Urq interiors and Super Touring quattros

["Jouko Haapanen" <joukoh@vtoy.fi>]

Last night I finally finalized a deal on an interior from a rear-ended RR
for my '88 MB Urquattro.  The interior is black leather and is in decent
shape, near-perfect when compared to my old wooly 400 000km worn plaid.

As an added bonus, the RR's have an extended centre console, upholstered in
leather, which will serve well is holding assorted bits o'stuff.
Interestingly enough, the door panels have gray pockets on black leather and
the centre console has a bit of gray in it too.  I'll know better when I see
in decent daylight - the semi trailer the car was residing in, having just
arrived from MTM, was kinda dark.

The car also had the coupe-style three adittional round VDO gauges above the
ashtray and the rear diff switch mounted on the console by the shifter -
like the early 90's 100's.  Is this an MTM thing, or were the cars made like
that (late RR's)?  I don't recall seing anything of the sort in real life or
ETKA for that matter.

Now with the interior situation cleared up and the car being otherwise 95%
complete, the biggest question remains - what will all this (6 mos.)
restoration cost?  Probably in the order of USD 15 000.00 I'd guess.  I
haven't built up the nerve to ask yet.  I;ll post complete details of the
parts and other tidbits when it's all said and done with.

At least it'll still be a heck of lot cheaper than Juha Kankkunen's (yes,
the multiple rally WC) latest aquisition - an S1 at close to USD 200 000.00.
He is building a considerable collection of significant rally cars -
regretfully not open to the public (yet??).  FWIW, there is an S1 for sale
somewhere in Britain (I vaguely remeber this mentioned on the list) with
"just a blown engine".  Apparently GBP 60 000.00, and according to Risto
Buri at LMS, another similar heap to restore the car into deserving
condition.  So much for good deals.

As my visit to LMS dragged on to the wee hours (as usual), I found myself
getting involved in a project to bring another Super Touring A4 quattro to
be run in the Finnish Super Saloon championship.  There is a car, latest
spec Super Touring quattro, a driver, support from Audi Sport in Ingolstadt,
but still one more thing is needed, as usual, money.  In case you are
intersted, the cars can be purchased (with the right
connections/credentials) for +/- USD 200 000.00 ready to race.

Jouko Haapanen
Pori, Finland