Audi RS2 Avant - Possible to Add Roof Rails

[TheBen]

I'm interested in purchasing an Audi RS2 Avant, however the example I'm looking at doesn't have the roof rails. Is it possible to retrofit them or is it a major pain?

Thanks in advance.

Ben S.

[UrS4boy]

I'm interested in purchasing an Audi RS2 Avant, however the example I'm looking at doesn't have the roof rails. Is it possible to retrofit them or is it a major pain?

Doable but mostly a big pain in the ****. The rails are attached to posts that are threaded into captured nuts that are installed early in the production process for a roof-rail vehicle. Retro-fitting will be a bit of a hack job with the headliner out using T-bolts.

Headliner removal hints: http://forums.quattroworld.com/s4s6/msgs/330560.phtml


Photo of roof rails and post removed from Mike Atkisson on quattroworld


Photo of the captured nut (which canNOT be seen with the headliner out) by Mike Atkisson again

[psiconauta911]

Much prettier and aerodinamic without the roof rails! But pretty part is just my opinion!

[UrS4boy]

The rails are attached to posts that are threaded into captured nuts that are installed early in the production process for a roof-rail vehicle. Retro-fitting will be a bit of a hack job with the headliner out using T-bolts.

Found a photo of the two styles of "posts" that Audi used on the C4s (and presumbably the B4s including the RS2). The upper ones are the earlier style that used 3 mm set screws to hold the rails to the posts. The lower ones are the later 4mm set screw posts used later in the model runs. I don't know which ones the RS2s used because these parts are NOT in ETKA.


Photo was posted by Steve Mills (aka "boxflares") on the quattroworld forum. Steve passed away a couple of years ago due to cancer (RIP Steve - we miss you).

[mackenzie50]

That's helpful - I recently acquired a lowly (but pretty!) 2.0 80 avant as family go-for and been swithering about putting on roof rails- decision made (staying without!)
I was ignorant that any RS2s came without roof rails btw.

[newsh]

Very rare and dare I say desirable without the rails?

A mate fitted rails to an Audi 200 that he re-shelled. IIRC he found the fixings were already in the car and he only had to drill through the roof skin (in the right place!) to access them.

[UrS4boy]

A mate fitted rails to an Audi 200 that he re-shelled. IIRC he found the fixings were already in the car and he only had to drill through the roof skin (in the right place!) to access them.

That fits with a theory that we had developed (but not proven) on quattroworld, i.e. all of the avants were likely fitted with the captured nuts during construction of the body. We never proved it since we only got C4 avants (no B4 avants) and *ALL* of the C4 avants came with roof rails.

[riche164]

Dave is a wealth of knowledge we'd be lost on this forum without him and those like him keep up the good work

[UrS4boy]

Dave is a wealth of knowledge we'd be lost on this forum without him and those like him keep up the good work

Thanks. Appreciate it. I check in here daily but only post when I think I can help.

[Acki]

Avant without roof rails is like a unicorn, or gold dust.
Some guys would kill to have not roof rails without paint job.

[psiconauta911]

When I bought mY avant ABY coming from a 1.9 Tdi with roof rails I missed the rails but after a while it grew on me as it is a much cleaner design and stands out from the rest of the b4 avants over here as if being an S2 wasn´t enough.....there are only 3 or 4 around here x10 for RS2!