The Rad Wagon - B8 6spd S4 Avant Build

[shreddykrueger]

The time has finally come: After 5 long years of wanting to build a 6spd manual s4 avant, it is finally coming to fruition.

The swap/build is taking place at Sittin Pretty Autowerks in Centennial, CO by mastermind Christian Figuli (AZ username: ItsChich).

After discussion and planning with Christian, we came up with the build plan and I was able to source a complete s4 in Arkansas.

The avant: 2011 A4 S-Line avant Monza silver (wrapped gloss dark gray), 131k miles. Current setup: k04, CTS FMIC, CTS test pipe, AWE touring exhaust, k&n intake, DV+, vogtland coilovers, 034 rear sway





The donor: 2011 S4, 89k miles, 6spd manual, bone stock





The build: swap 3.0 supercharged engine, 6spd manual transmission, subframe, necessary wiring harness(es), interior (seats/door cards), instrument cluster, brakes. Retain: ecodes, push button start, suspension (vogtland coilovers, 034 control arms), b9 FBSW, s5 rotors. Aftermarket mods: carbon bits (front lip, side mirrors, rs4 roof spoiler, quad rear valence), drilled/slotted rotors, b8.5 LED taillights, ECS heat exchanger, CTS dual pulley, ECS black chrome quad tip exhaust (valved), IE intake, IE tune, can auto performance test pipes, can auto short shifter, 034 motor mounts, ECS drivetrain mounts, RSNAV, Avery satin metallic dark basalt wrap (Whoozys wraps), kilmat sound deadener (floors, doors, trunk)

Tuesday 1/19/2021: the avant is dropped off at Sittin Pretty Autowerks to begin teardown, interior is completely guttered







Wednesday 1/20/2021: drivetrain is removed from the avant, engine bay is cleaned





Thursday 1/21/2021: s4 arrives at the shop to begin teardown



Friday 1/22/2021: interior teardown continues, wrap is removed from avant, performance parts start arriving

[Audibot]

Love it! Subbed to see the build

[DOCEVG]

Ambitious! Subbed.
Think I remember seeing a sweet A4 avant conversion to S4 selling within the last year or so on Bring a Trailer for big dollars.

[DRKNESS65]

Wow and WOW is all that I can say...

[dumpsterbaby]

Very cool.

[coldfirezz]

Awesome! Will be starting mine soon. I am sticking with DSG, bought my B8 S4 with 135k for $3k, same for my 09 Avant. Will be an amazing car when its done!

[Kylet21]

Yes!!! Have wanted to do this for a long time. So glad you are doing it with a manual!


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[shreddykrueger]

Yes!!! Have wanted to do this for a long time. So glad you are doing it with a manual!


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Had to, building a dream car so didn’t want to cut any corners an manual was no exception!

[KaizerWilhelm]

sub'd

[Phil Dammit]

How will the seat swap in the rear work out since it doesn have the back tray on the panda white saloon? Something i always wondered about with this build/swap. I've mulled this idea for a min with my 6spd. Only have a few more tid bits to complete my build (sport dif, HPFP/LPFP swap, and IE TB w/tune, maybe pull the boxed up stoptechs i have in the garage and install)

If I was doin the swap like this prolly sneak some merc headers in there too sonce motor is dropped.

1 giant positive is the considerably cheaper insurance. 2nd is the true family size cabin.

1 possible negative is the resell when i get bored. If the swap is done right you guys think a build like this will fetch a penny considerable to an S4 saloon? Granted it would be a collector and would have to be a slow sell guarantee no low ball tire kickers. Since mines paid off just hate to completely lose the snall amount of equity i do have in the car as is.

Def sub'd to see the outcome and hurtles you have to overcome gor reference.

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[Heavy Winter]

This is so cool. What I want next when I move on from my B5 S4 avant. Best of luck, please keep all the drool-worthy pics coming!

[rand0mher0]

How will the seat swap in the rear work out since it doesn have the back tray on the panda white saloon? Something i always wondered about with this build/swap. I've mulled this idea for a min with my 6spd. Only have a few more tid bits to complete my build (sport dif, HPFP/LPFP swap, and IE TB w/tune, maybe pull the boxed up stoptechs i have in the garage and install)

If I was doin the swap like this prolly sneak some merc headers in there too sonce motor is dropped.

1 giant positive is the considerably cheaper insurance. 2nd is the true family size cabin.

1 possible negative is the resell when i get bored. If the swap is done right you guys think a build like this will fetch a penny considerable to an S4 saloon? Granted it would be a collector and would have to be a slow sell guarantee no low ball tire kickers. Since mines paid off just hate to completely lose the snall amount of equity i do have in the car as is.

