# TT RS - Paint Chip - Body Panels - Aluminium?



## jpkeyzer (Aug 24, 2011)

The TT-RS has a paint chip just in front of the rear wheel!

Even though Nano-Fusion protection film was installed, it looks like it was installed after the paint chip was sustained; hence it is underneath the protection film.

The paint chip is approx 1/16" x 1/16" and it looks like it has gone down to the metal.

My concern now is oxidation/corrosion/rust.

Are the TT-RS body panels made of aluminium?


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## Stevelev (Mar 4, 2004)

Assuming the TTRS is the same as my TTS, all panels except for the doors are aluminum.


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## jpkeyzer (Aug 24, 2011)

The chip is on the rocker panel (the panel below the door that runs from behind the front wheel and ends in front of the rear wheel).

This panel is not as sturdy as the other body panels and does flex slightly - is the rocker panel aluminum?


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## Stevelev (Mar 4, 2004)

Those rocker panels are plastic (polypro). BTW, I may stand corrected as I believe some of the body panels (aside from the doors) may also be steel - seems Audi AG decided the prototype MKII TT's were too light with all aluminum panels. The good news is that bodywork is far easier with steel


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## mtbscoTT (Jan 14, 2003)

Although I've never personally used it, DrColorChip (http://www.drcolorchip.com/) gets great reviews as a DIY for small paint repairs.


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## jpkeyzer (Aug 24, 2011)

Stevelev said:


> Those rocker panels are plastic (polypro). BTW, I may stand corrected as I believe some of the body panels (aside from the doors) may also be steel - seems Audi AG decided the prototype MKII TT's were too light with all aluminum panels. The good news is that bodywork is far easier with steel


Stevelev - thanks for your responses! The paint chip does have a brownish color (which is the source of my concern) - is there any way to confirm that the rocker panels are plastic? I am hoping you are correct.


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## jpkeyzer (Aug 24, 2011)

mtbscoTT said:


> Although I've never personally used it, DrColorChip (http://www.drcolorchip.com/) gets great reviews as a DIY for small paint repairs.


Thanks mtbscoTT. I've also been looking at the kit by Langka.


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## quattive (Oct 8, 2009)

Stevelev said:


> Those rocker panels are plastic (polypro). BTW, I may stand corrected as I believe some of the body panels (aside from the doors) may also be steel - seems Audi AG decided the prototype MKII TT's were too light with all aluminum panels. The good news is that bodywork is far easier with steel


FYI- Audi kept the rear of the car primarily steel and the front aluminum to balance the weight distribution.


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## jpkeyzer (Aug 24, 2011)

quattive said:


> FYI- Audi kept the rear of the car primarily steel and the front aluminum to balance the weight distribution.


Yes - this is true and applies to the chassis - I'd like to know about the body panels.


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## JohnLZ7W (Nov 23, 2003)

jpkeyzer said:


> Yes - this is true and applies to the chassis - I'd like to know about the body panels.


It looks like all of the exposed body panels are aluminum or plastic. Even at the back of the car where the floorpan is steel there's an aluminum body overlay.

Check pages 5, 7 and 22
http://www.lz7w.com/audi/mk2ttwiki/pdf/SSP_383.pdf


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## jpkeyzer (Aug 24, 2011)

Thank you for your responses!


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## blimey (Nov 12, 2000)

JohnLZ7W said:


> It looks like all of the exposed body panels are aluminum or plastic. Even at the back of the car where the floorpan is steel there's an aluminum body overlay.
> 
> Check pages 5, 7 and 22
> http://www.lz7w.com/audi/mk2ttwiki/pdf/SSP_383.pdf


Interesting read.Thanks for posting.


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## oldster1 (Oct 24, 2011)

another "thank you" for that information.


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## 1TT1 (Sep 27, 2007)

When i autocross the only place i could put my magnetic #'s is on the door.


