NA spec parts?

Re: NA spec parts? (VW-DOHC-16V)

Depends on what you guys want over there, but here are some ideas (heheh...these are usually the things that we're trying to get rid of!):
US-spec Golf or Jetta taillamps (will require you to fit an external rear fog because we don't have them, and probably new bulb holders (Jetta) or sockets (Golf) too)
"Banana" front fender (wing) lights
Parking brake indicator lamp (says "brake" in addition to the icon)
Right-side mirror (will be convex wide-angle on a LHD car)
Round "Wolfsburg Edition" badges.
Maybe Jetta GLI badging if your Jettas were called "GTX" instead of "GLI"...? Canada got some GTX models but the US models were always called GLI instead of GTX.
Eh, I dunno. None of those are particularly desirable though, IMHO (except for maybe the Wolfie badges), but then again that's probably because we already have all that stuff.
Edit: Depending on the size of the items you're after, you might be interested in the radiator support, grille, and headlamp buckets from a 1985 or early 1986 Golf that used 200mm rectangular headlamps. Get the hardware and drop in some 200mm H4s (with city lights too) for a RHD car and you should still be legal in your country and still be set up with front end styling that no A2 in Europe had from the factory.

Edit #2:
Another item that US cars had that Euro ones probably didn't was the kneebar:

This was on cars that had the door-mounted seatbelts (you probably didn't have these). US cars in the late 1980s and early 1990s had to have some sort of passive restraint system. VW hadn't designed airbags into the A2s and federal law then (before mandating airbags) gave the choice of either airbags or automatic seat belts. I don't think this applied to Canadian vehicles though so you might not find the kneebars in Canada. They replace the package trays under the dash. I kinda like the look of the kneebar, but it eliminates the extra storage.


[Modified by gti_matt, 10:51 AM 11-23-2001]

Re: NA spec parts? (gti_matt)

Wow, that's one comprehensive list, thanks Matt!! They may seem like uncool stuff over there, but you know what they say, the grass is always greener.....
There are two things there that really interest me, the parking brake light(that's the handbrake right? I'm not too au fait with Murrican terms ) and that steering wheel in the picture with the kneebar!! The parking light wouldn't take any extra wiring, would it? We have the same steering wheel on some GTIs over here, but the hornpush has lots of grooves on it, that are really ugly and totally pointless!! Any idea what model those steering wheels were installed in, and are they fairly common over there? A leather one would be nice too....

Re: NA spec parts? (VW-DOHC-16V)

Bring a big suitcase, and you can take a real-live American Bald Headed Sid home to Ireland with you. There's only one in the whole of NA, so there's a big demand for him

Re: NA spec parts? (gti_matt)

Hard to believe some of our US spec crap would be gold to anyone.....

Re: NA spec parts? (VW-DOHC-16V)

But of course!
Yes.
I doubt it. Basically, US law requires the word "BRAKE" on the lamp - an icon alone isn't enough for our authorities on that one, so VW has both the icon and the word on the indicator light. Some models also had the yellow "Check engine" light in the same lamp cluster too - this was for the OBD system - the light came on when a sensor (for example, the oxygen sensor, coolant temperature sensor, etc.) was malfunctioning.
In that case you might be able to get just the center section. It snaps right on and has terminals for the horn wiring.
I believe that steering wheel debuted on the 1.8 16V cars (1987 for us) and continued into the 2.0 16V cars (1990 and up) as well as the 1990 and up 8V GTIs. My '91 8V has this wheel. I've also seen this wheel on some non-airbag A3s for Canada (probably the CL models if I remember right - I've seen a few Canadian registered A3s down here in Southern California over time). However the wheel on non-airbag US A3 GL models was a different 4-spoke design that was dished a bit. My '91 8V's wheel isn't leather wrapped, but the 16Vs might have had leather-wrapped versions - not sure on that one.

Re: NA spec parts? (VW-DOHC-16V)

Here's a pic of the one in my car:

On the left is the check-engine light (amber), center is seatbelt warning light (red), and on the right is the parking brake/handbrake light.

Re: NA spec parts? (VW-DOHC-16V)

I have a leather one if you're interested. I'll trade you straight up for a European right hand side taillight(and bulb holder) for a Jetta. E-mail me, we'll discuss.
I believe the wheel you guys have in Europe is slightly different in that the two lower spokes point straight down. I think some Canadian Passats may also have had the same wheel, which does have the diagonal grooves in the horn button.

