S2 Restoration Options.

[Twenny Benson]

Thanks for the repsonses chaps.

better the devil you know. get it done

Can't argue with that, If i did sell it and get a better one there is no doubt it would eventually end up getting the same treatment and I would have even less money at the end! I thinks its clear then, If i want to sort the S2 out there really is only one way to do it, pay through the ****! lol.

[Error404]

better the devil you know. get it done

[Tonks4x4]

Either bite the bullet and restore it, realistically 3k to 4k very easily.
Based on suspension and running gear overhaul and a glass out respray

Or sell it for £1000 to £1500

Add your £3k to £4k to your sale figure and then blow the lot on a better example, which you won't be happy with and end up spending even more

[andy10v]

The front wing is a bolt on part so not really an issue, the rear quarter and the windscreen bit will need to be sorted properly.

If you are going to re shell it anyway you could always have a go and see what happens.

Don't know what you want from the car but dropping all the running gear into a 90q20v would make a fun sleeper, though you would want to find a clean one.

[Twenny Benson]

Oh well it was worth a thought but I did suspect they would be different as the B5 quattros also use a different floorpan. I guess I will price up the options a bit better and see which way makes more sense. Bodywork is something I've never taken on before, maybe its time I try my hand at it.

[andy10v]

Anyway is it even possible to convert a FWD coupe to quattro?

Anything is possible, however that is not practical as the rear floor plan is different. A clean 20v cq would be the easiest re shell, not including using an s2.

[Twenny Benson]

Anyway is it even possible to convert a FWD coupe to quattro?

[Twenny Benson]

I know I do feel strangely loyal to this original car and I would love to save it, but I'm no rich man. I've just completed my A4 build and that got silly, the slope is very slippy as i'm sure you know. The main issue for me is the rear arch section, if I get it repaired surely it will come back in a year or two, I've seen that happen to many times. I really don't know what to do with it, can't allow it snowball into a mega money build again.

[willg54]

The wings wouldnt be too bad to do, im the same position. I think they are about £160 new from the dealer or several around here or VRS second hand for cheap. They look repairable though...might be worth getting them checked out at a body shop. I think its more the inside rotting that causes problems.
I have a small bubble on the roof too which needs the screen out to sort. I dont think it would be a vastly expensive job....and you wouldnt have to transfer everything to another shell!!

dont let another S2 disappear please!!!

[Twenny Benson]

Well having daily driven (60miles) my S2 for three months now I can honestly say I love it, its cheaper to fuel than my A4 so somehow I think its cheap to run Anyway I bought this car purely for a daily hack that I was going to run into the ground But I just can't do it to the old girl, truth be told I actually love it, I think it has heaps more character & soul than the A4, although the A4 still wins in the lunacy steaks. So I have almost comitted myself to restoring the S2, almost....

The problem is, I got it cheap and I got what I paid for. Its mechanically sound ish, it still pulls well, I have given it the once over and all the important stuff is in fair order. The biggest thing holding me back is the fact the shell is rotting in fairly significant places.

Around the windscreen frame



Near side rear arch





Near side wing



Not to mention the laquer peeling from the roof swage lines or the numerous deep scratches & dings.

So to save this old girl would take a stack of cash just to get the body work & respray sorted out never mind all the mechanical work that would have to follow.

So finally the question! Is it possible to transplant everything from the S2 into a FWD coupe chassis or are they vastly different? I can find a mint coupe for less than the cost of all the bodywork as everything would be getting stripped out anyway. Or just bite the bullet and get this original car restored and to hell with the extra it would cost. Or the last option would be sell it on and find a better example. What to do, what to do?