I have an S4 TII car with a blown engine.
Buddy has an S5 TII front clip on hand.

What am I getting myself into?

The car can sit around for a while.
The clip is complete, planning to swap to RHD too, since all the stuff for it is available. (willing to cut and weld firewall - no problem).

The only thing I worry about is wiring. I figured that since the clip includes everything, it should be able to work with no problem other than connecting to the other harnesses, which shouldnt be a problem since they'd probably get swapped out too in the RHD swap.

Everything is just ideas, so dont take this too seriously and get all crazy on me.

Will it work?

 

You will have to deciede how you want to go electrically.

Your easiest swap will be to take your old S4 front cover, MOP, injectors, and wiring and put them on the S5 motor and then install that.

Otherwise you are in for a nightmare electrically.

and as a side note:

If you have the plastic trim panel on the drivers (left hand side- so the passengers side on the Jspec) lower fender just in front of where the door would be, I need just that one part and will be happy to pay for it.

 

ooh.. the trim piece - its the only one thats missing off the clip - what bad luck.

so electrically, i'm planning to go with the S5, since i plan on more engine swaps in the future, and figure it'd be easier in the long run to go the s5 route.

can you give me just a little bit of a heads up on the electrical nightmare? i've seen my fair share of electrical nightmares doing the wiring on many of my friend's cars (from strange swaps to standalone ems). the only difference here is they knew what needed to be done, i did it for them, i'm on my own this time.

 

well using the S5 electrical, nothing will match up.

You will need to make some custom connections to the S4 dash and front harnesses. save all your plugs and harnesses, in some cases you'll be able to re-pin the plugs (relocate the wires in the plugs).

 

well im planning on doing the RHD conversion since the front clip comes with everything to do it. with the conversion, im planning to change out everything including the dash and front harnesses. do you see any further complications in doing so?

oh yeah - my buddy does engine importing, he might have another front clip that may have the trim on it still, i'll check when i can. is the jspec trim different from the usdm one?

 

If you are doing a RHD conversion, then yes, you will use all the front clip's parts (including the harness), and have less of an electrical nightmare as most of it will plug in.