cheap M3, whats the worst..
- Thread starter Matt82
- Start date
stage two of the restoration starts tomorrow.
ive worked like a trooper all week to get the kitchen finished, now i can justify a whole day on car bits.
ill be renewing ball joints and bushes at the front. ive got a small pile of lemforder boxes, i just need to remove the arms and take them to someone with a press (cba to muck about with that part) then refit.
in theory tracking will be needed, but, i want to tackle the rear too, i doubt the camber arm bushes have ever been done.
in theory tracking will be needed after that, but, i want new springs and dampers
im aiming for a Bilstein B12 kit with eibach pro springs.
double helpings of win for me when thats done
ive worked like a trooper all week to get the kitchen finished, now i can justify a whole day on car bits.
ill be renewing ball joints and bushes at the front. ive got a small pile of lemforder boxes, i just need to remove the arms and take them to someone with a press (cba to muck about with that part) then refit.
in theory tracking will be needed, but, i want to tackle the rear too, i doubt the camber arm bushes have ever been done.
in theory tracking will be needed after that, but, i want new springs and dampers
im aiming for a Bilstein B12 kit with eibach pro springs.
double helpings of win for me when thats done
Sort of success today. Arms are off, they had one dead balljoint each. I have a pair of evo top mounts which I can only imagine gives me positive camber. Gonna double double check part nos to make sure ive got the real arms before I go any further.
Engine is really clean and oil tight, do have a pas fluid leak tho
Engine is really clean and oil tight, do have a pas fluid leak tho
i think i just experienced the mythical ///M-Tax
i decided to take my wishbones to a garage near where i work. i took it there with the new ball joints and asked them to press out the old ones and press in the new ones.
there were a lot of questions about why, and why i didnt just get new ones, gave them the reg and got the instant *sucking through teeth* haha
they called me back with a quote for the 20 minutes changing the joints and the cost of new arms
apparntly you can get "unipart" m arms for £190 lol or £220 to change my joints
i can take the arms to my mates house, 20 miles away and use his press whilst we drink beer, and not have to pay a bean...
i decided to take my wishbones to a garage near where i work. i took it there with the new ball joints and asked them to press out the old ones and press in the new ones.
there were a lot of questions about why, and why i didnt just get new ones, gave them the reg and got the instant *sucking through teeth* haha
they called me back with a quote for the 20 minutes changing the joints and the cost of new arms
apparntly you can get "unipart" m arms for £190 lol or £220 to change my joints
i can take the arms to my mates house, 20 miles away and use his press whilst we drink beer, and not have to pay a bean...
he lives 20 miles away, he has also just bought a house which is also robbing him of all his time. i was going to see him on saturday, but his decorating plans over ran etc etc so if a garage could do it for me for a reasonable sum, id have happily paid it.
i have very little time during the week sadly for car stuff, this weeks mission is finish the hall way, but £200, even though it would have saved me time, is just insulting.
i thought i was being robbed when i had to pay a plasterer £300 ish for a day, but £200 for 20 minutes on a press, no, just no, not even in a month of sundays and all that
i have very little time during the week sadly for car stuff, this weeks mission is finish the hall way, but £200, even though it would have saved me time, is just insulting.
i thought i was being robbed when i had to pay a plasterer £300 ish for a day, but £200 for 20 minutes on a press, no, just no, not even in a month of sundays and all that
today was d day, all the bits were supposed to be put together and bolted up tonight
i had a nagging voice in my mind about the wishbones not being the right ones.
internet myths say e36 and e36 m3 arms are the same, but part numbers are different due to the ball joints. ive got new ball joints to go in my existing arms, but i dont want the disappointment of finding out the arms are wrong
so ive bought a pair of new lemforder EVO arms, which will match the EVO top mounts ive got and evo rear bushes
no pressing ball joints, i just have to refit them.
no reason it wont be on the road tonight
i had a nagging voice in my mind about the wishbones not being the right ones.
internet myths say e36 and e36 m3 arms are the same, but part numbers are different due to the ball joints. ive got new ball joints to go in my existing arms, but i dont want the disappointment of finding out the arms are wrong
so ive bought a pair of new lemforder EVO arms, which will match the EVO top mounts ive got and evo rear bushes
no pressing ball joints, i just have to refit them.
no reason it wont be on the road tonight
Well just got back from euros. £££ later and euros don't do evo arms or bushes. Identical to my current ones. So tomorrow my old ones are getting new ball joints.
