Thread: 2002 Jetta

I'd like to thank the site for providing all sorts of helpful information to a first-timer like me.
Inspiration for the layout: ppgt94 (ID on here... awesome work)

First, Take the car apart (almost... slight exaggeration) to get the center console out.



I took the zenarc apart and cut the edges down a little so the case fit like this:


I started off working with fiberglass, and it went smoothly until I started sanding and the fiberglass lifted off... So I started over with bondo.



I've never worked with any of this stuff before so it was definitely a learning experience.

Here's some of the bondo progress (and yes, I learned I should have made it smoother when it was still wet...later):




Here's the sanding progress... The goal was to keep the line in the xenarc casing so it wouldn't be completely flat... I thought it would look nice to keep some of the lines. Sanding goes on for two weekends... sanding it down with 400, 800 and 1600 grit... then the sandable primer with wet sanding.



Here's adding more bondo to the middle 'cause it wasn't flat:


Here's how much bondo got under my nails! My gloves were too big, so I didn't use them all the time...


I can't find the rest of the sanding pics, but basically, I sanded A LOT. Then my friend Greg (the perfectionist) took over with primer (used a can of sandable primer), wet sanding, painting and wet sanding and gave it back to me looking like this:



I put the screen itself back in and also the slimline DVD (I don't think there are pics above of this, but I'll add more pics later... I cut out a slot for the DVD drive).




So I am off to start installing the console back in the Jetta and running wires to the trunk.

And, if you are interested, here's a pic of my car (with my friend, Eugene doing something to his camera):