Query: SWB shortening process

[rs2000t]

Hi All.

I'm in Australia and have embarked on SWB quattro project. There seems to be a heap of SWB projects on this forum and I am hoping for some guidance on one particular issue (for now ).

I'm up to the shortening stage and have cut the necessary 320mm out of the floor, rear arches and the roof. I intend to keep the standard metal roof and original UR windscreen angle.

What I have found is that after cutting the car, if I line up the front and rear parts of the roof correctly, the side window openings don't line up (at the lower edge of the opening). The rear part is about 8-10mm higher than the front.

Everyone I have seen post pictures of their projects seem to line up the roof as the first priority. This makes sense, as it would be the hardest part to adjust if you had to try and "bend"/cut and shut the roof panel itself (not too mention the rain gutters).

My question is, how do you then make the side panels line up with the door and ensure they aren't 10mm too high at the rear?

"Quattrobomb" has posted some great photos here https://www.s2forum.com/forum/member...-sport-quattro , but the work is already done and I can't see how he has made the window opening line up when the roof is lined up perfectly.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

Ash

Moderators, sorry if I should have put this query into "projects" - please move if you think it should be.

[rs2000t]

A picture is probably better than the explanation...

misalignment2.jpg

[LSG]

I've never done this although I think you need to replace the original windscreen with a Audi 80 sport but I could be totally wrong. Tonks on here maybe the man to advise you. Good luck with your project. Regards Lynn

[rs2000t]

Hi Lynn. Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post.

Using an 80 sport windscreen is certainly the “proper” way to make a SWB replica of a factory built S1, however this also requires a fibreglass or carbon/kevlar complete replacement roof and C pillars to be used to allow for the extra length and width of the “real” S1 roof panel as dictated by the more upright windscreen angle.

I’m happy to keep the coupe windscreen and roof as many others have done. I’ve seen many examples of finished cars with a modified steel roof, and I am hoping that one of the forum members that have previously carried out this work successfully can provide me some advice as to how they were able to achieve an acceptable result given that the standard coupe roof shape tapers “down” towards the rear which causes the 8-10mm vertical misalignment when the car is shortened.

[Lefrog]

Check g60rallye build full detailed pics of the conversion your carrying out

[4WDrifter]

Here
https://www.s2forum.com/forum/member...-project/page3

[rs2000t]

Thanks LeFrog and 4WDrifter, there is some excellent photos there.

Looking at this post in Hamish's thread ( https://www.s2forum.com/forum/member...459#post452459 ), it looks like he has made a horizontal cut all the way to the rear of the window opening which would allow the lower window frame to be bent down the required 8-10mm along its length to match up with the window frame at the front end of the window opening. I can also see from other photos in Hamish's thread that it looks like the inner structure behind this panel has also been cut in a number of strategic locations to allow this lower window frame to be bent downward slightly.

I've attached a marked up copy of one of Hamish's photos that explains this in pictures. Can anyone confirm if what I am seeing is how it is done?

I still wonder how the composite panel will fit when placed on top of this as the underlying shape has changed a little from the original. I suppose this all just gets taken up with some flex in the fibreglass or kevlar/carbon panel?

Thanks again to all that are helping with this.

filedata/fetch?id=2048615&d=1546222896&type=thumb

[Lefrog]

Perhaps drop Hampshire a message . I know from the later pictures he cut the panel edges away and left a fair bit of original metal to bond the panels on where if you look at my build I m using the whole composite carbon Kevlar panel including closures and bonding onto the original spot weld locations.