# Mods



## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Creating this to keep track of what I've done so far.

Planning on attending Alpine VF in Helen next year and I want something different than the myriad of modded MK2 Tigs that were there this year. Looking at turning mine into something that VW doesn't build (or would only be in Europe) - a CS. Don't know how tight money is going to be between then and now so listing everything on my wish list in priority order (from WILL DO to MAYBE). Anything emulating the CS will be marked. Pretty big list but manageable. Not expecting to get most of this done in time; always next year.

Current mods:

Stock MK7 R suspension
Audi 19x9 painted light gunmetal
255/45r19 General Ultimax RT43
Full Light Source LED front conversion
Shaved rear hatch
Wireless charger/CarPlay adapter (Amazon recommendations)
Smoked LED side marker
Smoked LED sequential mirror signals
Badgeskin front emblem
Blacked out rear emblem

Planned mods to get ready:

Steel oil pan
Steel sump guard from skid-plate.com uk
APR Stage 1 (don't need a downpipe and don't want premium fuel required. Also need to limit power; FWD so traction limited and don't want to find the RF axle limits)
Unitronic CF intake
Least expensive intake elbow possible
Respray wheels gloss or textured black
Body color black trim (leave a side portion black for CS effect)
Shave roof racks; plug holes and wrap roof gloss black (CS)
Shave rear VW badge. Fill hole and paint or wrap hatch
Modified GTI CS rear spoiler
Recover headliner, pillar covers, seat and door inserts black or dark red faux suede
22" LED light bars (x2) in front bumper grille areas (custom mounting bracket; both will be mounted externally)
Smoke wrap tails
Custom 3" exhaust (tips exiting from fake tip area)
New brakes (cheap -new stock rotors and EBC pads; braided lines F/R. Not cheap - Forge 6 piston 356 front)
BFI knob (red)
Shift gate (black/red stitched)
R line pedals
20" forged wheels (black with red lip strip - CS inspired)
255/40r20 HP tires
Full air suspension (Airlift, 3h controller, twin compressors and 2.5 gallon tanks. Will be mounted in space 3rd row currently takes up)
Amp (mounted with air management)
Spare tire sub
Retrofit Source Morimoto Mini stage 2 headlight and fog light upgrades (blacking out chrome when pulled for mod)
Euro exterior trim (fog light eyebrows, front and rear valances)
Euro center console
Seat upgrades (buying stock F/R MK7 GTI seats for parts. Modifying OEM Tig seats with bolsters from GTI seats. Can't risk replacing seats with non SRS and Euro spec seats are too expensive)
Phoenix Automotive 10.2 display upgrade


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## lnires (Dec 29, 2010)

Any pics


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Here she is!


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

JK! Will post pics shortly.


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## lnires (Dec 29, 2010)

Lol


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

My original inspiration.


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## bulldogger (Mar 4, 2008)

Jaxdubs20 said:


> ... Current mods:
> ...
> *Shaved rear hatch*
> ...


I got all excited to see this; only to find out that it was just a de-badge  Here on the Vortex forums, "shaved" usually means removing everything including the VW emblem for a smooth "shaved" look.


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

It’s coming. Planning on trying a full wrap myself and smoothing the badge hole is planned.
Wonder if I can shave the hatch lights and turn off the codes…


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## 24valvett (Feb 15, 2011)

Jaxdubs20 said:


> Creating this to keep track of what I've done so far.
> 
> Planning on attending Alpine VF in Helen next year and I want something different than the myriad of modded MK2 Tigs that were there this year. Looking at turning mine into something that VW doesn't build (or would only be in Europe) - a CS. Don't know how tight money is going to be between then and now so listing everything on my wish list in priority order (from WILL DO to MAYBE). Anything emulating the CS will be marked. Pretty big list but manageable. Not expecting to get most of this done in time; always next year.
> 
> ...


When you say stock Mk7 r suspension, did you do the golf r spring swap like most people are doing or did you do the entire suspension struts and everything complete?


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Full swap. Payed almost nothing; guy wanted it out of the garage.


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## 24valvett (Feb 15, 2011)

Yea I have a whole set as well and was thinking of doing the swap complete, the factory are is electronically adjustable and without powering the struts they would be in comfort mode by default. I was wondering how the ride quality is and whether you had to buy the rear perch pads to correct the negative rake like people are doing when they swap just the springs in


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Swapped in as-is. No camber issue.
Ride is a bit firmer but not harsh. Definitely feel it over nasty ruts. Doesn’t help I’m also running 255 tires and Audi 19s. The pic should tell you what you need to know


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Next mod done. Bought a 22” Roadshock light bar from HF. Installed in about 2 hours. Need the light badly. Traveling through rural areas at night the stock lights can’t keep up - even with full LED conversion. Going to Helen next month and will definitely try them out.
Also picked up a 4” grinder on clearance for $10 and some cutting wheels. Cut a piece of steel long enough for a bracket.
Took off the grille (only way to get the plate down to the shelf) and drilled the bumper matching the end holes in the plate.
Wiring is long enough to run the length of a full sized truck so tons left over. Took off the left side headlight bracket and ran the harness under it. Used the rear most bolt to mount the relay.
Removed the battery to get to the firewall gromet and ran harness inside. Runs over pedals and inside console. Have the switch mounted in one of the blanks near the shifter. Doesn’t look good right now; looking for a switch that fits properly. Otherwise clean install. Only issue is it’s low hanging fruit for rocks and debris. Talking with someone about fabricating a number guard.


