Finally converting my GLS Jetta to GLI body style

[STiGuy06]

EDIT: Lips & skirts are installed!


So, im going to have extra cash leftover from my other mk4 jetta part out and i wanted give me daily some love, and convert my 02 GLS into a GLI, at least body style wise.

Also getting a used stock GLI catback sooner or later.


http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x92/yo14jman/IMG_1606.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x92/yo14jman/IMG_1608.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x92/yo14jman/IMG_1609.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x92/yo14jman/IMG_1607.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x92/yo14jman/IMG_1610.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x92/yo14jman/IMG_1605.jpg

[cbirgl]

GLI's are the same body as the regular jetta. You can just swap out the lips front and rear and add the sideskirts. I always use OEM parts for best fit, but there are some other companies out there.

Coilovers are always the best choice to get perfect fitment and dampening to your liking. H&R springs are a good substitute, and if you aren't using the 2" drop stock shocks are okay, but it is always best to get shocks that are made for lowering.

[STiGuy06]

thanks man, i figured but i wanted to be 100% sure. I want to get the GLI body parts 1st then i'll figure out if i want to lower it or not.

[AutobahnRacer]

Slightly off topic, but have you gone from 02A to 02J yet? Make sure you post some pictures when you are done. I had an 03 Jetta GLS and would love to see what it would have looked like had I gone the route you are.

[STiGuy06]

Slightly off topic, but have you gone from 02A to 02J yet? Make sure you post some pictures when you are done. I had an 03 Jetta GLS and would love to see what it would have looked like had I gone the route you are.

nah dude, i'm just doing the GLI body style swap. I'm also probably lowering the car and adding a 2.25" Magnaflow Catback. Then i'm done. It's only a DD so i don't want to waste most of the leftover money from my partout on it.


Picked up Replica Skirts brand new off a local for $100 today :)

[AutobahnRacer]

I posted a poorly constructed sentence haha. Those were two different thoughts that sounded like one. Post pics of the body when your done

[STiGuy06]

Will do....probably within the next few months.

[MattBear]

the 02 should be a an O2J, the O2a was only used in 99/00 iirc

[AutobahnRacer]

You sure (not saying you are incorrect)? When I was going to build my trans on Jetta the shop offered to do O2J or dog gears and said what I had was the O2A

[ein]

AFAIK 1.8T's and VR6's got O2J in the MK4 unless they were 6 speed. I'm not sure if the 2.0's were upgraded from 020 to 02A.

[AutobahnRacer]

I had an MK4 5 speed 2.slow

[RuhRohh]

my friends got an MK4 golf 2.slow hes trying to convert to a 20th
so far hes got the aristos a 20th front lip and he just picked up a 20th rear lip
he bought the car completely stock a year ago

crappy cell phone picture
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/189893_1739006190074_1086210227_31777035_6773638_n .jpg

keep us posted on how your car comes out. i would love to see some progress

[STiGuy06]

^ looks good.....


I'll be ordering the GLI Front and Rear Lip Kit this week hopefully. Can't wait, the side skirts won't be lonely anymore haha!

[STiGuy06]

Lips have been ordered today! Should be on the car and painted by end of April

[STiGuy06]

Lips came in today! I will take pics tomorrow. I'm going to install them unpainted to get the fit and mounting holes drilled correctly. I'll probably rock them on the car for awhile unpainted until i can get a hold of my buddy to paint them.

[STiGuy06]

Update: Finally got time to install the kit & take pics. Not bad for $397 total...Should be around a month until they get painted. I'll just get laughed at & deal with it for now. Used stock GLI Catback is coming shortly as well (really don't feel like blowing $550 on a Magnaflow for a daily beater).

I already scrapped the front underneath, so no go on lowering it. I have to plow through snow in winter so if i lower it, it'll be instant death to the front lip.




http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x92/yo14jman/IMG_2034.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x92/yo14jman/IMG_2029.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x92/yo14jman/IMG_2035.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x92/yo14jman/IMG_2027.jpg

[SvicksTc]

looks good but why not just keep it off until its ready for paint? or at least flat black the sides to match the front and rears

[STiGuy06]

looks good but why not just keep it off until its ready for paint? or at least flat black the sides to match the front and rears

I didn't want them laying around and someone accidentally stepping or dropping something on them since a few people go in and out of my garage daily that are either family or the rental business's handy man lol.

I thought about flat blacking them but i don't feel like it, it'll be done in about a month or less because i have the paint already from before, just not the money for my buddy to do it :lol:

[STiGuy06]

Well to speed up the process of painting the kits and some other bits, i absolutely will have it painted by end of the month/1st week in June. I hit my garage pillar so the rub strip on the passenger side as well as fender is all mangled lol. I'm an IDIOT. But at least the lips fine :)

[motorvated]

Can I suggest that you buy my GLI sport springs? They are the stock GLI springs, but they should lower your car a touch. It will reallly improve your look but wont effect your drive-ability. They have 3K original miles on them. Let me know...I'll let em go cheap.

[STiGuy06]

how cheap because im not really leaning towards buying springs.the way my driveway is id hit every time. Right now i barely make it, seriously. My STi's lip is all messed up underneath already.

[The01Cav]

GLI springs should drop the front about a .5" and the rear maybe .75". A friend of mine just put a set of GLI springs on his wifes TDI Jetta and it really does make a nice difference but doesn't drop it alot.

[STiGuy06]

eh yeah see for that little bit i'd rather not because its not worth alignment and possibly ripping up my new lip.

[AutobahnRacer]

Looking awesome! Finally some fricken pictures lol. But what are those white things in the bumper? Please tell me they aren't deer whistles... lol

[STiGuy06]

^ Oh they are haha.....only temporary though. My Fiancee lives off a road in the middle of the woods and its a bitch at night, they are EVERYWHERE. These things actually work. I did however hit a possum with my old lip and he rolled about 5 feet in front and walked away completely fine haha!

I'm taking them off as soon as we move in together in Fall.

[motorvated]

$75 for the springs if your interested. Good luck with the build!

[STiGuy06]

finally got them painted and installed again. Car is officially done. Nothing else needed for a DD. Now back to finishing up my STi haha.

[BoostedRabbit]

edit: just saw pictures on the first post haha

really does need a little drop though! it's a vw after all... ;)