Smyth Jetta Ute: framing the bed 

Thank brother! Hopefully in the next couple months, I'll be starting on the next one! I was just thinking about your light blue (76?) MK 1 Rabbit the other day! back when there was 2 Scirrocos, 2 GTI/Rabbits, and 3 Fiestas (knock off Rabbits) in our crew

Depends on your state. In Florida, I have just kept them registered as the original vehicle. Haven't had any problems. But I know that in some states, you have to get an additional inspection and they are then registered as kit cars.

hesty32 Thanks.

Nada que ver jajaja

@@-escalante3449 y en que país vivís vos?? Que vas a decir que es una ranger

@@lokoprobiz vos viste lo que es una saveiro y un bora?

@@-escalante3449 es una saveiro con trompa de bora, se sobreentiende, si queres pongo que es más parecida a una hilux, que gente al pedo por dios

@@lokoprobiz cualquiera estas diciendo,nada que ver a una saveiro

I started with a pneumatic one but didn't like the way it was pulling the rivets so I started using a manual gun. It is a long handled on. The small one hand guns will wear you out! Its worth the $20 to get a heavy duty one. HF doesn't seem to carry the one I have anymore but here is the new one they have: www.harborfreight.com/heavy-duty-17-1-2-half-inch-hand-riveter-with-collection-bottle-66422.html Item#66422

hesty32 awesome thanks! I've been following your build for quite a while! almost added you on Facebook to ask the questions there instead!

either place is fine. When you start getting closer, I'll tell you all the mistakes I made and hopefully help you avoid them. There is also a Facebook group called "VW Ute Builders page" where we talk about Ute stuff. Right now (as you are searching for a donor), remember that you are investing $3500 in a $3000 car. What I mean is, get a good one. I think it is worth it to start with one in pretty good shape. I bought mine for about $800 and it was pretty beat up. Now I'm spending all kinds of money trying to make it nice. Wish I would have just started with a little bit nicer donor. My mentality was to do the kit for as cheap as I could but like I mentioned, now I have a $6500 car that has a ragged out crappy interior that I'm slowly replacing and fixing up. Just a thought.

Just joined the page! I am picking up a 2000 TDI soon. Hoping to tie up some loose ends on it and get to chopping!

Thanks!

I did at first, it was actually the window. I had sealed the drains when installing the rear window. I drilled four small (1/8") holes at the very bottom of the rear window frame so that water could drain out and didn't have any issues after that. When I assembled the bed, I filled the low spots on either side with foam and sealed everything with Sikaflex during final assembly so the actual bed was pretty much water tight except for the two drains above the fuel tank. No problems after I got the window modification done. The second one I built, I put two large zipties through the window drain slots as I sealed the window in then pulled out the zipties before the adhesive cured. no problems with that one leaking water into the cab. Do you have one that you are having leaking issues with?

@@hesty32 no, I'm in the early research stages before even buying a subaru ute kit. The way it sits over what used to be the interior and thinking of future access to the fuel pump and struts which would be under the bed or in the bed rails, maintaining access without water infiltration.

@@johnlamb7440 I haven't built the Subie kit so I really don't know exactly how it goes together. Mark did a pretty nice job on the Jetta kit with the removable access panel for the fuel tank. I did do some extra filling and sealing so that what was the interior would all drain to the low point where there is a removable drain plug stock. You might get a couple sub guys to help you out on the FB page: VW, Audi, Dodge And Subaru Ute Builders page

+edmar castro Thanks! I waited a year for my kit and about went insane. I did pre order it though so it wasn't Mark slacking off not sending me the kit...

i just get my kit yesterday and now i gonna discorse with my dota if we gonna cut the 2.0 or get a 1.8 turbo

Awesome! Glad it finally came! My vote is to work a car that you don't need to drive for a while. The other thing is that after you put all that time and care into building it, it should be a car that is worth it. I'm starting to think I should have bought a donor car that was in better shape! If it was me and I could afford it, I'd do the 1.8t.

I HAVE A 03 VW JETTA 2.0 IN VERY GOOD CONDICION BUT I WANT PUT MY KIT ON 2005 MK4 GLI 1.8 STRAIT TURBO

I'd say find the car you really want and do the kit on it. If you don't, you'll always wish you would have!

DnLAutoSales Smyth sent the kit to me without the forward part of the skirting. I thought it was just for GLIs so I cut it off so it would fit right without the forward piece. Then Mike called to say they were sending the other pieces. Good eye! Not many people catch that!

DnLAutoSales i have been having some cracking issues at the seam right below the rear corner of the doors. If you cut them off, you won't run into that. You also wouldn't have any body work to do all along the door sills. But I like the look of them and they don't make ground clearance any worse.

DnLAutoSales you just need to be really accurate cutting it off the rear quarter and then you have that seam to fill and it would be an inside seam which are the hardest to make look good

Thanks for the reply's, I appreciate it! I have been plugging along on my build, Getting the rear quarters fitted now, and cut off the bottom on one side so far. Looks like it will work fine, but I am not doing the body work, That will be up to a buddy of mine, He will get it ready for paint and I will paint it. I am going with a Desert Storm Sand color, military theme and a little bit of lift, instead of lowering it. Should be a tuff looking little Ute. I am waiting for 2 of the cross braces, and the filler panels for the front of the fiberglass panels to the B Pillars from Mark that were missing from my kit. Once I get those I can get the bed finished and get it to the body shop. I also took your advice and ran all the wiring under the bed, instead of burying them in the quarters. Good Advice! Thanks again for the videos, have been re watching them every step of the way. Happy New Year! Darrin Tosh.

If I remember correctly, the bed walls are 10 gauge aluminum which I think is about 2.58 mm. The B pillars are 1/4 in steel plate

nice job brother

+Colin Butler No there isn't. I have a small swing head rivet gun I used for some of them. I was able to get two through the gas cap hole but there are some you just can't get. I put several lag screws in at the very top where I couldn't get to riveting. Truth is though that I should have done that riveting before I put the B to C pillar gussets on.

Gotcha thanks for the advice I'm actually at that stage now on my build

+Colin Butler One more "I learned the hard way" for you. I got so involved with trying to maintain as much of the factory wiring as possible, I didn't even consider running it under the bed instead of in the fenders. I highly recommend you run it in the bed. That way you can access it later. In the fender, you have to tear it al apart to get to it!

Great point! Was was just trying to stay as close to factory as possible but that's great advice. So what do you mean by a swivel head rivet gun I've never heard of one?

Colin Butler it like a standard rivet gun but the head swivels around. They are pretty handy. If you just do a google search for "swivel head rivet gun" several will come up. here is a link to one. www.zoro.com/stanley-riveter-swivel-head-steel-mr77c/i/G4592393/?gclid=CNyJlYDom8kCFdgWgQod7eoCiQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

Not sure exactly what this means. can you explain a little?

hesty32 it is an approval that allows it to be registered in germany and rest of Europe.

Sorry 09n03, I can't speak to that. I know that a builder in the UK has gotten them to pass their VAT evaluations but I can't speak to Europe. Try sending Mark Smith (founder of Smyth Performance) a note. He is very approachable and willing to help. If anyone has any info on it, I would suspect he would know about it!

William Hollaway Smyth Performance at www.smythkitcars.com

LOL!

+wicked8generation Thanks! Yeah it might be another week until I finish the fiberglass panels! I am excited to get the body work on it though.