My A3 Quattro

[sparrow]

I needed a car that can be a development mule for our ECUs. I had planned to use my Mk2 Golf, but that would require a lot of non-standard items for things like electronic pedal control, traction control, launch control and turbo anti lag.
I also want to race the car, but the Golf has a Corrado/Passat 9A block in, which means it would have to compete in the libre class. It would never be competitive in that class.

Then this advert caught my eye. I know the car quite well, having watch Sam develop it after buying it from Dan. I'd also driven it at Curborough once for a lap or two. It went really well.
It was also the ideal base for what I need, as we already support the VAG drive by wire system, it has wheel speed sensors and the 20v engine is well developed.
The suspension will hopefully mean I can develop the car in to a competitive car in the Mod Prod class at club level.

From the for sale ad:

It sports a very special Seat Supercopa race tag sealed Ricardo Gearbox with very few miles sporting uprated internals, steel selector forks and most importantly Ricardo plated diff! Awesome piece of kit!

Brand new Helix 5 paddle clutch kit !

Fully MOT-ed so road legal

FULL SPEC

Year 2000 A3 Quattro shell fully stripped out with :

Full multi point welded cage

Sparco Evo Bucket seats

Sabelt 4" harnesses

ENGINE

1.8T ARZ Low milage engine

ME7.5 de immo management custom mapped by ADE Tuning

K03s turbo with ported exhaust housing/wastegate

Manifold ported and matched to head and turbo

3" Pipewerx full exhaust from turbo to the end sounds awesome

2.5" boost pipes

ABD Race TIP and cone filter

FMIC

Uprated stiffer engine, g.box mounts and dog bone

CHASSIS

KONI/FK Stainless coilovers height and damping adjustable

Compbrake solid top mounts

R32 quick rack 2.2 turns lock to lock

R32 cast wishbones correcting angle to eliminate bump stear

R32 hubs

H&R adjustable ARB-s front and rear

Forge adjustable rear lower camber correcting adjustable arms

4 wheel full computer alingment at main dealer with printout

BRAKES

Seat Sport AP 4 pot calipers 312mm discs Hawk pads

256mm vented rears with big Ally calipers

ABS retained

WHEELS

Very rare Seat Supercoppa 8x18" OZ racing lightweight wheels that clear any caliper known to man!

Dan's orignal build thread is here:
http://www.edition38.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=52032&hl=

 

[sparrow]

Since I bought the car, I've replaced the seat belt on the drivers side as the crotch strap was missing. I've not driven it, and when I tried to start it the other day, the battery was flat.
It's going to be a bit of a slow burner for now, but I hope to make decent progress over the winter.

Plans

First thing I need to do is get the car to a race event for a scrutineer to look it over. It will need some work to get it race legal, but I want to make sure I know exactly what's needed.

Then I'll replace the OEM ECU with an S80 and an STC, our electronic throttle controller. A new engine wiring loom will go in as well, and possibly an XDash to replace the standard dash allowing me to remove the dashboard entirely.
Then the car will go on a diet. I'll strip out electric windows, excess wiring, add perspex windows.

The engine will run full sequential injection and ignition, as well as VVT, all controlled by the S80.

The order in which this will happen is flexible, but the most important thing is to make the car race legal in order to compete from the beginning of the year.

 

[ayfreetee]

Wow, looks like it's gonna be a little animal, best of luck and go and blow the doors off the opposition.

 

[Prawn]

I've followed this car with interest for a long time as well as your exploits on the golf as you well know Alex

Really glad to have yourself, and another a3 track car on the forum

 

[sparrow]

Thanks Nick. I'll be getting loads of ideas from yours, I've enjoyed watching the development of it.

 

[sparrow]

I'd tried to take the car out the garage the other day to take some pictures, and start making a to do list, but the battery was flat. So I took it out to charge it.
3 weeks later, and I put it in the car this morning, and fired it up. However, there was no time for pictures, as I put it straight on the trailer and took it up to Curborough, as the Shenstone And District Car Club were having a sprint day today. This mean there would be scrutineers in attendance, who would (I was told) be happy to look over the car, and let me know what would be needed to compete next year, and what class I would be in.
As expected, they were very friendly and helpful. However, I was a bit worried, as I fully expected a list the length of my arm before I could compete.

