new project car (long, incoherent rambling)

[fjbauer@dsavm.e-mail.com]

Frank J. Bauer                                                                  
dassault systemes of America     email:fjbauer@dsavm.e-mail.com                 
Subject: new project car (long, incoherent rambling)                            

regarding the recent thread on todd's acquisition of an early 80's 4k           
for the turbo q project and the urq/4kq/4k debate:                              

the mid-80's 4kq and coupe have different a-pillars, the coupe being much more  
steeply raked.  this i know for sure.  i am assuming, but don't know for sure,  
that the urqs also have the more steeply raked windshield.  i am fairly certain 
that the early 80's and mid 80's 4k(q) have essentially the same body (above    
the pan) so the only differences should be the taillights/grille/headlights/    
bumpers.  i am even more certain that the mid-80's 4k and 4kq were the same     
body (above the pan).  the "original" quattro testbed was a 4k body and         
modified pan (well actually an 80).  i think this is what todd is referring     
to with his sport quattro comment.  the S1 quattro was indeed                   
shortened almost a foot behind the b-pillar.  i seem to remember that           
the upright a-pillar was used for visibility reasons (as in "i can't see the    
damn road for the instrument glare on the windshield").  i don't know if this   
change was because of a change in seat position or not, since i'd think all     
coupe drivers would have this problem.  maybe audi cared more for their rally   
drivers than their road-going customers.  if it WAS a changed seat position     
in the S1, the upright a-pillar may have also been necessary for headroom       
(helmet) reasons.                                                               
i have no idea why todd would want to start with a (non-q) 4k for his turbo     
4kq project.  you will need to fabricate a new tunnel for sure to start and     
the rear suspension/subframe mounting points are another thing. why bother,     
unless you really want a 2 door turbo 4kq?  and if a 2 door is your thing,      
why not start with a coupe?  now we can close the circle with why not go        
find a nice urq and save yourself the headache?  if stealth is your thing,      
it would be easier to make an urq look like a coupe than to make a coupe        
(or 4k) into a turbo q.  FWIW, there is a guy in san jose, ca who races         
scca prorally and has a technically delicious q - started with a non-q coupe,   
added a tunnel and custom suspension points, put in the 84 4kq tranny/diffs,    
bolted on a VW 16V 4 cyl with garrett variable vane turbo, liquid/air           
intercooler mounted under the wing and too many other goodies to list.          
i think i have rambled long enough...                                           

frank