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VWVortex.com AUTObiography Want your car featured in a VWvortex AUTObiography? Tell us what it means to be a Volkswagen enthusiast, and show us how you and your car demonstrate those ideals! Send the completed form with pictures to cherise@vortexmediagroup.com.
How long have you owned this car? Since June of 2000. Is there anything unique about the history of this car? It definitely came from the South. Or West. No rust, but lots of UV damage. Why did you choose this car to purchase? It started out as a search for utility. I play drums and needed something to move them around with. It’s a challenge fitting a full drum set, PA, and my girlfriend in a Jetta. The first VW pickup I looked at was a big pile of rot, and then I stumbled across this gem, through unbelievably good luck. What other cars did you consider? I was considering any VW that I could fit my drums in. Passat wagon, Quantum wagon, and Fox wagons were all on the list. What was your objective with this car? When I first bought the car, I just wanted something that hauled. It didn’t take long before I fell in love with it. My first objective was to make it reliable. After that, I couldn’t stop and decided to do a full-blown restoration. What tuning style best describes this car (ex. Euro, Bling, OEMplus, street racer, auto crosser)? OEMplus would be a good description. I basically wanted to keep the look all VW and preserve the Rabbit, but improved both aesthetically and mechanically with some newer bits.
Who helped you build this car? I had a lot of help from a lot of people. My Dad definitely tops the list, followed by my buddies Rich Gardner and Dave Wright. Also, D&W Diesel helped out a lot with the injection system. My wife provided moral support. What makes your car special? There aren’t too many VW pickups left, and out of those, only a handful have received this level of restoration. We paid special attention to detail to make this truck reliable for long drives, and subsequently driven it to all corners of the USA. What is your favorite part/feature/function? My favorite function is the ability to look good, run reliably and still toss 75 2" x 4"s in the back. I also love “sticking it to the man” with 44 mpg. Who or what inspired the direction of modifications on this car? Mostly my imagination, followed by my Dad and a great support group I met through forums. What don't you like about this car? I’m 6' tall and the cab is about 6" too short to put my seat back. What was your biggest obstacle in building this car? The biggest obstacle definitely was when the throttle stuck on the donor car, redlining it and cracking the turbo diesel head. How did you overcome the issue? Miraculously, that same week, there were two TD engines on eBay. I had to drive 500 miles to get them but it was worth it!
What would you change if you could? I’d quit my job and spend all my days driving around the US in my truck, spreading VW’s greatness throughout the land. On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with the outcome of this project? I’d have to say a 9 at this time. I have achieved all of my major goals and now just have some finishing touches. What would you do to the car if money were no object? That’s an easy question! First, put a 140 hp TDI in it with a 6-speed 020 box. Second, extend the cab about a foot. Third, use the extra space to put my seat back all the way and maybe add a decent subwoofer. Who has been your biggest critic of this project? Definitely myself, followed by myself as a close second. What do your family and friends say about this car? They’re jealous when I get 575 miles out of a tank of gas. What is your most memorable/humorous/embarrassing moment with this car? Memorable: Two trips around the country (about 10,000 miles each). Humorous: A driver in front of me was behaving erratically. Finally he pulled over. I passed him and then he caught up with me and started taking pictures of my truck! Embarrassing: Definitely when I almost ran over some pedestrians at Niagara Falls. Has this car competed in any events? Results? It scored a third place in the show car competition in Waterfest 13, so it’s off to a great start! What is your favorite place to drive this car? Anywhere in the USA. I’ve driven the truck in 44 states and can’t pick my favorite.
What is your ideal day with this car? The ideal day starts by waking up sleeping in the back with my wife. After some nice morning coffee and eggs, we pack up the campsite and hit the road. After driving through gorgeous mountain valleys, oceanside meadows, and deep forests, we find another great campsite. There, we set up the hammock and snooze the rest of the day away with the truck to my left and a cooler full of cold brewskis to my right. After watching an amazing sunset, we retire for another night’s rest in the back of the truck. Who gets to drive this car? Me, and my wife when there isn’t too much shifting involved. If your car had a motto, what would it be? “Don’t leave home without your awesome!” If you had to name your car, what would you name it? Oh, it’s had a name for a long time. The Truckdoza! I remember seeing in a movie a hotel called the Cardoza, and well, I sleep in the back of the truck so often it became the Truckdoza. What was your previous project? Basically keeping whatever POS VW I had at the time running well enough to drive me to school and work and pass inspection.
What is your next project? I’ve still got a lot of work to do on the Truckdoza before I move on. What one word best describes your car? Awesome. Anything else you’d like to share? Restoring this truck has been one of the greatest projects of my life. It took a year of planning, research, and saving money, followed by another year to execute. I had a great time doing it and spent a lot of quality time with my Dad. I know it sounds corny, but we really did get to be a lot closer through working on this, and that is one of the reasons that this truck is so special to me now. While I might hold the title, the Truckdoza truly is a family project to be shared by all. Owner Information: Name: Garry Polmateer VWvortex Username: DarthGarry Occupation: Director of Information Technology Club Affiliations: None at this time Vehicle Information: Year: 1981 Make: VW Model: Pickup Mileage: 289,450 Original Color: Cashmere White (LE9C) Current Color: Platinum Grey Metallic (LD7X) Engine: 1984 mechanical 1.6 turbo diesel Engine Modifications: Aggressive injection pump, injectors and turbo setup. Exhaust Modifications: 2.25” Techtonics downpipe and exhaust. Transmission Modifications: Stock FN "tall 5th" 5-speed. Added missing linkz stainless steel machined shift linkages — shifts like a dream. Suspension Modifications: Upgraded leaf springs for load carrying capacity and ride height. Front sway bar. Brake Modifications: EBS vented rotors and Green Stuff Pads on the front, powder coated 200 mm drums on back. Wheels and Tires: Bridgestone Turanza LS-H 195/60R14s on Orlando 1997 Jetta Rims. Exterior/Body Modifications: New paint, pinstriping, and custom matching truck cap. Interior Modifications: Complete 1984 Jetta interior swap, including dash, door cards, carpets, headliner, seats and wiring loom. Also added A/C, and boost, pyrometer, engine hours, oil pressure, water temp, and voltage gauges. Audio/Video/I.C.E.: Custom Eclipse head unit mounted in top glove compartment. Rubicon 702 and 10” subwoofer. Thanks/Props: #1 to Dad for the countless hours spent in the freezing cold garage. #2 to Rich for all the powder coating and comic relief. #3 to Dave for stage two mods, electrical help, and the stereo mount. Also thanks to the D&W Diesel and Electric guys who spent a lot of their time helping me out with the injectors and injection pump.
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