Andy Benfield had a look over the car. Due to the level of prep, I'm straight in to Modified Production cars over 2000cc. I could try to get the car in to Road Going Modified, but it's unlikely I would be able to refit enough of the trim to do so. As I don't really care for now, as I just want to get racing, ModProd will do.
After a good look around the car, Andy only required two items to be changed.
I need to change the steering wheel as it still has the airbag in, and I need to tidy up a bit of the wiring in the engine bay. That's it!!

I'm delighted. I can now start making plans for what I want to do to the car, and know what I can't do (not much) and what I can do (pretty much anything).

One minor issue is that I'm in the over 2000cc class. This means I may not be allowed a Nat B Non Race license, and might have to apply for a Nat A Race License. This is more expensive, and requires a full day course, but it will also be needed if I decide to compete in the Classic VW Challenge with the Golf.

I now need to decide how to do the wiring. I'm replacing the ECU with an S80, and using an STC to control the DBW system. I have two choices with the wiring:

• Strip out as much as I can, but leave enough to operate the lights etc, so that I can keep it road legal and drive to the events
• Rip everything out, and go full race harness with only the bits I need. I have the tools and wire to do this, but then I will have to buy a trailer, as the one I borrow at the moment is right at the limit size wise for this car.

To Do

• Replace front seat mounts. Too high and too far back for me
• Change the seat. I prefer the ones in the Golf, and have two, so will put one in this
• Replace steering wheel
• Remove dash, and investigate wiring
• Buy race gear, including HANS device and helmet.

 

[<tuffty/>]

Correct me if I am wrong but this isn't actually still a quattro is it Alex?

<tuffty/>

 

[sparrow]

It's currently in FWD mode, but I have all 4WD bits for it. Or rather, I've paid for them. Some are in my garage, some are still in Sam's about 150 miles away...

 

[<tuffty/>]

Is the plan to go quattro again then? A fwd de-quattro'd track car would be an interesting project...

<tuffty/>

 

[sparrow]

The plan is to keep it front wheel drive for now. I want to get the wiring and ECUs sorted, then I'll look at a new engine. Once that's done, I'll see how the car goes and what it needs.
If it turns out to be completely unsuitable/un-competitive, I can always do this to it:

 

[sparrow]

As promised, a quiet start. However, these have now arrived:

OMP Uno 320 with two momentary switches, Momo boss and Driftworks quick release system.
My wife is away this weekend, so I have the girls to myself. Hopefully I'll still find time to fit them.

 

[badger5]

national A race should'nt be required should it?
National B Race is adequate for Combe Saloons for me

 

[sparrow]

national A race should'nt be required should it?
National B Race is adequate for Combe Saloons for me

Woops, yes, typo on my part. I need a Nat B Race license, as opposed to a Nat B Non-Race license.

 

[sparrow]

I fitted the steering wheel at the weekend, and also moved some stuff around so I could give my neighbour his garage back.

I also realised I can move the driver's seat forward, so that I'll be able to reach the pedals more easily.

I forgot to take pictures. This is a common occurrence.

 

[sparrow]

Picture of the steering wheel fitted:

I swapped the seats out this morning, and tried moving the seat all the way forward, all the way back, and in the central option. The central setting was most comfortable.
Old seats:

New seat. Er, forgot to take a picture of the seat fitted. It's the passenger seat from the Golf.

Looking at the amount of wiring in the car, I'm going to go for a custom race loom, and just remove the entire OEM loom. I have most of the connectors I need new, and should be able to get most of the ones I don't have.
I will only have the following wired in:

• Complete engine loom
• Fuel pumps
• Windscreen wipers
• Brake lights for track day testing
• Electronic dash

I'll get a simple dash plate made up, with power, ignition and the wiper switches, as well as the switches needed for the ECU. I can always add more switches/panels as required.

