BlackS4TT(Josh)
12-17-2009, 02:57 PM
In July 2008, I picked up a B5 S4 rolling chassis from a friend whose timing belt snapped (engine toast). My friend had already begun parting the car, so it was missing quite a few important parts. I fantasized about one day dropping a nice motor in it and making it a dedicated track car, but I imagined this project coming to fruition far in the future. I knew the car would need a lot of work, a lot of time, and many parts to get it on the road, especially since it was originally a tiptronic. The car sat under a cover for months, while I put spreadsheets together and compiled wish lists of performance parts. I would work on the car where I could find time, but it was always small tasks - mostly pulling interior parts that I wouldn't be using.
When I joined the B5 S4 community in 2003 with my black S4, I read and heard countless praises of a guy called "piggie." I had never dealt with him myself, but due to his reputation on the discussion forums, I started buying a few parts from him. When it came time for KO4s on my black car, I pulled my motor and I really saw what the hype was about with Vast. Mike and Prince bent over backwards to help me get my car back on the road quickly, and this was in the middle of the holiday season. Over the next few years, Mike and I became good friends, though it was all over the phone. When I bought the blue S4 chassis, I was excited to talk to Mike about what I could turn this car into one day. We'd BS about it every once in a while, but that was as far as it went.
In Spring 2008, Mike and I started playing with the idea of building this car together. I thought this would be ridiculously bad ass, but living 1200 miles apart, I didn't think it was a possibility. I told Mike that I had a few weeks off in the upcoming summer, and within a couple weeks, Mike sent a closed trailer transport to pick up the car! He explained that he'd gathered all the parts I needed, and holy shit, this is happening! Mike offered me a room in his home, and I booked my flight!
I arrived in MI, and I finally met Mike! It was really cool to put a face to the voice. Over the next day and a half, Mike and I went back and forth discussing plans for this build. We would decide on one thing, change to another, and then another. I wanted something with a lot of power, yet something drivable on a road course. I enjoy racing the ¼ mile, but I did not want this to be a dedicated ¼ mile car. We considered a GT turbo setup, but I did not want the lag associated with that. We came to a conclusion: 3.0L with RS6 Hybrids.
Once our decision was made, we got to work quickly. We needed to finish the car fast enough to get some miles on it before my 1200 mile drive home. Mike took the week "off" to dedicate his time to building this car. We worked 15-hour days for 7 days straight, and one 23-hour work day (that was crazy). The shop was our home, and frozen meals and coffee kept us moving.
I've done my own work on this car for 5 years, so I like to think that I know the B5 S4 very well. I feel like I've replaced every damn part on my black car, and I work on many local S4's too. But, let me tell you... working next to Piggie made me look like a complete novice. The guy can build a motor from the ground up in his sleep, and he really knows the B5 S4 like the back of his hand. It's really incredible. As much as this build was about having fun, I also wanted it to be a great learning experience. This was my first time really tearing into motor internals, and therefore my first time building a motor from a bare block. Mike did most of the really critical steps of the assembly work, as I looked on, because we didn't have any time for mistakes. He would teach me as he was building, and then I would give it a go. Building the heads is a lot more tedious than I ever expected. I'd have to say the worst part of the entire build was CLEANING parts; it was just time consuming and unsatisfying. I'll let the pictures (the few that I took) do the rest of the talking for the build process.
On one day of the week, we left the shop at about 6AM. We wanted to get the motor in the car before the sun came up, but after 23 hours, we called it a night. I slept till about noon, and I woke up and Mike was gone... So I get to the shop, and... the motor is in the car. WTF, this guy is a monster! As if he weren't doing enough for me already...
We finished up the car in the next few days, and I drove a bunch of errands with Prince, to break the motor in. After several hundred miles, we started logging the car and experimenting with fuel setups. The car was still running stock catback exhaust, stock wheels, etc., because I had parts at home that I was going to swap on later. After the first software revision, the car was running low 2.5X sec FATS on pump gas, with Mike and I in the car! The car felt absolutely ridiculous... I was grinning ear to ear for at least half an hour. It would break the tires in 2nd gear on the on-ramps. The car felt significantly faster than my black car, which is a KO4 hybrid car, and this was so foreign to me.
My dad had scheduled a flight to MI at the beginning of the next week, so he could make the drive back to FL with me. I took him for a ride in the car and he says "thanks, can I get my stomach out of the back seat?" hahaha! We had done a little chatting and a tour at the shop, and then we were on the road for our 1200 mile trip home. The scenery on the way home was beautiful, as I'm used to flat, boring FL. I liked Kentucky and Tennessee especially. The trip went flawlessly, and we didn't have a single issue with the car. This really impressed my dad... maybe because he'd seen how much work I put into the black car over the past few years ;)
I haven't yet mentioned the other guys at the shop, but they were a huge part of this, and none of this would have been possible without them.
