It'll get done properly somewhen but I was fed up with it so I found whatever I could. 
** Acme [Akagi] bought a pink estate car - E30 325i project log! **
- Thread starter Akagi
- Start date
Caporegime
Essex E30 collective. Don't think they could make it sound more chav if they tried (most likely a great club mind).
Its a great club to be honest, lots of nice friendly people and loads of great cars to boot. E30Zone is the slightly chav one, which I am also a member of along with The E30 Touring Team.
Went to the Battlesbridge Antiques car show with the collective the other week. Going to the Santa Pod BMW show with them and E30Zone in July. I have my work cut out between then and now because the car will be on the stand.
Paint touch ups
DA buff up and seal
Two new front foglights
TLC to the front valance
Blackening of plastics
New bonnet badge
Sand and plastidip rear spoiler
And some 'rot disguising' (painting the visible rot on the black part of the rear valance to hide it, and some imaginitive masking and painting of one of the rear arch lips!)
Went to the Battlesbridge Antiques car show with the collective the other week. Going to the Santa Pod BMW show with them and E30Zone in July. I have my work cut out between then and now because the car will be on the stand.
Paint touch ups
DA buff up and seal
Two new front foglights
TLC to the front valance
Blackening of plastics
New bonnet badge
Sand and plastidip rear spoiler
And some 'rot disguising' (painting the visible rot on the black part of the rear valance to hide it, and some imaginitive masking and painting of one of the rear arch lips!)
Got some rear speaker pods because mine were missing completely, made by Nokia no less!
Replaced the front speakers with my new ones (no pics of this, bit boring I thought, and a 5 minute job!)
Proceeded to replace the rear speakers in the pods and discovered that mine are masses too big! So I decided to make some adjustments...
Stock pod on the left, and hacked about one on the right:
Both #chopped:
Now, the speakers are also too deep so I had to find something to put between the lip of the speaker and the pod to retain the air tight seal. I found some foam stuff which looked like it would do the trick:
Complete with some longer screws and we are in business!
Stripped the rear interior to put the pods in. Yes you can see a couple of cable ties... The fixings were missing too, and I didn't have any of the right type. They are secure though!
A very tight fit indeed, but the grilles go on over the top just about!
The difference is incredible. It has gone from a car with the worst car audio I've ever heard, to a car with the best. Its really rather good!
After I was done with that I touched in the front valance with a brush (I primered all the chips a few days ago) as a temp measure until I can be bothered to spray it properly... I also touched in a few bits on the bonnet edge and bit under the grilles. After I was done I fitted my new foglights too, which are not only un-broken, they work!!
[pic removed]
And here is a "before" from a few days after I got the car. I appreciate that the lighting is different but you can still see the difference.
I'm now going to outside and blacken the grilles a bit because they are rather grey.
Thats all for today I imagine!
Replaced the front speakers with my new ones (no pics of this, bit boring I thought, and a 5 minute job!)
Proceeded to replace the rear speakers in the pods and discovered that mine are masses too big! So I decided to make some adjustments...
Stock pod on the left, and hacked about one on the right:
Both #chopped:
Now, the speakers are also too deep so I had to find something to put between the lip of the speaker and the pod to retain the air tight seal. I found some foam stuff which looked like it would do the trick:
Complete with some longer screws and we are in business!
Stripped the rear interior to put the pods in. Yes you can see a couple of cable ties... The fixings were missing too, and I didn't have any of the right type. They are secure though!
A very tight fit indeed, but the grilles go on over the top just about!
The difference is incredible. It has gone from a car with the worst car audio I've ever heard, to a car with the best. Its really rather good!
After I was done with that I touched in the front valance with a brush (I primered all the chips a few days ago) as a temp measure until I can be bothered to spray it properly... I also touched in a few bits on the bonnet edge and bit under the grilles. After I was done I fitted my new foglights too, which are not only un-broken, they work!!
[pic removed]
And here is a "before" from a few days after I got the car. I appreciate that the lighting is different but you can still see the difference.
I'm now going to outside and blacken the grilles a bit because they are rather grey.
Thats all for today I imagine!
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There we are then.
Man of Honour
Black grille makes a huge difference
Yep, I was just having a discussion with a friend of mine about how it took barely 10 minutes to get it looking like that and it has made a massive difference! When I stepped back after I'd done it I wondered why on earth I hadn't done it sooner!
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Associate
Some new side light bulbs next.....
Side light bulbs are fine. I'm not putting white bulbs in it.
Headlights (dipped) and fogs are on in the first pic before I blackened the grille, but it was very sunny so they are obviously going to look dim.
Headlights (dipped) and fogs are on in the first pic before I blackened the grille, but it was very sunny so they are obviously going to look dim.
Soldato
I think its come up a treat! Looks ace Acme
Whats the total spend so far? Including the car itself?
Whats the total spend so far? Including the car itself?
Thanks.
The car as it currently stands owes me about £2200 including bits sitting in boxes which I haven't fitted yet, and including subtracting bits which I have sold having removed them.
I still haven't had the bill from the garage for the list of work... So when that comes in it will bring it up to £2800 - £3000 total.
After that it needs a rear gearbox seal and then the welding which will get done bit by bit.
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Did some mopping. Just the upper doors, upper front wing, and rear quarter so far. Totally knocked it out of me...
This wing was matte pink and starting to go white before.
Before/after. I appreciate the lighting is different etc but gives some idea.
[pic removed]
[pic removed]
Loads yet to do... It is drawing attention to how pink other bits are now...
This wing was matte pink and starting to go white before.
Before/after. I appreciate the lighting is different etc but gives some idea.
[pic removed]
[pic removed]
Loads yet to do... It is drawing attention to how pink other bits are now...
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Soldato
Good job on the paint. I had a G plate E30 and it was very pink turning white in quite a few places when I moved it on.
Man of Honour
I think this is great.
It is, on that side.
Need to do more... Other side first, or possibly the roof. One or t'other.
Soldato
Saw one today, parked up and just as pink and yours haha! Didn't catch the actual model..
Haha. Mine is 30% red now!!