Re: FS: Audi/VW Rims 5.5J x 13 H2 (p/n 811.601.025A) Set of 3

["Douglas H. Quebbeman" <dougq@iglou.com>]

On Sat, 29 Nov 1997, Paul R Anderson wrote:

> What are these wheels off of?  A "set" of three?  Awfully big
> tires for a tricycle.  :-)

Well, now you've opened up a can of worms...

When I bought my fifth Audi (a 1974 4-door/4-speed manual Fox), the
Audi mechanic from whom I purchased the car threw in these 3 rims.
He said they'd fit the Fox, and all I'd have to do is scrounge up
a fourth one.. However, it was never to be...

I paid this mechanic $75 for the car. Mechanically, it had been 
well maintained, and when I first saw it, even the rauchblau paint
job looked good (rauchblau = smoke blue -> oxidation -> gray).
However, he carried these two BIG dogs around with him when he'd
be out shopping or drinking. As a result, the floorboard was
rusting out badly when I got it. Additionally, he had let it 
sit in a garage for a year or so before I bought it.

Now, this guy was the best Audi mechanic at the dealership, and
the only one that actually liked Audis. However, he would sometime
take questionable shortcuts.

As you all know, Audi loves to design these expensive preformed
coolant hoses. Rather than spend what could be beer money on new
hoses, when one broke, Tom would buy a coolant flush kit, and 
install the kit at the break in the hose. 

Six of these under the hood, it looked like he'd put band aids
on the engine!

After I bought it, I drove it around town for two weeks, fixing
each coolant hose as it broke again. I was trying to get it ready
for a business trip to New Jersey. Finally, it went two days
without bursting a hose, so I flushed it, changed the oil, all
the filters, put 4 new tires on it, had the A/C serviced &
filled, and took off for a 900 mile adventure to Hell, er, 
New Jersey.

The roads in New Jersey killed this rustbucket. One bad bump
threw the alighment way out, and the guy at the Shell station
claimed it to be unalignable. It was pulling so hard to the
right, that if I'd let go of the steering wheel, it would
turn in a radius appoximately that of the typical interstate
cloverleaf.

In spite of that, I drove it home, and got it aligned back here.
But my alignment guy did tell me to get rid of it as soon as
possible. I drove it for at least a year after that, maybe
two.

Tore it down, removed everything I tought I might be able to adapt
for some other use, but left the engine in it. What a shame, it
was in great shape.

But, I got these three wheels left over...

--
-Douglas Hurst Quebbeman (dougq@iglou.com)
--
Current AUDIs:
74 100LS Automatic w/Weber 32DGV (in storage awaiting restoration) [#01]
77 100LS Automatic (in driveway, rusting)                          [#06]
84 Coupe GT (Running since Jan. '97 w/dry 5sp transmission)        [#07]
86 5KCSTQ (Finally, a Quattro!)                                    [#08]
--
"The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away."  -Tom Waits