S2 Restoration Options.

[Twenny Benson]

LOL of all the projects I've ever been involved with, business & pleasure they've all suffered spec creep! Nothing ever stays on plan. But I do know what you mean. The problem is that this car needs to be put back together on a shoe string really.

The other side is in much better order yes, luckily there are only a few small patches to attend to and it will be sweet, the entire boot floor pan needs to come out though, its completely ******ed. Im not sure if the worm has crept along under the sealer and eaten it away or if this is more crash damage repairs!

[djh]

It is rather scary to think the pro's obviously classed this as repaired! I've know doubt that time & the ingress of water have played there part but that was also down to there shoddy efforts. I'm just glad that DJH donated the CQ shell otherwise I have no doubt I would have scrapped it, so big thanks once again dude.

No problem... I have another

[Twenny Benson]

Don't even go there!

[Error404]

[poor-boy]

Wow.. Brilliant work, Truly brilliant

[aNdreee]

Hello.

Great body work there!, good to see this s2 gets straighten up !

Good luck with the rest

[j_jza80]

Top work nice to see it start coming together.

I'm most impressed your cat is 22 though, they normally live for around 15 years!

[Twenny Benson]

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!

[djh]

I have another quattro shell.....

[Twenny Benson]

DJH PM sent

[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.

[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!

[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]

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.

[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