And here's how the Santorin blue car now looks, wearing the same OEM 16" wheels as the Pelican blue:

 

So today I began searching for a firm that specialises in making custom glass for cars. I found a couple, but all the way in Belgium.

What I have managed to dig out in the UK though is an outfit that manufactures Lexan and Polycarbonate windows and panels in any thickness and curve, including compound curved pieces. They can make windows and panels from any supplied patterns. Probably better than glass, given the weight.

I have never been keen on sunroofs, but love panoramic roofs.

You've probably guessed what I'm driving at. A fixed panoramic roof on my B5. It would mean me drilling out the roof skin from a junker, and shipping it out to this shop. I'm going to speak to them in more detail tomorrow, and the outcome will determine if I'll go ahead with this or not.

I'll keep you guys posted.

 

After over a week, with me being promised I would get a call back each time I got through to someone at the Lexan shop, I ended up doing all the running.

Unfortunately they are unable to help. Their excuse?

The roof panel is too big, they don't have the necessary tooling etc. I mentally crossed them off my custom list.

I have since looked at other sources, prompted by panoramic roofs on brand new cars at work. I have taken measurements of the B5 roof, between the rain gutter front, middle and rear. I now know what I'm working with, and will be looking at getting one off a donor car.

This weekend is tear-down day, and hopefully, I'll get the V8 pulled out of my 2005 Audi A8 4.2 Quattro, and get some basic prep work going.

 

Thanks for keeping up so far guys.

Today I finally liberated the 4.2 V8 40V from my old 2005 Audi A8 D3. It's on the bench now, I've removed the automatic flexiplate.

It's quite different from the V8 from the D2 A8/S8, C5 A6/S6. It has more in common with the V8 from the B6/B7 S4, just without the nasty multiple chain set-up that is so failure prone, worse because the timing chain is at the rear of the engine, and replacement requires an engine pull. Urrrrgh!

A lot of chassis plug mods will be required. I'm going to build a hybrid section to plug into the B5. Pictures to follow, once I've had a shower to rid myself of the grease and grime, and had something to eat too.

 

Update 04th July 2015:

So the D3 A8 V8 is out at last.

I'm going to do some basic maintenance. I replaced the timing belt less than 2 years ago, together with the thermostat, all tensioners / idlers and the water pump, so these will remain.

However, I'll pull the valve covers, and renew the gaskets, probably get them painted. I'll also remove the timing belt covers, and clean them up. Generally all aluminium components will be thoroughly cleaned, and painted the same colour as OEM - aluminium. I've ordered a new engine stand, so I'll wait till it turns up, so at least the motor is easy to rotate.

For flywheel, I can either use my stock 30V one, or order a solid steel B5 S4 item, and run a B5 RS4 clutch. This car is being built for the street, so luxury and comfort are important. Unlike my other B5 which will be a stripped-out racer, possibly with forced induction.

Some pictures of today's progress. It took me 3 hours from start till wrap-up time:

 

Today my A8 D3 4.2 V8 (BFM) electric wiring diagram PDF turned up. I now need to build a hybrid harness between the D3 engine harness, and the B5 chassis plugs.

I don't intend to cut off the D3 chassis plugs, I'm removing the D3's receiving connectors with a reasonable length of harness, to which I will solder the B5's plugs to on the free ends, moving the wires to the relevant pins.

It's PDF time!

 

Although I can run the D3's ECU, I have decided to go with a 2002 C5 S6 ECU. It has a more aggressive tune as standard, when compared to the milder, comfort-oriented D3.

To this effect, I've just pulled the trigger on an S6 ECU.

The S6 ECU also has the added advantage of being able to accept a manual soft code, which the D3 A8 never had the option for.

 

Update 16th July 2015:

I did some minor maintenance on my BFM motor. The left bank valve cover gasket had a slight oil leak at the rear, so I decided to replace both.

Both valve covers are in great shape, with just the smallest hint of the usual aluminium corrosion on the inside, close to the last retaining bolts. I am considering getting both painted in a body shop, but I'm kind of debating whether I should stick with the OEM Audi silver, or go with Pelican blue. Both will contrast well with the red coilpacks.

It's surprising how clean an engine can look in the bay. Mine looked great, but lots of hidden grime became evident once it was pulled, and bolted to my engine stand. I obtained some engine degreaser - the professional stuff used by auto valet / detailing shops, rather than the rubbish foam in a can. 40 minutes later, it came up pretty good.















Now that it's all clean, I'm tempted to keep the valve covers grey, just get them refreshed. Could anyone photoshop them Pelican, or close to Pelican blue? It'll give me an idea how the engine would look.

 

Since I have opted (as always) to run an 01E 6-speed, there is one vital ingredient missing. I've got a built 01E from a 2001 S4, B5 RS4 propshaft, shifter from the same car. However, I don't have the correct rear differential.

My 2.8 rear differential is a 3.89:1. The 01E final drive is 4.11:1. The only B5 gasoline model this side of an S4, with the correct final drive is a 2.6 V6 12V Quattro. So that's where I'm concentrating my search. A B5 S4/RS4 single mass flywheel has been ordered, with a hybrid clutch set-up. RS4 pressure plate, with a sprung hub 240mm friction disc.

To begin modifying the D3 A8 engine harness, I would prefer to purchase an engine harness from a 2.8 30V DBW (same as mine). This is mainly because I don't want to ruin the harness in my car, as I would rather sell my APR 30V motor complete with the ECU and harness. This will also allow me to build the hybrid harness without taking my car off the road.

This weekend, I'm going to pull the receiving harness from my D3, the section the engine harness plugs connect to. At least, I can start labelling the wires, ready to solder to the APR connectors.

 

In the past, when I have carried out V8 swaps, with the exception of just 1 (I have done 4 since 1999) my method has been to throw the motor into the engine bay, then sort out the wiring later. The exception has been the one swap I carried out, with aftermarket ECU and custom built harness.

This time, I am doing things differently. I am building a hybrid engine harness. Remember, I am using a different motor to what I'm used to - a 4.2 V8 40V from a 2005 Audi A8 (BFM). And as such, the factory harness has absolutely no relationship with a B5 chassis. Neither is it remotely related to the harness in a B6/B7/C5, which are closer to that of the B5. At least, the C5 is.

To this end, I have just purchased an engine wiring harness, from a 2000 B5 S4. This should be with me by the 21st July 2015. I will then cut it up, using it as an "adapter" to mate the D3 harness to the B5 chassis connectors. The D3 harness plugs also mate to the chassis connectors on the left, while the same in a RHD B5 are on the right. I will be using the D3's chassis connectors and a length of the harness to make up the desired length. So making the hybrid harness plug and play into a full facelift B5.

Some may ask, why not simply use my APR 30V harness, instead of buying an S4 harness? The answer is to avoid what most of us don't like - excessive downtime. I can keep my Pelican blue B5 30V Quattro as my daily, right up until the time comes to install the BFM V8 in the bay. In theory, I could bench run the V8, before the swap, since there's no immobiliser to contend with. I could have used any 2000-2001 B5 harness, the S4 one just came up at the right price.

I have purchased the correct black cloth electrical tape, to match the Audi's OEM insulation, and I'll post pictures as the harness work commences.