Soul searching (or what to do with the 91 200q hull?)LONG

[qshipaz at juno.com]

Greetings Audinauts,

As I inch along in reassembling the 86 CommEd CGT (broken subframe bolt, co=
ntrol arm bushings, clutch, strut mounts, CV boots, prep for MC transplant.=
.=2E+ 110F temperatures here in AZ), thoughts turn to the fate of the 1991 =
200q (20V?)

The CGT came into my life for $300 as a runner with missing digital cluster=
 and dead clutch hydraulics. I got it working with the help of TPC and a ju=
nkyard analog cluster. So far still not to the $1000 mark, it should be a d=
ecent daily driver (already tagged/insured thru 5/05!)

It was intended as a replacement for the late great Datsun 240Z. This was t=
he beast which I drove daily, hard, while bench racing about Audi projects.=
 Totaled 4/1/03 by errant SUV. CGT purchased around 4/25/03.

240Z v2.0 came around on May 21st. So now I'm driving that (much like the f=
irst one- shiny, quick, simple, loud, rough. No Audi but that's not what I =
ask of it.) and the CGT is coming back together. I am moving at the end of =
this month, so the Audi will either be finished, or I'll die trying...

So: Mostly stock 240Z (NAC, I know) and CGT also make up the fleet. Welllll=
.=2E. not entirely. I also have a half-stripped, really cosmetically heinou=
s '86 5ktq. The engine from this is sitting next to the CGT in my garage. R=
umor has it that it will eventually hop into the engine bay of said Coupe. =
I don't think the 5ktq will ever be a car again, but it's not a bad parts b=
east. However, the storage situation is likely to evaporate.

That's not the real quandary, though. Parked next to it is a project gone a=
mok. '91 200q. Indigo metallic (my favorite 44 color) over black sport inte=
rior. Shiny, nice finish, great interior. Completely empty engine room. (It=
 was bought by a friend to be a 4ktq 20v donor) The transmission looks to b=
e slated for Ken's '91 200q20v. I was intending to put the '86 MC into the =
'91. Further reading on the limitations of CIS slowed that project- the 240=
Z total+ CGT purchase stopped it dead.

So, what do I do? Budgetary concerns preclude the purchase of a complete 3B=
 with harness to make it whole. Even if I bit the bullet on that and got it=
 together, I don't think I can justify upkeep on 3 cars. So, which two to k=
eep? As this is an Audi forum, I can see how the Datsun might be a casualty=
.=2E. but really, what's the justification for keeping an MC powered CGT wh=
en one has a 91 200q?

Plan C has been lurking in the back of my mind ever since the days of my fi=
rst Audi, an '87 5kcst 5spd. I was thinking that a "simplified" 44 might be=
 an interesting project. '89 100E manual AC controls, type 43 ATF steering =
and vacuum brakes, G60s in place of UFOs, manual diff locks in place of Tor=
sen, and an EFI MC engine. Oh, and a Modine radiator (all-metal).

Now that I've laid out the Frankenaudi specs, and knowing that I have acces=
s to all the bits except the 100E AC controls and the EFI setup...

What's the consensus?

Rob

'86 CGT
'86 5ktq (parts)
'91 200q (fate uncertain)
*and in related topics*
'86 CGT (roommate's)
'87 5kt (RIP)
'85 CGT (sold to friend)
'93 90S (sister's)
'75 Fox (Dad, what did you start back in '78?!)

________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!