Photos by: Dynamic Photowerks
Some call me circus, others call me spike, or tattoo24v for that matter? the real name, is Mike Olson. i am now an aging, soon to be 35 year old, that is still playing with cars. albeit, for both a living, and a hobby. i live and work in minneapolis, Mn. and work for a little shop called Further Performance, doing everything from answering phones, to full out customer project car builds. doing what i do to my own car is what got me the job.
How long have you owned this car?
just about 8 years to the day as i type this. bought it brand new sept 2002
Is there anything unique about the history of this car?
i guess that depends on whom you ask? somewhat infamous build thread, spanning almost 4 years time, 356 pages, and how many ever veiws at this point ( i still get people coming up to me, talling me about reading through some or all of it one point or another). so that could go alot of ways, from sell out, to attention whore, etc. so in this day and age of the web, and the advent of sites like this, i dont know that its anything really unique anymore. i was planning to document it for myself as i went anyhow. who knew it would lead to what it has, i just keep doing what i do, and learning all i can along the way. oh yea, almost forgot, started life as a 1.8t GTi. which has now evolved to 3.3l, punched out R32 VR6 turbo.
What other cars did you consider?
when i was looking into this car, i was looking to replace a mk4 jetta that was in the body shop after being rear ended. so i was already pretty sold on Volkswagen’s. i had just left a job at the local dealer, but still was there quite a bit hanging out and was allowed to do all the pre delivery prep and clean up myself. the only thing i can say, had i waited 30 or so days, the 337 would have been available, and 2 months after that, the 20ths started to hit the ground. go figure?
What was your objective with this car?
just to have fun, and see what i could do to make it a little more so as things went along. i have always had a little bit of a JDM boy racer in me, and am old enough to see the term “ricer” as a badge of honor. back when i got into this, any and all imports in my neck of the woods were called ricers by the guys in their Mustangs and Camaros. so a little bit of show, with the go and then some to back it up. well, that has kinda snowballed into a racecar with plates mentality. and to some, maybe over the top, but that’s what that little red “x” in the upper right hand corner is for. i do it to make myself smile first and foremost.
What tuning style would you describe this car as?
JDM meets PVW
Who helped you build this car?
a whole lot of people over the years. from back in the Volksport days here in Mpls, and onward to the Vortex, and the likes of Jason Kress coming out to help me out with cash when we hadn’t really even ever met in person. Tristan and Peter here at Further Performance for more help then i could even get into in this writing. Ren Wang, another local stepping up out of nowhere to help me out to make other things happen along the way, knowing i would make good on it. Greg Tivedar and all the Bar Society guys for always having a place for me to crash whenever in Chicago and Milwaukee (even though he is now the family man hah j/k). Craige O, Rudi, Fuckin Rog, and the rest of the Dubaudi crew for all the long distance support. as well as countless others here in the Midwest, that i consider locals.
What makes your car special?
that it doesn’t have side-skirts. stuff it mk4 forums haha
What is your favorite part/feature/function?
i would have to say the roll cage. haven’t ever seen another like it in a street car, but not that i thought i would. it was a gift to me, and a favor to my pops from his pal Gary Gay, in house chassis builder for Derhaag Motorsports. its the one and only street car cage he has ever done.
Who or what inspired the direction of modifications on this car?
that’s a pretty loaded question. everything from Trans-Am series race cars, to modified Escalades, Benzs. Old air cooled, Hot Rods, JDM, BTCC, you name it. i am a sucker for all things automotive. as it sits now, if you look for em, you can find parts from all of the above damn near in the car. i will always remember once being told by a Porsche race shop owner, “you cant have both, its either a race car, or a street car! its not practical, nor possible.” well hell if i cant try..
What don’t you like about this car?
that i cant seem to stop messing with it. and that even after all i have done, it still smells like crayons like every other mk4.
What was your biggest obstacle in building this car?
i would have to say that would be doing, and therefore learning, a lot of new things. learning everything from basic bodywork, to painting, to complete engine rebuilding, twice mind you. do it right or do it twice isn’t just something i say for the hell of it, i have had to eat those words myself on more than a few occasions.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with the outcome of this project?
i would say 8, but only because i know i am truly never done. so that’s probably as close as i could ever get to be honest.
What would you do to the car if money were no object?
rear wheel drive. no question.
Who has been your biggest critic of this project?
myself, hands down
Who gets to drive this car?
well, i kinda built it fit myself. so others have trouble even fitting into the seats, let alone getting behind the wheel hahaha. so that might be it? i have pipe dreams of teaching my girlfriend to drive it, just to see the looks of people when shes doing rolling burnouts at 60mph. c’mon, what car guy doesn’t have thoughts like that?
If your car had a motto, what would it be?
get with it, or get the fuck out!
If you had to name your car, what would you name it?
i don’t know that i could. never been one to name my car.
What one word best describes your car?
brutal.
