IYKYK — the journey of my Touring ownership

Finally putting together a thread. Bit of history to start...

Starts with my old B6 S4 Avant 6MT, owned for about 3 years. Nogaro blue exterior+interior, JHM headers to Milltek exhaust, coils then air then coils again. Thing was a beast and I love it to this day. Then my neighbor let me drive his well-modded E46 M3 (ported and polished heads, euroheaders, agency power Ti exhaust, coils, ZCP wheels with proper rubber) one day and my life was changed. I had to sell that Audi.

Sold the Audi on BaT. In between then I dailyed a 2010 A3 Titanium Pack with a 6 speed. Zippy lux GTI, but not for me. Then got an E90 M3 6MT. Blend of both Audi & BMW worlds and greater than the sum of its parts. 13,000 miles turned into 27,000 with Ohlins R&T coils, Eisenmann exhaust, and plenty of wheels over the course of my ownership. Following the sale of the A3, Purchased a touring here from @Dietrich. Already had plans to M-swap and was just finding the right donor car.


Pre-pandemic I decided to buy a house which sunk all of my funds for fun stuff with cars for adult stuff. Then I got hit by a lady in a Hyundai SUV going double the speed limit over a blind crest; insurance totaled the Touring because of frame damage on the front right corner (whoever gets that car in auction is lucky, it still ran perfect driving 40mi home from the accident (Sorry Dietrich )). Super bummed. Then I stumbled across @ewcmr2 's FB marketplace listing for his S54 touring build. I thought, "This is amazing! I can start fresh and be further along then before!"


As you can guess, I purchased it and had it shipped right before the biggest snow of the winter in NJ, having it arrive and sit in the garage until spring 2021. Full M3 swap other than the bodywork.
Started work with fresh lenses and clear-corners


Then roof-rail delete


Wrapped the interior trim silver from the prior dark wood



KWV2s and 5mm spacers all around


Got my vanity plate and badges sorted, along with clear tails (know you understand the thread title)


Secured some Mtech side skirts


Went a lil crazy and drove from NJ to NC to pick up a set of Impulse Cloth manual M3 seats in need of some love




After dying


Deep cleaning prior to install...


After


And the most recent Rennline pedal install



So what's next?
1. New wheels. Probably a square set of style 68s. Maybe some TE37s or BBS RKs if I can find a set.
2. Short shift kit, most likely AutoSolutions Autocross 20% kit.
3. CSL airbox & tune. Not set on brand yet.
4. Reupholster. I don't have enough fabric from the donor M3 set to do the wagon's panels, so I'm going to sell the partial set and instead do my own take on impulse fabric using contemporary fabrics that are lighter.
5. Body conversion and full repaint.

Will keep you all posted via this thread