A clean pass too, and the beer wasn't even for the MOT tester! 
** Acme [Akagi] bought a pink estate car - E30 325i project log! **
- Thread starter Akagi
- Start date
200 miles and no issues thus far touch wood, even after giving it a significant amount of abuse.
The clutch doesn't have quite enough life in it to send off the 15 year old rear tyres in 2nd gear though...
The clutch doesn't have quite enough life in it to send off the 15 year old rear tyres in 2nd gear though...
Associate
Well done Acme. Good to see you back posting updates.
Cheers. I'm moving soon so ideally I want the E30 to be my sole transport for a bit, so the Celica and the GS300 are both going up for sale.
Much easier to figure out the logistics of moving one car instead of three. And this was why I made the push to get it fixed and MOT'd.
Need to make sure it is somewhat dependable, can make the several hour journey, won't need to be transported, etc.
Much easier to figure out the logistics of moving one car instead of three. And this was why I made the push to get it fixed and MOT'd.
Need to make sure it is somewhat dependable, can make the several hour journey, won't need to be transported, etc.
Still driving around...
Idle control valve stopped working. It wouldn't idle. It would idle with it unplugged, albeit too low. So an easy diagnosis...
Took it out and cleaned it with some brake cleaner.
Back in business.
Oh and my new paintwork, which I took extra care over this time, prepped it properly, laid the paint on evenly, not too thick, at the right distance, in good weather, left more than enough time between coats, didn't do too many, and didn't add clearcoat to minimise the possibility of any kind of reaction?
Yeah its started cracking.
I am never painting anything again.
Idle control valve stopped working. It wouldn't idle. It would idle with it unplugged, albeit too low. So an easy diagnosis...
Took it out and cleaned it with some brake cleaner.
Back in business.
Oh and my new paintwork, which I took extra care over this time, prepped it properly, laid the paint on evenly, not too thick, at the right distance, in good weather, left more than enough time between coats, didn't do too many, and didn't add clearcoat to minimise the possibility of any kind of reaction?
Yeah its started cracking.
I am never painting anything again.
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Hmm, it is not fixed.
My options for replacement are:
- Second hand
- £25 from China and probably won't work
- £403.38 from the dealership
Luckily a friend is sending me a known working original one...
My options for replacement are:
- Second hand
- £25 from China and probably won't work
- £403.38 from the dealership
Luckily a friend is sending me a known working original one...
The annoying thing is that it doesn't look gash, it didn't the last time I painted it either.
In fact last time I did clearcoat and polished it too, and it was actually quite nice!
It just seems to start cracking after a few days. I don't know what I'm doing wrong...
I'm hoping it doesn't continue getting worse.
Man of Honour
Did you use aerosol high build primer? I've had plenty of poor experiences with that cracking I the past, or having it craze the top coat.
I did, yeah.
This time and last in fact. But different stuff.
Last time it was Simoniz gray high build, which I then went over with the topcoat. This time it was Halfords yellow high build.
Man of Honour
Never had a good time with the Halfords yellow high build, I've tried it a few times over the years and without fail it cracks the topcoat.
Ah, hmm...
Sent about 50 pictures off to a body shop the other day. Waiting for an approximation from them at the moment, and still trying to pick a colour for it. (see my other thread)
But things are moving finally.
Car has been doing well, I moved house and had it brought up to where I now live, it has been out and about collecting furniture and exploring the roads in all weathers.
A bit of its old rust has started to creep back through again but not too bad. It also has some "new" wheels yet again. The BBS Mahle which I'd had in storage for some years.
The re-painted quarter panel seems to be "fine" this time. There are a few cracks and craze lines, but its mostly just solid red, unlike my last attempt. It proved to be more than good enough for temporary.
Oh and I did end up having to replace that idle control valve.
But things are moving finally.
Car has been doing well, I moved house and had it brought up to where I now live, it has been out and about collecting furniture and exploring the roads in all weathers.
A bit of its old rust has started to creep back through again but not too bad. It also has some "new" wheels yet again. The BBS Mahle which I'd had in storage for some years.
The re-painted quarter panel seems to be "fine" this time. There are a few cracks and craze lines, but its mostly just solid red, unlike my last attempt. It proved to be more than good enough for temporary.
Oh and I did end up having to replace that idle control valve.
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Man of Honour
I think you're going to get a quote in the region of £5-£7k for a respray. Materials alone have rocketed in price over the last few years, and labour has gone up a lot too.
It'll be interesting to see what they come back with.
It'll be interesting to see what they come back with.
Its a lot more than a re-spray I've asked for. Quite extensive welding too. A sill, rear quarter, complete removal of the sunroof, and 5 or 6 little bits here and there, as well as undersealing it all. The respray (in non standard colour), as well as re-finishing all the black trims in matte black.
I am expecting a quote in the region of £10K including transportation and redelivery. Any less and I will be pleasantly surprised. The place I am waiting to hear back from isn't in the UK, but it is my first choice shop. The one Sreten from M539 Restorations uses, in Poland. If he is satisfied with the quality of their work, I will be too. All I've heard about body shops around here are horror stories.
I am hopeful that exchange rates and shop rate differences will be in my favour.
If it comes in at under that figure there are some other things I will ask them to take care of at the same time. Such as fabricating a new exhaust, and possibly some small mechanical jobs too.
It will take me from easily being able to get my investment back, to having very little chance of that. But thats okay. I don't plan on getting rid of it.
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Permabanned
I must be missing the point, but I simply do not understand the appeal of devoting so much time and effort and expense into driving around in an absolute wreck, with every faded and sun damaged body panel a different colour to the others, and a car which generally appears as though it was pulled from 40 years at the bottom of a canal!
There's a bit of surface corrosion on the inside of the roof skin which would require removal of the sunroof tray to address. I would rather it not go back in, because I never use it, and it removes weight and more than one potential future rust issue.
Haha, I can't imagine feeling the need to be so vocally uncongenial and opinionated towards a stranger without any provocation.
Another reason why I left.
Trouble is, I used to think it was my job to argue with people like that. So it just made me stressed and ended up getting me in trouble with all the moderators too.
Its much better now I realise they aren't worth my time!
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