Member: Evan Petrakis             

Location: West Haven, CT

Member Since: May 2006

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

Evan Petrakis: Since I bought my first VW, a 1969 1600 Fastback in 1972, then a 1982 Rabbit LS and, but truly when I bought my first issue of VW/Porsche in 1983.

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

EP: I always like VW's from when most of my friends were buying Bugs and modifying them with Empi stuff. One of my best friends had a 1969 Beatle that was modified with exhaust, fiberglass wide fenders, weber carbs and more. I always thought that the '69 was VW's best year for the Bug. I saw the potential back then when I was 16. When I got the Fastback, I was really smitten, even when there were a lot of go-fast cars to be had but money was short on my part! I could tell you stories about that car though! I loved that car, two trunks, engine in the back underneath. It almost met its demise when I lent it to my brother. Let's just say he was chasing "white rabbits" with a buddy of his and drove it into a stream.

WW: What cars do you presently own?

EP: I presently a 1999.5 GTI VR6, a 2000 Golf GLS, and a 2002 Audi 1.8T.
 

WW: What cars do you wish you owned?

EP: Let's see, THE YELLOW ZONKER, with a full ground up restoration. Wow, what a VW!! A 2004 R32, in red; a 20th Anniversary Edition, in yellow; and, a 1969 Ferrari 330 GTS convertible, of course in red!
 

WW: What cars do you wish you still owned?

EP: My 1982 Rabbit that I modded with a lot of the goodies available in the 80's. It had a Tectonics' built 2-liter motor, Shrick 272 cam, APS/Koni suspension, Ronal 15 x 6 R8's and "THE" tire to have, Pirelli 195/50 x15 p7's. It had the interior out of a 1984 Jetta GLI, Momo steering wheel, Alpine stereo, and one of my most prized items, The Happich pop-out rear windows in the back. It had lots of other stuff but I'm staring to cry.
 

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

EP: Mostly drive along the beaches in West Haven, Milford and up to and back to Stevenson's Dam on route 34, but, If I could, maybe in the near future, do some track days at Limerock with the GTI, or even with the Audi. I'm sure that would go over well with the wife (it's her daily driver!). Shows would be nice, but lots more $$$ and I couldn't bring myself to drive it on the street if I did the kind of mod's I would do, so I guess, I'll just drive'em!

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

EP: Well, since the GTI is the "toy" car, I see 18" RH PD RADS possibly in the future, a Peloquin differential, since there's a VF stage 2 supercharger going in and delivery back is soon, and a re-spray in Uni-black. There are some chips in the paint and I want that notch filled. etc, etc, etc.

WW: What other hobbies do you have?

EP: Wrenching on the GTI of course, and too many to list, but, model and high power rocketry (don't do much of that these days though), racing 1/24th slot cars still. They are a sight to behold these days. Very fast, if anyone knows Rapid Rick's in Plainville, you know what I mean, and that's just one place. Used to do R/C's off and on road, but I only have so much money as my wife keeps telling me, so I kind of given up racing that stuff.

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

EP: Well, I was dating my wife at the time and I had the old Fast Back then, and, well after my brothers little accident with it wasn't quite the same. I don't remember it too well, it's all still a blur, but as I was driving down I-91 to see her, the hood latch had been broken and I tied it down with wire before I left my mom and dad's for the weekend, not the smartest thing to do (I was only 20 at the time), and somewhere south of Hartford the wire broke and that hood lifted right up into the windshield, but the glass didn't break, and I didn't loose control!! I don't remember how I ever got to the side of the road without killing myself or some one else but I did it. Not being too smart (only 20 and going to see my girl you see), I just tied it down again and went on my way. Then, somewhere on the Wilbur Cross Parkway, it lifted again, slamming into my windshield for a second time. Amazingly the window wasn't even touched but the hinge on the passenger side cracked, so, I pulled over, again, but this time the hood wouldn't even align itself, as the hinges were broken, so I decided to rip it off and leave it. Of course along that same time as I'm ripping the hood off, here comes a CT state trooper and of course the look I got!! He tried to insist I take it with me, and some how get it into THAT car, well it didn't happen. So, he let me leave it there with the promise of retrieving it, but by the time I headed back to my parents house, it was gone. I ended up repairing it and not too soon after, the motor seized, and that was the end of my experience with that car.