For those that have done the OEM RS4 wb conversion

[bimmerchop]

Any regrets?

I wish I could just pick up a genuine RS4, but we weren't as lucky here in the states. Converting my sedan is the next best thing. I can get the parts I need for a pretty good price, however, labor costs are going to kill me! Throwing all that money into a car worth so little nowadays seems crazy. I'm trying to convince myself that it'll all be worth it in the long run if I end keep my car for a few years lol

 

[stapo69]

Looking at doing the conversion myself in the future, the only pain is the rear arches and making a rear bumper to fit, all the rest are pretty much bolt on parts, wasgonna do the front bumper, front wings doors and trims all myself, the have a bodyshop cut in the rear arches and paint, should save some labour time and be fairly easy, just a pity its hard to find the parts for reasonable money!

 

[Siena]

No regrets.

Stapo, you can go widebody without replacing the rear quarters.

And without so much as a sniff of fibreglass.

 

[stapo69]

Tell me the way oh wise one! You have me intrigued....

 

[Siena]

It involves cutting triangular sections out of the rear arches, expanding them, then welding new metal into the resulting larger triangles.

I saw the same done on a Swiss B5, someone on here has also done the same.

 

[stapo69]

That makes sense, not a bad idea, best find myself a good bodyshop!

 

[bimmerchop]

It involves cutting triangular sections out of the rear arches, expanding them, then welding new metal into the resulting larger triangles.

I saw the same done on a Swiss B5, someone on here has also done the same.

Have any pics of any B5 that went about doing the rear this way? Was it OEM Looking?

 

[bimmerchop]

Looking at doing the conversion myself in the future, the only pain is the rear arches and making a rear bumper to fit, all the rest are pretty much bolt on parts, wasgonna do the front bumper, front wings doors and trims all myself, the have a bodyshop cut in the rear arches and paint, should save some labour time and be fairly easy, just a pity its hard to find the parts for reasonable money!

Yea, if I were to do this, I would install the front end and sides myself. Have the body shop deal with the rear arches, doors, and rear bumper.

 

[Siena]

Have any pics of any B5 that went about doing the rear this way? Was it OEM Looking?

I'll see if I can dig out the one on here.

 

[Blue_Thunder]

It involves cutting triangular sections out of the rear arches, expanding them, then welding new metal into the resulting larger triangles.

Aidan from Bahnstorm in Nottingham did this with his S4, although IIRC he only did this on the passenger side as it was too difficult to do the panel with the fuel cap. Looked mint.

 

[jcb]

no there is a link on here somewhere showing it.
was looking for it myself. the full build in shown, he just had to buy rs4 rear doors.

 

[bimmerchop]

That link would be real helpful. I'm trying to search for it, but not having much luck

 

[docurley]

He only did one side like that the other was done with a RS4 rear quarter.

I did this conversion and most of the work bar the rear quarter where done by my self.

The rest of the stuff is all bolt on and you can save your self loads if you strip the car down your self and put it back together your self.

The biggest part is the rear which if you have a look through my photobucket album will give you some idea what you have to do.

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y224/docurley/Audi Project/

 

[bimmerchop]

Okay, I'm a bit confused regarding something...

I thought that when replacing the rear doors, it would be pretty much a straight swap, meaning that it's a complete door assembly that bolts right on. I would just need to swap in the needed electronics and door card from my current S4. However, someone mentioned to me that they are door skins that you have to tack weld into place.

Now, I know they sell the complete door just without the internals and door card that can easily be replaced, but do they also sell just the door skins that need to be welded onto the door frame?

He only did one side like that the other was done with a RS4 rear quarter.

I did this conversion and most of the work bar the rear quarter where done by my self.

The rest of the stuff is all bolt on and you can save your self loads if you strip the car down your self and put it back together your self.

The biggest part is the rear which if you have a look through my photobucket album will give you some idea what you have to do.

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y224/docurley/Audi Project/

Thanks for the link. Did you run into any surprises when swaping out the parts you did yourself?

 

[jcb]

you need more than a door skin. you should be able to buy complete doors.
The mounting points and latch is in teh same place, only difference is where the trailing edge lines up with the outer skin of the rear wing

 

[jcb]

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y224/docurley/Audi Project/

did you have a supercharged RS4 to strip when you did this? what is the car in the pic list?

 

[stapo69]

IIRC the supercharged engine was a 2.8, what Docs car originally was before a 1.8t conversion, quite a rare supercharger kit too.

 

[jcb]

lovely noise, charged v6

 

[docurley]

IIRC the supercharged engine was a 2.8, what Docs car originally was before a 1.8t conversion, quite a rare supercharger kit too.

Not quite right that was my first A4 a 97 2.8 30v which I bought a new PES Supercharger kit for and was a great car but a 1.8T offers more and when a 1.8TQ came up for the right price just before I was ready to do the conversion and bought it and the rest is history.

Ok back to the swap.

The back door need the whole window frame which contains the whole contents of the doors on one frame held in place by 4 bolts and shims as the RS4 Avant as diffrent window frames to a saloon/Sedan.

The front doors from your S4 can be used but you will need to de-trim the outside and grind of the pins and make good.

Front wings will just bolt on but you will need new wheel liners as the S4 ones will no longer fit the larger arches the front bumper will need the bumper shocks as they are longer but you could get round this by using washers.

The rear quarter will also need the inner wing not unless you body shop can either fab something up or even fiberglass the void fron the S4 inner wing to the RS4 outer wing/fenders.

The rear bumper (if using your current bumper) will need to be heated on the side and teased out to follow the RS4 wing/fender shape but I would buy a Euro S4 rear bumper and do the same to that using a heat gun and your knee making sure you don't over heat it.

Bonnt/hood are the same and so are the lights so nothing need hear but the front wing indicators are different shape to standard so you will need to replace them, I think they are TT units/B6 A4 units.

Engine sump gard is different and the S4 unit will no longer fit so either leave it off like I did or a RS4 unit will cost £200/$360 to get the correct one.

Petrol flap will also be needed to flow with the RS4 rear arch profile,

Side sills/Skirts are stuck on with double sided tape as is on the originl and one or two screws either end in the inner wing/fender. You will also need to bond it to the under side as the mounting point under the car are different and you wont be able to secure it in the same way as the RS4 plus you will have no reason to remove it.

This should cover most of the conversion and the pictures will do the rest.

 

[docurley]

Just realised you’re from the Zine.

 

[bimmerchop]

Yup, on AZ. Thanks for the info.