Vehicle Information:
2003 Golf Gti 3.3t.
exterior-
- OEM .:R32 front bumper.emblem notch, corner markers, and upper swag/body line in lower bumper cover all shaved/smoothed
-OEM R32 rear bumper. both exhaust openings removed and smoothed
-all body side moldings removed/smoothed through out
-fender marker lights removed/smoothed
- rear hatch emblem, handle, and wiper removed/smoothed. Wiper delete from a 1983 Honda civic base model car, NOS part direct from Honda
-gas door, replaced with “Pro Fit Fuel Doors”, billet fuel door. aftermarket popping fuel door made for 99-04GMC Denali/ Cadillac Escalade. pops out, then pivots on its own axis point/turns away from the filler. hadto buy, and then mold a Denali quarter to make it fit properly, and still works off the OEM switch
-VIS carbon OEM Gti hood w/notch originally. Notch filled in and smoothed, filled with a carbon/ Kevlar material used for race car repair
- roof, center section of hood between the body lines, grille, grille surrounding section of front bumper, hatch spoiler, mirrors, and sections between door and quarter panel glass, re-painted in a base flat black DP90 sealant, then cleared with a clear made from 60/40 flex and flat additive.
- remainder of car based in OEM reflex silver, and clear coated in the same 60/40 flex and flat mixture
- OEM taillights and rear license plate, scuffed down, and cleared in the same mix, so as to match the overall hue of the rest of the cars finish.
- headlights, and housings broken down. Inner bezels, and assembly painted matte black, and headlights re-assembled. with yellow Laminex lense film
- full digital camo vnyl wrap
Interior-
-OEM .:R32 headliner, fully recovered in suede, and having deleted all seat belt mounting points front and rear
-OMP Race steering wheel, black leather finish. w/ Sparco hub adapter, and quick release steering hub
-Recaro SPG full bucket seats. Seat backs based in OEM reflex silver, and cleared to match the silver on the exterior of the car. Seat frames finished in same black as roof, etc. and Recaro logos on frames redone in silver vinyl and flat cleared to match cars finish
-New South column pod, w/ autometer phantom 30 psi boost gauge, clocked to put max boost at eye level/ straight up and down
-MOMO F.I.A 2007 4 point harnesses made for installation in a caged vehicle/ harness bar set up
-fully custom fabricated 6 point roll cage. Boxed, plated, and through the floor, fully welded in. even so far as to be welded into the dashboard support beam behind dash. Prepped, smoothed, and finished in a raw metal brushed look, and treated from time to time to keep it rust free
-OEM Polo GTi 5 speed shift knob
-OEM beetle “turbo S” pedal set
-OEM .:R32 brushed door pull/ window controls, and door opener pull handles
-OEM 337 center console, w/o center arm rest
-Seats, and door cards all re-done in black suede, and charcoal inserts w/ silver stitched quilting (ala Bentley CGT speed).
Wheels/ tires/ brakes/ suspension-
-ECS stg5 big brakes, 14.1” 2 piece rotor w/6 piston Porsche calipers, and stainless braided lines. Calipers stripped and powder cleared in a raw finish.
-Performance Café 11 inch rear vented and drilled rear brake upgrade, w/ stainless braided lines, and calipers also stripped and powder coated to match fronts.
-Rota “Grid” 18×9.5 on all four corners, matte bronze finish
-Nitto NT-555R 225/40r18 tyres
-Bilstein PSS9 fully adjustable coilovers
-Autotech lower rear sway bar
-Energy Suspension front control arm poly mounts
Engine- was a 4cyl 1.8t, that is now gone…..
3.2l VR6 mk4 R32 motor, bored .5 over to a 3.3
- JE 8.5-1 compression, .5 over bore pistons, with True Seal rings.
-Integrated Engineering forged connecting rods
-ARP rod and lower end fasteners
-Racewear head studs
-Precision Turbo PTB300.6267E turbo w/custom billet impeller wheel (C2Motorsports Stg3 R32 Turbo kit)
-C2Motorsports Turbo Inlet (The “Bat”)
- OhSoFast Racing Manual boost control
-TIAL 38mm external wastegate
- 550 cc injectors
-Bosch 044 255lph motosport inline fuel pump
-3 inch custom turbo back exhaust
-deleted SAI, and Evap systems
-C2Motorsports turbo manifold
-C2Motorsports 3 inch V-band Down Pipe and high flow cat
-C2Motorsports “QuickFlow” Short Runner Intake manifold
-C2Motorsports Front mount inter-cooler
-Forge Motorsport Diverter Valve
-VF Engineering motor, transmission, and dogbone mounts
-Moroso drag car style coolant res
-Moroso oil vapor catch can.
- United Motorsport (Jeff Atwood) ECM tuning
507 horsepower, 400 lb feet of torque @ the front wheels at psi of boost, 92 octane “plain ole’ pump” gas
Transmission-
OEM 5 speed O2J
-VR6 O2J bell housing to mate it to the new motor
-fully cryo-treated gear set, all internal gears and parts
-Quaiffe limited slip differential
-strengthened synchros throughout
-euro TDI 5th gear/final drive
-South Bend light weight flywheel
-South Bend Stg 5 OFE clutch kit
-Motul Synthetic Gear lube