Def sub'd to see the outcome and hurtles you have to overcome gor reference.

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The seats are a direct fit into the wagon. All of the mounting points are the same. The privacy cover has a mount other than the seat in the B8 so thankfully no noticeable difference. However you can swap the seat frame and put the S4 seat onto the A4 frame to regain the mount for the privacy cover as well as the hooks for cargo and what not. I never did this for my swap and have not missed it, lol.

I have already had multiple offers on mine well above current market value on a similar S4 sedan, so resale is not a concern. Remember, this is a car you can not just go out and buy.

[shreddykrueger]

rand0mher0 nailed it, this build has no regard for resell. I’m building it to create a car that I’ve always wanted and Audi never offered in the US. At some point when I do sell it, it will be go the right enthusiast that also see’s the value in it...this is also to hold me over until I can afford a used rs6 avant in ~ 5yrs

[jbain2]

Nice! Why did you remove the wrap?


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[JLAllroad]

What are the maintenance items that you are hitting while the engine is out?



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[shreddykrueger]

Nice! Why did you remove the wrap?


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New build, new look. Wrapping the body in satin metallic dark basalt, roof/door blades in satin black, trim in gloss black and adding some carbon accents (front lip, side mirrors, rs4 roof spoiler, quad valence)

[shreddykrueger]

What are the maintenance items that you are hitting while the engine is out?



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Valve cover gaskets, pcv, intake carbon cleaning, thermostat, and water pump

[JLAllroad]

Perfect


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[Phil Dammit]

The seats are a direct fit into the wagon. All of the mounting points are the same. The privacy cover has a mount other than the seat in the B8 so thankfully no noticeable difference. However you can swap the seat frame and put the S4 seat onto the A4 frame to regain the mount for the privacy cover as well as the hooks for cargo and what not. I never did this for my swap and have not missed it, lol.

I have already had multiple offers on mine well above current market value on a similar S4 sedan, so resale is not a concern. Remember, this is a car you can not just go out and buy.

Good to know about the interior.

Hmmmm agreed not an everyday manufactured car to the US so it has potential UNICORN value. But all dependent on market fluctuation

Did you use a running donor for your swap? What did you end up doing with the leftovers from the donor? Swap into your old saloon chassis and sell or part out?

rand0mher0 nailed it, this build has no regard for resell. I’m building it to create a car that I’ve always wanted and Audi never offered in the US. At some point when I do sell it, it will be go the right enthusiast that also see’s the value in it...this is also to hold me over until I can afford a used rs6 avant in ~ 5yrs

What do you plan on doing with your donor? Part out or full swap into the S4 chassis with A4 bits and resell?




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[shreddykrueger]

I wasn't able to find a worthy rear damaged or totaled s4 donor, so I ended up picking a 2011 s4 with 89k miles and bone stock for $12k. Im selling all of the parts from both cars that I am not using, and will eventually scrap the shell of the s4 or sell it cheap to somebody that could use it. The used parts market has been pretty good locally (selling on fb marketplace in denver) and has already paid for all the the performance parts and service items for the s4 avant build.

[Kylet21]

Out of curiosity, is the swap easier if you use a b8 S4 versus a b8.5?


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[ZERO FRAME GRAB]

This is madness..I love it!!

[rand0mher0]

Good to know about the interior.

Hmmmm agreed not an everyday manufactured car to the US so it has potential UNICORN value. But all dependent on market fluctuation

Did you use a running donor for your swap? What did you end up doing with the leftovers from the donor? Swap into your old saloon chassis and sell or part out?

Yes I bought a wrecked running S4 from Copart auctions. The car had light suspension damage that I repaired before dismantling the car. I basically parted out my avant because 95% of the car was replaced with what came out of the S4. And anything from the S4 that couldn't be used in the avant (basically only the headliner and body panels) was sold and the chassis was sold for scrap. Swapping everything into the sedan chassis and making that run would have been cool but a salvage title S4 with a 2.0t auto swap didn't make sense plus I did not want to make the wiring changes needed to the S4 body harness to accept an auto transmission and what not. I already had enough wiring on my hands, lol.

[shreddykrueger]

Tuesday 1/26/2021: open heart surgery on the s4, RS style pedals, and carbon bits arriving!

[d.p]

Damn I love these swaps, probably don't want to share pricing but I would be interested in what you have into it so far and what its costing you to pay someone to swap it for you.

Best of luck either way!

[shreddykrueger]

Damn I love these swaps, probably don't want to share pricing but I would be interested in what you have into it so far and what its costing you to pay someone to swap it for you.

Best of luck either way!

Ya dude, more than happy to share pricing.

