# Garth's restoration project



## Garth

Right then, let's get started here. I bought my TT just less than 2 weeks ago with the intention being to strip it down and rebuild it like new. I have two other cars, so I don't need to drive it meaning I can take my time. This is just a hobby for me, something to keep me out of trouble as it were 

On to the car, it's a 2001 225 quattro coupe with a decent spec (Bose, Xenon lights, CD changer, cruise control, etc) and a lot of miles on the clock (127k to be precise) so it needs a bit of tlc.

Here it is as photographed by the seller:

























First job was to strip the interior as it was very grubby and smelled of smoke and dogs :? Not surprisingly, there was a lot of dog hair under the seats...









After a bit of a hoover, it looked like this:








The carpets will be washed properly before the full interior goes back in but the seats have been in my living room getting cleaned thoroughly. It is damn hard work as there must be 11 years of grime that has built up on the leather. The dealer's photos were deceptive, the leather looked like this up close:

















After a lot of scrubbing with gliptone cleaner, this is the passenger seat cleaned (on the right) and the drivers seat still waiting:









Quite a nice improvement, although it is not finished. The whole interior will be re-coloured next month to make it good as new.

The next job was to cover teh door pulls in leather as they were very badly scratched. Here is one trimmed and the other with the rubber coating scraped off, waiting for leather:


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## gogs

Good job mate, hope the rest of the project goes as well, I look forward to your updates :wink:


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## Garth

While the interior was out, I set about sound proofing it as these cars let a lot of road noise in.
Before:








After: 









That's only a small portion, but the rest of the car will be done as well over the comeing weeks.

Next up was the faulty door switches, which I'm sure are well known to most TT drivers as the design is rubbish!

Well, here's my solution to the problem. I re-profiled the spindle and attached a steel hinge to the micro switch (and covered the hinge to keep it dirt free). This will keep the switch from being worn down any more and makes it work like it should.








I had to do both dooors as neither worked before.

As well as the above, I also fitted a Forge diverter valve as the original was faulty but I'm still left with a BIG boost leak to solve as well as finding this. Oh dear, this should keep me busy!









The engine work should be starting soon, along with suspension and brakes. There's a lot of rubber bushes to be replaced...


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## SteviedTT

Nice car mate and THE best colour for a TT. good work so far, I'll be following this thread with great interest. I love a normal renovation thread, as opposed to all the BT threads. Keep up the good work fella :wink:


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## Gazzer

agreed stevie.......this looks very interesting to me also. nice work sir and keep it up as this could well be a thread to beat them all


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## T3RBO

It's like an episode of Wheeler Dealers... well done Ed


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## Garth

Thanks for the kind words guys. i wasn't sure how much enthusiasm there would be for a thread without big turbos or lots of mods. I am taking LOADS of photos as I do stuff so I will post more in the future as I was restricting myself for fear of readers getting bored!

I have a few mods lined up already and a few done (Apex springs, remap, Forge DV, quattro Sport wheels) but the majority of this thread will be about fixing/renewing/replacing to bring the car back up to showroom condition. I deliberatly bought one with loads wrong with it so I had more excuses to do work on it


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## jamman

Great start I will follow this with interest.


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## Gazzer

Garth said:


> Thanks for the kind words guys. i wasn't sure how much enthusiasm there would be for a thread without big turbos or lots of mods. I am taking LOADS of photos as I do stuff so I will post more in the future as I was restricting myself for fear of readers getting bored!
> 
> I have a few mods lined up already and a few done (Apex springs, remap, Forge DV, quattro Sport wheels) but the majority of this thread will be about fixing/renewing/replacing to bring the car back up to showroom condition. I deliberatly bought one with loads wrong with it so I had more excuses to do work on it


how much do envisage the rebuild will cost m8ee and time to complete


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## Garth

Gazzer said:


> how much do envisage the rebuild will cost m8ee and time to complete


Cost is a tricky one. I will be doing all the work myself so that's no labour charge. How much I spend on parts depends on what I find as I go.

As it stands at the moment, the costs are for:
Interior plastics (about £100 in various trim pieces at most)
Leather redye (less than £100)
Clutch and DMF (looks like £450 at the mo)
Wheel refurb (£100, not doing this myself as last time, I spent AGES doing it!)
ALL bushes (depends on whether I go OEM or poly)
Sound deadening mat is free as I already had loads from another project, as is leather
New brakes disks and pads all round (not priced yet)
Various paints
All filters and fluids

How long is a pice of string? I tend to get sucked in when I do these projects and they end up costing loads. Time could be anywhere from 6 months to two years for absolutely everything. My aim is to do it all right, not fast! It is a hobby after all. I'm in no rush to drive it.


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## Love_iTT

Nice colour. :wink:

Good job so far mate, keep it up. I shall look forward to the finished thing, the trouble is with things like this, it just never finishes, there's always just that one other little thing to do. 

Graham


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## Gazzer

Garth said:


> Gazzer said:
> 
> 
> 
> how much do envisage the rebuild will cost m8ee and time to complete
> 
> 
> 
> Cost is a tricky one. I will be doing all the work myself so that's no labour charge. How much I spend on parts depends on what I find as I go.
> 
> As it stands at the moment, the costs are for:
> Interior plastics (about £100 in various trim pieces at most)
> Leather redye (less than £100)
> Clutch and DMF (looks like £450 at the mo)
> Wheel refurb (£100, not doing this myself as last time, I spent AGES doing it!)
> ALL bushes (depends on whether I go OEM or poly)
> Sound deadening mat is free as I already had loads from another project, as is leather
> New brakes disks and pads all round (not priced yet)
> Various paints
> All filters and fluids
> 
> How long is a pice of string? I tend to get sucked in when I do these projects and they end up costing loads. Time could be anywhere from 6 months to two years for absolutely everything. My aim is to do it all right, not fast! It is a hobby after all. I'm in no rush to drive it.
Click to expand...

no rush to drive it??? you are trying to create the perfect woman and not 5hag it ......good luck and will keep a close eye on this one


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## Brendanb86

Never seen the TT in purple, bet it looks lovely though, I do love a bit of purple. [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## merlin c

Wow ! Thats what I call interesting, GRRRREAT thread, look forward to more updates.......Steve


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## YELLOW_TT

Good job so far look forward to seeing the rest of the thread


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## NoMark

Garth said:


> Thanks for the kind words guys. i wasn't sure how much enthusiasm there would be for a thread without big turbos or lots of mods. I am taking LOADS of photos as I do stuff so I will post more in the future as I was restricting myself for fear of readers getting bored!


You'll soon find we're all pic whores on here mate, don't ever worry about posting too many. Something you'll often heard said is, "if there are no pics, it didn't happen".  
I'm loving what you've done so far, looking forward to following the thread with interest.

Mark.


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## neilc

Great to see a project like this. What engine mods do you have planned ?


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## Garth

Thanks guys


neilc said:


> Great to see a project like this. What engine mods do you have planned ?


Engine mods are low on my list of priorities at the moment. It's already got a remap and forge dv, that'll do for this year  
Who knows what I'll do once it's fully restored.

Right then, the DIS was shagged so needed sorting out. It looked like this when I bought the car:








Obviously it could not stay like that. I got hold of a new screen and stripped the dashpod down...








Excuse the mess, it was my birthday on Thursday :roll:

The old screen to remove:








and the new one to go in:









De-soldered:









It looks like I forgot to take photos of the new one soldered in  but I got one of the dials all cleaned up and put back together...









None of it working for now as it hasn't gone back in the car yet :lol:


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## V6RUL

Good work..nice to see a labour of love.
Steve


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## Nogaro TT

Good effort mate. Interesting thread! 

Stuart.


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## sploits

Loving this thread. Good effort pal


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## New2AudiTT

I'll be following this very closely.

Very very keen to see the end result.

Dare I say this is the best thread thus far  . For me at least


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## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> While the interior was out, I set about sound proofing it as these cars let a lot of road noise in.
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's only a small portion, but the rest of the car will be done as well over the comeing weeks.


I would like to do this sound proofing thingy as well on my car.

My challenge is I dunno anything about it. What material to use, where to start and how do do it (best practice)?

Any help/guidelines much appreciated.

And apologies for hijacking this thread [smiley=argue.gif]


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## tonksy26

I thought that stuff ^ weighs an absoulte ton ?


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## Garth

It's pretty simply to do. Clean the bodywork and make sure it's free of dust and grease. Cut the sound deadening in to manageable pieces, heat it with a heat gun or hair dryer then stick it down. It helps if you have a small roller to apply it and work out any bubbles, but it's not essential.
It's VERY sticky when hot so can get messy if you try to apply large pieces in one go.
Dynamat is pretty much the industry standard but to be honest, there are so many budget brands that are just as good you might as well just get the cheapest. I have tried a few and none perform much better than others.

It is quite heavy but you're only talking about 10kg for the whole car so you're not going to notice the extra weight unless you're going for a stripped out racer!


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## T3RBO

I might have a go at mine when the weather warms up


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## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> It's pretty simply to do. Clean the bodywork and make sure it's free of dust and grease. Cut the sound deadening in to manageable pieces, heat it with a heat gun or hair dryer then stick it down. It helps if you have a small roller to apply it and work out any bubbles, but it's not essential.
> It's VERY sticky when hot so can get messy if you try to apply large pieces in one go.
> Dynamat is pretty much the industry standard but to be honest, there are so many budget brands that are just as good you might as well just get the cheapest. I have tried a few and none perform much better than others.
> 
> It is quite heavy but you're only talking about 10kg for the whole car so you're not going to notice the extra weight unless you're going for a stripped out racer!


Thakns a lot mate. Very helpful.

Am thinking of getting these: http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/product/Soundmat_Pads_SOUND

any advice? good/bad


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## Pensive666

New2AudiTT said:


> I would like to do this sound proofing thingy as well on my car.
> 
> My challenge is I dunno anything about it. What material to use, where to start and how do do it (best practice)?
> 
> Any help/guidelines much appreciated.
> 
> And apologies for highjacking this thread [smiley=argue.gif]


The definitive guide to sound deadening.

http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/

1) Dynamat (or equivaklent) (kills resonance in vibrating panels) 
2) followed by a layer of Closed Cell Foam (Kills high frequences)
3) followed by a well bonded substrate of Mass Loaded Vinyl (Kills Low Frequences).

Essentially most of the sound that gets through the dynamat, bounces around in the Closed Cell foam reflecting off the Mass Loaded Vinyl, and turns into heat, instead of sound. Warm yer doors at the same time!

=D

I didn't use dynamat - I bought Corotherm Butyl flashing (Not Tar stuff!) from B+Q which was half the price and weighs the same as dynamat per square cm. The only differnece was a slightly thinner aluminium substrate which would reduce the resonance damping properties a bit. But if you read the website - its actually mostly down to the weight you attach to the panel, not the substrate.

And no - my budget has not yet stretched to closed cell foam or mass vinyl....yet. But I do have plans/pipedreams.

/hijack


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## Garth

Slow progress this week as I was sent down to London for work  
I've got a few bits delivered that need fitting, but I've managed to sort out the gear gaitor.

I generally don't like the look of the standard item as it looks to much like a cv joint! Mine was very grubby too...








On closer inspection, it was also split as the rubber had perished:









A great excuse for a new leather item  I have a bit of a leather fetish I'm afraid 

Whilst the old one was off, I cleaned up the gear knob (11 years of grime in there)








I also cleaned and re-dyed the leather part to bring it up nice and new again, then refitted with the new leather gaitor:









Much better. The quality is superb and looks much better than standard in my opinion. Smells better too  
I do have the matching leather hand brake gaitor but haven't had time to fit it yet.
The interior still needs A LOT more cleaning!


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## Guzi

Loving this, i'll be keeping an eye on this too. I just wish i had the know how to do stuff like this!


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## olivarrr

Where did you get your leather gaitor?? Looks really nice


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## YELLOW_TT

olivarrr said:


> Where did you get your leather gaitor?? Looks really nice


You can get them on eBay


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## SteviedTT

Why can't I see pics on here anymore :?


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## Garth

olivarrr said:


> Where did you get your leather gaitor?? Looks really nice





YELLOW_TT said:


> olivarrr said:
> 
> 
> 
> Where did you get your leather gaitor?? Looks really nice
> 
> 
> 
> You can get them on eBay
Click to expand...

Yes indeed, ebay is your friend.
These are the guys:
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/TOP-GAITERS-BOOTS?_trksid=p4340.l2563

I simply cannot believe how they have managed to sell this gaitor for £5 delivered. The quality is top notch, not some cheap crap. I was sceptical and had it in my watch list for 2 weeks before I thought "feck it, it's only a fiver, I'll chuck it if it's rubbish".
I was so impressed, I bought the hand brake cover to match


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## Guzi

SteviedTT said:


> Why can't I see pics on here anymore :?


it seems a few of us are havin this issue, the admin steve knows about it.


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## SteviedTT

Thank god for that, it's not my laptop then.


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## olivarrr

Garth said:


> olivarrr said:
> 
> 
> 
> Where did you get your leather gaitor?? Looks really nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> YELLOW_TT said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> olivarrr said:
> 
> 
> 
> Where did you get your leather gaitor?? Looks really nice
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> You can get them on eBay
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yes indeed, ebay is your friend.
> These are the guys:
> http://stores.ebay.co.uk/TOP-GAITERS-BOOTS?_trksid=p4340.l2563
> 
> I simply cannot believe how they have managed to sell this gaitor for £5 delivered. The quality is top notch, not some cheap crap. I was sceptical and had it in my watch list for 2 weeks before I thought "feck it, it's only a fiver, I'll chuck it if it's rubbish".
> I was so impressed, I bought the hand brake cover to match
Click to expand...

Well I knew they had them on eBay, but they look pretty tish quality on the pics, but on your pics they look awesome! That's why I assumed you'd got them from somewhere else xD £5?!?


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## Garth

One of my sidelights had gone and I was buggered if I was going to fit the standard kind again. They're so yellow and I understand they blow quite often on TT's so I got some LED's:








Here's a 50/50:








And both done:









In the photos they look blue but that's because I'm using my phone to take all my photos (can't find my camera) and it's not the best. In the flesh the LED's are pure white and the standard bulbs are very yellow.

Anyway, I've just been doing quick 5 minute jobs as I've just got back from London last night. I really must crack on with the interior over the next couple of days. The plan is to get that spotless then move on to the exterior/engine/suspension then brakes. 
I've been on the seats again as they are taking A LOT of work. The steaming towel then liquid leather cleaner seems to be the best for these seats. I have tried the stirring with a stiff brush but it doesn't work as well as a steaming towel then using a microfibre with the cleaner. This requires a lot less work...can you tell which bit has been rubbed:








My wife doesn't complain but I think she's getting tired of coming home to this:


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## tonksy26

Haha This is how my from room looked when I stripped the clio out.

Nice back door btw  I've got the same 8)


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## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> One of my sidelights had gone and I was buggered if I was going to fit the standard kind again. They're so yellow and I understand they blow quite often on TT's so I got some LED's:


Where did u get the LED's from mate?

Am going to get the leather gaiter and handbrake. Is the handbrake one easy to change?

How to do it basically?

cheers


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## nilrem

I got mine from here http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/latest-bax9- ... -2289.html

Brightest they do and come with a 1 year guarantee


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## Garth

New2AudiTT said:


> Where did u get the LED's from mate?
> 
> Am going to get the leather gaiter and handbrake. Is the handbrake one easy to change?
> 
> How to do it basically?
> 
> cheers


I got my LED's from ebay. Here's the seller:
http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/fizzmocouk/?_ ... 4340.l2559

I haven't done the handbrake one yet, but it looks like the whole handle is going to have to come off to fit. It's not a 5 minute job but I have to remove the centre console and all the trim anyway so I might as well do the gaitor while I'm at it.



nilrem said:


> I got mine from here http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/latest-bax9- ... -2289.html
> 
> Brightest they do and come with a 1 year guarantee


Not exactly cheap though are they? £4.99 each  Mine cost me £1.99 + 9p postage for BOTH. As you can see, the brightness is exactly the same as stock, only whiter


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## jamman

Garth said:


> Not exactly cheap though are they? £4.99 each  Mine cost me £1.99 + 9p postage for BOTH. As you can see, the brightness is exactly the same as stock, only whiter


Garth I have had a few different LED sidelights in my time and you will find the type you bought will work fine for a short period and then the pesky LEDs start falling off prob through vibration, the £4.99 ones don't they just last and last so in the end are cheaper :wink:


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## Garth

jamman said:


> Garth I have had a few different LED sidelights in my time and you will find the type you bought will work fine for a short period and then the pesky LEDs start falling off prob through vibration, the £4.99 ones don't they just last and last so in the end are cheaper :wink:


I too have had MANY different LED lights in my time. The ones I've got here are the same type and from the same seller that I had on my E46 for over a year (and my mk5 GTI) with no problems so I'm confident they'll last this time too. That thing did mega mileage too. Even if they were to fail due to vibration, this car will see a tiny number of miles from now on so it would take many years to casuse them any damage  Besides, for the price of the ultraLED ones, I could buy 3 pairs of these, and in the unlikely event these fall off, I would just solder them back on 

I would usually agree with you, buy cheap and buy twice, but in this case as far as I am concerned they're tried and tested.
If they do fail, I will be the first to report back and say I bought something crap [smiley=bomb.gif]


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## Dj_Ino

Hi Garth, Nice thread! quick question....

On the first page your've got a pic of oil in your turbo / air pipe (Pressure side)... do you know what the cause of this is? I think I have a similar issue, not as much oil as that but deffo an oil film all around the pipe.

Is it oil leaking from the Turbo seals?

Cheers


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## Garth

Dj_Ino said:


> Hi Garth, Nice thread! quick question....
> 
> On the first page your've got a pic of oil in your turbo / air pipe (Pressure side)... do you know what the cause of this is? I think I have a similar issue, not as much oil as that but deffo an oil film all around the pipe.
> 
> Is it oil leaking from the Turbo seals?
> 
> Cheers


Thanks.
I asked the same question and the responses seemed to indicate it is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. I'm not really starting on the engine until the interior is finished so I haven't investigated too much as the car is off the road.


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## Garth

Well, Due to being away in London this week and having friends round tonight, I haven't done a huge amount to the TT....

I have fitted the leather handbrake handle taking the car from being really scruffy...








Work in progress:








To this:









Next up was some sound deadening on the passenger door from this:








To this:








Then the boot, from this:








to this:









I have found my boost leak!
As many others have seen, it was the brake vacuum hose that had split, this is the part:








and the split:









I've ordered a Forge replacement since this looks like it has already been replaced once on my car. No point buying another weak part!

I've also been to Audi and went a bit nuts in the parts department. The list of interior trim panels I have ordered to replaced scratched items is quite scary! I have to wait til mid week before they're in stock though so that's a job for next weekend. Once these are all in (and the interior properly cleaned), I can put the seats back in, get some new mats and the interior will be finished


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## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> Well, Due to being away in London this week and having friends round tonight, I haven't done a huge amount to the TT....
> 
> I have fitted the leather handbrake handle taking the car from being really scruffy...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Work in progress:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To this:


Just wondering how to remove the centre console thing as i would like to do my handbrake as well. Any tips?


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## T3RBO

Here you go... your going to love this guide :lol:

http://www.wikitt.org/wikiTT/images/f/f8/Trim.pdf


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## New2AudiTT

T3RBO said:


> Here you go... your going to love this guide :lol:
> 
> http://www.wikitt.org/wikiTT/images/f/f8/Trim.pdf


Thanks a lot mate. This is brilliant.

cheers


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## LordG71

Garth said:


>


Hey Garth - great thread - thank you!

About your screen dash - mine is exactly the same. I have had a quote to get it fixed for £300 (car will be off the road for about a week while it is sent away etc....)

Questions:
- is this a DIY for a novice?
- how much does a replacement screen costs?
- Was it brand new or refurb?
- I assume it looks great now (did not see any pictures of it installed - sorry if i missed it)

Cheers fella


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## Garth

LordG71 said:


> Hey Garth - great thread - thank you!
> 
> About your screen dash - mine is exactly the same. I have had a quote to get it fixed for £300 (car will be off the road for about a week while it is sent away etc....)
> 
> Questions:
> - is this a DIY for a novice?
> - how much does a replacement screen costs?
> - Was it brand new or refurb?
> - I assume it looks great now (did not see any pictures of it installed - sorry if i missed it)
> 
> Cheers fella


Thanks!
I would say it is definitely not a job for a novice. It is very easy to break the dials when dismantling and the soldering is very fiddly. The screens are available new on-line for about £30. I've also seen people advertising on eBay to fully repair these clusters for about £180. I know it's not cheap but it's better than £300 if you're too scared to DIY.

I didn't think the contrast on the replacement was as good as the original, so I added a specialist lighting filter behind it to give it the OEM look back. I'll dig out a photo of this.

I'll post some pics of mine up when I put the battery back in the car.


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## LordG71

Cheers Garth - thanks for the info...


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## Garth

A couple of updates (I can tell I'm going to be rubbish about keeping this thread up to date)...
I did some more work on the leather so the drivers seat bolster looked like this after cleaning:








Not exactly nice! So after a bit of work it's looking like this:








I mixed the dye myself and the match isn't spot on yet so it'll be getting another coat once I perfect the colour match but it's looking a lot better anyway.

I picked up loads of trim from the dealer as scratches and marks drive me nuts. Here are some of the bits I bought:
New steering column cowel (old and new):








New gear stick surround:








And I removed the scratched dash vents and replaced them with new ones:

















I was missing a number plate light (including holder) so I thought I'd get a new one, then I saw the state of the one that was there  








It was FULL of dirt, no wonder it was so dim! I ended up getting two new ones and getting LED bulbs for them:








And the comparison (LED is actually white and standard is yellow/brown, I'm using my phone as a camera which is turd):









I cleaned the caprets:








And put most of the interior back in:








It's starting to look nice in there now. Just need to finish cleaning the steering wheel and get that back in then put the dials back (I've taken them out again as the fuel and temp guage are not reading correctly so I need to get them spot on or I won't be happy).

I've now stripped down the headlights:








These were SO muich easier than the mk5 Gold headlights I last did. Compared to them the TT ones were childs play  
Prepped them:








and given them the first coat of primer:









That's all for now. I'll update again once I get the lights finshed to my own recipe and ready to put them back in :wink:


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## tonksy26

How did you get those top vents off the top of the dash mate ?

Just prise them off with a flathead ?


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## Garth

tonksy26 said:


> How did you get those top vents off the top of the dash mate ?
> 
> Just prise them off with a flathead ?


Yes, but they are quite brittle and the pin that holds them in is very tight and strong.

The bits closest to the screen just pop straight up and then the vents themselves will unclip from the back. BEWARE, do not just pull on them or they'll snap in half like mine did. This wasn't a problem for me as I had two new ones already.

Very carefully lift the end and then twist the whole vent 90 degrees (I can't remember which way but it'll be easy one way and hard the other!) and it should come loose leaving the fritcion pin in place which will have to be pulled out with pliers. You could try leavering the vent from the front straight up very carefully but they very brittle.
Whatever you do, if you feel a lot of resistance, stop right there or you'll be buying new ones :wink:


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## tonksy26

Haha thanks for that mate.

How much were 2 new 1s ?


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## New2AudiTT

tonksy26 said:


> Haha thanks for that mate.
> 
> How much were 2 new 1s ?


Garth you still around mate ?

Am interested as well and where from, how much?

cheers


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## Garth

Sorry, I missed those questions. I bought mine from the dealer. List price is something like £16.50+VAT each. I get a discount though which is simlpy subtracted from the whole order so I'm not sure what I actually paid since I bought LOADS of parts at the same time.

I usually find that if I ask any dealer politely for a discount, they will knock at least 10% off without any questions :wink:


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## adamperry27

are you getting your parts straight from audi? ive been replacing bits on mine but not to the degree you have and found tps to be a bit cheaper and if you get to know people there they let you get the discount from frozen or unused accounts like i do


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## Mondo

Garth, with those headlights in half, now's a good time to get OSIR smoked/clear corners. If I didn't already have 7 punters I'd point you in the direction of a certain GB... :roll:

Mind you, knowing you, you're probably gonna be spraying the existing ones to keep it cheap. :wink:


----------



## Garth

Mondo said:


> Garth, with those headlights in half, now's a good time to get OSIR smoked/clear corners. If I didn't already have 7 punters I'd point you in the direction of a certain GB... :roll:
> 
> Mind you, knowing you, you're probably gonna be spraying the existing ones to keep it cheap. :wink:


Already sprayed them :wink:

I was going to buy smoked corners then I saw that you can't actually tell the difference between them and home-sprayed ones once fitted.
Don't make me out to be a cheapskate, I have no problem spending a lot if something is worth it, but £70 for two small pieces of plastic? Please, that's just criminal. Mine cost £5 and look exactly the same. Fair enough, if you want clear or want to put DRL's in there you have no choice, but I have no desire to do that so why waste money?



adamperry27 said:


> are you getting your parts straight from audi? ive been replacing bits on mine but not to the degree you have and found tps to be a bit cheaper and if you get to know people there they let you get the discount from frozen or unused accounts like i do


I get my stuff from wherever has the best prices :wink: If the dealer can beat TPS with a discount, then they'll get my money. As I've said before, there's no reward for customer loyalty in times of recession. You shop around for the best price for car insurance right? I do it for everything. It's why it's unlikely I'll ever buy anything from the TT shop... :roll:


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> Already sprayed them :wink:
> 
> I was going to buy smoked corners then I saw that you can't actually tell the difference between them and home-sprayed ones once fitted.
> Don't make me out to be a cheapskate, I have no problem spending a lot if something is worth it, but £70 for two small pieces of plastic? Please, that's just criminal. Mine cost £5 and look exactly the same. Fair enough, if you want clear or want to put DRL's in there you have no choice, but I have no desire to do that so why waste money?


And what you used to spray them Garth?

Cheers


----------



## SteviedTT

New2AudiTT said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Already sprayed them :wink:
> 
> I was going to buy smoked corners then I saw that you can't actually tell the difference between them and home-sprayed ones once fitted.
> Don't make me out to be a cheapskate, I have no problem spending a lot if something is worth it, but £70 for two small pieces of plastic? Please, that's just criminal. Mine cost £5 and look exactly the same. Fair enough, if you want clear or want to put DRL's in there you have no choice, but I have no desire to do that so why waste money?
> 
> 
> 
> And what you used to spray them Garth?
> 
> Cheers
Click to expand...

Take your pick mate :wink: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... Categories


----------



## Garth

New2AudiTT said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Already sprayed them :wink:
> 
> I was going to buy smoked corners then I saw that you can't actually tell the difference between them and home-sprayed ones once fitted.
> Don't make me out to be a cheapskate, I have no problem spending a lot if something is worth it, but £70 for two small pieces of plastic? Please, that's just criminal. Mine cost £5 and look exactly the same. Fair enough, if you want clear or want to put DRL's in there you have no choice, but I have no desire to do that so why waste money?
> 
> 
> 
> And what you used to spray them Garth?
> 
> Cheers
Click to expand...

e-tech spray


----------



## New2AudiTT

SteviedTT said:


> Take your pick mate :wink: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... Categories





Garth said:


> e-tech spray


Thanks both. So, basically you remove the headlights and spray the interior and that's it? 

Apologies if this is dumb question


----------



## SteviedTT

If, as confessed in an earlier post, you're as bad at DIY as you said, I'd give it a miss mate :wink:


----------



## New2AudiTT

SteviedTT said:


> If, as confessed in an earlier post, you're as bad at DIY as you said, I'd give it a miss mate :wink:


 :lol: :lol: :lol: 
but I want to do the mods. Need to start somewhere


----------



## SteviedTT

New2AudiTT said:


> SteviedTT said:
> 
> 
> 
> If, as confessed in an earlier post, you're as bad at DIY as you said, I'd give it a miss mate :wink:
> 
> 
> 
> :lol: :lol: :lol:
> but I want to do the mods. Need to start somewhere
Click to expand...

It involves removing the headlights and putting them in the oven to get the lens off. Have I scared you yet


----------



## Adam-tt

can be done with a heat gun too


----------



## SteviedTT

Adam-tt said:


> can be done with a heat gun too


Oven sounds scarier :lol: :lol:


----------



## Phil-TT

SteviedTT said:


> Adam-tt said:
> 
> 
> 
> can be done with a heat gun too
> 
> 
> 
> Oven sounds scarier :lol: :lol:
Click to expand...

 :lol: :lol: Steve on scaring people of modding their cars. Typical.


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> I got my LED's from ebay. Here's the seller:
> http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/fizzmocouk/?_ ... 4340.l2559


Are these the ones you got Garth: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-LED-433-43 ... 45fdefc808

Cheers


----------



## SteviedTT

He's confessed to being absolutely useless at DIY, I'm just trying to save the guy some heart ache and a lot of money.


----------



## Phil-TT

I am only keeping you going mate  You are maybe doing him a favour I guess.


----------



## Garth

I'm afraid eBay links don't work when I'm on my phone so I can't check them.

Opening the headlights is really easy on the TT. you could even do it with a hair dryer! Try it on a mk5 golf and you'll know about difficult!

Well my old side repeaters had condensation in them as well as green fungus inside the edges that I couldn't remove. This plus the fried egg look of orange bulbs made me buy some smoked repeaters (no spray this time) and some chrome bulbs. The old ones:








and the new ones:








The flash makes them look very light but they're actually a mid grey colour that blends in better with the paint than the standard white/clear ones.


----------



## merlin c

SteviedTT said:


> New2AudiTT said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SteviedTT said:
> 
> 
> 
> If, as confessed in an earlier post, you're as bad at DIY as you said, I'd give it a miss mate :wink:
> 
> 
> 
> :lol: :lol: :lol:
> but I want to do the mods. Need to start somewhere
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> It involves removing the headlights and putting them in the oven to get the lens off. Have I scared you yet
Click to expand...

Steve, new victim here who's not scared yet, how DO you separate the lens from the body then reattach after completion of work??....thanks


----------



## Mondo

http://wak-tt.com/mods/angeleyes/corners.pdf


----------



## SteviedTT

merlin c said:


> Steve, new victim here who's not scared yet, how DO you separate the lens from the body then reattach after completion of work??....thanks


PM sent mate


----------



## Garth

merlin c said:


> Steve, new victim here who's not scared yet, how DO you separate the lens from the body then reattach after completion of work??....thanks


It's really easy with these lights. Fist remove the lights from the car then take off the four small metal clips locking the lens on to the light body.
Heat up around the join with a heat gun set to low for a minute or two (or a hairdrier for a lot longer):








Put a flathead screwdriver in the join somewhere where it is not going to leave a noticeable mark. I did this on the bottom so if it did get marked, it would be out of sight once teh lights were back in. Lever the two sides apart a litte:








Then once they're starting to separate, just pull them apart by hand, heating the seal slightly as you go:









Child's play really


----------



## kayone

Another informative piece, this is next on my agenda. I did do this on my previous Z3 which was a bit of a ball ache to get unstuck but was worth it.


----------



## Garth

Not much this week as I have mostly been buying parts and doing stuff on the other cars.

The a pillar on the drivers side was loose and saggy so it needing repairing. It looked like this:








Not surprisingly, once I got it off this was the state of it:








So I had to reglue it and clean it up. I bought myself a steam cleaner this week and gave it a go... it's bloody excellent!
Here's the a pillar and the rear piece of headlining side by side. The a pillar has had a very quick clean (and then the cat ran all over it :evil: ) and the uncleaned headlining peice. Look at the colour difference!








I've since cleaned that piece as well, which now matches and am going to do the whole headlining and passenger side pillars then I'll take photos of the lot all clean 

I gave the car a good wash and for the first time, I've been able to inspect the paintwork condition... Oh dear :-| 
The condition is shocking, but on the plus side, the detailing thread will be marvellous once done :lol: 
Here are some of the 'highlights' of the paint:
























The whole car is like that so I cannot wait to attack it with the polisher (might be a while before I do though)

I also had a quick clean of the engine while I was at it.
Before:








And after (the light was fading at this point):









Apart from this, the only other things of note are the parts creating a pile in my office:
2 new drop links
2 new ARB bushes
2 new ball joints
2 new front suspension top mounts
new fuel filter
4 new alloy centre caps
4 new tyre valve caps (nice little 'S' logo ones  )

There should be quite a few mote delivered in the next few days so I can get on with the suspension rebuild.

Good new though, My special order paint has finally arrived so I can complete my headlights, YEAH!


----------



## Garth

My headlights are nearly complete. I just need to put some clear coat on the inners then reassemble them.
The corners have been smoked so are almost black. The colour combo won't be to everyone's liking but I can't stand the black headlights (except on black cars). I didn't really want to go for titanium as it doesn't suit this colour in my eyes. That leaves body colour. 
I held it against the car and I think it looks perfect


----------



## Garth

I've found another boost leak on the car. This pipe was split:








There is plenty of play on this pipe so I've cut the end off where the split is until I get a replacement pipe. Hopefully that's the end of the boost leak search now!

While I was under the bonnet I thought I'd give the throttle body a clean. This is what it looked like before:








Absolutely caked in crap! It took longer than I thought it would to clean it up but now you could eat your dinner off it:









I started to replace the front anti-roll bar bushes but a thunder storm came out of nowhere and forced me inside 
I'll finish off tomorrow.
In the meantime, I gave the headlight inners a coat of lacquer... They're coming along nicely


----------



## tonksy26

How are you doing the boost leak search mate ? Or is it you just so happen to spot te crack in the pipe ?

Have to say, your certainly giving this TT a good going over


----------



## Garth

After one coat of clear the finish is already very good:








Loads of reflections and a good deal of depth. Another coat should do it, then I'll polish them up to a mirror finish. I can't wait to get these back on the car. I'm waiting on my angel eyes and 3m headlight lens restoration kit to make sure they look good as new. Right now the lenses are very matt and dull. That's a job for next weekend I reckon.

More service items turned up in the post this week along with my front spacers. The pile is growing... Once it's complete I can really get the project moving!


----------



## Garth

tonksy26 said:


> How are you doing the boost leak search mate ? Or is it you just so happen to spot te crack in the pipe ?
> 
> Have to say, your certainly giving this TT a good going over


Thanks.
To check for boost leaks, I'm removing every pipe and checking them for splits. All the clips are being inspected and renewed where necessary to make sure there's a good seal.

I'm still trying to decide whether to strip the engine or suspension next as I'm waiting on a few parts for both. Probably do suspension first though


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> After one coat of clear the finish is already very good:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Loads of reflections and a good deal of depth. Another coat should do it, then I'll polish them up to a mirror finish. I can't wait to get these back on the car. I'm waiting on my angel eyes and 3m headlight lens restoration kit to make sure they look good as new. Right now the lenses are very matt and dull. That's a job for next weekend I reckon.
> 
> More service items turned up in the post this week along with my front spacers. The pile is growing... Once it's complete I can really get the project moving!


Coming along nicely Garth. Just 2 questions for you mate:

1. Where are you sourcing angel eyes and the 3m headlight lens restoration kit from?
2. And what's the front spacer for?

cheers


----------



## Garth

Cheers.
I got the angel eyes and headlight kit from eBay...item numbers 220969034828 and 270921252679.

The front spacers are for the wheels. 15mm hubcentric spacers. I'm probably buying everything in the wrong order but I buy things when I see them on offer. Some of my parts will sit in boxes for the next 6 months! :grin:


----------



## Guzi

Great work Garth.


----------



## V6RUL

Nice work Garth, i think colour coding the headlight inserts is one of the best mods you can do.
I had to wait for the missus to go out before i used the oven though.. :roll: 
Steve


----------



## New2AudiTT

V6RUL said:


> Nice work Garth, i think colour coding the headlight inserts is one of the best mods you can do.
> I had to wait for the missus to go out before i used the oven though.. :roll:
> Steve


  I can't even do this, she smells everything :lol:


----------



## kazinak

i'm, quite like the coloured inserts, but i would never do this to my car


----------



## New2AudiTT

kazinak said:


> i'm, quite like the coloured inserts, but i would never do this to my car


Too bling for me. Neighbours will think I've won the lottery and the Bentley is hidden somewhere, just using the wheels


----------



## Garth

Since it was mothers day, I couldn't spend the whole day on the car 

I did manage to replace the front anti roll bar bushes and drop links though. The front bushes were shot and even though the collars looked ok when the bushes were on, when I removed the bush, this happened:








Crap design by Audi here!

I cleaned up the bar and did away with the collars. If there's movement, a tight jubilee clip will be better anyway.
Old and new bushes:








Just a bit worn then. The amount of movement in the bar was crazy, no wonder there was a clunking over bumps.
New bush in place:









Old and new drop links








And the new one on









The drop links were simple the replace but the bushes were a total PITA! There's no access to the bolts on one side and on the other, getting the new bush in is nigh on impossible it is so tight. Glad it's over now. I did notice that there's loads of play in one of the top mounts... Good job I've got new ones to go on already, but that's another job for another day!

I have to go to London for work tomorrow then I'm away at the weekend so it'll be next week sometime before I can do anything else


----------



## corradoman

Garth said:


> Since it was mothers day, I couldn't spend the whole day on the car
> 
> I did manage to replace the front anti roll bar bushes and drop links though. The front bushes were shot and even though the collars looked ok when the bushes were on, when I removed the bush, this happened:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Crap design by Audi here!
> 
> I cleaned up the bar and did away with the collars. If there's movement, a tight jubilee clip will be better anyway.
> Old and new bushes:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just a bit worn then. The amount of movement in the bar was crazy, no wonder there was a clunking over bumps.
> New bush in place:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Old and new drop links
> 
> Garth i would change that fron arb if i was you, i tried all that faffing about with jubilee clips and they just move mate, the difference a new bar makes is amazing, the new bars have a metal collar welded on so stops any movement, with all the work your doing its a shame to bodge it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the new one on
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The drop links were simple the replace but the bushes were a total PITA! There's no access to the bolts on one side and on the other, getting the new bush in is nigh on impossible it is so tight. Glad it's over now. I did notice that there's loads of play in one of the top mounts... Good job I've got new ones to go on already, but that's another job for another day!
> 
> I have to go to London for work tomorrow then I'm away at the weekend so it'll be next week sometime before I can do anything else


----------



## Garth

corradoman said:


> Garth i would change that fron arb if i was you, i tried all that faffing about with jubilee clips and they just move mate, the difference a new bar makes is amazing, the new bars have a metal collar welded on so stops any movement, with all the work your doing its a shame to bodge it


That fix is temporary. My plan is to get a new later style ARB. The early models (like mine) came with a 19mm bar and the later ones a 20mm bar. I belive you have to drop the subframe to replace the ARB at the front and I really can't be arsed with that so I'll be paying a garage to replace the front ARB once the suspension is replaced, then I can have it all aligned :wink:


----------



## corradoman

Garth said:


> corradoman said:
> 
> 
> 
> Garth i would change that fron arb if i was you, i tried all that faffing about with jubilee clips and they just move mate, the difference a new bar makes is amazing, the new bars have a metal collar welded on so stops any movement, with all the work your doing its a shame to bodge it
> 
> 
> 
> That fix is temporary. My plan is to get a new later style ARB. The early models (like mine) came with a 19mm bar and the later ones a 20mm bar. I belive you have to drop the subframe to replace the ARB at the front and I really can't be arsed with that so I'll be paying a garage to replace the front ARB once the suspension is replaced, then I can have it all aligned :wink:
Click to expand...

Garth dropping the subframe is an easy job and replacing the arb is too just make sure you buy new subframe bolts and steering rack bolts, your doing everything else on the car shame not to tackle a simple job like that  its up to you of course..


----------



## Garth

corradoman said:


> Garth dropping the subframe is an easy job and replacing the arb is too just make sure you buy new subframe bolts and steering rack bolts, your doing everything else on the car shame not to tackle a simple job like that  its up to you of course..


You're probably right, it is another excuse to get all dirty  
The problem is, I can't find one of my axle stands. Doing work on the suspension so far has been easy as you can do one side at a time. Dropping the subframe is a 'two wheels off' job. Now I have to go to the back of the shed to find the other axle stand! :roll: 
There's no way I'm dropping the subframe with the car on a jack... that's a BIG no-no. I remember when I was a lot younger the car fell off a jack when I was working under it. Luckily I was smart enough (only just!) to put a spare wheel under the sill just in case  Saftey first guys :wink:


----------



## Garth

I forgot to mention the cat heat shield was vibrating like crazy so I took a look at it. There were only two out of four bolts holding it on and one of those wasn't in tight. I removed the first bolt to check the size for replacement. This came out fine (even though it was the tight one). The second I tried to undo was stuck fast  The head rounded off straight away leaving me with this:









Maojr pain! I made sure it was covered in WD40 and left it for an hour. I then came back and tried to loosen it off with some molegrips. After about 20 mins, it turned about 90 degrees. "Yess" I shouted, thiking one it was started, it would be easy... Unfortunately not. I had to cut the head off in the end as it wouldn't turn any more. Now I have to leave the heatshield off until I can get the other end of the bolt off the cat. It was late yesterday and I had had enough by that point. Stupid rusty bolts!


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Garth said:


> I forgot to mention the cat heat shield was vibrating like crazy so I took a look at it. There were only two out of four bolts holding it on and one of those wasn't in tight. I removed the first bolt to check the size for replacement. This came out fine (even though it was the tight one). The second I tried to undo was stuck fast  The head rounded off straight away leaving me with this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maojr pain! I made sure it was covered in WD40 and left it for an hour. I then came back and tried to loosen it off with some molegrips. After about 20 mins, it turned about 90 degrees. "Yess" I shouted, thiking one it was started, it would be easy... Unfortunately not. I had to cut the head off in the end as it wouldn't turn any more. Now I have to leave the heatshield off until I can get the other end of the bolt off the cat. It was late yesterday and I had had enough by that point. Stupid rusty bolts!


I would just leave it off altogether mostvof the sports cats don't have them and I have removed mine from the Golf years ago


----------



## malstt

Great thread ! Just read it from start to finish. Keep up the good work ! 8)


----------



## Garth

Thank you.
I think you're right yellow, I'll just leave the heat shield off.

I've done another couple of bits this week. I replaced the broken dipstick tube, which was a major pain. Some numpty had used a bolt on the cover and I couldn't get a normal socket in the hole:








I eventually found my mini sockets and removed it. The the other side was totally seized. I had to drill off the head, leaving this:








I had to drill it out completely once I'd removed the panel as it just wasn't going to come out.

I bought a new dipstick too as the one was was falling apart. I couldn't leave it orange so I sprayed it purple to match the car:









My angel eyes finally arrived:








So I painted them silver to try to make them blend in with the chrome of the headlamp:








I made my own mounting solution from some body repair mesh. It's nice and pliable as it's aluminum. It's also dirt cheap :grin:
























The inserts came out nice once polished up. I'm also pleased with the tinted corners.








And everything assembled waiting for the lense...








The lenses were really scruffy:








so I spent ages polishing one using the 3m headlight restoration kit (which is pretty poor really) then abandoned it and did it the old fashioned way of wet and dry, rubbing compound then polish. It turned out pretty good but I still have the other one to do.








The light was fading so no more decent photos until tomorrow. You can tell how glossy it all is by all the reflections the angel eyes make :smile:


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Nice job loov the lights 8)


----------



## basky

Great build thread  Keep up the good work [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## Garth

A bit of a mixed bag today. Some success, some fail...

My car will not get above 69 degrees no matter how long I let it run, so first stop was a new temp sensor. The old one was a black version which has now been superseded by a green one so I know it's pretty old...








And the new version:








I fitted this with a new clip and rubber seal.








The old one looked well manky when it was removed:









It still won't go above 69 so next plan is thermostat (although I would be doing this regardless).

I thought I'd give the tail pipes a polish since they were actually brown:








About 15 mins later after a good rubbing with autoglym metal polish and wire wool, it looked like this:









Next job was to replace the fuel filter (just to be thorough). Nice shiny new one installed:








And the old one removed:









Now for the fail... I thought as the fuel filter is a quick job, I won't bother getting out the trolley jack, i'll use the Audi jack and put the car on axle stands since they were closer.
I should have known better. I was halfway though jacking up the car and the jack collapsed resulting in this:








This meant I had to get the trolley jack out anyway. The morals are:1) never trust an OEM jack and 2) never try to cut corners.

I now have to add a sill repair to the (increasingly) large list of jobs. :-(

On the plus side, I managed to rope my two step sons into helping me rake out the 3 tons of gravel I had delivered this morning. That cut my job from about 5 hours to 2


----------



## jamman

Garth said:


> On the plus side, I managed to rope my two step sons into helping me rake out the 3 tons of gravel I had delivered this morning. That cut my job from about 5 hours to 2


Can't beat a bit of forced labour :wink:

Glad everything is going well with the project (did the exact sane thing with the sill)


----------



## ades tt 180

jamman said:


> Glad everything is going well with the project (did the exact sane thing with the sill)


i did too! bloody stupid jack.....this is going to be a very nice car when it's finished...


----------



## Garth

Thanks guys... At least it's not just me with the jack. The same thing happened with my mk5 gti as well so I should have learned my lesson.

The car is actually coming along faster than I thought it would. The new dampers should be here this week so I can get the suspension overhauled :smile:


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> Thanks guys... At least it's not just me with the jack. The same thing happened with my mk5 gti as well so I should have learned my lesson.
> 
> The car is actually coming along faster than I thought it would. The new dampers should be here this week so I can get the suspension overhauled :smile:


Coming along very nicely Garth. keep it going mate.

Currently giving the car an interior face lift. Fitted the custom made armrest today and quite pleased. Waiting for the other bits to come.


----------



## Gazzer

mental note....buy a trolley jack!! keep it going Garth am loving this, while the mrs is watching some naff film i just re-read everything on here.


----------



## Snake TT

Incredible work Garth, the car really will look stunning when you have finished.

Dont be shy with the pictures or details Im loving it


----------



## Garth

Just replaced the air filter as the new one was taking up space in my office. Old and new dirt comparison:









Then I thought I'd inspect the suspension ready for fitting the new shocks this weekend.

Can you spot the problem? :-(








It's not the best photo but basically, the last 3 inches of the spring has snapped off and is sitting on the platform. No wonder there was a clunk over bumps! I think the other side is the same. I have a receipt for fitting apex springs 2 years ago but these are not apex. Dunno what's gone on but these don't look OEM either. I guess it's an excuse for new springs though. Bit of a pain as I only ordered shocks at the weekend and I could have got a full package instead.
Never mind, no use crying about it... Charlie, I need some springs!


----------



## Jakalus

Nice build thread 

Just a couple of quick questions: where did you get the dipstick tube and dipstick from? Mine is perished and not fitting properly so need a new one! Also, my temp doesn't go over 70 degrees (checked with the 49c to make sure the dial is reading the same and it is) have you managed to fit the thermostat yet to see if that resolves it? And finally, do you know of any negative effects of it running at 70 degrees? I would assume it'd be running a tad rich if anything so mpg might be lower than expected?

Best of luck with everything you're doing, looking forward to your updates


----------



## Garth

Jakalus said:


> Nice build thread
> Just a couple of quick questions: where did you get the dipstick tube and dipstick from?


