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VWVortex.com AUTObiography Welcome to a special VWvortex Father's Day Autobiography tribute.
Q: How long have you owned this car? A: I picked it up new on April 30, 2001. Q: Is there anything unique about the history of this car? A: Yes. It was an unconscious choice – I didn’t realize it until after my dad died in May 2003, and I began looking back at my car-freak roots. My dad infected me with the “addictus automobilii” virus at an early age, through unhealthy doses of driving fast, and attending races and car shows together. Now in my early 40s – and wanting to re-live those fun times – I decided I wanted a new GTI. The A4-chassis Golf had just been introduced, and I loved the shape and the engineering. No other car I’d driven offered the combination of build quality and “fun-to-drive” quotient. I waited for the 1.8T engine, which offered lighter weight and incredible potential for modification. Unfortunately, the GTI didn’t come in white. To make matters worse, my wife doesn’t really like hatchbacks. We both liked the Jetta, and when the Wolfsburg Edition was introduced with the same equipment as a GTI, and it came in white, I knew I’d found my car! The 16” BBSs were small but beautiful. But, I didn’t care for beige cloth, and that was all I’d seen in a Cool White WE. I was wandering around my dealer’s lot, trying to love Tornado Red, when I spotted my car. It was a white WE with black interior (my favorite color combination for any car, and the only one I’d seen like it), and it also had the sunroof and Monsoon system I wanted! I had to have it! But, it was also the ONLY white WE, and there were dozens of people milling about… What to do? In a recent VW commercial, a guy looking at a Jetta sees a salesman and customer coming his way, and licks the door handle. Remember? That’s just what I did – only without all the saliva! I grabbed a marker out of my backpack and wrote “SOLD!” on several pieces of paper and then placed them all over the car. I grabbed the Monroney label (window sticker) and the dealer stock sheet off the dash, and ran inside. I found my salesman (we’d previously bought a ’99 Passat GLS 1.8T from him), and negotiated a great deal in two minutes flat, right there. I wanted a few options installed prior to delivery (the VW/Eibach sport springs, and an in-dash CD player), so I couldn’t have it that day. But, I’d found the car of my dreams, and it was off the market! I’ve owned several fun, sporty cars. My favorites have always been white with black interior – just like my dad liked ‘em. Q: What was your objective with this car? A: I love sleepers – we used to call them Q-ships – cars with lots of stuff done to improve the power, handling, and braking, but with only minor interior & exterior changes. There’s just something cool about knowing what the car’s potential is without advertising it to everyone. I wanted Euro/OEM parts when available, and the best aftermarket parts I could buy. If I couldn’t afford it, I’d wait and save my money. I wanted a solid, fun-to-drive car with subtle, bolt-on improvements I could do myself. I drive 50-60 miles a day roundtrip, over mostly highway and some crappy city streets. I only wanted to modify it to the point that it was still a good, reliable, comfortable daily driver that didn’t attract too much attention. And, I had to do it in stages, as funds were available.
I’m “old school” when it comes to modifying a car. All my suspension work was done before anything else happened. Braking improvements were next, then the power. Improving “GO” without addressing “TURN” or “STOP” is, at best, bad judgment. At worst, it can be downright dangerous. And, when it came time to tweak the power, I did everything first before I changed the programming. It was very tempting to just “chip” it! But improving the intake and exhaust flows helped the little turbo be more efficient when I finally did change the programming. I’m not done tweaking the WE – I replace parts that wear out with better, uprated parts, i.e. front brakes from the TT/GLI. I will likely keep this car for some time. It’s been four years, but I’m very happy with the results so far. It is a work in progress, and there’s much more to come! Q: What tuning style would you describe this car as? A: The style is definitely OEMplus, with a BIG +. Q: Who helped you build this car? A: KENTEK Motorsports in Irving, TX, installed the front suspension & swaybar, the exhaust system, and the APR DPP program. I’ve done all the rest, with a little help from friends and family. Q: What makes your car special? A: It has a squatty, mean look and sound. It’s very subtle with the black grill & headlights, the lowered stance, the meaty tires, and the sound of the exhaust. It’s extremely clean all the time. It’s special because it represents the attainment of the goals I set for my car and myself. And, it’s special because my dad would approve. Q: What is your favorite part/feature/function? A: The power is addictive. I love the way it squirts when I pull the trigger. But really, it’s the whole package. It handles just as well as it goes. The ride is comfortable enough for driving to work, but stiff enough to be fun (my wife thinks it’s “too bumpy,” so she drives a stock ’04 Touareg V6). Q: Who or what inspired the direction of modifications on this car? A: I “grew up” in the car business. My father, Jack Robbins, began selling Chevrolets in the mid-'50s. He loved sports cars and owned several 1963-67 Corvette Stingrays – his favorite was a white w/black ’67 427/435hp 4-speed coupe.
