Off-road Audi TT build

[davemakesstuff]

As they're old, cheap and four wheel drive, I'd always wanted to turn a Mk1 Audi TT into an off-roader. Then my daughter wanted a project so she could learn some mechanical skills... so we're doing it! Been going a little while but I wondered whether you guys would like to see it.

If it's in the wrong place in the forum, please feel free to move it, or to delete it if it's just not appropriate for any reason!

I'm on Youtube as Dave Makes Stuff if anyone's interested in seeing more:

https://youtu.be/fgBrjKUdC9I

 

 

[1fast1]

Off-road TT? 🙄

 

[davemakesstuff]

Because it's a 225hp 4x4 and will therefore be awesome off road... no, that can't be right...

It's a completely fair question. We're taking an average coupe and making it into an off-roader that will be doing well to count as average. But then... we don't actually need an off-roader for any practical purpose anyway, so it doesn't really matter whether it's any good as long as it's entertaining. My daughter's learning mechanical skills along the way and this car is a good size for that; my "proper" 4x4 is too big and everything's too heavy and large for an eleven year old.

[Stratovarius]

Why not? Lol

[1fast1]

3 hours ago, davemakesstuff said:

Because it's a 225hp 4x4 and will therefore be awesome off road... no, that can't be right...

It's a completely fair question. We're taking an average coupe and making it into an off-roader that will be doing well to count as average. But then... we don't actually need an off-roader for any practical purpose anyway, so it doesn't really matter whether it's any good as long as it's entertaining. My daughter's learning mechanical skills along the way and this car is a good size for that; my "proper" 4x4 is too big and everything's too heavy and large for an eleven year old.

Good answer. I was just pulling your leg (or "yanking your chain" if you prefer the deplorable modern vernacular). 😂

I guess I just betrayed my bias - I'm a sports car guy so it kind of grated on me that you'd transform a fairly nice sports car into an off-roader, but I guess it is a fun and educational project for you and your daughter. More power to you! 😁

 

[davemakesstuff]

6 hours ago, Turboflat4 said:

 I was just pulling your leg  😂

 

A website I used to visit had a great tagline - "If you can't take a joke, don't drive one!" which I think probably applies to me here 😊

I know what you mean about chopping up a decent car. I can report that this TT was in amazingly bad shape when we got it. It had body rust and a couple of scrapes, the engine was putting out white smoke because (as we found later) the block was cracked, the inlet hoses were more hole than hose, the downpipe had cracked almost all the way round, the driveshaft CV joint seals had given up, the air conditioning... didn't; one of the anti-knock sensors was shorted out because its wire was trapped in the inlet manifold gasket (!), the battery was flat - but driving home after a jump-start, the alternator died too and hence the car ran to a stop on a 70mph dual carriageway... it really was dire and I don't think anyone else would have been daft enough to save it. So it's getting a new lease of life here!

[davemakesstuff]

An impractical 4x4 build needs impractical lights. I mean, it needs other things too - an anti-roll bar, a wheel bearing replacing, the cooling system finishing, the turbo hooking up - but clearly the priority is fitting a giant set of lights.

So we've fitted a giant set of lights:

 

[davemakesstuff]

Got it rolling at last. Plenty still to do, but for now, who cares - it starts and drives (and apparently doesn't fall apart in the process - at least, not immediately...!)