I'll put it on the possible to-do list. 
** Acme [Akagi] bought a pink estate car - E30 325i project log! **
- Thread starter Akagi
- Start date
Buy this. Seriously.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-...248634?hash=item33c92923ba:g:J34AAOSwOgdYrcDd
Just ignore the title. Pretentious git.
If I hadn't already found an E30, I would have been arranging a viewing of it. To be honest I'm quite tempted to replace the MX5 with it haha.
Now they are cool cars, and quite valuable now!
I hope he knew what he had, and didn't think it was just some old car because he'd had it for yonks and assumed its worthless now.
Loads of people make that mistake.
I hope he knew what he had, and didn't think it was just some old car because he'd had it for yonks and assumed its worthless now.
Loads of people make that mistake.
Right, plugs changed, leads cleaned, head end bung things changed, new gasket, valve clearances on four valves done, and the source of my lumpy cold idle found... The intake pipe was almost hanging off the intake manifold... I somehow didn't notice before! 
It runs much better now...
Perhaps not surprisingly... 
The bungs in the firewall end of the block were so hard and shrunken that they actually moved around in the recess'. Its no wonder it was gushing oil.
I've Jizered the engine block to clean the oil residue off so I can monitor it. In the process, I discovered that my PAS fluid resevoir is leaking, so I need one of those too it seems. They're cheap.
I also noticed that my bonnet is going rotten from the inside out.
It runs much better now...
Perhaps not surprisingly... The bungs in the firewall end of the block were so hard and shrunken that they actually moved around in the recess'. Its no wonder it was gushing oil.
I've Jizered the engine block to clean the oil residue off so I can monitor it. In the process, I discovered that my PAS fluid resevoir is leaking, so I need one of those too it seems. They're cheap.
I also noticed that my bonnet is going rotten from the inside out.
Thanks, rust is going to be the biggest PITA but it will look even better once that and the paintwork is dealt with, fingers crossed!
It is lively in the wet, and lively in the dry, sometimes when I don't want it to be, sometimes when I do.
What is yours? Will be great once its done!
Doesn't it feel good to put effort in to a car which isn't crap? Good on you mate, really enjoying following your progress. Keep it up
It does! But despite doing seemingly a fair bit already, I've barely scratched the surface!
And thanks.
Continuing with the theme, I tried to adjust the headlight level today. Turning the adjustment thing on the back of the headlight does nothing... Went for a drive to Newhaven, grabbed a bite to eat, took a few snaps. Unfortunately as I forgot my tripod, most were rubbish.
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More rust pictures. The rear towing eye rot is pretty epic. Need to get the underpinnings of the car welded up first, but there are quite a few areas on the bodywork pictured here. Bonnet underside, tailgate corners, drivers door corner, arch, behind the offside headlight, etc...
Pics:
Valve cover after scrubbing up with acid and cif and other random things, and smoothed off the raised bits to make them shiny. Need to do something with the intake manifold too, but as you can see from the above (and the pictures in post #1) there are important matters to attend to first.
Pics:
Nearside rear passenger door, may scrub up.
Don't think I'll be scrubbing this up! (near rear towing eye, very common)
Nearside rear arch. I thought it was just surface blistering, but I gave it a forceful prod and oh...
Near corners of rear lights under tailgate. Bit unusual! Need to take the lights out and see if it extends further.
Bits of the tailgate
Underside of bonnet
Blister on drivers door corner, may scrub up.
Behind headlight. Not too bad.
Don't think I'll be scrubbing this up! (near rear towing eye, very common)
Nearside rear arch. I thought it was just surface blistering, but I gave it a forceful prod and oh...
Near corners of rear lights under tailgate. Bit unusual! Need to take the lights out and see if it extends further.
Bits of the tailgate
Underside of bonnet
Blister on drivers door corner, may scrub up.
Behind headlight. Not too bad.
