SECOND LIFE

If you were presented with the opportunity to buy a rough-running, engine- and manual-swapped Jetta Coupe, what would you do? Would you follow the standard advice of the car community and run away? Or would you accept it’ll need work, roll up your sleeves, and get cracking on building a spectacular machine? Yamada Takeshi, from Niigata on Japan’s west coast, obviously took the latter path, and we have to say, we’re very grateful for that. Because his Mk3 16V-swapped Jetta is one of Japan’s best VWs, and one we’re very glad to feature in these pages.

Despite the engine issues, the project started, oddly enough, with Yamada-san getting rid of the suspension and wheels, so he could get his chosen workshop, VW specialist 84Base, to fit Air Lift Performance bags, custom-lengthened lower control arms, Euro Habit upper mounts and some Fifteen52 Snowflakes. He figured he could live with the engine for a little while, and just focussed on getting it looking better. Of course, in Japan, that’s easier said