VRS Frankenstein project...............

[Romo]

Ok, well it's not ashes, but it is a dusty pile of bits which was a donor car for a friends project. Currently missing the engine, gearbox and various other essential pieces!

           I wouldn't have bothered, was expecting to watch it disappear unceremoniously , but then quite by chance an Audi S3 APY engine happened my way (from another friends project) complete with manifolds K04 etc, little cogs started turning.......Things could happen here, but I will need some guidance, I know a small amount about the 1.8t and it's variants, but, well, there's buts........... there is no ecu, I was thinking to use an S3 ecu (map out the immobiliser....I know a man...but will it talk to the car ok?) all sensors etc maf/injectors from the S3, this is an early apy with no exhaust gas temp sensor. There's also no brakes, calipers,hangers or disks! no drive shafts either, so all to be found on a fairly tight budget. 

              The gearbox presents options, would like a six speed, but could use a 5 (diff rivets to replace?) also, there's no gear shift or linkage, so it's not to much effort to just find the correct one for the gearbox type, along with the clutch and fly............crossed my mind and I mentioned to my vrs guru,that a tt/s3 box could be used (as 2 wheel drive, albeit with the transfer box in place) although there might be clearance issue's for the transfer case, prop shaft output flange, exhaust routeing and rh drive shaft, not knowing if it's ever been done? he thought that was a rubbish idea though :-P

 

So i'm after constructive idea's and criticism , I'm getting pretty excited about starting it as have been stuck with a 1.8T sharan for the last year and my sense of humour is waning....Had a Subaru Legacy GTB BH5 twin turbo before that, so it has been fairly devastating since!

 

will of course be posting some pic's as soon as I get started, had a good old trawl about on here, loads of good info and idea's, looking forward to joining you all 'Properly'!

 

Rom

[RobClubley]

Sounds interesting.

[Romo]

he he!! happy new year to all! santa has been kind and brought me lots of goodies, my VRS current state is, car on a friends driveway nearby so i can now work on it, Engine is now out of the donor car, seems in very good condition, has about 125k on it but was running very well,(APY 9.1 comp ratio) got a six speed box from a seat ibiza cupra, with drive shafts gear shift cables et all, found a VRS wire loom with coil packs, also a standard VRS ecu with the consumer unit all locks etc, now found most of the engine sensors (all from the VRS so as not to upset the ecu) set of uprated engine mounts with a poly bushed lower dogbone, set of porsche front calipers and custom hangers and set of coilovers (from the goodly soon to be wife lady)

Still left with some bits to find though, notably a sump, top of the list, will need to know if the thing needs a level sender hole or not? I can't remember what was in the old engine...........

The S3 engine was really really stripped, so i have lots to get hold of with not much budget, but hey ho, unfortunately the KO4 tubby had several massive cracks in the hot end forging the likes i have never seen, so looking for another one, the manifold was ok though, i have an inlet manifold and a FMIC although this was actually donated from a noble M12, so has a dual intake at one end, Also the entire dip stick assembly is missing, steel tube, plastic tube and stick, guess i will need an S3 stick for it to ensure the oil level is correct? meh what else............i have a complete 3 inch stainless exhaust off a skyline coming, going to see if I can cut and re-weld it to suit, (Tig practice for someone coming up lol) I do like a bit of fabrication............I will wonder off to the wanted section in a bit and post a full list of bit's i still need, soon as i get a chance i will post up some pics.................

 

cheers all

 

romo

[Romo]

just a quick one for some pics of my start point, as you can see, it is fairly clean, it was missing its original boot lid and front bumper, they went to my friends project which is a Octavia 4x4 elegance, so I have the original elegance parts instead.......hoping I got this images to work right!

 

 

[Romo]

Quick one of the APY donk now safely on it's build stand........ clean up and paint first, This is pretty much how it came, so loads to do before it can go in.

 

 

growing pile of bits. I got bits in the Garage, in the shed, in the house, in the VRS, in my locker at work............ seems like a big task to get it all into one car!

 

[Romo]

Basic engine cleaned up, I can start bolting bit's to it now 

 

 

 

the cam cover is just a temp, the one I'm going to use is under the grinder next!

[Romo]

Been grinding, Been decorroding and been painting..... These are only at the first coat to see what the colours looked like on the parts,I think I will stick with it....!