I got them from ebay. £10 delivered for both. I'm told they're about the same price from the dealers so you could get them there. It's much faster to get them delivered from ebay for me as I find it hard to get to the dealers when the parts dept is open... plus it takes them 3 days to get anything in stock.


Jakalus said:


> do you know of any negative effects of it running at 70 degrees? I would assume it'd be running a tad rich if anything so mpg might be lower than expected?


I think lower mpg is the biggest problem although it should run smoother at the correct temp. Mine won't idle below 1000 rpm and I'm sure it's because the engine's not getting up to temperature so we'll see if a new thermostat helps with this.


Jakalus said:


> Best of luck with everything you're doing, looking forward to your updates


Thank you  
Looks like I won't be doing the suspension this weekend  springs are on back order and my shocks are on a slow boat from Germany [smiley=bigcry.gif]

I will be replacing the thermostat this weekend though


----------



## NoMark

Garth said:


> I made my own mounting solution from some body repair mesh. It's nice and pliable as it's aluminum. It's also dirt cheap :grin:


Hi Garth,

Brilliant thread mate, a real source of inspiration.

I have Angel Eyes to fit and I have a couple of quick questions if I may.

How have you secured the Angel Eyes to the Aluminium repair mesh and, how have you secured the mesh to the back of the headlight.

Secondly, how are you wiring them up?

I'm thinking of wiring mine as DRL's with a VSR but I know others have wired them as replacement side lights. Just wondered what you were doing.

Thanks in advance,

Mark.


----------



## Garth

NoMark said:


> Hi Garth,
> 
> Brilliant thread mate, a real source of inspiration.
> 
> I have Angel Eyes to fit and I have a couple of quick questions if I may.
> 
> How have you secured the Angel Eyes to the Aluminium repair mesh and, how have you secured the mesh to the back of the headlight.
> 
> Secondly, how are you wiring them up?
> 
> I'm thinking of wiring mine as DRL's with a VSR but I know others have wired them as replacement side lights. Just wondered what you were doing.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Mark.


Thanks!
I have used some 'evostick serious glue' to mount them as it's a heat hestistant glue. First thing I did was cover all the resistors on the back of the engel eyes in small pieces of insultation tape though as the mesh is metal :wink:

I have mine temporarily wired to the side lights but they are literally just pushed in at the moment. I will be wiring them in as DRL's when I get time but this is low on the list of priorities right now. My headlights will no doubt be coming out again soon as I do more to the engine/body. The front bumper is only pushed on, not secured in any way right now.

I have also noticed that one of the headlight washers is broken at the point where the hose attaches so that will need to be repaired too. I think 'can of worms' best describes this car at the moment


----------



## NoMark

Garth said:


> NoMark said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Garth,
> 
> Brilliant thread mate, a real source of inspiration.
> 
> I have Angel Eyes to fit and I have a couple of quick questions if I may.
> 
> How have you secured the Angel Eyes to the Aluminium repair mesh and, how have you secured the mesh to the back of the headlight.
> 
> Secondly, how are you wiring them up?
> 
> I'm thinking of wiring mine as DRL's with a VSR but I know others have wired them as replacement side lights. Just wondered what you were doing.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Mark.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks!
> I have used some 'evostick serious glue' to mount them as it's a heat hestistant glue. First thing I did was cover all the resistors on the back of the engel eyes in small pieces of insultation tape though as the mesh is metal :wink:
> 
> I have mine temporarily wired to the side lights but they are literally just pushed in at the moment. I will be wiring them in as DRL's when I get time but this is low on the list of priorities right now. My headlights will no doubt be coming out again soon as I do more to the engine/body. The front bumper is only pushed on, not secured in any way right now.
> 
> I have also noticed that one of the headlight washers is broken at the point where the hose attaches so that will need to be repaired too. I think 'can of worms' best describes this car at the moment
Click to expand...

Great, thanks for the quick reply.

Mark.


----------



## kayone

Coming on nicely Garth.

How are the angel eyes wired in exactly - is this an easy job?


----------



## kazinak

kayone said:


> Coming on nicely Garth.
> 
> How are the angel eyes wired in exactly - is this an easy job?


He explained all in his last post

Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk


----------



## kayone

kazinak said:


> kayone said:
> 
> 
> 
> Coming on nicely Garth.
> 
> How are the angel eyes wired in exactly - is this an easy job?
> 
> 
> 
> He explained all in his last post
> 
> Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Not really, I was looking for more detail as wiring isn't my strong point - but thanks for the concern


----------



## roughready28

Glad you posted that pic of the rear springs, decided to be dilligent and check mine....... [smiley=bigcry.gif] Rear right snapped and in a similar condition ((sigh)) oh well time for more dirty fingers....... :?


----------



## Garth

kayone said:


> kazinak said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> kayone said:
> 
> 
> 
> Coming on nicely Garth.
> 
> How are the angel eyes wired in exactly - is this an easy job?
> 
> 
> 
> He explained all in his last post
> 
> Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Not really, I was looking for more detail as wiring isn't my strong point - but thanks for the concern
Click to expand...

As I said, mine are temporarily installed as follows:

Remove the cover from the back on the headlight. Pull out the sidelight housing. Push the ends of you angel eye wires into the metal contacts for the sidelight bulb. If the angel eyes don't light up, swap the wires round.

I don't recommend leaving them like this though.


----------



## kayone

Garth said:


> As I said, mine are temporarily installed as follows:
> 
> Remove the cover from the back on the headlight. Pull out the sidelight housing. Push the ends of you angel eye wires into the metal contacts for the sidelight bulb. If the angel eyes don't light up, swap the wires round.
> 
> I don't recommend leaving them like this though.


Thanks, I am tempted to throw some angels in when I split the lights.


----------



## The Blue Bandit

> Now for the fail... I thought as the fuel filter is a quick job, I won't bother getting out the trolley jack, i'll use the Audi jack and put the car on axle stands since they were closer.
> I should have known better. I was halfway though jacking up the car and the jack collapsed resulting in this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This meant I had to get the trolley jack out anyway. The morals are:1) never trust an OEM jack and 2) never try to cut corners.
> 
> I now have to add a sill repair to the (increasingly) large list of jobs. :-(


... I've been following this thread with real interest- I know this has been covered before guys, but as a new TT owner I've read that the OEM jack is next to useless, but that the sills are also like soft cheese if you use a trolley jack... I haven't had the need to have my wheels off in my short time of ownership yet- but am looking to swap my wheels and paint the calipers the next time we have some decent weather- so what is the definitive advice on what to use to jack the car up in the first place and where to place axle stands etc?
I know there are other threads covering this, but they're really old and the pics are no longer there ... it just seems like a ideal opportunity to ask seeing as some of you seasoned TT owners have had problems in the past, and I'd prefer to avoid any damage to the sills in the first place...
... Sorry if we're just covering old ground here ...
:?


----------



## kazinak

Led angel eyes are ok ,but ccfl ones are way better ;D

Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk


----------



## Garth

The best place in my experience to jack up the car is to use teh jacking posts on the chassis. Stick your head under the car and just in from the sill you will see some circular plastic bits with a rubber ring round them. Use a prpoer trolley jack on these and you can't go wrong.
As you say, the sills are soft so do not try to use a trolley jack on them or they'll bend. The Audi jack shoiuld only really be used in an emergency to change a wheel and when using one, the car should be jacked up only just so the wheel is off the ground, no higher.


----------



## Garth

kazinak said:


> Led angel eyes are ok ,but ccfl ones are way better ;D
> 
> Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk


I actually prefer the look of the led's rather than the solid ccfl rings. The other advantage is the led ones are so cheap!


----------



## The Blue Bandit

... Thanks Garth, I've also heard people say you should use a wooden block (or similar) on top of the trolley jack lifting point to prevent damage- is this right or can you just use it straight out of the box? 
Also, where is the best place to put the axle stands on the front and rear of the car?
Thanks for your quick feedback by the way!


----------



## LordG71

The Blue Bandit said:


> ... Thanks Garth, I've also heard people say you should use a wooden block (or similar) on top of the trolley jack lifting point to prevent damage- is this right or can you just use it straight out of the box?
> Also, where is the best place to put the axle stands on the front and rear of the car?
> Thanks for your quick feedback by the way!


also...if you want to lift the front of the car up, then place two axel stands, what lift point can you use? (pictures would be great)


----------



## Mondo

Garth said:


> The best place in my experience to jack up the car is to use teh jacking posts on the chassis.


Half right. The rear rubber donut things are OK to use, but not the fronts. They're meant to be used all 4 together, by garages with 4-point lifts, so the load is evenly spread between/across them. But the front ones will be taking quite a bit of weight and I have heard of people punching thru the body work when the front donut gives way under the weight. :?

For the front I use the chassis rail, or you can also use the front suspension arm - it takes the weight of the car usually, so jacking up by it must also be safe.

Normal thread topic service will resume shortly.


----------



## The Blue Bandit

... I've opened a right can of worms here ...
I'm now more confused than when I started- it sounds like everybody is doing things differently!
I thought it would be a nice simple question but I'm wondering now if I should start another thread on it- rather than gatecrashing Garth's!
... it seems like it's a case of: 'you say potato and I say potarto' ...
:-?


----------



## kazinak

Garth said:


> kazinak said:
> 
> 
> 
> Led angel eyes are ok ,but ccfl ones are way better ;D
> 
> Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk
> 
> 
> 
> I actually prefer the look of the led's rather than the solid ccfl rings. The other advantage is the led ones are so cheap!
Click to expand...

Ccfl are cheap aswell ive paid 9pounds for the set  will be fitting this weekend ,at the moment I have led ones and they just doesn't look right for me

Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk


----------



## Naresh

kazinak said:


> Ccfl are cheap aswell ive paid 9pounds for the set  will be fitting this weekend ,at the moment I have led ones and they just doesn't look right for me


For some reason whenever I see those dotted LED rings it reminds me of this............










CCFL's all the way for me, nothing else comes close.................. 8)


----------



## Charlie

If I was doing it again I would do it with CCFL's, but I am happy enough with my led version not to bother changing, it is just too much of a hassle :-(

Charlie


----------



## ViperOneZero

Garth said:


> Now for the fail... I
> I should have known better. I was halfway though jacking up the car and the jack collapsed resulting in this:


Same happened to me. .. Although it nearly took my hand off.. OEM jacks are a no no in my opinion!

You could tap that dent out of the sill.. or fork out lots of cash for a new sill + spraying !

here is a guide :

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=53529


----------



## Garth

A few things achieved today...
First off, I replaced the spark plugs.
The old ones looked ok, but one is looking different to the others so i'll keep an eye on that:








Comparison of old and new:








The old ones are beru platinum, the new ones are Bosch platinum however, they are labelled ford as they are standard equipment on some ford cars. They are stamped with the proper Bosch part number but I can get then for a third of the price of Bosch branded ones ;-)

Next job was sorting put the rattling fuel tank covers. There's one on each side of the car (only one on fwd though) and they're mostly held on with these clips. Needless to say, they were completely rotten so I picked up some new ones from the dealer:









Next job was to replace the thermostat since my car wouldn't get above 70 degrees. I tested the new one first to make sure it opened at the correct temp of 87 degrees:









I drained the old fluid, which I don't think was the right kind since it was red:








So I totally flushed the system:








I removed the old stat and compared:









I fitted the new stat and refilled the system with new G12++ coolant mixed to the correct ratio:








Then ran the engine for a while... Success!








The car now gets up to temp and runs a lot smoother with the new plugs too 

I thought I'd finish off with a new coolant cap so bought this:








But that just wouldn't do, so out with the matt black and ...








Much nicer 

Last job for the night was to repair the snapped headlight washer. I retrieved the broken bit from the hose to give this:








And after some adhesive:








You've got to love epoxy resin :-D

Next job will be to replace the oil and filter plus remove the sump to check the oil pickup. Suspension components should all be here next week so that'll all be fitted soon. It's all coming together nicely...


----------



## chassmash

loving this garth ,
like a good book cant wait for the next chapter,
dedication and a real eye for detail,
keep up the good work


----------



## GPT TT

Tremendous post! Keep them coming Garth!!


----------



## Garth

Thanks for the compliments guys. Don't worry, I intend to keep going for quite a while 

This morning I finally repaired my broken light switch so the foglights now work. See here for details:
http://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=264282


----------



## kazinak

GunnerGibson said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Now for the fail... I
> I should have known better. I was halfway though jacking up the car and the jack collapsed resulting in this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Same happened to me. .. Although it nearly took my hand off.. OEM jacks are a no no in my opinion!
> 
> You could tap that dent out of the sill.. or fork out lots of cash for a new sill + spraying !
> 
> here is a guide :
> 
> viewtopic.php?f=2&t=53529
Click to expand...

i've replaced mine aswell, i was lucky enough to find on in blue for £50


----------



## E3 YOB

Love this thread Garth


----------



## Garth

Well, my pile of parts is growing...

Just had the springs and shocks delivered:
















and some bits and bobs including rear drop links, front top mounts and bearings, spacers, ball joints...









Just waiting now for rear upper and lower spring mounts and the nuts and bolts to replace. They should all be here tomorrow.

I really ought to pull my finger out and order the new bushes and the adjustable tie bars so I can replace everything in one go.

My oil has arrived too so I think the first job will be the oil change as I already have the new oil filter, magnetic sump plug and gasket sealant (for when I've removed the sump to check/clean/replace oil pickup).

Also remembered that my cooling fans come on as soon as the engine starts rather than waiting til it's up to temperature. I've already replaced the thermostat and coolant temp sensor so the next job is to replace the radiator temp sensor/fan switch. Will it ever end? :roll:


----------



## sjk17j

Suspension will be a nice upgrade, a good four wheel alignment after will see the best of that set up.

I have fitted the Apex kit to our A3, am looking forward to seeing how it fares once out on the road.


----------



## Garth

sjk17j said:


> Suspension will be a nice upgrade, a good four wheel alignment after will see the best of that set up.
> 
> I have fitted the Apex kit to our A3, am looking forward to seeing how it fares once out on the road.


Yes, 4 wheel alignment will be done later.

You'll have to let me know what yours rides like on the Apex springs as it's going to be ages before I drive this on the road. I've declared the car SORN and I won't be taxing it until I'm satisfied it's suitably finished  
This means the furthest it can go is the 12 or so metres of driveway it's on now 

I reckon looks wise, I haven't seen any suspension that sits better than the Apex springs (including coilovers) as I'm not into the whole 'slammed' look. I just hope I can get it to ride as good as it looks once it's all finished. The shocks are a bit of a gamble as I haven't heard of anyone else using them, especially with these springs but fingers crossed it'll all work :roll:


----------



## markypoo

Garth said:


> Also remembered that my cooling fans come on as soon as the engine starts rather than waiting til it's up to temperature. I've already replaced the thermostat and coolant temp sensor so the next job is to replace the radiator temp sensor/fan switch. Will it ever end? :roll:


Have you tried pushing the econ button on the heater controls and see if the fans come on when cold then?
If the Econ light isn't lit means your aircon is running, noticed in your pic it wasn't lit :wink:


----------



## Garth

markypoo said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Also remembered that my cooling fans come on as soon as the engine starts rather than waiting til it's up to temperature. I've already replaced the thermostat and coolant temp sensor so the next job is to replace the radiator temp sensor/fan switch. Will it ever end? :roll:
> 
> 
> 
> Have you tried pushing the econ button on the heater controls and see if the fans come on when cold then?
> If the Econ light isn't lit means your aircon is running, noticed in your pic it wasn't lit :wink:
Click to expand...

Yeah tried it and also tried with the heating/aircon completely off.


----------



## Guzi

Great stuff, its like watching wheeler dealers!


----------



## warrenstuart

Only read to page 7 and run out of time 

Where did you get the leather handbrake cover from on page 4 ?


----------



## LordG71

Guzi said:


> Great stuff, its like watching wheeler dealers!


...in Wheeler Dealers, they do all this, and more, in one hour!! lol - great effort and very inspiring


----------



## New2AudiTT

warrenstuart said:


> Only read to page 7 and run out of time
> 
> Where did you get the leather handbrake cover from on page 4 ?


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280366332306? ... 2990829965

Check out the other items from this seller.

cheers


----------



## markusdarkus

Loving this thread! I cant believe how well the seats came up!?!

Keep up the good work


----------



## TT Stu-82

Great thread! Keep it up! 8)


----------



## Garth

warrenstuart said:


> Only read to page 7 and run out of time
> 
> Where did you get the leather handbrake cover from on page 4 ?


Handbrake and gear gaitors were from eBay, the company is called top gaitors. The quality is excellent.


----------



## Garth

LordG71 said:


> Guzi said:
> 
> 
> 
> Great stuff, its like watching wheeler dealers!
> 
> 
> 
> ...in Wheeler Dealers, they do all this, and more, in one hour!! lol - great effort and very inspiring
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm not that fast! :grin:
I have to fit this stuff round all my other jobs, which often leaves me little time.


----------



## Garth

markusdarkus said:


> Loving this thread! I cant believe how well the seats came up!?!
> 
> Keep up the good work





TT Stu-82 said:


> Great thread! Keep it up! 8)


Thanks guys. I've got a massive pile of suspension parts now so I'll be fitting those at the weekend plus doing the oil change.

I'm getting to the point where the next jobs are more expensive (clutch and dmf, cambelt, brakes etc) so they won't happen as quickly. I am also being 'encouraged' to do something with the garden so that'll take time and funds away from the TT.


----------



## Widzia

Thumbs Up :!: Love pedantic servised cars


----------



## Saffy

Fab thread, your doing a grand job

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Phil_RS

Just read through the whole thread and you are doing a great job! Shame about the sill but hopefully it won't be too costly to fix.

Looking forward to seeing more pictures


----------



## sjk17j

Garth said:


> I am also being 'encouraged' to do something with the garden so that'll take time and funds away from the TT.


Sounds similar to the 'management' here, however, I have fund that excersising ignorance has a tendandcy to assist in these situations.


----------



## warrenstuart

New2AudiTT said:


> warrenstuart said:
> 
> 
> 
> Only read to page 7 and run out of time
> 
> Where did you get the leather handbrake cover from on page 4 ?
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280366332306? ... 2990829965
> 
> Check out the other items from this seller.
> 
> cheers
Click to expand...




Garth said:


> warrenstuart said:
> 
> 
> 
> Only read to page 7 and run out of time
> 
> Where did you get the leather handbrake cover from on page 4 ?
> 
> 
> 
> Handbrake and gear gaitors were from eBay, the company is called top gaitors. The quality is excellent.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys


----------



## Garth

The plan for today: 
1) Replace the perished door mirror glass
2) Oil and filter change (with sump removal and oil pickup clean)
3) Replace front and rear shocks and springs (with new mounts and bolts plus rear droplinks)

Going out now...


----------



## Mondo

That leather gaiter/handbrake cover is good - I got a set from the same seller awhile ago. Kept the gaiter; chucked the handbrake when I managed to pick up an OEM leather one cheap one day. 

Hmmm... might look into removing my sump and having a look around the next time I change my oil too.


----------



## Garth

Reasonably successful day, got most of it done...

The driver's side mirror looked pretty scabby so that needed replacing. 
Before:








After:









Oil change was pretty straightforward, I used an oil drain bottle to collect the old oil:








I'd never used one before but it was pretty good.

I dropped the sump:








Once I'd removed the oil pickup, it was clear to see why it's good to do it. It was very blocked:








And this is some of the crap that came out of it:








All clean:








The sump was pretty clear once it was drained:









I thought I'd try a magnetic sump plug on the grounds that it would keep any metal flakes out of the engine. To ne honest I'm not sure it's needed after seeing the sump but as I had it, I put it on:








Once I put the sump back on, I removed the old oil filter and drained it:








And the new one to go on:








I filled the new filter with oil:








All back together and ran the engine. No leaks so all is good :grin:


----------



## corradoman

jees that pick up pipe was filthy Garth, much worse than mine, just done in time me thinks, did you have fun with the gearbox side sump bolts :lol:


----------



## Garth

I couldn't get the top nuts off the front strut so I left it and moved on to the rear.
I dropped the damper and removed the spring:








The mystery of what springs were on is now clear:








I'll never buy eibach again, that's the second time I've had their products and the second time i've had them fail.

The spring seats needed removing by destructive means:








Old and new top and bottom mounts:








Old and new springs:








New spring fitted without the need for compessors:








Old and new dampers and drop links:








Old and new bolts:








Everything all bolted in:








And how it sits now:








It will probably settle a little lower eventually.

I might give the fronts another go in the morning, but I'll probably need some bigger tools :grin:


----------



## Garth

corradoman said:


> jees that pick up pipe was filthy Garth, much worse than mine, just done in time me thinks, did you have fun with the gearbox side sump bolts :lol:


Yeah, it was pretty nasty.
I'll be honest, the gearbox bolts were pretty easy. I used a socket set with universal joint and they came straight off. I wasn't expecting that!


----------



## 35mphspeedlimit

Excluding replacement of the springs (and the addition of new wish bones) you've pretty much done to your rear what I have just paid about £1,300 to have done to my fronts! Bet you've saved a few penny's doing it yourself? Well done, looking good. [smiley=dude.gif]


----------



## Mondo

Nice one, Garth. Def' remove my sump next change. I like your oil can - got one just like it from Halfrauds myself. :wink:


----------



## Engineer

Hi there, I see that you have replaced the side mirror... I have the same problem with the one from the passanger side... I would like to know how does it come off? You just pull it out?

Thx


----------



## Garth

Engineer said:


> Hi there, I see that you have replaced the side mirror... I have the same problem with the one from the passanger side... I would like to know how does it come off? You just pull it out?
> 
> Thx


There's a plastic tab at the bottom of the glass. Push it to the side and then pull the glass out.
To be honest if you put your fingers round the glass you can just use brute force and yank it out - I did.


----------



## Mark Davies

Great work being done. Are you even counting up the cost? I'm sure we'd all be interested in knowing what this sort of attention to detail would set you back.


----------



## Garth

Mark Davies said:


> Great work being done. Are you even counting up the cost? I'm sure we'd all be interested in knowing what this sort of attention to detail would set you back.


Thanks.
I have all the receipts in a pile, which is an inch thick so far. I'm pretty good when it comes to getting things for good prices and shopping around for discounts but it's still costing a fair amount. It will still end up costing a lot less than something like a big turbo conversion and the car should mint when I'm finished.
Maybe when it's all done I'll add up all the costs and if it's not too scary i'll share it :grin:


----------



## shil0h

love this thread!


----------



## merlin c

How easy was it to not only drop the sump but hold it up to put it back as I am thinking of doing it also to check my oil pick up pipework for piece of mind, thanks............Merlin


----------



## Garth

merlin c said:


> How easy was it to not only drop the sump but hold it up to put it back as I am thinking of doing it also to check my oil pick up pipework for piece of mind, thanks............Merlin


Very easy to he honest. One the bolts are all out, a quick tap with a rubber mallet breaks the seal and it can be lowered. Once both faces are cleaned up and the old sealent removed, you can apply the gasket sealant to the sump. Simply raise it up and give it a push. It's not heavy so the seal will hold it while you put a few bolts back in.


----------



## merlin c

Garth said:


> merlin c said:
> 
> 
> 
> How easy was it to not only drop the sump but hold it up to put it back as I am thinking of doing it also to check my oil pick up pipework for piece of mind, thanks............Merlin
> 
> 
> 
> Very easy to he honest. One the bolts are all out, a quick tap with a rubber mallet breaks the seal and it can be lowered. Once both faces are cleaned up and the old sealent removed, you can apply the gasket sealant to the sump. Simply raise it up and give it a push. It's not heavy so the seal will hold it while you put a few bolts back in.
Click to expand...

 Thanks Garth [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## Garth

Well, I popped down to halfords this morning and picked up a few tools. I got the top nuts of the front suspension loose in seconds. Everything's easy with the right tools!
Problem now is that as soon as I got the car up on axle stands it started pissing it down 
The rain keeps stopping just long enough for me to get all my tools out again and then the rain comes back... Heavily! I hate this county's weather


----------



## Garth

I had the car up on stands so I thought I'd just brave the weather and get stuck in.
This was the scene then:









I started to strip the suspension down:








And jacked up the strut to attach the spring compressors:








The old suspension removed:









The old top mount was badly deformed and the bearing was very, very stiff. Good job I bought new ones. So this was to go on:








Notice how there is no dust boot or bump stop on the new damper so I re used the old ones as they were in excellent condition.
So the new spring and damper assembled with bump stop, new bearing and top mount, ready to go on:








While I was down there I figured I'd replace the ball joints with the new ones I've had for a while. The bottom nuts were completely rusted solid. I got out my long breaker bar to get 2 of them off:








Problem was, the third was beyond removal  I spent over an hour on the one bolt alone before sayin 'sod it, I'll get the angle grinder out':








That's not a washer in the photo, it's what's left of the nut after I attacked it with the grinder.
Once that was finally off, I had the new one to fit:








I'm REALLY glad I decided to replace these. They need to be adjusted when a wheel alignment is done and there's no way a garage would have been able to do this with that bolt as rusty as it was. My obsession pays off 

I lined up the new ball joint where the old one was:









I reassembled the suspension:

















And that's where I left it for the day. I kept having to stop as the rain was really heavy at times and I kept dropping spammers due to them slipping :grin:

I'll do the other side tomorrow.


----------



## kazinak

why did you use spring clamps :?: just remove one bolt from the top, and keep top mount and bearing in the place, will be less hassle :roll:


----------



## Garth

I was asked to show where I jacked up the car so here's a couple of photos of where on the subframe I placed the jack:

















The wood is to protect the driveway! We only had it layed a few months ago and it's still pretty soft. Tarmac can take over 6 months to fully harden and the first time I used the trolley jack, the wheels sunk over a inch into the drive


----------



## ViperOneZero

Ahhh those dreaded manual compressors!! They piss me off every time use them...

Looking good... how did you find pulling the old strut out of the hub :lol: ?


----------



## Garth

Also this week, I removed the lower grilles which had seen better days so I could spray them in satin black.
Before:








And after:









The other thing in the photo are the kidney grilles from the 5 series which I'm doing gloss black


----------



## Garth

Ooh and I almost forgot. I cleaned up all the engine bay covers to tidy things up under the bonnet. They looked like this:








And after a clean:








And most of them back on the car:









I have all new OEM black screws for these but haven't put them on yet since I'll be removing them when I replace the cam belt soon.

I'm going to buy some tax and take it for a test drive next week to see how things have improved :grin:


----------



## Garth

GunnerGibson said:


> Ahhh those dreaded manual compressors!! They piss me off every time use them...
> 
> Looking good... how did you find pulling the old strut out of the hub :lol: ?


Yeah, luckily I only had to use the compressors for taking the old springs out. I used good old elbow grease to put the new ones in. My 12 year old step son helped out putting the nut on while I squeezed like crazy!

Getting the old strut out wasn't too bad. Judicious use of a rubber mallet on the bottom if the spring platform took care of that :x

Thaks for the compliment, things are going quite well :grin:


----------



## kazinak

GunnerGibson said:


> Ahhh those dreaded manual compressors!! They piss me off every time use them...
> 
> Looking good... how did you find pulling the old strut out of the hub :lol: ?


i've used the car jack,just stick it between the hub and the shock and jack it up slowly , 5min job   (Brendand can confirm )


----------



## Garth

kazinak said:


> why did you use spring clamps :?: just remove one bolt from the top, and keep top mount and bearing in the place, will be less hassle :roll:


I needed some bits from the old shock therefore needed to dismantle it. You can remove all the top bolts and drop the shock without compressors but it's much easier to remove the strut with the spring compressed due to space. I'm not sure what standard springs are like but the eibachs seem pretty long. The amount they expand after removal is quite big so they would be difficult to remove without the compressors.



kazinak said:


> i've used the car jack,just stick it between the hub and the shock and jack it up slowly , 5min job   (Brendand can confirm )


I tried that but the jack kept slipping off... Maybe it was all the rain!


----------



## stainzy

Very interesting best of luck ! Can't wait to hear more let us know how u get on with boost leak I have same problem with forge diverter [smiley=bigcry.gif]


----------



## RenesisEvo

Garth said:


> I have all new OEM black screws for these but haven't put them on yet since I'll be removing them when I replace the cam belt soon.


Where's the best place to get these screws (part number?) as there's a few missing from mine and it irritates me. I was planning to do the same as you, take all the panels out and clean everything up.

TIA


----------



## YELLOW_TT

RenesisEvo said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have all new OEM black screws for these but haven't put them on yet since I'll be removing them when I replace the cam belt soon.
> 
> 
> 
> Where's the best place to get these screws (part number?) as there's a few missing from mine and it irritates me. I was planning to do the same as you, take all the panels out and clean everything up.
> 
> TIA
Click to expand...

Dealers or TPS they bare not much I think you can get them on eBay but they cost more than the dealers


----------



## Garth

RenesisEvo said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have all new OEM black screws for these but haven't put them on yet since I'll be removing them when I replace the cam belt soon.
> 
> 
> 
> Where's the best place to get these screws (part number?) as there's a few missing from mine and it irritates me. I was planning to do the same as you, take all the panels out and clean everything up.
> 
> TIA
Click to expand...

I got them from the dealers. They're not cheap though- list price is £1.48 each! I bought 6 of them and got a decent discount because of all the other parts I bought at the same time 
Part no. Is: a8n0 103 531


----------



## ades tt 180

noticed your calipers looking a bit tatty...shame to leave them seeing as you've done so much...are you gonna paint them or get newer/better?...shudda made a tv series of this build!... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## Garth

ades tt 180 said:


> noticed your calipers looking a bit tatty...shame to leave them seeing as you've done so much...are you gonna paint them or get newer/better?...shudda made a tv series of this build!... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


there's no way I would leave them like that! 
The discs and pads are pretty new all round, which is a shame as I will be ditching them for new stuff soon. I'll be getting new discs and pads then painting the calipers as a minimum. I am toying with the idea of getting some r32/tt v6 calipers, which is why I haven't touched the brakes yet.


----------



## RenesisEvo

Garth said:


> RenesisEvo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have all new OEM black screws for these but haven't put them on yet since I'll be removing them when I replace the cam belt soon.
> 
> 
> 
> Where's the best place to get these screws (part number?) as there's a few missing from mine and it irritates me. I was planning to do the same as you, take all the panels out and clean everything up.
> 
> TIA
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I got them from the dealers. They're not cheap though- list price is £1.48 each! I bought 6 of them and got a decent discount because of all the other parts I bought at the same time
> Part no. Is: a8n0 103 531
Click to expand...

Thank you both!


----------



## Garth

I just managed to do the final corner of the suspension when I got home from work tonight  it all went swimmingly for once!

The top mount bearing was completely seized and wouldn't move at all. Looks like whoever fitted the eibach springs over tightened the top mounts. Good job I bought new ones.

I'll be taking it for a test drive tomorrow so keep your fingers crossed for me! I'm hoping for a big improvement from the old setup


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> I'll be taking it for a test drive tomorrow so keep your fingers crossed for me! I'm hoping for a big improvement from the old setup


Should be good Garth given it's been restored by a legend like you 

All the best.

If am coming to England I'll definitely make it a must to meet you. Well that's if you're willing to :lol:


----------



## Garth

I don't know about legend, I'm no better than anyone else that puts their mind to a job. 
I am lucky in that I don't have to rush anything since I don't need to drive the car... But thanks for the compliment :grin:
Oh and if you do cone over, don't forget the beers


----------



## Garth

It looks like all the jump starting over the last month has taken it's toll. The battery was on it's last legs anyway but now it's completely dead, can't even jump it 

I'm off to ecp to pick up a new one, I taxed the car this morning and I want to test it! :grin:


----------



## Garth

Well I replaced the battery for one with a higher spec. Old and new:








It fired first time  
Here's how it looked before I headed out for a test drive:








The car hasn't moved since the front suspension was fitted so I expect it to drop slightly after use.

How was it? 
I have to say the suspension is a massive success. Lowered on springs only, the ride was hard, crashy and bouncy but now it's not  
The dampers suit these springs perfectly so I definitely recommend them to anyone with apex springs. The bumps are really well controlled and there's do much less wallowing and roll that the ride omfort is actually better than standard, which shocked me :-o
I really wasn't expecting this good a result so I'm really happy. I didn't push the car hard at all since the tyres are all approaching the legal limit and the brakes had not been used in months so they weren't great. Because of this I can't yet comment on the handling at the limit but I can say they performed excellently throughout the drive.

Problems:
I have the esp warning light on and a vag-com scan shows up a fault of Steering angle sensor implausible signal. Any ideas???

A word of advice: make sure you tighten your wheel nuts before driving. I forgot that at the weekend, I only put the rear wheels on finger tight. I had to stop and tighten them after a few miles when I heard a "wub, wub, wub" sound when turning. That could have gone a lot worse!

Jobs to do as a result of the drive:
Investigate sensor fault.
Get some adjustable rear tie bars. There's a fair amount of camber going on at the rear that I'm not a fan of so I'll get some new tie bars to sort it. Here's how it's looking now:








And









I've got some spacers but I'm not putting them on yet


----------



## Gazzer

garth........is there like 20 or 30 pages of work missing here? as i got to the suspension page and now its completed!!!!!!
    what am i going to do now on my visits to the forum??? cannot go back to rowing with kaz as that got boring tbh.

whats next?? MODS MODS MODS...........big turbo and gull wing doors (cringes at the frowns of people reading this) hey i like them sozzz fellas.


----------



## Garth

Gazzer said:


> garth........is there like 20 or 30 pages of work missing here? as i got to the suspension page and now its completed!!!!!!
> what am i going to do now on my visits to the forum??? cannot go back to rowing with kaz as that got boring tbh.
> 
> whats next?? MODS MODS MODS...........big turbo and gull wing doors (cringes at the frowns of people reading this) hey i like them sozzz fellas.


Ha ha ha, don't worry, I'm not even halfway yet


----------



## ricksimmonds

glad your happy with the set up mate...good work, i love this thread, cant wait for the next update !


----------



## Gazzer

Garth said:


> Gazzer said:
> 
> 
> 
> garth........is there like 20 or 30 pages of work missing here? as i got to the suspension page and now its completed!!!!!!
> what am i going to do now on my visits to the forum??? cannot go back to rowing with kaz as that got boring tbh.
> 
> whats next?? MODS MODS MODS...........big turbo and gull wing doors (cringes at the frowns of people reading this) hey i like them sozzz fellas.
> 
> 
> 
> Ha ha ha, don't worry, I'm not even halfway yet
Click to expand...

just got a semi!!!!..........yawn i mean as its time for bed for us over 45's lol


----------



## tonksy26

All this work and effort and you forget to tighten the wheels nuts haha

Keep up the unbelievable work. You can do mine _When_ you finish :wink:


----------



## Garth

You'll love this then...
I know what the problem with the steering angle fault is. Now to fix it!

I pulled it to bits and this is what I ended up with:









Reminds me of an old 80's cassette


----------



## Adam-tt

are you going to use a pencil to rewind it :lol:


----------



## Garth

Adam-tt said:


> are you going to use a pencil to rewind it :lol:


Yep, got one for the job


----------



## LOWTT225

Is that not the contact reel for the airbag?


----------



## Garth

LOWTT225 said:


> Is that not the contact reel for the airbag?


Yes it is. It's also where the steering angle sensor is.


----------



## Riggasurf

Hey garth just read the whole thread all very interesting and you have heard it a lot it all looks no sounds like your doing a fab job! Nice to know it's not just me that has niggles about scratches on interior bits that others can't see, but you know that they are there. Only one question for now, I don't suppose you can remember what the diameter was for the angel eyes you have is do you?

Cheers in advance

Ry


----------



## Garth

Riggasurf said:


> Hey garth just read the whole thread all very interesting and you have heard it a lot it all looks no sounds like your doing a fab job! Nice to know it's not just me that has niggles about scratches on interior bits that others can't see, but you know that they are there. Only one question for now, I don't suppose you can remember what the diameter was for the angel eyes you have is do you?
> 
> Cheers in advance
> 
> Ry


Thank you. I certainly do, they're 100mm. BUT, don't buy any LED ones yet! I have had a few of the LED's go out on one of them due to bad connection. I'm going to have to resolder them which would be a major pain for most people after they are installed. I'm going to take Kazinak's suggestion and look into some ccfl angel eyes if I get any more problems.


----------



## matt31

For the steering angle, have you dismounted your steering wheel ? If yes, the steering angle sensor has probably turned before reassembling it. You should test using VAGCOM the angle with wheels straight. If not 0°, you have dismount it and turn it to have the correct steering angle.

I have had this issue when mounting my cruise control.


----------



## Garth

matt31 said:


> For the steering angle, have you dismounted your steering wheel ? If yes, the steering angle sensor has probably turned before reassembling it. You should test using VAGCOM the angle with wheels straight. If not 0°, you have dismount it and turn it to have the correct steering angle.
> 
> I have had this issue when mounting my cruise control.


Hi, thanks. Yes I have removed the steering wheel and I got the same info you just gave from another forum. I went out to take the steering wheel off again last night when I took the photo but when the slip ring fell off I left it. I'll be putting it back together tonight. Do you know where the steering angle is in vag-com?

Cheers


----------



## ttnotter1

Garth said:


> A few things achieved today...
> First off, I replaced the spark plugs.
> The old ones looked ok, but one is looking different to the others so i'll keep an eye on that:
> Then ran the engine for a while... Success!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The car now gets up to temp and runs a lot smoother with the new plugs too
> 
> You've got to love epoxy resin :-D
> 
> Next job will be to replace the oil and filter plus remove the sump to check the oil pickup. Suspension components should all be here next week so that'll all be fitted soon. It's all coming together nicely...


Great thread mate ! .
Was also wondering how you get the centre console to display the temperature and other parameters ? ( as i remember reading somwhere that you could view alot of things on it including boost psi and mph etc ) .

Thanks in advance


----------



## Garth

ttnotter1 said:


> Great thread mate ! .
> Was also wondering how you get the centre console to display the temperature and other parameters ? ( as i remember reading somwhere that you could view alot of things on it including boost psi and mph etc ) .
> 
> Thanks in advance


Thank you 

To display the various measuringblocks on the climate display, hold the recirc button (middle one on the left) and press the up button (top right). Once there, the screen will show 0C. Turn the left dial until the desired block is reached (for engine coolant temp, it is 49C) and then press the recirc button again. It should now show the info you want.
I don't know the other codes off hand but do a search on here and you should get the answers as I've seen a full list somewhere :wink:


----------



## Garth

Garth said:


> matt31 said:
> 
> 
> 
> For the steering angle, have you dismounted your steering wheel ? If yes, the steering angle sensor has probably turned before reassembling it. You should test using VAGCOM the angle with wheels straight. If not 0°, you have dismount it and turn it to have the correct steering angle.
> 
> I have had this issue when mounting my cruise control.
> 
> 
> 
> Hi, thanks. Yes I have removed the steering wheel and I got the same info you just gave from another forum. I went out to take the steering wheel off again last night when I took the photo but when the slip ring fell off I left it. I'll be putting it back together tonight. Do you know where the steering angle is in vag-com?
> 
> Cheers
Click to expand...

Never mind, I didn't need VAG-COM. I simply refitted everything and made sure it was aligned correctly. Problem solved


----------



## matt31

I don't remember exactly, but it's one of the measuring groups of the ABS module. You'll see it moving when turning the steering wheel.


----------



## Garth

Stupid car... I took it for another drive and the warning light came back on.
Instead of a steering angle fault, now i'm getting "steering angle sensor no or incorrect adjustment"

I have tried doing the basic settings as detailed on the Ross-tech site but rather than saying "ok" when done, I get "press pedal 10 times then close bleed screw" WTF?
I even trired bleeding the brakes but of course that made no difference.

I removed the steering angle sensor and checked it- looks ok and reassembled the car, tried settings again. Same result 
I'm stumped now


----------



## corradoman

Garth said:


> Stupid car... I took it for another drive and the warning light came back on.
> Instead of a steering angle fault, now i'm getting "steering angle sensor no or incorrect adjustment"
> 
> I have tried doing the basic settings as detailed on the Ross-tech site but rather than saying "ok" when done, I get "press pedal 10 times then close bleed screw" WTF?
> I even trired bleeding the brakes but of course that made no difference.
> 
> I removed the steering angle sensor and checked it- looks ok and reassembled the car, tried settings again. Same result
> I'm stumped now


My mate had the same problem with his a3 Garth and he had to bite the bullit and buy a new one, he tried everything but it was knackered :?


----------



## Garth

corradoman said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Stupid car... I took it for another drive and the warning light came back on.
> Instead of a steering angle fault, now i'm getting "steering angle sensor no or incorrect adjustment"
> 
> I have tried doing the basic settings as detailed on the Ross-tech site but rather than saying "ok" when done, I get "press pedal 10 times then close bleed screw" WTF?
> I even trired bleeding the brakes but of course that made no difference.
> 
> I removed the steering angle sensor and checked it- looks ok and reassembled the car, tried settings again. Same result
> I'm stumped now
> 
> 
> 
> My mate had the same problem with his a3 Garth and he had to bite the bullit and buy a new one, he tried everything but it was knackered :?
Click to expand...

No worries, thanks. There are enough TT's in breakers to pick up one of these sensors. I don't mind buying trim from the dealers, but I aint paying the new price for a steering angle sensor!


----------



## ricksimmonds

i have no idea where the sensor is located and whether this would even fix the problem...but isit a perfect excuse for a flat bottom wheel? :twisted:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Audi-RS4-8E-8H-S ... 3a72d8d3a6


----------



## Garth

ricksimmonds said:


> i have no idea where the sensor is located and whether this would even fix the problem...but isit a perfect excuse for a flat bottom wheel? :twisted:
> 
> http://www.ebay.de/itm/Audi-RS4-8E-8H-S ... 3a72d8d3a6


The sensor is on the steering column so changing the wheel won't help. 
I also wouldn't pay over £300 for that wheel without an airbag! I've seen the same thing go for less than £200...

Thanks for the input though :grin:


----------



## Riggasurf

kazinak said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> kazinak said:
> 
> 
> 
> Led angel eyes are ok ,but ccfl ones are way better ;D
> 
> Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk
> 
> 
> 
> I actually prefer the look of the led's rather than the solid ccfl rings. The other advantage is the led ones are so cheap!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Ccfl are cheap aswell ive paid 9pounds for the set  will be fitting this weekend ,at the moment I have led ones and they just doesn't look right for me
> 
> Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Ref this post are ccfl's fine to fit straight to the light loom with a splice for example, as I have seen power inverter kits for them and wondered if they were nessecary.

Cheers


----------



## kazinak

Yes you will need the inverters,

Send from my Android using Tapatalk 2


----------



## verecocha

kazinak said:


> Yes you will need the inverters,
> 
> Send from my Android using Tapatalk 2


Are they neccessary for the LED rings you had before Kaz? Can't find your old 'How to' on them anymore just your new headlight unit thread.


----------



## Guzi

No more updates Garth from the bank holiday weekend?


----------



## Garth

Guzi said:


> No more updates Garth from the bank holiday weekend?


I'm afraid I went away for the weekend with my wife so no real progress.

The only thing of note from last week is that I got rid of the last boost leak (no more vag-com fault codes  ) by replacing two rubber hoses with silicon ones. If you remember earlier in the thread, I had a split pipe which I trimmed down temporarily. I decided it was about time I replaced it. I priced up new OEM rubber pipe and then found this company:
http://www.creationsmotorsport.com/ and found it was actually cheaper to get a set of two silicone hoses cheaper than one OEM rubber one 

I wish I had known about this company before. The silicon hoses are absolutely identical quality to the forge one I bought a couple of months ago but are two thirds of the price. I might buy some more from them soon...

So then, scabby old pipe:








old and new:








and the new ones installed:









Not much else to report. I've got an R32 rear ARB sat beside me to fit, just waiting on the poly bushes to be delivered. I'm still making my mind up on which front ARB to get to go with it. Front R32 is too big as using this will retain the TT's understeering nature. Standard 19 or 20mm bar is probably too thin so I think I'll go for a 22mm front. I'm used to driving powerful RWD cars so the TT needs to ditch it's understeer or it'll be sat on the naughty step forever 

Apart from that, I got my rear 20mm spacers last week (already got the front 15mm ones a while ago) but have not ordered any bolts to fit them yet. Lass than £80 delivered for both front and rear spacers isn't bad considering the big brands cost at least double in some cases. The quality of the ones I've got looks better than the Eibach ones I've got on the BMW that cost twice as much :roll:

Also got some more indicator lenses (thanks Charlie) to have a play with. More on that soon :wink:


----------



## corradoman

Garth said:


> Guzi said:
> 
> 
> 
> No more updates Garth from the bank holiday weekend?
> 
> 
> 
> I'm afraid I went away for the weekend with my wife so no real progress.
> 
> The only thing of note from last week is that I got rid of the last boost leak (no more vag-com fault codes  ) by replacing two rubber hoses with silicon ones. If you remember earlier in the thread, I had a split pipe which I trimmed down temporarily. I decided it was about time I replaced it. I priced up new OEM rubber pipe and then found this company:
> http://www.creationsmotorsport.com/ and found it was actually cheaper to get a set of two silicone hoses cheaper than one OEM rubber one
> 
> I wish I had known about this company before. The silicon hoses are absolutely identical quality to the forge one I bought a couple of months ago but are two thirds of the price. I might buy some more from them soon...
> 
> So then, scabby old pipe:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> old and new:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and the new ones installed:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not much else to report. I've got an R32 rear ARB sat beside me to fit, just waiting on the poly bushes to be delivered. I'm still making my mind up on which front ARB to get to go with it. Front R32 is too big as using this will retain the TT's understeering nature. Standard 19 or 20mm bar is probably too thin so I think I'll go for a 22mm front. I'm used to driving powerful RWD cars so the TT needs to ditch it's understeer or it'll be sat on the naughty step forever
> 
> Apart from that, I got my rear 20mm spacers last week (already got the front 15mm ones a while ago) but have not ordered any bolts to fit them yet. Lass than £80 delivered for both front and rear spacers isn't bad considering the big brands cost at least double in some cases. The quality of the ones I've got looks better than the Eibach ones I've got on the BMW that cost twice as much :roll:
> 
> Also got some more indicator lenses (thanks Charlie) to have a play with. More on that soon :wink:
Click to expand...

Have you got a link to the spacers please Garth


----------



## ades tt 180

verecocha said:


> kazinak said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yes you will need the inverters,
> 
> Send from my Android using Tapatalk 2
> 
> 
> 
> Are they neccessary for the LED rings you had before Kaz? Can't find your old 'How to' on them anymore just your new headlight unit thread.
Click to expand...

i havn't got any inverters... just wired them straight to the side lights and they work fine...they've been on for 6 months now and are still going strong...


