The Project Pad

10/15/2019: The car is SOLD! Thanks to all who inquired, and helped my on my journey with my "baby".

-- Old stuff --

Another note: I've had a few people ask about trades, sorry but I'm not interested! I really need the cash and definitely don't need any more cars.

Update October 2019: the engine has an internal coolant leak... somewhere. There is slow coolant loss, white smoke in the exhaust, and no evidence of leakage onto the ground or inside the car. I tried replacing the head gasket and it did not fix the problem. My best guess is the head has a crack somewhere, but the prudent thing to do would be replace the engine. Due to this I'm now asking $2,700 for the car and willing to talk! The car *can* be taken on short test drives but I wouldn't recommend driving it any distance.

-- Original ad --
I hate to do it but I'm selling The Amazing Wonder Audi. I've put a ton of time, money, and effort into it but as I'm getting on in age I'm thinking about getting into something a little newer and less go-kartlike.

If you've got too much time on your hands and want to read all about it, my build thread is here: https://www.motorgeek.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=42240

If you don't have too much time on your hands, here are the basics:
1990 Audi 80 quattro sedan, white with gray cloth interior
Technically has about 250K miles but all drivetrain & suspension components have been replaced so that's pretty meaningless
AAN engine from urS6, making estimated 300 HP
Megasquirt MS3 with all the bells & whistles, controls fuel, timing (with knock control), and boost, bluetooth interface, SD-card datalogging
RS2 exhaust manifold (real, not Chinese)
Volvo K24-7400 turbocharger, self-rebuilt when I installed it a couple of years ago
Iroz 3" dowpipe, 3" race cat, two 2.5" Magnaflow mufflers, entire exhaust is stainless
1983 urquattro 016 transmission and rear diff (3.89), center and rear diffs both lock together
Retrofitted ABS/traction control from urS6
5-lug conversion, insanely light forged Fuchs summer wheels, urquattro winter wheels (both with decent tires)
Brakes: G60 calipers with EBC ceramic pads in front, more or less stock in rear
Suspension: H&R lowering springs, Boge turbo gas shocks, ball joints and F tie rod ends all new within the last few years/15K miles
Optima red top battery, relocated to the trunk
Depo e-code headlights, relayed, with DRL function


I really tried to do everything right on this car: almost all parts I fabricated are aluminum or stainless so they should last. Fuel lines are teflon. Not to pat myself on on the back too much but the tune is really good: AFRs are well-controlled, boost is well-controlled, it drives really nicely, and starts easily even when stored outside at 0 degrees F.

Rustwise I'd say it's 8/10 NOT considering its age. There's a very small amount of surface rust in a couple of mostly-invisible spots, but nothing even close to perforation. The paint is good for a 28-year-old car but not perfect. The interior is fair... a little dingy, the foam holding the cloth to the doors has broken down, fabric on the driver's seat is well-worn but there are no signifcant holes or tears.

The biggest issue right now is it needs an alignment. I had it aligned to some specs I made up and I don't think the guy fully understood what I wrote. So it feels very twitchy, and not "planted", especially on the highway. Having said that, when you throw it into a corner it sticks like it's on rails.

Anyhow, that's all I can remember now, if I think of more I'll edit this post. If you're interested or can offer any input re what the car's worth, please let me know!

Photos and lots more info at https://www.thelawsplace.com/TweakedAudi80ForSale/

Really? Im not really looking but this could tempt me.

Yeah, I'm just starting to get an itch for something new and different.

The "new and different" was supposed to be the 07K engine, but I'm coming to the realization I'll probably never be able to swing the cost of the conversion parts, and don't really have the ability to make them myself - especially the most complex/expensive ones.

And as I indicated in the other post, the car's firm ride and the amazingly crappy roads between my house and my work aren't getting along well with my old arthritic bones and joints.

Shortly I'll be putting up a web page with tons of detailed info about the car and photos. But for now I've uploaded a few pix to my MG thread here: https://www.motorgeek.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=216857

Also if anyone has a B5 S4 to trade I'd consider it, but there are some specific requirements. The car must have no suspension mods, have a manual transmission, be in decent shape, and be able to be tuned by me (ie no chip tune that locks you out from making changes).

Web page is now up, with photos and contact form: https://www.thelawsplace.com/TweakedAudi80ForSale/

mr_aj_johnson wrote:Really? Im not really looking but this could tempt me.

If you come all the way out here to buy this, you will have to let me know. Have to get together and chat haha.

As much as I don't want to see it go Eric, good luck with your sale.

DE80q wrote:

mr_aj_johnson wrote:Really? Im not really looking but this could tempt me.

If you come all the way out here to buy this, you will have to let me know. Have to get together and chat haha.

As much as I don't want to see it go Eric, good luck with your sale.

Would be sweet, but I'm not really in the market. Too many other things going on to have time for another toy. and I promised myself the next work rig would be a wagon.

Spring bump...

Buy this now and you get all-new brakes! I just replaced all rotors and pads and both rear calipers (with new, but one's Chinese).

Also, if you're of a mind to 07K-ify this car, I can include some parts to get you started. An 07K engine with only ~40K miles that's about 85% complete (needs upper cam-drive components and some other small stuff), an 01E transmission (5-speed CBD code from an UrS4 I think?), and a 4.11 rear diff. I have a few but not many of the conversion parts: a flywheel, exhaust flange, and a fuel rail. I'm 90% sure the engine does NOT have a forged crank, but I have not actually looked.

Do you have photos of it?

Absolutely! Just go to https://www.thelawsplace.com/TweakedAudi80ForSale/: there's a ton of info, and photos on the bottom of the page.

