Audi Quattro Sport questions . . .

[Phil Payne]

> > Just make sure that you inspect the condition of the timing belt
> > and associated bits before driving it a distance like that.

> > When they blew up the S1 at Goodwood due to timing belt failure,
> > they used up one of the last available spare heads for that engine.

> Definitely.  That ain't no road-side repair.

The S1 is even more of a special than the Sport.  I understand the international Sport Owners
Club (based in Switzerland) has solved the head problem.  They brought 17 Sports over a few
years ago and several of them had steel plates several mm think inserted between head and
block.

I heard the spares problem wasn't availability but a degree of politics.  It was running again
last weekend, but only for a parade lap.

The Goodwood incident was with Michele Mouton at the wheel, idling down to the paddock after a
practice run up the hill.  According to rumour the belt had only a few hundred miles on it,
but was about nine years old.  I thought the problem was with the valves - I didn't realise
the head had to be replaced.

As a matter of interest, David Sutton has written a book - "The Choice of Champions" and one
of the things it contains is a picture of a very young Michele sitting in the cockpit of the
same car.  I bought a copy out of his own hands (with dedication, naturally) last weekend.

-- 
  Phil Payne
  http://www.isham-research.com
  +44 7785 302 803