It all started  February 5th, 1999  with a Silver 1999 2.0L GLS, 5 speed I got for my son Marc. We picked up the car, then all piled in and surprised him by giving him the keys at his High School after soccer practice. He was more than a bit confused and stunned. It was GREAT! 

A yellow Bug was the first car I learned to drive a stick on. Continuing those memories of  teaching him to drive a stick on a beetle as his first car will remain forever :-). He loves the car, and it was the first in our town. We added a discreet rear wing from New Dimensions. They were very helpful in getting it to me before his birthday. The installation was fairly straight forward, and having done one, another would be easy. The direction's pictures however were unclear. A Carbon fiber cover was added to the center shift/cup holder "tunnel" as well. For reasons I'll keep between my son and I, I've nicknamed his New Beetle, "Curbie".

July 7th my Fianc�e got her 2000 Yellow GLS Auto. She absolutely adores it! It is a very bright color that immediately  gets attention where ever she goes and, well...it's just HER!. The automatic has performed smoothly, and now that the break in period is over, she is being more spirited in driving her "SunBug"  as she has named it. The sunroof  is a blast. We have planned a few minor modifications to personalize it for her.

When we picked up her car, the 2000 Limited Edition Reflex Yellow GLS Turbo became available...it had been marked sold the day before but it must have really had my name on it! The first two potential "buyers" who had put deposits on it financing fell through. Well, sorry for them but, I bought it that day and picked it up on July 10th!  It is a kick, a real fun car to drive. I really like the leather seats and the sunroof as well. The unique color however means I can not hide anywhere! 

---

Follow below my Performance Modifications to the TurboPod named , aka:

"Reflex Project"

9/5/00  

        Thanks to John at 1552 Design for help in my special-order Kinesis SuperCup 18x8.5" with 225mm Pirelli P7000 SuperSports tires, as well as engine kit, and brake info. The spokes will be color matched in Reflex Yellow. 

 

        'Hope to have them delivered and mounted in three weeks. Stay tuned for pics and progress of other mods!

10/19/00

        Still no sign of the Kinesis Wheels. Custom Wheels are made and are fantastic from what I've been told but delay in getting the tires and 1552's arrangement for mounting. Last conversation indicated they should arrive next week. We'll see. 

Meanwhile... the order for my suspension components (due anytime) consists of:

Neuspeed Sport springs (lower 1.75 in) ,Neuspeed 25mm front swaybar, Neuspeed 28mm rear swaybar, Bilstein Sport struts and shocks, Neuspeed upper tiebar. I opted not to do the coil-overs, as I felt they would be too stiff for the street. Have also decided to go with the Porsche Big Brake kit ( 12.67in. ventilated rotors, and red powdercoated calipers), which is essentially the system from the Porsche Twin Turbo.

Still researching engine upgrade options, more on that later. They will be fantastic. I will do some body mods, but am looking for just the "right" look.

...on the bummer side, "Colby's" driver side door was banged by a careless, non-caring person in a hospital parking lot. Geez!

10/27/00

        Tease me!  %^$@!*!  Just got in my custom wheels. Unbelievably beautiful . Couldn't wait to get them on. Still waiting for back order of  Neuspeed front sway bar, and was going to wait till the suspension and big brakes were here and ready to install, but gave into the lust. My excitement gave way to dismay when I found that the back of the center bolt section hit the brake pads by a good 1/2 inch!!! NOT HAPPY, these were supposed to be a custom fit by Kinesis but obviously someone didn't try them. Called 1552 to report the problem and found that they had run into this before but had been assured by Kinesis the new wheels were corrected. NOT! So, have to rethink and wait to see if they will clear the new Big Brakes whose caliper will be mounted farther out from center. I think they will work with them.  I'll try the wheels on the rear tomorrow to see if they clear there. Not optimistic, and concerned because there is not a Porsche Big Brake rear kit yet. Stay tuned. 

10/28/00

        Trial fit of the Kinesis Rims on rear showed no clearance problem, so I'm feeling better that the front's will be OK with the new Big Brake kit . Here's Colby all jacked up and the rear rim trial fit. Looks sweet don't you think? Of course  it'll look better when they're bolted up, and the suspension changes will be completed (drops 1.75 inches).

 

 

11/14/00

       Latest update is a good one. Brad, Steve and John of 1552 are to be commended for contacting Kinesis about the problem with the wheels. To Kinesis' credit they have offered to remachine the wheels at no cost, and 1552 Design said there would be no additional charges either. THANKS to both companies for their outstanding support. Now waiting on return mailing labels from Kinesis. Better late than never I suppose. Also I have been assured by 1552 that the Porsche Big Brake kit will fit these rims. STOP RIGHT NOW! Holy cow, Colby ! But, still waiting for the back-ordered Front sway bar from Neuspeed. They said it would be here around mid-November at the earliest...and they aren't...so more waiting. 

      In the meantime, deciding what to do in the power department after all the suspension wheel/tire and brake updates are completed. Option 1 is the K4 turbo kit with 2.5" Techtonics SS exhaust. Probably around 230-235+ hp. Option 2...ok I'm a bit possessed here, thinking seriously about the APR Stage 3+ Kit with new generation turbocharger, larger intercooler, exhaust etc for 300+ horsepower. If Santa is good, maybe the six-speed and Quaife differential. Yep, some serious stuff that is!

11/29/00

      Is it just me or what? Waiting for my front sway bar, which was supposedly shipped on the 15th, only to find that somehow, for some reason Neuspeed sent it to Clearwater, Fl. Still haven't heard from them about what they're going to do. The next shipments are not supposed to be ready till mid-December. AAArrghhh....Also STILL no word from Kinesis about picking up these wheels.

1/29/01

     Finally some "movement". Box battered, the Neuspeed front sway bar makes it here way of California-Florida-Califonia-Indiana, over 2+ months. !!!!! ...and John at 1552 arranges a shipper to take my wheels back to Kinesis. They left today. No. Not going to predict when I get them back...but hey, there's some progress. Oh...and my personalized plates arrive too...what else...REFLEX

3/01

     Last month received the wheels from Kinesis. They were packaged very well: shipped and work done at no extra cost. Thanks to Kinesis and 1552.  The hubs were re-machined, and the wheels fit perfectly, although there were chips in the paint, and one wheel's paint flecked off with just a finger passing over it. Obviously the painted centers were not clear-coated as promised. Since this whole process has taken forever, I'll just touch-up the area now and keep my fingers crossed. Hopefully they will stand behind their product. Had to wait to mount until I got special lugs, again courtesy of John at 1552, but when I did... Beautiful!....

 My digital camera was down then so I don't have pics, but thought I'd wait till the suspension components are installed before posting some for the full effect! Stay tuned.

4/20/01

     

    Yeow! Thanks to Todd (mechanic) and Mark (service-manager) at Gurley-Leep Motorwerks in Mishawaka, IN the suspension components are installed and after a little bit of trouble shooting all is OK. Great pics above courtesy of  Todd.

    Colby handles like a slot car now;  very responsive, good feedback without too harsh a ride. He gets a lot more looks  with the Kinesis color matched 18 x 8.5" SuperCup rims and 225 mm Pirelli's which fill out the lowered wheel arches very nicely thank you. What a long wait to get to this point!!!! The REFLEX  New Beetle  is simply a much better car, the roll-over and excessive body-lean dialed out, and a much more aggressive stance without being unreasonably stiff,  low or wide.

   Love it. Gotta wash, wax, and polish the rims and then pics !!!! Until then, here's a couple more...  

   

       

---

"Before Pics" of the Vee Dub-igo's