audi08.25.2010

Just got done clearcoating the first set made with the new 5 harness satin (5HS) fabric I just got in.  It is a 6k 11oz fabric, so it is pretty high quality.  At first I wasn’t really sure how I felt about it from an aesthetic standpoint, but now seeing these pieces finally clearcoated I’m pretty happy with how it looks.  It is still pretty obvious that it is carbon fiber, as the fabric has a nice thick weave to it, but because it is woven differently than a standard twill, it has a very custom look to it.

Really looking forward to installing this set.

audi, install guide07.13.2010

Lately I’ve had some customers have some trouble removing the front ashtray covers on their B6/B7 Audis, so I figured I would write up a little guide.  I think people tend to over complicate this step of the trim removal when it is actually quite simple.  Before we start, let me stress that you do not need to remove the whole ashtray from the car to remove the ashtray cover.  I have just done that for this guide because it will make it much easier to photograph.

B6/B7 Front Ashtray Cover Removal

Tools needed:

• Strong thumbs

Time required: 60 seconds

Difficulty: Super easy

First we will start with the rear ashtray because it works on the same principle as the front ashtray, but you can actually see the bottom of it.

Both ashtray covers have these pegs in them (the front ashtray has 3 of them, the rear ashtray has 2 of them).  Both lids have teeth that grasp the pegs and hold them in place.

On the rear ashtray you have to slide the cover forward while lifting up the tab.  This will unhook the teeth from the pegs and set the cover free.

Here you see the rear ashtray off of the lid.  The front ashtray bottom looks almost identical.

On to the front ashtray.  With the ashtray open, you can see the separation of the lid and the cover.  The goal is to use your thumbs on the lid to push it inward and use your fingers on the ashtray cover to slide it forward in the opposite direction.

So grip the ashtray like this (use both hands, I could only use one because I needed the other to take the picture) and move your thumbs in and pull your fingers towards you.

If you’ve done it correctly, you’ll free the pegs on the ashtray cover from the teeth on the lid.

Close the ashtray, and you should be able to just pull it straight up and out.

With the ashtray cover off, you can see the pegs and the teeth.

One last picture for reference: a lot of people assume they are removing the whole top of the ashtray, but as you can see from this image, that isn’t the case.  The lid that opens and closes remains connected to the ashtray assembly, you are just removing the decorative cover.

audi, carbon fiber06.18.2010

I’ve been anxious to see what this setup would look like for a while now, so I was happy to finally get some decent photos.  I think it fits pretty well with the two tone interior and adds a nice contrast.

Rest of the gallery can be found here: Barry’s A4.

audi, carbon fiber05.28.2010

and it looks fantastic.

It might be hard to tell from these photos, as they look very similar to photos of most every other set I’ve posted, but I can see there has been a definitive upgrade in quality of the overall finish of the parts.  They are much smoother and the gloss appears to have a “deeper” shine.  I suspect the depth is because the new clearcoat is much easier to spray and goes down with minimal orange peel (orange peel is a bumpy paint surface similar to the peel of an orange.  You can see it quite regularly on sub-par paint jobs on cheap cars.  Even high end cars sometimes have orange peel from the factory and need to have paint correction done to them by an experienced detailer to have it removed).  Because the clearcoat goes onto the part with less orange peel, it takes less wetsanding to get the part smooth, which leaves quite a bit more clearcoat on the part.  This is the only explanation I can come up with for the increased “depth” of the pieces.  I am very happy with the end result and am very pleased I took the time and effort to look into upgrading clearcoats.  It’s amazing how a small tweak can lead to such drastic improvements.

The pieces are reflecting a ton of light.

I love this shot.

This set is on its way, hopefully I’ll be able to post some pictures of it installed very soon.

audi, carbon fiber05.19.2010

I’m liking this fabric more and more as I continue to complete sets with it.  This is the 4th overall 20oz set I’ve completed (two B5 sets and this is the second B6/B7 set).  The thicker fabric has a much tighter weave.