My mods underway... MTM Stage 2, dark wheels, starting some black optics..

[BenA]

Just wanted to share a few *early* pics.

Instead of subjecting the beast to a South Dakota winter, she was tucked away in a warm garage and work began on a few modifications.
1. It is now Stage 2 MTM + MTM TCU upgrade -- this is a significantly different car than a Stage 1 MTM without the TCU upgrade. As Harry Carey would say... HOLY COW!!!
2. Powdercoated the OEM wheels with a dark charcoal (just a touch darker than Daytona gray, but very close).
3. Adding black optics grilles in the front... may also black out the trunk strip in the back as it looks cloudy and oxidized. I think I'm going to leave the sides for now.

Next...
--Clean/Wax/etc - yes, I realize I took pictures of a fairly dirty car... sorry.
--Finish Stage 2 - chip is in... 044 pump and fpr will be installed next week by my friendly local Audi expert.
--Figuring out what to do with center caps... will definitely paint the middle of them the same dark gray but trying to figure out whether or not to also paint the aluminum trim or leave it as is. Other ideas?
--Hella smoked tails

Open to any other thoughts/suggestions, but would prefer only compliments. :hihi:

[ben916]

I have seen photos of the center cap painted to match the rim with the rings left silver/chrome. To me, it looks great!
It was on this website that I saw it... http://www.rs-quattro.de/galerien.html

Don't forget the smoked side markers..
Are you going to take out the orange in the front turn signals? There are aftermarket bulbs that look silver but when illuminated, signal in Orange.

The photos look good but the side is missing something and I can't quite put my finger on it....

[snoopra]

Color combo looks good. Where did you get the wiring harness for the 044 pump?

[skribe]

looks good to me... i'm not part of the black wheel hater's club. stay tuned for that contingency. what's missing is a thick coat of your tire shine compound of choice and a 50mm drop. the darth vader look needs to be low.

how much did you pay for stage I to stage II MTM software? did you baseline before for the after?

[DHall1]

Nice web page link.

Very cool

Ben-get some better quality pics posted. Nice work


I have seen photos of the center cap painted to match the rim with the rings left silver/chrome. To me, it looks great!
It was on this website that I saw it... http://www.rs-quattro.de/galerien.html

Don't forget the smoked side markers..
Are you going to take out the orange in the front turn signals? There are aftermarket bulbs that look silver but when illuminated, signal in Orange.

The photos look good but the side is missing something and I can't quite put my finger on it....

[Bigglezworth]

That one image looks like a few of the forum members car after a botched DRC repair. lol I've got a near total black car too. Tough to keep clean, but look great.

Just need plates that say Vader, or Hyde.

[JRS-RS6]

That one image looks like a few of the forum members car after a botched DRC repair. lol .

No --- the back is still too low for that.

[mmaturo]

Well you already know my answer, I think the entire cap painted (except the rings) is the way to go like in our other post on the qwheel subject. Somewhere on here someone did a photoshop of leaving the ring aluminum, I think it looks a little odd. I thought one of the yellow RS6s on here went that route too but i could be wrong.

Get the smoked side markers...first thing i did on my car and looks much better for $30. Good luck with it. Looking foward to getting my summer ti 19s back on (after two repaired for bends) this week...will be nice to be able to cruise at high speed smooth again.

[BenA]

Well you already know my answer, I think the entire cap painted (except the rings) is the way to go like in our other post on the qwheel subject. Get the smoked side markers...first thing i did on my car and looks much better for $30.

Yes, I think you're right... I like the entire cap painted. Detail question... do you know if your painters actually masked off the rings or is there a way to pop them out of the center cap?

Smoked side markers are a good call - will be ordered at the same time I do the smoked tails.

[BenA]

Color combo looks good. Where did you get the wiring harness for the 044 pump?

Wiring harness?? I'm hoping to just use the electrical wires that are powering the stock fuel pump. If there is a different wiring harness required, that would be news to me.

[RGSRS6]

9667966696659664ya its looks great here are some pics of what it looks like if you black everything out.