I've found a Greek supplier of plastic windows for the car, who is a lot cheaper than here.

I've also ordered an exhaust manifold from Bill. It will be ceramic coated with 4 EGT sensor bungs.

Next weekend I need to measure up for the engine loom, and decide where to mount the ECU.

I need to also order a small race battery and get that mounted, so I can sort the interior wiring loom.

 

[Prawn]

Good stuff Alex! I look toward to seeing the transformation to DTA.
Are you planning to keep it on the ko3?

 

[sparrow]

Thanks Nick.

No, plan is GT30 with either 1.9 or 2.0 stroker build.

 

[sparrow]

I did some more work to this today.

First I needed to take some measurements for the suspension. I also want to see what was on there, but struggled with getting pictures.
I know that the car as it stands is too low. When measuring today, the front arms were level at full extension, so the car needs to be raised a good inch or more.

Longer term plans include either changing the spindles, or use some sort of spacer to move the ball joint down. Both will need the bump steer sorting.

Does anyone know if the TT-RS hubs fit this chassis?

I also checked the spare gearbox code, it's an FHB.

Then I moved on to the interior. First up, out with the dash. This needs to go, and also means I can see just how much wiring there actually is.

I then started working through the wiring to see what's there, and how to remove it. I started at the back of the car, as all I want to keep there are the brake lights, fuel pump power and fuel level sender. The rear wheel speed sensors enter the car through the rear arches:

I then worked through all the wires, central locking pipes and also the rear washer pipe. I've removed all the wiring from the tail gate, as well as the central locking pipes. The CL pump from the rear is also gone.

I need to strip all the loom tape off the looms as I go, so I can leave the wiring that I want to keep in place. It's not much, but it will make it much easier to just leave it in place.

If anyone has any fuse box schematics with what all the plugs and relays are, that would be really helpful.

I have to keep the car able to move under it's own power, so I can move it around, and get it on the trailer when the wiring is done.

 

[badger5]

see all the earth joines and splices in the loom when you unwind it... at that point i gace up and ripped it all out and started from scratch in badgerwagen

 

[sparrow]

see all the earth joines and splices in the loom when you unwind it... at that point i gace up and ripped it all out and started from scratch in badgerwagen

Don't worry, everything's coming out, I just need to keep it mobile.

 

[sparrow]

I spent a few hours this morning on removing the interior loom. Everything from the steering wheel to the tail lights is now either detached or I need it attached. I'm a lot further along than I thought I'd be at this point.
Here's what it looks like:

The loom running down the passenger side floor is completely detached apart from the rear wheel speed sensor. Unfortunately, this appears to be magnetic, not hall effect. If this is the case, I'm going to have to either replace them, or use a converter to change the signal to a square wave.
The loom running along the roof, including the alarm wiring, is completely detached, and in the footwell.
The driver side still has the wheel speed sensor, fuel pump and fuel level sender wiring all attached.
I've stripped the loom out the passenger door, and most of the driver's side door is loose, ready to be removed.

Next up, the engine bay loom, including lights and engine.
I don't need any front lights, so that will all come out. I then need to work out what I can remove from the engine. All I need is for it to start, so the fans can be disconnected as well.

 

[sparrow]

Carried on today with the wiring. I started at the front and worked back.

Removed the bumper to make access easier, and the lights as well. I then started unplugging stuff that was not engine related. It all went quite well. The light/non-engine-stuff looms were quite modular, and I was able to remove them fairly easily.

The passenger side loom is wrapped to the engine loom just behind the battery, so that was as far back as the will go. However, there's nothing else keeping that in the engine bay. This includes the fan wiring, horn and lights.

