahead and steal it, I say!

BUT, still a good question, because I had actually considered this. And my answer is to install a single switch somewhere, tucked away under the dash. You'd have to switch it on to give the car power. I still don't know how I'd do that 100% yet... but I'm working on it and am open to Suggestions.

anti-theft? lol he has to hotwire the car to start it

This. Turn Fuel Pump on, Key to on, touch Wire A to striped out section of Wire B... car starts.

If you look at post #25... picture #4... you can see a Red Wire sticking out from the Key Fob. That's the "Starter" Wire.

[Deathscythe]

I can't see the pics but it sounds ghetto as all hell.

Glad you got something that makes you giddy...

[USMCFieldMP]

I'm really looking at these switch panels and trying to figure some stuff out. I should be able to remove my Fuel Pump switch, and hook it up with the Ignition Switch... and then condense the Headlights and Taillights into one switch. How many switches will I need for when I run Nitrous, becomes the next question. I just need an arming switch, right? Hmmmm...

I can't see the pics but it sounds ghetto as all hell.

Glad you got something that makes you giddy...

It doesn't look bad on the outside... but there is nothing to it on the inside. Completely striped out.

Oh, and FYI... its as fast as a Stg2 Cobalt.

[Deathscythe]

that would take out most in my area.

btw, i'm getting a turbo to start in october. This is between us..., and whoever else reads this. It's going to stay low. only between a few people before it's done.

[USMCFieldMP]

that would take out most in my area.

btw, i'm getting a turbo to start in october. This is between us..., and whoever else reads this. It's going to stay low. only between a few people before it's done.

Sounds good. But this thread is Public.

We can definitely get you set-up good when its time.

[Deathscythe]

I know, but it'll be cool to see who's actually reading and keeping up..

I haven't decided on whether to do it before next years meet or not.

Still got some mouths to shut up.

[USMCFieldMP]

Once everything is bought and ready. You could have your car swapped and running in One Weekend. If/When this goes down, lemme know and I'll come down and turn some wrenches with you.

I'm going to bed now though. Hoping to wake up and see a sunny sky... and then go install my solid mounts into the Dub.

[Deathscythe]

aight homie. I'll let you know when.

get some rest. we can talk semantics later.

[USMCFieldMP]

Went to the garage with the intent of just swapping out the starter and driving it home. Once I got the starter swapped out... I decided, what the hell, I'll swap the mounts out too. All three mounts that I ordered are for a 95 Passat VR6 (They fit like EVERY VR6 car). BUT, I didn't do my proper research and check things out first. I figured that since most everything out of the Passat was put into the car, that the motor mounts from the VR6 were put in as well. Wrong on one count. That's what I get for assuming, like a jack-ass. The A2 front cross-member was used, along with a STOCK A2 front mount, from the looks of it. Which is a big no-no. The stock mount was designed to hold a tiny 8v motor... not a heavy VR6.

So, my options are to either track down a VR6 front cross member or to just order a solid front mount for an A2... which is what I'll be doing. I'm just going to sell my Front VF Engineering mount and get a BFI MK2/G60 Solid Front Mount.



After going home and doing my proper research on the front mount... I head back to the garage to swap the mounts... but I ended up doing all sorts of other stuff as well. Haha... I got sidetracked and started wrapping my new header with DEI's Titanium Wrap. Probably the worst wrap job ever. Not an easy header to wrap, at all. Finished that up after like 2 hours, I think... then I hoisted the motor up... and pulled the Rear and Trans mounts out. Trans mount was a bitch and a half. Reminded me of why I need ratcheting wrenches. Put the VF-E Rear mount in... and dropped the VF-E Trans mount in. It looks like the guy that I bought the mounts off of didn't send me the extended bolts to hold the trans mount in... as the stock ones are too short. I'll hit up Lowe's tomorrow and see what I can find. Which reminds me, that I forgot to grab the bolts out of the garage and bring them with me. Doh!

Once I got done with that... I still had the urge to do work. Looked around the engine bay... and then started tearing the SAI (Secondary Air Injection) out. Gotta love bolts in tight spaces. Managed to get all of it out. So it looks like I need to order an SAI plug as well... that or make my own, somehow. Any Suggestions? After that... I crawled under the car to get started on putting my header in... only to find out that who ever did the swap/put the Cat-back in the car... welded the cat-back to the VR6 Downpipe. :facepalm: So... I'm not too sure what I'm going to do there. How do VR6's sound on open downpipe? Haha. The Cat-back is actually 3", which is nice... but I think they used mild steel. Its all corroded like crazy. And the O2 sensor is all kinds of crazily angled in there. I think they cross threaded it in... because it does NOT sit flush with the bung. I think that's about it... I think I called it quits after that.

This is a stock A2 mount, right?


This is probably why I was getting wheel hop and it sounded like the motor was hoping out of the engine bay... about 1/2 of rubber was still holding it in.


A2 Cross Member, right?




The bolt/stud in the top of the Rear mount was broke off in the top, just as I though... so there was actually NOTHING holding the rear of the motor down. Another reason why I was wheel hopping, etc.




And this is just an awesome shot, imo.

[SillyBILLY.]

Sounds like bad juju man...

[USMCFieldMP]

No. Just a poorly swapped car. There are right ways to do things... and there are wrong ways to do things. Who ever swapped this car... did a lot of things the wrong way.

[occsdude]

ehhh that makes it more fun and what is a vw without electrical issues. mine likes to throw codes one day then the next be a good girl

[USMCFieldMP]

Ha. Thankfully, I haven't ran into any Electrical Gremlins yet. All the wiring is just an uber-mess from who ever swapped the car.

[occsdude]

well from what ive been reading atleast mk4's have electrical issues and i have a faulty abs sensor that looks like its been hacked into and i replaced my brakes and i have a dash light saying i need to replace them