Spring bump! Someone that can give this car the love it needs, please give it a home!

For what it's worth I have an 01E transmission and the original 4.11:1 rear diff that can go with it if you want to swap in a different engine or want a torsen center diff. I'm 95% sure the 01E is "CBD" code 5-speed with narrow 1st, can check if it's important.

Also the brakes were just almost completely redone... new pads & rotors all around, rear calipers (brand new but one's Chinese), and e-brake cables.

June bump and... I might be interested in trading this for a B5 S4 if it's the right car! Requirements: not too much of a basket case, clean title, manual transmission, and very strongly prefer one that has stock or equivalent shocks & springs (or have those parts available).

I also updated the web page with docs listing mods/upgrades and important maintenance done, and a link to a huge file with photos of work being done: https://www.thelawsplace.com/TweakedAudi80ForSale/

Update June 23: "Baby" needs a head gasket! It still starts and runs beautifully, but there's white smoke in the exhaust and unexplained loss of coolant. I'll be fixing it and have also reduced my asking price - see below.

that's really not good!

Yeah and the extra-sad thing is that between this and my B8 A4, the 80 is (well, was) the more reliable car! Right now I have no transporation at all as the A4 broke a spring a few days ago and the nice folks at the dealership sent me a replacement that's wrong and haven't returned my calls & emails about exchanging it.

I'm thinking about fixing it (the 80) though... it turns out I have a head gasket set in my Giant Pile O' Junk so all I'd need are the bolts. That and a lot of time!

My one worry is that it turns out to be not the head gasket but the head itself. I'm not sure if I could tell that by looking (I've had head gaskets fail before where the gasket itself looked fine) or would need some kind of sophisticated (= expensive) testing.

Update June 26: The car's getting fixed (blown head gasket)!

I'd posted I'd sell it for a reduced price, but as most people won't pay good money for a car that can't be driven, I'm going to fix it. Afterward I'm going to lower my asking price a bit, I'm thinking $5,000. I'm realizing that while this is a fun fast machine, it's not fully restored and has had some wear and tear since I did all the work to it, so I'm trying to be a little more realistic.

The car should be back up and running by mid-July - I will post updates!

Update July 27: replacing the head gasket did not fix the problem!

I put some Bars Leaks "head gasket repair" magic juice in the coolant and it seems to have helped significantly, but clearly there's still something wrong. My best guess is a crack in the head.

So I'm reducing the price to $3,500. I was going to take it down to $5,000 anyway, and I figure another $1,500 will pay for another AAN motor and ancillaries.

More info on "the other forum": https://www.motorgeek.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=216857

Bump... the car is still available and I'm very willing to negotiate!

I'm also *starting* to think about parting it out. I hate to do that as I honestly think it could be a great car for the right person, but I really need to get it "off the books".

If I do part it out, here are some items I think might be of interest (go to https://www.thelawsplace.com/TweakedAudi80ForSale/ for pix or more info:
* Volvo K24-7400 turbocharger with Porsche exhaust housing.
* Genuine RS2 exhaust manifold in good condition.
* Exhaust consisting of Iroz 3" downpipe, modded to clear 016 tranmission, 3" sport cat, custom 3" to 2.5" reducer pipe with long cone for good flow, 2.5" in & out Magnaflow middle and rear mufflers. All stainless.
* Custom intake manifold allowing use of side-mounted radiator in stock position (but NOT A/C condenser) with AAN engine.
* Megasquirt MS3 standalone engine-management system with MS3X card, dual knock-sensor board, realtime clock card (for time-stamping logs), and special divider chip for use with the Audi 5-cylinder trigger setup (two sensors on flywheel, one on cam). Includes Hall-effect flywheel sensors, adapters, and bracket. Outputs programmed to drive OE B3 tachometer, charcoal-canister purge valve, and temperature gauge. Can include wideband O2 sensor, relay box, other goodies.
* Urquattro 016 transmission with locking center diff (and nice stainless actuating rod) and matching rear diff (also locking of course).
* Custom shifter and linkage setup that easily bolts into B3 chassis and works with 016 transmission.
* Custom rear axles allowing use of B5 A4 5-lug hubs on a B3 chassis with a diff that has 108mm drive flanges. Outer CVs have tone rings for ABS.
* Very nice super-light forged 5-lug wheels with summer tires (about 75% worn), decent urquttro wheels with winter tires (about 50% worn), see the website linked above for pix.
* Late-style B3 suspension including forged front control arms, 2-piece housings that had rust electrolytically removed and painted with POR-15, H&R progressive lowering springs, Boge turbo gas shocks. About 20K miles on the shocks & springs, they're in great shape.
* 5-lug conversion bits.
* Depo e-code headlights.
* Instrument cluster with 160 MPH speedometer and tach with 7200 RPM red line (and auto-check and trip computer).
* 8" subwoofer in custom enclosure that fits above the gas tank where the ski passthrough is... if I can get it out! It's wedged in pretty good.
* And pretty much any other "normal" B3 parts.

For those that may be interested, I just took a quick video of the car starting and revving: https://www.thelawsplace.com/TweakedAud ... 183042.mp4

That's a stone cold start, after the car had been sitting about a week.

I'm working on a vid of the car being driven, give me a few days...

BUMP!

Fall is here and winter is coming... imagine what it's like to drive this thing in the snow with 300 HP and two locked diffs! :-)

I'm really anxious to get this car "off the books"... if you're interested but don't like my price, please contact me and we can talk!

Asking price reduced to $2,700 - I really need this car gone!