The drivers side loom has lights, washer motor, coolant level and a few others. However, they're all going, so were disconnected, This meant the loom was free all the way to the bulkhead. There is one cable connected to this loom that goes down behind the brake servo, and then joins with what appears to be the lambda wiring coming up from under the car. Apart from this, there is just one earth in the scuttle, so I removed that as well.
At this point, the car looked like this:

I then realised I'd not started the car at all since removing all of this. However, none of this was on the engine, so that should be OK, right?
Er, no. It won't start, just turns over. ****

Start plugging random stuff back in, but nothing. Eventually the battery started going flat. Last thing I put on was the earth, but by now the battery was nearly flat, and that seemed to have no impact.
Dragged a running car on to the drive, hooked up the jump leads, and she started straight away. Hmmmm.
Unplug stuff again, all fine. Last thing to try is the earth wire. Yup, that's it.

Audi, in their infinite wisdom, have an earth on the lighting/accessories loom that stops the engine starting if it's removed.

With that resolved, I carried on. The fusebox and relay holders are now undone as well, most of the wiring on the steering column has been unplugged, and that's as far as I can go now, and keep the car driveable.

I'll speak to the wiring guy this week, and see when he wants the car. I'll go over there, and spend a couple of hours pulling the loom out. He can then fit the new one at his leisure.

I also ordered a manifold from Bill at Badger5. It's back from coating:

Cams are there, turbo is on order, and rods/pistons etc are there. I also picked up the 2L crank recently. The head is being cleaned and skimmed, so the build should start soon.

 

[Prawn]

Wow. You're really going all out on this then Alex!

Should be very 'potent' when it's done!

 

[sparrow]

Thanks Nick. I need to do this one properly, as it's going to be abused on track, and also as a test mule. I'm quite lucky to be able to do it all in one go at the moment, having sold a house and business recently.

 

[superkarl]

Bills manifolds are beautiful. I want one, the smaller runner one

 

[sparrow]

I've not held it yet. I kinda feel like I'm missing out.

 

[sparrow]

Does anyone know where to find a headlight air intake kit? I want to remove one of the headlights and replace it with an air intake kit

 

[sparrow]

Gearbox has arrived:

SQS dogbox with custom ratios. Flat shift will be set up during mapping.

 

[Prawn]

wow. Serious kit here!

What's happening to the exceedingly nice riccardo box it came with?

 

[antwan64og]

Are you getting the sequential shifter too?

 

[sparrow]

wow. Serious kit here!

What's happening to the exceedingly nice riccardo box it came with?

It's being sold to pay for some of this one.

 

[sparrow]

Are you getting the sequential shifter too?

Not theirs, no. I'm going for an H pattern paddle shift system instead. Roughly half the price of a proper sequential box all, and easier to get spares too.



However, I'll be using one of our DBW throttle controllers, so the throttle blipping will be done with that. In the video above, he uses a pneumatic valve on downshift.

 

[badger5]

nice nice

 

[snowy]

Roughly half the price of a proper sequential box all, and easier to get spares too.

+simpler
+lighter
++cost saving ~ £7K+ saving

 

[badger5]

turbos arrived - looks lovely as usual.

 

[Prawn]

Argh.

That is EXACTLY the setup I'd buy if I won the lottery

 

[sparrow]

Oooh, pretty.

 

[Shoomakan]

Awesome! Love it so far.

I'm curious to know how much it weighs now. Do you also have the weight when it was gutted but no completely stripped? With OEM loom, buckets, no interior except front dash?

As for the headlight intake kit, I do have a suggestion for you if you can't find one. Have someone good at drawing CAD 3d print one for you. You can make it so it's a gorgeous, one piece unit. As long/short/big/wide as you want. You have the stock unit to measure the footprint on the body panels, so it should be easier than starting it from scratch. I use my 3d printer at work occasionally for such things.

The old fashioned fiberglass method would work, but with PLA/ABS plastic and 3d printers being so cheap/accessible these days, it's worth looking into.

Cheers and keep posting!

 

[sparrow]

Thanks.

I've never weighed it, so I have no idea.

I really like the idea of 3D printing something. I'll have to see what I can come up with.

 

[badger5]

~We have Corner weight scales here Alex