 

 

 

 

 

Cat..............He's not so impressed with the whole thing.

 

And the tubby finally arrived.....second hand genuine K04

[chrisw4266]

good progress love the green rocker and manifold.

[Romo]

good progress love the green rocker and manifold.

Thanks Chrisw4266, Still feels like there's a long way to go! was hoping to take it to the Nurburgring in april but not going to make that i don't think....... :-/

[Romo]

More bits ready to go on..............

 

 

Before...

 

 

 

 

After!

 

 

 

 

 

aftermarket oil pressure/temp fitted.......... loom to do though..........

[Romo]

spent the weekend finishing up bolting big bits on, it's a learning process as I keep having to go get my mate to open his S3 bonnet to see what else I'm missing! but getting there now, need to find cam belt covers (the plastic upper and the metal middle jobber) and get the water pipe to fit as it obscures the K04 cold intake......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

also have a slight mystery.......what goes here between the heat shield and the inner cam belt casting???

 

[SmithyVrs]

The green on the rocker cover and inlet are lush!

[Romo]

I had a re-think on the name for this................

 

here is the latestest ............

 

engine fit......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

really starting to appreciate how much stuff i am still missing lol!!

[Structures]

Followed, this looks like it could be very interesting!

[Romo]

spent the last little while sourcing more bits, it's still moving forwards all be it super slow, (other distractions.... motorcycling summer hols, getting married, that sort of thing) just re-routing the engine wire loom for the S3 intake manifold (LH throttle body) and working out what needs resistors etc, still need an N75, cat back 3 inch (will scratch build that iI think) wheels are on the way now also which I have been dithering over for ages, wanting to make sure they will fit over the porsche calipers, plumbed for Fox FX004's in gloss black. Thought i deserved a little present for myself there, they were more than my original budget but stuff it! I am now 10 years out from my chemo and run in with the big C, so though i would mark it with something ;-)

[Dark_Hero]

Excellent build so far. Really looking forward to seeing this running

[Romo]

 wheels.............!

 

clear the Porsche calipers easily.........

 

[Romo]

Where we up to now update....Have now dared put the electrics back on.No smoke, I  purchased a matched set of ecu, consumer unit and clocks which i was a little nervous about, all working fine though, haven't turned the engine over yet, just want to get the intake plumbing finished up before risking it, so that's where i am at the mo, sorting the intercooler mounting pipes and vac pipes, N75 etc, brakes all finished, interior finished bar a gear stick gaiter, exhaust still required from the TT twin cat back (side pipe possibly??), I will take some pics soon, it's got dusty in the garage and looks a bit shameful at the mo, but feeling the buzz of getting close to a runner now, can't happen fast enough! Been 3 years with a VW sharan after my cough...Subaru Twin turbo (shhhh I Know!), How I miss corners and the ability to go around them!

 

Stuff left to get,

Some 2.5 inch boost pipe,

the exhaust,

the Custom map, (already talked to the big fishy ones)

 

wow, is that all? see! must get on! laterzzzz!

 

 

PS, I have driven this car before, years ago I drove it back (was totally stock)for it's previous owner on a road trip to collect a (very nice) skyline,

me and the VRS came to a good understanding chasing the skyline for an hour or two, really looking fwd to it in it's new guise.... 

[frenchieg]

Looks wicked. Build me something!!??

[Copey]

Carnt wait to see more of this... whats power figures expected?

[Romo]

Carnt wait to see more of this... whats power figures expected?

 

i would guess 260-270? no more than that without custom manifold and 3 inch down pipe etc........

[Romo]

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!

 

first time first turn, here we go!! no water, intake plumbing or gearbox oil so she wasn't allowed to run on..........

[DarrellGB]

Can't wait to see this one finished, it's always the last bits that seem to take forever, keep cracking on

[CawseyR]

Love how clean the build is! I used a low comp block, and the 6 speed myself! It runs but still haven't had chance to finish it .

[nitrovrs]

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!

 

first time first turn, here we go!! no water, intake plumbing or gearbox oil so she wasn't allowed to run on..........

 

IT WAS ME....!!! I turned the key.... all that buy, clean, paint fit bit was the easy bit :p

Nobody mention that I left half a dozen well hidden plugs undone though eh?!?!? :no: