Installed the Turbo vacuum system. Vara, sent me info on a nice alternative to the standard silicone vacuum hose.
Straightboost Performance makes a kit with threaded swivel SBP push to connect fittings and SBP 1/4" hose.
Everything went together great and I added a heat sleeve.....one more item done!

 

Finished the rear sway bar and it was quite a bit more work than the front. I am using the same 1 1/4" 48 spline hollow torsion bar, as the front, but was not able to get the arms that came with the kit to work. The issue on the rear is the tie rods that connect to the spindle at full suspension drop, interfere with the sway bar arms. I found billet arms and was able to massage, plus I made thicker mounts to lower the torsion bar a bit to have clearance around the tie rods at full drop.....compression is a non issue.
One more box checked in the to do list.

 

Been making some headway on the wiring with the help of Norbert (SRS). The engine harness Norbert built for the Motec ECU connects to all the sensors and now we have to get the Motec to talk to the Audi components, so I have to find the correct wires in the body harness and make up a connector to connect to the Motec plug , which Norbert made and designate pins for each function. Also, using the digital dash, which was tested for the 1st time today.
I have (3) digital instrument clusters....one is orange and seems to work, the 2nd is red, which partially works and the 3rd does not light up at all.
I was aware of the orange and green clusters, but did not know about red.

 

Sooo.....I like lighting and always put a twist on all my builds. Since, I went with the single headlight for the group A look, the grill allows for the second light opening for something extra.....I decided for the Baja Design 's LP3 amber lights......with a little fabrication, the lights fit perfect and I like look and its very bright

 

I have been working on fitting the fiberglass fenders, flares, hood and grill. I am not a body person, so it has taking quite a bit of time, but is starting to fit nicely. There is still work to be done, but I will let a professional make it right before paint.

I am using a billet push locking hood latch that Vara suggested. I purchased the flip up locking latch, but due to the locations where the latches would mount, too much of the structural fiberglass would need to be cut out, so these smaller locking pins worked out great.

 

Vara pointed out early on that the Spal radiator fan was not going to be sufficient to to pull the amount of air needed to cool the engine, so I purchased the large 500 watt fan. Well, when going bigger, it means everything needs to go bigger and that included relay and wiring. Vara provided details on a Eatons Bussmann relay. I ran a designated 6 gauge wire from battery to a block and then to the relay. I also ran 6 gauge wire to the fan. I powered up the fan and it sounds like a airplane taking off....serious power.

 

Built front chassis cross member, to reconnect where the front clip was cut out, even though I have the bottom cross member, which ties everything together along with the top piece, I wanted to make things really strong, so now I have (6) connections tying the front back together. The bottom cross member and front are bolted together, to really make it strong.

 

Hit a major mile stone and fired the engine and boy does it sound good.

Past few weeks have been a roller coaster trying to get the engine to fire. It took Norbert (SRS), Varia, Jeff (engine builder) and my buddy (Nils) to help diagnose the little issues......I would be lost without there help. Nils who is in California and I'm in Tennessee, remotely went through the setup on the Motec, calibrating sensors, throttle pedal etc. and mapped a base tune until the car can be driven.

Next is to lift the car and idle through the gears and check the drive train.

Tried up loading video, but only came out as a picture,
My Instagram has the video

 

Hit another mile stone, tested the drive train.

When I installed the engine and trans awhile back, I spent a great bit of time trying to get the shifter linkage correct and thought I had done so........well, I was wrong. What I thought was reverse was 1st gear...ugh.

With some guidance from Mark (EFI) and Varia, I was able to get reverse and all the gears working smoothly. One of the issues was the metal shift guide form the C4 shifter, the metal where the hole is cut out for depressing the shifter for reverse was to straight up and down not allowing for full rotation on the shift rod to engage reverse, plus adjusting the linkage better.

Since my car is not being built as all original , I took the liberty of cutting a 3" section out of the top of the tunnel to access the bolt to adjust the shifter rod otherwise, I would have to take off the drive shaft and exhaust. I used the piece I cutout and welded flanges all the way around so it can be a removable cap. I added hush mat on top and bottom and used sheet metal clips and screws to re-attach. In the future, if I need to adjust the rod, I can access through the top of the center console, which I am modifying and will share later.

Pictures are not showing for some reason

 

Since my build is a bit of a hybrid, using the 1986 Coupe GT body harness and fuse box along with digital dash that Pete is refurbing for me, I purchased the Plex 330 digital display that links up with the Motec ECU to provide much more engine information than the Audi digital dash could ever provide. The display comes with GPS for speedo and will do lap times if desired. The screens are adjustable for what ever info you want displayed and has a few different screens you can access with the button pad

I removed the digital volt/temp display out of the center console and made aluminum face plates for the Plex display, push button pad for display, window switches and aux lights. Everything fits nicely and can be removed easily if I need to get to the tunnel cap I made to adjust shifter.

 

Just finished up the fuel pump relay upgrade. I used the same style fused relay as the fan and mounted it in the trunk.

I was contemplating on moving the battery to the trunk and decided to leave it as is under the rear seat, but ran cable from the battery to a two piece quick connect in the trunk, where I can attach a jumper cables or battery tender without accessing the battery.

 

Sometimes you have to go backwards to move forwards.

1. Re-plumbed the engine venting, picking up both breathers on the top of the valve cover and venting to a K&N filter tucked behind the passenger side bumper space. I'm using the Porsche breather canister that does not have its own external breather like some of the others. I did not want the fumes staying in the engine bay, so hopefully this configuration will work out.

2. I reconfigured my fuel lines, which changed the position of the E85 sensor. I made a new mount for both the boost controller and E85 sensor, which worked out nicer than the old mount.

 

Made a cover for the motec ECU. I welded a couple of zeus tabs on the cage and used aluminum for the cover. I still need to clean up the wiring and the cover will get carpet to blend in with the foot well.

 

Clutch pedal had some slop and found the bushing was completely worn out that connects the slave cylinder rod. I used some brass and turned a new bushing, worked out great.

 

A bunch of little things are being addressed. I could not find the mount for the battery, so I made one.