The Project Pad

Thank you Nick, a-talk Justin and ktownboostn for the encouragement, you don't know how nice it is to have some support from people who know what the process is like and how hard and frustrating it can be :-)

I have been talking with a local shop owner about getting a part time gig at his place and although it won't be steady enough to consider a real job, I will have part time work with him for a little cash and place in his 'storage' bay which is the door behind his primary shop. It has a lift and REAL tools (hydraulic press, drill press, air tools etc.) next door and a paint booth across the road which the owner is a part owner of. Needless to say I will be working there and the 200 will have a new home as soon as it is a roller again It will have a MINT, blown 10sec foxbody, a 9 sec trans am, and a Model A (I think) for company. I'll get pics next time I'm over there!

Anyways, I got the rest of what I needed to finish the front end. And then I broke them :dur: I pressed in the rear subframe bushings, and then on the fonts I couldn't get a great angle on them with the tools I had (I have serious tool issues, can you tell?) and ended up folding one during its attempted installation, so now I have to wait till my GAP order gets here to take the press to the shop so I can then get the car there. For what it's worth here's my successful bushing install.


Turns out the exhaust donut is the PERFECT size to press the outside of the bushing


The tin foil is to cover the balljoints from rain although they got ripped in the course of doing the bushings! I think this is how professionals press in bushings right?!



Also, I dropped off some parts to my welder yesterday. I met him randomly because his bay is right next door to the old moon bounce delivery place I worked at (seriously). Found out today he happens to be NASA certified and a bunch of other things. He has a $15k TIG machine in his shop and spends $6k a year just maintaining his certifications. This guy is a MACHINE.


My camera doesn't do it justice. I have been blessed (in the fortunate sense, not the religious one) to have access to incredible welders both here and in VT


IAT sensor installed


He beveled this edge for me on his mill as well, that wasn't nearly as pretty, but just as effective. This is after I cleaned it up with a die grinder.




And then it was either wiring and assembly. I got the whole harness back in and replaced an incorrectly coded wire with a correct one, but I didn't spend any time trying to get the MS fired up, just trying to get things physically closer to starting. Electronics later (read: procrastinating). Both needed to get done, but I felt like I was at the point where I needed to be finishing some parts, so I started with hard parts. I got the intake manifold, throttle body, fuel rail, and fuel rails in for *hopefully* the last time. They have been in and out an unbearable number of times.






The camera angle throws the center of the intercooler off a bit (the core is pretty much centered). Like I've mentioned, I only have an iphone for a camera, but on top of that I got it for free because the back was shattered and is now gorilla taped over so I have to take pictures with the screen facing what I'm photographing. The no look confusion maker! I'm about 1/5 on usable pictures/pictures taken




And in the vein of tying ends up, I got the coolant system 'back together.' I think it could be more offensive... but that's about all I can say. If the project goes like I want it to there will be a free port where there used to be a banjo fitting on the coolant outlet flange on the side of the head I can tap and use... H1C's are oil only :wink:


Thanks for following along everyone! It's great to have other Audi people see what's going on

Rallyfreak202 wrote:Shawn, awesome stuff. You really have been chugging away at this. You are going to be happy with your refreshed front end and megasquirt. It will be a bitch at first (like mine was) but you'll love it. I recommend Tunerstudio over Megatune. I have the purchased version I'd share with you.
As far as the ISV control integration, I am not sure. I wish I had an answer for you. The only thing I can say is to post on the msforums or I can PM you an email address for a guy that builds/installs/tunes MS for a living.
I like that you put the relay board in your MS. I wish I did that on my 16v. Oh, and your tb adapter looks great. It shows that you have a lot of time on your hands. haha.

I'm looking forward to seeing the wheels with tires on the car. Keep up the progress.

I've been more than chugging hahaha in fact I'm spending a little too much time with it. The thing with the refreshed front end is that once that's done the rear end is still going to be it's 280k self until I have money to get it squared away. The front end has already eaten a tire (corded it on the inside edge). If you can send me a file via email mine is Christianson802 at gmail, if not no worries, once I get it running and get a job I'll probably buy a version if I can't get it from you, it does seem to be pretty superior to megatune. On the ISV, I'm going to assume that it will work with an idle switch, I don't see any reason it would fail to function if the factory ECU is seeing all its inputs. I guess we will see!

And on the adapter plate, I definately have more time than money right now!