jc43089

Mike replaced the front main seal, pressurised PS line, reservoir mounts and new side markers.
New Pilot Sport 4S tires on all corners!

Skipped eating my Wheaties this morning to make some ride height adjustments. Not quite there, but getting closer.

The ship has landed!

Now this guy gets the true meaning of scale BMW models.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-87-BMW-325i-E30-Cabrio-H0-Motorbrand-LED-12V-Feuer-Laser-Cut-Patina-Top-18/402782748722

Took the car for a drive, everything is fixed and driving amazing! Just need a muffler setup welded on and we're done! 
(also have to finish some coding to remove the DSC and engine light due to steering angle sensor which is to be removed) 
Love this thing. 

"Are you tired of things in your trunk being protected from the elements?!"

Short update.
Still trying to find time to get the fuel pump and fluids in the car for start up.
But I have made some more progress.
One of my pairs of lips came in so I split and replaced the lips on some of my Weds Kranze Cerebus 2s. 
They went from 18x8 to 18x10.5. My plan is to make all the rears 10.5s.

 
I also got my rear bumper and the right side fender back from being repaired.

 
And finally something I have been working on that I am really excited about, I did not think I'd be drawing and printing this so soon but here is the custom gauge pod that I created to house the new wideband and also the PBM digital multi gauge I previously had in the center console.


 
I used a lightbar mount to mount it to the roll cage. 

 
And here is is mounted!



 
Some adjusting needs to be done yet but I am excited with the result for now!
 
Hopefully I will get time to install the new fuel pump and get the first start up out of the way this weekend!
 

This car’s setup is at home and in its element while on the smooth pavement of the track. I consider it a streetable track car when I need it to be a trackable street car.
I started down the path of shopping more street oriented coilover setups but was persuaded by Ground Control to try a “proven setup” by going from the 6” 525 lb/in front,  6” 650 lb/in rear springs, to some 6” 375 lb/in front/ 7” 430 lb/in rear.
For reference, VAC Motorsports classifies the following spring rate combinations:
Performance with Comfort 300/450 
Aggressive Street Car 450/500
Track days (minimal street use) 550/600
the 375 springs were unavailable and I felt that the rear to front spring rate ratios were a bit too close so I chose 350/430 as it matches the proportion of the current spring rates better.
I was concerned that the 6” fronts were going to be too low and ordered some urethane spring pads to add compliance and 3/4” of material to help with the ride height. 
The pads ended up not fitting as nicely as hoped on the front but I am running 1 on the rear springs. (Old 6” 650 lb/in rear spring on left, new 7” 430 lb/in rear spring on right)

 
old 6” 525 lb/in front spring on left, new 6” 350 lb/in spring on right

 
The new spring rates are almost smack dab in the middle of stock rates and the previous rates.
with everything together the rear sits 7/8” higher than before and the front sits 1/2” to 3/4” lower than before with no ability to adjust it any higher.

 
I welcome a slightly higher ride height for practicality but am targeting 1/2” higher overall from before as a starting point before getting it dialed in, mainly to provide more suspension travel before contacting the bump stops. Right now there is about 1”, which is what GC suggested. (For comparison, Stock E90 M3 has 1/2” of travel before hitting bump stops according to a bump stop article I was reading by Dinan).
 

 
My test drive was limited because there was some rubbing on harder turns from how low the front is. Hopefully not speaking too soon, but the ride quality is still firm. It feels like a lowered car. I definitely need to lower the rebound damping in the rear.   The best way I can describe the ride quality difference is there are certain bumps that make you clench, but hitting them now was not a clench-worthy moment.
Turn in is no longer razor sharp, but compromises have to be made.
I ordered some 7” long front springs which will actually allow for some height adjustability and wont clank around when the car is in the air.
Hoping by next weekend ~ May 1st I can have things sorted and ready to take to Big Bear for the final touches

Update
The 3D printed front main installation tool worked!
Lined up to be pulled in.

 
Pulled into place. All I used was a ratchet and slowly tightened the bolt. Super pumped that worked out!

And here is photos of the 3 block off plugs I made for the original engine harness pass through, original booster vacuum pass through and one more that I forget what it did haha.


 
Now with the front main reinstalled I put the cooling system together for the final time, bolted up the bash bar and radiator support and sucked some coolant into it.