Dad started selling Volkswagens in 1968 – I was 10 years old and totally devastated! One night, he drove home in a new ’68 Porsche 911T Targa (one of 282 produced). He took my brother and me for a ride – I was 10 years old and completely in love! From that day, European cars were all I could think about. When VW and Porsche split in 1972, he became the General Manager for the Porsche+Audi store. In 1976, he became the proud owner of Jack Robbins Imports, Ltd. (Porsche, Audi, & Mazda) in Oklahoma City. I worked there for many years, in various capacities. Consequently, I have owned or driven just about every VW, Audi, and Porsche model ever built. One of my favorites was a 1983 VW GTI (Cashmere White with red cloth – the first U.S. GTI) my dad bought as a service “loaner.” I loved the car right off the showroom floor but, having driven Porsches, I wanted more. I modified it with Abt springs, Bilstein struts, a 14” RaceMark steering wheel, and 15 x 7” anthracite MSW wheels with 195/50-HR15 Goodyear Wingfoot radials. I did quite well racing it in the CSP class of SCCA Solo II, even with the stock engine. And our customers were in for a treat when they drove it home! My dad drove Porsche 911s almost exclusively. One of my favorites was a ’74 Carrera. It was white w/black sport seats. It was light, had right around 180-hp, and was quick, agile, and immensely fun to drive! My other favorite was his ’76 Turbo Carrera (930), with around 225-hp. In my first experience with turbo power, we rocketed up to 155 mph (on 185/70- and 215/60VR15 Pirelli CN36s – pretty scary, huh?). Now, a VW Jetta is not a Porsche 911, no matter how it’s been tweaked. But just before he died from cancer in May 2003, I took Dad for a ride in the WE. His comments included, “Holy crap – what size engine does this have? It pulls like the 930!” and, “It feels firm and tossable like the Carrera,” and, “This is one of the best driving cars I’ve ever been in.” Pretty good stuff, huh? Q: What don't you like about this car? A: It’s a blessing and a curse, but there are a lot of them on the road! You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting half a dozen Jettas in Dallas! Q: What would you change if you could? A: I’d improve the stiffness of the body structure. With almost 70,000 miles on the chassis, it’s starting to creak ever so slightly. Of course, so am I! Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with the outcome of this project? A: I’d give it a solid 8. The only way to improve it would’ve been for me to spend more money quicker, and I still have a ways to go! Q: What would you do to the car if money were no object? A: In no particular order – Coilover suspension; 18” BBS LM wheels; 300hp+ engine buildup; 4-motion driveline; 6-speed 02J transmission; Quaife LSD; full R-Line interior from the R32; huge R32 brakes… OK – basically, I want an R32 MkIV Jetta, and supercharge it, please! Q: Who has been your biggest critic of this project? A: No one, really. My wife knows this is my hobby – I don’t go to the bars or bet on the horses. This is my addiction, and it keeps me at home on the weekends. That makes her happy! Q: What do your family and friends say about this car? A: Because of my car and how clean I keep it, at work I’m known as the “VW Guru” and many of my co-workers come to me with questions about cars in general. After driving my car in her first SCCA Solo II in GSL, my daughter bought a New Beetle. After our discussions about driving fun, small cars, my stepfather bought a new Mini Cooper S (I tried to get him in a GTI, but he raced the classic Mini back in the day). My wife wishes I’d get a Porsche Boxster so we could enjoy it together on the weekends (she doesn’t realize that I’d modify a Boxster to the same extent!). Best of all, my brother (who is as addicted to VWs as I am), sold his ’89 Audi 100 and bought an ’02 Jetta 1.8T 5-speed after driving my car. He got my WE wheels when I finally got the 17”s!
Q: What is your favorite place to drive this car? A: Getting on and off the Dallas North Tollway is a blast! Traffic usually flows at about 70 where I get on, so it’s easy to hammer it down the onramp. When I reach Hwy 190/George Bush Turnpike on my way home, there’s a long right turn to exit, and it feels great accelerating through the corner. On weekend trips, Hwy 4 southwest of Dallas. Q: What is your ideal day with this car? A: Any day it’s not raining! Don’t get me wrong – it performs great in the rain (I really like the Yokohama AVS ES100s). It’s just that I keep it so clean, I know it’ll get really dirty after it rains. I avoid puddles at all costs! Sunny spring and autumn days are my favorite, with the sunroof open and windows down. Occasionally, I don’t even listen to any tunes. I just like the sound of my exhaust echoing off walls and other structures. Q: Who gets to drive this car? A: My wife and son, but not very often. I’d also trust my brother and my daughter, but that’s it. The WE has NO dents, NO dings, NO scratches, and just a couple of stone chips in the paint on the front bumper cover (knock on wood). Q: If your car had a motto, what would it be? A: “Take care of your own body like you take care of me, and you’ll live long!” Q: If you had to name your car, what would you name it? A: I just call it, “The Jet.” Q: What was your previous project? A: A 1980 Ford Fiesta. I actually bought two – a silver Ghia (running, but used for parts), and a one-owner, very low mileage, red L model. I got most of my parts from BAT in Sarasota, FL. I did the entire suspension, brakes, and engine with European parts from the Fiesta XR2 (the XR2 is equivalent to a GTI). I’d never done it before, but I rebuilt the engine in my basement. I raced it in Solo II, and it was fun and cheap! A word to the wise – if you ever see a lowered Fiesta with a throaty exhaust note, take heed – it has real potential. The 1600cc Kent engine has the same bottom end as the Lotus TwinCam. It’s used in vintage Formula Ford racers and, properly prepped, is capable of 150-hp with dual DCOE carbs. Like the Rabbit, it weighs less than a ton. Q: What is your next project? A: I already have it! It’s an ’04 Buell XB12S Lightning motorcycle, already tweaked with a Race ECM, K&N filter, D&D exhaust, special handlebars, pegs, mirrors…my virus is terminal, and now it’s mutated. My wife just got the Touareg. I doubt I’ll be able to get my mits on it. When it’s my turn, I’m going to seriously look at the new MkV GTI. But, my hope it that VW – in their infinite wisdom, and great appreciation for enthusiasts – gives us a MkV R32… please? Q: What one word best describes your car? A: Awolfinsheepsclothing. Owner Information: Name- J. Chris Robbins Address- Murphy, TX E-mail- rpmchris@comcast.net or Chris.Robbins@wnco.com Occupation- Senior Leadership Facilitator, Southwest Airlines University for People, Dallas Love Field (TX) Club Affiliations- VDubAddiction – www.vdubaddiction.com Vehicle Information: Year- 2001 Make- Volkswagen Model- Jetta Wolfsburg Edition Mileage- 68,500 Original Color- Cool White Current Color- (same) Engine- 1.8T AWW Engine Modifications- K&N panel filter; Samco Sport turbo intake hose; Samco Sport hose set; APR EMCS DPP Stock/93-octane chip programming; Forge 007 diverter valve; ECS N75 Race valve (Coming soon – FMIC) Exhaust Modifications- Eurosport 2.5" downpipe & 2.5" SS exhaust Transmission Modifications- Neuspeed Short Shift kit; Polyurethane “dogbone” inserts (Coming soon – ECS Stage 1 clutch & lightened flywheel; Quaife LSD) Suspension Modifications- VW/Eibach sport springs (dealer installed); Eibach Pro-Damper struts & shocks; Neuspeed upper strut brace and lower tie bar; Neuspeed 25mm front & 28mm adjustable rear anti-sway bars (Coming soon – Polyurethane suspension bushings) Brake Modifications- ECS stainless steel brake lines; Mintex "Red Box" rear brake pads (Coming soon – TT/GLI front and rear brakes w/Mintex pads; G2 red caliper paint) Wheels and Tires- 17 x 8" ASA AR1 wheels w/ 235/45-WR17 Yokohama AVS ES100 tires Exterior/Body Modifications- MMP smoked e-code headlights w/fogs; Hella smoked taillights w/ rear fog light; MHW clear corner lights; 4-motion front valence; 4-motion rear valence w/exhaust cutout; debadged; black painted stock grill; M3-style rear lip spoiler Interior Modifications- Euro headlight switch; TT pedal covers & dead pedal; NewSouth gauge pod; AWE/Omori boost gauge Audio/Video/I.C.E.- OEM Monsoon audio system; dealer-installed VW in-dash single-disc CD player Thanks/Props- Kristin & Mike at Virtual World Parts; Kenny and Nikki at KENTEK Motorsports; Eric at The TireRack; Southwest Airlines, for helping me pay for my addiction; my brother, Mike, for always “talkin’ cars” with me; my great kids – Kristin and Christopher – now young adults for whom I could not be more proud, and my new son-in-law, Daniel, for helping me wrestle with and finally install my Samco turbo inlet hose; my best friend, lover, and wife of 25 years, Michele; and finally, my dad, Jack Robbins, who introduced me to my two greatest passions – cars and airplanes
Next up is VWvortex member vasillalov and his 1999.5 Jetta GL
Q: How long have you owned this car? A: I bought it used on November 03, 2003 after my first car, a 1989 Chevy Cavalier Z24, blew a head gasket @ 225K miles. At that time, there was no point of reviving the Chevy. Q: Is there anything unique about the history of this car? A: Not really. It was a leased vehicle in New Jersey. I am the second owner. Q: Why did you choose this car to purchase? A: I am from Bulgaria (Eastern Europe, for those who skipped Geography), and there, as we all know, VAG and euro-made cars dominate the market. I chose VW because I always liked VAG cars. Also, I had couple of Bulgarian buddies who had previously purchased Jettas and liked them a lot. Q: What other cars did you consider? A: When I was shopping for another car, I was considering GM cars since I had good times with my Chevy. Ford and Asian-made cars, not just Japanese, were totally out of the question. Q: What was your objective with this car? A: My objective was, and still is, to have a reliable daily driven car that can take me where I want in style, comfort and maybe turn some heads on the street. All of the modifications that I did were either practical or subtle exterior enhancements. I am not aiming for massive horsepower, nor am I pursuing prizes at car shows. Q: What tuning style would you describe this car as? A: Definitely OEMPlus. Q: Who helped you build this car? A: I did everything myself. This is the place to thank Hristo Stoynev, a.k.a. izzo, for always having an empty garage spot to lift the car and for providing me with tools and help when I needed it! Q: What makes your car special? A: Well this is a little touchy subject. My father always liked Volkswagens a lot. For him VW was the perfect car since it was not luxurious, it was relatively cheap compared to BMW and Mercedes (at least it used to be) and VW was known to be ultra reliable. He was in love with the Jetta 2 and he desired one very much. When the Vento (Jetta 3) came out, his love for Volkswagens grew even stronger. Every time a Vento would drive by us, my dad would change the subject of conversation immediately and get very excited about the car. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to own one! Our family owned a 1988 Wartburg 353 Deluxe. For those who don't know, this is an East German (communist) car which has a 3 cylinder, 2-stroke engine with an awe-inspiring 45-hp. My father died from a massive heart attack on his way to work in a taxi-cab. Just a month later, my Chevy blew a head gasket and I was in need of another car. I decided that I should purchase a Volkswagen and that it must be a Jetta. Now I drive the car that my father would have definitely loved and desired. As far as I am concerned, I will always keep this car no matter what happens to it. It will remind me of my dad. Q: What is your favorite part/feature/function? A: I am torn between my wheels and the full TT pedal set. Also, the interior of the car is very well preserved. The car was well taken care of by the previous owner and it has low mileage for a 1999 model. All in all, the car is in excellent condition inside and out and I try to maintain it as such.
