Decisions, decisions...

[Huw Powell]

> I just completed a really lovely road trip in the '83 CGT
> 
> But I face the prospect of doing many more similar drives (at least the
> PDX-SFO part), and that brings me to the verge of a decision.
> 
> The CGT was remarkable, for an 18-year-old car with 100 bhp
> On the way home, I kept thinking about what I'd like to fix about the CGT if
> I was going to undertake the drive regularly -- some things to fix outright,
> other things to replace/upgrade in advance to make it more durable or
> enjoyable, everything from new suspension bushings to a modest CD player.
> 
> So... Here's the catch.  I am on the brink, and I wanted to open the
> conversation on the following topic.
> 
> 1 - Restore and/or upgrade the CGT to better-than-new specs, from things
> like bushings and shocks to an orthopedic driver's seat and a 5KT engine
> transplant 

Well, of all the Audis out there, the simplest to keep on the road
reliably are the 2wd (not so important) normally aspirated cars.  If you
rebuild your brakes nicely (use 4kq calipers and 16v scirocco rotors!),
rebush the suspendies, make sure the electrics are clean and solid, you
should be able to just carry that AAA card without ever getting it out.

I think the turbo transplant, to be reliable, would cost more than its
worth considering your other options.  But, that said, an NF engine (out
of a 86-87 or so 5k) will get you 130 gee gees, tack on a 4kq
manifold/downpipe and fat exhaust pipe, perhaps do some work on that new
engine to improve it a bit.  Install CIS-E off an 84-87 4kq/coupe or use
the knock sensing CIS-E3 that would have been in the NF donor vehicle,
and you should even see an improvement in fuel economy.  Although your
semi mechanical CIS stock system should run the 2.3 ok too.

Or, snag a used 87.5 cgt which comes with the 2.3 and tighten it up
nicely, keep your '83 as a back up for nostalgia's sake.

> 2 - Put the money into getting what I have always wished the CGT was -- an
> ur-Quattro. 

While they are certainly the audiphile "dream car", I think with only
800 ever hitting the US, and they being the oldest ones at that, and a
ghastly complicated car, an UrQ would not be a good choice for your
application.  Great second car, weekend warrior, as has been pointed
out, though.  Anything that can go wrong with your coupe can be
diagnosed in an hour or less - and you can easily acquire a nice spare
parts shelf from all the 4kq's and coupes coming off the road these
days.

> 3 - Buy a '90-'91 CQ. 

sure, why not?

> 4 - Decide "oh, the hell with it," put the cash down on a TTq

Hmmm, these options do have wildly divergent costs associated with
them!  For the cost of the CQ you could run three hopped-up, tightly
refreshed cgt's, for the price of the tt... a different color for every
day?  and an UrQ for the weekend to play mechanic on!

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi/

http://www.humanthoughts.org/