Member: Bill Bates                 

Location: Groton, CT

Member Since: August 2007

VW/Audi's Owned: 2 currently A 1990 Jetta GLI, and a 1989 GLI shell.

Wasserwerks: How long have you been involved in the VW/Audi hobby?

Bill Bates: ~8 years

WW: What first got your interest in these types of cars?

BB: I have always been interested in VW’s (and cars in general) since I was very young.  My father used to subscribe to Hot Rod, Road & Track, Rod &Custom, etc. and he always passed down the old issues to me.  My father also used to take me to a lot of car shows, which led to my interest in hot rods and “Kustoms”.   Several years ago I totaled my Pontiac, and a good friend let me use his “spare” MK2 Jetta to get back and forth to work…  It was at that point that I realized that I HAD to go buy a Volkswagen.

WW: What cars do you presently own?

BB: 1990 VW Jetta GLI 16V

**Drivetrain**

-2.0 16V

-Borla Brospeed Header

-TT High Flow Cat

-TT Stainless Steel Cat back w/ Borla Muffler

-Intake box air trumpet removed

-Autotech Sport Cams

-EuroSpec Lightweight Flywheel

-USRT Shift Linkage

**Suspension**

-Slotted Rotors

-42^nd draft oil pressure sender relocation kit

-FK Cup Kit

-Polyurethane Control Arm bushings, and rear strut mounts

-Front and rear strut tower braces

**Interior**

-MK3 Center console Grafted to MK2 center console and MK2 Votex Console

-Seat Belts switched to early style seatbelts

-Knee Bar replaced with Canadian Market CE2 Under Dash Trays

-N.O.S. Italvolanti 16V Steering wheel

-MK4 Single DIN radio with iPod integration and MK4 Single DIN Single CD Player integrated into Votex console

-MK1  gauges in dash (volt, oil temp, oil pressure.)

-Custom Made Aluminum trim bezels for Speedo and Tach

-OEM Hella SMOKED non sunroof time delay interior overhead light

-MK3 Trunk popper

**Body**

-MK3 Style Door Handles

-Single Round Bonrath badgeless grille

-Relayed E-Code 7” Round headlights

-Smoked Front bumper turn signals

WW: What cars do you wish you owned?

BB: A  MK1, and a Type 3 Notchback
 

WW: What cars do you wish you still owned?

BB: My 88 Jetta that my parents ended up having towed to the junkyard because I wasn’t around.  All it needed was new freeze plugs.
 

WW: What do you like to do with your car(s) (show/race/etc.)?

BB: Well, I prefer to DRIVE of course. Beyond that, I do enjoy shows.  I have yet to take my car racing officially, so I can’t really speak on that, although I am interested in giving it a go.
 

WW: What are your future plans for your car(s)?

BB: M3 style tail lights, shaved banana lights, MegaSquirt Stand alone engine management and a nice little turbo… a full respray and some other under hood surprises.

WW: What other hobbies do you have?

BB: I am an avid collector of vintage video games, an all around old school computer nerd.  I also play guitar, and enjoy spending time with my girlfriend.

WW: What is your best personal VW/Audi Story?

BB: Well, I don’t know about best…  but having blown up three 16 valve engines in as many months certainly has been interesting.  :D