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## 24valvett (Feb 15, 2011)

Thanks that pic shows the ride stance better than the previous, looks good. My wife’s is an r line so it’s running the factory 20’sbut should be same overall diameter so same wheel gap. Debating picking up some golf r lowering springs to get down another inch. Easier to do the springs and install it all at once


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Jaxdubs20 said:


> Swapped in as-is. No camber issue.
> Ride is a bit firmer but not harsh. Definitely feel it over nasty ruts. Doesn’t help I’m also running 255 tires and Audi 19s.


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

If you can find the whole whole system I say do that instead. I pqy d less than what vendors are ant just fir springs. And considering how much work you already have to do go a little further.


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Well damn. Aimed my headlights because of the ridiculously sharp cutoff. Now they’re a little better but keep getting flashed. Early next year either retrofitting projectors or EBay assemblies. Definitely adding more HF lights in the coming months.
Light bar definitely helps but is mounted almost too low. May need to flip it to higher grille.


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

After the last Cars and Caffeine event I want to go next level. She will be completely aired out for Helen but need to drop tire size. Wheels are +32 and the 255 is too wide to tuck. Need to drop to 235/45.


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## 24valvett (Feb 15, 2011)

Yea I already have a full stock setup that came off a buddies car with 1330 miles on, have it to me when i asked about for always helping work on his cars. And good luck with the air I have a mk1 tiguan on airlift slam series with 3p management and it was pretty flawless for about 3 years but 3 months ago a rear bag let go so I replaced both, all good for a while and then 3-4 weeks ago a front bag started leaking so I just replaced the two fronts today. Upside all four bags are brand new and should be trouble free for another 3 years. I was gonna bag the wife’s new tig but we ended up with a 3rd row optioned SE r line and that doesn’t leave any where to hide the install in the trunk


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

I’ve seen tanks mounted to hatches and compressors in the side bins.


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## 24valvett (Feb 15, 2011)

Jaxdubs20 said:


> I’ve seen tanks mounted to hatches and compressors in the side bins.


In my 2011 tig I still have and my mk5 rabbit that I sold everything’s Under the factory flooring in the trunk and the wife was cool with that but I can afford to give up any additional space cuz my son just turned 7 weeks old today so way to much baby stuff that needs to be toted around. So I’m thinking just the stock golf r suspension with lowering springs for our best family vehicle. She also drives my tig a bunch because it’s big turbo and bagged with wheels and a ton of other add ons so she get the best of both worlds


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Did a bunch of personal Christmas shopping on Amazon and got a ton off tools and materials to get ready for Eurofest next month.

Wiper shaved and emblem removed. I hate that the factory stamped the panel instead of just sticking the emblem on like nearly everyone else. Going to fill and paint.


This weekend I’m sanding and polishing the head and taillights, then tinting lights and mirror signals with Vvivid dark smoke tint.

Taking the week before Christmas to prep for next month. Ordering matte black to wrap the hood, roof and hatch. Installing H&Rs and BFI shift knob. More if time and money permit.


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Smoked front lights. Started finish work on shaving rear emblem. Finish net week.


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Pulled front bumper and lights. Fixing lights tomorrow and color matching bumper trim. Moving light bar to crash bar and cutting out lower grille insert, replacing with mesh panel. Shaving the roof rails and wrapping roof. Smoking lights. Finish shaving badge. All by Thursday.


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Spent 2 days of hell getting what I could get done. Hatch is shaved, light bar relocated behind the bumper and lower bumper wings now body color. Wanted to shave the rails and wrap roof but ran out of time and was getting frustrated trying to find every clip holding the pilars and couldn’t figure out how to remove grab handles (don’t see any screws). And installed ECS Street Shield (real PITA; no instructions and took way too long lying on my back - 18 pounds gets pretty heavy in short order. My garage is a complete wreck
I’m no professional so paint work is half assed. Before May I’ll fix the bumper and will have headliner removed to wrap roof. Also wrapping upper hatch and hood.
One more tidbit. Pulled the front liners and found a ton of leaves and other crap wedged against the sheet metal. Maybe a good idea to pull the liners once a year just to clean. Worse, the rubber idolaters near the doors are water logged - perfect conditions for rust to start.


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

Tore the grille apart. Going to change the chrome bands to…something different.

In case anyone is wondering about doing this the grille is actually 2 frames plus the chrome trim. And the only way to separate it all, at least for me, was a heat gun. There have got to be 8 tabs per slat x6 then all over again to remove the chrome trim; nearly 100 tabs. Heat gun made it easy.
This should also work taking anything else apart on the body (fake tips, lower valances , etc).

Post pics when I get home.


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## jonese (Jun 21, 2020)

Side question. The radar is NOT attached in anyway to the grill right? There's no alignment concerns by touching the grill?


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)

jonese said:


> Side question. The radar is NOT attached in anyway to the grill right? There's no alignment concerns by touching the grill?


It’s attached to the inner shell, which I put back in to keep the sensor operational and prevent codes. The outer shell is what the chrome attaches to. You could actually just run the inner shell for a different look but the badge fits the outer shell so the sensor will remain exposed.


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## Jaxdubs20 (Oct 28, 2021)




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