 
It feels good to be close to first start up.


 
I also went ahead and drew and printed some block offs for the original chassis harness pass through areas. I didnt shave that when we did the bay because they are in way to tight of an area to weld, grind, and sand properly. These came put pretty nice and I am pretty happy with the results.



 
My fuel pump and install kit came in too as well as my wrap! 
I have a few more fluids to replace as well as spark plugs and the fuel pump and we should be close to startup!
 

So jacked I nabbed this plate! "E46 M3" was taken, but this was up for grabs

In 4 EV swap

I always browse with the unread content button so I can see any new posts.

Took another crack at it with the extractor but heating it first with a torch. As I was turning the extractor with the tap handle, the entire threaded insert broke loose and fell inside the frame rail. 😳😡

Leaving me with an empty hole, a few different ideas came to mind. To keep damage to the frame rail to a minimal, I opted with opening up the hole just enough to snugly tap in a threaded coupling. Ground off the finish and applied a layer of jb weld to possibly help things hold from inside. Left it about 1/16" out from frame in order for the welds to have more surface area to mend with. 


I then welded it all around, ground it flush to frame, put a skim coat of jb weld to fill any pinholes left over and sprayed it black. Paint is still wet in pic, but you get the idea. 


Crisis averted!
 

UPDATE!
Finished up the charger to oil filter housing bracket mods.


 
Then painted it along with the power steering resiviour bracket.



 
Also got in the upper radiator hose adapter from ICT billet.

 
and installed.

 
I also got in my clamps, the manifold vacuum fitting, the line for those fittings, and a section of 3/8 silicone hose plus my German Auto Solutions coolant cap came in.
 


 
Drilled and tapped the manifold for this DOT push loc fitting and then routed the hose from the recirc valve to the manifold.
Really excited for how this worked out, too bad no one will see it hahahha.

 
I then cut the section of 3/8 silicone into sections to act as couplers with the hardline I bent up for the vacuum to the booster. Just waiting on some more clamps to come in, because you know I forgot to get these ones lol.


 
Next I wanted to see how the HELL the headlight was supposed to fit with the intake. The way the kit came had a 45" coupler off the main intake and then the maf attached to that followed by a plastic piece that went from the maf to the filter. 
I dont have pictures but theres no way I was jamming that behind the headlight and pinching and pushing things around. Not to mention I have Xenon headlights so the ballast would need to be "moved". I have a solution for that once the parts come I will.share that!
So here is what I came up with for the intake.


 
I stepped the main intake tube down to a 3" then used a aluminum 45° to get past the back of the headlight. Then stepped back from 3" to 3.5" to the MAF and then the MAF straight to the filter.
I have a sock for the filter to keep water off as well as I made this splash sheild.
Started as a good ole CAD template.

 
Then cut it out of some plastic sheet.

 
Once I formed it to the corner to mount it I added some supports of aluminum.



 
Pretty happy with the outcome especially considering I used what I had. We will see how well it performs.
And finally I got everything in to add my under hood lights. 😎
I wrapped all the wiring in the same flexo stuff I use on the engine and chassis harness, and then routed it through the ribs on the hood.


 
I added a switch similar to the switch for the tire sprayer but it is an on/off rather than a momentary switch.

 
And here it is all lit up! Really hyped to see it once it's on the ground with the underglow on too 😁😎

 
Thats about it for now, waiting on a few more parts. (Seems to be the usual latley lol)
More updates as parts roll in! 
 

I always browse with the unread content button so I can see any new posts.

He might get it from a sucker.  All those cooling parts replaced and now a "head gasket".  I'd put money on it having a cracked head... I wouldn't pay more than a grand and that is if it isn't rusty underneath.  "Odometer stopped today" sure it did...

He might get it from a sucker.  All those cooling parts replaced and now a "head gasket".  I'd put money on it having a cracked head... I wouldn't pay more than a grand and that is if it isn't rusty underneath.  "Odometer stopped today" sure it did...

The E30 has racing pedigree.
It’s the same automatic, bronzit paint, and comfort seats used in the DTM racecars.
If you cant appreciate a racecar tamed for the streets then get a Daihatsu.

This is so sick
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1994-bmw-530i-touring-5/

12 hours of Sebring was great and we saw a Pagani Huayra and Bugatti Veyron in person!

