I think that one may be a different shade of red, I prefer that shade. Also suggests the rear number-plate may have been a special size originally?
And I need some mudflaps...
** Acme [Akagi] bought a pink estate car - E30 325i project log! **
- Thread starter Akagi
- Start date
I think that one may be a different shade of red, I prefer that shade. Also suggests the rear number-plate may have been a special size originally?
And I need some mudflaps...
Haven't had a chance to do anything else to it just yet. New PAS reservoir has arrived (the old one leaks from a join), along with oil and filters (incl fuel filter).
Monday I'll be having a chat with my local mechanic (who luckily is an excellent welder!) armed with various photos, and then hopefully it should be going in to him to inspect properly and give me a ball-park figure for the rot repairs (only the ones to the shell for now.)
Filled it up again having driven like a bit of a loon on the last tank, and mostly town driving at that. 21.7MPG. Pretty pleased with that, was expecting high teens!
It does feel strange to look at the numbers "21.732" on the calculator having worked out the MPG, and to be pleased rather than shocked!
Monday I'll be having a chat with my local mechanic (who luckily is an excellent welder!) armed with various photos, and then hopefully it should be going in to him to inspect properly and give me a ball-park figure for the rot repairs (only the ones to the shell for now.)
Filled it up again having driven like a bit of a loon on the last tank, and mostly town driving at that. 21.7MPG. Pretty pleased with that, was expecting high teens!
It does feel strange to look at the numbers "21.732" on the calculator having worked out the MPG, and to be pleased rather than shocked!
I'm expecting the number to be between £1K and £2K, closer to £1K would be preferred... If its closer to £2K I'll still pay it, but I'll have to have a little cry first.
You're making me wet with tears of laughter. Stop making it hard for me to concentrate.
Thread rename to "Acme's Innuendo Thread"?
You're making me wet with tears of laughter. Stop making it hard for me to concentrate.
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I trust that he knows what he is doing thankfully. I suspect that he will cut out reasonably large bits. The sills may get replaced entirely if necessary for example.
New PAS reservoir fitted, PAS hoses cleaned off, new hose clamps, bit more of a clean to the side of the block, and a top-up of ATF.
No pic because a.) its dark and b.) there isn't much to look at!
Also noticed my front tyres were looking soft, and subsequently discovered they were on 13PSI [] despite only pumping them up to about 35PSI a few weeks ago... So they need to come off, alloys need a scrub, then new valves and re-fit tyres.
I don't know the history of the front tyres, how old they are, how long they have been on the rims, etc. The rears are holding pressure fine (I had replacement tyres put on those)
No pic because a.) its dark and b.) there isn't much to look at!
Also noticed my front tyres were looking soft, and subsequently discovered they were on 13PSI [
] despite only pumping them up to about 35PSI a few weeks ago... So they need to come off, alloys need a scrub, then new valves and re-fit tyres.I don't know the history of the front tyres, how old they are, how long they have been on the rims, etc. The rears are holding pressure fine (I had replacement tyres put on those)
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Yes that is exactly what I said about the Celica chap, and arguably he did know what he was doing...... (ripping off gullible mugs)
However this guy has been doing work on my cars and my Dads/Nans/Grandads' cars for years, and his Dad was doing it before that. I've seen his welding too and it is top notch stuff.
However this guy has been doing work on my cars and my Dads/Nans/Grandads' cars for years, and his Dad was doing it before that. I've seen his welding too and it is top notch stuff.
You're probably right, and the fronts are an old model anyway. (Vredestein Sportac 2) - I ordered a pair of ZE914's last night.
I also went up to Princes Risborough with an E30 friend so he could get a replacement door, and I ended up buying a new nearside rear light. (mine is cracked.)
I also went up to Princes Risborough with an E30 friend so he could get a replacement door, and I ended up buying a new nearside rear light. (mine is cracked.)
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Wash day.
And a couple of pics from after, in the rain.
My mate fitted my new rear light for me as well, while I was picking up all his sockets which he dropped everywhere...
Oh and I bought this...
And a couple of pics from after, in the rain.
My mate fitted my new rear light for me as well, while I was picking up all his sockets which he dropped everywhere...
Oh and I bought this...
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*delete* No idea what happened there...
Got the front tyres re-seated with new valves, got them to go at the bead with a wire wheel etc as well.
Went to get a couple of new keys cut at Timpsons, they don't stock any blanks in that style anymore...
Checked the DOT codes of the tyres, two of them are 2003 and the other two are 2005... So I shall be buying a new set anyway... Meaning point #1 was a slight waste of time!
And someone in a van took a picture of it when we were stuck in traffic, followed by a thumbs up, which was nice.
Went to get a couple of new keys cut at Timpsons, they don't stock any blanks in that style anymore...
Checked the DOT codes of the tyres, two of them are 2003 and the other two are 2005... So I shall be buying a new set anyway... Meaning point #1 was a slight waste of time!
And someone in a van took a picture of it when we were stuck in traffic, followed by a thumbs up, which was nice.
Just sidelights on in that pic. The headlight brightness isn't that bad, though it isn't great because the silvering is going on the inside of the light units. The main issue is the fact that I cannot angle them upwards at all because both means of adjustment are broken...
Thanks. Shes not too bad.
Ordered two key blanks and another MTech 1 steering wheel. The first one I bought is going on the silver one above.
Ordered two key blanks and another MTech 1 steering wheel. The first one I bought is going on the silver one above.
Went over to Kent to pick up some parts. Got two mint condition front fog lights, two new unused front valances (one for me, one for silver touring guy), a dog-net parcel shelf and some SE skirts (also for silver touring guy).
They chucked in a tubular chrome strut-brace too...
Oh and I crashed into a curb because I'm a moron, so its having the tracking done tomorrow...
They chucked in a tubular chrome strut-brace too...
Oh and I crashed into a curb because I'm a moron, so its having the tracking done tomorrow...
If it comes back within a year then it wasn't repaired properly in the first place.
Its getting sorted.
I'm not having random little squares cut out and patches put in, I'm having the rotten part and a reasonable amount of surrounding metal cut out, repair sections welded in, and then painting and under-sealing it.
I'm not as bothered about the bits of bodywork, but I am sorting out the underpinnings of the car as a minimum.
Its getting sorted.
I'm not having random little squares cut out and patches put in, I'm having the rotten part and a reasonable amount of surrounding metal cut out, repair sections welded in, and then painting and under-sealing it.
I'm not as bothered about the bits of bodywork, but I am sorting out the underpinnings of the car as a minimum.
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The point is that I don't want to nurse it along until it is uneconomical to repair and then scrap it... I want to save it, that is the whole point of the venture.
I am expecting to spend a fair whack on rust repairs, only to have to continue doing so on and off throughout my ownership. However I don't have the funds to do a full strip down and do it all at once... Just to do it as and when it manifests itself.
Does that make any more logical sense?
I am expecting to spend a fair whack on rust repairs, only to have to continue doing so on and off throughout my ownership. However I don't have the funds to do a full strip down and do it all at once... Just to do it as and when it manifests itself.
Does that make any more logical sense?
Yes of course, I am not under an illusion that spending £1000 on repairing rust suddenly makes it worth £1000 more.
But you are essentially saying that I only have two options... Strip it down to a bare shell and do a full restoration and re-build, or let it rot out... As far as I can see that is simply not the case?
If I let it rot then it will get to a point where I want to have it cut and repaired anyway because rot spots have turned into holes, and holes have turned into bigger holes. and it will cost me more to repair than if I do it now, and doing it now should prevent the spread of rot in those areas?
I suppose I could leave it "for now" - but I do want to get it sorted at some point... I am being quite serious when I say that I have no intention of selling this car.
But you are essentially saying that I only have two options... Strip it down to a bare shell and do a full restoration and re-build, or let it rot out... As far as I can see that is simply not the case?
If I let it rot then it will get to a point where I want to have it cut and repaired anyway because rot spots have turned into holes, and holes have turned into bigger holes. and it will cost me more to repair than if I do it now, and doing it now should prevent the spread of rot in those areas?
I suppose I could leave it "for now" - but I do want to get it sorted at some point... I am being quite serious when I say that I have no intention of selling this car.
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Exactly. And I don't see why you can't have a similar effect with smaller pieces? I have a 1" by 1" rot blister on my inner rear arch... If say a 6" square is cut out, so I'm well into good metal in all directions, then a new piece is welded in place and painted and sealed on both sides, I fail to see how it is going to "go rotten again a year later" or whatever?
Well at least there is some balance restored to the thread... Thanks Lopez and Lashout, and to Jez and McKnifey for providing the "balance" 
Tracking done, only 1 degree out. Also got a goooood long look underneath it while it was up on the ramp. One of the 'rot spots' on the floorpan isn't actually rot! Win! But the edge of the fuel tank where it bolts onto the floor is crusty rotten. Meh.
Really not that bad underneath at all actually... I was really incredibly surprised, pleasantly so...
Loads of nice comments from the people in the garage too. One of them was starstruck because he apparently had one just like it years ago, and I had a good chat with another guy who has an XJ40 XJR.
Tracking done, only 1 degree out. Also got a goooood long look underneath it while it was up on the ramp. One of the 'rot spots' on the floorpan isn't actually rot! Win! But the edge of the fuel tank where it bolts onto the floor is crusty rotten. Meh.
Really not that bad underneath at all actually... I was really incredibly surprised, pleasantly so...
Loads of nice comments from the people in the garage too. One of them was starstruck because he apparently had one just like it years ago, and I had a good chat with another guy who has an XJ40 XJR.
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Do you ever say anything constructive, meaningful, or positive, on the subject of anything I ever do, ever?
I've already said that the E30 is here to stay, and I've said why. If that isn't good enough for you then fine!
I know my track record for owning cars isn't exactly brilliant, I know I am a bit of an idiot, I know I am immature and make mistakes, but I hoped that people would be able to see that perhaps things are a bit different this time around...
I've never spent time and money on a car like I have with this one, I've never WANTED to spend time and money on fixing a car up before, and I've never had a car which gives me the feeling this one does when I drive it. Not to mention that I've wanted to own an E30 since well before I even learned to drive. I actually almost bought one in 2012 before I even passed my test, and the only reason I didn't was because the insurance was £1K more than an ecobox. It was a 1987 316 carby chromie manual saloon in luxorbeige. I still regret not buying it, even now I have one.
I've never spent time and money on a car like I have with this one, I've never WANTED to spend time and money on fixing a car up before, and I've never had a car which gives me the feeling this one does when I drive it. Not to mention that I've wanted to own an E30 since well before I even learned to drive. I actually almost bought one in 2012 before I even passed my test, and the only reason I didn't was because the insurance was £1K more than an ecobox. It was a 1987 316 carby chromie manual saloon in luxorbeige. I still regret not buying it, even now I have one.
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