----------



## Charlesuk

Yo garth the recent hoses you have changed, what are they called? looking to do the same for sure


----------



## kazinak

ades tt 180 said:


> verecocha said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> kazinak said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yes you will need the inverters,
> 
> Send from my Android using Tapatalk 2
> 
> 
> 
> Are they neccessary for the LED rings you had before Kaz? Can't find your old 'How to' on them anymore just your new headlight unit thread.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> i havn't got any inverters... just wired them straight to the side lights and they work fine...they've been on for 6 months now and are still going strong...
Click to expand...

i was talking about CCFL ring not led ones :!: :!: :!: :!: :!:


----------



## Garth

corradoman said:


> Have you got a link to the spacers please Garth


I sure do...
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=280863765264&index=4&nav=SEARCH&nid=80183230926


----------



## Garth

Charlesuk said:


> Yo garth the recent hoses you have changed, what are they called? looking to do the same for sure


They seem to be called boost hoses. Not very descriptive I know. Here's the link though:
http://www.creationsmotorsport.com/product-detail.php?pid=33


----------



## corradoman

Garth said:


> corradoman said:
> 
> 
> 
> Have you got a link to the spacers please Garth
> 
> 
> 
> I sure do...
> http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=280863765264&index=4&nav=SEARCH&nid=80183230926
Click to expand...

Thanks garth


----------



## Charlesuk

Top man Garth, i spent a while looking for them on there site and could i find them? could i ...

But anyway thanks to your link ive now purchased some pretty blue ones, one the way to finding my boost leak 

p.s this thread is brilliant.


----------



## Garth

Thanks for the comments guys :grin:

It's beens busy day today although not all because of the TT!
I replaced the rear discs and pads on the 5 series this morning then because of the sunny weather, I thought I ought to cut the hedge. The cat watched from her usual spot :x








I waved the hedge trimmer at her but that just made her lie down...









I did a few more jobs round the garden before getting on with the TT again ;-)

I bought an r32 rear arb second hand as it seemed like a good price. The description wasn't exactly spot on so I was disappointed when I received this:
















Note the complete lack of any collars :-(
To be fair, the seller did offer me a refund when I brought up the lack of collars, but that would have meant more hassle returning it. Oh well, more for me to restore 
I got out the wire brush attachment for the drill and cleared the flaky bits before sanding it down and treating with kurust. I then gave it 4 coats of hammerite:
















Much better.
Now before anyone pipes up about the collars, I'm already sorted on that front:








And of course I have some poly bushes to go with it.

I'll be fitting it tomorrow once the paint has fully hardened.

I then set about wiring the angel eyes as proper drl's. They now come on full brightness when the engine starts and dim to 50% when the lights are turned on. Fully legal ;-)

I did video this in action but it's just too embarrassing to show. I tried 3 times to get my wife to follow instructions while I videoed but 'start the engine' and 'turn the lights on' were too much for her. Her argument was 'I get in the car and press a button, then everything else works by itself, I can't remember how to turn lights on or use the key to start it' :sad:


----------



## Charlesuk

Garth said:


> Thanks for the comments guys :grin:
> 
> I did video this in action but it's just too embarrassing to show. I tried 3 times to get my wife to follow instructions while I videoed but 'start the engine' and 'turn the lights on' were too much for her. Her argument was 'I get in the car and press a button, then everything else works by itself, I can't remember how to turn lights on or use the key to start it' :sad:


this tickled me, hahaha women....classic.


----------



## steveupton

Garth said:


> Now before anyone pipes up about the collars, I'm already sorted on that front:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And of course I have some poly bushes to go with it.
> 
> I'll be fitting it tomorrow once the paint has fully hardened.


Didn't know these were available, presume they replace the nylon ones and somehow lock onto the ARB? Please could you post up link to where you got them from.


----------



## kazinak

r32 arb's doesn't have any collars, i have bought whole set whit the bushes and brackets and no collars


----------



## Garth

kazinak said:


> r32 arb's doesn't have any collars, i have bought whole set whit the bushes and brackets and no collars


The new ones do. I had a look at a brand new one recently. It had small welded metal collars on it. Did the old ones not have them? Very odd. :?:


----------



## Garth

steveupton said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Now before anyone pipes up about the collars, I'm already sorted on that front:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And of course I have some poly bushes to go with it.
> 
> I'll be fitting it tomorrow once the paint has fully hardened.
> 
> 
> 
> Didn't know these were available, presume they replace the nylon ones and somehow lock onto the ARB? Please could you post up link to where you got them from.
Click to expand...

I got them from amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B002SRU77O/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1336945143&sr=8-1
Different sizes are available. They just clamp down on the bar. I tested them before I prepped the arb by tightening them up and hitting them from the side HARD with a hammer... They stayed put :grin:


----------



## Garth

I've fixed the steering angle sensor fault! :grin:

I stripped it down and cleaned it up then realigned it before fitting it back in the car. I managed to get the workshop code for VAG-COM and recalibrate it. Took it out for a test drive and Bob's your mother's brother... It works with no faults.
This is the problematic thing:









This brings the total number of outstanding fault codes down to 0. Finally fault free and driving well :smile:

I didn't fit the arb today as the paint was still far too soft. I'll leave it to next weekend now.


----------



## steveupton

Garth said:


> I got them from amazon:
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B002SRU77O/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1336945143&sr=8-1
> Different sizes are available. They just clamp down on the bar. I tested them before I prepped the arb by tightening them up and hitting them from the side HARD with a hammer... They stayed put :grin:


Many thanks, this could be of interest to a lot of members (me included) who don't fancy replacing the front ARB simply because the collars have disintegrated. See how they work now, much better than using a jubilee clip to stop sideways movement.


----------



## khidhaboy

Hi Garth - love this thread - well done mate! 
As another member said its like Wheeler Dealers except you must be Mike, Edd (and his handy man - forgot his name) rolled into one 
Just got a couple of questions for you re: suspension work pls.



Garth said:


> Here's how it looked before I headed out for a test drive:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The car hasn't moved since the front suspension was fitted so I expect it to drop slightly after use.
> 
> How was it?
> I have to say the suspension is a massive success. Lowered on springs only, the ride was hard, crashy and bouncy but now it's not
> The dampers suit these springs perfectly so I definitely recommend them to anyone with apex springs.


1. I'm looking at the H&R (25mm) as well as the Apex - got any links to where you bought the Apex ones from? I know they are on the TTShop for £127.

2. The Apex are advertised as a 40mm drop - would you say that about right in what you've achieved?

3. Likewise what dampers did you go for - any links/price?

4. Have you had chance to drive the car a little more - still happy with the ride quality?



Garth said:


> I've got some spacers but I'm not putting them on yet


5. What size spacers are you going for?

6. Have you sourced your adjustable tie bars yet? Can't seem to find the Forge ones anywhere less than £300

cheers


----------



## Love_iTT

My TTR is on Apex springs and have been on for a little while so have now 'Settled' and they have dropped mine about 20mm (facelift model) and would drop a pre-facelift to 40mm. You should be able to see the stance in my sig pic. I bought mine off Charlie and I don't think you will get a better price than from him to be honest.

I think Yellow (Andy) can do you a good price on the Forge tie bars, may be a quick PM to him?

Hope that helps.

Graham


----------



## Garth

khidhaboy said:


> Hi Garth - love this thread - well done mate!
> As another member said its like Wheeler Dealers except you must be Mike, Edd (and his handy man - forgot his name)


Thank you  


khidhaboy said:


> 1. I'm looking at the H&R (25mm) as well as the Apex - got any links to where you bought the Apex ones from? I know they are on the TTShop for £127.


I bought my springs from Charlie (a member on here, do a search). He sells them for £110 delivered I think, which is the best price I could find. The service was great too.


khidhaboy said:


> 2. The Apex are advertised as a 40mm drop - would you say that about right in what you've achieved?


I have no idea. When I bought my car it was already on Eibach springs and the rear's were both snapped so I don't have a proper "before" measurement to compare to. It looks good though 


khidhaboy said:


> 3. Likewise what dampers did you go for - any links/price?


I bought fk hi-tech dampers from venom:
http://www.venommotorsport.com/manu...egory=Suspension&product=HighTechFrontDampers
I find they are a great match for the ASpex springs, I'm very happy with them


khidhaboy said:


> 4. Have you had chance to drive the car a little more - still happy with the ride quality?


Yes and yes.


khidhaboy said:


> 5. What size spacers are you going for?


I've got 20mm for the rear and 15mm for the front. I understand that 25mm rear and 20mm front will fit but I'm staying on the cautious side to avoid any rubbing.


khidhaboy said:


> 6. Have you sourced your adjustable tie bars yet? Can't seem to find the Forge ones anywhere less than £300


I'm getting some custom made all stainless steel ones from a member on audi-sport.net forums. They're £195 delivered and look better than all the big name brands. Being all stainless, they shouldn't rust like a lot of them do :roll: Not a single unhappy customer either. Here's a link:
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-...ss-steel-adjustable-rear-tie-arms-update.html


----------



## khidhaboy

Love_iTT said:


> and they have dropped mine about 20mm (facelift model) and would drop a pre-facelift to 40mm.


Cheers Graham have PM'd both
What year was the facelift model?
Gurd



Garth said:


> I bought fk hi-tech dampers from venom:


Cheers Garth - the fronts and rears then work out to approx £190 - sounds goos value!



Garth said:


> I'm getting some custom made all stainless steel ones from a member on audi-sport.net forums. Here's a link:
> http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-...ss-steel-adjustable-rear-tie-arms-update.html


Mmh they sound good have you ordered them yet - you'll have to give us a review of course?
He suggests you mount the tie bars on the top - whats the norm?

Cheers Gurd


----------



## Love_iTT

khidhaboy said:


> Love_iTT said:
> 
> 
> 
> and they have dropped mine about 20mm (facelift model) and would drop a pre-facelift to 40mm.
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers Graham have PM'd both
> What year was the facelift model?
> Gurd
Click to expand...

I think it was 2002/2003. Mine is a late 2002 but is the facelift model.

Graham


----------



## YELLOW_TT

khidhaboy said:


> Love_iTT said:
> 
> 
> 
> and they have dropped mine about 20mm (facelift model) and would drop a pre-facelift to 40mm.
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers Graham have PM'd both
> What year was the facelift model?
> Gurd
> 
> 
> 
> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> I bought fk hi-tech dampers from venom:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Cheers Garth - the fronts and rears then work out to approx £190 - sounds goos value!
> 
> 
> 
> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm getting some custom made all stainless steel ones from a member on audi-sport.net forums. Here's a link:
> http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-...ss-steel-adjustable-rear-tie-arms-update.html
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Facelift was on the 02 model some of the 02 plate cars on the 1st of March were the pre facelift some were top he post depending on when they were ordered
> Mmh they sound good have you ordered them yet - you'll have to give us a review of course?
> He suggests you mount the tie bars on the top - whats the norm?
> 
> Cheers Gurd
Click to expand...


----------



## Garth

Look what I just picked up for peanuts...








:grin:
Can you believe it was on eBay starting at 1p and NO ONE bid on it? 

It's immaculate, just needs a clean up


----------



## Love_iTT

Garth said:


> Look what I just picked up for peanuts...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :grin:
> Can you believe it was on eBay starting at 1p and NO ONE bid on it?
> 
> It's immaculate, just needs a clean up


Excellent result!! 

Well done. Are you going to keep it as it is or spray it Phantom black?

Graham


----------



## Garth

Love_iTT said:


> Excellent result!!
> 
> Well done. Are you going to keep it as it is or spray it Phantom black?
> 
> Graham


Cheers, yep it's one of my better bargains.
I think I'll keep it as it is for now. I may spray it at a later date if I change my mind


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Garth said:


> Love_iTT said:
> 
> 
> 
> Excellent result!!
> 
> Well done. Are you going to keep it as it is or spray it Phantom black?
> 
> Graham
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers, yep it's one of my better bargains.
> I think I'll keep it as it is for now. I may spray it at a later date if I change my mind
Click to expand...

Great find the only problem with spraying them is they then get stone chipped the plastic finish with a nice coat of your choice of back to black etc will not


----------



## Garth

Yes, anything sprayed has the potential to chip. I like it how it is now 

Just cleaned it up and fitted it.
Before:








After:








I've tried to show on those how my angel eyes work as DRL's too. On the first photo they are on full with the ignition. On the second, the headlights are on so the angel eyes are only half bright :grin:
I need to buy a camera one of these days, my phone just isn't up to the job :sad:

Any way, I fitted the r32 rear anti roll bar today too. Here you can see the original bar complete with collars and the new bar with the poly bushes on it. You can also see the new collars, one of which I have already taken the grinder to. They have to be modified so they don't foul the mounting points:








And here's the bar with the collar test fitted:









All fitted, nice and tight:









Right, off to do some gardening now!


----------



## John-H

Been there with the collars - I found that there was only about 4 mm clearance to the front sub frame so they would need a lot of metal removing to cover the swing angle - or did you put them in-board of the bushes on the ARB? I fitted some Jubilee clips temporarily but after three MOTs and no degradation I've left it.


----------



## Garth

John-H said:


> Been there with the collars - I found that there was only about 4 mm clearance to the front sub frame so they would need a lot of metal removing to cover the swing angle - or did you put them in-board of the bushes on the ARB? I fitted some Jubilee clips temporarily but after three MOTs and no degradation I've left it.


Yeah, it's tight, the collars are on the outside of the bushes. It JUST clears the frame but the bar does swing through it's full amount without hitting. I did remove quite a bit of metal but the collars are really strong so there's more than enough strength left :grin:


----------



## Garth

Well the garden took most of my time this week since the weather has been so good. I did manage to get the TT all taped up and gave it a good going over with my trusty rotary polisher.
Bonnet taped up:








And all polished:









The problem with where I park it is that it never gets sunlight (after mid morning) so photos always look turd. The problem with Merlin paint is that unless the sun is shining on it, it can look very dull. Plenty of reflections though :grin:

I checked the colour match of my alcantara sample:








Yep, that looks black enough. I've just ordered a 5m roll of it, can you guess what for 

I had to sort all the little niggles on the car since it needs to be driven next week. The BMW dealer damaged the back bumper on my 5 series last week so I am making them respray the back end. Problem is, as it was unplanned and I just told them to keep the car until it's done, it's going to be Tuesday before it's ready. Oh dear, I have to be in Bournemouth on Tuesday. I don't trust the TT enough to drive it 300 miles yet (i've only ever driven it 5 miles in one trip) so I'm taking the 3 series and my wife will be lumped with the TT :grin:
At least if something goes wrong, it'll only be a few miles from home.

My dad is coming to stay next weekend so for a bit of father and son time, we're going to change the cam belt together. We haven't done that in about 15 years so it should be fun


----------



## Garth

Well, a huge roll of alcantara turned up today so I started trimming...

The first piece done:








Comparison of old and new fabric:








And a close up of the new fabric:









It's incredibly difficult to photograph alcantara but I tried my best. It's probably worth noting that I brushed it all in the same direction prior to taking the photos so there were no finger marks. That's why it looks so uniform.

I've now trimmed two pieces and this is lovely stuff to work with. There's not a single crease or dodgy bit and I deliberately chose the hardest piece to do second. I should have the whole headliner and a and b pillars done by the end of the week. It's so much nicer than standard material


----------



## Mondo

Nice one, Garth. One of my B- and C-pillars is looking a bit tatty so would love to get them reskinned - or take a couple of brave pills and do what you are and do it myself. Any tips on how to remove the linings/how to re-skin them?


----------



## Brendanb86

Looks good Garth, where did you get the alcantara from?


----------



## Charlie

Brendanb86 said:


> Looks good Garth, where did you get the alcantara from?


+1

Charlie


----------



## Garth

I actually got it through a friend of a friend of a relative :grin:

If I were to recommend something for you though, I'd say look on eBay, item no: 140741770882
I got a sample from them and it was really nice stuff. It would be absolutely ideal for the headliner and pillars. The price is amazing too :-o


----------



## Garth

Mondo said:


> Nice one, Garth. One of my B- and C-pillars is looking a bit tatty so would love to get them reskinned - or take a couple of brave pills and do what you are and do it myself. Any tips on how to remove the linings/how to re-skin them?


The trimming is actually the easy part. As long as you get some material with some stretch and use decent adhesive (ebay item no 320768691072 is what I use, it's very good), it's simple. Removing the trim is the hard part but only because the plastic is crap quality. The slightest bend and the clip mounts snap off. I've spent ages gluing and filling mine so that they go back on properly and no damage shows through the trim.
To remove them you have to start in the boot. The rear panel of the headliner needs to come down first, The boot sides and the rear sides next to the back seats have to be pulled off then the b pillar and then a pillar. After that, the big part in the middle can be pulled down. I'm sure if you look, you'll find a guide for this... Or I could do it for you, for a price :grin:


----------



## Mondo

Hmmm... might take you up on that. After I have a crack and screw it up right royally.


----------



## Brendanb86

Garth said:


> I actually got it through a friend of a friend of a relative :grin:
> 
> If I were to recommend something for you though, I'd say look on eBay, item no: 140741770882
> I got a sample from them and it was really nice stuff. It would be absolutely ideal for the headliner and pillars. The price is amazing too :-o


Does seem very cheap. Is it similar look and feel to alcantara? Would quite like to do my whole dash, you thinking of doing this at all?


----------



## Garth

Mondo said:


> Hmmm... might take you up on that. After I have a crack and screw it up right royally.


  


Brendanb86 said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> I actually got it through a friend of a friend of a relative :grin:
> 
> If I were to recommend something for you though, I'd say look on eBay, item no: 140741770882
> I got a sample from them and it was really nice stuff. It would be absolutely ideal for the headliner and pillars. The price is amazing too :-o
> 
> 
> 
> Does seem very cheap. Is it similar look and feel to alcantara? Would quite like to do my whole dash, you thinking of doing this at all?
Click to expand...

I think the price is good because it's a) not genuine alcantara, b) it's not expensive to produce, c) it's pretty lightweight and d) it's not backed at all. 
Points c and d are actually a big plus considering the material needs to conform to quite a few curves and backed material doesn't stretch much at all.

While that looks perfect for the headliner, I would say it's probably not hard wearing enough to be used for surfaces that get a lot of touching and therefore I wouldn't use it for the dash or any gaitors, handles, etc.
I'm actually going to be trimming some more interior parts in black nappa leather where they will see some abuse as I don't think any alcantara (real or fake) wears that well after it's been handled a lot. It goes bobbly with friction which is why I'm only using it for the headliner (no one really touches it that much!).

I'm almost sure that this is what I'm going for now:








It'll be a couple of weeks before I do it so I've got a little bit of time to change my mind [smiley=bomb.gif]

My photoshop isn't the best colour representation, it's actually supposed to be BMW saddle brown:








I thought it was a bit much all one colour which is why I'm going for some bits in black leather to contrast. Should look nice... I hope!


----------



## Brendanb86

Yeh, that will look really nice, love that colour. Really like the contrast between a lighter colour door card and the rest of the black door. I think the dash would hold up ok to alcantara/fake alcantara, it's not like it's touched that often. Biggest problem being I suppose that if, like you say, it goes all bobbly or wears badly, it would be difficult to remove without leaving any traces.

Wish I had the time and patience to do what you've done to your car, it's a stunning transformation from a few months ago [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## higsta

I really like your choice of leather colour.
I think it will look mint... good call keeping some black bits as well.
Any idea how much it is going to cost to re-trim it all?


----------



## Garth

Brendanb86 said:


> Wish I had the time and patience to do what you've done to your car, it's a stunning transformation from a few months ago [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


Thank you  It should continue to get better now as a lot of the stuff from here will be stuff you can actually see 



higsta said:


> I really like your choice of leather colour.
> I think it will look mint... good call keeping some black bits as well.
> Any idea how much it is going to cost to re-trim it all?


Thanks. The retrim will cost anywhere between £500 and £1200 depending on who does it and what grade of leather. Typically, I want slik nappa leather, which is the most expensive :x 
I have now decided to first re-colour the existing leather using a kit from www.furnitureclinic.co.uk
This will cost about £100 so if I do it and really like the colour, but the finish isn't perfect, I can get it retrimmed. If I don't like the colour after a few weeks, at least I've only wasted £100 and not £1000! :wink:

Their stuff seems incredible if it's as good as some of the videos I've seen:
Part 1: 



Part 2:


----------



## Garth

Headlining is covered. Only have two pieces left to trim now and it's looking good.
















It really helped having my parents here (they're staying at my place for the weekend) to help keep the material stretched out while I stuck it down. Some parts have a few tight curves where people often get wrinkles. I won't put up with any imperfections at all so it took a while to get this bit right:









I'll do the last two bits this afternoon and fit it all when it stops raining. If it does stop raining this weekend then I'll also be fitting this lot:








:grin:


----------



## Mark Davies

Garth, I do hope you'll be bringing this to the shows and entering it into the concourse competitions, and finally give Andy a run for his money?


----------



## higsta

That leather colour change is impressive.
I didn't for one minute think it would come out so well.
Looking forward to seeing your results!


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Mark Davies said:


> Garth, I do hope you'll be bringing this to the shows and entering it into the concourse competitions, and finally give Andy a run for his money?


Just in case you have forgotten bigsyd beat me last year [smiley=bigcry.gif] :wink:


----------



## Mark Davies

YELLOW_TT said:


> Just in case you have forgotten bigsyd beat me last year [smiley=bigcry.gif] :wink:


But with a much newer car, and that's cheating. :wink:

No, I'm sure you'd agree that after so capably flying the TT flag more or less single-handed for so many years it would be great to see a few more TTs in the concourse rings at the shows. Competition is a good thing and well prepared this car looks like it has the potential to push you on to even higher levels of excellence. Besides, you can't have any room left on your mantlepiece by now, can you?

So Garth, what do you think? Will we be seeing you bringing this to the show ring?


----------



## Garth

Mark Davies said:


> Garth, I do hope you'll be bringing this to the shows and entering it into the concourse competitions, and finally give Andy a run for his money?


Eventually maybe, but there's a lot to do before I get to that stage. I've hardly touched the outside plus there's still wheels and brakes, steering wheel, stereo plus loads of individual touches I want to do. Hopefully, I'll hey it on a track day by the end of the summer though, even if it's not finished.
:grin:


----------



## Garth

higsta said:


> That leather colour change is impressive.
> I didn't for one minute think it would come out so well.
> Looking forward to seeing your results!


It looks like great stuff. I've seen a friend's car go from beige to black and it looked really good. I'm just not sure how it'll turn out on less than perfect leather. A couple of my panels seem a bit tired and if the creases don't all cone out, it's retrim time!


----------



## James

Keep up the good work Garth this thread it great 8)


----------



## New2AudiTT

corradoman said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> corradoman said:
> 
> 
> 
> Have you got a link to the spacers please Garth
> 
> 
> 
> I sure do...
> http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=280863765264&index=4&nav=SEARCH&nid=80183230926
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Thanks garth
Click to expand...

Gents,

Just wondering if these will fit a TT 1.8T ARY engine as well http://www.creationsmotorsport.com/prod ... php?pid=33

The site only mentions these Audi S3/TT and Seat Leon Cupra R 210bhp 225bhp BAM/AMK/APY engines .

cheers


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Mark Davies said:


> YELLOW_TT said:
> 
> 
> 
> Just in case you have forgotten bigsyd beat me last year [smiley=bigcry.gif] :wink:
> 
> 
> 
> But with a much newer car, and that's cheating. :wink:
> 
> No, I'm sure you'd agree that after so capably flying the TT flag more or less single-handed for so many years it would be great to see a few more TTs in the concourse rings at the shows. Competition is a good thing and well prepared this car looks like it has the potential to push you on to even higher levels of excellence. Besides, you can't have any room left on your mantlepiece by now, can you?
> 
> So Garth, what do you think? Will we be seeing you bringing this to the show ring?
Click to expand...

Crawler :lol: yes will be great to get a few more TT in the concers at Event 12 lad to see Grahams TT ( loveiTT ) is coming along his old green roadster always gave me a run for my money


----------



## Love_iTT

YELLOW_TT said:


> Mark Davies said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> YELLOW_TT said:
> 
> 
> 
> Just in case you have forgotten bigsyd beat me last year [smiley=bigcry.gif] :wink:
> 
> 
> 
> But with a much newer car, and that's cheating. :wink:
> 
> No, I'm sure you'd agree that after so capably flying the TT flag more or less single-handed for so many years it would be great to see a few more TTs in the concourse rings at the shows. Competition is a good thing and well prepared this car looks like it has the potential to push you on to even higher levels of excellence. Besides, you can't have any room left on your mantlepiece by now, can you?
> 
> So Garth, what do you think? Will we be seeing you bringing this to the show ring?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Crawler :lol: yes will be great to get a few more TT in the concers at Event 12 lad to see Grahams TT ( loveiTT ) is coming along his old green roadster always gave me a run for my money
Click to expand...

I hope to get along Andy but I won't be entering the konckers (remember Brooklands? :wink: ), my TTR is nowhere good enough for that, I've done a few of these in my time as you know and I know what is taken into account, there are quite a few, far more deserving TT's out there who would be more suitable for the concourse event. Next year will be a different story though - then you can be frightend - very frightened. :wink:

Graham


----------



## Garth

The headliner is back in the car (pillars aren't yet though):









I completed the cambelt change today. Everything I removed seemed in good condition as it was only done 38,000 miles ago but better safe than sorry. I had no idea what I was going to be faced with and since I'm doing everything else, I wanted to do the cambelt as well.

So, anyone that says only use an OEM kit is very misinformed. I bought a conti-tech kit from ecp and the parts are identical to OEM Audi parts. Even the same manufacturer stamps in them.
Old and new tensioner:








Old and new damper:








I didn't get an OEM water pump as I didn't want a cheap plastic impellor so I bought a nice metal one:








So with the tensioner, damper, water pump, cambelt and alternator belts replaced I was left with this junk:








And I added the finishing touch:


----------



## Garth

Now for the problem...
When I removed the charge pipe, I noticed that there was some oil underneath it:








So I checked the charge pipe and sure enough, another boost leak. This time, the charge pipe itself has a hole in it:








Here is the missing piece:








Looks like it has been leaking for a while based on the state of it. Oh well, another repair to do...


----------



## Gazzer

now garth amongst all of your other talents, don;t tell me you do ally welding also?


----------



## Garth

Gazzer said:


> now garth amongst all of your other talents, don;t tell me you do ally welding also?


:grin:
Not quite, there's no need to here. This piece takes so little abuse that I decided to use chemical metal to fix it. This stuff is amazing, it goes on like filler and dries like steel. I've repaired it already and have it back in the car... Which is purring like a kitten now 








It looks like this must have been damaged by someone pulling it off at the wrong angle as there's mo force on it at all once it's on the car. I tested it by hitting it with a hammer though just to be sure it'll hold ;-)


----------



## Garth

The last two pieces are prepped and ready for trimming now:








I should be able to finish them tonight.


----------



## Garth

And I've finished :grin:








I should get all these back in the car tomorrow and then I might move on to the boot. We'll see how much I'm asked to do in the garden ;-)


----------



## Love_iTT

It looks as if it's all coming together really nicely Gareth, a real credit to you. Do you know what I like about this project though? It's that you're not just opening your wallet up and getting it done by someone else, you see a job to be done and you do it. Well done mate, your TT is going to look awesome when complete and it will all be down to you. :wink:

Graham


----------



## Garth

Thanks Graham, it's nice when people acknowledge all the hard work.
For me, there'd be no point in getting a garage to do loads of work or a tuning company to carry out modifications. It's all about doing things myself as a hobby. I can stand back at the end and say "I did that".

With that in mind, I put all the trim back in and I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. It looks OEM but better. It does of course mean I'm going to be constantly brushing it to get it all sitting in the same direction though. You can see on the photo that the finger marks are starting already and my ocd side won't allow that :grin:








I celebrated by trimming the boot lid trim too:








Next job is the parcel shelf. I want a solid one rather than the flimsy material item as it'll isolate more exhaust noise from the cabin. I'm playing with a few ideas so I get it just right, then I'll cover the middle part in the same material as the rest. After that, it's time to change the leather :grin:


----------



## chrishTT

very nice
like the lights on the boot lid 
keep up the good work


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Looks great defo coming on well


----------



## tonksy26

I so need to do my boot Lid as mine is scratched like mad. Where did you get you material from ? Could you drop me a pm with all the details and how you've done it ? Cheers mate. Keep up the good work.


----------



## Garth

Thanks guys.

Tonksy, The adhesive I used was this stuff: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320768691072?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
It's very good and quite forgiving if used correctly.
I got the material though a friend and can't get for others, sorry. I did get a sample of this though: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Faux-Sued...s_Fabric_Textiles_SM&var=&hash=item66759280ce
and it was absolutely perfect for doing what I'm doing. If I were to recommend anything to others (assuming they didn't want to spend hundreds on genuine alcantara), then it would be this.

Start with this:








To apply it, simply give one surface a good coating (at least 80% is recommended):








and some (not all) of the other piece:








Wait for both sides to dry to the touch (less than 2 mins), then press together and smooth out any wrinkles/creases with your fingers. Then apply the adhesive to some more of the material and repeat in sections. You CAN do it all in one go, but trying to do this on large areas (like the headliner) without getting creases is VERY hard. break it down into smaller sections and it's quite easy.
I found that my handle was scratched:








Rather than re-spraying or replacing, I wanted to trim this as well so that it blended in with the rest. This is how it ended up:








And the finished piece:









I just ordered my leather colour change and repair kit.  
I changed my mind about the colour (again) but you'll have to wait to see it to find out what I went for. :wink: You can try and guess if you like :lol:


----------



## NoMark

Garth said:


>


Lovin the slippers Garth :wink: :lol:


----------



## Garth

NoMark said:


> Lovin the slippers Garth :wink: :lol:


  My wife gave me them for Christmas. They're my 'work slippers', which is probably why they're starting to look a little worse for wear. You can't beat M&S slippers for comfort though, since I work from home a lot of the time I wear these more than shoes :roll:


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Garth said:


> NoMark said:
> 
> 
> 
> Lovin the slippers Garth :wink: :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> My wife gave me them for Christmas. They're my 'work slippers', which is probably why they're starting to look a little worse for wear. You can't beat M&S slippers for comfort though, since I work from home a lot of the time I wear these more than shoes :roll:
Click to expand...

Work slippers hpoe they have steel toe caps :lol:


----------



## Love_iTT

You've even got the same slippers as me - and from my wife at Christmas too!! 

Graham


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Love_iTT said:


> You've even got the same slippers as me - and from my wife at Christmas too!!
> 
> Graham


Two for one sale :lol:


----------



## Love_iTT

Andy - just BOG OF. :lol: :lol:

Graham


----------



## Gazzer

Gareth, just out of interest.......what is your day job to be soooooo good at this in every aspect bud. vwd


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Love_iTT said:


> Andy - just BOG OF. :lol: :lol:
> 
> Graham


 :lol: :lol: quality


----------



## Garth

Love_iTT said:


> You've even got the same slippers as me - and from my wife at Christmas too!!
> 
> Graham


We can still show these young kids a thing or two about style :grin:



Gazzer said:


> Gareth, just out of interest.......what is your day job to be soooooo good at this in every aspect bud. vwd


Thanks for the compliment, I just try hard :smile:
I'm a business intelligence consultant by trade but that's just to pay the bills. My main passion has always been cars. My dad brought me up to do things ourselves so I never pay anyone to do anything for me unless I have no choice. I just do plenty of research then get stuck in. I believe most people could do what I do if they put their mind to it ;-)


----------



## Garth

Tonight's small job done...
The old expansion tank was bugging me since it was so discoloured and filthy inside, so I decided to replace it.
This is what it looked like before:








And a comparison of old and new:








New one fitted, and as usual the light was fading fast:








It really tidies up the engine bay. All that's needed under the bonnet now is to put the remaining trim back and give it a really good clean :smile:


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Small job but makes a big difference


----------



## Mondo

Agreed. A black coolant cap and a clean coolant tank make such a difference.

8)


----------



## merlin c

[/quote]

Where did you buy the expansion tank from Garth?...........Merlin


----------



## newt

Very nice.


----------



## bboyglitch

Love the work your doing on the project. Thanks for sharing..cant wait to see what your going to do next!


----------



## Garth

merlin c said:


>


Where did you buy the expansion tank from Garth?...........Merlin[/quote]
Ecp. Only £8.80 with the forum discount :grin:


----------



## GanXteR

Garth said:


> Tonight's small job done...
> The old expansion tank was bugging me since it was so discoloured and filthy inside, so I decided to replace it.


How easy is this to change Garth?

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2


----------



## kazinak

GanXteR said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's small job done...
> The old expansion tank was bugging me since it was so discoloured and filthy inside, so I decided to replace it.
> 
> 
> 
> How easy is this to change Garth?
> 
> Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

if you can change your pants, you will be able to this this job aswell


----------



## NoMark

kazinak said:


> GanXteR said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's small job done...
> The old expansion tank was bugging me since it was so discoloured and filthy inside, so I decided to replace it.
> 
> 
> 
> How easy is this to change Garth?
> 
> Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> if you can change your pants, you will be able to this this job aswell
Click to expand...

 :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## Garth

kazinak said:


> GanXteR said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Tonight's small job done...
> The old expansion tank was bugging me since it was so discoloured and filthy inside, so I decided to replace it.
> 
> 
> 
> How easy is this to change Garth?
> 
> Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> if you can change your pants, you will be able to this this job aswell
Click to expand...

:grin:
He's right


----------



## Garth

One of today's jobs is finished.
I really didn't like the flimsy material parcel shelf as it looks and feels a bit naff. You also can't put anything on it without risk of damaging it and it let's road/exhaust noise through.
My solution was to make a solid one so I went off to B&Q and bought some 3mm hardboard. I traced my shape from the surround:








I checked the fitment:








I cut and trimmed both sides:








I clipped it all back together and marvelled at my new solid parcel shelf :grin:


----------



## chrishTT

loving the parcel shelf good job on it
get some pics of some objects on it while in the car :wink:


----------



## stainzy

nice job does it creek lol i want to do this


----------



## safariTT

Great thread, great efforts and great results!

Sent from TT using iDrive


----------



## Mondo

Garth said:


> I clipped it all back together and marvelled at my new solid parcel shelf :grin:


Now that is a good idea. I might have to add that to my list of mods.


----------



## Garth

Thanks for the comments guys :smile:


stainzy said:


> nice job does it creek lol i want to do this


No creaking here. I ran a small coating of grease between the two layers where plastic meets plastic, that way if there's movement it's silent ;-)


----------



## newt

Garth, that looks a really good job, but the extra weight will have reduced your 0 to 60 time buy .00000001secs


----------



## LordG71

excellent work Garth - I always look forward to the latest update 8)


----------



## merlin c

Garth
I'm now nearly ready to strip the car down to do the following jobs, replace nearly all air side hoses, fit led angel eyes, fit LCR splitter, Forge dv relocation with 008 valve, fit polished rocker cover and replace cam belt, water pump, tensioner and expansion tank, drop sump and fit new oil pump. I have a full set of screwdrivers, socket sets, torx keys, rubber malet and a general tool kit, is there anything in your experience that I will need that I have not mentioned.Torque wrench for example and lots of luck..


----------



## steveupton

Haven't done the timing belt yet so no help there I'm afraid.

When replacing oil pump, couple of things that might catch you out are:-

Oil pump sprocket centre bolt is torx T45, most sets only go up to T40.

Ball ended allen key set or 1/4 drive socket set with universal joint, this is for the sump pan bolts at the transmission end that are recessed and at a slight angle.

Methylated spirits - excellent for cleaning the sump/engine block mating surfaces.

Opps, sorry for butting in just noticed addressed to Garth


----------



## merlin c

steveupton said:


> Haven't done the timing belt yet so no help there I'm afraid.
> 
> When replacing oil pump, couple of things that might catch you out are:-
> 
> Oil pump sprocket centre bolt is torx T45, most sets only go up to T40.
> 
> Ball ended allen key set or 1/4 drive socket set with universal joint, this is for the sump pan bolts at the transmission end that are recessed and at a slight angle.
> 
> Methylated spirits - excellent for cleaning the sump/engine block mating surfaces.
> 
> Opps, sorry for butting in just noticed addressed to Garth


Steve, all advice is very much appreciated, more the better. You can never be too prepared....... [smiley=book2.gif]


----------



## Garth

chrishTT said:


> loving the parcel shelf good job on it
> get some pics of some objects on it while in the car :wink:


What, like this?








:grin:


----------



## Garth

merlin c said:


> Garth
> I'm now nearly ready to strip the car down to do the following jobs, replace nearly all air side hoses, fit led angel eyes, fit LCR splitter, Forge dv relocation with 008 valve, fit polished rocker cover and replace cam belt, water pump, tensioner and expansion tank, drop sump and fit new oil pump. I have a full set of screwdrivers, socket sets, torx keys, rubber malet and a general tool kit, is there anything in your experience that I will need that I have not mentioned.Torque wrench for example and lots of luck..


I would strongly suggest getting some Allen head sockets. Allen keys are useless taking off the crank pulley. Mine snapped on the first attempt so I had to go out ans buy some more tools :grin:


----------



## Garth

Double post... content deleted


----------



## Garth

steveupton said:


> Opps, sorry for butting in just noticed addressed to Garth


Don't be silly, the more advice the better. My memory is like a sieve so by all means, please offer advice when you can. :smile:


----------



## merlin c

Garth said:


> steveupton said:
> 
> 
> 
> Opps, sorry for butting in just noticed addressed to Garth
> 
> 
> 
> Don't be silly, the more advice the better. My memory is like a sieve so by all means, please offer advice when you can. :smile:
Click to expand...

Thanks Garth, just sorted........... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]...............Merlin


----------



## Garth

Just a little job this afternoon. I sprayed my valance matt black, taking it from this:








To this:








Just got to wait for the paint to harden before I fit it.


----------



## slingy

Garth said:


> chrishTT said:
> 
> 
> 
> loving the parcel shelf good job on it
> get some pics of some objects on it while in the car :wink:
> 
> 
> 
> What, like this?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :grin:
Click to expand...

garth important question.... dont you find the tesco own beans a bit tough?? .... heinz all the way mate :lol:


----------



## LordG71

Garth said:


> Just a little job this afternoon. I sprayed my valance matt black, taking it from this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just got to wait for the paint to harden before I fit it.


did you use any particular paint Garth? I am going to do mine this week - have just bought some Plasti-paint, but i am guessing i can also use normal bumper paint? I thought if I did not like it, or i wanted to revert back at any time, then if i used plasti-paint i could always peel it off - what did you use?


----------



## Gazzer

now Garth that valance is a reallly good looking job m8, and as my job is painting/powder coating i would be bloody proud of that finish. all in the prep work isnt it.

LordG71 i would ensure it was rubbed down to give it a key and also well degreased prior to using a tack cloth to remove all particles. a good spray etch primer to give good adhesion properties and then a celulose 9005 satin black. main thing is to read the cans and as normally stated shake 2 mins warm cans first slightly to around 20c and shake longer than stated to ensure a good mix. thin even coats and leave to dry properly before moving or trying to fit.


----------



## Garth

I can't really offer more detailed advice than that :grin:
As is usually the case, it's all in the prep. I sanded mine down with 1200 grit first as it had some minor blemishes. After this, 2 coats of primer, flatted back with 2000 grit then 3 coats of matt black. Halfords paint is as good as any for this.

Thanks for the compliments guys, I do try my best :smile:


----------



## Reeiss

I really like your project! Looking forward to read your next post


----------



## Garth

My leather re-colouring kit turned up this morning. To say it is comprehensive is a massive understatement! 
Everything in this photo is included (including the rags):








I thought it was quite pricey when I first looked into it but now I think it's amazing value considering how much is in it. The company certainly seem very professional and the kit looks brilliant. I might have a look at starting this job later tonight if I get time


----------



## Love_iTT

You used the same company as I did Gareth when I refurbished the seats in the Nissan Figaro I had a couple of years ago. :wink:

It's excellent stuff to use but very weird to fill the cracks of the leather with their special filler and then use wet and dry on the leather to smooth it down - did a great job though after it was sprayed to the correct colour matched paint they supplied and bought the seats up literally like new. They even supplied a little modellers air brush in the kit which I see you've got too.

Enjoy yourself with this as it's a very rewarding and therapeutic job to do.

This was the kit I had - it looks like they've made the labels a bit posher now. 










And this is a pic of the passenger seat done with the drivers seat to do, the colour match was spot on too.










Enjoy. :wink:

Graham


----------



## Garth

Excellent work mate. You and I seem to get more alike every day :grin:
Have you got any more photos of the seats you did? Before/after, during etc?
cheers


----------



## Love_iTT

Garth said:


> Excellent work mate. You and I seem to get more alike every day :grin:


Spooky init. I can see us both working on the same project together with identical slippers on. :lol: :lol:



Garth said:


> Have you got any more photos of the seats you did? Before/after, during etc?
> cheers


I'm at work at the moment Gareth but found this pic of the seat showing the cracked leather which the filler got rid of, a word of caution though, if your leather has any grain in it then the filler will tend to fill the grain in as well, so I used a hard sponge to stipple the effect of the grain on the last coat of filler which wasn't going to be rubbed down too much.

Virtually all the creases and cracking you see in the pic below disappeared but the slight folds in the pleats I left on purposes to keep the patina of a 1991 car.










I'll have a root around tonight when I get in to see if I had taken anymore pics while I was doing this project.

Graham


----------



## Garth

Top tip, cheers


----------



## Garth

Well before I moved on to the leather, I put the rear valance back on:
















As usual, there's no light 
I badly need to invest in a camera with a flash that works. Any recommendations?

This was some of the damage on the rear bench:

















You can see the original colour of the leather in those photos. It's not Aniseed yellow but a special order vanilla. I liked it at first but got sick of it really quickly.
Anyway, I prepped the leather:

















Then filled the damage and gave it it's first sponge coat of colour:

















I gave it the second sponge coat and left it there for tonight:








It still looks very patchy but it's supposed to at this stage. I need to give it 3 coats with the airbrush tomorrow before 3 coats of sealant.

If anyone is wondering what the colour is going to end up like, it's called cirrus and is from the new range rover evoque:








It's very slightly darker than Audi silver leather, which is exactly what I'm after. It should be a little easier to keep clean... But not much!


----------



## Dayer2910

I always check this thread....very interesting and such a clever guy but what does a business intelligence consultant actually do? I know I know stupid question probably but I couldn't resist asking out of curiosity....


----------



## LordG71

Dayer2910 said:


> I always check this thread....very interesting and such a clever guy but what does a business intelligence consultant actually do? I know I know stupid question probably but I couldn't resist asking out of curiosity....


...it means £1500 a day :lol: :lol:


----------



## Garth

Dayer2910 said:


> I always check this thread....very interesting and such a clever guy but what does a business intelligence consultant actually do? I know I know stupid question probably but I couldn't resist asking out of curiosity....


Beats me :grin:


LordG71 said:


> ...it means £1500 a day :lol: :lol:


I wish


----------



## SVStu

Jezzzz you have a job too, when do you find time to sleep?
Most interesting post for a long time IMO.
I'm now an expert arm chair restorer (as in sitting on my arse not actually restoring a chair) thanks to Garth :lol:
Keep up the hard work and I'll keep reading, best regards Stu.


----------



## Garth

Thanks guys. 
My job basically means writing lots of SQL code and implementing reporting systems for large organisations. I either work from a client site or from home/office. Luckily my wife is heavily pregnant at the moment which means I'm mostly working from home. It's amazing how much extra time you get when you don't have to sit in traffic going to and from work! You can achieve quite a bit when you knock off work and 5 mins later you can be working on the car 

I'm trying to get as much done now as I can since in a couple of weeks, my time will no doubt be taken up by changing nappies :roll:


----------



## The Blue Bandit

... my little boy is almost 4 months old and it's not as bad as you think- just be ready for the lack of sleep (as you can't store it up in advance I found), AND make sure you cover those leather seats when you have finished them or they won't be Cirrus silver/grey for very long ... 
[smiley=baby.gif] 
...more like milky sick beige ...
... Good luck with the impending arrival! ...


----------



## Garth

The Blue Bandit said:


> ... my little boy is almost 4 months old and it's not as bad as you think- just be ready for the lack of sleep (as you can't store it up in advance I found), AND make sure you cover those leather seats when you have finished them or they won't be Cirrus silver/grey for very long ...
> [smiley=baby.gif]
> ...more like milky sick beige ...
> ... Good luck with the impending arrival! ...


Cheers. Don't worry, he won't be going anywhere near the TT. This is my toy and no-one else is allowed to play in it


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> Thanks guys.
> My job basically means writing lots of SQL code and implementing reporting systems for large organisations. I either work from a client site or from home/office. Luckily my wife is heavily pregnant at the moment which means I'm mostly working from home. It's amazing how much extra time you get when you don't have to sit in traffic going to and from work! You can achieve quite a bit when you knock off work and 5 mins later you can be working on the car
> 
> I'm trying to get as much done now as I can since in a couple of weeks, my time will no doubt be taken up by changing nappies :roll:


Fair play to you Garth. I know BI is not as simple as you wrote it and now I have even more appreciation for the work you are doing here. I reckon the subject for this thread should be changed to 'TT Restoration - Lessons from a BI Consultant'. :roll:

Congrats/good luck with the baby [smiley=baby.gif]

Very happy for you mate.


----------



## Pugwash69

Wow finished reading. This thread is so interesting I'm sat at my office desk an hour later than I needed to. Luckily I also work from home. I love the attention to detail.


----------



## SteviedTT

Garth said:


> Thanks guys.
> My job basically means writing lots of SQL code and implementing reporting systems for large organisations. I either work from a client site or from home/office. Luckily my wife is heavily pregnant at the moment which means I'm mostly working from home. It's amazing how much extra time you get when you don't have to sit in traffic going to and from work! You can achieve quite a bit when you knock off work and 5 mins later you can be working on the car
> 
> I'm trying to get as much done now as I can since in a couple of weeks, my time will no doubt be taken up by changing nappies :roll:


I bet you won't be thinking that in a few weeks time :lol: :lol: 
Congrats on a brilliant thread....... OHHH and the imminent arrival :wink:


----------



## Garth

Thanks for the kind words guys. I'll have to try doubly hard to keep you entertained now!

I decided not to spray the seats until they're all at the same stage. This way I only have to do it once. So I've started prepping the other parts first. I should have them all ready for spraying at the weekend hopefully :smile:


----------



## Garth

Well the rear bench was collecting dust so I didn't want to leave it any longer. I dusted it off and gave it a few coats of colour and 3 coats of clear sealant:








Remember the damage? All gone:
















It looks good overall. It had a bit of a nightmare since the airbrush they supplied was utter garbage. It was a good job I already have my own.
I also had to run the colour through a pair of my wifes tights since there were lumps that kept blocking the airbrush nozzle.
One other point I noticed is that there is nowhere near enough leather prep supplied with the kit. They supply the same amount regardless of the size if the kit, which is a bit silly considering if you want to colour more leather, you need to prep more too! I had to send off for another bottle. I also bought some more cotton wool and scotchbrights too as there weren't enough in the kit.

So my verdict on the kit is that the results are good but the effort required (and cost) is more than it should be.

I've now given the seat backs a couple if coats of colour too. I'll finish them off tomorrow.


----------



## Adam-tt

good job


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Looks like another top job


----------



## chrishTT

Thats come up nicely 
whats next on your list ?


----------



## Garth

Thanks peeps


chrishTT said:


> Thats come up nicely
> whats next on your list ?


