Building a Banana: 1999 1.8t

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 07:16 AM

Hello everyone, my name is Chris, figured its time to start a build thread for my daily driver. It is a 5 speed, Brilliant Yellow A4 1.8t Quattro.

Currently the car isn't too far from stock, but I have plans to clean it up and do a sort of OEM+ build.

Engine:
Unknown tune peak 22 psi
TT 225 MAF and cone filter
Unknown poly snub mount (needs replaced)

Interior:
OEM Sport cloth with no sunroof
VDO vent boost gauge
Kenwood radio with 10" sub

Exterior:
Black out headlights
Summer wheels: 18" Ultrasport
Winter: MSW 17x8 w/ Dunlop sp winter
20% tint on all around 50% on windshield
Debagged trunk
eBay RS4 style grill

Suspension:
Currently OEM sport
FCP Euro control arm kit

Drivetrain:
Centerforce clutch

As it sits now:

B5 A4 by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

For 2016, Solowerks coilovers, 034 engine/trans mout and snub, rear sway bar, brake pads/rotors/lines. I'd like to pull the engine and redo all vac lines, coolant, and do a front mount, might splurge on a turbo during that time.

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 07:17 AM

This happened on Thanksgiving:

IMG_3182 by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

**a4kamila6** · 02-10-2016 07:18 AM

Lovely car!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 07:18 AM

When your audi wants to be slammed, but you aren't ready:

IMG_3191 by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 07:20 AM

Took the car out to destroy some snow!

B5 A4 by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

Let my buddy drive so I could take the photos

**redline380** · 02-10-2016 07:22 AM

Just curious, where and when did you buy that car?

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 07:23 AM

Good question, I bought the car in July 2015 from a guy in Des Moines, Iowa. It was rough to say the least. I'll update the first post with some older photos.

**redline380** · 02-10-2016 07:24 AM

Any idea where he got it from? There was a banana floating around the twin cities for a while and one of my buddies sold one early last year some time. Would be neat it you got it.

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 07:28 AM

He got it from his brother. I believe I am the fourth owner. Guy I bought it from was Bosnian. He didn't know anything about the car.

**redline380** · 02-10-2016 07:29 AM

Not the same car then, carry on.

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 07:32 AM

I hope someone does have info on it. I'd really like to know what tune is on it. The ECU has no markings. I haven't popped it open yet.

**redline380** · 02-10-2016 07:34 AM

Since it is pre-face, it is probably a soldered chip. Might have info on it if you open it up. I am not aware of any tune that uses a stock turbo and a TT225 MAF though. Maybe the turbo has been upgraded to a k04?

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 07:36 AM

It's a K03. I checked when I did the TB. It may have been K04 at one point though, which would be sweet.

**GOODBYNAAIR** · 02-10-2016 07:37 AM

Engine:
Unknown tune peak 22 psi
TT 225 MAF and cone filter
Unknown poly snub mount (needs replaced)

Do you know if the car is running a k04? why would it need a tt maf with a k03? That seems a little high for a K03 tune does the car maybe have a MBC?

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 07:39 AM

Car does not have MBC. Everything is stock. I'll double check the turbo. But I'm 99% positive it is a K03. I swear I checked.

**RastAudiA4** · 02-10-2016 07:48 AM

nice, how did you figure k03 or k04? im curious

**xdewaynex** · 02-10-2016 07:49 AM

Another Brilliant Yellow owner, welcome! Car looks really clean on the outside. Hopefully your paint is in much better shape than mine. It seems the brilliant yellow is much like the red on VW's and seem to fade quickly.

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by RastAudiA4

nice, how did you figure k03 or k04? im curious

It's stamped on the turbo

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by xdewaynex

Another Brilliant Yellow owner, welcome! Car looks really clean on the outside. Hopefully your paint is in much better shape than mine. It seems the brilliant yellow is much like the red on VW's and seem to fade quickly.

It is pretty clean. I was blown away how clean the paint was when I picked it up. There are definitely some spots that need touched up.

**RastAudiA4** · 02-10-2016 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by czum09

It's stamped on the turbo

ah, mine is faded, still don't know which it is lol...i wonder what the ratio between pre facelift and facelift brilliant yellows are

**czum09** · 02-10-2016 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by RastAudiA4

ah, mine is faded, still don't know which it is lol...i wonder what the ratio between pre facelift and facelift brilliant yellows are

Outside of my own car, I've only seen one B5 that was yellow. Mine also has the sport cloth and no sunroof, which is awesome.

**GOODBYNAAIR** · 02-10-2016 08:21 AM

There is a Yellow stock S4 avant that lives near me I see it in passing every other week or so.

**RastAudiA4** · 02-10-2016 08:32 AM

im in central fl and i havnt seen one yet besides mine, +++ on no sunroof and being brilliant yellow got some interior shots?

**czum09** · 02-12-2016 04:38 AM

Here are some pictures from when I picked up the car to now!

The day I picked it up in Des moines:

image by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

Good thing I checked the timing belt (It was cracked everywhere!):

image by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

Oh?

image by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

OHH? Better, 20% all around 50% on the windshield. Literally the scariest drive home I've ever had. Headlights were not aimed properly, and it stormed really bad on the way home, it was a 4 hour drive..... I have a friend who tints in Omaha, I was there for work.

image by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

I'll post more later!

**nemick** · 02-12-2016 04:56 AM

Congrats. That's a great looking car. Nice to see you're getting her taken care of. How many miles?

**czum09** · 02-12-2016 06:13 AM

Currently it has 151,xxx. Plenty of life left.

**Nollywood** · 02-12-2016 07:43 AM

I love Brilliant Yellow.

**19birel** · 02-12-2016 09:31 AM

Nice car! any interior shots?

**czum09** · 02-12-2016 10:08 AM

Nothing special on the interior. I can snap some today.

**czum09** · 02-12-2016 11:01 AM

The Banana looked good after the tint, but the wheels were killing me, so I decided to search for some. I've always loved the ultrasport wheels on the B5, and ironically someone had a set with tires in Des Moines. So I grabbed them:

image by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

Fallout cleaner doing work:

image by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

First snow!

image by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

GROSS!!!

image by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

Better:

image by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

Blacked out the headlights:

image by Chris Zumwalt, on Flickr

That brings us current. I'm not sure how I feel about the blacked out headlights. I'm buying Depo replacements soon, then doing the mini h1 projectors. Do you guys prefer the silver housings or black?

**Turbo_B5** · 02-12-2016 11:10 AM

Those tinted headlights don't look good at all and i bet perform about the same. Chrome housing Depos are the way to go. They look good on every colour. Is windsheild tinting legal in iowa?

**xdewaynex** · 02-12-2016 11:40 AM

Definitely chrome housings on the yellow. When I first got my A4 it came with some crappy black headlights from ebay and I hated the combo. Got some Valeo xenon headlights and havent looked back.

**nemick** · 02-12-2016 12:02 PM

I prefer the silver housings too. I have yet to see a B5 that looks good with blackout headlights.

**B5A4coastie** · 02-12-2016 12:35 PM

Since you seem to be blacking everything out, I have some smoked Depo tails if you're interested.

**Nollywood** · 02-12-2016 12:45 PM

Blacked out headlamps look gash on a B5. It kind of makes OEM units look like cheap aftermarket crap.

Silver's where it's at.

**czum09** · 02-12-2016 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by King_

Those tinted headlights don't look good at all and i bet perform about the same. Chrome housing Depos are the way to go. They look good on every colour. Is windsheild tinting legal in iowa?

Nope not legal lol

Originally Posted by xdewaynex

Definitely chrome housings on the yellow. When I first got my A4 it came with some crappy black headlights from ebay and I hated the combo. Got some Valeo xenon headlights and havent looked back.

Vales would be ideal

Originally Posted by nemick

I prefer the silver housings too. I have yet to see a B5 that looks good with blackout headlights.

I kind of felt the same way, figured I'd see what mine looked like.

Originally Posted by B5A4coastie

Since you seem to be blacking everything out, I have some smoked Depo tails if you're interested.

No thanks :)

Originally Posted by Nollywood

Blacked out headlamps look gash on a B5. It kind of makes OEM units look like cheap aftermarket crap.

Silver's where it's at.

I think silver will be the choice. Nice build(s) btw

**tar** · 02-12-2016 02:20 PM

Should have stayed no tint, that pic before you retinted looks awesome really made the bodylines pop also agree on the silver headlights

Fallout stuff was ironx? I'm assuming possibly the worst smelling thing known to man.

**czum09** · 02-12-2016 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by tar

Should have stayed no tint, that pic before you retinted looks awesome really made the bodylines pop also agree on the silver headlights

Fallout stuff was ironx? I'm assuming possibly the worst smelling thing known to man.

Retinted? It was no tint before. I feel it looks WAY better with tint! The picture with the USP wheels, the car is tinted. And yes, it is iron-x made by SONAX. Actually doesn't smell too bad! I highly recommend it.