Re: NA spec parts? (Phobia16V)

I've seen a wheel in 16V models overseas in pics that looked like our B3 Passat steering wheel - as you say it's similar but the lower spokes point straight down. The horn button also looks smaller as well on that wheel...?
VW-DOHC-16V...you can also go crazy with US/Canadian badging too. Our late A3 8V GTIs and our GTI VR6s I think had a "GTI" or "GTI VR6" badging that A3s out of the Mexican plant got (different "GTI" typeface than Euro ones). If you want to look beyond the A2s, there are lots of VWs over here that were named differently:
Rabbit (your A1 Golf) and Rabbit GTI
Quantum (your B2 Passat/Santana)
Dasher (your B1 Passat)
Vanagon (your T3 Transporter/Caravelle, although I think "Transporter" was used on a few T3 vehicles in Canada, such as the truck version that the US didn't get).
Eurovan (see above, but for the T4 (current) Transporter/Caravelle)
Fox (you didn't get this car at all - it was Brazilian made and was about the size of an A1 Jetta and built on a modified B platform called "BX" and more closely related to the 1970s B1 Passat and Audi 80). However you did get "Polo Fox" cars (totally unrelated to our Fox) and the badging for our Fox might be of mild interest to a Polo Fox owner. You'll find Fox badges in the mid-80s style upright typeface and also (late 80s early 90s Fox models) in the italicized typeface.
GTI - all of our GTIs since the A2s were badged as "GTI" and not "Golf GTI" so you can pick up a few "GTI" badges sans "Golf".
Anyway, misc. badges might be another thing to think of while you're over here.
Hmmm...what else. Maybe the side marker lights off of any of our A1 Rabbits and A1 convertibles too - they're unique to North America (we hate 'em but you might like the novelty of them over there). Or the amber front corner lamps off of a B4 Passat (yours are clear blanks). Or the amber front side bumper lamps off of an A4 Golf or Jetta (Bora) that are incorporated into the rub strip.
Also (size would be limiting here of course) the front grille setup of a US-made Rabbit with 200mm rectangular lights also would be unusual. Would require new wings too if you do the style found on 81-84 models that have the signals in the corners of the fenders.

Eh, I guess you asked about A2 parts, but if you feel like shipping some other stuff back that you can sell to others, those are some more ideas.


[Modified by gti_matt, 9:29 PM 11-25-2001]

Wow, thanks for all the replies guys, I really appreciate it!!
We do have the steering wheel with the curved spokes as well, though I the one with the straight spokes seems to be much more common, and on Golfs at least they both have those stupid diagonal lines
Phobia16V: As soon as my damn ISP fixes it's webmail service, you'll have mail
I've always wondered why all those US advertisements for the Golf GTI only said "Volkswagen GTI" on them!! So they aren't called Golfs at all!! It'll be interesting to see what happens if the new Polo makes it's way across the Atlantic
There's an NA spec A3 Golf where I work, and it has badging on the back with "Golf III" on it, I'd never seen a badge like that before, it's really interesting. Of course, it's got a unique steering wheel as well
I'd like to bring an A2 Jetta coupé home as well, because we never got 2 door Jettas, but I don't think they'll let me bring it on board as hand luggage

Re: (VW-DOHC-16V)

Yet another NA spec part.
The silly "III" designation was found on A3 Jettas and Golfs up to '95 in the US. VW dropped the III designation starting with the 1996 models. IIRC, Canada and Mexico though didn't get any explicit "III" at all on their A3s. I guess just us 'Murricans needed it explained to our dumbasses!

Yeah that'd be right, the NA spec Golf at work is a 94 model I think it's a US car, beacause it has a little oval sticker on the back with "AAA" on it (Automobile Association of America maybe? I'm just guessin) When I see it parked beside a 96 Irish spec Golf at work (we've got a lotta VWs in our place ) the bumpers look bigger too. Differing safety standards maybe? Anyways, we've talked about what NA parts that we don't have over here, what sort of stuff do you guys like that we've got?

Re: (VW-DOHC-16V)

You guessed right.
Yup. The front bumper also will have amber marker lights/reflectors in it too on the sides. Also look for a different-size numberplate opening in the rear hatch as well.
I generally like the smaller bumpers (look less heavy), side blinkers (optional but not required here, but are showing up on more and more cars here anyway), and rear foglamp (optional, not required, and some import makes leave it hooked up, others (VW included) doesn't).

Re: (gti_matt)

Yeah i noticed the number plate opening, it had to have a motorbike-style plate put on because it was too narrow for a standard Euro plate!!
Wow, I see what you mean now about people wanting stuff that others take for granted!!
Would it be legal in the US to wire up the side repeaters as DRLs? Those huge orange lights on the wing aren't the prettiest at all!!

Phobia16V: You have mail