I have a list a mile long that gets bigger every day. Deciding what to do next depends on what deals are on at the time ;-)
Having said that, I will be properly sound proofing the car while the interior is out. I've already given most of the metal a layer of dynamat type deadener and I've got a job lot of closed cell foam being delivered in the next couple of days. After that, I really should replace the injector seals since one is leaking slightly and I already have the replacements. There just aren't enough hours in the day...


----------



## LordG71

Garth said:


> ... There just aren't enough hours in the day...


..just wait until the little one arrives.... :lol: Seats look good Garth [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## The Blue Bandit

Garth said:


> It looks good overall. It had a bit of a nightmare since the airbrush they supplied was utter garbage. It was a good job I already have my own.
> _ *I also had to run the colour through a pair of my wifes tights*_ since there were lumps that kept blocking the airbrush nozzle.
> One other point I noticed is that there is nowhere near enough leather prep supplied with the kit. They supply the same amount regardless of the size if the kit, which is a bit silly considering if you want to colour more leather, you need to prep more too! I had to send off for another bottle. I also bought some more cotton wool and scotchbrights too as there weren't enough in the kit.
> 
> So my verdict on the kit is that the results are good but the effort required (and cost) is more than it should be.
> 
> I've now given the seat backs a couple if coats of colour too. I'll finish them off tomorrow.


... this thread is becoming X-Rated Garth ... if my wife catches me reading about another mans wife's tights it could be grounds for divorce ...
... although if I attempt to do this job myself perhaps you could tell me, will I get better results if she's not actually wearing the tights at the time? ...


----------



## Garth

The Blue Bandit said:


> ... this thread is becoming X-Rated Garth ... if my wife catches me reading about another mans wife's tights it could be grounds for divorce ...
> ... although if I attempt to do this job myself perhaps you could tell me, will I get better results if she's not actually wearing the tights at the time? ...


But it's so much more fun when she's wearing them :grin:

I've now finished the rear seat backs too:








I've just got to wait for my suede dye to turn up so I can get rid of this:








I'm actually going for black on the suede. Anyone with a light interior can vouch for the suede getting filthy and I don't want this job being ruined in a few months due to dirt ;-)
The black will contrast nicely and it's mostly out of sight anyway. It'll also match the parts I'm retrimming in black leather.

Just need more time to finish it all!


----------



## Garth

I couldn't wait for the suede dye to arrive so I popped out to buy some. It goes on pretty well and the contrast with the leather is good. The rear seats are now ready to go back in the car :smile:


----------



## Garth

Before I fitted the rear seats again, I wanted to so some more sound proofing on the rear.
As standard, there's a little mass loader (dynamat type sound deadening mat) with some cheap foam on top:








The first thing I did was remove the amp and foam to leave me with a blank canvas:








On to this I applied a layer of sound deadener:








Then I put a layer of closed cell foam on top and put the amp back:








I then put the standard foam back:








And finally, just to finish it off, I added a thick layer of low density foam since I have loads kicking about:








That lot ought to sort out the road noise from those side panels :grin:

I then put the trim back in and of course, the rear seats:

















The new colour looks so much better than the old one. It certainly suits the paint colour better too. I'm really pleased with the way it's going so far. My wife loves the colour too :smile:

I really should check what is visible before I mask up though:








Doh!
Never mind, I'll repaint the hinges again in a couple of days :lol:


----------



## Garth

Since I was at a good stopping point from the seats, I figured i'd sort the injector seals. Looking at then, you can clearly see two of them have been leaking quite a bit (although I suspect all have been leaking a little):








Once the injectors were removed, I could see how manky they were:
















Here's one completely removed:








And the new kit:








I figured since they were out and I was replacing the seals, I might as well replace the filter baskets too.

The filters were relatively clean so once replaced, I saw no need to clean the injectors themselves (since a diy on this can actually do more harm than good).
So here's an injector with new seals and basket:








The seals were lubricated with a dab of oil and then everything was reassembled.
After a quick clean, I was done:









After this, I took the car for a spin. The engine is running great and I'm sure it's slightly smoother now.
The power steering pump is still making a drone even after the fluid has been topped up and the belt replaced so I reckon it's time for a new pump :sad:


----------



## chrishTT

that colour looks so much better in comparison 
is there any other cream bits that will need doing ?
I know the front seats , what bout door cards and knee pads?


----------



## Garth

chrishTT said:


> that colour looks so much better in comparison
> is there any other cream bits that will need doing ?
> I know the front seats , what bout door cards and knee pads?


It does, Doesn't it. It really shows how odd the vanilla looks against the purple paint.

I still need to do the front seats and door cards. I'm debating whether or not to do the knee pads in this colour or whether to retrim them in black leather. The same goes for the sun visors. I will definately be retrimming hose in leather but I can't decide on the safe option of black or to go cirrus to match the seats.

On an unrelated note. I've jut been testing the stereo out and the sound proofing seems to have helped the bass from the rear speakers. It's a lot less gutless than before :smile:


----------



## tonksy26

You use the same kitchen roll as me !!!!  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## Garth

tonksy26 said:


> You use the same kitchen roll as me !!!!  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


 :lol: :lol: 
No point buying any fancy stuff, it's only used to wipe up oil 

Good news, last night I went over the power steering system and found it was airlocked. I thought these pumps were supposed to be able to bleed the system themself. Never mind, I removed the airlock and topped up the oil. There's no noise now 

For reference, if anyone is checking their fluid level, I have seen incorrect advice on this forum about what it should be. Someone (can't remember who) posted that the level should be slightly below minimum when cold.
Here is the official line from ELSA:


> Power Steering, Checking Fluid Level
> - Do not run engine and turn front wheels to straight ahead position.
> Fluid, when Cold (Outside Temperature Approximately +20° C):
> - Remove the cap.
> - Wipe dipstick off with a clean cloth.
> - Screw cap on hand-tight and unscrew again.
> The cap must be fully screwed in order to obtain an accurate fluid level reading.
> 
> - Check fluid level: Oil level must be within MAX marking.
> Fluid at Operating Temperature (Engine Oil Temperature +80 °C)
> - Check fluid level: Oil level must be 10 mm above MAX marking.
> Note Fluid must be drawn off if the level is above the specified range.
> If oil level is below aforementioned area, then the hydraulic system must be checked for leaks. It is not sufficient to merely top off the fluid.
> Do not use drained hydraulic oil.


----------



## higsta

Awesome result with the seats.

I really like the colour you chose - the contrast with the purple paint is pimp.

I'm looking forward to seeing the fronts done... are you still planning on keeping some elements of the seats black as per the BMW saddle brown pics?

You are a DIY legend.


----------



## Ian_W

Seats look great, what was the original colour of them?

Looks the same as my old S3, merlin purple with silver leather, lovely combo.

Great project btw!!


----------



## Garth

higsta said:


> Awesome result with the seats.
> 
> I really like the colour you chose - the contrast with the purple paint is pimp.
> 
> I'm looking forward to seeing the fronts done... are you still planning on keeping some elements of the seats black as per the BMW saddle brown pics?
> 
> You are a DIY legend.


Thanks mate. Yes, the design will be the same as the saddle brown one I posted previsouly, only with grey instead of brown. I'm not redying the parts black, I'm actually recovering them in new leather. I'm just waiting for the black leather to arrive. I have to paint the plastics black since they're cream at the moment too.



Ian_W said:


> Seats look great, what was the original colour of them?
> 
> Looks the same as my old S3, merlin purple with silver leather, lovely combo.
> 
> Great project btw!!


Thank you. The original colour was a special order Audi exclusive colour called vanilla. Now they will be Land Rover Cirrus


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> Before I fitted the rear seats again, I wanted to so some more sound proofing on the rear.
> As standard, there's a little mass loader (dynamat type sound deadening mat) with some cheap foam on top:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The first thing I did was remove the amp and foam to leave me with a blank canvas:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On to this I applied a layer of sound deadener:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then I put a layer of closed cell foam on top and put the amp back:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I then put the standard foam back:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And finally, just to finish it off, I added a thick layer of low density foam since I have loads kicking about:


This is great stuff Garth. Just wondering from where did you get the low foam and which thickness and from your experience does it really deaden noise.

cheers


----------



## Garth

New2AudiTT said:


> This is great stuff Garth. Just wondering from where did you get the low foam and which thickness and from your experience does it really deaden noise.
> cheers


Thank you. Do you mean the yellow low density stuff? It's the same as you would find in something like an IKEA chair  
I bought it from a store that sells cusions and fabrics etc. It's left over from a cushion project :wink: 
I have this in a few different thicknesses and densities, but I put 2 inch thick in my car.

Does it help deaden noise? Sort of. Each of the different foams block different sounds. The dynamat type mat stop noise through the panel vibrating. This does a good job of getting rid of rattles or stopping any vibration noise or exhaust drone.
The closed cell foam acts as a sound barrier for most frequencies and the low density stuff will only really stop medium to higher fequency sounds. It's more of a sound absorber than a sound barrier.

If you're thinking of sound proofing your car, you really need to ask yourself why first. This will determine the type of material that will be best for you. For general road noise, you're best off with some closed cell foam. As thick as you can get it. I used 12mm thick but you could always double it up (or more). If you just want to stop panels vibrating from bass, or you want to improve bass then sound deadening (mass loader) matt would be best. The low density stuff will probably do the least but will help reduce noises within the car.


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> New2AudiTT said:
> 
> 
> 
> This is great stuff Garth. Just wondering from where did you get the low foam and which thickness and from your experience does it really deaden noise.
> cheers
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you. Do you mean the yellow low density stuff? It's the same as you would find in something like an IKEA chair
> I bought it from a store that sells cusions and fabrics etc. It's left over from a cushion project :wink:
> I have this in a few different thicknesses and densities, but I put 2 inch thick in my car.
> 
> Does it help deaden noise? Sort of. Each of the different foams block different sounds. The dynamat type mat stop noise through the panel vibrating. This does a good job of getting rid of rattles or stopping any vibration noise or exhaust drone.
> The closed cell foam acts as a sound barrier for most frequencies and the low density stuff will only really stop medium to higher fequency sounds. It's more of a sound absorber than a sound barrier.
> 
> If you're thinking of sound proofing your car, you really need to ask yourself why first. This will determine the type of material that will be best for you. For general road noise, you're best off with some closed cell foam. As thick as you can get it. I used 12mm thick but you could always double it up (or more). If you just want to stop panels vibrating from bass, or you want to improve bass then sound deadening (mass loader) matt would be best. The low density stuff will probably do the least but will help reduce noises within the car.
Click to expand...

Thanks Garth. I have a better idea now.

Would like to kill vibration from panels and road noise as well.

Am thinking of using the following:

http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/product/Lead ... 600mm_LFS2

http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/product/Soundmat_Pads_SOUND

You reckon will those be any good.

Also, any advice on where do I use what?

cheers,


----------



## Garth

Both of those products would do the job fine. My only concern is that both are very expensive. If that's not a problem for you then go for it.

I bought my stuff from ebay after a bit of searching around for the best deal. I ended up buying a roll of deadening mat 10 square metres for £50. On the link you show, it works out at £250 for the same amount. You'll use more than you think. I've put about 5 square metres of this in my car, which would cost you £125 from the link you posted.

The closed cell foam I used cost £19.50 delivered (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300658199671? ... 1423.l2649), which is much cheaper than the lead sandwich you posted. The lead may be slightly better but I don't think enough to justify the extra cost. You'd be better off putting multiple layers of closed cell foam for the price.

In terms of where to put it all. The sound deadening mat should be used on any panel with flex. Mostly, this will be large flat panels like the doors and rear side panels. Anywhere will be good but these are the places that will really benefit.
The foam should be placed anywhere that sound comes through from outside. Here is where I go against everyone else that I've seen adding soundproofing to their car....
Road noise comes from the road. It's created by the friction of your tyres so that's where the noise comes from. With that in mind, the wheel arches benefit most from sound proofing. Anywhere surrounding the wheels arches in the car should be covered (hence me loading up the rear side panels).

One of the best things you can do to reduce road noise in these cars is something that no-one else does... the front plastic wheel arches. I have 3mm closed cell foam (fattest you can fit in the space) to go on the back of the plastic inner arches as this stops A LOT of tyre rumble. The next best thing to do is the hardest though... The bulkhead should be covered to stop the engine noise coming through, as should the underside of the bonnet (with heat resistant stuff obviously).

Basically, do the following to get good results:
fron and rear arches
doors and rear side panels
bulkhead
bonnet

Once you've done those, start looking at the boot floor, boot lid, then pulling up your carpets and doing under there, then finally the roof (although you'll be on to diminishing returns by then).


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> Both of those products would do the job fine. My only concern is that both are very expensive. If that's not a problem for you then go for it.
> 
> I bought my stuff from ebay after a bit of searching around for the best deal. I ended up buying a roll of deadening mat 10 square metres for £50. On the link you show, it works out at £250 for the same amount. You'll use more than you think. I've put about 5 square metres of this in my car, which would cost you £125 from the link you posted.
> 
> The closed cell foam I used cost £19.50 delivered (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300658199671? ... 1423.l2649), which is much cheaper than the lead sandwich you posted. The lead may be slightly better but I don't think enough to justify the extra cost. You'd be better off putting multiple layers of closed cell foam for the price.
> 
> In terms of where to put it all. The sound deadening mat should be used on any panel with flex. Mostly, this will be large flat panels like the doors and rear side panels. Anywhere will be good but these are the places that will really benefit.
> The foam should be placed anywhere that sound comes through from outside. Here is where I go against everyone else that I've seen adding soundproofing to their car....
> Road noise comes from the road. It's created by the friction of your tyres so that's where the noise comes from. With that in mind, the wheel arches benefit most from sound proofing. Anywhere surrounding the wheels arches in the car should be covered (hence me loading up the rear side panels).
> 
> One of the best things you can do to reduce road noise in these cars is something that no-one else does... the front plastic wheel arches. I have 3mm closed cell foam (fattest you can fit in the space) to go on the back of the plastic inner arches as this stops A LOT of tyre rumble. The next best thing to do is the hardest though... The bulkhead should be covered to stop the engine noise coming through, as should the underside of the bonnet (with heat resistant stuff obviously).
> 
> Basically, do the following to get good results:
> fron and rear arches
> doors and rear side panels
> bulkhead
> bonnet
> 
> Once you've done those, start looking at the boot floor, boot lid, then pulling up your carpets and doing under there, then finally the roof (although you'll be on to diminishing returns by then).


Garth...you're a legend mate. I can now see light through the tunnel 

Would you have a link to the deadening mat that you bought? Is it sticky pad or bitumen based stuff?
I have some [smiley=cheers.gif] in your name with the savings 

Thanks again


----------



## Garth

No problem, happy to help 

I bought my sound deadening mat about two years ago when I had a mk5 GTI, so the prices have gone up a lot since then. The closest thing I can find after a quick search is this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4m-x-1m-C...7?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item3a6cb3fd27
Bear in mind that I have seen a lot of people on other forums using tar based roofing flash band on the grounds that "it's the same as dynamat"... it isn't! It will start to come away when it gets hot and it STINKS!

Good luck


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> I bought my stuff from ebay after a bit of searching around for the best deal. I ended up buying a roll of deadening mat 10 square metres for £50. On the link you show, it works out at £250 for the same amount. You'll use more than you think. I've put about 5 square metres of this in my car, which would cost you £125 from the link you posted.
> 
> The closed cell foam I used cost £19.50 delivered (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300658199671? ... 1423.l2649), which is much cheaper than the lead sandwich you posted. The lead may be slightly better but I don't think enough to justify the extra cost. You'd be better off putting multiple layers of closed cell foam for the price.


Unfortunately, the closed cell foam guys do not ship to Eire, gutted  and I asked the other guy about using the deadening mat under the bonnet and he replied 'use it with caution' :? and £27 to deliver :evil:

Just wondering if you've done the bonnet and what did you use?

cheers


----------



## Garth

New2AudiTT said:


> Just wondering if you've done the bonnet and what did you use?


Not done the TT yet, but will be doing it soon.
I've done a few of my previous cars, like my mk5 golf:








This type of deadener is fine and can withstand the under bonnet heat without any problems at all. I wouldn't use foam under there though, unless it's stated as fire resistant.


----------



## Garth

I'm slowly getting through the leather re colour. Work keeps getting in the way of fun 

I stripped the passenger door panel:








And masked it up:








Didn't take ant more photos during the masking, colour and clear coat process as I wanted to crack on. So here it is finished:








And up close:









I was going to separate the leather from the rest of the panel then I realized it was going to be a massive ball-ache. It's also easy to slide masking tape between the two parts so this is what I did. Just the other side to do before I take the front seats out.
I received my black leather for the parts on the seats but it's not good enough (too glossy) so I think I might try to make a leather jacket for my son out of it :grin:

I've got another hide arriving this week so fingers crossed it's up to scratch!


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Garth said:


> New2AudiTT said:
> 
> 
> 
> Just wondering if you've done the bonnet and what did you use?
> 
> 
> 
> Not done the TT yet, but will be doing it soon.
> I've done a few of my previous cars, like my mk5 golf:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This type of deadener is fine and can withstand the under bonnet heat without any problems at all. I wouldn't use foam under there though, unless it's stated as fire resistant.
Click to expand...

Some of the very early TTs had under bonnet sound deadening it might still be available from the dealers


----------



## Garth

YELLOW_TT said:


> Some of the very early TTs had under bonnet sound deadening it might still be available from the dealers


Really? It's not listed on my version of ETKA. Might try to dig one out as well as my own sound proofing :grin:
Thanks


----------



## Garth

Before I put the door panel back on, I added some more sound proofing to the door. Another 12mm of closed cell foam:








And while I was busy with that, I added a 3mm layer of foam to the back of the plastic wheel arches:








I then added the door panel and re-coloured the head rests. I've got a nice multi-coloured interior going on now :grin:


----------



## chrishTT

had my car stripped down today , had door cards off, wing, door , changed my dented door to a nice new one
how do you find the sound proofing is it working ?


----------



## Garth

chrishTT said:


> had my car stripped down today , had door cards off, wing, door , changed my dented door to a nice new one
> how do you find the sound proofing is it working ?


Really well. You can tell where the noise is and isn't coming from when you drive it. The speakers all sound better too as there's less vibration in the panels. You can easily tell there's more bass and you also don't have to turn it up as loud.
The only downside is that now some parts have been done, it makes the engine noise seem louder from the front. But I'll sort that out soon enough ;-)


----------



## Garth

Well, I'm hoping to get the front seats and drivers door card re-dyed this weekend.
I've been putting off the seats as I really wanted to do everything in one go. I have been trying to source a decent amount of black leather to cover the airbags, seat backs and lower side trims but I keep getting crap from ebay sellers and internet suppliers. I'm not going to be happy with sub-standard shiny leather so I've just bit the bullet and bought a whole leather hide (over 5 square metres!) from a quality tannery. I went for the premium quality stuff too so it was not cheap  
It is VERY nice though and smells amazing 

Now I just have to figure out what to do with the 3 square metres I'm going to have spare. I think I'm going to give the centre console and a few other bits a new skin


----------



## merlin c

Another set of pics I cant wait to see, rock on Garth, I know it will look amazing when your finished, now hurry up and post some piccy's


----------



## Garth

Jeez, patience :grin:
Here's a photo of some of my leather samples for you. It shows how much they vary in finish...








You'll have to wait for more photos now ;-)


----------



## Garth

Actually I lied. Here's another photo for you.








All the cars are like this after some pretty filthy rain this week. Looks like I'm going to be busy washing cars this weekend!


----------



## merlin c

Garth said:


> Actually I lied. Here's another photo for you.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> All the cars are like this after some pretty filthy rain this week. Looks like I'm going to be busy washing cars this weekend!


1st pics...I think the cows had eczema, second one, nice, just don't post pictures or your sump, .........I mean on the car Garth :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## Garth

I was all geared up to get some serious work done on the car today, but.....

My wife's contractions are coming fast   :smile: :grin: 

Looks like I might have to postpone the seats for a day or two ;-)


----------



## merlin c

Garth said:


> I was all geared up to get some serious work done on the car today, but.....
> 
> My wife's contractions are coming fast   :smile: :grin:
> 
> Looks like I might have to postpone the seats for a day or two ;-)


Come on then "DADDY".........hope it all goes smoothly.I mean the birth, not the seats!! [smiley=sunny.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## SteviedTT

Garth said:


> I was all geared up to get some serious work done on the car today, but.....
> 
> My wife's contractions are coming fast   :smile: :grin:
> 
> Looks like I might have to postpone the seats for a day or two ;-)


Tell her to keep her legs crossed till you get the seats finished :lol: 
Seriously though, good luck and I hope it all goes well :wink:


----------



## Bartsimpsonhead

Garth said:


> I was all geared up to get some serious work done on the car today, but.....
> 
> My wife's contractions are coming fast   :smile: :grin:
> 
> Looks like I might have to postpone the seats for a day or two ;-)


Never mind - there's always all that maternity leave you'll have to work on it. It's not like you'll be busy with anything else for a while :wink:


----------



## Garth

I think you mean paternity leave ;-)
You're right though, I've got two weeks off work. I haven't had this long off since I started this job three and a half years ago!

I should be able to make cracking progress... Between helping out round the house obviously 

I now have a son, and very handsome he is too... Takes after his dad ;-)


----------



## merlin c

Garth said:


> I think you mean paternity leave ;-)
> You're right though, I've got two weeks off work. I haven't had this long off since I started this job three and a half years ago!
> 
> I should be able to make cracking progress... Between helping out round the house obviously
> 
> I now have a son, and very handsome he is too... Takes after his dad ;-)


Did'nt hang around did he? congratulations... [smiley=mexicanwave.gif]


----------



## Garth

merlin c said:


> Did'nt hang around did he? congratulations... [smiley=mexicanwave.gif]


Nah, he's like his dad :grin:
Thank you, I'm quite chuffed.
Got to the hospital at 8 and he was bort before 9:30.
I'm sure he'll be helping me on the car by tonight :grin:


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> merlin c said:
> 
> 
> 
> Did'nt hang around did he? congratulations... [smiley=mexicanwave.gif]
> 
> 
> 
> Nah, he's like his dad :grin:
> Thank you, I'm quite chuffed.
> Got to the hospital at 8 and he was bort before 9:30.
> I'm sure he'll be helping me on the car by tonight :grin:
Click to expand...

Many congratulations to you and other half Garth.

Wish you a blissful family life


----------



## SteviedTT

Congratulations Garth and Mrs Garth [smiley=mexicanwave.gif]


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Congrats how long before you have him giving you a hand


----------



## STUT

Look forward to seeing the progress


----------



## LordG71

Congratulations Garth - hope all are doing well!


----------



## The Blue Bandit

... massive congratulations to you and Mrs.Garth! ...
... has the little feller got a name yet? ...

... perhaps you could re-trim his car seat in the other 3 metres of that leather? ...


----------



## Gazzer

big pat on the back and a cigar for garth...........glad mum and son are both well and congrats buddy. now stop footing about on here and go get us some pics of the little fella. (more important)


----------



## tricklexxx

Many congrats Garth, projects coming along nicely but more importantly... a new forum bubba!!! Nice one


----------



## stevebeechTA

Congrats to you both, let the early morning feeds commence. I would not put yourself under to much pressure to get the seats done. enjoy the little man


----------



## Mondo

Congrats, bud! You thought you loved the TT? It's just been relegated to a distant 2nd. 

All the best, and keep polishing those re-skinning skills. I might have to pay you a visit when your dust settles. In about 18 years.


----------



## Vickyarcher

Congratulations to you both

Hope he doesn't keep you awake too much, enjoy x


----------



## chrishTT

Congrats to you both


----------



## Garth

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. Mother and baby are both doing great, no problems at all :grin:

It's been a long day. I can't believe he was born at 9:30am but we didn't get out of hospital until 7:30pm 

All that sitting around waiting for a doctor, it's no wonder the NHS is in trouble!

Work will commence on the TT again tomorrow. Oh and blue bandit... I've been planning the leather baby seat retrim for some time. I'm waiting for the next size though as the first one is only for the first nine months tops ;-)


----------



## Brendanb86

Garth said:


> Work will commence on the TT again tomorrow.


That's what you think! Congrats on the baby, car looking awesome as always!


----------



## Guzi

Congrats Garth!


----------



## Garth

Brendanb86 said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Work will commence on the TT again tomorrow.
> 
> 
> 
> That's what you think! Congrats on the baby, car looking awesome as always!
Click to expand...

Oh ye of little faith ;-)
I may have only had two hours sleep, but that's never stopped me before :grin:

I've had my spacers kicking around my office for a couple of months now and while I'm on paternity leave, I want to have a tidy up. I was going to leave them off until the wheels had been refurbished ans New tyres put on but hey, it's helps tidy up if I do them now 

So here are the parts. 15mm spacers with 45mm bolts for the front and 20mm spacers with 50mm bolts for the rear:









The before shots:

















And the afters:

















I could have fitted 20mm front and 25mm rear, but in the interests of having zero rubbing problems, I plumped for the safe choice.
It makes a big difference to the look of the car 

More to come later...


----------



## merlin c

Nice one Garth, one of the best cosmetic mods you can do for the money... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## NoMark

Congratulations to all of you Garth.

It's been a good while since my last one was born but I remember it well. Happy times.

Mark.


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> Brendanb86 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Work will commence on the TT again tomorrow.
> 
> 
> 
> That's what you think! Congrats on the baby, car looking awesome as always!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Oh ye of little faith ;-)
> I may have only had two hours sleep, but that's never stopped me before :grin:
> 
> I've had my spacers kicking around my office for a couple of months now and while I'm on paternity leave, I want to have a tidy up. I was going to leave them off until the wheels had been refurbished ans New tyres put on but hey, it's helps tidy up if I do them now
> 
> So here are the parts. 15mm spacers with 45mm bolts for the front and 20mm spacers with 50mm bolts for the rear:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The before shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the afters:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I could have fitted 20mm front and 25mm rear, but in the interests of having zero rubbing problems, I plumped for the safe choice.
> It makes a big difference to the look of the car
> 
> More to come later...
Click to expand...

Looking great Garth. Which spacers (make) did you got for?

cheers


----------



## Garth

I bought my spacers from eBay seller mtech242mtech242. The quality is excellent (much better than the eibachs on my BMW) and the price is great. I've bought a number of things from the same seller and the service is always great. Next day delivery with a text message to say what time it'll arrive.

Anyway, I removed the passenger seat and stripped it down ready for colouring/trimming/spraying. There are quite a few pieces:








This stamp on the bottom of the seat is interesting...


----------



## gogs

Congratulations Garth, you dont slow down mate, car is looking awesome


----------



## Garth

gogs said:


> Congratulations Garth, you dont slow down mate, car is looking awesome


Thanks. I can't slow down, my new supervisor won't let me...








:grin:


----------



## Rich196

Can find the ebay seller you mention for the spacers could you link me?

Looking great by the way, love this thread!


----------



## Garth

Rich196 said:


> Can find the ebay seller you mention for the spacers could you link me?
> 
> Looking great by the way, love this thread!


That would be my fault for spelling it wrong 
It's mtec242mtec242


----------



## merlin c

Garth said:


> gogs said:
> 
> 
> 
> Congratulations Garth, you dont slow down mate, car is looking awesome
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks. I can't slow down, my new supervisor won't let me...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :grin:
Click to expand...

AAAAWWWW [smiley=baby.gif]


----------



## Rich196

Garth said:


> Rich196 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Can find the ebay seller you mention for the spacers could you link me?
> 
> Looking great by the way, love this thread!
> 
> 
> 
> That would be my fault for spelling it wrong
> It's mtec242mtec242
Click to expand...

Thanks, that works better


----------



## Garth

Rich196 said:


> Can find the ebay seller you mention for the spacers could you link me?
> 
> Looking great by the way, love this thread!


Here's one:
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=370612388682&index=5&nav=SEARCH&nid=87759342023
That price is each though, not a pair. Sorry, I'm on my phone and searching eBay is much harder than on the pc!


----------



## tricklexxx

Garth said:


> gogs said:
> 
> 
> 
> Congratulations Garth, you dont slow down mate, car is looking awesome
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks. I can't slow down, my new supervisor won't let me...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :grin:
Click to expand...

Absolutely beautiful mate, you must be mega proud


----------



## Gazzer

Garth, that is the best pic you have shown this whole thread bud.......he is awesome and i personally am looking forward to dec when my 6th grandchild is born........so know how proud you must feel at present.


----------



## Garth

Thanks guys. I do feel really proud, he's the best thing I've ever done. He's asleep in my arms now while his mother grabs some much needed sleep :smile:

I spent this evening prepping the passenger seat base ready for colour tomorrow. The little one does reduce my TT time, but I'm not complaining.

6 grand children? Yikes, Christmas must be expensive!


----------



## 1sttt

Not only your time is going to suffer Gareth but also your budget. 
Congrats to you both.


----------



## Garth

You're probably right!
In the meantime, the leather work has commenced...

I started with this:








I stripped the leather off to reveal that it's just a textured black piece underneath. I could have just cleaned off all the glue and left it as black plastic... But that's just not nice enough :grin:








So I trimmed it in some lovely top quality leather:








The devil is in the detail... So here's the rear of the piece:









This leather is so nice to work with. You can really stretch and shape it, plus it's really soft and smooth. Smells amazing too :-D

I changed my mind about the plastic trims. The side pieces see a lot of hand traffic when tilting the seat so anything painted has the chance to scratch. With that in mind, I bought new black ones from Audi today:








Things are going well in this seat. It should look brand new by the weekend


----------



## Garth

Things are going a lot slower as some of you predicted! I haven't had a proper nights sleep since Friday so I don't have much energy. Add that to the fact that changing nappies and generally looking after my son takes a lot more energy than I thought, and I've not got much left for the hobbies.
Hopefully things will slowly improve over the next few weeks...

Anyway, I thought I'd get a couple of little jobs out of the way. First I replaced the blue washer bottle top with a black R8 one.
Before:








And after:








That looks much better and only £2.48 from the dealer :grin:

My boot floor is pretty scabby as it has some stains and areas that are heavily worn too. I'll eventually get a new one, but in the meantime I want to cover the uglyness. Also after I put the new one in, this new mat will protect it.
I picked up loads of sand from B&Q a few weeks ago so that's what the brown marks are 
Before:








And £8 later:








It's only a cheap mat, but then it's only in the boot!
I've just received my new interior carpet mats this morning too. They're VERY nice quality. Much better than the OEM ones so I'm not spoiling them by putting them in the car until the seats are all back in.
I also received loads more bits and bobs I need to fit when I get time :roll:


----------



## tonksy26

Very nice garth. I think links should be provided with everything you do, save everybody asking all time, with that in mind... where di you get the carpet for the boot ? mine looks as shabby as yours. Also do you know much a new one is from audi ?


----------



## Garth

tonksy26 said:


> Very nice garth. I think links should be provided with everything you do, save everybody asking all time, with that in mind... where di you get the carpet for the boot ? mine looks as shabby as yours. Also do you know much a new one is from audi ?


Ok, I shall post links from now on :grin:
I can't post links easily though as most of the time, I'm accessing this forum via tapatalk on my mobile. I'm also using the bay app, not the website so you don't get URLs.
I bought my boot mat from ebayer seller carmatswarehouse. It was £7.95 plus delivery (although I collected mine so no delivery charge).

Well today I continued working on the seats, trying to get them all finished soon. Hopefully this weekend I'll have finished one of the front seats!

I also got the dent man out to knock out all the dents on the TT. These pdr guys are brilliant. Luckily I get trade rate, which is £40 per car, which is very cheap considering the number of dents on the TT. The standard charge is per dent. I felt guilty having him work in the monsoon so I got him to pull out the small dents on my 5 series too. It was the least I could do after putting him through this:








:grin:
No dents in the car now. I've just got to pull my finger out and get more done myself!


----------



## Gazzer

saw a TT in same colour at Neilc's yesterday Garth, lovely looking rare colour m8


----------



## ExAudiSi

Garth said:


> olivarrr said:
> 
> 
> 
> Where did you get your leather gaitor?? Looks really nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> YELLOW_TT said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> olivarrr said:
> 
> 
> 
> Where did you get your leather gaitor?? Looks really nice
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> You can get them on eBay
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yes indeed, ebay is your friend.
> These are the guys:
> http://stores.ebay.co.uk/TOP-GAITERS-BOOTS?_trksid=p4340.l2563
> 
> I simply cannot believe how they have managed to sell this gaitor for £5 delivered. The quality is top notch, not some cheap crap. I was sceptical and had it in my watch list for 2 weeks before I thought "feck it, it's only a fiver, I'll chuck it if it's rubbish".
> I was so impressed, I bought the hand brake cover to match
Click to expand...

Hi Garth,

I have just bought one of these gaiters after seeing yours. Did all of the holes line up with the screw holes in the aluminium ring?
On mine, once you have 2 or 3 screws in the rest don't line up (struggling to get the gear knob off too  )


----------



## Garth

ExAudiSi said:


> Hi Garth,
> 
> I have just bought one of these gaiters after seeing yours. Did all of the holes line up with the screw holes in the aluminium ring?
> On mine, once you have 2 or 3 screws in the rest don't line up (struggling to get the gear knob off too  )


Mine all lined up perfectly. The truck to getting it on is to push all the screws through the metal ring and then offer the gaitor up over the screws. You can then lower the whole lot down and tighten the screws.
There are an extra 2 holes in the gaitor that line up with dimples on the plastic lower part that the stews go in to. Makes sure you don't try to put screws through those.


----------



## Garth

My creations motorsport crankcase breather hose arrived this morning so I fitted it. The quality and fit are perfect:








The old hose was really, really squishy so I decided to cut it open and inspect the inside...








The hose was completely perished inside. That texture is not oil deposit, it is the rubber breaking down. Suffice to say, the insides of all the surrounding hoses and the valve were full of gunge.
The lower hose leading to the intake pipe is even worse that that one so that's next on the list to replace. CM don't do a replacement so it looks like I'll have to get one from forge.


----------



## 1sttt

Well done mate . Glad your making time for the Tt as well . You have to make time for yourself even if it half an hour.


----------



## ScottHmk4

you got a part number for the R8 wattle bottle cap (black one) thanks, cars coming along nicely


----------



## 1sttt

Awesome does them as well.


----------



## Garth

thanks guys.


ScottHmk4 said:


> you got a part number for the R8 wattle bottle cap (black one) thanks, cars coming along nicely


I'll post it up in the morning for you as it's at home (and I'm not). You may find it quicker by searching for r8 washer cap in the forum though as I'm sure someone has posted it before.


----------



## Garth

ScottHmk4 said:


> you got a part number for the R8 wattle bottle cap (black one) thanks, cars coming along nicely


Part number is A400 955 277
£2.45


----------



## Garth

I'm slowly chipping away at the leather work. My passenger seat base is now complete:








Just got the drivers side door, passenger seat back and drivers seat to re colour. After that, the last few bits to cover in black leather and the interior will be complete


----------



## Garth

While the driver's door panel is off, I finished the sound proofing on the door.
Before:








And after:


----------



## gogs

Garth said:


> I'm slowly chipping away at the leather work. My passenger seat base is now complete:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just got the drivers side door, passenger seat back and drivers seat to re colour. After that, the last few bits to cover in black leather and the interior will be complete


Garth mate, the seat looks awesome, is that recovered? Recoloured? Or just some good old elbow grease? I'm just catching up with your thread, it's belting mate, can't wait for more!


----------



## Garth

Thank you 
The leather has been re-coloured in land rover cirrus using a furniture clinic kit. The suede parts have been dyed black using a specialist suede dye. They used to be vanilla coloured. 
If you look back through the thread, the details are all there ;-)


----------



## gogs

Garth said:


> Thank you
> The leather has been re-coloured in land rover cirrus using a furniture clinic kit. The suede parts have been dyed black using a specialist suede dye. They used to be vanilla coloured.
> If you look back through the thread, the details are all there ;-)


Found it mate, still plowing my way through the post, it's excellent mate, just found the pic of the wiring in the slip ring! Now that was a fun evening when it happened to me! it's going to be a cracking machine when it's completed :wink:


----------



## 1sttt

Great work Garth keep up the good work


----------



## lordlee

Epic build Garth!! Just got myself a Raven black 01 225 so your thread has given me some great ideas. I am amazed by the results on your leather - wish I could change my black to that colour!


----------



## Baalthazaar

Hi Garth, quick question. When you covered the headlining did you remove the original cover and foam backing or did you use it as a backing and glue direct to that to retain the soft feel? Ps how do you find time to run a business , be a father , restore a TT and write a detailed post :-* She must be a very quiet woman


----------



## Garth

lordlee said:
 

> Epic build Garth!! Just got myself a Raven black 01 225 so your thread has given me some great ideas. I am amazed by the results on your leather - wish I could change my black to that colour!


Thank you. You can use the kit I bought to re dye black no problem. It would actually be better to do this as you wouldn't have to worry about multi coloured suede and leather together.



Baalthazaar said:


> Hi Garth, quick question. When you covered the headlining did you remove the original cover and foam backing or did you use it as a backing and glue direct to that to retain the soft feel? Ps how do you find time to run a business , be a father , restore a TT and write a detailed post :-* She must be a very quiet woman


I stripped the pillars but kept the original covering on the headliner. It's attached to the foam and to remove it would be a waste of tone and energy. It's well stuck down (the pillar trim isn't) and means you can retain the soft feel :grin:

Luckily, I work for a consultancy firm so I don't have to worry about running the business. The father thing IS taking a lot of time but before this I just didn't stop much.
My wife puts up with me, but I CERTAINLY don't neglect her ;-)

I reckon a lot of people get home from work and put the tv on, I just get stuck in to my jobs


----------



## Baalthazaar

Cheers Garth, Alcantara in sticky mitts all panels off (what a ball ache) looking for the adhesive....thinks nraw off to my mate the upholsterer he has a huge table and more skill at stretching fabric around awkward corners he can fight with those whilst I think about doing the back side panel and door card tops......Once you start.... [smiley=bomb.gif]


----------



## Baalthazaar

Garth, just a note of caution re the Alcantara alternative that you linked to in this thread, got samples of this and it is very thin and delicate, it has no PR backing so when you glue it up the glue seeps through in places giving a terrible spotty appearance. The solution if you want to use this is to get it Flame retarded before you cut to size, this puts a latex like backing on the rear of fabric stopping the glue from penetrating and spoiling the finish. this also has the added benefit of making it easier to work with. Marcas.


----------



## Garth

Baalthazaar said:


> Garth, just a note of caution re the Alcantara alternative that you linked to in this thread, got samples of this and it is very thin and delicate, it has no PR backing so when you glue it up the glue seeps through in places giving a terrible spotty appearance. The solution if you want to use this is to get it Flame retarded before you cut to size, this puts a latex like backing on the rear of fabric stopping the glue from penetrating and spoiling the finish. this also has the added benefit of making it easier to work with. Marcas.


You're using the wrong glue ;-)

Use the right type of adhesive and there's no way it seeps through. I tested the sample I got from them and I got no glue showing through and it was good stuff to work with. Being thin and unbacked makes it better for this type of trimming. 
I posted a link to the correct adhesive earlier in this thread. It sprays on dry so it won't soak in


----------



## Baalthazaar

Hmmm methinks my upholstery guy just doesnt want to do the job, time to get it back and try out the glue you suggest......


----------



## Garth

Baalthazaar said:


> Hmmm methinks my upholstery guy just doesnt want to do the job, time to get it back and try out the glue you suggest......


You may be right. This would be very easy for a pro.
Have a go yourself. Take it slowly and even a novice should be able to get professional results. Fair enough, I've done this a few times in the past but I'm sure even the most ham fisted amateur could do it with a little patience and a little assistance ;-)


----------



## Garth

I've now finished the driver's door panel:








I've also dyed the suede on the passenger seat back and prepped the leather ready for colour:








I should have that seat finished tomorrow :grin:


----------



## Garth

The passenger seat is complete. I just spent the day re dying the vanilla leather, re covering some parts in black leather and spraying the remaining plastics matt black.

I personally think this is a big improvement over standard and it looks much more modern. Any opinions on this? I think they should have come from the factory like this:

















Let's not forget the seat used to look like this:


----------



## tricklexxx

Looks sweet Garth...

Should've gone with Alcantara instead of black leather though 

... or are you just really into black leather!? :lol:


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Looks much better 8)


----------



## Garth

tricklexxx said:


> Looks sweet Garth...
> 
> Should've gone with Alcantara instead of black leather though
> 
> ... or are you just really into black leather!? :lol:


:grin:
I MUCH prefer leather to alcantara. 
I don't think alcantara works on the kind of trim I've covered. It does have It's place but leather is better for this stuff ;-)


----------



## Garth

I've put the seat in the car and given the car a bit of a clean inside








While I was at it, I thought I may as well add the new mats:








There's quite a contrast beyween old and new now:








:grin:


----------



## lordlee

The difference is night and day, I have to say I am well impressed with the results you've managed. It looks far more modern and the contrasting colours on the seat remind me of my mates V12 DB7. Top work.


----------



## higsta

I really like the seats with the black contrast. Really smart.


----------



## STUT

Top results. How many man hours do you think you have topped up so far Garth?


----------



## Garth

STUT said:


> Top results. How many man hours do you think you have topped up so far Garth?


I shudder to think :-o
They've mostly been fun hours though 

I'm more worried about totting up the receipts than the hours...


----------



## STUT

Garth said:


> STUT said:
> 
> 
> 
> Top results. How many man hours do you think you have topped up so far Garth?
> 
> 
> 
> I shudder to think :-o
> They've mostly been fun hours though
> 
> I'm more worried about totting up the receipts than the hours...
Click to expand...

I'm sure it will all be worth it. I shown someone this thread today and they were amazed at the outcome of the leather. She has a mark1 golf project and like me never in a million years imagined as good a outcome of what you have Archieved. Will be interesting to see what she does now


----------



## Garth

I'm glad that my work is giving other some ideas, that's the whole point in these forums 

Well the last seat is recoloured. It was a bit of a ball ache since it was the driver's side and therefore had the most wear and tear.

Here's the prep done:
















And the finished product:
















Closeup of the outer bolster:








I'm quite pleased with that since it was a right state before. The foam padding underneath had collapsed, so I had to rebuild it to get the shape back.
Here's the loosened leather cover:








And the damaged foam:








And my weapons of choice:








I just need to retrim the seat back and airbag in black leather to finish 

I also started work on repairing my door discs:








But they both need sanding and spraying to be perfect.


----------



## STUT

Did you stain the leather first? How does the kit work then, prep it with one product, stain it with another?


----------



## Garth

STUT said:


> Did you stain the leather first? How does the kit work then, prep it with one product, stain it with another?


Have a look back through this thread. I posted links to a couple of videos of the process.


----------



## Dooleyz

I need more upates literally stayed up last night and read through the entire thread mate great work! Need to get my ass in gear and start doing mine. :lol:


----------



## Garth

Dooleyz said:


> I need more upates literally stayed up last night and read through the entire thread mate great work! Need to get my ass in gear and start doing mine. :lol:


I'm sorry if you've lost sleep because of me 
Don't worry, there should be a few decent updates this week ;-)
I'm just waiting on a couple of bits to arrive, as usual!


----------



## steveupton

Totally stunned by the quality of your work and attention to detail, this epic thread is compulsive reading and should be turned into a book!

I think the seats look superb and the black detailing does, as you said, make them look more up to date. Earlier in the thread, you mentioned that the spray gun supplied with the Furniture Clinic kit wasn't much good so what did you use to get such a good finish?

Looking forward to the next chapter.


----------



## Garth

Thanks Steve, you're making me blush :grin:
I use a basic badger airbrush for spraying. I've used one of these for years and whilst it's nothing special, it always give good results.

I don't really like doing half a job and I love getting stuck in. It's really satisfying when you see the difference between before and after


----------



## matt2012

Wow, I'm really impressed. You've given me so many ideas, I've been reading for over 2hours. 
I really need to get my seats sorted as they're in need of a bit of tlc, but I'm sorting out the mechanics first 

Well done so far! I look forward to the next update

Matt


----------



## Garth

I've finally finished the last seat:








and even put it back in the car:









It's a little different to how it was in February:









Just a few more bits and bobs to do in the interior and then it'll be finished. Once that's complete, I can move on to the exterior


----------



## gogs

Those seats look sweet Garth, pm me your address I'll send you my set down for a retrim ! Lol


----------



## Garth

gogs said:


> Those seats look sweet Garth, pm me your address I'll send you my set down for a retrim ! Lol


Funny you should mention it.... I'm going to teach myself how to retrim a full interior. My mother's going to teach me how to use a sewing machine and I need a car to practise on 

You still want to let me loose on your seats? :wink:


----------



## gogs

Ah a practice piece! If they turn out anything like the ones you've just recoloured have I'll take that risk mate!


----------



## Garth

I've got next week off work :grin:

This means work can continue on the tt.
Jobs for the week:
Fit new head unit and make a custom leather surround to hide the gap,
Fit adjustable tie bars,
Fit new silicon hose for breather,
Sound proof the bonnet,
Try again to replace track rod ends,
Replace centre console,
Get 4 new tyres fitted,
Clean it properly,
Drive it :grin:

We'll see how I get on...


----------



## LordG71

good luck with next week Garth 

The interior transformation is awesome - you must be very pleased. Amazing how dated the car looked before with the "yellow'ish" leather.

Neil


----------



## Garth

LordG71 said:


> good luck with next week Garth
> 
> The interior transformation is awesome - you must be very pleased. Amazing how dated the car looked before with the "yellow'ish" leather.
> 
> Neil


Thanks. I am really pleased how it's turned out. Looking back at the yellow and purple combo, it does look really dated. The new colour combo looks even better in the flesh than on the photos :grin:


----------



## Garth

I've got a couple of the small jobs done today...

First I replaced the wiper blades as the old ones were past it:









Old and new (bosch aerotwin, my favourites):









New blades fitted and tested:









Next up, I had to replace my centre console. The old one had screws in it when I got the car, presumably from having a cup holder fitted in the past. I did a quick repair when I first bought it but it was time for something more permanent.
Old in the left, New on the right:









I wanted to do a couple of other things at the same time, so it meant stripping the car down a bit again:








:-D


----------



## Garth

The stereo flap has never lifted itself since I've had the car so it was time to sort that out. As soon as I removed it, I could see there was a piece broken off:








This is how the other (good) side looked:









So I used some epoxy resin to fix the broken part:









While everything was in pieces, I replaced the head unit. The old one was out of date 10 years ago, now it's just embarrassing:








Once I'd refitted the trim and added the new head unit:








Note the gaps around it, more to come on that...
The stereo has parrot Bluetooth built-in so I needed to fit the mic. If you hadn't already guessed, I'm an OEM plus type so I didn't want anything on display. With this in mind, I fitted the mic in the standard location above the dials:








And added a little closed cell foam around it to stop any noise from the engine bay spoiling things:








I added some more sound proofing behind the dials and refitted them.

Now back to the gap round the head unit, it looks awful and the two facia pieces everywhere sells for the TT are totally inadequate. I bought some and also got and old facia surround from another car:








I cut out the piece I wanted and glued on the TT trims (with some padding in between to get it all the right width):








I filled the gaps and gave it a little sand down:









Test fitting the work in progress: 








It's starting to take shape. I've just got to mould it in to fit the head unit and then cover it in leather. I'll do some more work on it tomorrow.

My verdict on the head unit: excellent! Combined with a gli, a proper harness and all the sound proofing, it sound very good. There LOADS more bass and the quality is excellent. There's no interference at all. I'm really pleased with that.
I spent ages researching head units so I could find exactly what I was after. There is no need at all to spend a fortune on a unit for this car (i would maybe have bought something more expensive for my daily driver though). At £100, The deh-4400bt has everything I need: Bluetooth handsfree, usb interface, cd player and a couple of pre-outs. Of course it had to have red and white illumination to match the car ;-)


----------



## Ruffmeister

Making some really good progress here! I've been thinking about that unit myself or the model before it which doesn't have bluetooth.
You tend to usually here good stuff on Alpine or Pioneer


----------



## higsta

Seems like a very good value for money unit. 
Does the iPod lead plug in the back or the front of the unit?


----------



## Garth

higsta said:


> Seems like a very good value for money unit.
> Does the iPod lead plug in the back or the front of the unit?


The iPod lead plugs in the front, which is not ideal. I don't plan on using my iPod in this car. If you look closely at the photos, you'll see I have a mini 8gb usb drive in the front already. This stays in permanently as the flap closes over it and the front panel fits into it's case with it too. Like I said, the unit has everything I want, but not necessarily everything anybody else wants ;-)


----------



## Golfedd

Really good thread! Like your attention to detail man! All coming on well by the looks of things! Keep up the progress!!!!

I shall keep an eye over here


----------



## Gazzer

Garth having seen pics of your house with seats and TT parts all over the place.......how has your wife not gone ape at you m8?
especially with a new baby in the place also and she isnt jumping up and down??


----------



## tricklexxx

Updates look sharp Garth, I have to say you've certainly got good taste! Nice to see such a well balanced and stylish interior considering how much you have changed.

Nice one mate


----------



## Garth

Thanks guys 
@Gazzer... I guess she just loves me 

I was going to finish off the stereo surround over the last couple of days but as the saying goes "make hay while the sun shines", or in this case: "replace the tie bars before it starts pissing it down!"

So up on the stands it went again:








And the view from below:








I keep forgetting how rusty everything gets under there. I'l have to get the wire brush and black hammerite out soon!
I removed the first old tie bar and used it to initially size the new one:









For those who are interested, I went for KW bars. If you are curious why I went for these over the more popular forge bars, it's because these come with an OEM style rubber bush, whereas forge bars come with poly bushes. I'm avoiding poly bushes for the majority of the car due to the negative effect they have on general comfort. This car is never going to be a track racer and is never going to do a lot of miles therefore poly bushes are no benefit at all ;-)

So I measured the distance for the xenon levelling sensor and marked the new bar:








And fitted it:








I reused the old bolts temporarily since the new ones I bought are hiding somewhere in the office! When I find them, I'll replace the old ones.
I made sure the sensor mount matched up with the mark I'd made for it:








And on to the results...
One side done and adjusted:








One side not:









Both done and adjusted by eye for now. Wow! The difference to the handling is quite incredible. There's loads less understeer now, it feels really direct (i have r32 rear arb, standard front). I wasn't expecting quite so big a change from just setting the camber right. I have it set to about -0.5 degrees (give it take a bit) but might go closer to -1 when I get it properly aligned. Very chuffed with how it looks and drives now though


----------



## Garth

A couple more jobs done today...
First up was pollen filter replacement. Not very exciting but it lives in here:








And the old and new side by side:








Whoever fitted the last one, put it in upside down! I've fitted the new one the right way up and now the air-con smells much fresher 

Since DPM FINALLY delivered my forge breather pipe (took nearly 3 weeks!), I decided to fit it.
Here you can see where the OEM hose rests against another and leads to deformation:








New one to be fitted:








And old and new comparison:








The old one is badly deformed. Cutting it open reveals why. It's VERY badly perished inside due to oil exposure:









Unfortunately, in the process of replacing it, I discovered this:








Balls! Another pipe to replace. I've now ordered a silicon replacement, but in the meantime, duct tape to the rescue!









New tyres tomorrow morning :grin:

EDIT: Linked the wrong photo!


----------



## SonyVaio

WoW,

This thread is great and a whole lot of love going into that car.

Will keep my eye on further developments - well done.


----------



## Garth

Thank you.

New tyres are all on:









This does accentuate the fact that the wheels REALLY need a refurb. Having polished rims is just stupid on a road car. They never last as long as a decent powder coating (or even cheap spray paint!). I'll be getting them resurfaced next month but I'll be getting them done all silver with no polished lip


----------



## gogs

Excellent posts as always Garth, I'll be sad when you finally get the car finished as I'll have nothing to look forward to reading!


----------



## Garth

gogs said:


> Excellent posts as always Garth, I'll be sad when you finally get the car finished as I'll have nothing to look forward to reading!


Cheers mate. I guess if you're up to date, you could always read through my GTI thread from a few years ago:
http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8746.0
Don't worry though, once this is all done, there will be a thread on my next project, which will be either a Z4 or an S4 convertible. My wife is steering me away from the BMW though as she hates the look of the Z4 :grin:


----------



## gogs

Garth said:


> gogs said:
> 
> 
> 
> Excellent posts as always Garth, I'll be sad when you finally get the car finished as I'll have nothing to look forward to reading!
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers mate. I guess if you're up to date, you could always read through my GTI thread from a few years ago:
> http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8746.0
> Don't worry though, once this is all done, there will be a thread on my next project, which will be either a Z4 or an S4 convertible. My wife is steering me away from the BMW though as she hates the look of the Z4 :grin:
Click to expand...

Oh more reading that I will enjoy! I have to agree with your mrs on choice of car, I'm not a fan of the Z4 either! Sorry


----------



## ExAudiSi

Hi Garth,

Does this unit still give you the station/track no. display on the dash pod?
Considering the same unit myself as the Concert seems to have just started playing up.

Cheers,

Simon


----------



## Garth

ExAudiSi said:


> Hi Garth,
> 
> Does this unit still give you the station/track no. display on the dash pod?
> Considering the same unit myself as the Concert seems to have just started playing up.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Simon


I'm afraid not. I haven't come across any unit that does use the dash pod screen. I'm not fussed though as I never really looked at that display for the stereo anyway.


----------



## Garth

gogs said:


> I have to agree with your mrs on choice of car, I'm not a fan of the Z4 either! Sorry


I love the Z4! My mother had a brand new one in 2004 and I initially hated the shape but it really grew on me. I borrowed it for a few months in 2008 and I just loved the way it drove. It was way better than the boxster I was thinking of buying at the time. The sound of the 3 litre straight 6 engine is bliss too :smile:


----------



## gogs

Garth said:


> gogs said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have to agree with your mrs on choice of car, I'm not a fan of the Z4 either! Sorry
> 
> 
> 
> I love the Z4! My mother had a brand new one in 2004 and I initially hated the shape but it really grew on me. I borrowed it for a few months in 2008 and I just loved the way it drove. It was way better than the boxster I was thinking of buying at the time. The sound of the 3 litre straight 6 engine is bliss too :smile:
Click to expand...

I've never driven one mate, the shape has just never wowed me as yet, a bloke in work has one but it's only a 2.0ltr, no leather etc, seems very basic, maybe just his version


----------



## Dooleyz

Love this thread mate gives me the motivation to get my ass in gear and start sorting the niggly bits


----------



## Garth

I finally got round to putting my resprayed door discs back in:









My scratched and dented airbag has been annoying me since I bought the car:








So I replaced it (thanks jamman):









My next job was to replace the broken lower PCV breather pipe:








So I bought a new silicon hose:








I removed the old pipe, which was pretty nasty inside:








And ended up with a pile of rubbish:








Can anyone spot the problem?

This pipe is supposed to be one piece:








It snapped like a toothpick when I removed the connecting t-piece 
Looking at it closely, it's easy to see why. The plastic is perished just like the other rubber hoses:









So that's as far as I got. I am now waiting for a replacement to arrive at the dealers before I can get it all put back together again.

A word of warning for all old TT owners... Don't start replacing breather pipes unless you want to do them all! I imagine most TT's born before 2002 (and plenty after) will have badly perished hoses. Mine should be like new soon though


----------



## Guzi

Exellent work Garth!


----------



## SteviedTT

There's me thinking the problem was the metal bits sticking out of them :roll:


----------



## JorgeTTCQ

Hi Garth,
I'm really enjoying reading this post, great job.Thank you for showing it and good luck!

Cheers


----------



## tricklexxx

SteviedTT said:


> There's me thinking the problem was the metal bits sticking out of them :roll:


Obviously you're joking...aren't you Steve...? :lol:

(they're the OEM hose clips :roll: )


----------



## SteviedTT

tricklexxx said:


> SteviedTT said:
> 
> 
> 
> There's me thinking the problem was the metal bits sticking out of them :roll:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Obviously you're joking...aren't you Steve...? :lol:
> 
> (they're the OEM hose clips :roll: )
Click to expand...

Perfectly serious mate, I thought maybe someone had put them on the inside :wink:


----------



## Garth

My lovely wife picked up my new pipe from the dealers today:








So I fitted it along with the new silicon hose. I've got to be honest, the PCV breather hose from creations is not a great fit. Sure, it does the job but it took some wrestling to fit it. It's too long and the t-piece is at the wrong angle. Still, it's fitted now and works just fine 
All tucked in nicely:









Jobs left to do:
Wheel refurb
Track rod end replacement
4 wheel alignment
Finish stereo surround
Haldex oil and filter replacement
Sort the brakes out
Give it a really good polish
Sell it!

Anyone interested? I might as well throw it out there now before it's finished. I've already had two people say they are interested but they're not in a position to buy just yet. I'm not selling it until I'm happy that it's all done though :grin:


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Soon have it finished by the looks then what will you do with all your spare time :lol:


----------



## Garth

YELLOW_TT said:


> Soon have it finished by the looks then what will you do with all your spare time :lol:


Spare time? There's not much of that left! My son seems to have taken what spare time I had. Then obviously I'm doing more housework since my wife is looking after the little one.

I really fancied an S4 convertible project next, but I think that will have to wait about 6 months until my son is a little less demanding :grin:


----------



## Gazzer

garth if after a project of love you do not get top bucks for this car i will BBQ my undies and eat with hot chilli sauce m8ee

i do have a fear that you will then choose another project (for instance an xjs) or old porche and then bugger off to that forum to do another garths project? as you bring plenty of info here and a wealth of basic common sense logic to the forum mucker would hate to see you move on and leave.


----------



## Garth

Gazzer said:


> garth if after a project of love you do not get top bucks for this car i will BBQ my undies and eat with hot chilli sauce m8ee
> 
> i do have a fear that you will then choose another project (for instance an xjs) or old porche and then bugger off to that forum to do another garths project? as you bring plenty of info here and a wealth of basic common sense logic to the forum mucker would hate to see you move on and leave.


Mmmmh, that sounds nice :grin:

To be honest, I don't think I will get top dollar for it. Most people will still see it as an 11 year old car with 127k on the clock. Only a true enthusiast will look at the work that has gone in and realize, "hey that won't need a penny spending on it for another 5 years".

I'll still hang around here as long as I'm welcome


----------



## Gazzer

Garth said:


> Gazzer said:
> 
> 
> 
> garth if after a project of love you do not get top bucks for this car i will BBQ my undies and eat with hot chilli sauce m8ee
> 
> i do have a fear that you will then choose another project (for instance an xjs) or old porche and then bugger off to that forum to do another garths project? as you bring plenty of info here and a wealth of basic common sense logic to the forum mucker would hate to see you move on and leave.
> 
> 
> 
> Mmmmh, that sounds nice :grin:
> 
> To be honest, I don't think I will get top dollar for it. Most people will still see it as an 11 year old car with 127k on the clock. Only a true enthusiast will look at the work that has gone in and realize, "hey that won't need a penny spending on it for another 5 years".
> 
> I'll still hang around here as long as I'm welcome
Click to expand...

will book you in for the xmas party then i am planning bud.


----------



## Mark Davies

So how much would you be wanting for it?

And out of interest, would you take a commission for your next project?


----------



## Gazzer

oh can feel the pm's about to be placed.........


----------



## Garth

Mark Davies said:


> So how much would you be wanting for it?
> 
> And out of interest, would you take a commission for your next project?


I reckon it's worth £4500 but that's only what I would pay for a TT in this condition. Others might pay a lot less, some might pay up to £6000.

As for commission... What have you in mind? ;-)


----------



## corradoman

after all the hard work you have put into this project garth im suprised you dont want to enjoy the car for a bit  its always a buzz for me when i have finished a project and then get to drive it, I did an engine rebuild and gas flowed head and full suspension and brake upgrade and overhaul to my corrado and it felt great to drive with all the new components fitted. Like it would feel leaving the factory 8)


----------



## Garth

corradoman said:


> after all the hard work you have put into this project garth im suprised you dont want to enjoy the car for a bit  its always a buzz for me when i have finished a project and then get to drive it, I did an engine rebuild and gas flowed head and full suspension and brake upgrade and overhaul to my corrado and it felt great to drive with all the new components fitted. Like it would feel leaving the factory 8)


The fun for me is mostly in the building. I had planned to keep it a while and drive it but things have changed now that I have a son. I am still driving it a little at the moment and will for a short while when it's finished. If I had more time, I would keep it indefinitely. I haven't even driven my 3 series in over a month and I LOVE that car,so it gives you an idea of how little I am going to realistically be able to drive the TT.

After I have finished this car, I'm sure it will be one of the best 2001 TTs around, certainly as far as condition is concerned. It would be a shame if it was left on my driveway, far better that an enthusiast gets to drive and enjoy it


----------



## Mark Davies

Garth said:


> As for commission... What have you in mind? ;-)


Well I'm sure there are a good few TT owners who have been mightily impressed with your knowledge, work and attention to detail who would love to have the same sort of work done to their car but wouldn't know where to start doing it themselves. They may also not be in the position to have their car off the road for prolonged periods (it may be their only car) in order to get the work done.

So here you are with the skills and the reputation and you happen to have a perfect loan car for people to use while you are doing the work. I suspect one or two would be prepared to pay a decent sum for the sort of complete ground-up restoration that you've done on your own car, so it struck me that once you're finished and before you sold on your car there may be a window of opportunity to make yourself some money out of this hobby.


----------



## Garth

That doesn't sound like a bad idea, but I think the number of people who would go for it would be almost zero. It would take me so long to fit everything in that most people would lose patience very quickly :grin:

Anyway, I've started tidying up the brakes. They were squeeling like mad so needed sorting out.
Front brakes as they were:
















And after I attacked the caliper with a paint/rust stripper:









My plan was to replace the discs and pads but seeing as how the car had almost brand new discs and pads all round when I bought it, this would have been a bit of a waste of money. I decided instead to clean up the discs I had and add some much needed copper grease to the pads.

So the discs were cleaned up and the surface rust sanded off. I masked them up and sprayed the non-contact areas with aluminum enamel (high temp) paint:








I have done this in my 5 series and the paint is holding up superbly well.

I painted the calipers with a brush and to be honest I'm not completely satisfied with the finish. It's a metallic enamel paint I used and because of this, the metallic flakes leave brush strokes. I think i'll rub them down a little and give them a final spray coat to even everything out when I do the rear brakes.
So here's how they look now:








And behind the (scabby) wheel:








Ignore the orange from the copper grease on the pads :grin:

Ugly rear brakes still to be done:









Interestingly enough, I pulled all this crap out from behind one of the brake pads:








I cleaned everything up and re greased the sliders as well.
The brakes feel smoother now and they're silent, as they should be


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Nice job but would have looked better in red IMOP but what do I know I drive a yellow car :lol:


----------



## Garth

YELLOW_TT said:


> Nice job but would have looked better in red IMOP but what do I know I drive a yellow car :lol:


Red calipers on a purple car? :-|
Nothing wrong with yellow cars... I've had two :grin: one of them had red brembos on it, but the other had black calipers and I thought they suited the yellow better


----------



## merlin c

Garth said:


> YELLOW_TT said:
> 
> 
> 
> Nice job but would have looked better in red IMOP but what do I know I drive a yellow car :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> Red calipers on a purple car? :-|
> Nothing wrong with yellow cars... I've had two :grin: one of them had red brembos on it, but the other had black calipers and I thought they suited the yellow better
Click to expand...

Black and yellow = style and a marriage of colours.... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## gogs

I love this car, I will seriously miss this thread when it's all done Garth


----------



## YELLOW_TT

merlin c said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> YELLOW_TT said:
> 
> 
> 
> Nice job but would have looked better in red IMOP but what do I know I drive a yellow car :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> Red calipers on a purple car? :-|
> Nothing wrong with yellow cars... I've had two :grin: one of them had red brembos on it, but the other had black calipers and I thought they suited the yellow better
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Black and yellow = style and a marriage of colours.... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
Click to expand...

Black and yellow=bumble bee :lol: 
Yellows calipers were red until I changed them for the Tarox big brake kit now they are grey


----------



## Garth

YELLOW_TT said:


> Yellows calipers were red until I changed them for the Tarox big brake kit now they are grey


And I bet it looks a lot nicer now


----------



## Garth

I think I might have to ask for more money when I sell the TT. There's a local guy who's been watching me fix it up since the start and he seems desperate to buy it. He keeps telling me he's interested but I thought he was just being polite. Turns out he's actually waiting for me to finish it and has bought himself a very cheap runabout to last until I'm done :grin:


----------



## gogs

Nice one Garth, up the price if he's not a forum member lol


----------



## Garth

gogs said:


> Nice one Garth, up the price if he's not a forum member lol


That goes without saying 
The price won't rise for a forum member. This needs to go to an enthusiast really


----------



## gogs

Sweet.......................


----------



## ExAudiSi

I think I spotted you this morning on the M62 Garth, however I wasn't driving the TT, just my silver Octavia.
Can't believe that you are considering selling it after all this hard work.


----------



## Garth

ExAudiSi said:


> I think I spotted you this morning on the M62 Garth, however I wasn't driving the TT, just my silver Octavia.
> Can't believe that you are considering selling it after all this hard work.


Wow, first time I've been spotted :grin:
I would have washed it if I had known.

You never know, I might get so attached to it when I'm finished that I change my mind.


----------



## ExAudiSi

Garth said:


> Wow, first time I've been spotted :grin:
> I would have washed it if I had known.
> 
> You never know, I might get so attached to it when I'm finished that I change my mind.


I did think it could do with a wash but didn't like to mention it :lol:

I saw you coming behind me and then recognised the black rear valance as you went past.


----------



## gogs

You may fall in love with her yet Garth!


----------



## ScottHmk4

what leather cleaner did you use garth?


----------



## Garth

ScottHmk4 said:


> what leather cleaner did you use garth?


Liquid leather g12 from here:
http://www.liquidleather.com/car-shop.html


----------



## sazismail

Garth said:


> Mark Davies said:
> 
> 
> 
> So how much would you be wanting for it?
> 
> And out of interest, would you take a commission for your next project?
> 
> 
> 
> I reckon it's worth £4500 but that's only what I would pay for a TT in this condition. Others might pay a lot less, some might pay up to £6000.
> 
> As for commission... What have you in mind? ;-)
Click to expand...

I paid nearly that just on repairs and a few bits and bobs for mine and its still not on the road. Considering the amount of work that has gone into this, i think anyone that pays 4.5k for this example will be bagging themselves a bargain.

I wish you the best of luck with the sale, shame your letting it go after so much time and effort has gone into it.


----------



## Guzi

sazismail said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mark Davies said:
> 
> 
> 
> So how much would you be wanting for it?
> 
> And out of interest, would you take a commission for your next project?
> 
> 
> 
> I reckon it's worth £4500 but that's only what I would pay for a TT in this condition. Others might pay a lot less, some might pay up to £6000.
> 
> As for commission... What have you in mind? ;-)
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I paid nearly that just on repairs and a few bits and bobs for mine and its still not on the road. Considering the amount of work that has gone into this, i think anyone that pays 4.5k for this example will be bagging themselves a bargain.
> 
> I wish you the best of luck with the sale, shame your letting it go after so much time and effort has gone into it.
Click to expand...

+1


----------



## Co1k

I'm a newbie here but a member of french "Clan TT".

I read 36 pages of your restoration and you are a crazy man... :lol:

It's an amazing work. Congrats for it!

I'm excited to see more...


----------



## Garth

Thanks for the kind words guys


Co1k said:


> I read 36 pages of your restoration and you are a crazy man... :lol:


You wouldn't be the first to think this. There's not many times in my life that I've been called sensible :grin:

I should have some more updates after the weekend... if the weather holds out :roll:


----------



## AdamG

Read your TT AND Mk5 GTI progress - great reads so it will be a shame to see you go/the TT sold!!

Whoever gets it will be lucky - look forward to seeing it 'finished' before you sell it. I'm sure it will be a straight forward sale!!


----------



## xcarlyx

Wow  I absolutely love the work that has gone into this  some real credit deserved to you there! Nice job


----------



## theblob

Garth i would be seriously interested once my house sale goes through eventually on the 9th sep 8 months down the line grrr .
But would not blame you for getting what you deserve cash wise for an amazing job , Its been a fantastic thread you should be proud many congrats Garth

Rob


----------



## Garth

Thanks all 

Well, before I can get the alignment done, there's still the matter of replacing the old track rods ends. I've been beaten twice by them in the last few weeks, but I'm not one to give up that easily 

It started like this:








I marked it to make sure I can get the new ones back on with the alignment close to how it was.
It wasn't going to budge no matter how much heat and wd40 I applied... So out with the angle grinder...









That of course was after I had destroyed an adjustable wrench (and my hand) trying to remove it the correct way.

So I ended up with this:








And this:








I'll inspect the full extent of that once it stops bleeding 

Well, that's where I have had to leave it. The new track rod ends don't come with the locking nut and nowhere round here was open to get replacements on a Saturday evening. Once I can get some replacements, it's an easy job to put the new ends on


----------



## SonyVaio

Garth said:


> Thanks all
> 
> Well, before I can get the alignment done, there's still the matter of replacing the old track rods ends. I've been beaten twice by them in the last few weeks, but I'm not one to give up that easily
> 
> Well, that's where I have had to leave it. The new track rod ends don't come with the locking nut and nowhere round here was open to get replacements on a Saturday evening. Once I can get some replacements, it's an easy job to put the new ends on


By the looks of the gap on the ARB it could do with being replaced too??


----------



## Garth

SonyVaio said:


> By the looks of the gap on the ARB it could do with being replaced too??


Yep, that's what happens when you run a bar without collars. As I mentioned much earlier in the thread, the replacement bushes were always going to be a temporary measure


----------



## Gazzer

she is coming together nicely garth.......any thoughts on a book or film rights lol


----------



## The Blue Bandit

Garth said:


>


... Garth, is that an OEM plaster or an aftermarket one that you used for changing the track rod ends? Have you got a part number for it? ...

  

... Not at all surprised you intend to sell the car- I think after a couple of weeks you'd have been itching to start something else anyway- and with a little boy it makes the issue of not enough time or practicality of the car all the more important.
Somebody will definitely be bagging a bargain, and something tells me it won't hang around too long when you come to sell it- in my mind it's not only been restored to factory standard, but improved beyond it- the interior and colouring of those seats has massively improved it over its original state!
It's been a great journey.


----------



## Bowen

I am a TT newbie. This thread is unbelievably good.

Credit to you, top work.


----------



## Garth

Gazzer said:


> she is coming together nicely garth.......any thoughts on a book or film rights lol


I'm not sure anyone would want to watch an angry skinny guy waving a hammer about, cursing, swearing and bleeding from the hands :roll:



The Blue Bandit said:


> Garth, is that an OEM plaster or an aftermarket one


Cheap aftermarket... Which is why I had to replace it three times in one night. I have now instructed my wife to only buy genuine elastoplast! :grin:



Bowen said:


> I am a TT newbie. This thread is unbelievably good.
> 
> Credit to you, top work.


Thank you, I do try


----------



## merlin c

Nice work there Garth, brute force and ignorance will always win......................eventually. :lol:


----------



## jamman

Garth you need yo get yourself down Boots and buy some stuff called "New Skin" chuck it on the fresh cut give it about .2 of a second and welcome yourself to whole new world of pain. 

Makes a good game on self inflicted paper cuts.


----------



## Garth

merlin c said:


> Nice work there Garth, brute force and ignorance will always win......................eventually. :lol:


:grin: it's a nice fallback when logic fails. If nothing else, it's a good way to vent frustration after spending ages trying to do things the right way 



jamman said:


> Garth you need yo get yourself down Boots and buy some stuff called "New Skin" chuck it on the fresh cut give it about .2 of a second and welcome yourself to whole new world of pain.
> 
> Makes a good game on self inflicted paper cuts.


If nothing else, it might make my wife laugh when I apply it. I always get the "what have you done to yourself THIS time?" look when I come in bleeding (which is most if the time :roll: )


----------



## ScottHmk4

garth do you have a part number for black coolent cap? i was sure the polo came with a black one


----------



## Garth

ScottHmk4 said:


> garth do you have a part number for black coolent cap? i was sure the polo came with a black one


Sorry, only just noticed this. Yes, I'll post part no in the morning.


----------



## Garth

My wife picked up the track rod lock nuts from Audi this week so I was able to put them on:








Old and new ends:








And the new ones fitted:
















There was loads of slack in the old ball joints so this should tighten things up nicely. The tracking, predictably, is way out now so I won't be driving the car until I get the 4 wheel alignment done.

I've got a new dog bone bush kit waiting to go on once the bolts arrive too 

I've been playing around with my spare leather but you'll have to wait for photos


----------



## ScottHmk4

Garth said:


> ScottHmk4 said:
> 
> 
> 
> garth do you have a part number for black coolent cap? i was sure the polo came with a black one
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry, only just noticed this. Yes, I'll post part no in the morning.
Click to expand...

would appreciate that mate


----------



## Garth

ScottHmk4 said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ScottHmk4 said:
> 
> 
> 
> garth do you have a part number for black coolent cap? i was sure the polo came with a black one
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry, only just noticed this. Yes, I'll post part no in the morning.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> would appreciate that mate
Click to expand...

You can tell I'm tired at the moment, I thought you were asking for the washer bottle cap part number. The coolant cap is a standard blue one that I have sprayed matt black. Just take your existing one, clean it up and de-grease it then give it a few coats of plastic primer and a few of matt black. Just mask off the threads and inside before you start spraying. Easy job to do and costs a few quid for paint.


----------



## ScottHmk4

You can tell I'm tired at the moment, I thought you were asking for the washer bottle cap part number. The coolant cap is a standard blue one that I have sprayed matt black. Just take your existing one, clean it up and de-grease it then give it a few coats of plastic primer and a few of matt black. Just mask off the threads and inside before you start spraying. Easy job to do and costs a few quid for paint.[/quote]

im almost 99% certain there a black one for the polo that fits ours. same washer bottle as far as i know. might try that instead of painting.


----------



## ScottHmk4

ScottHmk4 said:


> You can tell I'm tired at the moment, I thought you were asking for the washer bottle cap part number. The coolant cap is a standard blue one that I have sprayed matt black. Just take your existing one, clean it up and de-grease it then give it a few coats of plastic primer and a few of matt black. Just mask off the threads and inside before you start spraying. Easy job to do and costs a few quid for paint.


im almost 99% certain there a black one for the polo that fits ours. same washer bottle as far as i know. might try that instead of painting.[/quote]


----------



## Stueyturn

ScottHmk4 said:


> ScottHmk4 said:
> 
> 
> 
> You can tell I'm tired at the moment, I thought you were asking for the washer bottle cap part number. The coolant cap is a standard blue one that I have sprayed matt black. Just take your existing one, clean it up and de-grease it then give it a few coats of plastic primer and a few of matt black. Just mask off the threads and inside before you start spraying. Easy job to do and costs a few quid for paint.
> 
> 
> 
> im almost 99% certain there a black one for the polo that fits ours. same washer bottle as far as i know. might try that instead of painting.
Click to expand...

[/quote]

http://www.awesomegtistore.co.uk/produc ... Prod=14291

Stu


----------



## tricklexxx

ScottHmk4 said:


> ScottHmk4 said:
> 
> 
> 
> You can tell I'm tired at the moment, I thought you were asking for the washer bottle cap part number. The coolant cap is a standard blue one that I have sprayed matt black. Just take your existing one, clean it up and de-grease it then give it a few coats of plastic primer and a few of matt black. Just mask off the threads and inside before you start spraying. Easy job to do and costs a few quid for paint.
> 
> 
> 
> im almost 99% certain there a black one for the polo that fits ours. same washer bottle as far as i know. might try that instead of painting.
Click to expand...

[/quote]

Garth's talking about the coolant bottle cap which is normally blue too (like the washer bottle cap) - he's painted that black but yes there is a black equivalent washer cap which I think comes from an R8 (maybe a Polo too?) - R8 sounds cooler though! :lol:


----------



## WozzaTT

What a simply fantastic thread - I've spent most of the afternoon reading it!

Very well done - I'm sure you're very proud of what you've achieved. You should be


----------



## Vampire

Inspirational thread!! - just read from start to finish. i hope you get it finished before you sell, be such a shame to stop now.


----------



## Garth

Thank you


----------



## Garth

Well, my gear shift was very stiff and clunky and since replacing the dog bone mount is popular at the moment, I thought I'd try it. So £23 pounds later, I had this lot:








I removed and stripped the mount:








There was evidence of the rubber bush perishing:








So I cleaned everything up:








Comparison of old and new bushes:








Everything reassembled:








And put back on the car:









I was sceptical how much difference it would make but figured it couldn't hurt considering how cheap it is to do. So was it worth it? YES!
The gear shift is so much smoother now. I didn't notice much difference in the power delivery to be honest, but that's not why I did it. It's really removed the stiffness and clunkiness from the throw so I'm really pleased. There is no vibration at all, which is great as I was a little worried about that.

I'm busy searching for a decent place to get a 4 wheel alignment in Leeds. There's a new hiQ with a new hunter machine that I thought i'd try out. After speaking to the 'tech', I changed my mind! He said as the car is lowered, there's "no way" they could ever get the alignment right as "no hunter machine can do it". F#*@ing idiot!
Another place I was recommended didn't fill me with confidence as they hardly spoke English and immediately starting trying to get me to pay cash in hand with no receipt... No thanks! Still looking then.


----------



## gogs

Hi Garth,

Did you get your scuttle panel fitted? I picked my panel up this morning from Edinburgh Audi, the one that arrived last week was broken when I went to collect it, haven't fitted it yet as its been pissing down with rain all afternoon!


----------



## Garth

gogs said:


> Hi Garth,
> 
> Did you get your scuttle panel fitted? I picked my panel up this morning from Edinburgh Audi, the one that arrived last week was broken when I went to collect it, haven't fitted it yet as its been pissing down with rain all afternoon!


Hi mate, no I forgot to order it! I've been in London during the weeks and am for the next couple too so i'm not getting much chance to get to the dealers. If I remember, I'll order it on Monday so I can fit it next weekend.
I'm finding I have very little time right now, so i'm just doing one little job at a time. Hopefully I'll remember to order a new front arb too :roll:


----------



## gogs

You've done superbly on the TT Garth, you can't work at it non stop, enjoy the break from the TT work! Took around a week to come in to stock when I ordered it, got it a bit cheaper due to the first one being damaged!


----------



## TTSPORT666

Nice Garth... you really have done a mighty fine job on your TT. And have inspired alot of owners. The dog mount bushes is a great little mod sometimes overlooked, i was amazed how much more connected the gearchange felt when i had the qs done. 

Damien.


----------



## L0z

It's come a long way since the beginning!

On the doggone mount, would there be any need to fit an uprated bush to an Auto model?

Just curious as I wouldn't mind doing this if it's beneficial. Had a P'Flex dogbone bush in my Clio 182 and it made a significant difference to the gear change! No more wizards sleeve gear box!!!

L


----------



## Garth

L0z said:


> It's come a long way since the beginning!


Thanks!


L0z said:


> On the doggone mount, would there be any need to fit an uprated bush to an Auto model?


I'm not sure. Others have reported that it really helps with the power delivery, reducing wheel hop and generally tightening up the drivetrain when pulling away. I haven't really noticed this but then I've only tested it for 10 mins and not tried any fast starts. My main reason for replacing it was improving the gear change and it's certainly done the job :grin:

If you're thinking about it, remember that it's not much money and these cars are all old so the bushes should be replaced at some point in the future anyway ;-)


----------



## Garth

gogs said:


> You've done superbly on the TT Garth, you can't work at it non stop, enjoy the break from the TT work!





TTSPORT666 said:


> Nice Garth... you really have done a mighty fine job on your TT. And have inspired alot of owners.


Thanks guys. I'm approaching where I want to get to with the car now, so hopefully it shouldn't be more than another couple of months before I can sit back and relax :grin:
That's if I can stick to the list I made and not do other things ;-)

I've got a spare centre console that I've been trying a few ideas on and it's 50:50 that it'll end up in the car. If it does, it's a lot of work...


----------



## AdamG

Garth said:


> ScottHmk4 said:
> 
> 
> 
> you got a part number for the R8 wattle bottle cap (black one) thanks, cars coming along nicely
> 
> 
> 
> Part number is A400 955 277
> £2.45
Click to expand...

I rang Audi today. They said it wasn't an Audi part number.... :?  [smiley=bigcry.gif]


----------



## mullum

Garth said:


> If you're thinking about it, remember that it's not much money and these cars are all old so the bushes should be replaced at some point in the future anyway ;-)


What should I search for Garth, to buy the bits you bought ? Doggone mount ? Powerflex &^%*% ? And what might one expect a garage to charge/how long to fit it all ?


----------



## Garth

mullum said:


> What should I search for Garth, to buy the bits you bought ? Doggone mount ? Powerflex &^%*% ? And what might one expect a garage to charge/how long to fit it all ?


Sorry, I didn't see your post at the time.
The bits you'll need are the bush:
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=230843993276&index=6&nav=SEARCH&nid=87123741239
You can get it a couple of quid cheaper if you look around though
And the bolts (from the dealer):
Part numbers are 
N10268304 (x2)
N90597005 (x1)
N10246611 (x1)


----------



## Garth

Since I want to get the alignment done, I thought I really should finish messing with the suspension!
To that end, I bought an r32 front anti roll bar and some super pro poly bushes.
I removed the old bar, which was a bit of a pain. Here it is compared with the new one:








Wrestling the new bar in to position:








Grrr, scratches! :-x
Finally in position:








And with the new bushes greased up and installed:









So there you have it. All ready for alignment now 

Jobs left to do:
Haldex oil and filter change,
Wheel refurb
4 wheel alignment
Detail (with some painting)

That's all that needs doing, although I bet I get side tracked and end up doing more :roll: :grin:


----------



## mullum

Garth said:


> mullum said:
> 
> 
> 
> What should I search for Garth, to buy the bits you bought ? Doggone mount ? Powerflex &^%*% ? And what might one expect a garage to charge/how long to fit it all ?
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry, I didn't see your post at the time.
> The bits you'll need are the bush:
> http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=230843993276&index=6&nav=SEARCH&nid=87123741239
> You can get it a couple of quid cheaper if you look around though
> And the bolts (from the dealer):
> Part numbers are
> N10268304 (x2)
> N90597005 (x1)
> N10246611 (x1)
Click to expand...

Cheers Garth. Unfortunately, however, the eBay auction has been removed :-(
thanks for going to the trouble to give me a link and part numbers though !


----------



## gogs

Garth said:


> Since I want to get the alignment done, I thought I really should finish messing with the suspension!
> To that end, I bought an r32 front anti roll bar and some super pro poly bushes.
> I removed the old bar, which was a bit of a pain. Here it is compared with the new one:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wrestling the new bar in to position:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Grrr, scratches! :-x
> Finally in position:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And with the new bushes greased up and installed:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So there you have it. All ready for alignment now
> 
> Jobs left to do:
> Haldex oil and filter change,
> Wheel refurb
> 4 wheel alignment
> Detail (with some painting)
> 
> That's all that needs doing, although I bet I get side tracked and end up doing more :roll: :grin:


Another job off the list Garth, was it a pig of a job?


----------



## Garth

mullum said:


> Cheers Garth. Unfortunately, however, the eBay auction has been removed :-(
> thanks for going to the trouble to give me a link and part numbers though !


No worries, here's another for you!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/POWERFLEX...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item35bf5fccbc



gogs said:


> Another job off the list Garth, was it a pig of a job?


In a word... yes. 
It would be much easier either with a lift or with a second pair of hands (or both!). As usual, it was me under the car by myself and it wasn't raised very much, so access was limited. Everything was quite easy apart from wrestling the new bar in to position. Getting the old bar out was tight, but nowhere near as hard as getting the fatter R32 bar in place.


----------



## Gazzer

as usual Garth very informative posts m8, hows the baby coming along bud?


----------



## Garth

Gazzer said:


> as usual Garth very informative posts m8, hows the baby coming along bud?


Thank you... The little one is doing great, thanks 
As I'm sure most have noticed, my work rate on the TT has slowed a lot. This is due to the time and energy a new born child takes out of you. It's worth it, but it's not easy :grin:

The local guy who expressed an interest is clearly serious about wanting the car, he came round to ask if it was ready yet. "ah man, every day I come past and look at it and just want it" :smile:


----------



## Garth

Not much to report this week. I have however managed to replace the haldex oil and filter.
It's a bit of a shitty job so I'm glad I don't have to do it again!

So, the parts needed:








All from the vw dealers.
Draining the old oil is a piece of cake:








But getting to the filter is a pain in the ass:








Without the haldex spanner, this would be an almost impossible job.
Once it was finally removed (slowly as the clearance is tiny), the old and new were the same... which is always good:








Now, getting the new oil in is a task that was thought up by a total buffoon. Why on earth you would want to squirt the new oil upwards through the drain hole is beyond me. It's a messy job. Because my car is low and i have neither a lift nor a pit, i didn't have enough clearance to use the oil cartridge in my gun at the right angle. Never one to be put off by a challenge, I came up with this:








So the new oil was squirted in and the plug refitted as quick as possible... so quick that i kicked over the whole bowl of used oil :sad:
I then had to spend ages cleaning up. Still, job done :smile:

Next weekend is replacing the brake fluid and cleaning up/repainting the rear brakes.
As soon as i get time, the wheel refurb and wheel alignment will get done too. Oh, and I bought some nice pressed number plates for it as well :grin:


----------



## Bampson

Hi Garth

nice work mate , 
if you are not going to be using the Haldex spanner again would you sell it to me?

drop me a PM if you will .

Regards


----------



## Taiko

I've just read through this thread, some great work Garth.


----------



## Ian_W

I've always thought of doing the haldex myself, think I'll keep on paying the £80 every 20k though :lol:


----------



## John-H

You can bend the nozzle 90 degrees - it restricts at the kink but a quick squeeze sideways at the fold with pliars un-restricts it.


----------



## Garth

Bampson said:


> Hi Garth
> 
> nice work mate ,
> if you are not going to be using the Haldex spanner again would you sell it to me?
> 
> drop me a PM if you will .
> 
> Regards


I'm going to hang on to the spanner I'm afraid. You never know what I might buy next and I do like tools :grin:



Taiko said:


> I've just read through this thread, some great work Garth.


Thank you. I hope to be finished the car next month... just need a few hours to work on it!


----------



## Garth

Keep your fingers crossed for good weather guys, I need to get some final jobs done on the TT this weekend!
Hopefully I can get the last of my work done, then it's down to the pros to do my wheel alignment and refurb. For sale next month


----------



## 8N Laci




----------



## Garth

Thanks for that!
Well, I got some stuff done. The rear brakes were looking decidedly scabby and since I'd already done the fronts, these have been waiting to get sorted. The rear brakes also had a squeak that needed fixing, so...
I started with this:








Not very appealing, do I dismantled it all:
























Now, as you can see, even the dust guard was very orange.
I stripped all the rust and flaky paint off and gave the dust guard a few coats of satin nickel rustoleum and gave the disks and callipers a couple of coats of zinc primer and high temp aluminium enamel. I'm afraid no photos of work in progress as I was pushed for time. So the finished article...
















And with the wheel back on:








Much nicer :grin:
Everything got a coat of copper grease while I was at it so no more squeaking either.
Now to sort out the wheels...


----------



## gogs

Your getting there Garth, it's a cracking thread ;-)
I've got rear discs and pads to fit soon, fingers crossed it will all go well !


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Nice job buy you forgot to do the wheel edge :wink:


----------



## TerryCTR

I read the last few pages of this and was forced to go back to the beginning. So a couple of hours later here we are.

Brilliant build thread and great skill shown covering all issues that have popped up on the way 8)

I especially like the leather repair job, I'm noticing mines to be a little more worn than I first thought but I'm hoping the scuff master kit will be enough to bring it back to glory


----------



## Garth

Still slowly chipping away at the outstanding jobs...

Today I replaced the brake fluid. As I'm a one man band, I got myself one of these:








A pressure bleeder. It worked really well for sucking out the old fluid. I of course kept the reservoir full with new stuff while I did it ;-) 
The reservoir is really in a difficult spot to fill, so a funnel with a bit of hose on the end helped:









The old fluid had loads of air in, so it's firmed up the pedal a reasonable amount 

Next job is probably to touch up the stone chips and give the car a good detail. After that, wheel alignment and refurb.

I've now put this in the for sale section since each job is taking me ages. Once I finish, I'm just not going to get the chance to drive it :-(


----------



## Suraj_TT

Garth,

I've just spent the last few hours reading through this thread and I have to say its been an absolute pleasure.

I recently sold my TT after 5 years of being on this forum and this thread has been the best by far!

Looking through it, you've not only been (seemed!) very patient, but have also taken the time to post part numbers and have offered help to a number of people. I'd like to give a big thank you for that and am certain others would as well.

Although I'm not too handy on these sort of things, you're hard work has inspired me and I'm off to give my E93 seats a good clean and condition! I see you have a BMW as well, are you on e90 post? Would love to see your work on that.

Thanks for a great read and hope the person who buys it appreciates all the hard work that's gone into it!

Suraj


----------



## jamman

Still gobsmacked you are selling it mate 

Great work and attention to detail


----------



## mullum

With all the knowledge (and tools etc) you've picked up along the way, perhaps you could do another one afterwards ? Or perhaps do some bits on people's TTs in your spare time for a bit of extra cash ..
Maybe you could accept another old TT as part payment for yours - then take your time to do another ?
But then I do know that you never did it for the cash .. just wondering how you might now capitalise on your efforts and experience ..


----------



## Garth

jamman said:


> Still gobsmacked you are selling it mate
> 
> Great work and attention to detail


I know, it's a real shame. It would be worse though to let it sit on my driveway doing nothing. I haven' even driven my 5 series since Monday and haven't touched the 3 series for weeks.

My wife decided to reverse the 5 series into a parked car a couple of weeks ago, then reversed the 3 series into a moving car 3 days later 
Between paying for the damage to the other car and saving for a new rear bumper (almost a grand!), funds for the TT are running out as well as time.


----------



## Garth

mullum said:


> With all the knowledge (and tools etc) you've picked up along the way, perhaps you could do another one afterwards ? Or perhaps do some bits on people's TTs in your spare time for a bit of extra cash ..
> Maybe you could accept another old TT as part payment for yours - then take your time to do another ?
> But then I do know that you never did it for the cash .. just wondering how you might now capitalise on your efforts and experience ..


There's just no time to work on my own cars let alone anyone else's!

One of my friends is selling his 2001 S3 soon that he's owned since new. I'm seriously tempted to buy it, but only if he waits 6 months.

In the end, if no one buys my TT, I'll just put it on hold until I have more time. That should mean I can get it to some track days next spring ;-)


----------



## Garth

Suraj_TT said:


> Garth,
> 
> I've just spent the last few hours reading through this thread and I have to say its been an absolute pleasure.
> 
> I recently sold my TT after 5 years of being on this forum and this thread has been the best by far!
> 
> Looking through it, you've not only been (seemed!) very patient, but have also taken the time to post part numbers and have offered help to a number of people. I'd like to give a big thank you for that and am certain others would as well.
> 
> Although I'm not too handy on these sort of things, you're hard work has inspired me and I'm off to give my E93 seats a good clean and condition! I see you have a BMW as well, are you on e90 post? Would love to see your work on that.
> 
> Thanks for a great read and hope the person who buys it appreciates all the hard work that's gone into it!
> 
> Suraj


I'm glad I've given others inspiration 
I'm not on e90 post but am a member on bmwland, although I haven't posted in over a year!


----------



## Garth

Wheel alignment tomorrow  
After this, I will be able to drive it a bit. I deliberately haven't driven it since I didn't want to chew up 4 brand new tyres after all the suspension work.

Can anyone recommend somewhere decent to get my wheels refurbed in Leeds? I've had a quite from the wheel specialist, but their 'special offer' price is still double what others have been paying :-( 
At this Raye, I may be better off buying new wheels


----------



## Mark Davies

Try 'garyv6' on here. He's not in Leeds but near Preston (so not too far away) and he does excellent work and will give you a good price.

Can't believe you've not sold this yet - as I've said to people elsewhere if I didn't already have a TT that's had money lavished on it in similar fashion I'd be ripping your arm off. To be honest, even so I'm still tempted!


----------



## Garth

Thanks mate. I haven't sold it yet because it's not actually for sale yet ;-)
I've had a reasonable amount of interest but I'm not selling until I'm happy with it. I put it out there to get some interest. No one is ever in a position to buy immediately so I figured if I gave a months notice, people would have the time to get money together, etc.

I hope it'll be easy to sell but if not, I'll have a nice TT to drive around


----------



## Garth

Well my wife decided to 'modify' my 5 series at the weekend...








This is after reversing both of the cars into other cars. So I now have to repair this as well as buy a new rear bumper for the 3 series.
Suffice to say, I'm not impressed. She is banned from driving and I'm going to repair the 3 series and sell it as punishment :grin:

The upshot of all this is that I will be hanging on to the TT rather than selling it 

I had the alignment done last weekend, I went for pretty close to factory settings except I went for -1.5 degrees camber on the rear. It now drives REALLY well. I drove it to work today (50 miles) and the balance between handling and comfort is spot on, much better than I expected to be fair.

Now the bad news... On the way home I just seemed to lose power. The turbo is boosting but nowhere near enough. Torque says I'm still getting 12 psi max but it doesn't feel like it at all. What should I be expecting max from a stage 1 map? I suspect a boost leak or perhaps a dv problem but it will be the weekend before I have the chance to investigate. If it's the turbo then I might have to go hybrid ;-)


----------



## AdamG

Glad to hear you're not selling. I know you enjoy tinkering but it seamed mad to sell after ALL that time and money you spent without getting to enjoy the car yourself....

Shame about the damage to the bimmers though.... [smiley=bigcry.gif]


----------



## gunner

Glad I dont have a missus like that....... but at least you get to keep the TT


----------



## Garth

Well, due to keeping it, I am now considering new wheels instead of refurbing my existing ones. I can't decide :roll:

I'm either going to get the exising qS reps refurbed:








or get some new RS6 reps:









Any thoughts?
I haven't been able to find a mk1 with these on and have only seen some very poor photoshops (I just created the one above), so if anyone has any real photos of them on a mk1, please post away!


----------



## YELLOW_TT

qS reps get my vote


----------



## AdamG

I personally like the RS6s.

You'll be swapping the rubber over and the extra you'll spend on a refurb is probably not much different to the extra you'll pay for the RS6s once the QS reps are sold....


----------



## VSeager

QS reps without a doubt!


----------



## mullum

+1 QS reps


----------



## The Blue Bandit

... think I would have to say the QS reps too- have you thought about getting them refurbed in anthracite? ... might look good with the colour of your car, and also change them up a bit from the norm without veering away from the OEM look you've worked hard to achieve? ...


----------



## stevebeechTA

Another for the QS 's 8)


----------



## Garth

The Blue Bandit said:


> ... think I would have to say the QS reps too- have you thought about getting them refurbed in anthracite? ... might look good with the colour of your car, and also change them up a bit from the norm without veering away from the OEM look you've worked hard to achieve? ...


Thanks but I HATE dark wheels! The only car I've ever seen that I think suits dark wheels is Nem's, but that has the wheels matched to a few other bits to make it work. I've never seen another car with grey or black wheels and not think "that would look better with silver wheels"


----------



## Hjtt

+1 QS reps all the way


----------



## Mark Davies

The rest of your work has a real original OEM feel about it, so I'd definitely go for the QS wheels - even if your car isn't a QS they are at least from a MK1 TT. And besides, they look much better than the RS6s.


----------



## YELLOW_TT

I think you have our opinion mate :lol:


----------



## Garth

YELLOW_TT said:


> I think you have our opinion mate :lol:


I think you may be right :grin:


----------



## The Blue Bandit

Garth said:


> The Blue Bandit said:
> 
> 
> 
> ... think I would have to say the QS reps too- have you thought about getting them refurbed in anthracite? ... might look good with the colour of your car, and also change them up a bit from the norm without veering away from the OEM look you've worked hard to achieve? ...
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks but I HATE dark wheels! The only car I've ever seen that I think suits dark wheels is Nem's, but that has the wheels matched to a few other bits to make it work. I've never seen another car with grey or black wheels and not think "that would look better with silver wheels"
Click to expand...

... well I would still have to say I'd stick with the QS wheels I think- and when you've decided, I'll be over in the corner polishing up my black alloys that you HATE ...


----------



## gogs

Definitely keep the QS wheels Garth, they look superb on your machine ;-)


----------



## Garth

The Blue Bandit said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Blue Bandit said:
> 
> 
> 
> ... think I would have to say the QS reps too- have you thought about getting them refurbed in anthracite? ... might look good with the colour of your car, and also change them up a bit from the norm without veering away from the OEM look you've worked hard to achieve? ...
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks but I HATE dark wheels! The only car I've ever seen that I think suits dark wheels is Nem's, but that has the wheels matched to a few other bits to make it work. I've never seen another car with grey or black wheels and not think "that would look better with silver wheels"
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> ... well I would still have to say I'd stick with the QS wheels I think- and when you've decided, I'll be over in the corner polishing up my black alloys that you HATE ...
Click to expand...

:grin::grin:
We don't all have to like the same things :grin::grin:


----------



## Garth

Well, according to VAG-COM, I have two faults:

17705 - Pressure Drop between Turbo and Throttle Valve (check D.V.!)
P1297 - 35-00 - -
17863 - Exhaust Gas Temp Sensor 1 (G235): Implausible Signal
P1455 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent
The pressure drop, I would normally have suspected a good old boost leak or DV problem but I have tested the DV and it is perfect. I also can't find any boost leaks at all, despite checking every pipe and connection???

The EGT error is a pain asd it most likely means a new EGT sesnor is needed and they aren't cheap :x

The car won't boost higher than 8psi so it looks like it's in limp mode and no doubt the fuelling is way off. I won't be driving this again until I can get it sorted


----------



## Garth

I went through the process of checking all the boost hoses again and removed/refitted everything. It looks like one of the lower boost hoses was loose. I haven't needed to remove this before so had never looked to closely. I cleared the faults and the pressure loss one disappeared, leaving the get fault. Hmmm, if I was going to buy a new sensor, I figured I had nothing to lose messing around with the old one...

I removed it (it was a little loose so i'm not sure if that was causing a problem) and inspected it:








It was looking a little white with some cruddy coating so I cleaned it up with a pan scrub and a little wd40:








The photos are rubbish as I was using my phone with one hand whilst wearing gloves-not easy!
I refitted everything and had a general check for loose/dirty components, then had a clean up.
A spirited test drive reveals full boost is now back :grin: and a log on vag-com shows no faults :smile:

So I guess if anyone has an egt sensor fault, don't rush out to buy a new one... Give the old one a clean first, it might just cure the fault.

Obviously I'll keep monitoring things but all looks good now.


----------



## mullum

Result !


----------



## paulc1

Having just read all though your repairs on your car I'm very impressed with your attention to detail and the effort and money spent on your tt and I think the qs wheels are the way to go


----------



## Garth

Thanks :grin:

Well, the egt error is coming back periodically so looks like a new one is needed. I've got my eye on a couple so I'll sort it this week.

I dropped the TT off for mot today and I'm afraid to say I've cheated for the first time on this car... I'm getting the garage to fit the 2 new CV boots that I've had for a couple of months. I'm just not going to get the time to fit them and it'll fail the mot without them.

I've got a few plans for the car over the Christmas holidays since I'm keeping it ;-)


----------



## gogs

Glad to hear "it's a keeper" Garth ;-)


----------



## Guzi

Nice one Garth about keeping it !


----------



## Garth

Good news... After 2 new CV joint boots and a steering rack gaitor, my TT sailed through it's MOT with no advisories :smile:
That's not bad considering the egt sensor has had it and the wiper linkage is VERY slow. Both will be sorted on Monday though. I'll be using it as a daily driver next week if all goes to plan :grin:


----------



## ExAudiSi

Garth said:


> Good news... After 2 new CV joint boots and a steering rack gaitor, my TT sailed through it's MOT with no advisories :smile:
> That's not bad considering the egt sensor has had it and the wiper linkage is VERY slow. Both will be sorted on Monday though. I'll be using it as a daily driver next week if all goes to plan :grin:


Glad to hear the TT passed and you are going to be using it. I'll keep an eye out for you on the M62 on Monday mornings then


----------



## Garth

M62 journeys won't be done again until early Jan, but if you see me, give me a flash (with your headlights ;-) ).

I've just been to pick up the TT. It was sitting high and proud on the lift:








New CV joint boots:








Not my work this time, but satisfying none the less


----------



## NoMark

Garth said:


> M62 journeys won't be done again until nearly Jan, but if you see me, give me a flash (with your headlights ;-) ).
> 
> I've just been to pick up the TT. It was sitting high and proud on the lift:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> New CV joint boots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not my work this time, but satisfying none the less


Nice looking E-Type in the background Garth.

On the Industrial Estate where I work there's a classic car repairer who specialises in Jags and, in particular, E-Types. They have some real beauties in there and often "road test" them round the estate.


----------



## Garth

Yeah, the e type is a good one. Two owners from new. The last owner had it for 40 years :-o
It's getting the same treatment as my TT.. Although obviously not from me!

I've just replaced my egt sensor, pain in the ass as it's routed round all the pipes and cables. I lost my patience removing the old one so it ended up like this:








Old and new:








The newer one is 4 years younger than the old one and has a revised part number so hopefully it's a stronger part


----------



## Garth

Still got a couple of issues with the way the car is running and I think I've traced the problem to a failed pcv valve. It is permanently open now and looks to be the reason for the oil in the intake too (go back to the start of this thread). I removed the old part and tested it. Once I realised it had failed, I pulled it to pieces to inspect it...









As you can see, the inside was caked in oil and sludge. This is what all the old pipes were full of before I replaced them so this should be the last of it!
The diaphragm has completely disintegrated so it's no surprise it wasn't working.
I pick up the new one in the morning :smile:


----------



## crzygreek

I will be ordering up a new one based on your findings as I think I'm in the same boat.

Here is a link to the 19mm version for 2000-2002 (North American) models : http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-TT_MKI-Qu ... /ES261091/

Part #034129101B

Since I have an 03' BEA, I'll be calling up the stealership to see if the same valve is listed for the 2003-2006 vehicles.


----------



## JS53MES

you should put your car in for a Terra clean Garth. Its a gas they put through the engine and it dissolves all the crap and sludge clogging up your pipework. It costs about £70-80 but is definitely worth it according to my mate who just had it done on his TT.

this should tell you a lot more about it and if theres a dealer near you. 
http://www.terraclean.co.uk/


----------



## TT SMITHY

JS53MES said:


> you should put your car in for a Terra clean Garth. Its a gas they put through the engine and it dissolves all the crap and sludge clogging up your pipework. It costs about £70-80 but is definitely worth it according to my mate who just had it done on his TT.
> 
> this should tell you a lot more about it and if theres a dealer near you.
> http://www.terraclean.co.uk/


Or ! seamfoam i think its poured into the pcv system ? to help clean build up in the system....
blow it out baby !laxatives for your TT check this out :lol:

a couple of examples


----------



## Garth

JS53MES said:


> you should put your car in for a Terra clean Garth. Its a gas they put through the engine and it dissolves all the crap and sludge clogging up your pipework. It costs about £70-80 but is definitely worth it according to my mate who just had it done on his TT.
> 
> this should tell you a lot more about it and if theres a dealer near you.
> http://www.terraclean.co.uk/


I think i should be ok. Every pipe is brand new and clean as a whistle. The engine has also just had new oil and filter and the sump/oil pickup cleaned. This was the last piece to do. There's no more oil or sludge anywhere else


----------



## Riggasurf

Hey Garth, been a while I know but where do you get your shocks from. I am looking for some new shocks all round and wondered if anyone or yourself had Good supplier? Shame about your zimmers I have one to sort out myself but the TT is my daily drive so it gets first dibs on the cash! Happy new year to all! Oh and I was wondering how your DRL's are wired have you just used a relay a tapped into the side light circuit? Are there any other solutions anyone knows?


----------



## ©hatterBox

Garth said:


> Also this week, I removed the lower grilles which had seen better days so I could spray them in satin black.
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And after:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The other thing in the photo are the kidney grilles from the 5 series which I'm doing gloss black


Garth, Just wondering what satin black paint you used? Was it halfords or similar? And also did you lacquer afterwards? 
Oh & finally, how easy is it to remove the lower grilles? Can it be done without removing the bumper?

Many Thanks


----------



## Christian_TT

Just gone from first to the last page. I love this project! The little details you have done are outstanding. Well done on the hard work so far and I'm sure I'm not alone in saying looking forward to seeing more.


----------



## jjsweeney

Just read the your whole thread one word immense


----------



## The Blue Bandit

©hatterBox said:


> Garth, Just wondering what satin black paint you used? Was it halfords or similar? And also did you lacquer afterwards?
> Oh & finally, how easy is it to remove the lower grilles? Can it be done without removing the bumper?
> 
> Many Thanks


... can't shed any light on what paint Garth used to get the finish but removing them is dead easy- try starting with the drivers side grille, and pull from the right hand side nearest the main lower centre grille- it should come out at that end with a reasonable tug, and the main clip is at the other end which when the right hand end is free should slide out fairly easily... just be firm but gentle (like Swiss Tony says:- "Removing the lower front grilles of an Audi TT is like making love to a beautiful woman...")

You should then be able to reach behind where the left grille was and free the left hand clip of the main lower centre grille, and just work your way from left to right... they should come out without too much trouble- just make sure that the clips are fully back in place when you re-fit them! :wink:

Steve


----------



## ©hatterBox

The Blue Bandit said:


> ©hatterBox said:
> 
> 
> 
> Garth, Just wondering what satin black paint you used? Was it halfords or similar? And also did you lacquer afterwards?
> Oh & finally, how easy is it to remove the lower grilles? Can it be done without removing the bumper?
> 
> Many Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> ... can't shed any light on what paint Garth used to get the finish but removing them is dead easy- try starting with the drivers side grille, and pull from the right hand side nearest the main lower centre grille- it should come out at that end with a reasonable tug, and the main clip is at the other end which when the right hand end is free should slide out fairly easily... just be firm but gentle (like Swiss Tony says:- "Removing the lower front grilles of an Audi TT is like making love to a beautiful woman...")
> 
> You should then be able to reach behind where the left grille was and free the left hand clip of the main lower centre grille, and just work your way from left to right... they should come out without too much trouble- just make sure that the clips are fully back in place when you re-fit them! :wink:
> 
> Steve
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for the advice!! Will give it a try next weekend


----------



## Garth

Riggasurf said:


> Hey Garth, been a while I know but where do you get your shocks from. I am looking for some new shocks all round and wondered if anyone or yourself had Good supplier? Shame about your zimmers I have one to sort out myself but the TT is my daily drive so it gets first dibs on the cash! Happy new year to all! Oh and I was wondering how your DRL's are wired have you just used a relay a tapped into the side light circuit? Are there any other solutions anyone knows?


I got my shocks from venom ( http://www.venommotorsport.com )
I used a relay designed for drls. I bought it from ebay and it switches the drls on with ignition, dims with headlight. It was about £10 if I remember correctly. Just search ebay for drl relay.



©hatterBox said:


> Garth, Just wondering what satin black paint you used? Was it halfords or similar? And also did you lacquer afterwards?
> Oh & finally, how easy is it to remove the lower grilles? Can it be done without removing the bumper?
> 
> Many Thanks


I bought my paint from halfords as it's just round the corner :grin:
Removing the lower grilles is a bit of a fiddle when the bumper is on unless you have skinny fingers. It's much easier to do it with the bumper off!



Christian_TT said:


> Just gone from first to the last page. I love this project! The little details you have done are outstanding. Well done on the hard work so far and I'm sure I'm not alone in saying looking forward to seeing more.


Thank you 

I have been reviewing the cars behaviour recently and i wasn't happy with the idle and the way it started. I replaced the pcv after finding it was faulty and that sorted it out a treat  
New one installed:









I had also noticed the sound of a boost leak and had been getting intermittent loss of power so i bought a new oem dv and n75 valve:

Old and new n75:








And the new dv:









After i had replaced them, the car seemed to boost slightly smoother
But still had the same problem. I set about checking allnthe boost pipes and clips again and found this:








Doh! I can only presume the last time i removed the charge pipe, I must have broken off the repair I made as there was no sign of the piece and it would have been held in place if it had come off attached to the car.
So, new charge pipe then:









Also for the last month, the car had stopped getting up to temperature again so i replaced the 4 month old thermostat with a new oem one. This made sod all difference. Grrr!
Someone asked me how i got to the lower thermostat housing bolt so i took a photo this time:








A long allan key comes in handy here ;-)

It turns out, the new temp sensor had failed. That's a 4 month old, oem one! Who says only buy genuine!! Suffice to say, it was replaced foc and the car is back up to temp. Just a pain in the backside I replaced the thermostat again for nothing!

So with all of this done, the car is running better than ever, really smooth and strong :grin:
Just as well since I've decided to drive it daily for the next 2 months. That's 100 miles per day, every weekday. This should be a great test for it  
Now on to the next few jobs ;-)


----------



## Garth

jjsweeney said:


> Just read the your whole thread one word immense


Thank you very much 
I have loads of plans and still have a big box of new parts to fit but just never seem to get time any more :-( 
Most of the work on this car was when my wife was pregnant so I was working from home. Now that has stopped and I have a son to look after, the TT gets much less attention. This thread will go on, just at a slower pace ;-)


----------



## chassmash

Garth said:


> Riggasurf said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hey Garth, been a while I know but where do you get your shocks from. I am looking for some new shocks all round and wondered if anyone or yourself had Good supplier? Shame about your zimmers I have one to sort out myself but the TT is my daily drive so it gets first dibs on the cash! Happy new year to all! Oh and I was wondering how your DRL's are wired have you just used a relay a tapped into the side light circuit? Are there any other solutions anyone knows?
> 
> 
> 
> I got my shocks from venom ( http://www.venommotorsport.com )
> I used a relay designed for drls. I bought it from ebay and it switches the drls on with ignition, dims with headlight. It was about £10 if I remember correctly. Just search ebay for drl relay.
> 
> 
> 
> ©hatterBox said:
> 
> 
> 
> Garth, Just wondering what satin black paint you used? Was it halfords or similar? And also did you lacquer afterwards?
> Oh & finally, how easy is it to remove the lower grilles? Can it be done without removing the bumper?
> 
> Many Thanks
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I bought my paint from halfords as it's just round the corner :grin:
> Removing the lower grilles is a bit of a fiddle when the bumper is on unless you have skinny fingers. It's much easier to do it with the bumper off!
> Must say Garth great dedication hats off to ya...........
> 
> 
> Christian_TT said:
> 
> 
> 
> Just gone from first to the last page. I love this project! The little details you have done are outstanding. Well done on the hard work so far and I'm sure I'm not alone in saying looking forward to seeing more.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Thank you
> 
> I have been reviewing the cars behaviour recently and i wasn't happy with the idle and the way it started. I replaced the pcv after finding it was faulty and that sorted it out a treat
> New one installed:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had also noticed the sound of a boost leak and had been getting intermittent loss of power so i bought a new oem dv and n75 valve:
> 
> Old and new n75:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the new dv:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After i had replaced them, the car seemed to boost slightly smoother
> But still had the same problem. I set about checking allnthe boost pipes and clips again and found this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Doh! I can only presume the last time i removed the charge pipe, I must have broken off the repair I made as there was no sign of the piece and it would have been held in place if it had come off attached to the car.
> So, new charge pipe then:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also for the last month, the car had stopped getting up to temperature again so i replaced the 4 month old thermostat with a new oem one. This made sod all difference. Grrr!
> Someone asked me how i got to the lower thermostat housing bolt so i took a photo this time:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A long allan key comes in handy here ;-)
> 
> It turns out, the new temp sensor had failed. That's a 4 month old, oem one! Who says only buy genuine!! Suffice to say, it was replaced foc and the car is back up to temp. Just a pain in the backside I replaced the thermostat again for nothing!
> 
> So with all of this done, the car is running better than ever, really smooth and strong :grin:
> Just as well since I've decided to drive it daily for the next 2 months. That's 100 miles per day, every weekday. This should be a great test for it
> Now on to the next few jobs ;-)
Click to expand...


----------



## Vassilis

Well I just spent the last hours reading all 44 pages, and the only thing I can say is: legendary thread  Awesome work Garth ^^


----------



## Garth

Thank you 

Hopefully more to come this week.
I have now got 4 new brake discs, new pads front and rear, new brake fluid, braided steel brake lines, a clutch master cylinder, new number plates and some odds and sods in a box.
I hope I can get at least SOME of that lot fitted this weekend!

If the weather holds, I may even get started on the paintwork. That said, I'll probably spend most of the weekend with my son :-D


----------



## Wick

Epic project and enjoyable read, great attention to detail


----------



## Garth

First job for today was to replace the clutch master cylinder. Many have seen the first sign of these failing by discovering the clutch pedal on the floor in the morning. Mine has been doing this for a month or so, not completely on the floor, but lower than the other pedals:








My clutch pedal has never been smooth and I found a receipt for a clutch pedal repair from a few years ago so did suspect something might need replacing.

With the lower dash trim removed, everything looks as it should:








The clutch pedal looks like new, which means this was obviously replaced rather than repaired last time...









Once the pedal is unbolted from the inside, it's round to the engine bay to be confronted by some major obstacles...








This is what we're trying to get to:








Getting the top pipe off was a massive pain in the backside! The heat shield had to be loosened and bent forward to get access. I also had to remove the charge pipe and support bracket.

Once I had FINALLY removed the pedal and master cylinder from the car, the reason for the unsmooth action was clear... A banana shaped cylinder piston:








With the master cylinder, pedal stop and clutch switch removed, it was clear something important was missing. 10 points for whoever guesses what it is!









So since I'm missing something crucial, the job has had to be abandoned until next weekend :-(

New part ordered ready. In the meantime, I started on the brakes. Update on that tomorrow.


----------



## ades tt 180

With the master cylinder, pedal stop and clutch switch removed, it was clear something important was missing. 10 points for whoever guesses what it is!









Should there be a spring in there somewhere?


----------



## Garth

ades tt 180 said:


> With the master cylinder, pedal stop and clutch switch removed, it was clear something important was missing. 10 points for whoever guesses what it is!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Should there be a spring in there somewhere?


Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Yep, there is no over-centre spring. Somehow the "Audi Specialist" that did the clutch repair must have forgotten to put it back. No wonder the pedal didn't return to the top!


----------



## TTSPORT666

Well done Garth some sterling work on the old bug there...  My god that was quite a hole on the inlet pipe... 

Hope she holds strong for you. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Damien.


----------



## Garth

Thanks Damien, the car is slowly getting better and better each week. There's not much left that can go wrong now!
Once the brakes are all done (hopefully tomorrow), I will concentrate on getting the paintwork perfect. After that, I am going to start on a variety of subtle mods I have had planned for ages ;-)


----------



## ScottHmk4

Garth said:


> I went through the process of checking all the boost hoses again and removed/refitted everything. It looks like one of the lower boost hoses was loose. I haven't needed to remove this before so had never looked to closely. I cleared the faults and the pressure loss one disappeared, leaving the get fault. Hmmm, if I was going to buy a new sensor, I figured I had nothing to lose messing around with the old one...
> 
> I removed it (it was a little loose so i'm not sure if that was causing a problem) and inspected it:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was looking a little white with some cruddy coating so I cleaned it up with a pan scrub and a little wd40:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The photos are rubbish as I was using my phone with one hand whilst wearing gloves-not easy!
> I refitted everything and had a general check for loose/dirty components, then had a clean up.
> A spirited test drive reveals full boost is now back :grin: and a log on vag-com shows no faults :smile:
> 
> So I guess if anyone has an egt sensor fault, don't rush out to buy a new one... Give the old one a clean first, it might just cure the fault.
> 
> Obviously I'll keep monitoring things but all looks good now.


Where is this located?


----------



## Garth

In the back of the exhaust manifold, just after the turbo. Remove your charge pipe and look down the back of your engine


----------



## Garth

Since I couldn't do any more on the clutch, I decided to replace the brakes.
I love shiny new parts  

















I didn't want to leave them like that as I don't fancy rusty brakes in 3 months. I had to protect them again...
Masked up:








Believe it or not, this was sprayed before being fitted:








Also sporting new stainless steel retaining screws. I don't like rust ;-) 
New pads and bolts:








And fitted...

















Those are replacing these:








Not that bad, but not as nice as new 

Another small task finished, on to the next...


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> Well, my gear shift was very stiff and clunky and since replacing the dog bone mount is popular at the moment, I thought I'd try it. So £23 pounds later, I had this lot:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I removed and stripped the mount:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There was evidence of the rubber bush perishing:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So I cleaned everything up:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Comparison of old and new bushes:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Everything reassembled:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And put back on the car:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was sceptical how much difference it would make but figured it couldn't hurt considering how cheap it is to do. So was it worth it? YES!
> The gear shift is so much smoother now. I didn't notice much difference in the power delivery to be honest, but that's not why I did it. It's really removed the stiffness and clunkiness from the throw so I'm really pleased. There is no vibration at all, which is great as I was a little worried about that.


Hey Garth,

Hope this finds you well mate. Just wondering where you got this kit from?

Am planning to replace the whole dogbone with this http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-TT_MKI-Qu ... HP/ES5669/

Cheers


----------



## Garth

Hi there. I got the bushes from ebay. There are loads of sellers offering these for less than £20. Just search for mk4 golf diesel dog bone bush


----------



## gogs

God it's going to be like a new car when your done mate ;-)


----------



## Garth

I got some nice new parts delivered this week:








I ordered a new pedal rubber since I've already replaced the brake pedal rubber and the clutch was looking tatty...









All fitted now:








The movement feels really smooth now so it should help the feel of the clutch when I get a chance to fit it back to the car!


----------



## Garth

gogs said:


> God it's going to be like a new car when your done mate ;-)


That's the plan :grin:

Strangely though, after all the time, money and effort I've put in, from the outside it looks not much different from when I bought it!
That'll change in the spring when I can concentrate on the paintwork ;-)


----------



## Garth

I surveyed the weather yesterday and decided that it wasn't bad enough to keep me from working on the TT.
So here was my workshop:








The clutch pedal was a doddle to refit...








The pipe connections in the engine bay sadly were not! I'm not doing that job again, there's no skin left on my knuckles :-(

Still, once that was done it was on to these:








Before (hose clamped to prevent too much mess):








After:









Luckily my step son was in a good mood, so he was happy to sit in the car repeatedly pressing peddles while I bled the brakes and clutch 

I really must get round to getting a refurb of the wheels...









So now the clutch feels amazing, just like new. The brakes also feel pretty good. The pedal feels firmer but obviously they need wearing in.
Starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel now :grin:


----------



## JS53MES

brilliant job your doing on the car Garth and all the hard work looks like it is eventually starting to pay off. Keep it up


----------



## Garth

JS53MES said:


> brilliant job your doing on the car Garth and all the hard work looks like it is eventually starting to pay off. Keep it up


Thanks mate. I've been keeping an eye on your thread too. It's a little more "sexy" than mine since you're doing more mods. I'll get to the exciting stuff too, I just want to make sure I have a decent base to build on ;-)


----------



## JS53MES

Garth said:


> JS53MES said:
> 
> 
> 
> brilliant job your doing on the car Garth and all the hard work looks like it is eventually starting to pay off. Keep it up
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks mate. I've been keeping an eye on your thread too. It's a little more "sexy" than mine since you're doing more mods. I'll get to the exciting stuff too, I just want to make sure I have a decent base to build on ;-)
Click to expand...

haha thank you. Yeah your doing it the right way round and once you get onto modding it will be a real beauty all round


----------



## NoMark

Garth said:


> I surveyed the weather yesterday and decided that it wasn't bad enough to keep me from working on the TT.
> So here was my workshop:


Fair play Garth, there aren't that many of us that would be so keen to get out in that weather.

I went into the garage yesterday in order to put a "Sport" badge on my stepsons Ibiza.  I know, I know but he's still young and I'm hoping he'll grow out of it...... :lol:

I was going to stay in there and start on a bit of a joinery project that SWMBO has asked me to do. I'd got the doors closed and a paraffin heater going but I soon thought "sod that for a game of soldiers". I've grown soft in my old age to be honest, time was I'd be doing the same as you, although it used to be on old Land Rovers in my past.

Keep up the good work mate, you're an inspiration to some of us.

Mark.


----------



## Garth

Thank you 

Well, after getting the clutch pedal perfect, it seems I was a little over exuberant in the testing phase... Blasting about, spinning all 4 wheels in the snow on full power is not good for your clutch :roll:

Suffice to say, this morning on the way to work there was a nasty smell and then some clutch slip followed by a big rise in revs and drop in speed. Yep, the clutch has had it 

To be fair, I can't see any sign of it having been replaced before so lasting 128k miles ain't bad!
It has now been dropped off at my favourite indy for a new clutch and dmf, just to be safe ;-)

Is there going to be a single original part left on this car when I'm done?? :grin:


----------



## cm-mojo

What an Epic thread. I'm so impressed with the level of detail you put in to your work. Its incredible. I'm looking at getting a TT in the coming months, so its been a real insight. It does seem like after 127K miles, there has been a lot of things that need replacing....I guess I never really expected so much work would be needed, but then the car is 12 years old. Its the little things like the hoses that have spilt or the interals of the pipe work that have degraded so much that amazed me. Really fascinating to read though. I've burnt a good few hours (at work)!

Nothing puts me off though, and I love the interior work you've done. really is top notch, quality work.


----------



## Garth

Thank you. 
It has been quite a bit of work and to be honest, it's not over yet. I was hoping to replace the windscreen wiper linkage tomorrow but since the car is at the garage I can't :-( 
I think most of the big stuff is done now, just tidying up the exterior after the weather improves...

I do wonder how many TT's there are out there that look mint but are literally crumbling from the inside. Still, at least this one will be good for another 10 years :-D


----------



## LordG71

always a pleasure reading this thread Garth - keep up the good work!


----------



## kitcar98

Garth said:


> One of my sidelights had gone and I was buggered if I was going to fit the standard kind again. They're so yellow and I understand they blow quite often on TT's so I got some LED's:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a 50/50:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And both done:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the photos they look blue but that's because I'm using my phone to take all my photos (can't find my camera) and it's not the best. In the flesh the LED's are pure white and the standard bulbs are very yellow.
> 
> Anyway, I've just been doing quick 5 minute jobs as I've just got back from London last night. I really must crack on with the interior over the next couple of days. The plan is to get that spotless then move on to the exterior/engine/suspension then brakes.
> I've been on the seats again as they are taking A LOT of work. The steaming towel then liquid leather cleaner seems to be the best for these seats. I have tried the stirring with a stiff brush but it doesn't work as well as a steaming towel then using a microfibre with the cleaner. This requires a lot less work...can you tell which bit has been rubbed:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My wife doesn't complain but I think she's getting tired of coming home to this:
> Hi Gareth please can you give me the link for those led thinking of doing it to mine and did they just slot into same housing?


----------



## Garth

kitcar98 said:


> Hi Gareth please can you give me the link for those led thinking of doing it to mine and did they just slot into same housing?


This is where I got mine:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-5-SMD-...hicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item43aacc4ad9&_uhb=1
They're a direct swap for the standard bukbs, no other changes needed. They're still going strong


----------



## brooksesi

Garth, seeing as you've been messing around with the clutch pedal recently, you'll probably be the best man to ask. I've got some new bushings for the pedal, as it's all wobbly, and a receipt shows it broke a year ago so they must not have been put back in. What would be the best way of getting them in? Taking just the pedal out? or taking the whole pedal box off?


----------



## kitcar98

Ahh yes thank you so much nd love what your doing with the restoration project nice little tt you got there


----------



## Garth

brooksesi said:


> Garth, seeing as you've been messing around with the clutch pedal recently, you'll probably be the best man to ask. I've got some new bushings for the pedal, as it's all wobbly, and a receipt shows it broke a year ago so they must not have been put back in. What would be the best way of getting them in? Taking just the pedal out? or taking the whole pedal box off?


You should be able to just remove the pedal itself for that job. If you had a repair done previously, you may notice that your master cylinder is bent like mine was. If this is the case, I'd recommend replacing it. Mine feels brand new after doing so  
If you want to remove the whole pedal box, bear in mind you need to remove the master cylinder too and getting the pipe connections back on in the engine bay is a pig of a job! Mind you, getting the master cylinder and over centre spring back on the pedal when it's still on the car could be fiddly too


----------



## Garth

Just got the bill for my clutch replacement 
I guess I should have expected it...
I did say, while you're replacing the clutch, it's worthwhile doing the DMF and since you're doing all that you might as well replace the slave too. There's no point doing a half-arsed job at this stage.

I might just celebrate by getting some new wheels :-|
I can't pick the car up until next week either.


----------



## keithtd

Your pile of receipts must be nearing the ceiling by now! [smiley=bigcry.gif]


----------



## Garth

keithtd said:


> Your pile of receipts must be nearing the ceiling by now! [smiley=bigcry.gif]


They're still in multiple piles. I stopped putting them all together when the box file I was keeping them in would no longer close! 

I think I might total them up this weekend :-|


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Garth said:


> keithtd said:
> 
> 
> 
> Your pile of receipts must be nearing the ceiling by now! [smiley=bigcry.gif]
> 
> 
> 
> They're still in multiple piles. I stopped putting them all together when the box file I was keeping them in would no longer close!
> 
> I think I might total them up this weekend :-|
Click to expand...

Dont do it I did once and had to stop when I passed out :lol:


----------



## Garth

YELLOW_TT said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> keithtd said:
> 
> 
> 
> Your pile of receipts must be nearing the ceiling by now! [smiley=bigcry.gif]
> 
> 
> 
> They're still in multiple piles. I stopped putting them all together when the box file I was keeping them in would no longer close!
> 
> I think I might total them up this weekend :-|
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Dont do it I did once and had to stop when I passed out :lol:
Click to expand...

That's pretty much the reason I haven't done it yet :grin:


----------



## Dubcat

What you are doing here is absolutely amazing! I wish I had your skills, patience and tenacity. Absolutely brilliant. Well done!


----------



## staners1

I think I might total them up this weekend :-|[/quote]
Dont do it I did once and had to stop when I passed out :lol:[/quote]
That's pretty much the reason I haven't done it yet :grin:[/quote]
Hi Gareth amazing thread mate as said before, please don't add up what you've spent as you car will jump from being 4500 to 24500


----------



## Garth

staners1 said:


> Hi Gareth amazing thread mate as said before, please don't add up what you've spent as you car will jump from being 4500 to 24500


Against your advice (foolish, I know!), I did total up the first 87 receipts... £3,348  
I feel a little sick now. That doesn't include the £600+ bill that's about to come in for all the clutch work and it doesn't include all the miscellaneous online purchases that have eReceipts (of which there are many!). It's staggering how all the little things add up. The worst part of it is that two thirds of that is all hidden beneath the surface.

I'm off for a lie down...

When I do eventually sell this car, the boot will be full of receipts... literally :roll:

I'm not picking the car up now until mid next week so the pressed plates and wiper linkage that I have sitting next to me will have to wait until next weekend. I think I'll hold off on the new wheel purchase 'til next month now :wink:


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Garth said:


> staners1 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Gareth amazing thread mate as said before, please don't add up what you've spent as you car will jump from being 4500 to 24500
> 
> 
> 
> Against your advice (foolish, I know!), I did total up the first 87 receipts... £3,348
> I feel a little sick now. That doesn't include the £600+ bill that's about to come in for all the clutch work and it doesn't include all the miscellaneous online purchases that have eReceipts (of which there are many!). It's staggering how all the little things add up. The worst part of it is that two thirds of that is all hidden beneath the surface.
> 
> I'm off for a lie down...
> 
> When I do eventually sell this car, the boot will be full of receipts... literally :roll:
> 
> I'm not picking the car up now until mid next week so the pressed plates and wiper linkage that I have sitting next to me will have to wait until next weekend. I think I'll hold off on the new wheel purchase 'til next month now :wink:
Click to expand...

I did try to warn you :lol: I got to £15k before assign out and that was all for mods [smiley=bigcry.gif] non of the parts were even slightly warn


----------



## Garth

YELLOW_TT said:


> I did try to warn you :lol: I got to £15k before assign out and that was all for mods [smiley=bigcry.gif] non of the parts were even slightly warn


You're a crazy, crazy man then :grin:

I didn't think my total would be that much since it's only really maintenance and repairs. The receipts are only for parts since I don't charge myself labour :lol:


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Garth said:


> YELLOW_TT said:
> 
> 
> 
> I did try to warn you :lol: I got to £15k before assign out and that was all for mods [smiley=bigcry.gif] non of the parts were even slightly warn
> 
> 
> 
> You're a crazy, crazy man then :grin:
Click to expand...

I think you might be right :lol:


----------



## staners1

YELLOW_TT said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> YELLOW_TT said:
> 
> 
> 
> I did try to warn you :lol: I got to £15k before assign out and that was all for mods [smiley=bigcry.gif] non of the parts were even slightly warn
> 
> 
> 
> You're a crazy, crazy man then :grin:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I think you might be right :lol:
Click to expand...

Imagine what it would be if you was to have had it done by a garage


----------



## Garth

Picked up the TT tonight  
So it's just had:
New clutch, dual mass flywheel and slave with release bearings.
That's on top of me just having fitted a new master cylinder, over centre spring, clutch switch, switch stop and pedal rubber.
Add that to the new pedal that was fitted a couple of years ago and you have a brand new feel to the whole clutch assembly 

I can't get over how light and smooth the clutch is now, it feels so good.

So this weekend I should be fitting the new wiper linkage and pressed plates. If the weather holds out, I'll also wash the car :grin:

I think I'm going to order my new wheels tomorrow too. Not much left to repair now ;-)


----------



## Ruffmeister

Bet it's great to have it back. So much work has gone into this car you can't sell it now!


----------



## ©hatterBox

Garth said:


> Picked up the TT tonight
> So it's just had:
> New clutch, dual mass flywheel and slave with release bearings.
> That's on top of me just having fitted a new master cylinder, over centre spring, clutch switch, switch stop and pedal rubber.
> Add that to the new pedal that was fitted a couple of years ago and you have a brand new feel to the whole clutch assembly
> 
> I can't get over how light and smooth the clutch is now, it feels so good.
> 
> So this weekend I should be fitting the new wiper linkage and pressed plates. If the weather holds out, I'll also wash the car :grin:
> 
> I think I'm going to order my new wheels tomorrow too. Not much left to repair now ;-)


What wheels did you decide on in the end? [smiley=gossip.gif]


----------



## Garth

©hatterBox said:


> What wheels did you decide on in the end? [smiley=gossip.gif]


You'll have to wait and see ;-)

I want to keep the OEM look but didn't want the usual RS4's (old or new), RS6's or the like. I've tried to keep it looking like it should with the OEM wheel from another Audi. Aftermarket wheels like BBS do nothing for me


----------



## TTSPORT666

Garth said:


> ©hatterBox said:
> 
> 
> 
> What wheels did you decide on in the end? [smiley=gossip.gif]
> 
> 
> 
> You'll have to wait and see ;-)
> 
> I want to keep the OEM look but didn't want the usual RS4's (old or new), RS6's or the like. I've tried to keep it looking like it should with the OEM wheel from another Audi. Aftermarket wheels like BBS do nothing for me
Click to expand...

Look forward to seeing your choice Garth. You going retro audi wheel or modern? Couldn't imagine you going aftermarket? 

Damien.


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Yep very interested to see what you have gone for


----------



## Garth

I'm going for something a little more modern than the standard RSTTs, but along the same lines. They're from a newer Audi but weren't sold for very long. They're not a current wheel ;-)
That's enough clues 
Hopefully I should have them next week.


----------



## Rfeiler

From a 2006 s4 Quattro25?


----------



## Garth

Rfeiler said:


> From a 2006 s4 Quattro25?


Not quite, but not a million mikes away ;-)

I've done another couple of little jobs this weekend.
First off was replacing the gear surround bolts. The originals looked a little tarnished after 12 years on the car.
Before:








And £1.49 later, some stainless steel bolts. Nice and shiny:









My old license plates looked a little dull and I've had some pressed plates in my office for months so I thought I should just fit them.
Before:








And after:

















Even though I already have a buyer for my alloys, I bought some OEM centre caps 6 months ago to replace the cheap replica ones. I was waiting until I got the wheels refurbed before putting them on but now I have decided on new wheels, I thought the new owner would like them  
Before:








After:








Much nicer 

Yes, I know the car is filthy, especially the wheels but I haven't had time to clean it. Maybe later today


----------



## keithtd

Garth said:


> Rfeiler said:
> 
> 
> 
> From a 2006 s4 Quattro25?
> 
> 
> 
> Not quite, but not a million mikes away ;-)
> 
> I've done another couple of little jobs this weekend.
> First off was replacing the gear surround bolts. The originals looked a little tarnished after 12 years on the car.
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And £1.49 later, some stainless steel bolts. Nice and shiny:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My old license plates looked a little dull and I've had some pressed plates in my office for months so I thought I should just fit them.
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And after:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even though I already have a buyer for my alloys, I bought some OEM centre caps 6 months ago to replace the cheap replica ones. I was waiting until I got the wheels refurbed before putting them on but now I have decided on new wheels, I thought the new owner would like them
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Much nicer
> 
> Yes, I know the car is filthy, especially the wheels but I haven't had time to clean it. Maybe later today
Click to expand...

Oooo nice


----------



## Garth

Well after my battery dying (see here: http://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=317596), I needed a new alternator.
So I removed the old one:








And replaced it with a shiny new one:









Fitted it:








And tested:








Success! :grin:

All good now, so I washed and hoovered the car to celebrate


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Glad you got him back in tip top shape again


----------



## keithtd

[smiley=bomb.gif] ok so it's not a cake but the closest I could find with a candle on top. 21? :lol:


----------



## Garth

keithtd said:


> [smiley=bomb.gif] ok so it's not a cake but the closest I could find with a candle on top. 21? :lol:


Thanks mate, a little older though ;-)


----------



## TTSPORT666

Well done, she is tip top again...Any update on the wheels Garth? Or are you leaving us hanging on this one.. 

Damien.


----------



## Garth

Thanks. I was going to get the wheels this week but the alternator packing in delayed things. Looks like this coming week I should be sorted though ;-)


----------



## TTSPORT666

Great stuff Garth ...So that's half of us on the forum on new wheels already this year.. :lol:

Mk1 owners don't change our cars ever-year just our wheels... :wink:

Damien.


----------



## TTSPORT666

So Garth, do we hear the pitter patter of new rims? The suspense is killing me... 

Damien.


----------



## TT225C

They must be on by now surely!! :lol: I'm getting withdrawal symptoms from not seeing what you've done to the TT this last week or so! And the alternator doesn't count


----------



## Garth

Sorry guys, I've been let down by the suppliers :-( so I went to another supplier... Who are just as bad :evil:
I can't believe the way the economy is going and companies are not even willing to answer a damn email to make a sale!
So if you're looking for wheels, you can give www.wheelworx.net and www.caraudioni.com a miss ;-) 
I even worded one email, "I am ready to buy these as soon as you can tell me the offset". No response. It's pathetic and I'm not willing to give them my money now.
I will get the wheels somewhere else in the coming weeks, but as I'm away through the week, I just don't have time to organise anything.


----------



## Garth

I have done a couple of little things this weekend, I'll update tomorrow


----------



## ©hatterBox

Garth said:


> I have done a couple of little things this weekend, I'll update tomorrow


Good good. Looking forward to reading about it


----------



## TTSPORT666

Garth said:


> I have done a couple of little things this weekend, I'll update tomorrow


Nice one Garth, look forward to the updates.
I understand your frustration... :? I just bought some new wheels for my audi urs6 and some of the companies out there i contacted are a joke...  In the end i found a rare set of brand new oem a4 DTM special edition multispokes for a steal...scouring the bay in the early hours..
I always make motorsport wheels in Leeds my first port of call. Jason the head honcho is a star, and i used to buy my BBS wheels from them way back when.

Damien.


----------



## TT225C

Garth said:


> Sorry guys, I've been let down by the suppliers :-( so I went to another supplier... Who are just as bad :evil:
> I can't believe the way the economy is going and companies are not even willing to answer a damn email to make a sale!
> So if you're looking for wheels, you can give http://www.wheelworx.net and http://www.caraudioni.com a miss ;-)
> I even worded one email, "I am ready to buy these as soon as you can tell me the offset". No response. It's pathetic and I'm not willing to give them my money now.
> I will get the wheels somewhere else in the coming weeks, but as I'm away through the week, I just don't have time to organise anything.


I understand Garth, during my day job I'm constantly sourcing parts and consumables and it seems in the last couple of years some companies don't want to keep stock of expensive parts, as its just money sitting doing nothing until the buyer comes along. And when you do enquire it's a case of them going to the manufacturer and then the customers are in for a lengthy wait.


----------



## staners1

TT225C said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry guys, I've been let down by the suppliers :-( so I went to another supplier... Who are just as bad :evil:
> I can't believe the way the economy is going and companies are not even willing to answer a damn email to make a sale!
> So if you're looking for wheels, you can give http://www.wheelworx.net and http://www.caraudioni.com a miss ;-)
> I even worded one email, "I am ready to buy these as soon as you can tell me the offset". No response. It's pathetic and I'm not willing to give them my money now.
> I will get the wheels somewhere else in the coming weeks, but as I'm away through the week, I just don't have time to organise anything.
> 
> 
> 
> I understand Garth, during my day job I'm constantly sourcing parts and consumables and it seems in the last couple of years some companies don't want to keep stock of expensive parts, as its just money sitting doing nothing until the buyer comes along. And when you do enquire it's a case of them going to the manufacturer and then the customers are in for a lengthy wait.
Click to expand...

So a company like WHEELworkz DONT hold stock of wheels ????? sounds a bit strange to me mate. thats almost like me owning a chip shop only not to stock fish and chips! :?


----------



## keithtd

staners1 said:


> TT225C said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry guys, I've been let down by the suppliers :-( so I went to another supplier... Who are just as bad :evil:
> I can't believe the way the economy is going and companies are not even willing to answer a damn email to make a sale!
> So if you're looking for wheels, you can give http://www.wheelworx.net and http://www.caraudioni.com a miss ;-)
> I even worded one email, "I am ready to buy these as soon as you can tell me the offset". No response. It's pathetic and I'm not willing to give them my money now.
> I will get the wheels somewhere else in the coming weeks, but as I'm away through the week, I just don't have time to organise anything.
> 
> 
> 
> I understand Garth, during my day job I'm constantly sourcing parts and consumables and it seems in the last couple of years some companies don't want to keep stock of expensive parts, as its just money sitting doing nothing until the buyer comes along. And when you do enquire it's a case of them going to the manufacturer and then the customers are in for a lengthy wait.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> So a company like WHEELworkz DONT hold stock of wheels ????? sounds a bit strange to me mate. thats almost like me owning a chip shop only not to stock fish and chips! :?
Click to expand...

If you think about all the wheel sizes and styles you could be sitting on hundreds of thousands of pounds of dead money, can't do that nowadays matey, keep popular designs/sizes and order in the rest when needed. You might lose the odd deal but compared to increased working capital that's small beans.


----------



## Garth

The problem doesn't seem to be one of stock, just lazy and/or ignorant staff. The wheelworx only gave one word answers to email (despite me asking multiple questions) and caraudioni just don't reply at all. 
In my job, I most often cannot use the phone during the day, especially not to buy wheels, so email is important. 
If a company won't put in any effort to sell something, that says to me that if there's a problem down the line, they're going to put in even less effort to sort it.

Anyway, the search for a reputable and reliable supplier continues...

This weekend, I got sidetracked again since my rear left caliper seized completely in the week. I found a bargain used one on eBay, so took a punt on it:








It looked a bit rough, but luckily, it performed like a brand new caliper. Nice and free with good seals and smooth action... Result!
After cleaning, decreasing and a lick of paint later, it was ready to fit:








And all fitted and working well :smile:









After that, I fitted a number plate surround since I thought the rear looked a little bare.
So before:








And after:









Some won't like the choice, but I do so there :grin:


----------



## keithtd

If people can't be asked to reply then I definitely wouldn't use them, and one word replies is not just bad service, it's bloody rude - sod them too, you'll find someone who wants you're business in exchange for good service.


----------



## mstew

Have you tried BMAutosport? I found them very helpful, they responded to all of my emails promptly and answered all of my questions. When I was unsure what size tyres to get (I wanted a little stretch) they had no problem in trial fitting a tyre and sending me some pictures to confirm it's just what I was looking for  Also when I got home to realise I left in such a hurry I only had 3 centre caps they didn't hesitate to send me a 4th ASAP. Highly recommended by me, Just hope they may have what your looking for!


