madone_si - A4 Avant 1.8T RED Quattro

[Madone_si]

Installation of Audi Avant RHS new side strap in boot (April 2011)

So in my Audi Avant has is a side retaining strap on the right hand side of the boot, which I use a lot, as its useful. Last month this snapped and so I ordered new parts from local Audi dealer (very expensive!) Here is the installation as I couldn’t find this anywhere online or in A4 Audi manual I have, but the manual did provide useful details of roughly how to take the rear panels apart!

Step 1 – Need to make sure the new strap is correct compared to the old!


Step 2 – Need to take off the tailgate sill trim (see picture and steps below from the A4 Manual!


Tailgate sill trim off and the new strap!


Step 3 - need to take off the tailgate side trim (see picture below for guide only, as this only shows the left hand side and not the right hand side trim, but they are installed the same way which is good  )


Some shoots of parts I unscrewed.



Can see the clips that hold the panel in place!


Step 4 - You can see from below picture the backside of the panel and the end of the strap, which you will need to hold with your fingers, while from the front of the panel using a small screw driver pull the plastic cover out, which will come out of the rear clip you are holding with your fingers.

 

Step 5 - You should now be able to pull the strap from behind the panel until you see the end clip


Step 6 - Now open the clip to release the strap and then pull the strap from the front to pull completely from the panel.



Step 7 – You take the new strap, put the front cover on it and feed the strap into the hole in the panel and pull from behind the panel until you have it in position as in picture below.


Step 8 - Place the strap into the clip feeding it through.


Step 9 - Putting strap correctly into the clip. First feed the strap through first section.


Step 10 - Then feed strap under and back through the second section


Step 11 – You place the strap over the spikes and close the clip down, press hard until it clips into place. You now have the clip properly into the strap.



Step 12 - You now pull the strap from the front of the panel until it stops and with you hand behind the panel place the clip flat against the panel and push the plastic cover into the panel hole, which will then click into the clip on the back of the panel and hold it in place. You then feed the strap into the middle clip and into the end holder near the tailgate and you are done!


All complete and ready for usage!!

[Madone_si]

Over the next few weeks I will be researching suspension and air-ride for the audi. I want the end result to be low and the wheels have to FAT!!!, but I really do need to focus on the BLACK SOY Cab 

I really like these wheels


and these

[Madone_si]

Still researching on air-ride set-up for Audi and now the BLACK SOY as well, getting so excited about working on the cab!

Got a few jobs to do this week on the audi.

- Spray up the rear lights, so all RED (part arrived today to do this)
- Black out out the front grills and rear bumper (parts arrived today to do this)
- Having issues with SatNav keeps shutting off on me, so will need to look into that, hopefully won't be too expensive to fix!

and waiting on reply from Rotiform dealer in California on ETA on wheels order, custom set-up for front/rear and color  I will provide update on wheels once they arrive and have them on the car 

[Madone_si]

Black out out the front grills on Audi A4 (B6) Avant

I forgot to take pictures throughout the process, so I have managed to find pictures via the web to use and explain, thus why you will see blue paintwork instead of red on some of the pictures!

Materials needed:
1 can of spray Plasti-dip (BLACK)
1 set of pliers
1 piece of thin cotton cloth (t-shirt) - enough to cover the tip of the screwdriver
1 small flathead screwdriver
1 Spraygun adapter (optional)



Steps:
1. Open up your hood and locate the grille. Using the pliers gently compress the tabs pictured and push slightly outwards (so they don't just lock in place again). The grille will just pop out after that.


2. Next is the lower grille, no bumper removal needed, just make sure you remove your front license plate holder if you have one, I don't as I have smoothed front bumper . Gently pull on the sides of the lower grille then using a flathead screwdriver with cloth wrapped around the head (so you don't scratch your paint up) insert it inbetween the grille and the bumper and start gently working your way around from one end to the other. Then just use two hands on each end and pull it out.



with grills off this was how the car looked



3.Next take the flathead screw driver and insert it into the upper grille and start gently working away around it so you can seperate the chrome trim from it.


4. The lower grille just kind of falls apart, you don't need to use a screw driver, just gently seperate it.

5. Take the chrome pieces and wash them thoroughly with soap. Wash the hell out of it so there is no grease on it (grease eats through the Plasti-Dip as it's drying) Dry them off.


6. Now we plasti-dip (no sanding required). Start coating the chrome evenly until it is fully painted and set it aside, now repeat the same technique for the lower. Watch out for paintcan drips, as that will only make it take a lot longer to finish the project.

I applied about 4-5 coats on each of my grills, allowing for 10minutes in between coats.

7. Let the grills dry for about 2-4 hours after final coat. (number plate holder also painted in picture!)


8. Reassemble the grilles

9. Pop grilles back into place.

Before


After


All done! I really like the finish as the car is now all Red and Black, expect the wheels and Rear S Badge, which soon will be painted too

[Madone_si]

Black out rear Aluminum trunk strip on Audi A4 (B6) Avant

Materials needed:
1 Can of spray Pastic-ip (BLACK)
1 flat head screwdriver
1 piece of thin cotton cloth(T-shirt) - enough to cover the tip of screwdriver
1 spraygun adpater (optional)

Steps:

1. Need to remove the chrome strip off as seen below.


2. Gently start by pulling the front side (closest to end of the car) up using your hands (i didnt need tools just yet) work your way from one corner across to the other end.
(Pictures show chrome strip painted as I forgot to take pictures beforehand!!)