James: Mike's father. James would come into the shop after working his day job and he would hand-make parts, organize the shop, etc. He does really excellent, really precise work. It was very cool to see the handmade phenolic spacers in progress. I had broken a piece inside my gauge cluster, and James came to the rescue for me. Thanks James!
Gil: Gil was taking care of all the customer cars while I was there. He maintained the shop's flow of cars, performing all the maintenance and mods, etc. I tried not to bother him too much, but he was always very generous and willing to help when I needed him. I borrowed a few of his bad ass tools occasionally. Borrowing his special pressure tester inspired me to build my own just like it when I got home :) Thanks Gil!
Kurt: Kurt had stopped by for a couple nights to see how the project was coming along. He's an extremely kind guy, yet he's the guy you don't want to piss off. His enthusiasm and excitement for this stuff is truly amazing. It gave us that extra boost and really woke us up on those long nights. He helped me with the heads, and he was really the man in charge of the interior. He wasn't afraid to rip shit out of the car, and really tear into the wiring harnesses. I'll be honest; it scared the hell out of me. But in the end, he did an awesome job, and there's no way I would've torn into the car like that on my own. Thanks Kurt!!
Prince: The multi-tasking KING. He is really the glue that holds things together at VAST. If we needed parts, machining, no matter what it was, Prince would make it happen fast, and still run the normal show. He is great at what he does, and he really works hard. I'd certainly have had a heart attack by now if I were him. I'm pretty sure he has at least 4 phones on him at all times. He's a hell of character too, loves to mess with people, and great sense of humor. Thanks for everything Prince!
Mike: There's just too much I could say about Mike... he can't be put into words. It was awesome to finally meet him, and truly an honor to build a car with him. He's a genuinely great guy. Kind, generous, trustworthy. He's brilliant, and passionate for what he does. He made this all happen for me, and I could never thank him enough. To invite me into his home and to make this project a reality just hint at the extent of his character.
The only regret I have in all of this is that I didn't take more pictures. We were building so quickly, I just didn't pick up the camera often enough. Also, the reason I've waited 6 months to post about this project is because I wanted to get some action shots of the car doing what it was built to do. It was just last month that I finally had an opportunity to do a little track event. Still haven't drag raced it, but I will get some quarter mile times this Spring!
Having spent a week at VAST, it really can't be put into words what these guys do every day to keep the place flowing, and keep customers happy. You really have to see it all for yourself. I'll just say I have a new appreciation for these guys and what they do.
This trip/build was truly an experience of a lifetime. I had an absolute blast, I learned so much, and we made memories I will never forget. We built a motor from the ground up, and had the car on a 1200 mile road trip in 1 week! Still crazy to me! HUGE thanks to everyone at VAST for making this happen! You guys are really an awesome bunch, and it was really great spending a week with all of you. Also, huge thanks to Mike's wife. She didn't get to see Mike at all that week, and she was awesome about it. And man, she can bake like no other!
The car is really all I hoped it would be, and more. It's powerful, consistent, smooth, and no more lag than a KO4 car. All the factory on-board-diagnostics are fully intact, and it doesn't even have a CEL! How crazy is that for a dedicated track car?! It was an absolute blast to drive in the road course, and, again, I can't thank the guys at VAST enough!
Here are the final mods/specs/info on the car, and pictures:
-Removed radio, A/C, rear seats, and sunroof
82.5 MM CP Pistons
Rosten Rods
3.0L Crank
Bored 2.7L Block
2.8L ATQ Heads
2.8L Intake Cams
RS4 Headgaskets
Supertech Intake valves, exhaust valves, springs, titanium retainers
VAST Ported OE exhaust manifolds
RS6 Hybrid turbos with 59mm Compressor wheel and clipped turbine
Vast Inlets
Vast Fueling Kit
Vast Intake mani port matched to 2.8 Heads
Vast WMI
Stern Soft Engine Mounts
034 Track Transmission Mounts
AWE Intercooler Kit
Vast 3" custom downpipes
JHM Solid front half shafts (no friction welds)
Vast rebuilt transmission
Vast EFK
Vast Stage 5 Clutch
Vast LWFW
Autometer Gauge
Sparco Pro2000
OEM Ballasts and Bulbs
New OE Radiator
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/2cddc4d0.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/5abdab12.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/d9210200.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/328ae735.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/9f759aa6.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/3a061766.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/a727823b.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/79685182.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/abcc586a.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/6395f1e9.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/c787e76f.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/aa244b40.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/ffbb28f6.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/7263869e.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/045f7a7d.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/00e38640.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/7ea06018.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/1d434bfb.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/9a30c1c2.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/efdc644b.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/d7dbb754.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/462e297f.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/74e73a91.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/124d84fd.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/1717d060.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/ab451af7.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/acf3ab44.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/a77e18c0.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/5ef1faa1.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/a17002ac.jpg
When I joined the B5 S4 community in 2003 with my black S4, I read and heard countless praises of a guy called "piggie." I had never dealt with him myself, but due to his reputation on the discussion forums, I started buying a few parts from him. When it came time for KO4s on my black car, I pulled my motor and I really saw what the hype was about with Vast. Mike and Prince bent over backwards to help me get my car back on the road quickly, and this was in the middle of the holiday season. Over the next few years, Mike and I became good friends, though it was all over the phone. When I bought the blue S4 chassis, I was excited to talk to Mike about what I could turn this car into one day. We'd BS about it every once in a while, but that was as far as it went.