Got an engine light for a cylinder 6 misfire.  Popped in some new plugs and swapped the cylinder 5 & 6 coils.  Fault transfered to cylinder #5 so I swapped that coil with a good used one.  Back on the road!  Have a slight coolant leak I'll be hunting down but everything else is great!

Final weekend update.
Got what I'm planning to be a temporary gauge mount in, the gauge didn't quite fit so I had to make an adapter out of abs plastic to allow it to press fit in.


 
Here it is with the gauge installed.

 
And in the car where I believe it will be mounted, again the plan is for this to be temporary as I have an idea brewing. Thus $10 mount is definitely a bit tacky, but it will work for now as it needs to.

 
I also got in the ICT Billet 3/4 to 1" adapter union to make the diverter valve hosing work.
This is a nice piece for sure and made in the USA too 👍

 
Here's what I came up with. Really happy with the outcome and the way these silicone sections worked out.


 
My order with all the clamps I need should be in this week along with a few other parts that should lead to final assembly  😁

UPDATE
Got some parts in!
Throttle body coupler with 2 ports and a -4 banjo adapter for the vanos oil line.

Vibrant -4 oil feed line

 
New o rings for the injectors, new intake manifold gaskets, throttle body gasket for the m50 manifold side, exhaust cam sensor (found out mine was cracked), and also a centering bushing for the driveshaft.

 
and finally for parts the sleeving for the engine harness came as well.
 
While I still had the manifold on I got to setting up the new double port coupler. The reason I went with the double port one was to be able to connect the iacv separate from the diverter valve. Ended up chopping quite a bit off both sides but it fits pretty well now.

 

 
Once the throttle body elbow angle was finalized I was able to set up the IACV hoses. I ended up trimming the U shaped hose that the kit comes with because I was not liking how it was intended to sit.
Here's what I came up with.

 
This way tucks really well under the manifold when it's bolted on the engine.

 

 
I was also able to take my "prototype" power steering resiviour bracket to @Sam_Holzmann and he drew it into digital form and cut it out on the plasma. 
Here is "V1"

 
And it fits great just like the prototype version.

 
 
 

 

 
Next I got to work on finishing the engine harness. I finalized some lengths and removed the harness from the engine one last time.


 
After lengthening some leads and shortening a couple others this is the bare harness.

 
And finally after about 4 hours of looming it is complete 😁
 
Super happy with how this harness turned out. 



 
Now that the harness is done I got the new injector o-rings, throttle body gasket on the manifold side, and the 6 manifold to head gaskets.


 
I also went ahead and notched the panel that separates the ebox compartment for the engine bay where the harness is going to come through now.

 
And finally I got that new oil feed line installed along with the vanos banjo bolt fitting. The line that came with the kit was not going to work for my set up but this way worked out exactly how I had hoped and looks super clean.

 

Thats it for now! Have a few more parts to order that were further down on the immediate priority list along with figuring out how I want to run the diverter valve hoses. Then on to final assembly I think haha.
 
 
 
 
 

Been a very hot minute since I’ve posted anything here. Winter 2018-19 through the summer of 19 I was doing engine work on my motorcycle. And just had low motivation to work on the BMW. But I started to tear into it during COVID. I ended up pulling the whole interior, going to be going with an all black interior. I acquired most of the swap from the parts car I had 4 years ago. The dove grey interior that was in it was pretty shot. But since about this past May I haven’t really touched it til this last month or so.

I had Troy rewrap my engine harness. 

I’m also planning on going back to air. Picked up some bulkhead couplings today. Ran the front airlines today. And got the black carpet in as well. 
 

Im starting to get a good amount of motivation for this thing again. So I may be posting more in again.
 

Got the wagon back from Mike's place.  He did a ton of work. A lot of new suspension arms with monoballs added where I could. Also some e60 M5 bits! New battery, clutch slave cylinder, antenna, washer fluid funnel, fog light and properly coded in the abs module. 
I drove up to St. Paul to trade my tailgate +cash for a rust free 525i tailgate with the same color. Mike fixed some of the wiring that was breaking apart.
A new roundel for the tailgate and a Dinan strut bar top off this round! 
Feels like a whole new car!  Loving it! 
Just have a exhaust leak from a hole in the new headers and an O2 sensor fault. Almost getting to mechanical perfection!