Help!! The front of my car is shagegd... :-(

[Ross]

Hi-

First, fantastic weekend @ the garage meet; great to put more names to faces and see some other wheels too...

But - to the problem at hand. I made it up to the lakes without issue, however I then suffered what I thought was a broken bonnet catch (scarey brown-trouser moment) whent the bonnet raised a couple of inches on the dual carrageway.

Turns out, the bonnet was still latched down but the whole part of the front (the bit that goes above + below the headlights and attaches to the front wings, on a 3B) has actually bent in the middle and raised about an inch!! (!)

Anyone know of this happening before, or if I get super-desperate have some spare parts or know where they can be sourced in the North-West? My current option is to see if I can't bend it back into shape as a temp. fix to get home. Or I drive at 50mph all the way

As my explanation sucks, I'll post pics as soon as it's light - it looks bad in the dark so I'm not looking forward to this...

cheers
Ross

[Azman]

This may sound daft dut those parts are on ebay at the moment. I will find the link and post it

[Azman]

Sorry dude, looks like it has been bought, it was on there when I got up at 6pm.

Sorry

Aaron

[Fat Audi 80]

Ross, I think you are refering to the "slam panel". The good news is this is a bolt on part so you should be able to get a new one. I am slightly confused though, as the bonnet is held down by large pins on either side of the slam panel. so it being bent in the middle does not make total sense?

Got any pics?

Cheers,

Steve

[s2driveruk]

is it still attached in the middle to the crossmember? does sound like a wierd failure.

Glad you got up there ok - speedo still working? Mine stuck again at 85 on the way home so i guess its coming out again

[Ross]

Hi guys-

I broke my S2

Bit more background info: I pulled up at teh pub, one of my brothers friends comes runing outta the pub and tells me "that's an Audi 5 cylinder". Guess they don't see many in these parts. So he had a quick look under the bonnet, and I think when it was closed it didn't quite latch down properly.

I'd imagine the bonnet had kinda caught the latch in the centre but not the sides (but it wasn't raised enough for me behind the wheel to notice). Once I got out onto the dual carraigeway at speed, it must've been catching air and eventually the air presure was significant enough to bend the crossmember (!!) up by an inch or so! The bonnet is still attached to the crossmember which has a slight 'pyramid' shape to it...

Pixtures to follow - can't find the lead for my camera atm

cheers
Ross

[Fat Audi 80]

Right! That all makes sense now. The bonnet had not been closed properly and has pulled up at speed and bent/damaged/broken the temporary bonnet catch that is actuated by the lever in the grille...

Have you got the bonnet open yet, or is it stuck half closed? I suspect by the sound of it, you will need a new slam panel and a centre bonnet catch. I suspect that all coupe's use the same slam panel and latch, so it should be possible to buy S/H. I am sure someone else will be along soon to confirm.

Good luck

Cheers,

Steve

[4WheelDrifter]

AFAIK the centre bonnet catch/slam panel is the same on all 5 cylinder B3/B4 80/90/Coupés, until the end of MY'91.
I would get in contact with Sal.

[Jamo]

AFAIK the centre bonnet catch/slam panel is the same on all 5 cylinder B3/B4 80/90/Coupés, until the end of MY'91.
I would get in contact with Sal.

According to the good book it's the same for the S2 all years

[KaraK]

Hi guys-

I broke my S2

Bit more background info: I pulled up at teh pub, one of my brothers friends comes runing outta the pub and tells me "that's an Audi 5 cylinder". Guess they don't see many in these parts. So he had a quick look under the bonnet, and I think when it was closed it didn't quite latch down properly.

I'd imagine the bonnet had kinda caught the latch in the centre but not the sides (but it wasn't raised enough for me behind the wheel to notice). Once I got out onto the dual carraigeway at speed, it must've been catching air and eventually the air presure was significant enough to bend the crossmember (!!) up by an inch or so! The bonnet is still attached to the crossmember which has a slight 'pyramid' shape to it...

Pixtures to follow - can't find the lead for my camera atm

cheers
Ross

You're right.. we don't see alot of them around here!

Damn shame about the car - its always the smallest bits that can cause the biggest headaches. If it helps I know where there is an Audi garage just up the road from where you're bro lives?

[Azman]

Found it on the bay again. Just didn't look hard enough or it snuck under my eyes .

Here it is

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AUDI-COUPE-3-8...QQcmdZViewItem

Hope it helps.

[Jas11n]

Erm, B3 slam panels are different to the B4 ones. The one above in that auction will NOT work with your S2. Central lock carrier and upright lock catch are different.
This is one of the items that needs to be changed when converting a B3 front end to a B4 front end.

Any B4 Coupe/Avant/80 saloon/Cabriolet regardless of engine size will fit the S2.

B3 = seperate grille and straight across bonnet.

B4 = Bonnet extends down between the lights and has grille incorperated into it.

HTH's
Jas

[Ross]

Temporary fix :-)

Hi guys,

Thanks for the pointers - Sal not only has the spare part, it's also in the right colour it's that T-shaped piece in your post Jamo... the bolt at the bottom that holds it on place was missing, so that'll probably explain what it gave in so easy. The thin strip attached to it that runs under the headlights and clips in either side is pretty knackered too - it won't clip in on the sides any more! At least it looks fairly easy to replace

Good news is that I managed to push it down enough that I could angle a bolt through to hold it down, and now at least the bonnet will close properly! So, I can drive at normal speeds again

Karak - who are you lol... guessing someone I've met or at least knows my bro. Is that the garage down near Grange?

cheers
Ross

[KaraK]

Ross - yeah mate I had a front row seat to the bonnet incident!

[Azman]

Sorry Tired didn't read just assumed
DOH