V8 Stuff

[Unka Bart <mendicant@buddhist.com>]

Howdy folks,

Brace yourselves, yer kindly ol' Unka Bart actually has a piece of
*factual* info to dispense.  Mike S. wonders about generations of Qs 'n
their differentials, let me set the record straight about V8s, at least
through '92.  They have "electronic locking center" differentials, and
torsen rears.

OK, so much for the factoid.  Now for some opinion...

"Frank Amoroso" writes:
> A while back, I was turning left, shifting gears, and talking on the cell
> phone (I know, Iknow), all at once and through the use of higher math I
> realized I did not have enough hands to get this done, so I decided I wanted
> a V8 quattro. I drove a 3.6 but I didn't think it was fast enough.

That is my reaction with respect to my '90 slush (actually though, I think
you meant to say "quick" enough, not "fast" enough.  Unless 146 mph, the
factory <under>stated top end, is not fast enough for you...).

But you might want to drive a '91 5-speed.  Like the autobox, it takes a
bit longer to get to 60 than I'd like, (7.1 secs, per E/C mag, nearly 4000
lbs to get movin'), but that's where the resemblence makes a screeching
halt.

Having a 5 speed manual means that you can keep that lovely 32 valve 4 cam
engine in the "sweet" band (realistically, over 3600 rpm) and once you've
got all 4000 lbs moving, it flat *howls!!!*

I've got a favorite hill near my house, (narrow, no shoulders, all twisty,
off-camber curves, good vision ahead all the way, no side access) that I
love to scream up in my porker.  Yesterday, I gave the V8 its head!  Yow!!!
It may be as fast up that hill as the Porker, and that's *saying*
something!!!  The autobox isn't even in the same ballpark.  It's hard to
believe that these two cars differ only in the tranny!  In fact, I'd
suspect that there is probably different firmware in the ECU, but no
matter, they definitely have *completely* different personalities!

BTW, the '91 has the hands-free, voice-operated cell phone.

> I am kicking around an A4 Avant w/ sports package for the wife. At the same
> time though I can pick up an older V8 slap on an aftermarket turbo sytem,
> upgrade the brakes and suspension and still have a few $$$ left over. Does
> anyone know if V8's came with sports seats??

I hate to admit it, but I am guilty of considering selling the porker to
finance the same kind of mods myself.  I probably won't, but the thought
sneaks in now and then...

And the '90 that you drove should answer your question.  Didn't it have the
sport seats?  Mine did, as does my '91 (all the 5-speeds - all 77 of them)
have them, or so I am told.

But be prepared to spend a *lot* of bux on gas...  I got about 16 mpg avg
on my '90, and while the PO of my '91 says he got 20, I don't *think* so...
I'm about the check my first full tank since purchase in a couple of days
(and will be *happy* to get 16!  I just *can't* keep my foot out of it...)