WITW - Barn-find Final Edition
 

So here it is:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

Bert bought it, basically to save it. At the price it went for it would have been bought by some test pilot who would have thrashed it until it was dead and then scrapped it, and we can't have that :tuttut:

The conclusion is 'needs TLC but definitely saveable' +++ Someone has attempted to recommission it but realised they are in over their heads and bailed, so lots of trim is removed and things have been tinkered with, but underneath that is a good solid car. The front wing and bumper are a mess, but its all original paint other than that which is great. A replacement wing and bumper and a day or two on the DA will have it looking lovely. The one thing the ebay seller was right about is that the interior doesn't look like it has 170K on it - that will also clean up very nicely.

One bonus is that it does appear to have had a gearbox refurb at some point as the box has been blasted and painted. There's no paperwork with it so I might call the usual suspects and see if they have any record of the registration number.

Scratch on the bumper:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

Damage to the wing:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

Someone was a bit vigorous with the ECU box lid so I have already replaced that. It has suffered water ingress to the ECUs of course, as they all do when laid up.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

The ESP unit has been replaced but not coded which is the reason for the ABS lights so hopefully that will be simple to fix. Here's the old one on the back seat!

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

Not sure why the driver's door card has been been fiddled with, but the red inserts are all in pretty good condition

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

Both foglight grilles! One of which is fairly new

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

'needs an AC regas' :rolleyes: Yeah. Needs a new condenser as I suspected!

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

The timing belt is in good order and the tensioners are all good so it hasn't done many miles since this was done. We'll fit a new kit anyway of course

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

The spare wheel has not fared too well

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

The 'Le Mans' wheels I think are replicas - 20x9, ET35 with 66.6 centre bore. I can't find any OE wheels with that spec. They are quite chunky!

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1616103512

These will be replaced with a proper set of FE wheels +++

The plan for it is to recommission it properly, run about in it for a bit to iron out any niggles, then it will be up for sale :)

Yay a new WITW,

Ah, so that's the one that Bert bought - good man +++

Oh yes!! another one!

Eagerly awaiting updates. :D

This one is going to be a slow burner since there is other work booked in. Next update is probably w/c 5th once the Green Beast is home again, when the FE will get some lift time for a detailed inspection between jobs +++

Best way. I'd rather savour the enjoyment of a rationed portion of WITW rather than binge reading a pile of them. Waiting to see what diagnosis the Doctor makes of this one.

....I'll get me popcorn!

In a rather unexpected twist, Bert's barn-find FE is now my barn-find FE :hammer:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

I snuck it on to the lift after Ricky's went home so I could get a really good look at it, and I made 'the list':

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

Its a biiig list :( After discussion with Bert about how much it was going to take just to make this in to a usable car again, not even considering the cosmetics, we concluded that it simply is not economically viable in any way - much the same as the discussion in the original thread. If this was bought by someone who wanted an avus and red FE, who could do the work themselves, and who was prepared to spend more time and money on it than 'market value' because they planned to keep it, then this would be a viable project. But, as a 'fix and flip' it just doesn't work.

The sound financial thing to do, per Ian's suggestion, would be to break it for parts, but thats not going to happen now I have hold of it :p Its an FE, and it must be saved, in part because I still feel guilty about the two I took apart already :o

So, Bert and I have come to a mutually acceptable agreement and I have taken ownership of it as a longer term resurrection. I have avus body parts from my dead one (which is in an even worse state than this one as it doesn't have an engine or gearbox), so that one will be fully dismantled now to save this one, and I will use my stock of spares as necessary (or at least what is left after the Murple disaster) to rebuild it to a decent state whence it will be sold on. Alternatively, if anyone wants to take it on as the resurrection progresses I'm open to discussion. I'm not going to make a profit on it but I am going to save it, and we have Bert to thank for grabbing it in the first place +++

So, on to the inspection...

Nasty nasty mudflaps! These have got to go.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

Well that'd be why the suspension is knocking then :rolleyes:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

A repair has been attempted to the power steering lines using hydraulic compression fittings. It has not been successful.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

The undertray is missing so the arch liner has been rubbing against the tyre

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

The leaking power steering fluid has sprayed up on to the upper arm bush and dissolved it! The inner sleeve and rubber are still bonded but have split from the outer portion of the rubber

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

The headlight level sensor was attached with a cable tie :tuttut:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

The gearbox has been refurbished at some stage as it has been both sandblasted and painted. Whoever did it painted the sump silver as well which is an odd move. I think its safe to assume it wasn't done by Mackies! The gearbox shifts nicely, but until I open it up I will treat it with the same suspicion I developed from the Murple's gearbox.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

You may recall the original ebay listing said 'needs nsf wheel bearing, comes with the car'. A Chinesium no-brand bearing of the wrong type is indeed in the boot. The reason they didn't change it is because some cretin destroyed the nsf wheel lock with a rattle gun so they couldn't get the wheel off to mess with the bearing :mad: The key wasn't with the car, presumably because they also destroyed that at the same time. Using slightly more finesse than brute force, and a spare key, I was able to eventually get the locking bolt out but I had to cut the ruined bolt off my spare key!

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

Someone has also perpetrated a slightly unorthodox repair to the wiper mechanism. This is not a D2 motor and isn't sitting in the correct place so I'm not sure what's going on here. The movement of the wipers could be described as 'glacial' so I suspect the mechanism is almost seized which burned out the original motor. This replacement motor is interesting though because (if fitted properly) it might be a handy alternative to the original.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

Its not a good sign when the brake fluid is darker than the engine oil! Obviously the Brembo bleed screws are seized solid, hence why no one has touched this in a long time. This will get done when the calipers get refurbed.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1617822767

Not shown is the A4 front ABS sensor bodged in to the S8's rear hub :tuttut: The ABS is very cross at the moment as it has had all sorts of bits swapped and has not been recalibrated so I have no idea if this A4 sensor is actually working or not. Wait and see I guess.

I needed another D2 like a hole in the head, but they seem to just find me like stray cats :o

I think we'll need more popcorn...