[snoopra]

Wiring harness?? I'm hoping to just use the electrical wires that are powering the stock fuel pump. If there is a different wiring harness required, that would be news to me.
So, you're cutting/splicing the wires for the pump? Please post details on this with pics when completed.

[BenA]

So, you're cutting/splicing the wires for the pump? Please post details on this with pics when completed.

To be more accurate... "I" am not doing anything except digging into my wallet to pay an expert to install everything for me. I've found that in most cases I could "figure it out" especially with help from this board, but I choose not to take any risks on messing up this expensive drivetrain and it always takes me 4-5 times longer than someone who's done it 1000 times before. If I'm there while this is going on, I'll definitely snap some pictures or at least ask the tech how he did it.

[ben916]

To be more accurate... "I" am not doing anything except digging into my wallet to pay an expert to install everything for me. I've found that in most cases I could "figure it out" especially with help from this board, but I choose not to take any risks on messing up this expensive drivetrain and it always takes me 4-5 times longer than someone who's done it 1000 times before. If I'm there while this is going on, I'll definitely snap some pictures or at least ask the tech how he did it.

"A man's got to know his limitations."

http://www.moviesoundscentral.com/sounds/dirty_harry/limitations.wav

[snoopra]

To be more accurate... "I" am not doing anything except digging into my wallet to pay an expert to install everything for me. I've found that in most cases I could "figure it out" especially with help from this board, but I choose not to take any risks on messing up this expensive drivetrain and it always takes me 4-5 times longer than someone who's done it 1000 times before. If I'm there while this is going on, I'll definitely snap some pictures or at least ask the tech how he did it.
Thanks, it'll be nice to know how they did the connection.

[BenA]

Just following up -- FINALLY had a chance to clean this weekend and took some pics to share (although previewing seems to indicate they're going to be tiny). I really like how the dark wheels turned out. Also added black optics grilles and painted the trunk trim strip.


9831
9830
9829
9828
9827
9826

[mmaturo]

Looks great, but i already knew it would! Nice job...smoked side markers needed badly though. That's where i stopped.

[DHall1]

Looks nice in that light.

Bigger pics please. Photobucket

Hella smoked tails are needed.

[Beastly]

looks very good, IMHO you need to do the clear corner mod (take out the amber plastic).

[BenA]

I'm with you all on the smoked sides and tails - those are a must and will come later this summer. Clear corner mod is probably just north of my available time and skill level.

[snoopra]

+1. What he said:) ........Photobucket!
D, what's with the IC sig?

[snoopra]

BenA, 044 pump installed yet?

[DHall1]

I will stick with the "junk" stock intercoolers at any and all costs.

:-)

From a debate we had in another thread





+1. What he said:) ........Photobucket!
D, what's with the IC sig?

[BenA]

BenA, 044 pump installed yet?

Not yet. I have the fittings now from the UK but schedule hasn't allowed me to finish yet. I hope to get it in next week for the pump install, and will let you know how it goes.

[snoopra]

No prob.

[BenA]

Looks nice in that light.

Bigger pics please. Photobucket

Hella smoked tails are needed.

Here's the Photobucket link...
http://s974.photobucket.com/albums/ae224/BenA-2010/RS6/

[DHall1]

very nice

http://i974.photobucket.com/albums/ae224/BenA-2010/RS6/IMG_1322.jpg

[Brav]

Looks good. I was going to suggest you use vinyl to cover the trim you wanted to paint, so its reversible. Did this on a customers Bentley and it came out well. Looks like you got it done already.

[BenA]

Looks good. I was going to suggest you use vinyl to cover the trim you wanted to paint, so its reversible. Did this on a customers Bentley and it came out well. Looks like you got it done already.

Very good idea... I decided in the end to not go black on the mirrors and trim around the windows... I'm not going for the totally blacked-out look, and I like that little bit of contrast. I still have the original grills with the aluminum trim if I wanted to change from the black ones (never!). So the only trim I painted was the trunk strip. And I did that because mine was cloudy anyway and was sticking out as the only part on the back of the car that showed its age.