drrty_Dub (Ricky)

I bought my 99 Passat in Summer of 2007. After driving my first car, an automatic, for years I finally wanted a change of interior layout and I wanted to learn to drive manual transmission. I started looking for a Corrado at first, I joined forums and learned what things to look for, problem areas. The ones I found in my price range were in really bad shape and the good ones were way above my budget. So I started looking at Golfs, suddenly one day my dad brought home the Passat from his shop. I knew it was in good shape because he had looked it over, it was manual, mileage was pretty good, price was great and it was Turbo!So this car was so many firsts for me, first VDub, first manual transmission and first turbo ride. So this car was so many firsts for me, first VDub, first manual transmission and first turbo ride.

The first thing I did was to join some forums to find information on the typical things that need replacing and maintenance. So most of 2007 was spent getting the car running properly. The previous owner for some odd reason decided that anything that was plastic and not painted Windsor Blue should be silver so the first thing I did was to try and get stock lowers, engine covers and front grilles to replace the ones they had been butchered.

Then flipping between B5one and a couple of other VW forums I found, I gained a lot of knowledge and some insight into the mods that could be done to the Passat. I started to plan the mods I was going to do and shop around, I had learned with my first car that if you don't do things right the first time you end up spending more in the long run by eventually buying the mods later. So I decided this time to wait and pay more to buy the more expensive item the first time. I started off by getting a badgeless grille, Boost gauge, Dual A-Pillar pod and tinting the tails with Nightshades. I hated the light grey interior that came with the car, I've always loved a full black interior. So I started to source out interior trim, seats, door panels etc. that were black. Then I found a crazy deal on a set of 19x8.5 RS4 reps that I simply couldn't pass up. I bought it during the winter of 2007 so while I waited to put the rims on I searched forums for info on coilovers and finally ordered KW Variant 2 coilovers. The coilovers came in about a month after it had started to warm up so the rims were already on the car shod in new rubber. I put the coils on and drove for a month with slight lowering just to get them to settled before trying to achieve the perfect personal level of lowering. I didn't want it to be laying on the ground as a personal preference, I just wanted that perfect level where there is no wheel gap and it looks like the edge of the fender meets the top of the tire.

Original look when I bought it

As of now I have to say the best bang for buck mod that I have done so far is the Upsolute 94 Octane chipped ECU which tops out at 15psi. I found a wicked set of friends to share my passion with in Canada, Charles, Dean, Jim, Jay, Johnny along with seeing wicked Passats that give me ideas everyday. I have a lot of plans and so far I'm just beginning to have fun with my little monster.

Mods

Engine:

• Upsolute 94 Octane chipped ECU
• Replaced all OEM hoses with silicone
• K&N drop in air filter
• Forge 007 DV
• Aftermarket downpipe
• Removed stock resonator for inline SS straight through resonator
• SS pipping from resonator to muffler
• Thor aluminum skidplate

Exterior:

• Clear headlights and turn signals tinted with laminex optic blue
• Laminex tinted tail lights Charcoal
• Clear sidemarkers
• Color matched lowers
• Shorty color matched antennae
• Dual square DTM tip magnaflow muffler
• Badgeless grill/OEM grill with blacked out VW emblem
• Europlate "Rkyz Dub"

Interior & ICE:

• Dual gauge A-Pillar pod w/ Boost and Oil temp gauges
• Swapped out original light grey interior trim and pieces with black replacements
• B5.5 center console w/ B5.5 shift boot and gas door switch relocated
• Chrome door pins
• SS "Passat" door sills
• Replaced all interior lights with red LEDs
• Alpine headunit
• Alpine 400W amp
• Alpine Type R 6.5" front and rear speakers
• 2 12" Kaption subs in a custom ported sub enclosure

Wheels, Tires & Suspension:

• KW V2 Coilovers
• 19x8.5 Audi RS4 reps et 38 w/ General Exclaim UHP 235/35/19 tires
• 5mm wheel spacer(Front)
• 8mm wheel spacer(Rear)
• 2 point front strutbar
• Stratmosphere A4 short shifter

Future Plans:

• GLX door panels
• Devil eyes S4 style headlights
• STERN adjustable upper control arms
• Headliner recovered in black vinyl
• Bodywork and paint
• B5.5 battery tray cover
• Relocate DV to cold side of engine bay
• Install oil pressure sender and connect oil pressure gauge
• Install GReddy Turbotimer
• APR snub mount
• S4 engine and transmission mounts
• Rear swaybar
• Port and Polish intake manifold
• Install testpipe
• K04 turbo upgrade
• Front mount intercooler
• Front mount oilcooler
• Tint

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