Q: Who or what inspired the direction of modifications on this car? A: Everything that I have done to this car was inspired by the Vortex. That's right, everything! I spent quite some time just looking and gathering ideas from other people on the Vortex. I was eliminating things as they posted and selected only those ideas that I liked the most and would fit the look I was going after. Q: What don't you like about this car? A: That would be the creaking interior! It drives me crazy, especially on long drives. Q: What was your biggest obstacle in building this car? A: Money! I graduated from college over a year ago and money was always the limiting factor. My parents supported me as much as they could, but there is not much you can do with $300.00 monthly salary in Bulgaria. The financial burden fell on me almost right away during my freshman year. As you can imagine, saving for car modifications was the last priority. Q: How did you overcome the issue? A: I worked as much as I could to save money little by little. I was saving for tires for over 4 months. Every paycheck, I would put aside $50.00. After 4 months I had enough money to purchase tires for my wheels. Q: What would you change if you could? A: The interior! I want full R32 black leather interior - preferably a non-creaking one! Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with the outcome of this project? A: I would rate it as 5. I have to be moderate here since most of my modifications are either practical or cosmetic in nature. Q: What would you do to the car if money were no object? A: Full R32 black leather interior, some nice HRE wheels and suspension upgrade. I am keeping my hopes that BBM will finally start working on the MK4 version of their supercharger! Q: Who has been your biggest critic of this project? A: Almost all of my friends and fellow students in college were telling me that I am going crazy. They preached to me that a car is nothing more than a car. To me, a car is not just a household appliance.
Q: What do your family and friends say about this car? A: Often, my girlfriend disapproved of the fact that I spent too much time on the Vortex and working on the car. I must admit that there were times I did not pay enough attention to her and I am truly sorry for that. Over time, she learned more about Volkswagens and some of my enthusiasm brushed onto her. Now she drives a 2003 Jetta GLS TDI and she loves it! Q: What is your most memorable/humorous/embarrassing moment with this car? A: We went to a night club outside the city limits. It was in early spring, and it has been raining for over a week. Everything was muddy. I parked my Jetta on the side of the road. When we came out of the club, the car has drifted sideways towards the nearby pond. All because it was muddy. We ended up pushing back and forth for 5-10 minutes until I managed to get the front wheels on some grass. Q: Has this car competed in any events? A: No, never. I participated in a small GTG in Blacksburg, VA but it was nothing special. Q: What is your favorite place to drive this car? A: That would be I-77 in West Virginia. Believe it or not, West Virginia has one of the best highways on the East Coast. Speed limit is 70 often going to 75 mph. I also enjoy driving on the different picturesque and curvy back roads with the windows down so that I can smell, hear and feel the drive. Q: What is your ideal day with this car? A: The perfect time to drive my car is mid-afternoon on a nice summer day. The car is freshly washed and detailed and I am zipping past some old barns and farms on the back roads of West Virginia. Q: Who gets to drive this car? A: Only my girlfriend gets to drive it and only when I am heavily intoxicated! Q: If your car had a motto, what would it be? A: I don't think a car should have a motto... Q: If you had to name your car, what would you name it? A: Jetka!
Q: What was your previous project? A: My previous car was a 1989 Chevy Cavalier Z24 with 2.8 V6 engine and 5-speed transmission. It was hardly a project car. Rather, it was the car that I drove through college. Q: What is your next project? A: I am keeping the Jetta. She will always be my project. My next car will also be a VAG car. I am thinking of an Audi A6 2.7T. Bigger turbos will be first on the list. Q: What one word best describes your car? A: Daddy! Owner Information: Name- Vasil Lalov Address- Princeton, WV E-mail- vasil@dubpix.com Username in VWvortex Forums- vasillalov Vehicle Information: Year- 1999.5 Make- Volkswagen Model- Jetta GL Mileage- 72,xxx Original Color- Cool White (LA9B) Current Color- Cool White (LA9B) Engine- 2.0 AEG Engine Modifications- K&N panel filter Exhaust Modifications- None Transmission Modifications- ECS dogbone bushings Suspension Modifications- None Brake Modifications- PBR Ceramics all around Wheels and Tires- 17x7 RS Limited Akunin and 225/45-17 Kumho ECSTA 711; 20mm H&R spacers on the back Exterior/Body Modifications- Joey-modded headlamps; tinted bumper and sidemarkers; OEM grill painted flat black; shorty antenna; 5-brake light mod; disabled DRLs; OEM mud flaps and OEM leather bra for the winter along with stock steelies with winter tires Interior Modifications- Full Audi TT pedal set; neon trunk light Audio/Video/I.C.E.- OEM CD Changer soon to be replaced by Phatnoise system Thanks/Props- Several, but most obviously, my father
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