BadlandZ B5 Project

[Coopa]

I've got a feeling it will be well worth the wait. Trimming the inner fender and wiring harness are no biggie. I think that when I splice the harness I should have extra wiring from the stock headlight fogs. New fogs of somekind should be a breeze to put into the lower grill.. hmm

[badlandz]

New fogs of somekind should be a breeze to put into the lower grill.. hmm

http://azeuropeans.com/Forums/viewto...186.html#30186 I guess I could do something cool with that extra button? I'd like nice wide low beams like the 2 piece provide, not sure what to put where without looking weird.

[Coopa]

I think you need a log in to see that page you linked. Hid in facelift lights might make up for the wideness of the beam in the preface if you're looking to go that route.

Maybe worth a click: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2460439 Usually when i hear led's I think they are pretty rice IMO..
However, the way this was done^ Looks sharp and clean. Pretty low cost to do it too.

[badlandz]

Ok, I'm calling this "shades of grey" because I'm not sure what I'm doing is changing much, how much, better or worse, it's just different. No black and white good/bad, just shades of grey (or, silver?).

There are 2 ways to look at this, I just spent a ton on my B5, or I've abandon it? I'm going with "it's just a big mod" point of view, although I can see how someone might say "it's not the same" but to me, it's still "my B5" just... totally different.

Anyway, power steering fluid ended up in my break lines, long long long story. Short version is, power steering started leaking like a quart a week, and I went to Germany for 5 weeks, and when I got back it happened. (something to do with a chick, long story) Anyway, the lines swelled up, it locked up, and I was quoted $1200 to replace the lines, master cylinder, and calipers to get it all out and right again. So, I started shopping for a "parts car" because I thought it might be cheaper. After spending a month shopping CraigsList from El Paso Texas to all of Southern California, I found a couple with dead transmissions for under $1k, but one car for $3000 that looked pretty good. It was $4k, then the price fell, and fell, and he wanted to sell it, so I went and looked, and gave $2600 cash for it.





The body is good, it's got the 2.8 engine like my old one, but it's a 1998, so it's not a 12v, it's a 30v!

So, I'm going to go with the new body, cleaner, less dings. And so many better things that I can't easily swap over to the old one. Like the silver paint better. Dash is in better shape. Nice shifter knob. Black leather interior in good shape. AC is working. No transmission tick in 1st gear. It's already got a 2" drop. Switchblade key with working remote (old one had normal key). Just a lot of nicer stuff.

Side by side:


So as you can see, it sits lower. But that stock exhaust has to come off. I checked the layout, my custom 3" cat back exhaust will bolt right up, doing that tomorrow to shed about 100 pounds or more. Already swapped the B6 wheels over.



Tomorrow, I pull the headlight and tail light bulbs for the silver one (shades of gray), all my LEDs, the stereo, and any other mods I did I remember about and put them on the 1998.

So, I'm not seeing this as a "new used car." Instead, I'm seeing a 12v to 30v swap, sliver paint, 2" drop, A/C fix, and cloth to leather interior upgrade for $2600. :-)

Big question is, should I paint the EuroSpec 1996 trunk lid silver and swap that too? I don't know if I like the look, it's not as clean. I know it's cool, but, is it SO cool that I want to mess with it?

ToDo List now other than transferring my mods has tint the windows, clear (rather than amber) side marker lights, headlights, ECU chip, and ... ? Suggestions?