Meet Lorelei (1989 325i)

[car_gal_jenni]

Well, I finally got a new e30 to replaced my totaled one (I miss it! ) I figured I'd introduce the community to my new lady.

Everyone, meet Lorelei.




She currently sits on bottlecap wheels (which will eventually change as money comes up) and ground control coilovers (which ride less than comfortably, so I'm changing them out for some H&R springs and Bilstein shocks as money comes up). The red seat has already been evicted and returned back to the previous owner (part of the agreement of purchase, which is totally fine by me) to be temporarily replaced by some dark grey heated comfort seats (which will eventually be replaced for some heated houndstooth sports, as money comes up to get them reupholstered).

I'm excited to get a fresh start with this car, and am already knee-deep in projects on her.

I pulled a really poorly installed keyless entry/alarm system and fixed up all the wiring from that fiasco, and am in the process of sorting out some surface rust in the driver's floor pan with POR15. I'm also rebuilding a secondary m20 motor, since the one she came with was blown when I bought her. She's far from done, but I'm taking very good care of her!

[stonea]

Sub'd for round 2

[car_gal_jenni]

Got all the shitty alarm wiring pulled, along with most of the interior. Tomorrow is going to be spent on cleaning her up and getting the euro bumper trim put on. Hopefully she looks better tomorrow.

[ak-]

Looks straight as an arrow.
That's always awesome.

[MouseRat]

Looks so clean!

[car_gal_jenni]

Gave her a good bath today. She's all washed and claybarred. I finished the claybar job right before it started raining, so I couldn't wax her, but I'm hoping to get to that tomorrow. She cleaned up so well!!

[car_gal_jenni]

So, I haven't updated the thread in quite some time, so I apologize in advanced for the wall of text/photos, but I figured I'd share all the progress that's been happening to my dear Lorelei in recent times.

So the interior has been completely gutted.




I've fixed the driver side floor pan rust with POR15


I've completely torn down the motor, and gotten the head to the machine shop. I'll be taking the block there as well as soon as I get some time. Needless to say, this motor is in definite need of a good thorough cleaning, which it will be getting.





I've also gotten all of the previous suspension crap taken off the car as well. While pulling the previous owner's Ground Control coils, I noticed that I need to replace just about everything else suspension-related under the car. Every bushing is shot and/or rusted, so I'll be replacing inner/outer tie rods, ball joints, front/rear sway bar end links, sway bar bushings, new H&R sway bars front & rear, rotors, calipers, ... everything.


I've finally got my HVAC control unit replaced, since the light cables were busted in the previous one. Got the 13-button OBC mounted & the harness run. I've also gotten her waxed pretty well, too. With everything that's been going on with the car, I just have to look at pretty pictures to remind myself that I'm doing her right by tearing everything off LOL.


I even managed to snag a couple of goodies as extras too :D


Needless to say, it's been a busy month (give or take), and I am nowhere near done. Things are slowly starting to come back together, but the more I do, the more I come to realize that it needs my attention.

[WestCoastEta]

Awesome car. Yay for thoroughness :D

[thorhack]

This thing is in great shape! I'm so jealous :'(

[e30m3s54turbo]

Sub'd......

[car_gal_jenni]

This thing is in great shape! I'm so jealous :'(

Awesome car. Yay for thoroughness :D

Thanks! It's coming along, however slowly. She'll be all shiny & new here before y'all know it!

Sub'd......

Figured you might... haha. You know some of the hoards I've got. I need to send some stuff of for paint & powdercoat before I can install those goodies on the car.

[2mAn]

Have you taken the vulva lip off? That thing looks hideous

[car_gal_jenni]

Have you taken the vulva lip off? That thing looks hideous

I'm aware it's bad. But I'm not gonna take it off until the Hartge bumper goes on

[car_gal_jenni]

So, another major update, minus a giant wall of photos.

I've gotten all new brake components ordered (front & rear new calipers, brackets, rotors, pads, sensors, & stainless steel braided brake lines). I've also put in a healthy order with Ireland Engineering. I've got their 22mm front / 19mm rear sway bar kit with poly bushings, their short shifter kit with the DSSR and all related bushings on order as well. I'm sure the receptionist at my work is going to think I'm crazy in the coming week or so as parts start coming in. *shrugs* oh well!

I've also managed to snag a set of these:



OEM French high beams, legit yellow glass. I am beyond excited to get these mounted up with my smilies and other headlight goodies. I'm hoping to have everything wired up either this or next weekend, weather permitting.

Things are finally starting to button up and come together!!

[car_gal_jenni]

Well this weekend has been a whirlwind of activity. We did a bunch of work in prep for a new motor going in. As I'm sure a bunch of you know, in order for the motor & trans to come out, the exhaust and drive shaft have to come out. It all came out with relative ease. Except for one minor problem.

The exhaust was rusted out... Let's not forget that the guibo was completely shot.




I'm sure my neighbors that kept driving by thought I was crazy as parts continued to creep all over the yard.



This was the last time that this particular motor sat in this bay.



When I bought the car, the motor ran like absolute dog-s h i t. As we started disconnecting everything in prep for the motor to come out, the draining oil smelled like gas. That gave us a clue as to why the motor was running poorly: we think the rings are blown. Of course, we won't know for 100% certainty until we tear into the motor & do some diagnosing, but it's our only running theory at the moment. It definitely had other symptoms; it was pissing oil everywhere (you can see cooked oil lines down the exhaust in the above photo), and was getting into the intake.



After many angry words, smashed knuckles, and skinned fingers from slipped grips, we finally got this sucker out of the car. Our driveway now needs a good thorough pressure-washing, with all the oil & coolant that kept seeping out of disconnected lines & hoses.




It was a small miracle that this car ran & drove & stopped at all with all the rust, dirt, and grime everywhere. The transmission was straight up disgusting.



At the end of the day, I have an empty engine bay, and a pile of parts that need to be scrapped and a pile of parts that need to be cleaned in prep for new install.