So I figure since there are some big changes to my car in the works, that I could start a thread here. (On second thought, I probably should have posted in the Projects Forum. Change if needed Mods) A bit has changed from the day I bought it until today. So why not show some of the steps taken, and yet to come with you folks.
Oddly I don't have a picture of the day I bought it, I did, but it's M.I.A. But it looked like this, minus the tint (A/C didn't work, and living in Riverside, CA at the time sucked, had to cool off the interior while parked)
So then I decided it was time to lower the thing. I went with B+G springs as I was somewhat familiar with the brand from having a MK2 GTI before the e30. I tried to wait until I could get Billy Sports before installing, but I couldn't resist, threw them on with stock shocks.
Just the fronts installed
Then the next day I finished off the rear.
I figured I would tint the tails too. I used Testors R/C car translucent paint. First to red out the orange. I ended up buying the wrong red. I got damn Hot Rod Red instead of Regular Red. It would have been perfect, but I added one too many coats of it, and the orange in the red brought out the orange in the tails some. Then the spray tint, and many coats of clear.
After this, my shocks blew, I knew it would happen, but man it happened fast. Within 2 weeks. Then more running problems. From the time I purchased the car I have replaced the spark plugs (x2), wires (x2, stupid Bimmerworld wires were shit, won't ever do business there again), cap and rotor, in-line fuel pump, fuel filter, air filter. Then the in-tank pump gave out. So out it went and in a new one did, boom, running again. (Sorry I don't have a lot of pictures with that stuff, I wasn't exactly in a picture taking mood at the time. More pissed than anything and wanted to just get my car going again). All was good. I decided to play around with the car a bit more. New shift boot, and rear parcel tray covers.
The rear didn't turn out too great. It's quite difficult to keep the fabric tight, and keep the lines straight at the same time. The picture makes it look better than it is. I then decided to tuck my bumpers and paint them black, along with making my awesome bottle caps somewhat hidden.
Then one day my car stalled, and wouldn't restart. I started scratching my head and couldn't figure out why. I checked my plugs (even installed another set just to be sure) and they were fine. I was getting spark. I checked my fuel and had plenty of pressure (had just replaced my FPR, and both pumps). I then checked my coil, and it was badly corroded. I bought a new MSD Blaster 3 coil and installed it. Still wouldn't start. So I had it towed to my house. I knew I had a head gasket leak from the milky oil that was on my dipstick. So I decided to pull the head. I took it to the machine shop to be checked out and decked. Turns out it wasn't in too good of health. The previous owner didn't change the coolant and rusted the cooling system. It ate through chunks of my head, so I had the machinist fill the voids, and rebuild the head. Only reused the cam. Put it back together, still nothing, well fuck. I had it towed to the shop I used to work at for them to diagnose. They managed to get it to idle, but it was running WAY too rich, and wouldn't run above idle. After hanging out enough, I got my old job back (after being unemployed for 10 months after relocating areas). Turns out someone cut the wire for the Coolant Temp Sensor and soldered on a resistor. Why not replace the sensor you cheap bastard! It took me FOREVER to find that after manually checking EVERY other option. Got her running, then a few months later I had an issue with the top end. Short story, I have a new shortblock, and am re-rebuilding the top end. I also installed new shocks, I still couldn't afford Billy's at the time, so cheapo's they are. But they work for now, and I can easily do the labor again once I rework the suspension. Plan now is for boost. And this is where I leave off. Some new pictures but no details of whats going in until I get the parts and take pictures.
I couldn't help myself, I cleaned up some parts, and hung them on the engine just to see what it would look like. I still have to refresh the head.
And then I drilled my oil filter housing for the feed, and oil pan for the drain. Still have yet to tap them or buy fittings
And what will be replacing the e36 seats I have in there now. Sorry the picture sucks, but the lighting was bad, and I sucked at holding the camera still. But the logo does say Recaro
More updates and pictures will be coming, but I can't afford to update this thread daily, it's coming together one paycheck at a time.
Oddly I don't have a picture of the day I bought it, I did, but it's M.I.A. But it looked like this, minus the tint (A/C didn't work, and living in Riverside, CA at the time sucked, had to cool off the interior while parked)
So then I decided it was time to lower the thing. I went with B+G springs as I was somewhat familiar with the brand from having a MK2 GTI before the e30. I tried to wait until I could get Billy Sports before installing, but I couldn't resist, threw them on with stock shocks.
Just the fronts installed
Then the next day I finished off the rear.
I figured I would tint the tails too. I used Testors R/C car translucent paint. First to red out the orange. I ended up buying the wrong red. I got damn Hot Rod Red instead of Regular Red. It would have been perfect, but I added one too many coats of it, and the orange in the red brought out the orange in the tails some. Then the spray tint, and many coats of clear.
After this, my shocks blew, I knew it would happen, but man it happened fast. Within 2 weeks. Then more running problems. From the time I purchased the car I have replaced the spark plugs (x2), wires (x2, stupid Bimmerworld wires were shit, won't ever do business there again), cap and rotor, in-line fuel pump, fuel filter, air filter. Then the in-tank pump gave out. So out it went and in a new one did, boom, running again. (Sorry I don't have a lot of pictures with that stuff, I wasn't exactly in a picture taking mood at the time. More pissed than anything and wanted to just get my car going again). All was good. I decided to play around with the car a bit more. New shift boot, and rear parcel tray covers.
The rear didn't turn out too great. It's quite difficult to keep the fabric tight, and keep the lines straight at the same time. The picture makes it look better than it is. I then decided to tuck my bumpers and paint them black, along with making my awesome bottle caps somewhat hidden.
Then one day my car stalled, and wouldn't restart. I started scratching my head and couldn't figure out why. I checked my plugs (even installed another set just to be sure) and they were fine. I was getting spark. I checked my fuel and had plenty of pressure (had just replaced my FPR, and both pumps). I then checked my coil, and it was badly corroded. I bought a new MSD Blaster 3 coil and installed it. Still wouldn't start. So I had it towed to my house. I knew I had a head gasket leak from the milky oil that was on my dipstick. So I decided to pull the head. I took it to the machine shop to be checked out and decked. Turns out it wasn't in too good of health. The previous owner didn't change the coolant and rusted the cooling system. It ate through chunks of my head, so I had the machinist fill the voids, and rebuild the head. Only reused the cam. Put it back together, still nothing, well fuck. I had it towed to the shop I used to work at for them to diagnose. They managed to get it to idle, but it was running WAY too rich, and wouldn't run above idle. After hanging out enough, I got my old job back (after being unemployed for 10 months after relocating areas). Turns out someone cut the wire for the Coolant Temp Sensor and soldered on a resistor. Why not replace the sensor you cheap bastard! It took me FOREVER to find that after manually checking EVERY other option. Got her running, then a few months later I had an issue with the top end. Short story, I have a new shortblock, and am re-rebuilding the top end. I also installed new shocks, I still couldn't afford Billy's at the time, so cheapo's they are. But they work for now, and I can easily do the labor again once I rework the suspension. Plan now is for boost. And this is where I leave off. Some new pictures but no details of whats going in until I get the parts and take pictures.
I couldn't help myself, I cleaned up some parts, and hung them on the engine just to see what it would look like. I still have to refresh the head.
And then I drilled my oil filter housing for the feed, and oil pan for the drain. Still have yet to tap them or buy fittings
And what will be replacing the e36 seats I have in there now. Sorry the picture sucks, but the lighting was bad, and I sucked at holding the camera still. But the logo does say Recaro
More updates and pictures will be coming, but I can't afford to update this thread daily, it's coming together one paycheck at a time.
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