I've had my avant paid off for a few years now, so that's a negligible cost in this build. I was able to score my donor s4 for $12,125 with 89k miles and bone stock. 6spd manual and clean Carfax...the guy I bought it from was in Arkansas, where euros aren't very popular and he was just happy to get rid of it rather than trade it into the dealer. Didn't know if I was going to be able to score a clean manual s4 with < 100k miles for < $15k, but it all worked out. I've worked out a pretty insane deal with my shop (Sittin Pretty Autowerks in Centennial, CO) as they were super stoked on the build and it is going to be really solid marketing for their shop both locally and nationally. I dropped my avant off last Tuesday (1/19/2021) and started parting out any unused parts from the a4 then. Yesterday, I was able to finish selling every single unused part from the a4, and the s4 shell/unused parts to a guy locally. Parting out both cars was able to recoup $11,500. Im going all in on performance parts and aesthetic mods (carbon bits/new wrap) but all said and done I'm looking to be into this build ~$15k all in

[JLAllroad]

Info on the carbon bits, specifically hatch spoiler?


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[DRKNESS65]

Wow that really is fantastic OP...

[shreddykrueger]

Info on the carbon bits, specifically hatch spoiler?


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the ol ebay special...fitment is TBD

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AUDI-A4-B8-...9f7d%7Ciid%3A1

[shreddykrueger]

Tuesday 1/26/2021: 3.0 maintenance going down

Before/after carbon cleaning the cylinders




New PCV & thermostat


New waterpump


Vacuum pump is shot, time to replace!

[Aris3.2]

Awesome work man!
The finished car will be a unique sleeper family car with some big @@ under the hood.
Ps: Recouping almost the cost of the donor car from parts from both cars that would have been basically useless after the swap is huge huge plus.
Subd for the process and reveal of the finished car.
Keep up the great work👌

[shreddykrueger]

Tuesday 1/26/2021: maintenance continues

Valve covers painted


test pipes sparyed with ceramic heat spray before being wrapped


rear timing cover resealed

[eljay]

Good to know about the interior.

Hmmmm agreed not an everyday manufactured car to the US so it has potential UNICORN value. But all dependent on market fluctuation

Did you use a running donor for your swap? What did you end up doing with the leftovers from the donor? Swap into your old saloon chassis and sell or part out?



What do you plan on doing with your donor? Part out or full swap into the S4 chassis with A4 bits and resell?




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Another point about the seat swap is that sedan rear seat frame does not have provisions for child tether anchors. If you don't plan on fitting a child seat in the rear, it won't matter to you.
In summary:
- Avant rear seat frame has child tether anchors, sedan doesn't
- S4 sedan rear seat frame has a ski pass-through opening, Avant doesn't. Leather cover and cushion from sedan with ski-pass-through does not fit onto the Allroad frame (which does not have the pass-through).
So, pick the mix that is important to you.
When I swapped S4 seats into my B8.5 Allroad, I chose to keep the Allroad rear 2/3 side with the Allroad black leather because I have a child seat there. Once I no longer need the child seat, I will swap the leather cover and cushion over.

The other discovery was that the rear seat back from the S4 included the ski pass-though. Since I wanted to keep the Avant seat back due to the child seat tether anchors, I could not use the S4 seat back frame as the leather cushion does not fit on a frame without the pass-through opening. :(

[shreddykrueger]

Thursday 1/28/2021: the wagon grew another pedal, the s4 engine has completed all maintenance and is working its way under the avant hood, and a preview of the new wrap color

[shreddykrueger]

Thursday 1/28/2021: 3.0 is mounted in the avant, transmission is converted to manual, new wrap install begins

[NYDCB]

That was fast! Nice.

[Itschich]

Hey everyone!
Wanted to introduce myself here. My names Christian, I’m the owner of Sittin Pretty Autowerks where this build is taking place.

The team and myself have been really pushing this build to get fully complete in a timely manner so I haven’t been on the thread a lot yet. But, if anyone has any questions about the build or different versions of this build please feel free to let me know!

I’m going to try and make a really well put together guide for these swaps when we finish this one up. I’ve been documenting everything on our end during the first week of the process to help with most of the questions while getting into this kind of build. I’m stoked to get into the final stages of this for Jacob and show everyone the final result!


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[19birel]

Awesome build! definitely a dream project for many of us can't wait to see the progress continue!

[rand0mher0]

Excellent work so far! Can't wait to see it on the road and to add it to the 6-speed S4 swapped B8 avant registry, lol.

[Itschich]

Excellent work so far! Can't wait to see it on the road and to add it to the 6-speed S4 swapped B8 avant registry, lol.

Do you know how many 6 speed Avants are built and completed by chance? I’ve been trying to figure that one out since we started lol


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