Featured Car: Eric K 04 R32 aka wow.

Name: Eric K
Location: Exeter, RI
Job: Professional Window Tinter
Hobbies: Weight Training/ building the R32
Status: Single :heart:

How long have you owned this car?
Purchased July 2008

Is there anything unique about the history of this car?
Not that I can think of. The car was always properly maintained by the previous owner. It’s quite a coincidence though because I bought the car in Fall River, MA and live about an hour away in RI. The previous owner actually goes to the same gym as I do. One day after my workout, I found a note on my windshield saying it was his old car and he had extra parts and any questions to contact him. All I could say was “gotta love new England”.

What other cars did you consider?
At the time, no other cars were being considered. In fact, I wasn’t even looking for a new car! I just paid off my 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer and two weeks later my buddy Nate gets an R32. He took me for a ride and once I heard the exhaust note bounce off the Jersey Barrier, I fell in love. I went out 3 days later and bought mine.

What was your objective with this car?
The main objective for the car is to stay on a clean, OEM+ subtle look. Everything on the car is taken into perspective with that idea in mind. No piece on the car jumps out more than another.

What tuning style would you describe this car as?
The car has a motorsports theme with an OEM+ style. It’s equipped with the modified VF Engineering stage 2 supercharger that doesn’t make it super fast, but adds a good amount of power with a nice touch for the engine bay. What’s unique about the kit is its straight-cut gear setup that makes the V9 charger virtually bullet-proof and extremely loud; not for the faint of heart.

Who helped you build this car?
I’d have to say the biggest help for the whole project would be Chris McKinnon knowledge wise. He helped mainly with backing up an idea that I had to push it into production. I will say he kicked my ass in getting the bay done since initially I was just going to relocate my power steering and had no intention in shaving the bay. Well, after relocating cooling and power steering, he put the crow bar in my hand and said “Don’t be a pussy”. After that we took my first bracket off and it was all downhill from there haha. I’d also have to credit Nate Blake for a lot of the beginning stages when I was doing my suspension. We slaved the night before Primer and finished about 6am to get my coils in. He also fabricated our adjustable rear control arms.

Also Andrew Levasseur and Alex Henry for helping with the supercharger install way back then and making sure everything was kosher afterwards.

What makes your car special?
The main component that makes the car special is the amount of time, effort, and money spent into the bodywork. I had the badge in the hatch removed and custom fabricated a mild boser for the hood, as well as, painted the front and rear OEM Euro bumpers. I’m also one of the very few people in the US that have an OEM rear euro bumper and according to VF the only person running straight-cut gears in the V9.

What is your favorite part/feature/function?
My favorite part of the car is the engine bay. I usually drive with no hood on simply for the fact that I spent endless hours slaving in there, might as well show it off. Now, to a normal, “non enthusiast”, driving with no hood on is the weirdest/ coolest/ oddest/ stupidest/ most fascinating thing they can see. Girls see shiny things that attract them, young teens think it’s cool as hell, and old people stare with disappointment, it’s a good time.

Who or what inspired the direction of modifications on this car?
The biggest inspiration that I’ve had for this car would be Jeff’s (moacur) R32. That car is by far my favorite R32 and it’s been a huge part of the build. Although my car was inspired by moacur, the only similarities we’ve shared is the boser hood (which actually have minor differences), my previous set of taillights, and OEM HIDs.

What don’t you like about this car?
Right now, I don’t like the fron’t stance. I’m running ST Coilovers and the front doesn’t go low enough for me. That’s about it for now. I can’t really complain about the rest of the bay being shaved since I know it’s all going to be done 100% in the winter.

What was your biggest obstacle in building this car?
The biggest obstacle would be the engine bay. Not many people realize the amount of time it takes to delete, relocate, shave, smooth, and paint a bay. It was something I’ve never done before and I learned a great deal about the car in the process and also appreciate it more now.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with the outcome of this project?
10. I am 100% satisfied with the outcome of this project so far to date. I did mention that I wasn’t happy with the front ride height but I matched it with the rear and I’m perfectly content at this point. I still catch myself staring at her when she’s parked haha.

What would you do to the car if money were no object?
If money were no object, I’d make a custom twin-turbo setup using two fully polished GT28’s with a fully built motor that would be conservative enough to incorporate the shaved bay. Transmission would be a full straight-cut gear setup with 6th being helical (for long trips) and the rear Haldex would be beefed up with the Pelequin rear differential and Orange Haldex Controller. All the power would be transferred to the ground with a DM Motorsports clutch kit. Now some people might ask “Why not go with HPA’s mighty twin-turbo setup?”. Well, I’m not like the other cocky pickle-smoocher around here with an HPA TT kit. I may have unlimited money, but I’m not going to waste it on an overpriced ugly setup.

Who has been your biggest critic of this project?
Well Chris mainly since he’d help me along the way with ideas that I had. As for the biggest ball buster? I’d say Dave Bodio since we go back and forth about picking each other’s cars apart all the time.

Who gets to drive this car?
Me unless I absolutely cannot drive for some reason. Mainly if I’m on a long trip I’ll let someone else drive which is most likely the master of douchbaggery himself, Mr. McKinnon. I’d also say I’d trust Nate Blake since he’s driven a lowered car and if he crashed it I’d just take his .:R haha.

If your car had a motto, what would it be?
“No whining” is the euro plate. I guess that sums it up in a nutshell lol no, I’m not too sure what a motto would be other than that. Maybe “Once you go shaved, you never go back”? haha doesn’t rhyme but you get the idea.

If you had to name your car, what would you name it?
Well, my girlfriend calls her “Pretty Girl” so I guess that’s the closest thing to a name so far.

What one word best describes your car?
I’d say she’s a whore lol but really…she’s a whore.

Vehicle Information:
2004 VW R32
VF Stage 2 Supercharger
Shaved engine bay
Painted DBP engine cover
Forge Strut Caps
VF Engine Mounts
ECS Dogbone Mount
OEM HID’s
OEM Euro Front Bumper
OEM Euro Rear Bumper
Debadged hatch
Mild boser hood w/ hood notch filled
FK Badgeless Grill
Stock Exhaust with resonator delete
Euro Switch w/ functional rear fog
Battery relocate
ST front coilovers
FK rear springs
Custom adjustable rear control arms
Stubby antenna
18” DPE R16 wheels/ 18×8 and 18×9
Slotted rotors w/ “Red stuff” pads
“Tape Deck” mod
Cobalt Boost gauge
Dieselgeek Panzer skidplate
1 owner who cares way too much about paint care and mechanical maintenance
Paint care: Full paint correction detail twice a year
Wolfgang Fuzion Paste wax
Wolfgang Spritz detail spray
Wolfgang leather conditioner
Pinnacle Sovereign paste wax (after Fuzion wax)
Wolfgang tire dressing
Mothers aluminum polish (3 hours spent on each wheel polishing)
Maintenance:
Oil changed every 3000 miles with Castrol Syntec Euro Formula 0W-30
Haldex fluid/filter changed every 10,000 miles
Spark plugs changed every 10,000 miles
Filter cleaned every 3,000 miles
Rear diff fluid will be changed at 100,000
Transmission fluid changed every 50,000 miles
Power steering fluid was changed once a year so far
Coolant was flushed once a year so far
Blinker fluid changed every 5,000 miles

Pictures by: Chris McKinnon