----------



## Garth

mstew said:


> Have you tried BMAutosport? I found them very helpful, they responded to all of my emails promptly and answered all of my questions. When I was unsure what size tyres to get (I wanted a little stretch) they had no problem in trial fitting a tyre and sending me some pictures to confirm it's just what I was looking for  Also when I got home to realise I left in such a hurry I only had 3 centre caps they didn't hesitate to send me a 4th ASAP. Highly recommended by me, Just hope they may have what your looking for!


I've bought wheels from Mark before, yes. Highly recommended by me too. Unfortunately, he doesn't have what I'm looking for this time.


----------



## SteviedTT

Why don't you let us know what it is you're after Garth and some of us may be able to help :wink:


----------



## Garth

SteviedTT said:


> Why don't you let us know what it is you're after Garth and some of us may be able to help :wink:


Boo, the suspense is gone :-( 
This is what I'm after:
http://www.wheelworx.net/OEM-Style-...-Wheels/18-Audi-S3-Alloy-Wheels/prod_784.html
But not from them ;-)


----------



## jhoneyman

Im on the hunt for a set of 18's myself.

Those look like a good match


----------



## mullum

Do a group buy fellas ! Hehe


----------



## STUT

mullum said:


> Do a group buy fellas ! Hehe


Lol


----------



## keithtd

I popped down to my local tech shop (rtecshop.com) which is a big supplier of all upgrade thingy bobs. They tell me these wheels are no longer available only in Far East copy version although they think they may be a very slight variant available from Europe - apparently they have to be 8% different to get round the copyright of the originals.
He's going to call back this afternoon to see if he can get any. If he can I'll post up some pics and a price. :wink:

Well they haven't come back so looks like they can't source them either - I did try. Maybe they'll get in contact tomorrow - the eternal optimist.


----------



## Garth

Thanks mate, I appreciate it


----------



## Howzit37

This thread is awesome mate, think it will definitely be a point of reference for me in the future.


----------



## keithtd

PM sent re:wheels


----------



## Garth

Thanks guys.

I'm afraid I'm about to pussy out here and buy a new set of qs reps. The wheels I wanted are just not available in et35 or anything close.

I'm going to finish off the last few outstanding items then the car will be for sale... As will my 530d... And my 330i. As Bob Dylan said: "The times, they are a changing" ;-)


----------



## J•RED

Garth said:


> Thanks guys.
> 
> I'm afraid I'm about to pussy out here and buy a new set of qs reps. The wheels I wanted are just not available in et35 or anything close.
> 
> I'm going to finish off the last few outstanding items then the car will be for sale... As will my 530d... And my 330i. As Bob Dylan said: "The times, they are a changing" ;-)


Garth, after reading this whole topic I have to say how impressed I am with what you have done to your TT, it is without doubt one of the most thorough and skilled with the most attention to detail articles I have read on here. There's going to be one very happy owner of a TT! Once again, you've helped me with a few issues when iv referred to this topic and probably many other people, also supplying fantastic inspiration along the way. All the best Garth!

J


----------



## gogs

Garth said:


> Thanks guys.
> 
> I'm afraid I'm about to pussy out here and buy a new set of qs reps. The wheels I wanted are just not available in et35 or anything close.
> 
> I'm going to finish off the last few outstanding items then the car will be for sale... As will my 530d... And my 330i. As Bob Dylan said: "The times, they are a changing" ;-)


What's the Story Garth? I thought you were keeping the beast :-o


----------



## Cmorf

Best thread


----------



## Garth

J•RED said:


> Garth, after reading this whole topic I have to say how impressed I am with what you have done to your TT, it is without doubt one of the most thorough and skilled with the most attention to detail articles I have read on here. There's going to be one very happy owner of a TT! Once again, you've helped me with a few issues when iv referred to this topic and probably many other people, also supplying fantastic inspiration along the way. All the best Garth!
> J


Thank you, it's been fun on the whole 



gogs said:


> What's the Story Garth? I thought you were keeping the beast :-o


That was the plan. I decided on a career change and that means 100 miles of commuting each day. Because of this, I wanted something fast, economical and comfortable to do it in. I can get a ridiculously good deal leasing a brand new 330d msport with all the toys, so I'm going for that. I will have no time for the TT any more, so it has to go. I'm consolidating three cars to two. The 330d will handle the commute and family duties, so the second car has to be fast, but also slightly comfortable for 4. I'm thinking E92 M3, 335i or perhaps an S5, fuel economy will not be an issue due to low mileage


----------



## mullum

Garth, why must you buy new wheels for a car you are going to sell ?
I'm sure you remember that was the reason I didnt buy it myself 4 months ago. Wheels are like shoes, a very personal taste thing. I understand its your project, but surely economics comes into it somewhere ?
Allowing a new buyer to make that choice (colour for refurb or which new wheels) is surely an advantage to the sale ? Even if you include it in the price !


----------



## Garth

mullum said:


> Garth, why must you buy new wheels for a car you are going to sell ?
> I'm sure you remember that was the reason I didnt buy it myself 4 months ago. Wheels are like shoes, a very personal taste thing. I understand its your project, but surely economics comes into it somewhere ?
> Allowing a new buyer to make that choice (colour for refurb or which new wheels) is surely an advantage to the sale ? Even if you include it in the price !


The reason I bought the car was to restore it. My plan always was to rebuild/renew it as I wanted to and have some fun in the process.
My wheels are pretty corroded on the lips and let the whole car down. I would not be happy selling it without having finished it first. This is why I want to buy new wheels for it. I want to stand back at the end and say "Yep, that's done". I want to finish it off and not just sell it incomplete. Will I sell it for much more after new wheels? Probably not, but that's not the point :wink:

I was never going to make money on this thing, was I? :roll: I have no doubt that it will sell at the price I want, regardless of what wheels are on it and I'm not trying to get the highest price possible.


----------



## TTSPORT666

Massive respect Garth... 

And sensible economic move. I am sure your little beast will be bought by an enthusiast and enjoyed. This thread has been nothing short of brilliant, and motivational. And i am sure your informative posts will be missed. 

Damien


----------



## mullum

Aye, respect mate. I know what you mean about a personal project, aesthetics, profit/cost not being the issue - it's the story of my TT ! (And my Kawasaki) and I'm sure plenty others feel the same way about theirs !


----------



## Garth

Cheers guys. I hope it does end up with an enthusiast :smile:

Rattles drive me crazy and I've had the common one where the climate controls sound like a whirring hard drive. Since I've got some time off, U thought I'd sort it out.
So once it's stripped down, this is what I needed:








On the back, there's a little motor driving a fan and this is what makes the noise:








Remove it and you find a dirty little fan:









This was covered in dust, so once it was all cleaned up with a small brush, I gave the moving parts a dab of wd40 and reassembled everything.
Now it's silent in operation. I should have done this a year ago! :grin:


----------



## Rfeiler

It's posts like these that make this one of the best threads I've read on any TT board. As a new owner of a TT, I've learned a great deal from it. Selfishly, I hope it takes some time for the wheel issue to resolve... 

My fan makes no whirring noise, but the return spring on the fan switch seems weak. I am hoping it just requires some lube. Any ideas on how to best accomplish this (i.e. do I need to pull the unit)?

I wish you the best with your new car. They all sound good, especially to a US (NC) resident for whom they are unavailable. Grrr DOT..


----------



## Rfeiler

Correction, it's the diesel BMW that's unavailable. My vote out of the other 3 is the S5. The design is sublime.


----------



## Baalthazaar

Hey Garth just so you know the S3 wheels are available through Alloywheels.ie if you don't mind the shipping from Dublin.... :idea:


----------



## Garth

Baalthazaar said:


> Hey Garth just so you know the S3 wheels are available through Alloywheels.ie if you don't mind the shipping from Dublin.... :idea:


Cheers for that. I've actually found 2 more uk suppliers quite a bit cheaper than them. The problem is that they are only made in et45, which is no good for the mk1.


----------



## STUT

So when are we expecting to see a classified? With all the work that's been done to it, I'm sure a bidding process might be the best option for you. I'm sure everyone would be keeping a very keen eye on that


----------



## peter139

love your work and posts


----------



## Garth

Thanks guys. I think I may put it up for sale next month if I finish everything. I wouldn't be happy selling it with any faults, so we'll see.

I've been having a cold start limp mode problem as I detailed in this thread:
http://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=320553
After some investigation, it looked likely that the pcv system was to blame. After I stripped it down, I found this valve was stuck open:








So I ordered a new one. I also ordered the other valve in the system (although Audi describe it as a pump). Old and new parts:








The 'pump' has two one-way valves inside, one of which was stuck open, the other was stuck closed! Good job I ordered a new on as I suspected it may have had it. The new one works great ;-)

So the new parts assembled and ready for fitting:








A test drive revealed my problem has gone and the car also seems to start and idle slightly better too 

The car is coming along nicely now, it's driving like a car less than half it's age. Hopefully i can order some wheels in the next week or two :-D


----------



## dbbloke

Brilliant thread BTW. Will read from top to bottom once I have time.

I've sometimes got the cold start thing, thought I replaced the part although someone else fitted my breather system (early TT days) so will have to check again.
And not only have I found the solution for my sometimes no boost start BUT the super annoying Whirring Fan AS WELL  
Cheers v. much and keep up the good work.


----------



## keithtd

Ok so it's an ignoramus question but how do you know if and how much boost you have?


----------



## Garth

dbbloke said:


> Brilliant thread BTW. Will read from top to bottom once I have time.
> 
> I've sometimes got the cold start thing, thought I replaced the part although someone else fitted my breather system (early TT days) so will have to check again.
> And not only have I found the solution for my sometimes no boost start BUT the super annoying Whirring Fan AS WELL
> Cheers v. much and keep up the good work.


Thanks, get on and fix them then :-D



keithtd said:


> Ok so it's an ignoramus question but how do you know if and how much boost you have?


In general, I use the torque app to measure boost but in this case, it's easy to tell if there's no boost... If the car is VERY slow, there's no boost ;-)


----------



## Garth

I have FINALLY ordered some wheels! After much thinking and several disappointments, I decided to play it safe and boring :-D 
I wanted something that looked OEM, but not the original RSTTs and fancied a change from the qs reps :roll:


----------



## J•RED

Garth said:


> I have FINALLY ordered some wheels! After much thinking and several disappointments, I decided to play it safe and boring :-D
> I wanted something that looked OEM, but not the original RSTTs and fancied a change from the qs reps :roll:


Well done on finding a style you like! Are we going to have a guessing game?

J


----------



## Garth

J•RED said:


> Well done on finding a style you like! Are we going to have a guessing game?


Thanks, it's up to you if you want to guess ;-) 
They'll be on by next Friday


----------



## Timmy_TT

Garth said:


> First job for today was to replace the clutch master cylinder. Many have seen the first sign of these failing by discovering the clutch pedal on the floor in the morning. Mine has been doing this for a month or so, not completely on the floor, but lower than the other pedals:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My clutch pedal has never been smooth and I found a receipt for a clutch pedal repair from a few years ago so did suspect something might need replacing.
> 
> With the lower dash trim removed, everything looks as it should:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The clutch pedal looks like new, which means this was obviously replaced rather than repaired last time...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Once the pedal is unbolted from the inside, it's round to the engine bay to be confronted by some major obstacles...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is what we're trying to get to:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Getting the top pipe off was a massive pain in the backside! The heat shield had to be loosened and bent forward to get access. I also had to remove the charge pipe and support bracket.
> 
> Once I had FINALLY removed the pedal and master cylinder from the car, the reason for the unsmooth action was clear... A banana shaped cylinder piston:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the master cylinder, pedal stop and clutch switch removed, it was clear something important was missing. 10 points for whoever guesses what it is!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So since I'm missing something crucial, the job has had to be abandoned until next weekend :-(
> 
> New part ordered ready. In the meantime, I started on the brakes. Update on that tomorrow.


Thanks for posting this Garth, you saved me a small fortune as everywhere I took my car I was told my clutch & flywheel needed replacing, but I suspected something else and after reading this I had my local indy replace the master cylinder. The difference is amazing! the cylinder piston was slightly bent causing it to stick. Now nice and smooth making my TT much nicer to drive


----------



## Garth

My pleasure. It's nice to see others benefitting from these posts  
Well done in not getting ripped off!


----------



## R6B TT

Garth, I'm enjoying your resto thread. While you have the pedal off, check the welds. There were a couple of miniscule tack welds on mine when it broke, if yours is the same it might be worth getting a proper weld on it to avoid future failure.
I am interested in the banana piston, I wonder how many people have paid for new Clutch and Flywheel in the past when that was all the problem was. Keep up the good work.


----------



## Garth

Well, my wheels arrived today....

And they're going back tomorrow :-( 
I'm starting to think there are no reliable wheel suppliers left! What I received bears no resemblance to what was advertised so the hunt is back on. I will get what I'm after eventually


----------



## J•RED

That sucks, hopefully no issues with sending them back


----------



## Garth

J•RED said:


> That sucks, hopefully no issues with sending them back


There was some argument, but I paid by credit card and informed them of my rights and they had not supplied what I ordered and they caved 

On the plus side, I've managed to find someone selling the exact wheels I want with the correct offset  
The only problem is that I have to get them imported from Italy and they're costing double what I paid for my cheap reps! At least I know they'll be a quality product though :-D


----------



## keithtd

Garth said:


> J•RED said:
> 
> 
> 
> That sucks, hopefully no issues with sending them back
> 
> 
> 
> There was some argument, but I paid by credit card and informed them of my rights and they had not supplied what I ordered and they caved
> 
> On the plus side, I've managed to find someone selling the exact wheels I want with the correct offset
> The only problem is that I have to get them imported from Italy and they're costing double what I paid for my cheap reps! At least I know they'll be a quality product though :-D
Click to expand...

Any sneaky peek of what to expect or you keeping it a secret? :wink:


----------



## Garth

keithtd said:


> Any sneaky peek of what to expect or you keeping it a secret? :wink:


It's nothing ground breaking. I want to stay as OEM as possible but still have something different from the norm. I think these look spot on... Original Audi design with some TT hints, in the correct PCD and offset :smile:









Like I say, most will probably think they're a dull choice, but they're exactly what I've been looking for


----------



## Garth

Also did a couple of little things yesterday...
First off, I found a grounding kit for almost nothing, so thought I'd give it a go:








No impressions yet as I haven't driven it since fitting.

I also saw this next mod on someone else's thread on here, so I can't take any credit at all. I just thought it looked really good, so copied it :-D 
Before:








After:


----------



## Paulj100

Lol glad you liked my mod Garth! :wink:

Paul


----------



## Garth

alij100 said:


> Lol glad you liked my mod Garth! :wink:
> 
> Paul


I'd forgotten who it was and couldn't find it again. Well done, it's a touch of design genius ;-)


----------



## Paulj100

Thank you. This is such an interesting thread Garth. Loads of respect to all the great work you have done.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=321303&start=15 page 2 petrol cap mod.

Paul


----------



## polowoof

Garth said:


> Also did a couple of little things yesterday...
> First off, I found a grounding kit for almost nothing, so thought I'd give it a go:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No impressions yet as I haven't driven it since fitting.
> 
> I also saw this next mod on someone else's thread on here, so I can't take any credit at all. I just thought it looked really good, so copied it :-D
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After:


NICE work"!
I have also got some ground kit waiting to be fitted.

Have you got more pictures to show how it is connected?


----------



## polowoof

Garth said:


> Also did a couple of little things yesterday...
> First off, I found a grounding kit for almost nothing, so thought I'd give it a go:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No impressions yet as I haven't driven it since fitting.
> 
> I also saw this next mod on someone else's thread on here, so I can't take any credit at all. I just thought it looked really good, so copied it :-D
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After:


NICE work"!
I have also got some ground kit waiting to be fitted.

Have you got more pictures to show how it is connected?


----------



## croydon

Garth said:


> Cheers guys. I hope it does end up with an enthusiast :smile:
> 
> Rattles drive me crazy and I've had the common one where the climate controls sound like a whirring hard drive. Since I've got some time off, U thought I'd sort it out.
> So once it's stripped down, this is what I needed:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On the back, there's a little motor driving a fan and this is what makes the noise:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Remove it and you find a dirty little fan:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This was covered in dust, so once it was all cleaned up with a small brush, I gave the moving parts a dab of wd40 and reassembled everything.
> Now it's silent in operation. I should have done this a year ago! :grin:


 I need to do this.. is getting the climate control unit out a hard job? Ive looked for instructions to remove it but not seen anything as clear cut as for other dash removal.

Ian


----------



## roddy

Garth said:


> keithtd said:
> 
> 
> 
> Any sneaky peek of what to expect or you keeping it a secret? :wink:
> 
> 
> 
> It's nothing ground breaking. I want to stay as OEM as possible but still have something different from the norm. I think these look spot on... Original Audi design with some TT hints, in the correct PCD and offset :smile:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Like I say, most will probably think they're a dull choice, but they're exactly what I've been looking for
Click to expand...

very classy wheel 8)


----------



## JAMason

Iv just ready your blog and I must say, its inspiring stuff.  Iv actually learnt a fair amount from reading it. Its made me desperately want a new TT and to start working on it. Keep it up! 

Jack


----------



## Garth

Thanks guys 

Well, I've been really busy with a lot of things so I haven't had any tome to spend on the TT. I start my new job in a week so I've been busy finishing things off for my existing one.

I'm waiting on my wheels from Italy, but in the meantime I've done something that will benefit all the cars...
I bought a recaro baby seat for my son, but couldn't have him sitting in anything other than leather ;-)

So the seat started like this:








And after some time with a trimmer and my spare cow hide, it now looks like this:








Much nicer :grin:


----------



## Paulj100

how cool does that look! Awesome work there Garth. 8)

Paul


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> Thanks guys
> 
> Well, I've been really busy with a lot of things so I haven't had any tome to spend on the TT. I start my new job in a week so I've been busy finishing things off for my existing one.
> 
> I'm waiting on my wheels from Italy, but in the meantime I've done something that will benefit all the cars...
> I bought a recaro baby seat for my son, but couldn't have him sitting in anything other than leather ;-)
> 
> So the seat started like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And after some time with a trimmer and my spare cow hide, it now looks like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Much nicer :grin:


Now that's craftmanship...nothing to do with BI skills I suppose :lol:


----------



## roddy

so the boy is going to have a leather fettish before he even goes to school


----------



## croydon

croydon said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers guys. I hope it does end up with an enthusiast :smile:
> 
> Rattles drive me crazy and I've had the common one where the climate controls sound like a whirring hard drive. Since I've got some time off, U thought I'd sort it out.
> So once it's stripped down, this is what I needed:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On the back, there's a little motor driving a fan and this is what makes the noise:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Remove it and you find a dirty little fan:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This was covered in dust, so once it was all cleaned up with a small brush, I gave the moving parts a dab of wd40 and reassembled everything.
> Now it's silent in operation. I should have done this a year ago! :grin:
> 
> 
> 
> Garth I do I need to do this.. is getting the climate control unit out a hard job? Ive looked for instructions to remove it but not seen anything as clear cut as for other dash removal.
> 
> Ian
Click to expand...


----------



## Garth

croydon said:


> Garth I do I need to do this.. is getting the climate control unit out a hard job? Ive looked for instructions to remove it but not seen anything as clear cut as for other dash removal.


Sorry, missed this...
To remove the climate controls, you will need to remove the centre dash trim. First, remove the metal knee rests. Then, you'll have to take out the ash tray and you will find two screws holding the dash part on. After that, there is a screw on either side of the head unit. If you have an oem head unit, you will need to take it out. If you have an aftermarket, you should be able to leave it in and see you screws on either side. Once all these screws are removed (they should all be torx head if they are original), the dash will pull forward and off.
Once that is removed, the climate controls are held in by four screws, one on each corner. Remove these and it will pull out. To dismantle this, you're going to need some very small torx screw drivers (i forget the exact size).

It's not difficult at all to do any of this, just make sure all screws are removed before yanking on anything ;-)


----------



## croydon

Garth said:


> croydon said:
> 
> 
> 
> Garth I do I need to do this.. is getting the climate control unit out a hard job? Ive looked for instructions to remove it but not seen anything as clear cut as for other dash removal.
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry, missed this...
> To remove the climate controls, you will need to remove the centre dash trim. First, remove the metal knee rests. Then, you'll have to take out the ash tray and you will find two screws holding the dash part on. After that, there is a screw on either side of the head unit. If you have an oem head unit, you will need to take it out. If you have an aftermarket, you should be able to leave it in and see you screws on either side. Once all these screws are removed (they should all be torx head if they are original), the dash will pull forward and off.
> Once that is removed, the climate controls are held in by four screws, one on each corner. Remove these and it will pull out. To dismantle this, you're going to need some very small torx screw drivers (i forget the exact size).
> 
> It's not difficult at all to do any of this, just make sure all screws are removed before yanking on anything ;-)
Click to expand...

 Brilliant thanks.


----------



## Garth

roddy said:


> so the boy is going to have a leather fettish before he even goes to school


Is there anything wrong with that? :roll::grin:
I do love a bit of leather ;-)

Only about a week to go before I get my wheels... I was hoping to have the paintwork all touched in and polished ready, but due to the current weather, it's not going to happen 

If anyone has a decent camera and wants to come and take some good photos for me, that'd be great. The car is nearly complete and i could do with some good photos once it's done and i don't think my phone is going to do all my hard work justice!


----------



## keithtd

Garth said:


> Thanks guys
> 
> Well, I've been really busy with a lot of things so I haven't had any tome to spend on the TT. I start my new job in a week so I've been busy finishing things off for my existing one.
> 
> I'm waiting on my wheels from Italy, but in the meantime I've done something that will benefit all the cars...
> I bought a recaro baby seat for my son, but couldn't have him sitting in anything other than leather ;-)
> 
> So the seat started like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And after some time with a trimmer and my spare cow hide, it now looks like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Much nicer :grin:


Is this your first toddler Garth?


----------



## Chiefgilray

Just spent the last 2 hours reading this, what a great read and full of useful info too


----------



## Garth

keithtd said:


> Is this your first toddler Garth?


It is indeed 



Chiefgilray said:


> Just spent the last 2 hours reading this, what a great read and full of useful info too


Thank you


----------



## keithtd

Garth said:


> keithtd said:
> 
> 
> 
> Is this your first toddler Garth?
> 
> 
> 
> It is indeed
> 
> 
> 
> Chiefgilray said:
> 
> 
> 
> Just spent the last 2 hours reading this, what a great read and full of useful info too
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Thank you
Click to expand...

Be careful not to leave car in sun as babies skin is very delicate. My son sat on a leather seat when he was about 6 months old when the car had been in the sun a while, he squealed like a little piggy. I couldn't figure out what was wrong as the seats were only warm to me. He didn't burn his legs but they were very sore for a day or two - wife nearly had my nuts, so keep an eye on the seat in hot weather especially when he's likely to have less clothes on.


----------



## Garth

keithtd said:


> Be careful not to leave car in sun as babies skin is very delicate. My son sat on a leather seat when he was about 6 months old when the car had been in the sun a while, he squealed like a little piggy. I couldn't figure out what was wrong as the seats were only warm to me. He didn't burn his legs but they were very sore for a day or two - wife nearly had my nuts, so keep an eye on the seat in hot weather especially when he's likely to have less clothes on.


Thanks for the tip :grin:

I don't usually have to worry though as Leeds hasn't seen enough sunshine to heat up my seats for years 
I remember burning myself on my leather seats every day when I lived in Geneva, but don't remember doing it in England since I lived in Newcastle about 10 years ago!


----------



## Garth

My wheel saga is coming to an end...
After thinking I could not get the wheels I wanted in the correct offset, I just thought "sod it, I'll take the easy way out". I bought these:








The problem is, this is what was delivered:








Now the wheels look ok, although nothing like the photo, but the quality could only be described as 'poor' at best.
Because of these factors, I returned the wheels and kept looking. I then found a supplier of Italian made replicas promising wheels that cannot be distinguished from OEM. They were able to supply them in the correct size, pcd and offset... Brilliant! I bought some and waited for them to arrive from Italy, which they did today. So this is what I have now:









The quality is absolutely superb, I'm so pleased I didn't end up with cheap replicas now 

Just got to find time to fit the tyres now! :roll:


----------



## tatoquetevi

Garth said:


> My wheel saga is coming to an end...
> After thinking I could not get the wheels I wanted in the correct offset, I just thought "sod it, I'll take the easy way out". I bought these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The problem is, this is what was delivered:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the wheels look ok, although nothing like the photo, but the quality could only be described as 'poor' at best.
> Because of these factors, I returned the wheels and kept looking. I then found a supplier of Italian made replicas promising wheels that cannot be distinguished from OEM. They were able to supply them in the correct size, pcd and offset... Brilliant! I bought some and waited for them to arrive from Italy, which they did today. So this is what I have now:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The quality is absolutely superb, I'm so pleased I didn't end up with cheap replicas now
> 
> Just got to find time to fit the tyres now! :roll:


I can't wait to see how these wheels fit in your car!


----------



## crackfox

Those look similair to S3 wheels ?


----------



## Timmy_TT

tatoquetevi said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> My wheel saga is coming to an end...
> After thinking I could not get the wheels I wanted in the correct offset, I just thought "sod it, I'll take the easy way out". I bought these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The problem is, this is what was delivered:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the wheels look ok, although nothing like the photo, but the quality could only be described as 'poor' at best.
> Because of these factors, I returned the wheels and kept looking. I then found a supplier of Italian made replicas promising wheels that cannot be distinguished from OEM. They were able to supply them in the correct size, pcd and offset... Brilliant! I bought some and waited for them to arrive from Italy, which they did today. So this is what I have now:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The quality is absolutely superb, I'm so pleased I didn't end up with cheap replicas now
> 
> Just got to find time to fit the tyres now! :roll:
Click to expand...

I had the same problem Garth, did they come from "hotwheels" on ebay? I sent mine back and was sent aother set of much better quality, I think they just churn them out and if you dont complain the finish is poo.

Liking your new one's very much! I was going to sell my TTRS oem wheels but now going to have them powder coated, the quality and weight compared to reps is obvious when you get up close.


----------



## Brendanb86

I like the new wheels. I wish I had the patience and time to do what you've done. And the knowledge! 8)


----------



## viakruzis

I think you did the right thing, that first ones seemed to be so poor quality.

I can´t wait to see the new ones fitted on your car :roll:


----------



## Garth

Well, the wait is over :-D 
Even though I put my back out this morning, I (ok, someone else!) managed to load up the car with wheels...








And drive to the garage:









Once the wheels were fitted, it was clear the car was very, very dirty!


----------



## Garth

I had the car washed, so it would have been rude not to take some snaps. The car is now looking just the way I want


----------



## corradoman

Absolutely spot on Garth 8) 8) 8)


----------



## ades tt 180

Gotta admit that i wasn't keen on the 'naked' wheel but they look good on your car...good choice!


----------



## Garth

Thanks guys. I love them, they're exactly what I wanted.
I think they look much better on the TT than the S3 they're designed for


----------



## KIFOO

Love the wheels & car looks superb


----------



## corradoman

Cant believe your selling this car Garth  after all the care and attention youv`e put into it, Its a credit to you so should at least enjoy it for 12 months  That rear pic looks spot on by the way 8) 8)


----------



## mullum

Normally I'd say "dark car - dark wheels", but because of your interior, it all ties up perfectly. Well done sticking to your own concept Garth.


----------



## jhoneyman

spot on mate. These are just like the Votex ones which are so rare to buy.
Where did you source these then?


----------



## owdee tt nl

Car looks great, new wheels look very good 8)


----------



## Timmy_TT

Garth said:


> I had the car washed, so it would have been rude not to take some snaps. The car is now looking just the way I want


I have wheel envy... looks spot on Garth :mrgreen:


----------



## Paulj100

Agree the alloys look great on a TT 8)

Paul


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> Well, my pile of parts is growing...
> 
> Just had the springs and shocks delivered:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and some bits and bobs including rear drop links, front top mounts and bearings, spacers, ball joints...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just waiting now for rear upper and lower spring mounts and the nuts and bolts to replace. They should all be here tomorrow.
> 
> I really ought to pull my finger out and order the new bushes and the adjustable tie bars so I can replace everything in one go.


Hi Garth,

Just wondering where did you get the Apex shocks and springs from. How do you find them thus far. Any good? or is there something else you would recommend.

Cheers


----------



## Garth

I got my Apex springs through vagmeister (member Charlie) and the fk high tech shocks from venom Motorsport.
I find them ideal for me. They are pretty well matched and do a decent job of getting the car that bit lower without the bone crunching ride associated with a lot of coilovers. 
I am sure you could get better quality if you paid a lot more, but for the price these are unbeatable.
Mine are holding up very well and I'm very happy with them, I have no complaints at all. :grin:


----------



## silkman

This is a fantastic thread that I just read from start to finish! Very well done Garth.

Fellow TTer with a similar car (2001-225) but very dissimilar condition :lol: Due to economy here in Greece I will probably keep the TT forever. :roll:

It is interesting to note the differences in car condition between countries. Although I regard my car as *almost* shit, the underside is very much unlike yours, ie no rust whatsoever, even at parts that DO rust.

One the other hand, my paintwork is very much chipped, had it resprayed once at a very expensive audi dealership who messed it up and all plastic parts (the bumpers especially) now look horrible. Given the initial condition of your car, I was amazed at how good the paintwork looked; not now, but at page 1 of the thread.

I have 170 thou kms on the clock.

Did I say fantastic work?  I would also welcome your Italian connection re. wheels; did you use original centre caps?


----------



## keithtd

Just out of interest Gareth why did you chose to change the bottom rear tie bar for adjustables and not the top? :?:


----------



## JS53MES

have to say that looks really nice. Good work Garth


----------



## MOUNTY

Timmy_TT said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had the car washed, so it would have been rude not to take some snaps. The car is now looking just the way I want
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have wheel envy... looks spot on Garth :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

Bang tidy this one, loving the colour [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## MykP

Absolutely superb Garth - thanks for the tutorial. I have learned a great deal.
Myk


----------



## TTSPORT666

Looks Gay.... [smiley=gorgeous.gif]

Joke....Looks class Garth. Good choice.. 8) 
Damien.


----------



## Love_iTT

From one Merlin Purple owner to another - SWEET!! :wink:

Looking great Gareth and what a transformation from the start of the project to now - well done mate, a credit to you.

Graham


----------



## Garth

Just thought I'd check in as I haven't looked at this thread in ages!

Thanks for the kind words everyone, I'm pleased with how it's ended up :smile:



keithtd said:


> Just out of interest Gareth why did you chose to change the bottom rear tie bar for adjustables and not the top? :?:


There wasn't going to be enough adjustment on the top and even if that wasn't the case, they're easier to fit to the bottom.

Well, the TT is far from finished, it's just that since my son was born 11 months ago, my available time has steadily decreased. I have now sold my 3 series so my wife is driving the TT daily. This means the opportunities to work on it are limited.
I do have the following to fit:
Porsche brakes
New wishbones with Cookbot cons (Defcon alternative)
Clear corners
New rear valance
New steering wheel
Plus some other stuff ;-)

When do you fathers get time to work on your cars??


----------



## Gazzer

11 months already???? jees garth where has that time gone bud. feels like i only just got back to work since xmas and its june :? car as usual looks great and as Graham says you are a credit to the TT and this forum sir.


----------



## Garth

It's mental isn't it?!
At least the little one likes the TT









Thanks for the compliment, I do try


----------



## jamman

Garth said:


> When do you fathers get time to work on your cars??


Easy get a thick card board box couple of holes in it, little one in tape it up place in garage where screams cant be heard and proceed

This works until about 2 by which time they will grass on you :wink:

Car is looking great a credit to you.


----------



## Gazzer

spot the towel underneath child seat to protect the leather........top man :lol:


----------



## Garth

jamman said:


> Easy get a thick card board box couple of holes in it, little one in tape it up place in garage where screams cant be heard and proceed
> 
> This works until about 2 by which time they will grass on you :wink:
> 
> Car is looking great a credit to you.


Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a go :grin:



Gazzer said:


> spot the towel underneath child seat to protect the leather........top man :lol:


I'm not daft ;-)


----------



## YELLOW_TT

jamman said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> When do you fathers get time to work on your cars??
> 
> 
> 
> Easy get a thick card board box couple of holes in it, little one in tape it up place in garage where screams cant be heard and proceed
> 
> This works until about 2 by which time they will grass on you :wink:
> 
> Car is looking great a credit to you.
Click to expand...

You don't even need to tape it up best toy a child will ever get is a large cardboard box my 2 used to play for hours


----------



## Peeunit

Well.... I've just read this from start to finish.
Sounds like you bought a car in similar condition to mine. However you're much handier than I am. I've just had the clutch, and cam tensioners and chain replaced, and waiting on getting it back.

However, this thread has been quite inspirational.. I think I might start investigating my hoses and pipes checking for leaks, charge pipe etc.
I've got all the tools, and a fair amount of knowledge, but need a bit more confidence I think.

Fantastic project, well done


----------



## Garth

Thank you, it's been pretty good fun on the whole. It was great when I didn't have to rely on the TT but now it's more tricky since everything has to be complete before Mondays when my wife uses the car.

Anyway, I got some boxster front calipers from another member on here:








The calipers were in really good condition overall but the paintwork wasn't perfect, so I started to strip them:









It was then I realised that even though they have just come offa TT, they had been mounted incorrectly. When fitting these on our cars, the calipers need turning upside down and therefore the bleed nipples and link pipes need to be swapped. This is because on a Porsche, the caliper is towards the rear of the disc whereas on a TT, it's towards the front. There are different sized pistons on these calipers and if you get them the wrong way round, you will get very squeaky brakes and uneven pad wear. What has been done with these brakes is that the left caliper has been used on the right of the car and vice versa... A little lazy and incorrect ;-) 
So my next job was to remove the bleed nipples and link pipes. This is a pain as the link pipes are copper and very soft. It is easy to snap the pipe if it twists when unscrewing them. I managed to undo one side and spin the whole pipe to remove the other. The pipe is now bathing in some penetrating oil to un-sieze the other side. If that doesn't work, I'll get some new links. I've ordered new bleed nipples anyway  









That's where I've left it for now. I'm making use of my many spare ear plugs to stop dust getting inside:









I should have them finished this weekend with fresh paint (black this time) and new decals


----------



## The Blue Bandit

Garth said:


> When do you fathers get time to work on your cars??


... out of all your great posts Garth- this has been the most enjoyable one to read! 
...Max is 15 months now and your thread always made me feel inadequate and like the progress on my TT was far too slow ...

... at least you've showed your are only human after all!  ...

... like yours, mine has become a daily driver and is having to be treated as a workhorse rather than a show queen ...

... but for what it's worth though- with your little fella at 11 months, you've got some great stuff to come in the next few months,it's a great age with their character really beginning to emerge! ... 

... Keep the thread updated won't you? (but you will be forgiven if progress slows a bit!) :wink:

All the best to you and yours.

Steve


----------



## Garth

Thanks a lot mate, I appreciate it  
It is tough, I was always convinced it would be relatively easy but kids just take so much of your time! I really admire any parent with a young child who finds the time to work, look after the child and still have a hobby too.
This thread will still be updated, but as you say a little slower than before :-D

My TT is more of an adventure playground than a show queen now ;-)


----------



## Pippa27

Been Deserted Gazza ,Rosko !! [smiley=bigcry.gif]


----------



## Garth

Pippa27 said:


> Been Deserted Gazza ,Rosko !! [smiley=bigcry.gif]


:?:


----------



## Garth

Popped down to my tame mechanics place this morning to get some new bushes and cookbotcons presided in to my spare wishbones. Now to find time to fit them...
















they look too good to hide away ;-)


----------



## Garth

The first stage of the first caliper refurb is complete:








I wanted something more OEM looking than a Brembo or Porsche decal, so this is what I chose. I have now also fitted new bleed nipples and link pipe to this caliper. I've also sanded and painted the pad pin and springs. final photos to follow, but I like it so far :grin:


----------



## New2AudiTT

Garth said:


> The first stage of the first caliper refurb is complete:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wanted something more OEM looking than a Brembo or Porsche decal, so this is what I chose. I have now also fitted new bleed nipples and link pipe to this caliper. I've also sanded and painted the pad pin and springs. final photos to follow, but I like it so far :grin:


It's been a loongggg time and was wondering what you were up to?

Can you do a set for me as well Garth and send the bill over  Envy!!!

Where did you get the decal from?

Cheers


----------



## Garth

I've been running round after my son! :grin:

The decals were from ebay. They are supposed to be "S line" but I ditched the "line" part.

So I ended up buying new link pipes. I thought I might as well do a proper job. This is how they arrived:








Once bent, fitted and painted along with new bleed nipples:









Surprisingly, the previous owner of the calipers didn't have any pad springs and they're a bitch to get hold of on the Boxster 2.5/2.7 caliper. I ended up getting some used ones from porschecalipers.co.uk








These were awful, so I sanded them down, treated with kurust and then repainted:









One caliper finished, one to go :roll:


----------



## ExAudiSi

Probably a silly question, but can't you get the springs from Porsche?
I find that the dealers are often cheaper than some of the Porsche specialists.


----------



## jakekk

Garth said:


> New one to be fitted:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And old and new comparison:


First off... Brilliant thread, enjoyed reading it!

Second. This hose, do you know the inside diameter, as I need to replace it, however i think something like this would be a cheaper alternative...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-Metre-Silic ... 4cfc57e199

I think I read somewhere that its 19mm, but im unsure :s

Thanks

Jake


----------



## Mondo

16mm one end, 19mm the other. Convenient, eh? :?


----------



## crazy88

This thread is the first I read on the site, and what cause me to join the site. It's an outstanding level of detail!! Now, sell your TT to me! :lol:

I only wish I could do half this stuff mate, so impressive.


----------



## jakekk

Mondo said:


> 16mm one end, 19mm the other. Convenient, eh? :?


Could I not just get a 19mm silicone hose and use this 19mm to 16mm reducer joiner?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nylon-Barbed- ... 20c1e548e7

Thanks

Jake


----------



## Garth

jakekk said:


> Mondo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 16mm one end, 19mm the other. Convenient, eh? :?
> 
> 
> 
> Could I not just get a 19mm silicone hose and use this 19mm to 16mm reducer joiner?
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nylon-Barbed- ... 20c1e548e7
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Jake
Click to expand...

Why bother with that? Take the easy option:
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?index=0&sbk=1&nav=SEARCH&itemId=151016903669


----------



## Garth

crazy88 said:


> This thread is the first I read on the site, and what cause me to join the site. It's an outstanding level of detail!! Now, sell your TT to me! :lol:
> 
> I only wish I could do half this stuff mate, so impressive.


Thank you :smile:
I've decided not to sell the TT for a while, I've invested too much time and money in it now!


----------



## Gazzer

Garth said:


> crazy88 said:
> 
> 
> 
> This thread is the first I read on the site, and what cause me to join the site. It's an outstanding level of detail!! Now, sell your TT to me! :lol:
> 
> I only wish I could do half this stuff mate, so impressive.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you :smile:
> I've decided not to sell the TT for a while, I've invested too much time and money in it now!
Click to expand...

errrr and the mrs now has it as her daily drive Garth!!! come on tell the truth lol


----------



## crazy88

Garth said:


> crazy88 said:
> 
> 
> 
> This thread is the first I read on the site, and what cause me to join the site. It's an outstanding level of detail!! Now, sell your TT to me! :lol:
> 
> I only wish I could do half this stuff mate, so impressive.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you :smile:
> I've decided not to sell the TT for a while, I've invested too much time and money in it now!
Click to expand...

I was always amazed that you were considering selling it! Far too much work has gone into it. I wash my car every other month and after doing so think "awww, I couldn't sell you, I've invested too much time in you" ha.


----------



## jakekk

Garth said:


> jakekk said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mondo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 16mm one end, 19mm the other. Convenient, eh? :?
> 
> 
> 
> Could I not just get a 19mm silicone hose and use this 19mm to 16mm reducer joiner?
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nylon-Barbed- ... 20c1e548e7
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Jake
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Why bother with that? Take the easy option:
> http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?index=0&sbk=1&nav=SEARCH&itemId=151016903669
Click to expand...

Thanks pal! I did look on their website but didn't see this!

Jake


----------



## Garth

Well, today I cheated...

I got my favourite motor engineer to replace my wishbones for me as I just don't have the time at the moment.








Looks like I need to rub down and repaint a lot of the bare metal that's showing corrosion now :roll:

I haven't had the chance to see how much difference the Cookbot bush sleeves and new bushes make yet. I think I'll take the TT to work tomorrow to find out :grin:


----------



## Garth

I've now finished the refurb of the Porsche callipers. I wasn't happy with the S logo as I thought it was too big. It looked like this:








So I removed it and fitted a smaller size to both callipers. I'm really pleased with them:








I'll be fitting these on Saturday, with brand new hel brake lines, full fluid change and a new Porsche brake wear sensor that I've modified to fit the TT. Can't wait :grin:


----------



## roddy

i want to see this


----------



## Garth

So I fitted the new brakes this morning...

New stuff to fit:








And the old setup:









The first task was the swap the callipers, which was nice and easy. Typically I forgot to take a photo after fitting the callipers! The next task was to remove the wear sensor from the old pad:








The add some bullet connectors to it:








I fitted the new Porsche sensor to the calliper and cut the connector off:








And everything joined up:








While I was in there, I painted a few bits and pieces that were rusty:









And then everything back together and the brakes bled:








Nice and subtle. 
I also fitted some valve caps to match :grin:


----------



## Garth

First impressions... very good :grin:
All the sponginess from the standard brakes has gone and the pedal is nice and firm. The initial bite is excellent and there is easily as much stopping power as OEM. Pretty impressive given that the pads will take a few miles to bed in.
Overall I'm really pleased I did this


----------



## Predator

very nice [smiley=dude.gif]


----------



## aaron_tt

Them brakes look perfect behind the wheels


----------



## SVStu

Hi Garth,

See you have fitted the wishbones now (and more!!), sooooo what do you recon to the new ride/steering/turn in etc.

Notice any difference? Worthwhile???

All the best, Stu.


----------



## Garth

I have indeed noticed a difference :-D 
Turn in is slightly sharper but at low speeds, you wouldn't notice any difference at all. Initial turn in is only slightly different, where you really notice the change is corners at speed, steering adjustments mid corner or fast changes of direction. These are all much better now.  
The car feels much more responsive and eager to turn at speed. I do recommend the cookbotcons, they are worth the money.

On another note, I bought and fitted a temporary grey leather interior to the TT on Sunday. Turns out, the seller was muxley! The condition of the seats is awful and they are FILTHY! Photos will follow soon. So, why do I need a temporary interior? Hmmmm ;-) :roll:


----------



## mullum

Reupholstering your refurbished old ones ?
They looked so good in the photos too ..

So you met Kprincess ? Or did you just buy remotely ?


----------



## Garth

mullum said:


> Reupholstering your refurbished old ones ?
> They looked so good in the photos too ..


They do look very nice but the colour is a nightmare to keep clean, especially as my wife is using the car every day to drive children around. I've designed something more practical, but still quite special so you'll have to wait and see. 


mullum said:


> So you met Kprincess ? Or did you just buy remotely ?


I did indeed meet muxley/wireless/kprincess. He dropped a seat on his foot, which gave him a severe limp :roll:
This is what they looked like when i got the seats home...









Still, once I've cleaned them up and touched up the scuffs, i should be able to sell them on for double what i paid


----------



## Paulj100

Garth said:


> mullum said:
> 
> 
> 
> Reupholstering your refurbished old ones ?
> They looked so good in the photos too ..
> 
> 
> 
> They do look very nice but the colour is a nightmare to keep clean, especially as my wife is using the car every day to drive children around. I've designed something more practical, but still quite special so you'll have to wait and see.
> 
> 
> mullum said:
> 
> 
> 
> So you met Kprincess ? Or did you just buy remotely ?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I did indeed meet muxley/wireless/kprincess. He dropped a seat on his foot, which gave him a severe limp :roll:
> This is what they looked like when i got the seats home...
> *I will upload a photo when photobucket stops being crap*
> 
> Still, once I've cleaned them up and touched up the scuffs, i should be able to sell them on for double what i paid
Click to expand...

I'm concussed! :? Was kprincess mutely or even a he??.Or should I not ask 

Paul


----------



## Garth

alij100 said:


> I'm concussed! :? Was kprincess mutely or even a he??


Kprincess was the same person as wireless and muxley. He got banned as muxley, then reappeared as wireless, got banned again so came back as kprincess... And got banned again!
He did say he wasn't going to join the forum again :roll:


----------



## mullum

Can't wait to see how this develops Garth


----------



## Paulj100

Wish I hadn't asked now :roll:

Anyway Garth got to say this thread is amazing a credit to you and so useful for forum members needing advice and help.

Paul


----------



## Garth

mullum said:


> Can't wait to see how this develops Garth


You're not the only one :-D 
I figured if I was going to do it, I'd do it properly... So I've gone in balls deep! Full retrim including seats, door cards, knee pads, headliner, steering wheel and sun visors :-o


----------



## Garth

alij100 said:


> Anyway Garth got to say this thread is amazing a credit to you and so useful for forum members needing advice and help.


Thank you


----------



## TTQ2K2

Great thread. glad to see you're back.

cheers


----------



## ©hatterBox

TTQ2K2 said:


> Great thread. glad to see you're back.
> 
> cheers


+1. Must have read this build thread start to finish a few times now & looking forward to seeing the new interior take shape


----------



## wizzer14

looking well


----------



## Garth

So I decided I didn't want the standard grey door cards in my car, even temporarily so I cut out my old leather panels and replaced them with the new grey ones:
















Looks much better with the grey leather against a black door card :smile:

I cleaned up the rest of the temporary interior:








It doesn't look anywhere near as special as the cirrus grey, but at least it's clean now!

Now I much preferred the gear knob I had on my old S3 to the TT one, so I managed to pick up an immaculate one off ebay really cheap. I split it down to parts and sent it off to the trimmer with the rest of the interior parts:









Recently I've had problems with my interior boot light not coning on when I open the boot. It's s fairy common problem with the boot lock mechanism, so I ripped out the old one:








and fitted a new (second hand) one:








And now the light works again:








:smile:
Ignore the scabby seat back, remember it's only temporary ;-)


----------



## Garth

So a few of you have asked me about what the interior is going to look like...
Some of you may remember a while back, I was trying to decide on a new colour scheme for the leather and before I decided on the cirrus grey re dye, I was toying with the idea of this:








now I really like the two tone look, but after living with my silver interior for a while, I've found that heavy wear parts get VERY dirty, very easily. I still like the two tone, but have managed to come up with an idea that looks even better and still manages to be pretty practical. So here is my (very quick and dirty) Photoshop of what I'm having done:

















Many won't like it, but tough, I do :grin:

I've specified a lot of unique touches as well so you'll have to wait for the finished product to see everything. It's going to be around a month before I get it all back


----------



## conlechi

I like it  
I had the silver leather in my car when I bought it , looked great but not practical and picked up marks too easily for my liking  i soon swapped it out for a mint black interior


----------



## TTQ2K2

Garth said:


> So I decided I didn't want the standard grey door cards in my car, even temporarily so I cut out my old leather panels and replaced them with the new grey ones:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks much better with the grey leather against a black door card :smile:


Brilliant!!!

How difficult was it to remove the leather panels from the door card? Also, did you completely remove the old leather and cover the blank with new or cover over the old leather or dye the old leather?

cheers.


----------



## Garth

TTQ2K2 said:


> Brilliant!!!
> 
> How difficult was it to remove the leather panels from the door card? Also, did you completely remove the old leather and cover the blank with new or cover over the old leather or dye the old leather?
> 
> cheers.


Thanks.
Removing the leather pad is quite easy with a 13mm drill bit and a chisel. They're plastic welded on so just need the welds braking off. I dyed my original ones in place, which is why there is a lighter rim around my old one. The dark grey ones are from the new temporary interior. I simply removed the whole panel and refitted it to my door panel. I didn't remove the actual leather from the plastic part it's glued to.
Hope this helps.

Oh, this dark grey leather will all be for sale in about a month too ;-)


----------



## TTQ2K2

Cheers Garth,

makes me want to purchase a bit more micro-suede and do mine to match the rest of my interior.

The door pulls are done and match well with the QS wheel and other bits. Matching door cards would be mutts nuts. I owe you a pint!

Edit: how did you reattach them?

[smiley=cheers.gif]


----------



## Garth

No worries. The correct way to reattach them would be to melt the plastic back together. Failing that, you could use some epoxy resin or similar glue. I've just used duct tape as they're only in there for a month. To be honest, they're held in by the door handle anyway and pressed against the door, so it's mostly cosmetic to actually attach them fully.


----------



## TTQ2K2

Sounds simple enough.

cheers


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Garth said:


> So a few of you have asked me about what the interior is going to look like...
> Some of you may remember a while back, I was trying to decide on a new colour scheme for the leather and before I decided on the cirrus grey re dye, I was toying with the idea of this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> now I really like the two tone look, but after living with my silver interior for a while, I've found that heavy wear parts get VERY dirty, very easily. I still like the two tone, but have managed to come up with an idea that looks even better and still manages to be pretty practical. So here is my (very quick and dirty) Photoshop of what I'm having done:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Many won't like it, but tough, I do :grin:
> 
> I've specified a lot of unique touches as well so you'll have to wait for the finished product to see everything. It's going to be around a month before I get it all back


Different I like it


----------



## Matt B

Garth I really like that - very cool


----------



## BaueruTc

YELLOW_TT said:


> Different I like it


+2 that really looks good.


----------



## Garth

Thanks guys, I'm really looking forward to getting it back.

While the interior is away I've been sorting out a few little extra touches I want. First off, I had a spare vinyl logo, a 99p magnetax and a roll of carbon fibre vinyl so i made myself a new tax disc holder:








Fits in with my new theme ;-)

Next up, I hate the silly string door pockets in the mk1. Since I still have half a roll of dead cow, i wanted to replace these.
I started by taking the pockets off my spare door cards to measure up:









Then I made a template and cut out new leather shapes. I put one in the surround to test the fit and glued the top over the metal strip.








Looks like a perfect fit, now i just have to run a line of stitches across it to finish. I'm going to leave that to the trimmer though since i haven't learned to sew yet :-D
The final items will use the black surrounds on my good door panels, not the temporary grey ones shown in the photo


----------



## TTSPORT666

Hey Garth that's really nice mate congrats.. 

And Bob where did you get your door pulls done in micro suede?? Looks lush.. 

Damien.


----------



## SteveAngry

I really like the ideas you have for the interior retrim. It's gonna look great!
Steve


----------



## NoMark

Garth, top work as usual.


----------



## Converted2VW

SteveAngry said:


> I really like the ideas you have for the interior retrim. It's gonna look great!
> Steve


This!

Super like the idea of the two tone interior and hvae actually toyed with it myself.
I think a lighter gray or. Vanilla interior would look great on the roadster!


----------



## Dave v

Just spent the last few days on and off reading through the entire thread.

Awesome write up and talent to do everything you have yourself, loads of stuff that I've leant to enable me do not radically change my car but more deal with loads of annoying little faults.

Keep up the great work, that interiors going to be the nuts.


----------



## TTQ2K2

TTSPORT666 said:


> Hey Garth that's really nice mate congrats..
> 
> And Bob where did you get your door pulls done in micro suede?? Looks lush..
> 
> Damien.


I made them. :wink:


----------



## Darren_d

TTQ2K2 said:


> TTSPORT666 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hey Garth that's really nice mate congrats..
> 
> And Bob where did you get your door pulls done in micro suede?? Looks lush..
> 
> Damien.
> 
> 
> 
> I made them. :wink:
Click to expand...

Do you have any instructions or a walk through at all? They look great and my handles are a little shabby.

Garth - I've spent every free moment over the past two days reading all the way through this and your Golf thread. I know it's been said before, many times, but this restoration is epic , I can't wait to see the updates regarding your FORTH different colour combo on your interior! I take my hat off to you, great skills and vision on this TT,


----------



## specky

Garth, Thankyou for this thread ! I know its been said before but , brilliant. I'm on my second TT mk1 now, a roadster and will be using this as a reference as i will be tackling as many jobs myself as possible.
The subject of .... how do fathers find time for there cars? I had to wait until mine grew up and Fecked orf :twisted: 
But then they bless you with one of these ..... :roll: (grand daughter)



This is pic of my latest (daily) toy...



Needs a few jobs, FULL service, Spacers, and a bloody good detail ! Only had it 4 weeks and been working abroad since i bought it ! :roll:

Looking forward to coming home and getting stuck into it.

It has to share the Parts/Mods fund with this old girl........



Keep up the good work Garth,

Regards Andy in Huddersfield
AkA Specky 8)


----------



## Garth

Thanks for all the encouragement guys  
Looks like I'll have to keep the TT a while now since I've ploughed so much time, money and effort in to it!

Specky, your cars looks like a lovely example. Do you know who you might use to detail it? Once I've sorted out the bodywork on mine, I'll be looking for a good detailer. The closest (good) one that I know of is West of Manchester.


----------



## jamman

Glad you are staying around mate


----------



## Garth

jamman said:


> Glad you are staying around mate


Thank you, I'm restraining myself... Only posting in this thread now ;-) I hate reading interesting projects on forums only to find they just stop with no finish in sight and no idea what has happened, so I'm keeping mine going for continuity


----------



## specky

Garth said:


> Thanks for all the encouragement guys
> Looks like I'll have to keep the TT a while now since I've ploughed so much time, money and effort in to it!
> 
> Specky, your cars looks like a lovely example. Do you know who you might use to detail it? Once I've sorted out the bodywork on mine, I'll be looking for a good detailer. The closest (good) one that I know of is West of Manchester.


I do it Garth !
When i bought the CQ, paint was in a right state (single stage), 
This was just sunroof before.......



Then after......



Quite satisfying when it was finished !!

Heres my 3.2 after i detailed before new owner came for it .....


----------



## Garth

specky said:


> I do it Garth !


In that case, fancy doing mine? :grin:
I just never have the time any more :-(


----------



## tgarvie

I think your interior re-trim plans are fantastic, love how much effort you're putting into this, the car will be amazing once done, keep it up!


----------



## specky

Garth said:


> specky said:
> 
> 
> 
> I do it Garth !
> 
> 
> 
> In that case, fancy doing mine? :grin:
> I just never have the time any more :-(
Click to expand...

Will keep you in mind if you like ?
I got a few to do when i'm home as i do it in my spare time at wkends!
Will keep in touch. It would be a pleasure to say i played a part in your Resto !

SPECKS 8)


----------



## Garth

Nice one, thanks. I will give you a shout closer to the time then  
I have some tidying up to do on the outside before detailing, but this is high on my priorities list.


----------



## Garth

I've made a start on my interior changes now, choosing the most complex part to start with!
The head unit surround on my car was quite scratched and generally looked pretty tatty and worn, so I decided rather than buy a new one, I would cover it in leather. I'll be doing a lot of other parts like this so it should all tie in nicely.
So this is what I started with:









I bought a second hand surround in case it all went wrong. I marked out the parts to be trimmed as i needed to remove the thickness of the leather (about 1.5 mm including adhesive)








I removed the black areas with a dremel then started to cover it with the leather








Some work in progress photos:

































Due to the panel now being thicker, the climate controls sit too far back. To combat this, they needed adjustment.
You can see on this photo the 2mm raised surround around the edge








So i removed that with the dremel








Trial fit...








Looking good 

Installed:








Obviously now the ash tray didn't match, so i gave it the same treatment (including cutting it down to size):









A very subtle change I admit, but it feels and smells so nice now


----------



## Garth

Just need to finish my custom head unit trim and fit that now. I have been using an OSIR S frame (bought from gogs) but now that the leather is on, it won't fit. Besides, i want something that fits perfectly ;-)

I've given the trimmer most of my parts now, but I also want a new gear gaitor in nappa leather to match the seats. I figured I'd give him my existing one to use as a template, which meant needing something else temporarily. I've just bought an OEM S3 gear knob so have the gaitor spare. I cut this to the correct shape:








And fitted it:








So that's an OEM leather gaitor for the time being 

Can't wait to get everything back now!


----------



## aaron_tt

Very very smart! Liking that alot would love to have that in mine!


----------



## hang your idols

Is not "looking good",it`s looking VERY good!Btw,awesome build!I have to admit you have a lot of patience!

If i can ask you,your wife still love you,coz mine looks like she hates me with all that work and money spent on cars :lol:


----------



## mullum

Is the s-frame carbon fibre ? Might be up for that ;-)

Looking great by the way 

I bought a spare "centre console" (I think is the correct term) to have skinned in carbon fibre. Problem is that my skinner bloke takes 6-9 months to do anything and won't take more than a couple of things at a time :-(

I think I might have to teach myself to skin ..


----------



## Garth

hang your idols said:


> Is not "looking good",it`s looking VERY good!Btw,awesome build!I have to admit you have a lot of patience!
> 
> If i can ask you,your wife still love you,coz mine looks like she hates me with all that work and money spent on cars :lol:


Thanks, I think she still loves me although she would definitely prefer it if I didn't spend so much time on the cars :roll:



mullum said:


> Is the s-frame carbon fibre ? Might be up for that ;-)
> 
> Looking great by the way
> 
> I bought a spare "centre console" (I think is the correct term) to have skinned in carbon fibre. Problem is that my skinner bloke takes 6-9 months to do anything and won't take more than a couple of things at a time :-(
> 
> I think I might have to teach myself to skin ..


Cheers. My S frame is plain black, but I could wrap it in 3M carbon vinyl if you wanted it?
Most interior trim is quite straightforward to wrap but the centre piece was a bitch due to all the curves and tight angles. I have a spare transmission tunnel cover that I've starting trimming too and that's an even bigger 'mare! :-(



aaron_tt said:


> Very very smart! Liking that alot would love to have that in mine!


Thank you


----------



## mullum

Hehe me too, I'm after doing a transmission tunnel as well 
I was thinking that if I teach myself to skin some small parts first (like the ashtray) I could move up to eventually doing the whole dashboard !

No need to wrap the radio surround, I only put genuine fibre in/on the car. Nothing against vinyl, just want to keep some consistency.


----------



## Dave v

Looks really good, have exactly the same problem with mine so may have to give it a go at some point.


----------



## Cornwall

Well done Garth, the transformation in the TT over the many months is nothing short of stupendous, your dedication and skills are to be commended, and the time and information divulged to forum members is invaluable.

And the most amazing thing is your are still finding the time to do it whist spending quality time with your growing family, that in itself is not to be underestimated.

At my time in life I don't have a growing family now I'm more of a granddad but I still enjoy tinkering with the car when I can and some of your little projects have encouraged me to get the old bed spanners out and have a go.

Thank you but do me one thing, don't start knitting, re-trimming leather and furniture I can cope with but not knitting stuff for the car.

One question I would like to ask I also am in the process of re-furbing a set of Porsche Calipers and was wondering how you bled the brakes once you fitted yours. Did you use a pressure bleeder or did you do it the old fashioned way with someone pumping the pedal. I hear that there can be problems associated with the pedal pressing procedure.

Tone


----------



## Garth

Thank you, glad I've inspired you :grin:

For the brakes, I used a pressure bleeder, then finished off with the good old fashioned pedal pumping method. If I were to use only one technique, I'd choose the old fashioned way. This will cause no problems at all, despite what you may read on the internet. I only use my pressure bleeder when my step son isn't around to press the pedal


----------



## Dave v

Garth said:


> Thank you, glad I've inspired you :grin:
> 
> For the brakes, I used a pressure bleeder, then finished off with the good old fashioned pedal pumping method. If I were to use only one technique, I'd choose the old fashioned way. This will cause no problems at all, despite what you may read on the internet. I only use my pressure bleeder when my step son isn't around to press the pedal


Hi Garth,

I use one of these to good effect on my bikes, haven't yet tried it on the car. Think it's worth trying?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Large-Big-Gia ... 256fae0a7c

Cheers


----------



## Garth

Dave v said:


> Hi Garth,
> 
> I use one of these to good effect on my bikes, haven't yet tried it on the car. Think it's worth trying?
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Large-Big-Gia ... 256fae0a7c
> 
> Cheers


Not sure, I haven't used that kind of thing I'm afraid.

I decided to sort out my rear brakes to match the fronts today. They were like this:








Now they look like this:








Nicely balanced with the front brakes


----------



## n123

Amazing thread and car mate,regards from Canary Islands.


----------



## ChloeRose

Hey there,

I've read your post over and over and it's such a great read, even with the little knowledge I have on cars, it was an easy and very informative read. Thank you so much for the massive contribution you have made to here and my knowledge.

Just wondered if you would be able to advise me on what plastic primer and matt black paint you used on the coolant lid?
Such a good little idea

Thanks
Chloe


----------



## Garth

Thanks people 

The paint was just halfords own. I find this to be perfectly good, as long as the surface is prepped well you'll be able to achieve a perfect finish.


----------



## Garth

While I wait for my seats to be retrimmed (probably end of the month), I'm trying to sort a couple of niggling jobs.
First up is the squeaky rear right caliper. Not long ago, my rear left caliper seized and I replaced it with a second hand one. I got lucky and that was perfect but I didn't want to do the same again for the rear right for 2 reasons: 1) I've just painted the calipers and 2) there's no guarantee that another 2nd hand one would be ad good.

So the rear right caliper is sticking and squealing loudly. This obviously won't do so I decided to strip and rebuild it. I bought a new piston and a full set of seals:








I'm afraid I didn't take any photos during the work as it's a mucky job and I didn't fancy a phone covered in brake fluid...

So these all came out:








The seals varied in condition, some fine, some fooked!
And since everything was back together I had a fully working caliper again :grin:









Another little job done :smile:


----------



## Fight1

Nicely done Garth, those rear calipers are not the easiest job. Did you have and corrosion on the shaft out to the handbrake lever? I ended up replacing one caliper because it was to pitted. For anyone looking for a DIY search on here for rear caliper rebuild.


----------



## Garth

Fight1 said:


> Nicely done Garth, those rear calipers are not the easiest job. Did you have and corrosion on the shaft out to the handbrake lever? I ended up replacing one caliper because it was to pitted. For anyone looking for a DIY search on here for rear caliper rebuild.


Luckily for me, the only really rusty part was the piston face.

Following on from this thread:
http://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=409490

I put the retrimmed seats back in the car this morning:








The rest of the interior should be in next weekend :grin:


----------



## aaron_tt

Gorgeous seats them! Bet they feel a joy to sit in now


----------



## peter139

very nice sir. 
Ever thought to repaint the front subframe of the car?


----------



## Garth

aaron_tt said:


> Gorgeous seats them! Bet they feel a joy to sit in now


They sure do. They've got an extra layer of thin padding all over and a thicker layer of extra padding under the contact faces, so they feel extra comfy.



peter139 said:


> very nice sir.
> Ever thought to repaint the front subframe of the car?


Thanks, yes it's on the to-do list. After sorting out the paintwork, I'm hoping to clean up all the under side, remove any rust and paint everything. One step at a time though!


----------



## hang your idols

That seats looks awesome [smiley=sweetheart.gif] [smiley=iloveyou.gif]


----------



## Fight1

The seats look really good! The texture looks like the late model Volvos which are are like blend between velvet and leather. Looking forward to seeing the finished results and if you'll pick up the white stitching on the gear gaitor and handbrake.
For the suspension soda blast or have fun with electolysis. If you choose the latter remove the aluminum bushes first.
Your thread is slowly turning into a reference volume, hats off.
F


----------



## Garth

Thanks, The leather is premium nappa leather (lamb skin, not cow), which is why it is so smooth.

As I'm getting my steering wheel and gear knob done in perforated nappa leather, I thought I'd tie the door pulls in with them. The trimmer was nice enough to give me an offcut of nappa leather, so I started with some spare handles:








Not very nice are they?
Sanded them down:








Covered them in fabric to give them a bit more padding and to ensure it is nice and black and even through the holes:








Started to from in leather:








And the finished article:








Lovely :smile:

So now I have my old handles for sale, already trimmed in black leather if anyone wants them?


----------



## Garth

Old temporary door panels now replaced with the retrimmed ones.
Old and new:








A couple of people have asked how to reattach these panels as they are plastic welded on. This shows how I have remelted the original fixings:








New panel fitted:








Closeup of the handle:








And how it fits in with the seats:








One step closer to a complete interior :grin:


----------



## NoMark

Fantastic Garth. Yet more top quality work from you. The car is great, glad you didn't sell up and leave the forum.


----------



## aaron_tt

Just keeps on getting better, loving it 8)


----------



## NJW

Garth said:


> Old temporary door panels now replaced with the retrimmed ones.
> Old and new:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Great work Garth! How did you re-trim these? I've seen leather spray 'paint' on ebay, wondered of this is what you used?


----------



## specky

Just keeps getting better Garth [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## Garth

Thanks.

Read further back in the thread. I originally dyed them with a spray-on leather dye, but I've since had the whole interior retrimmed with new leather, including these panels.


----------



## Eric V.

Garth.

Looks good.

Eric V.


----------



## Garth

Picking up the rest of the interior tomorrow morning. A few nice little extra touches have been put in, which should look lovely ;-)


----------



## Tonny_B

Wow, love youre seats. Do you make them youre shelf? Or have you ordered them ?
If you make them youre shelf. How much?


----------



## Garth

Thanks. I designed the retrim on photoshop then gave my design to a local car trimmer. He deserves all the credit for actually trimming the seats.
I can put you in touch with him,, but I believe you live outside the UK?


----------



## Tonny_B

Garth said:


> Thanks. I designed the retrim on photoshop then gave my design to a local car trimmer. He deserves all the credit for actually trimming the seats.
> I can put you in touch with him,, but I believe you live outside the UK?


That would have been nice 
Yes , I live in Norway , so if he/she ship over the sea? Do you have a link ?


----------



## Garth

I'm afraid he doesn't ship or have a website.

He has asked me for any feedback and some photos once it's all on the car. I can only assume he's wanting to get a website up soon.

Here's another sneak peek at what I picked up this morning:
















































Hopefully, I'll get some of this fitted after work today :grin:


----------



## anthony_839

all look very nice mate, 

how much he charge for a steering wheel retrim?


----------



## Garth

anthony_839 said:


> all look very nice mate,
> 
> how much he charge for a steering wheel retrim?


Thanks. I have no idea I am afraid, I got a quote for all my interior as one job.


----------



## Garth

Headliner is in and looking amazing!
















The attention to detail is amazing. The silver stitching runs all around the boot opening and joins up lovely on the 3 rear panels :grin:

Better photos will be taken with a camera (not my phone) when it's light out ;-)


----------



## jamman

I like the headlining a lot looks very well done 8)


----------



## The Blue Bandit

... the whole interior oozes quality- great attention to detail as ever mate! ...
[smiley=thumbsup.gif]


----------



## Garth

Yeah, he's done a great job. The headlining looks so much better in real life too :grin:
A few more bits put in tonight:


----------



## mike225

Ive just finished reading through all of this thread and can honestley say im sooo jelouse of your knowledge of, well pretty much everyhing on this car, its all been done to a proffesional standard garth. Might start calling you ed china :wink: you've certainly made me go and purchase a few bits now. Be sad to see the post you put up saying shes now 100% finished. You're have to do another one :wink: keep the good work up fella.


----------



## mcut82

Garth said:


> Yeah, he's done a great job. The headlining looks so much better in real life too :grin:
> A few more bits put in tonight:


Really like the interior great quality! Shame they didn't come out the factory like that!


----------



## mullum

How did you fit the handbrake cover Garth ?
Did you have to remove the transmission tunnel?


----------



## gogs

Looking awesome as always Garth ;-)
A real credit to you 

Sent from my iPhone using the interweb


----------



## Garth

Thanks for the kind words guys, it's all taken a lot of time, effort and patience!


mike225 said:


> Be sad to see the post you put up saying shes now 100% finished. You're have to do another one


For all the plans I still have, it'll likely take me another year or two at the current work rate! Having said that, I am looking at an S4 estate that I'm interested in at the moment. I got a golden retriever puppy last weekend and they grow to the size of a horse. It ain't going to fit in the TT or my 5 series, so something more accommodating is a must.



mullum said:


> How did you fit the handbrake cover Garth ?
> Did you have to remove the transmission tunnel?


No need to remove much at all. There's a small torx head screw on the underside of the handle (just where your little finger would hold it) which you'll need a stubby screwdriver to remove, then the handle just slides off. You'll need to have the handbrake pulled up fully to do this.


----------



## YELLOW_TT

Garth said:


> mullum said:
> 
> 
> 
> How did you fit the handbrake cover Garth ?
> Did you have to remove the transmission tunnel?
> 
> 
> 
> No need to remove much at all. There's a small torx head screw on the underside of the handle (just where your little finger would hold it) which you'll need a stubby screwdriver to remove, then the handle just slides off. You'll need to have the handbrake pulled up fully to do this.
Click to expand...

i dont think the later Tts have the torx screw the handbrake lever just pulls off


----------



## Garth

YELLOW_TT said:


> Garth said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> mullum said:
> 
> 
> 
> How did you fit the handbrake cover Garth ?
> Did you have to remove the transmission tunnel?
> 
> 
> 
> No need to remove much at all. There's a small torx head screw on the underside of the handle (just where your little finger would hold it) which you'll need a stubby screwdriver to remove, then the handle just slides off. You'll need to have the handbrake pulled up fully to do this.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> i dont think the later Tts have the torx screw the handbrake lever just pulls off
Click to expand...

Are you sure? Mine was a 2001 and has it but the replacement that got trimmed was off a 2004 TT and still has it.
Maybe the OEM leather handles don't have them but all the plastic ones do.


----------



## mullum

But essentially, whatever year MK1 you have - there should be no need to remove the transmission tunnel/trim to remove the handbrake cover ?
I have a cover being skinned atm and hadn't considered what was involved (or if there might have been variations of the cover based on year).


----------



## Garth

mullum said:


> But essentially, whatever year MK1 you have - there should be no need to remove the transmission tunnel/trim to remove the handbrake cover ?
> I have a cover being skinned atm and hadn't considered what was involved (or if there might have been variations of the cover based on year).


Depends on how tight your handbrake is. If you have less than a couple of inches travel on your handbrake handle, you might find it a little tight. The first time I did this, I removed the tunnel. After I saw how it all went together, it was simple and just slid off. I JUST had enough room to slide it off without hitting the gear surround. If your handbrake is really tight, you might not.


----------



## mullum

Ok cheers Garth, if its not too much info to type - where are the points for removing the tunnel ?
Or is that a nightmare ?


----------



## Garth

Not too bad, just time consuming. There are 2 screws under the rear flap then 4 on each knee triangle. You'll then need to remove all the gear gaitor screws and there's 1 under the flap under the hand brake handle. The buttons in the sliding centre console cubby need removing.
After all this, you may find that you have to remove the lower dash centre pieces and the ash tray to gain enough clearance to remove the tunnel. Have a look back through my restored thread as there is a photo of my car early on showing what was removed.

I would keep your fingers crossed the handle will come off with removing the tunnel!


----------



## mullum

Ahh cool, I understand all of that as I've removed everything you listed there - minus the tunnel itself. As I thought, a whole tonne of other bits just to get to another !
Not too bad as you say though, just time consuming ..


----------



## YELLOW_TT

mullum said:


> But essentially, whatever year MK1 you have - there should be no need to remove the transmission tunnel/trim to remove the handbrake cover ?
> I have a cover being skinned atm and hadn't considered what was involved (or if there might have been variations of the cover based on year).


There should be no need to remove the tunnel to change the handbrake cover you can just remove the small trim in front of the handbrake it should just leave out from the front
Changed mine a number of times just removing the trim


----------



## mullum

Ahh that should make it easy cheers


----------



## mcut82

YELLOW_TT said:


> mullum said:
> 
> 
> 
> But essentially, whatever year MK1 you have - there should be no need to remove the transmission tunnel/trim to remove the handbrake cover ?
> I have a cover being skinned atm and hadn't considered what was involved (or if there might have been variations of the cover based on year).
> 
> 
> 
> There should be no need to remove the tunnel to change the handbrake cover you can just remove the small trim in front of the handbrake it should just leave out from the front
> Changed mine a number of times just removing the trim
Click to expand...

This is the way I did mine too. My original OEM plastic cover had the grub screw. The OEM alcantara one doesn't have a screw and slips on. Have to be care not to loose the silver button, as it can fly off.


----------



## John-Boy

Wow! Such an amazing restoration. This has taken a few hours of just reading and researching it! Well done


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## Garth

Thank you 
Well some good progress on the maintenance front today.
And a small confession...
My power steering fluid has been leaking a little lately, so investigation lead to this...








Nice, rusty and porous! Once that was replaced, the brake fluid was changed and the whole system bled. The haldex oil was replaced, as was the gearbox oil.
And the confession.....

I did none of it :grin:
I got Andy Turner to do it all. He's the only man that is allowed to touch the TT, apart from me! I won't tell you how much all that cost, but it all came to less than Audi would charge for that pipe alone ;-)
I supplied only the Haldex oil too.

Tomorrow I pick up another pile of seemingly insignificant plastic trim pieces from Audi, which will no doubt cost as much as a house!


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## mullum

Why the pieces of trim ? Missing ? Broken ? Poor condition ?


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## Garth

I'm now on the lookout for a slightly ropey B7 S4 Avant as another project. I need more space than the TT or the 5 series have. You see two weeks ago, my son got a new best friend and these things grow into horses!


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## mike225

Aaaaaw thats cute.


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## martyk

i bought a B7 S4 avant last november, nice car but not a drivers car. too big and too fast for these roads. ok, great for lugging the family, but just not nimble enough for what i like...
also the consumption is terrible. in the 6 months i had it i never managed a single tank-average over 18mpg. £75 of super gone in 5 trips to/from work. gulp...thats 200-210 miles per £75...and i didnt belt it very much at all.

good luck.


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## hang your idols

You should forget about B7 like family car,the space is too small,5 series has more space than B7;look after A6 with 3,0tdi 240bhp,it`s fast,plenty of room and some fuel economy :wink:


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## Garth

mullum said:


> Why the pieces of trim ? Missing ? Broken ? Poor condition ?


 Just little screw caps that have been lost or damaged over the years plus fastenings that have broken when refitting the interior. I hate the last finishing touches not being there. Only cost £27 (for literally a handful of plastic!) Inn the end.



martyk said:


> i bought a B7 S4 avant last november, nice car but not a drivers car. too big and too fast for these roads. ok, great for lugging the family, but just not nimble enough for what i like...
> also the consumption is terrible. in the 6 months i had it i never managed a single tank-average over 18mpg. £75 of super gone in 5 trips to/from work. gulp...thats 200-210 miles per £75...and i didnt belt it very much at all.
> 
> good luck.


You're right, looking in to it, the handling isn't that great and economy is turd... So i'm going to look at this tomorrow instead:
http://usedcars.m.audi.co.uk/vehicle.aspx?wflw=se_nm_ve_vi&ctr=443799&vhl=604066324&srcmdc=se_nm_re_
Obviously not as a project, but something not to mess with :-D


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## Garth

The TTs stable mate arrived tonight. Looks like I'm going to be spending less on the TT :grin:


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## mullum

Congrats Garth !


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## ExAudiSi

Nice choice Garth.

I'm off to buy some shares in Shell..... :lol: :lol:


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## Garth

Managed to get a small job done today. I got my retrimmed knee pads and door pockets back from SG yesterday, so today I fitted them.

Door panel before:









and after:









Really pleased with these


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## Garth

Back in the car now. The interior is finished for now. I have a couple more changes to make but it'll be December before they're done ;-)
Here is how it stands now (in real need of a clean mind!)...


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## Garth

Well, after some evidence of leaking injectors, I tracked down the problem to the plastic manifold inserts:








So I replaced them all with new ones.
Old and new:








I forgot to take a photo of the cleaned up manifold, so I'll do this in the next few days.

Yesterday I had the car serviced and the turbo all cleaned up and the seals refreshed. The car is driving superbly now with no outstanding issues 

So then, it's on to new things now. I have no time to spend on the TT any more and I don't want to drive it in to the ground on the M62 every day. With that in mind, I'm on the lookout for a small, sensible, economical car to drive to work and will keep the S4 for family and spirited driving work ;-)

I know a few people have expressed an interest before so if anyone is interested, drop me a line. The for sale thread will appear in the for sale section soon, along with final updated photos.


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## Trouble4

Garth said:


> Thanks for the kind words guys. i wasn't sure how much enthusiasm there would be for a thread without big turbos or lots of mods. I am taking LOADS of photos as I do stuff so I will post more in the future as I was restricting myself for fear of readers getting bored!
> 
> I have a few mods lined up already and a few done (Apex springs, remap, Forge DV, quattro Sport wheels) but the majority of this thread will be about fixing/renewing/replacing to bring the car back up to showroom condition. I deliberatly bought one with loads wrong with it so I had more excuses to do work on it


into BLINGYYYYYYYYYY stuff    8)


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## NoMark

So you sorted the turbo then Garth?

Someone is going to get a very unique TT in excellent condition.


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## Garth

NoMark said:


> So you sorted the turbo then Garth?
> 
> Someone is going to get a very unique TT in excellent condition.


Thank you, I have indeed  It was simply the seal that was leaking so it was an easy fix yesterday for the garage.

I'd like to think it'll go to an enthusiast who will take it a little further, without spoiling it of course


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## hang your idols

How many miles you have done with this car in 2years?


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## Garth

hang your idols said:


> How many miles you have done with this car in 2years?


7000 miles and around £10k spent I think including the car. Cheap motoring it has not been... I've enjoyed it though :grin:


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## merlin c

Garth said:


> I'm now on the lookout for a slightly ropey B7 S4 Avant as another project. I need more space than the TT or the 5 series have. You see two weeks ago, my son got a new best friend and these things grow into horses!


If it does grow into a horse it will make 'Marley and me' look like a walk in the park!!!  fantastic picture Garth... aaaawwwww [smiley=sweetheart.gif]


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## Skid Mark

Spent more or less all evening reading this thread, dunno how you can even think about selling after all the work that's gone into it

Awesome job you've done (love the colour btw)


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## common fault

Just finished reading this thread from 1 page till 65th. OMG, well done to you, Garth! What a transformation you did!! Amazing!!!


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## ryanm8655

Amazing. But you are definitely crazy :lol:

Serious skills and determinnation.

Very impressive.


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## Garth

Although I really liked my purple headlight inserts, they only really looked good in bright sunlight. Since that doesn't happen much round here, the dark headlights were making the car look a little dated in my opinion. The solution was to get another pair of inserts and spray them satin graphite grey metallic. I wanted clear corners but because the indicator is dark behind them, they don't look much different to the tinted corners I already had. I decided to make my own and sprayed them in translucent shimmer silver  The orange light shines through much better than with the tinted lenses and I think the whole looks is far more modern than before.
So, photos then:
Before and after:








On the car:

















So that is it now, I really can't spend any more time or money on this car. I have already bought it's replacement - a BMW 320d. Much slower, but needs must and a more family friendly car was a necessity :sad:

So this is up for sale in the for sale section at £4,500 ono. This must be sold in Jan so I can pay off the credit card I used for a deposit on the beemer. Sad times, but hopefully someone will get the benefit of all my hard work.


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## gogs

I've said it before Garth and I'll say it again, thus thread is awesome, the work you've done on the car is emense, it must be like a new car by now 

Is there absolutely no way you can hold on to her ?

Sent from my iPhone using the interweb


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## Garth

Thanks mate :smile:
I'm afraid there is now no way I can keep the TT. Back when my wife was working and I had more disposable cash, it was different but now there's only one income, I have to be sensible for a couple of years.


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## NoMark

Hi Garth.

Did you resolve the stolen car issue?


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## Garth

NoMark said:


> Hi Garth.
> 
> Did you resolve the stolen car issue?


Not quite, I'm still arguing with the insurance co. over the value of the S4. They have agreed to pay out, just not enough... yet. They were supposed to call me yesterday but didn't bother :evil:
This is why I needed to replace the TT quickly as this situation could drag on for some time


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## NoMark

That stinks mate. Insurance companies are no better than licenced thieves! I hear nothing but horror stories from people who have the misfortune to have to claim.

I feel for you mate, hope you manage to get it sorted to your satisfaction.

Wish I was in the market for a TT, I'd buy yours without a moments hesitation. Someone is going to get themselves a very nice car at a great price.


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## gogs

Someone is going to get themselves a very nice car at a great price.[/quote]

Agreed ;-)

Sent from my iPhone using the interweb


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## roddy

:wink: someone is going to get themselves a very good car :wink:


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## outdoor stevie

Hi Garth , if your car is for sale can you contact me as I am looking at the moment, as a newby I cannot access the for sale section and also cannot send any pm but I can receive them so I have not seen your ad so please do call or text or contact me in some way

Cheers Stevie

0791 997 5346


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## Garth

Today I took a deposit on the TT. Just a couple of quick jobs to finish, then put it through it's MOT this week and then it goes to it's new owner. Final photos to follow as it is now to end this thread properly. The new owner should be very happy with it and hopefully look after it for some time to come :smile:


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## NoMark

Garth said:


> Today I took a deposit on the TT. Just a couple of quick jobs to finish, then put it through it's MOT this week and then it goes to it's new owner. Final photos to follow as it is now to end this thread properly. The new owner should be very happy with it and hopefully look after it for some time to come :smile:


Great news Garth (especially for the new owner :wink: )


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## gogs

Congrats on the sale Garth, someone will get a very sorted car ;-)

The end of an era :-(

Sent from my iPhone using the interweb


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## SteviedTT

Someone has just bought themselves a right bargain. Without doubt THE nicest, most sorted TT on here. I hope they appreciate and look after her.


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## euphoria

Just been thru this whole thread, a great sorted TT!


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## Garth

Thanks fellas.
As the car goes to it's new owner tomorrow, I just finished off the last couple of outstanding jobs...
First off, since I retrimmed the centre console, I've been without a head unit surround to cover the gaps and screws on either side. I have an OSIR S-frame but since the retrim, it no longer fits. I thought I would use that as a template and made a copy in plywood to fit:








I then trimmed this with leather








And fitted









Next up was the roof rails. These have had corrosion since I bought the car and I have had replacements sitting in my office for about a year! I finally got round to prepping and painting them this week.
Some of the corrosion:









New one all painted with rubber seals refitted, next to an old one:








Kids toys get everywhere :roll:

The car sailed through it's MOT on Monday with no advisories. A nice fitting end to my ownership. All that remains now is a wash and vac in the morning, then I can take final photos before saying goodbye.
I'm sure the new owner will be on here soon enough to carry on with the car :smile:


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## jamman

The new owner is getting a great car Garth good work as alway mate


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## Garth

Thanks pal.

That's it then, I gave the car it's final wash this morning

































































I loaded up the boot with receipts and spares









And then here it is with the replacement beside it (driven by the lovely Mrs Garth)









And there marks the end of my TT ownership, it's been fun.


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## NoMark

End of an era [smiley=bigcry.gif]


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## Sean-f

I was lucky enough to see this car in the flesh last night at the north east meet and it truly is a great car and a credit to you Garth the new owner us a very lucky/happy man

Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk


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## Stueyturn

Sean-f said:


> I was lucky enough to see this car in the flesh last night at the north east meet and it truly is a great car and a credit to you Garth the new owner us a very lucky/happy man
> 
> Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk


+1

Very clean example, loved the interior!


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## New2AudiTT

NoMark said:


> End of an era [smiley=bigcry.gif]


This was an epic journey.

I wish I lived in UK, I would have snapped this beauty.

All the best Garth with the new motors. You're a legend mate


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## Stochman

Hope the new owner appreciates the love, sweat and tears that's gone into your car Garth. The interior looks stunning by the way.


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## silkman

Greatest thread ever in the ttf 

Cheers Garth and thanks for this epic journey.


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## jamiemcc

some serious attention to detail here mate,,completely amazing


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## Paulj100

Why is this thread not in the build section? It's got to be the best build thread ever! Pact full of information and how too's

Paul


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## fixitagaintomoz

Well Garth. Thank you. I spent all last night and this morning reading the entire thread! Your attention to detail is second to none. If you do embark on another project kindly post the link on here so we can all see your efforts repeated on another car.

I absolutely love the end result- a lot of people on here have tried to go OEM+, but as far as I am concerned this is the true meaning of the phrase!

This car also leaves scope for the new owner to fettle under the hood, an exciting prospect.

I'm gutted that I've just completed the best read ever, and nothing will compare!

Could I be a cheeky so and so? You previously linked to a dry spray on adhesive suitable for alcantra fabric. Could you be so kind as to re-list an up to date listing? as this is on my list but I have never found the right glue in previous projects, leading to the fabric coming lose!

Thanks again for an epic read!!!


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## xtetx

the effort, and detail gone in to this car is awesome mate! whoever the new owner is must be chuffed


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## jhoneyman

Its a shame lots of the photos are now gone


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## CanadianTTFandom

Best forum posts of all time (any topic any forum), Garth you are a legend.

Good luck on your next project, please share any links internal or external where your projects can be followed

From the great white north (well its summer here now, but you get the point)
Cheers
Marc


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## huggy1

Garth said:


> No problem, happy to help
> 
> I bought my sound deadening mat about two years ago when I had a mk5 GTI, so the prices have gone up a lot since then. The closest thing I can find after a quick search is this:
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4m-x-1m-C...7?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item3a6cb3fd27
> Bear in mind that I have seen a lot of people on other forums using tar based roofing flash band on the grounds that "it's the same as dynamat"... it isn't! It will start to come away when it gets hot and it STINKS!
> 
> Good luck


Garth,

great post... one thing i find really annoying is the noise form the rear wheel arches... often mistaken for wind noise but I am sure a lot is from wheel arch.
did you notice a dramatic improvement putting soundproofing into the side panels /


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## audakias

Great Thread... I couldn't stop reading! I stopped in page 47 and I continue tomorrow! 

PS: Do you have the old wheels? (I cheated and I saw a couple of pages in the end!) :mrgreen:


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## SamVNH

This thread is insane... Just read the whole thing, like a book you can't put down! Incredible to see the amount of work and time put into this TT. I just have one issue, I now want to go outside and check every single bolt and screw on mine and replace with a shinier, cleaner, newer one...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## tt8nmanc

WOW, ive spent a whole evening reading through this great thread. Thanks for all the great info and photos, the car looked amazing by the end, great work.

I pick up my TT in 1 hour, this has inspired me to get my arse in gear as soon as i get it, and i'm sure i'll have lots of questions for you all.


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## cicco

Amazing Thread, took me ages to get through it all but the attention to detail is fantastic and kept me reading. strong work


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## Ash87

Such a bloody good thread. It me a long time to read it, but was a great read.


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## black9146

Just spent the last few nights reading this awesome build. Well done, has given me inspiration for when I get mine, shame a lot of the photos have gone but there were plenty of other photos to make up for it. Where did this car end up ? did someone on the forum buy it ? Great work again.


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## marsiz202

Only a quarter of the way through! Garth this is amazing! May have to stay up late and read the whole thing!


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## Larken93

Well I'm truly inspired I've just spent my entire night shift reading this entire build and your eye to detail is incredible had you been selling it now I would of snapped it up I hope it ends up back on here with its next owner!


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## Manchesturk

Hi Garth, all i can say is WOW i've spent all night reading it while the littlen decides not to sleep  really enjoyed reading the whole thing, i will certainly use some of your ideas in the future, feel blessed and inspired.. big respect to hard work and jealous whoever is driving this beauty :lol:


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## Sycove

Fantastic thread, thanks very much for all the effort taken and sharing with us. Hopefully I'll start my own soon but doubt it will be anywhere close to this


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## TTSingh

Amazing build mate 8)


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## Jackieb

Brilliant perfectionist


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## Garth

I haven't looked here in quite a while and didn't realise there were that many kind words posted since. Thank you all for the responses (if you're still on this site that is)

Well, it's been a while since my S4 was stolen and I sold the TT, in that time, I've had two 320d's (a saloon and a touring), which I've just sold to replace them with a 325d coupe and... an old, worn B6 S4 avant. Some of you may remember I was going to buy one before I bought my B8 S4 but didn't in the end. So on Thursday, I'll be picking the new car up and can only see this going one way... prepare for another restoration project


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## mullum

Hi Garth, good to hear from you


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## corradoman

Hey garth, looking forward to one of your epic projects 8)


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## VdoubleU

Lovely car. Very lucky new owner!


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## Rikochet

Just read a good chunk of this thread and it was an awesome introduction to the forum! Can't wait to get my hands on a TT now


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## X5TUU

Another Resto thread ... cant wait ... going to have to go some way to equal the TT though


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## BurtonCockburn

Apologies... I think I buggered up the thread with a long quote and no new text.

What I was hoping to say was...

1. Is it possible to re-colour the interior plastic?
2. Will you reupholster your seats? If so, any suggestions on a good place to have this done?
3. Is it possible to buy new carpet for a Mk1? I haven't found anywhere on the web yet.

Hope this goes into the thread better. I'll be following your thread closely!


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## Garth

BurtonCockburn said:


> 1. Is it possible to re-colour the interior plastic?


Yes, you can get various sprays for painting plastics, a quick search on ebay should highlight a few, and I'm sure Halfords even sell some. My advice would always be to try to replace with original in the correct colour, or upholster with leather, rather than spraying though as any paint can be scratched/chipped.



BurtonCockburn said:


> 2. Will you reupholster your seats? If so, any suggestions on a good place to have this done?


Yes, I'm planning to retrim my seats. I've spent my down time learned the trade and have invested in an industrial sewing machine  I do a nice line in retrimmed steering wheels now, so it may be something I offer as a service if anyone requires it.
If you're looking for somewhere that does retrims, in Leeds there's SG Styling. Steve retrimmed the TT and did a great job for a very reasonable price too.



BurtonCockburn said:


> 3. Is it possible to buy new carpet for a Mk1? I haven't found anywhere on the web yet.


You can, although a new one from Audi will be pricey. You can get them from breakers yards or have one custome made. Do a search for retrimmers and coachworks and you should come across companies that do it. Be warned though, a custom made carpet can be expensive



BurtonCockburn said:


> Hope this goes into the thread better. I'll be following your thread closely!


Thank you, I'll put a new thread in the non-TT section and link to it soon


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## Garth

Well, I've started on the new project:
http://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=956818&p=5628522#p5628522


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## BurtonCockburn

Top banana...! Thanks for the info. I'm not too worried about cost, I'm aiming for first class. I wanted one of these beasts when they first came out but never got 'round to it. Now, however, I'm going to restore this one as close to a new car as is possible as a legacy piece that my kids will find in the garage in 50 years and sell it for millions!


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## C_Fezza

Garth said:


> The inserts came out nice once polished up. I'm also pleased with the tinted corners.


Amazing project. Think I've read every single page by now!
Just wondering, are these indicator strips spray tinted, vinyl tinted or a complete replacement???

Sorry if you've been asked this before!

Thanks 
Connor


----------



## Garth

Hi there, 
The indicators were sprayed with E-Tech tail light tinting spray.

Well all, my brother has just purchased a 2003 TT coupe and has some plans for it, so my attention will be going to his project. Expect some re trimming and general tidy ups first, which I'll post up on here soon. I'm not sure if I'll be able to convince him to put in all the work I did to mine, but I'm hoping 

My own modifying has had to take a back seat due to the funding my autistic son needs for ABA therapy. Sadly this is more than I could ever afford on my own, so I'm asking for any help I can get:
http://gogetfunding.com/aba-for-ben

And if anyone fancies a lovely B6 S4 Avant, mine will be up for sale at around £7000:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=956818

Here's looking forward to another TT project


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## Garth

Slight change of plan here. I sold my BMW today to fund my sons therapy 
That leaves me without a daily and my brother being the generous guy he is has given me the TT. 
Obviously I can't just take a free car from him, so I plan to do it up and give it back to him in a year or so. 
I should be picking it up later on in the week, so look out for Garth's 2nd TT restoration project thread 

The S4 is still up for sale too, £6k will take it as I need to replace it with a cheap diesel for my wife 

http://gogetfunding.com/aba-for-ben/


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## dillinja

hi garth, loving the whole restoration journey.. can i have the details of the guy who done your retrim please? lovely work


----------



## YELLOW_TT

dillinja said:


> hi garth, loving the whole restoration journey.. can i have the details of the guy who done your retrim please? lovely work


Garth did his own retrims and did a few bits for people on here but unfortunately e no longer visits the site


----------



## auspicious_character

Outdoor Stevie should give this thread some follow up.

There hasn't been enough merlin purple around here lately.


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## fesalinas

Garth, I am changing the LED's on my 2000 TT Quattro Mk1 to blue. Can you tell me how I can save time finding the correct polarity for each led on the board. There are no markinkings. Or, how I can run power to the Instrument panel LED's so I can test on the bench and not having to make repeated trips out to the car? Thanks


----------



## outdoor stevie

Hi fesalinas, welcome to the forum, Garth hasn't been on here for a year or two so if you want info on bulbs then best to start a new topic and then you'll get input ok.

Stevie


----------



## Nikon

Phew, just got to the end

amazing - well done Garth - you are very talented - but you must love the work to have got through it

I'm a Newbie, still looking to buy a TT and you thread has helped my tremendously

Thank you

12 June 2018 ......... yes I'm sure people will keep referring to your thread for guidance and advice


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## SC0TTRS

Love Gareth's attention to detail 

Read both his restoration projects and he's a talented guy, a credit to the forum 8)

Hopefully he'll get another mk1 TT to strip and re-build 

3rd time lucky! 8)


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## Allspeed

...


----------



## Garth

Wow, first time I have logged on in years so I didn't even realise people still looked at my old threads. Glad they have helped a few people out and been a reference for others 

I've been out of the modifying game for a quite a while now, but just got back in to it again. I'm not doing another mk1 TT though, been there and couldn't face doing it again knowing how much went in to the first two.

If anyone sent me a private message in the last fgew years, I'm afraid I didn't read it. Notifications were going to my old email address (that I no longer use). I just emptied my inbox as there were 21 pages of unread messages and I just don't have the time to read all of them.


----------