In Spring 2008, Mike and I started playing with the idea of building this car together. I thought this would be ridiculously bad ass, but living 1200 miles apart, I didn't think it was a possibility. I told Mike that I had a few weeks off in the upcoming summer, and within a couple weeks, Mike sent a closed trailer transport to pick up the car! He explained that he'd gathered all the parts I needed, and holy shit, this is happening! Mike offered me a room in his home, and I booked my flight!
I arrived in MI, and I finally met Mike! It was really cool to put a face to the voice. Over the next day and a half, Mike and I went back and forth discussing plans for this build. We would decide on one thing, change to another, and then another. I wanted something with a lot of power, yet something drivable on a road course. I enjoy racing the ¼ mile, but I did not want this to be a dedicated ¼ mile car. We considered a GT turbo setup, but I did not want the lag associated with that. We came to a conclusion: 3.0L with RS6 Hybrids.
Once our decision was made, we got to work quickly. We needed to finish the car fast enough to get some miles on it before my 1200 mile drive home. Mike took the week "off" to dedicate his time to building this car. We worked 15-hour days for 7 days straight, and one 23-hour work day (that was crazy). The shop was our home, and frozen meals and coffee kept us moving.
I've done my own work on this car for 5 years, so I like to think that I know the B5 S4 very well. I feel like I've replaced every damn part on my black car, and I work on many local S4's too. But, let me tell you... working next to Piggie made me look like a complete novice. The guy can build a motor from the ground up in his sleep, and he really knows the B5 S4 like the back of his hand. It's really incredible. As much as this build was about having fun, I also wanted it to be a great learning experience. This was my first time really tearing into motor internals, and therefore my first time building a motor from a bare block. Mike did most of the really critical steps of the assembly work, as I looked on, because we didn't have any time for mistakes. He would teach me as he was building, and then I would give it a go. Building the heads is a lot more tedious than I ever expected. I'd have to say the worst part of the entire build was CLEANING parts; it was just time consuming and unsatisfying. I'll let the pictures (the few that I took) do the rest of the talking for the build process.
On one day of the week, we left the shop at about 6AM. We wanted to get the motor in the car before the sun came up, but after 23 hours, we called it a night. I slept till about noon, and I woke up and Mike was gone... So I get to the shop, and... the motor is in the car. WTF, this guy is a monster! As if he weren't doing enough for me already...
We finished up the car in the next few days, and I drove a bunch of errands with Prince, to break the motor in. After several hundred miles, we started logging the car and experimenting with fuel setups. The car was still running stock catback exhaust, stock wheels, etc., because I had parts at home that I was going to swap on later. After the first software revision, the car was running low 2.5X sec FATS on pump gas, with Mike and I in the car! The car felt absolutely ridiculous... I was grinning ear to ear for at least half an hour. It would break the tires in 2nd gear on the on-ramps. The car felt significantly faster than my black car, which is a KO4 hybrid car, and this was so foreign to me.
My dad had scheduled a flight to MI at the beginning of the next week, so he could make the drive back to FL with me. I took him for a ride in the car and he says "thanks, can I get my stomach out of the back seat?" hahaha! We had done a little chatting and a tour at the shop, and then we were on the road for our 1200 mile trip home. The scenery on the way home was beautiful, as I'm used to flat, boring FL. I liked Kentucky and Tennessee especially. The trip went flawlessly, and we didn't have a single issue with the car. This really impressed my dad... maybe because he'd seen how much work I put into the black car over the past few years ;)
I haven't yet mentioned the other guys at the shop, but they were a huge part of this, and none of this would have been possible without them.
James: Mike's father. James would come into the shop after working his day job and he would hand-make parts, organize the shop, etc. He does really excellent, really precise work. It was very cool to see the handmade phenolic spacers in progress. I had broken a piece inside my gauge cluster, and James came to the rescue for me. Thanks James!