Valve cover after scrubbing up with acid and cif and other random things, and smoothed off the raised bits to make them shiny. Need to do something with the intake manifold too, but as you can see from the above (and the pictures in post #1) there are important matters to attend to first.
Yep, very true.
I wish I could weld, would save me a lot of cash...
I wish I could weld, would save me a lot of cash...
Lots of places for them to hold water.
Thankfully the plastic numberplate surround covers the entire lower section, so I could just have the corners chopped out and have little bits put in.
Thankfully the plastic numberplate surround covers the entire lower section, so I could just have the corners chopped out and have little bits put in.
LSD's sadly are expensive luxuries when there is so much else to do. If I see one come up for a great price I'll snap it up, but if not I won't be actively looking.
Having an LSD will just encourage more childish behaviour anyway... And its not bad for that as is...
Having an LSD will just encourage more childish behaviour anyway... And its not bad for that as is...
Cool project! I won't be swapping out the engine, but as I say, what is in there may get a tweak eventually.
I know what you are saying about chewing tyres, but an LSD can set you back £500+ for an E30 these days, and you have no idea if it works properly until you've already bought it and fitted it. I don't particularly want to weld it up because I don't drift everywhere and parking is already hard haha.
I know what you are saying about chewing tyres, but an LSD can set you back £500+ for an E30 these days, and you have no idea if it works properly until you've already bought it and fitted it. I don't particularly want to weld it up because I don't drift everywhere and parking is already hard haha.
Certainly sounds like a good plan.
Looks a nice car, and it already has the wheels which is a bonus. Got the caps?
Small changes today. Side repeaters and front lenses replaced with BMW genuine amber lenses, and pressed metal EU front plate with a black border fitted... I appreciate this won't be to everyone's taste, but I like it. It is also in the right place this time!
Looks a nice car, and it already has the wheels which is a bonus. Got the caps?
Small changes today. Side repeaters and front lenses replaced with BMW genuine amber lenses, and pressed metal EU front plate with a black border fitted... I appreciate this won't be to everyone's taste, but I like it. It is also in the right place this time!
I am planning on, to be quite honest. My friend (who has the other touring which is in some of my pics from time to time) wants to do one too, so we are looking to do one at the same time.
I don't think my own car is a good place to start practising though, especially as some of the rust is in tricky places.
My friend (who has the other touring which is in some of my pics from time to time) wants to do one too, so we are looking to do one at the same time. I don't think my own car is a good place to start practising though, especially as some of the rust is in tricky places.
Yes. Its a political statement.
And it looks a bit like the German plates, without having the illegal German font.
And it looks a bit like the German plates, without having the illegal German font.
Haha I am by no means trying to be a 'DK', I just occasionally give it a little blip on a 90 degree right or left, when there is loads of room.
My MX5 has an LSD and I don't try to be a DK in that either, because to be quite honest, I suck at it.
My MX5 has an LSD and I don't try to be a DK in that either, because to be quite honest, I suck at it.
The world would be a glorious place without rust.
Thoughts?
I'd always planned to do this when I got an E30, but I'm not too sure against the red?
I'd always planned to do this when I got an E30, but I'm not too sure against the red?
quiet you.
I have loads of yellow film left over from doing the Corolla foglights.
I have loads of yellow film left over from doing the Corolla foglights.
Haha that seems to be the consensus from everyone so far. I'll leave it.
I really like it on silver ones, but it just looks like a fruit cocktail on a red one, with the red, yellow, and orange.
I really like it on silver ones, but it just looks like a fruit cocktail on a red one, with the red, yellow, and orange.
Sold the Skoda about 20 minutes ago. The E30 is now my only practical car. May God rest my soul.
NOT MY CAR
But a red E30 Touring just like mine, photographed when less than 1 year old... I can only dream that one day maybe mine will look like this again.
But a red E30 Touring just like mine, photographed when less than 1 year old... I can only dream that one day maybe mine will look like this again.