The Series 2 Autech 260rs Into The Stock Series 1 Rs4 Build

[msports180]

OK so today is day 1 of the epic build. Drove the car into the shed and got it up in the air. Had a good look over and under it. Cant seem to find this rust there talking about, yes there is some rust underneath, but nothing i would consider major. On the cradle, sway bars and suspension arms etc there is alot of rust build up, looks really bad as it has just been painted over. All in all the car is pretty clean and its a real shame to have to do what were doing. The engine bay looks so neat all painted up. The worst thing i have found so far was the rotor's, they look like they had been used as a anchor, rusted inside something cruel.

OK some pics:

Started looking like this:

After day one we have got done: Engine ready to be takn out, rear cradle ready to be dropped, all lights off, front panels off, exhaust off, all brakes off, rear wing off, rear half of interior done, dash shell ready to pull out, front wiring loom undone to the firewall probly some more i forgot. So hear are the pics.

The piles of stuff:

And we made a new place for the unicorn badge:

[MyStag260]

Unreal mate, great to see you getting tucked into it!! but pulling things apart is always easier than putting em back together haha but some real progress mate good job

Sure u don't wanna sell that steering wheel haha love the momo...

Good luck mate, watching with eagerly

[msports180]

Thanks mate, yeah much easier to pull apart thats for sure!!

and here's a pic of one rotor and the sway bar:

[M I K E]

it begins!

sell me your manual stuff

oh and those eyelids

keep at it bud, it'll be worth it

excuse my ignorance/stagea noob-ness still, but do they come with brembos? i'd assume yes? if not (or if you are willing to run a small spacer) there are some brank spanking GTC's in the for sale section, 18x10+20 all round from memory

[msports180]

it begins!

sell me your manual stuff

oh and those eyelids

keep at it bud, it'll be worth it

excuse my ignorance/stagea noob-ness still, but do they come with brembos? i'd assume yes? if not (or if you are willing to run a small spacer) there are some brank spanking GTC's in the for sale section, 18x10+20 all round from memory

The eyelids are a bit rough up close...

Yeah brembo's all round. And from what i have been told 18x10 + 20 wont fit? I wont proper fitment but there just that bit to big, even though autechs are different to RS4's

[M I K E]

who ever told you they won't fit has been telling you fibs

the outside egde of the wheel will sit 1mm further out than mine, so PERFECT (in my eyes anyway haha)

and if you are worried about inner clearance, this stag was up on the auctions at one stage, has 18x10+20 meisters all round and is 'just' and rs4

food for thought anyway

[msports180]

My mate has some 17x9+20s were gonna try on to get an idea of where we can go. Like i said i think the autechs are different being the GTR rear cradle and front end? Will know soon. If i can get fitment like yours then i will be stoked.

[unique1]

nice work mate, you dont mess around do ya I know the owner of the rs4 u bought, he used to be on the forums ages ago, it looks like the same car and rims to me. I hope u have been careful with the trims i wanna buy ahha ill be in contact and head down on sunday or something if your free and raid your spares

The autech has the same front end as the rs4 from what i know (both are same as gtr), its only the rear that is different to allow for fatter wheels

[darrinspencer]

Looks like the project is moving along very well. I have done 5 re-shells in the past, not too hard, just takes time

Couple of suggestions

1 Get a heap of sandwich clip lock bags so when you remove a item, say the side skirts, you place all the bolts and clips taht are needed in the bag. It is quick and easy pulling a car part, but it takes 3-4 times longer to put it back together.

2. Have you decided how you are going the the clutch master cylinder setup in the new car? the autech has a vac assited master like GTR's and you need to recess them into the firewall. Or like most of us that have done manual conversions, we have used a standard master cylinder from a r34 GT and you jsut need to drill 3 holes and mount it. This may cause another problem with the clutch pedal and bracket mounting. You may need to buy a standard series 2 stagea manual bracket and pedal etc.

