2005 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon owned by Kynon Johnson

Issue

July 2022

Owner

Kynon Johnson

Ride Details

Original Cost

7000

Build Cost

15,000

What was the inspiration?

I grew up around cars. When I was born, I rode home from the hospital in my parents ‘91 geo storm. As I got older and could have my own cars I learned from my dad and tried learning anything else I could teach myself. Before I got my wagon I remembered seeing another TDI wagon on air and knew I needed one. I then got one and wanted to make a very “period correct” build after seeing old brochures of when the body kits were popular in the mid 2000’s.

How long did it take you to build?

4 years over time

How long have you been building?

I really didn’t start actually building until I got this wagon around 4 years ago. It was my only car to begin with but has been just my fun car for the last couple years since I starting doing more custom work on it.

Your future plans?

This winter I plan to redo the engine bay since it’s been completed for over 2 years. I want to refinish the body work and smooth everything out more. I would also like to do performance upgrades now that I have the majority of the interior and exterior work done. In the next couple years the plan is to repaint the whole car but I have yet to determine exactly what I want to do with it. I do plan to bring more blue alcantera into the door and build a trunk setup as soon as I decide what brand audio I want to run.

Vehicle history

I bought the car and it was bagged but had nothing to correct any of the suspension geometry. Everything else about the car was completely stock. It only had 134k miles on it when I bought it but not just rolled over 190k.

Thanks to

Biggest thanks goes to my dad who has helped teach me and then also be a person to call when I couldn’t figure something out. Halbasch Fabrication for helping with the frame notches and subframe when I didn’t have a welder to do that work, and for giving me tips and tricks while I was doing my engine bay shave and wire tuck.

Engine Details

Make

Volkswagen 2005

Cylinders

Displacement

1.9L

Engine Mods

Tuned TDI engine. Darkside Development upgraded side mount intercooler and piping with PD150 intake manifold. I sanded and polished the manifold and piping. I started the shaved and wire tucked engine bay in a tiny one car apartment garage. I did all of the body work there and extending the harness. Once I started parting, I was told I had to stop and move it somewhere else. I had to move it to a storage unit to finish the painting and reassemble the engine bay. Total with all the delays the engine shaving and wire tuck took 5 month on its own.

Engine Add Ons

Swoops Built stubby oil dipstick. Custom 3” aluminum MAF housing.

Chrome or polish

Zealous Hardware beauty washers that I purchased raw and polished myself.

Chassis Details

Chassis

Halbasch Fabrication 1” raised subframe. VW R32 control arms. 1” motor mount spacers. Rear drop plates

Mods to Frame

Double frame notch and tierod clearance by Halbasch Fabrication

Spindles

VW R32 spindles

Valve Info

Airlift V2 digital management

Airbag Info

Airlift slam series

Other Mods

Custom front upper fixed camber plates

Wheels Details

Front Wheel Type

Autoart VY

Rear Wheel Type

Autoart VY

Front Wheel Size

18x9.5

Rear Wheel Size

18x10

Front Tire Size

215/40

Rear Tire Size

215/40

Paint Details

Color

Reflex Silver

Paint Type

Oem/ custom parts painted

Painted By

Steven Summers

Graphics By

Body Details

Grille

Caractere

Bumpers

Front votex main portion with a caractere valence molded into it along with shaved side markers. Rear caractere valence extended to fit the wagon with a custom molded dual exhaust cutout.

Wing

Caractere

Addon Accessories

Hagus m3 style mirrors, mattig headlight covers

Body Mods

The body has a full caractere body kit that I have pieced together over time. Front and rear valance, side skirts, grill, spoiler, exhaust tips, and floor mats. The hatch is a European hatch that I shaved the emblem off of.

Body Mods by

Myself

Interior Details

Steering Wheel

VW R32 steering wheel

Head Unit

Kenwood

Shifter

Black Forest Industries blue alcantera weighted knob and boot

Seats

Audi S3 blue alcantera Recaro seats

Tint Percent

None

Upholstery Description

Seat Arosa headlight switch and HVAC knobs from Europe. Brush GLI trim and pedals, D-pad mirror switch from a passas. Caractere floor mats. Oem retractable pet barrier. Wrapped all the pillars and headliner black and switched all grey pieces to black as well.

2005 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon

The 2005 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon owned by Kynon Johnson is a beautiful example of a “period correct” build that showcases the mid-2000s body kits. Johnson’s inspiration for the build came from his childhood spent around cars and his desire to make a unique and exciting build. The 1.9L TDI engine is the heart of the vehicle and has been upgraded with a tuned engine, Darkside Development intercooler and piping, and a PD150 intake manifold. The engine bay has been shaved and wire-tucked for a clean, minimalist look.

The chassis of the wagon has also undergone significant modifications, including a raised subframe from Halbasch Fabrication, VW R32 control arms, motor mount spacers, and rear drop plates. The suspension has been upgraded with Airlift Slam Series airbags and V2 digital management, making it easy to adjust the ride height on the fly. The Autoart VY wheels are the perfect complement to the exterior of the wagon, with a front size of 18×9.5 and rear size of 18×10.

The body of the wagon is where Johnson’s creativity and vision really come to life. The full Caractere body kit has been pieced together over time, including the front and rear valance, side skirts, grill, spoiler, exhaust tips, and floor mats. The hatch is a European hatch that Johnson shaved the emblem off of, giving it a sleek look. The paint is a beautiful Reflex Silver, and the exterior has been accented with custom painted OEM parts.

The interior of the wagon is just as impressive as the exterior, with Audi S3 blue Alcantara Recaro seats, a VW R32 steering wheel, and a Kenwood head unit. Johnson has wrapped all the pillars and headliner in black and switched all grey pieces to black as well.

Johnson’s 2005 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon is a stunning build that showcases the best of the mid-2000s body kits while incorporating modern upgrades for a unique and exciting ride. The attention to detail is evident in every aspect of the build, and the result is a truly impressive and inspiring vehicle.

Owned by: Kynon Johnson

Photos by: Dan Davis