Audi S8 D2 Restoration

[christophertrbailey]

I have an S8 D2 and would like to have it lightly restored (not concours). The bodywork is straight aside from a small ding in the boot lid, but the mechanicals could do with some attention. Are there any companies out there who can do this? I appreciate it won't be cheap, but I didn't pay much for the car in the first place, so I think it'll be worth the effort. I've just acquired a pristine A2 for commuting and think they'll make a good pair to keep for a few years. 

[Magnet]

Thanks for joining Chris.

Your request for help is appreciated, but it’s rather unusual insofar as requests for renovations are normally aimed at bodywork and body panel requirements. 
My primary recommendation would be:- don’t entrust this mechanical ‘restoration’ to a ‘company’. 

The car is now 21 years old, and loosely comes under  the heading a ‘classic car’, so if I were in your situation, I would be looking up a local all-makes classic car club, and joining that. Members there should be able to come up with some local recommendations of who to go to, and more importantly - who not to go to.

Again, if it were mine, I would be getting that garage to give you a report on its mechanical condition, and highlight and prioritise a schedule of work necessary to bring it to an acceptable standard. 

Perhaps you could let us know how you get on Chris.

Good luck and kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Steve Q]

Welcome to the forum you'll find the members on here are a friendly and helpful bunch 🙂 

Good on you for wanting to restore an Audi modern classic. I too am in a similar boat. 

What work needs doing? 

 

[christophertrbailey]

It's not drastic. The body is pretty much ok aside from the small ding in the bootlid. The front bumper got pulled off when a sturdy hedge hooked inside the wheelarch and I kept reversing, so some of the clips are broken. The chrome trim has lost its lustre in places so needs cleaning back and re-lacquering (or replacing). The rubber moulding on the driver's door keeps coming away (clips again). Inside, the leather could do with some treatment. The steering wheel leather is tired. The rear screen got broken and the headlining has a small tear as a consequence. Mechanically, there's a small oil leak from around the top of the engine, some of the multi-link suspension components have seized and could do with replacing. It needs a new exhaust soon.

I spend all my spare time restoring old racing cars, so don't have the time or enthusiasm to work on the S8. I don't really like working on road cars. However, I can afford to pay someone else to do the job. I'd probably want to strip back the mechanicals and replace things like subframe bushes. The standard suspension works well but the dampers are 20 years old, so again, I'd replace them. All the suspension kits (H&H etc) seem to involve lowering the car which I don't want to do. I've already had the brakes re-done with dimpled/grooved discs and red stuff pads.

So my ambition is to get the car back to how it was without losing the originality. I only paid £3K for it (with an S8 number plate). The car, even in its slightly care-worn state, is a truly lovely thing. I don't thrash it (I have the race cars for that) and together with the A2 it makes for a great combination day to day, as well as a tribute to Ferdinand Piech's "I can do what ever I like and nobody can stop me" design ethos.

 

[Magnet]

Hello Chris,

We now know you certainly know your way around car restoration, and although I can’t add much to my earlier recommendations, I’m sure you will have access to other specialised restorers who would be able to offer you the advice you need. 
Good luck with returning it to an acceptable condition. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Steve Q]

Sounds a good plan. If you're needing genuine parts, you could try Audi tradition. They sell NOS Audi parts for older models. They're not cheap though.