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## tdi-bart (Feb 10, 2011)

Stevelev said:


> Assuming the TTRS is the same as my TTS, all panels except for the doors are aluminum.


the hatch is steel too


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## AppleChilli (Jan 10, 2012)

Reading that manual I come away thinking that Audi's are extremly well engineered and balanced from the factory, it will be difficult rationalizing modification of the core...if that's even possible considering the extensive use of aluminium.


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## AppleChilli (Jan 10, 2012)

AppleChilli said:


> Reading that manual I come away thinking that Audi's are extremly well engineered and balanced from the factory, it will be difficult rationalizing modification of the core...if that's even possible considering the extensive use of aluminium.


Nice video explaining Audi's use of aluminum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UCXJ1jbdjA&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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## GaBoYnFla (Oct 2, 2005)

Great find guys.....a lot more of the car is aluminum than I thought. I thought it was a lot of the sub structure, hood, fenders (front)....but didn't know roof, and rear fenders were.....great news....makes the car more exotic in my eyes.


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## jpkeyzer (Aug 24, 2011)

Can anyone confirm what the rocker panels are made from?

At first glance at the diagram above, it looks like the area just in front of the rear wheel is made of aluminium. 

However, the rocker panel actually fits below that.


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## GaBoYnFla (Oct 2, 2005)

jpkeyzer said:


> Can anyone confirm what the rocker panels are made from?
> 
> At first glance at the diagram above, it looks like the area just in front of the rear wheel is made of aluminium.
> 
> However, the rocker panel actually fits below that.


Plastic.....


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## dogdrive (Oct 19, 2005)

mtbscoTT said:


> Although I've never personally used it, DrColorChip (http://www.drcolorchip.com/) gets great reviews as a DIY for small paint repairs.


I decided to purchase a kit from DrColorChip to try on my daily driver GTI.

I will report back on the experiment


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## Marty (Jul 14, 2000)

dogdrive said:


> I decided to purchase a kit from DrColorChip to try on my daily driver GTI.
> 
> I will report back on the experiment


Please do! Looks like an interesting product.


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

all of the 2008+ TT models have aluminum body panels (except for doors, rear tailgate, rear floor pan). if your clear bra is over the chip you will have no reason to worry about corrosion or rusting.


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## tdi-bart (Feb 10, 2011)

how did you get a chip there, not from a rock, no way can it come from the front wheel they don't stick out past the fenders


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## dogdrive (Oct 19, 2005)

The package came in this morning. 
I will test it out my GTI this weekend.


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## Marty (Jul 14, 2000)

dogdrive said:


> The package came in this morning.
> I will test it out my GTI this weekend.


 Would you mind posting before and after close-up pics??


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## jpkeyzer (Aug 24, 2011)

dogdrive said:


> The package came in this morning.
> I will test it out my GTI this weekend.


 dogdrive - any update? Photos would be great!


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## dogdrive (Oct 19, 2005)

Haven't had a chance to do this yet. 
My daily is really dirty and I just don't want to wash it yet since it's going to rain on monday.


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## Marty (Jul 14, 2000)

dogdrive said:


> Haven't had a chance to do this yet.
> My daily is really dirty and I just don't want to wash it yet since it's going to rain on monday.


Hey dogdrive, any updates? I need to order some touch-up paint and I'm curious how well this stuff is actually working. Thanks.


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## mtbscoTT (Jan 14, 2003)

Aargghh! I picked up a chip in a most unusual way and have also ordered a DrColorChip kit this week. 
I was getting out of my car at lunch and my company badge attached to my pants pocket somehow got caught in the door. It's on one of those retractable spring loaded things and by the time I felt it tugging on me, it was pulled off of me and zinged back to the car. It left a tiny chip on the quarter panel about 3 inches to the right of the door handle. I didn't even notice it at first and then thought it was bird crap, it wasn't until I really examined it that I figured out what had happened. 
Anyway, no dent and a "clean" chip. Hopefully the DCC kit lives up to its reputation.


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