S2 Restoration Options.

[Error404]

Better this way think of it as an organ donor keeping other cars alive
RIP Mr S2

[Twenny Benson]

What you going to replace it with for a daily? something vw?

I was thinking a Volvo S60 D5 cheap, comfy, reliable and still a 5 pot

I think your making a very wise choice, I'd have given up way before you did, fair play for even having a go at restoring it. Looking back through your thread you weren't to know just how badly the car had been repaired in the past. It would have taken you forever to put that shell back to anywhere near how it should be, really not worth the effort and expense.

I think my enthusiasm took over everthing to be fair, I know if I had of carried on, the entire car would be compromised and cost a fair bit as well. I think for once I have made the right choice. I know some people tried to tell me at the beginining to cut my losses and move on but I guess I thought I could save her. It would never have been what it should, you live & you learn I guess!

[K Simmonds]

I think your making a very wise choice, I'd have given up way before you did, fair play for even having a go at restoring it. Looking back through your thread you weren't to know just how badly the car had been repaired in the past. It would have taken you forever to put that shell back to anywhere near how it should be, really not worth the effort and expense.

[djh]

What you going to replace it with for a daily? something vw?

[Twenny Benson]

I have to agree with Alex on this, anyone who knows me will tell you I would not have taken this decision lightly. I know it may look as though its purely a financial decision, but believe me it isn't. Seeing the state of the car under the skin was shocking, the pic's really don't show just how bad it is. At the end of the day my life would depend on the structural integrity of that shell if the worst were to happen, I for one would not wager my life on it! Its as simple as that. I really have thought this through and I have made a decision to cut my losses now, I think it was overly ambitious of me to think I could own two mental cars and actually run & insure them. My A4 really does cost me a fortune to run as a daily and with the weather getting worse it won't be long till I have a big off or lose my license, I just can't drive it like a sane person. It needs to return to toy status and be tinkered with and driven when the occasion suits. I'm sure in years to come I will want another S2 and will probably pay a premium but thats life and I feel I have made the right decision for now

[Error404]

to be fair looking at the damage the car has had I'd be surprised if the chassis is even anywhere near straight. the quality of the repairs suggests it was done by a cowboy and cowboys don't use jigs
As much as I hate seeing cars being broken I think in this instance it is the right thing to do

[djh]

No worries, glad to help out, just a shame your not able to finish it, it was coming along well

[Twenny Benson]

Thanks for the all the comments chaps, it does help me to make my mind up. I have spent a good few weeks mulling this over, I have gone back & forth for weeks but I've come to a decision. As much as it hurts I've decided to cut my losses and part out the remains of my S2. I had big plans for it but in reality I can't afford to build another car, fuelling my GT3076R A4Q is killing me at the moment, I have also decided to retire it to toy status and lay some cash on a diesel my justification is that it will free up a load of money to take the A4 to the next level and I will probably hold onto my license & my life this way It does kill me to let the S2 go but I have to be realistic. I will post up a for sale thread tonight for everything that has to go, you can PM me in the meantime if your after anything. I would like to say thanks to everyone who helped me out, especially DJH

[Shoto]

good and hard work you are doing.respect man

[quattrostyle]

I like the last advise above
Or even better take a 90 quattro type 89, no need to change chassis engine mounts and everything from the underside of your coupe will fit.

[Error404]

I think its fair to say that you've uncovered more horrors than you expected with this one mate, respect to you for taking it as far as you have.
Truth be told I'd have weighed in that shell and started over with a tidy CQ and transplanting all the bits over, Its all bolt on and you already have everything there, you can do most of it in a weekend. Since its for the track & fun not a daily, while its stripped you can carry out some free chassis upgrades and sell off all the bits you don't need / want to finance all the new underpinnings, bushes etc.
Or chop the engine mounts off your coupe shell and do an S2 saloon

[Twenny Benson]

Tube frame chassis! On me driveway, I doubt I could pull that off and the costs will be even more than just cobbling it back together.

I think the favourite option would be to use a solid shell and fit all the ABY bits to it, although I'm still considering just parting it out and concentrating on my B5 and buying something cheap to run, my fuel costs are killing me at the mo.

[andy10v]

So suggestions for a man of your skills like tube frame...... :mischeif:

You could always grab a clean coupe shell, refurb it/upsec it ala error404?

That will still take a fair bit of time/money though.

[Twenny Benson]

I've read this thread the whole way through today, and I've been very impressed. Youve taken on a car that obviously had problems, and unfortunately the further you've dug, the worse they've got. You have nothing to be ashamed of if you want to cut your losses at this point, you've obviously given the car more care than it's been used to.

There's plenty of cheap coupes around, and the shell thats been offered above if you want to continue with it. If not, you'll get a fair bit of your money back in parts.

I do feel a little defeated I must admitt and I don't give in easily, but I do think its the sensible option considering the state of it. It is a shame as I really wanted to see it through. I might consider transplanting the ABY stuff into a coupe as I really like the idea of an S2 track car, truth be told I just love that 5 pot motor

I will have a chat with DJH about this other coupe shell of his and see how viable it is, I kick myself when I think what I did to the other coupe quattro shell he offered me There was nothoing wrong with it!

[j_jza80]

Thanks for the kind words chaps, it hasn't helped my recent dilemma which I've been debating with myself for some time now.

I have been pondering the future of my S2 and the work required to make it solid again, the extent of the rot is quite scary if im honest and its probably too far gone. I'm only kidding myself if I think its going to be alright, at the end of the day the structural integrity of the shell is what will keep me alive and on two feet if it all goes **** up and I'm not 100% convinced it's up to it, well not convinced enough to wager my life on it anyway. I know over time once its driving the power levels will just continue to climb and hence the danger aspect will increase exponentially.

The other side of it is the amount of money required to make the car presentable, it won't be cheap to get it back together and driving again and I have to ask myself if its worth the money for something that will clearly be compromised? I know I swore to see it through but maybe I was a little too enthusiastic and naive. When I read some of the comments at the beginning of the thread and the advice some of the more sensible members of the forum have imparted, they clearly had a better idea than I did. I have to admitt I can be talked into doing just about anything, ask DJH how hard it was convincing me to cut a coupe in half and ram it in the back of a van! Must of took at least 3 minutes!

So I'am on the verge of cutting my losses and parting out what I can to recuperate some of what I've spent. I already own a stupidly fast quattro and another one is the last thing I need if im honest, I commute 60 miles a day and the fuel cost is absolutely killing me. Dare I say it, I desperately need something sensible

I would appreciate some input from other like minded types but I think I've already made my mind up!

I've read this thread the whole way through today, and I've been very impressed. Youve taken on a car that obviously had problems, and unfortunately the further you've dug, the worse they've got. You have nothing to be ashamed of if you want to cut your losses at this point, you've obviously given the car more care than it's been used to.

There's plenty of cheap coupes around, and the shell thats been offered above if you want to continue with it. If not, you'll get a fair bit of your money back in parts.