3. Once the first row of clips is out, you can go get a flathead screwdriver, wrap it in thin cotton cloth/rag and work your way in under the strip.

4. Lift the screwdriver upwards and allow it to press the bumper down and flex it so that the clip pops out, gently pull the strip away from the car. Work your way along each clip pulling each time you press the bumper down.


Give you an idea of how the strip is held in place this picture should help!


Pulling as i go along and the strip will then come off freely.

5. Clean chrome strip and wash thoroughly with soap. Wash the hell out of it so there is no grease on it (grease eats through the Plasti-Dip as it's drying) Dry off

6. Without sanding, you can now start applying plasti-dip (Black) (no sanding required). Start coating the chrome evenly until it is fully painted. Watch out for paintcan drips, as that will only make it take a lot longer to finish the project.

I applied about 5-6 coats on the strip, allowing for 10minutes in between coats.

7. Finished product shown below. To pop it back on, just press it in slowly from one side to the other.


You can also see in picture I painted the rear number plate cover too. This too was done using plasti-dip.

[Madone_si]

Noooooooo, don't tell me you opted for Rotiforms, the 1st set of wheels are dope!?

Yep, have to wait a 4-5 weeks for them though, as they have to build them and do custom set-up for me, plus I want to drive to CA to get them and install. They will really finish off the car 

[Madone_si]

Rear Tail lights now all red now. Will run them like this for the summer and then smoke them for winter and then change for next year!



Now onto spraying the front and rear badges from chrome to...... you will have to wait and see!

[Madone_si]

Small update on Front & Rear Chrome Quattro Badge mods.

So I took the original Chrome Quattro Badge from the front grill and painted it to match the car theme of Black/Red. This was easy to do, first of all painted the whole badge black and then with fine brush filled in the Quattro letters with Red

Chrome Badge


Painted Black


Painted Black and red with new clips as I broke them taking it off the grill  


and the end result on the car  


Now onto painting the rear Badge below from Red and Chrome to Red and Black.  

Custom Rear Badge 'S-Line' Sign!

So I took the original 'S-Line' Chrome Badge off the rear of the car, using fishing wire and then compounded off sticky part from paint.
Then taped up the badge and painted the Chrome parts to black  






I am still doing research on Air-ride, will finalize my purchase in the next few weeks, which I can't wait  

[Madone_si]

I come across this Audi picture and I so want an old skool Audi now and I just love this color.

[Madone_si]

Someone asks me how I tinted my rear tail lights, so here is how 

Audi A4 Avant - Red Tint your Taillights

NOTICE: Worth reading up what the law is on tinting lights in your country, before tinting!!

Today you have many options to tint lights on your car. I went with Spray can, but I did consider the Rvinyl Performance Film products, but the cost difference between Vinyl and cans was alot, I went the route of spray cans. Vinyl is good if you want to revert back to OEM later on.

Materials required: (if going spray can route!)

RED TINT:
- Transparent Candy Red Spray can, Krylon and Testors make them. I ordered 2x Testors 1605 spray cans
- a Clear Coat Enamel spray can I ordered 1 x Testor
- 1000 grit Sand Paper
- Spray mask (Health reasons!)



1- Remove taillights from the vehicle - details of how to do that is below in images

Overview of Taillight set-up on Audi B6 Avant


How to remove Audi B6 Avant taillights



2 - Wash the taillight down with rubbing alcohol and a towel to remove any dirt or dust.

3- Wet Sand the whole taillight with Grit 1000

4- Wash and dry

5- Mask area you do not want to tint with tapes and newspapers (I painted all of my taillights RED, but some people just want to remove the amber signal only leaving reverse light not tinted. FYI: tinting reverse light can be illegal in some places in Europe and US)

6- You can now start to spray a VERY LIGHT coat of transparent candy red. Let dry for at least 20 minutes

7- Spray a 2nd light coat again and wait 20 minutes

8- Spray a 3rd if needed and wait 20 minutes

9- Now wet sand gently again with 1000 grit + wash and dry

10- After sanding, if the red is not uniform, spay the whole taillight with one light coat of candy red and re-sand, if red is uniform skip this step

11- You are now ready to spray one light coat of Clear Coat Enamel and wait 20 minutes

12- 2nd clear coat and 20 minutes

13- 3rd clear coat and 20 minutes

14- If like me you take off your taillight you can now re-install the taillight after 12-24hours min drying time from the last coat.

15- Test the lights to make sure that they show through and are bright enough for other cars to see at night.

TIP" For best results once on the car, use a Polisher or light compound like Meguias #2 or #83 to perfect the clear coat reflection

Now sit back and look how cool your car looks with your new tinted taillights.