20V CQ Tidy Up

[K Simmonds]

That's some super tidy metal work there mate, I spent all day yesterday on the exact same job so I know just how fiddly and time consuming it is. I take it your planing on another set of flanges on the DP side of the waste gate flexi? Or does your down pipe come out the top as opposed to from underneath when removing it? I made the 90 degree stub of pipe for the waste gate flange as short as I could and I still have to remove the CV joint guard to get the thing off from underneath, there's no way I can remove mine from above due to the main flexi joint at the base of the down pipe.

I don't know how you'll find it with a TIG but my MIG didn't like the edge of the flexi very much, I gave it a good going over with brake cleaner but it fizzed an spat like a sod.

[AndyP]

Good god that's neat Nice work!

[quattrostyle]

Very nice work. I could do that myself as I suffer from OCD as well.

[Error404]

Hiya Kit - yeah its a time consuming job to do but actually really satisfying once the fit is just so
I'm going to keep the wastegate flexi as part of the downpipe - not sure yet how the best way to fit / remove it. It definately wont come out the top, I tried that before I took it out of the car to make the wastegate pipe - so I will try and do it with the driveshaft out of the way. If it won't go easily I will put a V-band in the middle so I can separate it into two halves
I've also kept the heat shield, there is plenty of space for it with a 3" pipe, I don't know why many "professional" installers remove & claim it doesn't fit
I had to fabricate a bracket to retain the heatshield as the RS4 downpipes go over the CV joint and so the mounting points for the heat shield are in the wrong place. All these little jobs are quite time consuming, but that's what a project is all about

Oh BTW be really careful with brake cleaner and welding - if you vapourise it, it gives off nerve gas - no kidding!
You might find the pressed rings on the flexi are alumininised steel rather than stainless

[newsh]

Very nice mate! Thanks for the seat runner bits by the way, I'd forgotten all about them! (If indeed it was you that sent them )

[Error404]

That makes two of us.

I had to think why I'd put them in my drawer at work then I remembered I'd promised to send them to you weeks ago


Here's one for Kit:

http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm

[K Simmonds]

Nice one for the safety warning I knew it could give off something pretty nasty so I always leave the work piece for a good while so the stuff can evaporate. However upon reading that I don't think I'll risk using it at all from now on.

And I agree there's plenty of space for a CV heat shield with a 3" down pipe, don't know what the fuss is about really, I just have to take mine off to install or remove the down pipe. A V-band in the middle is a good idea, would make things much easier.

[Thuppu]

Just got to cut out the downpipe now where it meets

C'mon Alex, show us some sexy tig welds.

[Error404]

I don't work well under pressure

No set foot in the garage for a few days actually - its reminded me why I hate Christmas!

[Tonks4x4]

I'd always wondered why we never got climate control in the UK market, its a real shame.

A while ago while I was taking the car apart I spotted an odd depression on the underside of my dash, on the passenger side above the glove box:



I wondered, had they seriously considered putting climate into the RHD cars, and this would have been the position for the intake for the cabin temp sensor fan, opposite where it is on the LHD climate dash?
Under the thin layer of foam the dashboard has a steel shell. Here was a hole in the steel right in the correct spot!



(Tom) Saltinot very kindly emailed me a picture of the underside of his LHD RS2 climate dash and it looked pretty good - so I decided to risk it for a biscuit and ordered the LHD climate dash intake parts and cabin temp sensor: There are 3 parts - the grill trim for the top side, the sensor body and a foam seal:



Assembles like this with the dash sandwiched in between. The intake fan then connects to the nipple on the side, and draws cabin air down over the temp sensor.



I scraped back the foam around the hole and then bit the bullet and punched a little hole right in the middle - no going back now!



Marked up to cut the hole in the dash skin using the foam seal as a template:



Cut out the hole - scary moment - have I f***ed up and ruined my mint dash?!



Pushed the grill trim through the hole - looks about right



The sensor body then attaches from the other side. To attached the two halves together there are two small sleeves - these appear to be NLA, so I made two little sleeves up out of some stainless tube I had kicking about:



Then screwed it into place and locked the grill trim down:





Et voila - the way it should have been - worlds first RHD climate dash, mit kohlefaser




Now I need to make up a little bracket to hold the intake fan, then I am pretty much done with the climate install - all done as OEM as I could manage....sad I know

Great!!! Do you have the part numbers handy for the bits I need?

[AndyP]

Updates??

[Error404]

Sadly no, not had time to do anything since the end of November
Should be able to get on with a bit over the next few weeks

[gripper]

I've bought a scruffy 20V CQ with no MOT or Tax with the aim of tidying it up, back to its former glory

Massive understatement Alex

Just read your thread from the beginning (again !)

I don't think 'awesome' quite covers it

Will this be at ADI in 2014 with the 'new' engine ?

[Error404]

Thanks dude

Yes I'm sure I'll be at ADI mate, unless I've blown it up

[newsh]

That's really strange, I just read the title of the thread in the list of "New Posts" and thought "Bit of an understatement!" Then opened it and read.

Massive understatement Alex