Wouldn't mind a press of my own but I don't have storage until my proper garage is built
Wouldn't mind a press of my own but I don't have storage until my proper garage is built
took the car on a testdrive lastnight.
the front end has been reassembled, new bushes, ball joints and top mounts. evo top mounts were used and with the correct orientation, the car now actually steers properly and feels infinitely better
on the test drive it felt down on power (6 week old v power, 6 month old can of petrol from the shed chucked in for good measure)
so with my focus taken away from the front, i had a chance to realise the rear end didnt feel so hot. when loaded up in a corner, a mid corner bump tends to create a shimmy.
i was told the car had poly rear bushes, so i had a look to find out.
turns out there are poly rear arm bushes and poly subframe bushes
this leaves me to update upper and lower arm bushes... plus the all important spring damper kit
when i get a chance ill get the rear dampers off and see whats what. if the rear dampers are bad then the bilstein kit jumps to the top of the priority list
the front end has been reassembled, new bushes, ball joints and top mounts. evo top mounts were used and with the correct orientation, the car now actually steers properly and feels infinitely better
on the test drive it felt down on power (6 week old v power, 6 month old can of petrol from the shed chucked in for good measure)
so with my focus taken away from the front, i had a chance to realise the rear end didnt feel so hot. when loaded up in a corner, a mid corner bump tends to create a shimmy.
i was told the car had poly rear bushes, so i had a look to find out.
turns out there are poly rear arm bushes and poly subframe bushes
this leaves me to update upper and lower arm bushes... plus the all important spring damper kit
when i get a chance ill get the rear dampers off and see whats what. if the rear dampers are bad then the bilstein kit jumps to the top of the priority list
i call it a restoration to anyone i speak to about it.
four more bushes and thats all the bushes
then the springs and dampers
ive got the parts lined up to restore then shift linkages
final part on the list will be the paint. even though its still on the old wheels, i still get a small spark of excitement when i pull up to the house and see it, knowing that eventually itll be a stormer
four more bushes and thats all the bushes
then the springs and dampers
ive got the parts lined up to restore then shift linkages
final part on the list will be the paint. even though its still on the old wheels, i still get a small spark of excitement when i pull up to the house and see it, knowing that eventually itll be a stormer
stat
fan coupling
belts
water pump
a water flange
front wishbone bushes
front top mounts
front ball joints
set of evo sunflower wheels, more dish..
thats all i can remmeber at the minute
ive also got gear linkage parts waiting to go on
yesterday was only the 2-3rd time ive driven it. since i got it home, it has sat there in various states of disassembly waiting for bits to be put on
fan coupling
belts
water pump
a water flange
front wishbone bushes
front top mounts
front ball joints
set of evo sunflower wheels, more dish..
thats all i can remmeber at the minute
ive also got gear linkage parts waiting to go on
yesterday was only the 2-3rd time ive driven it. since i got it home, it has sat there in various states of disassembly waiting for bits to be put on
strip out = no no.
my previous gti was very compromised, the ride was terrible etc all in the name of fun. the old fart in me says im moving on from there, so i want "nice" within reason.
fastestlaps.com says my 3.0 does the 1/4 in about 13.8. im not sure what the 328 does but with weight reduction i doubt you would be far behind. have you done the m50 manifold change too?
my main turn off against the 328 was max power being at 5400rpm ish, too early for the sort of car i wanted to create.
sadly i have been away nearly every weekend for the last eight weekends, ive hardly worked on it at all. im currently stuck on rear camber arm bolts that are seized. they will be cut out and adjustable ones fitted.
im based in south east essex, if youre local it would be great to get the cars out for a run. suspension wise, mine is going on Bilstein B12.
my previous gti was very compromised, the ride was terrible etc all in the name of fun. the old fart in me says im moving on from there, so i want "nice" within reason.
fastestlaps.com says my 3.0 does the 1/4 in about 13.8. im not sure what the 328 does but with weight reduction i doubt you would be far behind. have you done the m50 manifold change too?
my main turn off against the 328 was max power being at 5400rpm ish, too early for the sort of car i wanted to create.
sadly i have been away nearly every weekend for the last eight weekends, ive hardly worked on it at all. im currently stuck on rear camber arm bolts that are seized. they will be cut out and adjustable ones fitted.
im based in south east essex, if youre local it would be great to get the cars out for a run. suspension wise, mine is going on Bilstein B12.
i cant see the photobucket image, its blcoked at work.
as for the worst, he lump in mine was rebuilt by a company called HRD i think, they race prep cars for the bmwrdc something or other. i called them to verify it and they knew the guy and the car, enginewise it does seem pretty nice
as for the worst, he lump in mine was rebuilt by a company called HRD i think, they race prep cars for the bmwrdc something or other. i called them to verify it and they knew the guy and the car, enginewise it does seem pretty nice
Touched the car for the firs t time in what felt like ages. Rear arm was detached but handbrake cable wouldn't come out.
