OWDLVR

figured I might as well chat here...seeing as others might find it interesting.

nice site! clean and organized, which is probably the biggest plus as far as I'm concerned.

What did you do with your 7A? I'm begining to think I might go with a 7A conversion into my car, for the sole reason that it still keeps me in production class. And hey...two cams are better then one ;-)

Now that I see you've got the coupe, the battery in the back seat is definitely the way to go. What sort of racing are you building up towards? Track, Autocross, Rally? Figured it's not rally...you only bought one seat!

Regarding the seat a few things to think about: What are you wearing when you've sat in it and discovered it's too thin? Once you toss some underwear, and a nomex suit on you'll find your seat is a lot wider then with a pair of jeans on.

So now that it runs you need to sort out some sort of cage! And I need to sort out my suspension :-P

-Dave

Jimmy Pribble

> What did you do with your 7A?

I gave it to Ken Fluhr who did most of the heavy wrenching on this project. It will probably end-up in a CGT someday.

> What sort of racing are you building up towards?

Well, I really want to do rally, but I live in a part of the country that is mostly barren of such things. There is one SCCA rally in Texas run twice a year, so I would like to run that, but otherwise, I will probably end-up road racing locally. In the future, I would prefer to attend different rally races around the country, but it will be awhile before I can get my budget in shape for anything like that. In fact, my budget will probably only allow open-tracking for the next year or so, while I am still finishing the car and purchasing other mandatory racing-related equipment and gear. As far as car prep, right now I'm just following general SCCA guidelines, since no matter what, my car is an open class car.

> Regarding the seat...

Actually, I found some additional non-compressible "padding" in the hip area of the seat that I removed and now I don't have any problems fitting in the seat.

> So now that it runs you need to sort out some sort of cage!

As soon as I get an exhaust on the car, a cage will be next. I have the card of a local guy on my desk and will be calling him shortly to discuss my options. I'll keep your advice in mind. Also, I will be very interested to see what you do about a suspension. We don't seem to be over-burdened with options. :-(

Later,

Jimmy

MasterB

does it have to be -stock-, or can you change cams, p&p, and up the CR (which I've heard can bring pretty significant gains to the motor...)?

OWDLVR

Exhaust: let me know if I can help you out, you need custom bits anyways. This will have to be done off AW, so email me: spokes AT the-wire.com

Suspension: There is more available then you know about.

KW suspensions makes a kit in Europe, I've been having some issues with the CDN office, but I'm sure if I was actually PAYING for the suspension they'd have helped me out a long time ago. www.kwsuspension.com They can modify the dampening for Rally, as one of the German engineers rallies a 90q. Pony up the bucks and I'm sure you'd have no issues getting a kit. I'm still waiting on my 'sponsored' kit. (read, I helped them out with exhaust...waiting for the promised suspension in return).

www.dmsnorthamerica.com if you call Mark at DMS and tell him Dave from Vibrant told you to call him, he'll be able to come up with something. I can't recall if they already have a kit, or if they'd need you to ship a set of struts so they could build a set. I think you're looking somewhere between $3500-5000 cdn. These will be 50mm diameter shock shafts and the ULTIMATE low-budget rally suspension. DMS is the ticket, seriously. And when you buy from Mark he has some sort of rebuild deal for the first year or two (you'd have to ask him). I've seen the shop, and it's absolutely incredible. Mark may need to refer you to the DMS supplier for the southern states, but if you do end up wanting to buy through Mark...email me.

HotBits - http://www.motorsport-dist.com/ Talk to Peter at motorsports distributing. Again, you can tell him that Dave from Vibrant told you to call. Hotbits doesn't currently have a fitment for the 90's, but if you're willing to buy a set they're willing to build them. Hotbits is I think less expensive then DMS, but still very good suspension. I think they use 35mm or 40mm shafts.

Bilstien - I was talking to the bilstien guy this past weekend about bringing over their rally stuff from Europe. It might be happening, but it's a year or two out. Certainly your least expensive option is to do the ground-control coil-over sleeves and bilstien inserts. Bilstiens are 35mm and have been used with good success in rally circles up here.

Proflex - they may or may not make a system for our cars...but at $10k USD for a set, it's out of my dreaming range ;-)

My choice in order, cost not a factor:
DMS
Hotbits/KWsuspension (tie)
Bilstien-Ground Control combo

If I'm paying for it I'm likely to go for:
Bilstien-Ground Control
DMS
KW Suspension or Hotbits

HTH,

-Dave

Edit: DMS and Hotbits will be TRUE coil-over kits. KW suspension will be a true coil-over kit built in/around a stock strut housing. Ground-Control/Bilstien combo is a modified stock strut housing.

OWDLVR

it needs to remain bone stock.

Air Filter (just the filter, not the housing), spark plugs, wires, cap, rotor, oil and oil filter are all free (meaning use what-ever you want).

The rest is to remain stock.

That's the technical rule...but I know of instances where it isn't exactly 'adhered to'. It is racing after all...

-Dave

*Edit*: Bryan, if you ever pull your 7a to do a turbo swap I want your 7a. Infact, I have a GOOD toronto source for 10v turbo engines...can get you everything you need for a swap - Engine, harness, computer, etc. But I want your 20v.

Jimmy Pribble

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/4916/dscf0009.jpg"></center><p>I have to do the other stuff first, but when I get around to the suspension, I'll probably talk to you more. No matter what, a decent suspension is $$$+.

James Bufkin ("Fusilier" over on the UrQ forum) is a friend of mine and has an extra set of Audi Sport suspension pieces from his UrQ rally car. If we think we can get them to work on my car, I might just go that route.

It's funny, I also have my "dream list" and my "reality list". ;-)

Photo from my dream list!

Later,

Jimmy

MasterB

but if someone were to mix &amp; match factory cams, pistons, and shave a few thou off the head or thinner head gasket... ...that might also be cosidered 'stock'

re the 7A: honestly, I doubt I'd ever do anything as involed as a motor swap in this car... ...it's 14 years old, it's tried, and engine swaps can be a whole lot of time and money. I sooner go UrS4/S6 (real trunk, real power)

OWDLVR

Mmmmmmm Ohlins.

I didn't mention those...as they're totally on the proflex side of the equation!

I need to hang out more in the Urq forum...I know you guys talk a lot of race-prep there.

-Dave

OWDLVR

Technially what you suggest is still illegal. But a lot of it happens.

The key to remember is that if someone protests your win, they can have your engine torn down right there at the event...and guess what? you go home with boxes, they don't put it back together.

I can't recall if it's ever happened...but it could.

re: your 7a - crash your car then? Just get t-boned or something...then you can get your UrS4 and I can get your suspension and engine :-D

-Dave

MasterB

yeah, I know, "it's only illegal if you get caught" - I've been involved in racing - and you just know some folks will do -anything- to win...

re: my well being - crash my car?! get t-boned?! nice to see you care about your fellow AWers :P (j/k bro)