Time for Timing Belts

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <34D6990C.7BBF@ix.netcom.com> Wolff writes:

> ... and there is another infamous event of a very expensive Audi
> losing it's belt at 24 miles due to age (10 years I think).

We're still not sure exactly what caused that - whether it was the belt itself, 
or something like an idler that had gone unlubricated for a long period.  
Whatever - I spoke with the engineer who originally built the engine in that 
car, and he now thinks it _might_ be repairable.  Audi have apparently 'found' 
some S1 spares.  The great unknown is the cost.  Until recently, we thought it 
was the only S1 to survive in runnable order, but Audi have now found (and 
bought, for some horrendous amount) another one - possibly the one that was 
internationally advertised six months ago by an Austrian owner.

Anyway, we're now dependent on Audi's goodwill to get the parts.  The car's 
owner is building a museum and is involved in a number of ways with Audi (UK), 
so nothing is as clear-cut as we would like.  It would be nice, though, to have 
an S1 in running order in the UK - if only as a runabout for Michele when she 
comes over.
 
(For those who don't know the S1 - imagine an ur-quattro with 598bhp and a
 Kevlar body over a super-light spaceframe.)
 
-- 
 Phil Payne
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club