Gil: Gil was taking care of all the customer cars while I was there. He maintained the shop's flow of cars, performing all the maintenance and mods, etc. I tried not to bother him too much, but he was always very generous and willing to help when I needed him. I borrowed a few of his bad ass tools occasionally. Borrowing his special pressure tester inspired me to build my own just like it when I got home :) Thanks Gil!
Kurt: Kurt had stopped by for a couple nights to see how the project was coming along. He's an extremely kind guy, yet he's the guy you don't want to piss off. His enthusiasm and excitement for this stuff is truly amazing. It gave us that extra boost and really woke us up on those long nights. He helped me with the heads, and he was really the man in charge of the interior. He wasn't afraid to rip shit out of the car, and really tear into the wiring harnesses. I'll be honest; it scared the hell out of me. But in the end, he did an awesome job, and there's no way I would've torn into the car like that on my own. Thanks Kurt!!
Prince: The multi-tasking KING. He is really the glue that holds things together at VAST. If we needed parts, machining, no matter what it was, Prince would make it happen fast, and still run the normal show. He is great at what he does, and he really works hard. I'd certainly have had a heart attack by now if I were him. I'm pretty sure he has at least 4 phones on him at all times. He's a hell of character too, loves to mess with people, and great sense of humor. Thanks for everything Prince!
Mike: There's just too much I could say about Mike... he can't be put into words. It was awesome to finally meet him, and truly an honor to build a car with him. He's a genuinely great guy. Kind, generous, trustworthy. He's brilliant, and passionate for what he does. He made this all happen for me, and I could never thank him enough. To invite me into his home and to make this project a reality just hint at the extent of his character.
The only regret I have in all of this is that I didn't take more pictures. We were building so quickly, I just didn't pick up the camera often enough. Also, the reason I've waited 6 months to post about this project is because I wanted to get some action shots of the car doing what it was built to do. It was just last month that I finally had an opportunity to do a little track event. Still haven't drag raced it, but I will get some quarter mile times this Spring!
Having spent a week at VAST, it really can't be put into words what these guys do every day to keep the place flowing, and keep customers happy. You really have to see it all for yourself. I'll just say I have a new appreciation for these guys and what they do.
This trip/build was truly an experience of a lifetime. I had an absolute blast, I learned so much, and we made memories I will never forget. We built a motor from the ground up, and had the car on a 1200 mile road trip in 1 week! Still crazy to me! HUGE thanks to everyone at VAST for making this happen! You guys are really an awesome bunch, and it was really great spending a week with all of you. Also, huge thanks to Mike's wife. She didn't get to see Mike at all that week, and she was awesome about it. And man, she can bake like no other!
The car is really all I hoped it would be, and more. It's powerful, consistent, smooth, and no more lag than a KO4 car. All the factory on-board-diagnostics are fully intact, and it doesn't even have a CEL! How crazy is that for a dedicated track car?! It was an absolute blast to drive in the road course, and, again, I can't thank the guys at VAST enough!
Here are the final mods/specs/info on the car, and pictures:
-Removed radio, A/C, rear seats, and sunroof
82.5 MM CP Pistons
Rosten Rods
3.0L Crank
Bored 2.7L Block
2.8L ATQ Heads
2.8L Intake Cams
RS4 Headgaskets
Supertech Intake valves, exhaust valves, springs, titanium retainers
VAST Ported OE exhaust manifolds
RS6 Hybrid turbos with 59mm Compressor wheel and clipped turbine
Vast Inlets
Vast Fueling Kit
Vast Intake mani port matched to 2.8 Heads
Vast WMI
Stern Soft Engine Mounts
034 Track Transmission Mounts
AWE Intercooler Kit
Vast 3" custom downpipes
JHM Solid front half shafts (no friction welds)
Vast rebuilt transmission
Vast EFK
Vast Stage 5 Clutch
Vast LWFW
Autometer Gauge
Sparco Pro2000
OEM Ballasts and Bulbs
New OE Radiator
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/2cddc4d0.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/5abdab12.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/d9210200.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/328ae735.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/9f759aa6.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/3a061766.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/a727823b.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/79685182.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/abcc586a.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/6395f1e9.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/c787e76f.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/aa244b40.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/ffbb28f6.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/7263869e.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/045f7a7d.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/00e38640.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/7ea06018.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/1d434bfb.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/9a30c1c2.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/efdc644b.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/d7dbb754.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/462e297f.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/74e73a91.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/124d84fd.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/1717d060.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/ab451af7.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/acf3ab44.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/a77e18c0.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/blacks4tt/Blue%20S4/5ef1faa1.jpg
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