Its off. Off side handbrake mech in now functional. Camber arm bush is a total mess and the bolt appears to be fused to the centre. I think ill have to burn the centre out then think about the shell. Making a tool to refit should be easy.
Bought a cover for the car that will be going on tonight whilst the car is dry. Now that the garage is almost built I should get more time to work on the car (wishful thinking...)
Its off. Off side handbrake mech in now functional. Camber arm bush is a total mess and the bolt appears to be fused to the centre. I think ill have to burn the centre out then think about the shell. Making a tool to refit should be easy.
Bought a cover for the car that will be going on tonight whilst the car is dry. Now that the garage is almost built I should get more time to work on the car (wishful thinking...)
update.
as per my other thread, i got the spring arm and camber arm bushes out of one of the rear trailing arms, i offered up one of the new bushes and it slotted straight through the hole. its meant to be a press in item. the hole for the spring arm bush is 0.27mm larger than the other hole. fail.
i have bought an evo rear subframe with diff and arms attached, ill have that in my hands this weekend
aim of the game is disassemble, remove bushes, refit new bushes, fit adjustable camber arms.
subframe will be cleaned up, inspected and add reinforcement if needed.
my trailing arms have poly bushes, the new arms dont, so ill have the joys of removing the old trailing arm bushes to look forward too (which i hear is a pig)
when THAT is all done, remove old subframe and fit new one.
need to decide if i keep the evo diff.
original diff is 3.15, evo diff is 3.23
as per my other thread, i got the spring arm and camber arm bushes out of one of the rear trailing arms, i offered up one of the new bushes and it slotted straight through the hole. its meant to be a press in item. the hole for the spring arm bush is 0.27mm larger than the other hole. fail.
i have bought an evo rear subframe with diff and arms attached, ill have that in my hands this weekend
aim of the game is disassemble, remove bushes, refit new bushes, fit adjustable camber arms.
subframe will be cleaned up, inspected and add reinforcement if needed.
my trailing arms have poly bushes, the new arms dont, so ill have the joys of removing the old trailing arm bushes to look forward too (which i hear is a pig)
when THAT is all done, remove old subframe and fit new one.
need to decide if i keep the evo diff.
original diff is 3.15, evo diff is 3.23
it appears i got an infraction for a hotlinked image, apologies for that.
seeing as pictures appear to be the order of the day, here are some i prepared earlier
here is the original arm i had. the top hole is the one causing the issue, bush goes straight through
the gear i picked up today, had to be loaded in with an engine crane..
low suspension plus 200kg (easily) of bits
i was faced with that when i got back, it would have to be disassembled to get it out. lots of dirt, corroded bolts, some swearing, but it worked
stripped it apart for rebushing and cleaning. one camber arm bolt was really stubborn but eventually it all came apart
crusty evo diff.
will get to work on it soon. there is a lot of work plus im painting the outside of the house too so it could take a while
seeing as pictures appear to be the order of the day, here are some i prepared earlier
here is the original arm i had. the top hole is the one causing the issue, bush goes straight through
the gear i picked up today, had to be loaded in with an engine crane..
low suspension plus 200kg (easily) of bits
i was faced with that when i got back, it would have to be disassembled to get it out. lots of dirt, corroded bolts, some swearing, but it worked
stripped it apart for rebushing and cleaning. one camber arm bolt was really stubborn but eventually it all came apart
crusty evo diff.
will get to work on it soon. there is a lot of work plus im painting the outside of the house too so it could take a while
the weather was terrible lastnight and seeing as the house/diy things im doing at the mo are all outdoor i had a bit of time on my hands after i finished cursing the weather and the paint
both brake discs were refusing to budge so i went mcguiver on them
this week ive been stripping paint of an iron drain pipe so i had the angle grinder etc nearby and had a crack at the arms. lots of rust came off in just 10 minutes but the results could be good.
the fiddly bits need to flexi ginder pad to finish them off
both brake discs were refusing to budge so i went mcguiver on them
this week ive been stripping paint of an iron drain pipe so i had the angle grinder etc nearby and had a crack at the arms. lots of rust came off in just 10 minutes but the results could be good.
the fiddly bits need to flexi ginder pad to finish them off