3. To mount the handbrake you will need to bolt it to the floor. You can either remove the bracket from the autech tunnel, but that might not suit who is buying the shell. You can buy a new bracket from nissan

I think most of the part number are in the manaul conversion threads. Also they have to come from Japan, so it will take 2-3 weeks which might upset your schedule.

[darrinspencer]

Also are you going to repaint the the donor car white including the engine bay before you refit everything?

[msports180]

Also are you going to repaint the the donor car white including the engine bay before you refit everything?

Thanks for the tips mate, will do that.

Im still not sure what were gonna do with the firewall gonna wait till we get the engine out and then assess it, if we can take out the bit from the autech and weld that in might do that.

Im gonna remove the handbrake bracket and weld it into the RS4.

Im gonna paint the shell i think yeah, the more i look at it in white the more i like it. I was gonna go black as then i cud get away without painting the doors and that as the bluw is so dark.

Yeah brad all your bits in a seperate pile!!

Didnt get to much done today had to look aftrer my baby girl as my wife was out.

Got the rear bumper off(what a bitch), stripped the front of the RS4, all panels lights etc, fmic, reo etc. Thats bout it.

[msports180]

OK havnt got a heap done as ive been a bit lazy.

Towed the autech out of the shed as the engine is ready to come out, the rear cradle is ready to come out.

Stripped a bit more of the RS4 today as brad popped in and grabbed some parts. The front of the RS4 is now completely stripped, rad, aircon condensor etc is out. Stripped the brake lines ABS module and other shit out. Will get the engine out this week to paint the bay etc. Stripped the interior out (well most of it) and found a heap of dodgy wiring everywhere.

Will get the RS4 in the shed this week and get motor and cradle out, then we will paint the enigne bay and doors etc. So the goal for the end of the week is to get it all painted up as have organized for next wkend to drop motor in.

Will try and get some pics 2moro, hands where a bit dirty to grab the camera and my hand seemed to have a drink in it the whole afternoon

[BoyWhoCriedWolf]

Epic thread Neil. Zip some more pics up mate!

[Tangles]

Epic thread Neil. Zip some more pics up mate!

+1 want to see and hear about from-Start-to-Finish experience

[loymclure]

hey now that you have the body kit off ill email you my address and you can pass it on to me

[msports180]

Start to finish experience has been a right pain in the ass!!

Nah hasnt been that bad, but have only taken things out so far!!

Will get some pics 2moro, got nothing done today had other shit i had to do.

Ummm i think i'll keep the kit... seem to be hard to get...

[darrinspencer]

Hey when you paint the engine bay, DO NOT remove the pink compliance sticker. Dotars will not issue a new one and if you try to remove it, they told me it will de-laminate and the word VOID appears, making the car un-registable again.

When I painted my engine bay, I carefully mask up the sticker and removed the masking straight away after painting.

[msports180]

Hey when you paint the engine bay, DO NOT remove the pink compliance sticker. Dotars will not issue a new one and if you try to remove it, they told me it will de-laminate and the word VOID appears, making the car un-registable again.

When I painted my engine bay, I carefully mask up the sticker and removed the masking straight away after painting.

Aah shit good point!!

Thanks for that!!

[_Ryan_]

fuel pump gonna be swapped?

[msports180]

Yeah were swapping the fuel pump over, will get an 044 later.

Havnt been able to get much done during the week, been crook! Take holidays to do the car and come down with damn tonsillitis!! Fark!!

Got the dash out of both now, had a look the wiring looks like it will go from one car to the other fine, things like the aircon control, heater, fan etc all seem the same. So can leave all that in there and just swap the looms. Luckily it all runs around the stuff behind the dash, not through it. Dash was a pain the ass to get out, had to get some of those torx bits to get airbag out, couldnt find the right size individualy any where in town so had to buy a $50 clip of them! Doh

All drugged up now so im good for the weekend, got a few mates coming over to help me get the RS4 stripped. A bit behind as we wanted to have it painted by now and engine allready out. Still got 10 days holidays left to go!! Once its painted we will tow the autech back, drop the engine/cradle out and bang em in the RS4.

Autech's dash out:

RS4 dash out:

New 2nd hand rotors and new pads: