** Acme [Akagi] bought a pink estate car - E30 325i project log! **

akaFonzie said:
Pretty much. If you are doing something they wouldn't do, they become world renowned armchair mechanics/experts.
It's fine to express an opinion but if you are calling out others for being wrong whilst being wrong yourself you achieve nothing but making yourself look a tit.
It's quite likely that the build will cost more than you predict, but if it's your money who gives a fudge..? Apparently everybody.
Click to expand...
No.

The good thing about this forum is it isn't a massive love-in, it provides different views on things from people that have incredible knowledge and experience which they provide free of charge but when it's negative towards what someone wants to do instantly it's a bad thing. :rolleyes:
 
InvaderGIR said:
No.

The good thing about this forum is it isn't a massive love-in, it provides different views on things from people that have incredible knowledge and experience which they provide free of charge but when it's negative towards what someone wants to do instantly it's a bad thing. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

On the one hand yes, it's great that there are some very knowledgeable people here that offer free advice, but on the other there are also a large number of over opinionated people who generally overshadow those who may offer good advice.

Thing is, if it is just calling the OP an idiot for wanting to try something out without any real evidence as to why he shouldn't except that their dogs' cousins' sister did it and it didn't work, is it really helpful advice?
 
To be honest it was a case of common sense. The numbers didn't stack up at all. Taking the BMW or anything out of the equation. 400 bhp from a none turbo engine for a grand? Over double the power? (2/3rds?)
 
paradigm said:
On that note, how is the de-rust process going? I know you said you cheaped out a bit on the work, but is it pretty much solid now? What have you used to inhibit the reoccurrence? When's it getting it's single shade of hellrot blow over? :p
Click to expand...

Rot is all but gone aside from little spots on the bodywork which im going through.

Treated externally with seam zinc primer, then seam sealer, then stone chip, and internally with ditrinol cavity wax.

Supposedly going in for the spray soonish but I need to take it in to have a chat with them about exactly what I want doing first. Waiting on a date to be confirmed.

Will be done standard Brilliantrot but as a two stage, and I'm going to see if they will do my plastic trims for me as well. (Skim imperfections with plastic filler and paint them satin black)
 
Last edited:
Acme said:
Supposedly going in for the spray soonish but I need to take it in to have a chat with them about exactly what I want doing first. Waiting on a date to be confirmed.
Click to expand...
You talk about these things like they happen by accident and are out of your control. "Supposedly going in for a spray soonish" :p

Go and see them, book it, take the car in.
 
Lopéz said:
You talk about these things like they happen by accident and are out of your control. "Supposedly going in for a spray soonish" :p

Go and see them, book it, take the car in.
Click to expand...

Lol I put it like that because they keep pushing it back. But theyre doing me a favour by taking it in and doing it to a price for me in between other jobs so I'm not massively fussed.

Anyway, new shocks, springs, top mounts, and rear drop links today... :)

LtLaRrt.jpg

aTu6EA5.jpg

krOT3q3.jpg

One nut needed slight persuasion but everything it was attached to was going in the bin so... Fire! :D

gxkrWoM.jpg

Assembled. Ideally would have liked to scrub up and paint the struts but we were running out of time because of a few setbacks. Doesn't matter really.

Checked all disks and pads while it was apart, they still look basically new so I'm guessing they were done just before I bought it, and I've only put 8000 miles or so on it. Theyre all Pagid.

OkC899b.jpg

And back on the floor, sitting a fair bit lower than before. Took it out for a drive and while it isn't exactly a racecar now, it is soooo much better..... :D

CsKFxQx.jpg

Happy! :)

Volume a bit low on this, but all my old shocks could be compressed with minimal effort, and had no rebound properties whatsoever... :p


Splashed the cash on some new goodies too. Early 885 head, ported and polished, re-built with new rockers, springs, guides, seals, valves lapped, Schrick 272 cam. Also a 64mm throttle body. :)

That will be another weekends work somewhen in the not too distant future. Will be overhauling the cooling system at the same time. Got a new Nissen radiator sitting here waiting, need to order some new coolant hoses, a water pump, timing belt kit, thermostat. Picking out a performance chip to tie it all in at the moment, slight tweaks to the ignition and fuelling maps, raised rev limiter, speed limiter removed etc etc.

Should pick up 20HP with that lot. But more importantly, improved throttle response, raised rev limiter (6500 to 7200), cam lope, and if I so desired it should be able to nudge 145MPH...... :D

Once thats all done, I'll inspect my spare bottom end I forgot I had... And see if its any good for re-building as a 2.8 stroker. I know a couple of the bores have some pitting, need to see if its hone-able, or if its scrap.
 
Last edited:
Cookeh said:
Right, but have you sorted the brakes? :D Sits much better though, looks to be a good ride height to me.
Click to expand...
I have not sorted the ABS no, but I did give everything a good squiz with brake cleaner and cleaned the connections. One of the sensors must be faulty.
Lopéz said:
What happened to the 400bhp turbo?
Click to expand...
On the backburner until I can build the bottom end. Found out I could probably do 300HP without re-building it, or 400HP if I rebuild it. I would rather wait and play around with N/A mods for now, then go balls to the wall later! :)
 
Rather that waste money on NA mods that will likely be incomatible with any attempt to go forced induction, why not rebuild the bottom end with the money instead?
 
They won't be incompatible with forced induction. The head I bought came from a turbo E30.

272 cams go well with turbooooo. :D
 
Sorry the head doesn't make a difference to the compression, the head is from an early high compression engine, the compression is determined by the cylinders.
 
I have comments.

First off, it's good to see a fire extinguisher at your work area, well done, just make sure it's in date.

Secondly, you are clearly enjoying this and it looks to be working out so fair play to you.

And last but not least, when BMW built their F1 cars in the early 80s (1.5l, 1500b1500bhp, 7 bar of boost) they were rumoured to have used old engine blocks with over 100k kms on them as any manufacturing or casting defects would have already shown their faces by then. Dunno how true that is.
 
Ah, there was actually a fire extinguisher behind the shot. ;)

I am, but at the same time I do wish I could get things done quicker :p

And yes I believe that is true, I also believe they used to urinate on the blocks to strengthen them or something... :p
 
Well, my screenwash pipes hit the strut brace when the bonnet is closed. As a result one of the T pieces has snapped so now I just wash my engine when I pull the stalk... Bah... :mad: :p

Handling is much improved with the suspension + strut. Piled it into a few bends the other night and the body roll has gone from SS Great Britian levels to near MX5 levels. :eek:

Looking forward to further improving that with new wheels and different tyres with a smaller sidewall... :)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom