M30 swap for my Olive Drab Vert!

[Good & Tight]

Coming along nicely Matt. Looks like you lowered the engine a little.
Oh and I like the satin finish.

[RagtopE30]

Thanks Bearmw. First internet response on color. I also prefer the satin the more I think about it, more character.

[Bearmw]

For som reason I'm still leaning toward the satin. I liked it when I first saw it and still do...with black rims.

[N2MYE30]

Bravo! I cant wait to see it.

[CorvallisBMW]

Wow, can't believe it fits! (that's what she said)

[RagtopE30]

Got the front end back together and the saddest thought came to mind, No one can see my hard work! Oh well that was the idea from the jump.

Valence on without any touching or rubbing.



I then cut out another hole for more airflow potential to the intercooler. And mounted the grills and kidneys.



Now that it is done you can really see how well this all fit. Here is a shot of the bottom of the intercooler peeking out from under the valance. It will be invisible once the lip is reinstalled.



And finally it looks like a car again. Like nothing ever happened!

[RagtopE30]

I want opinions here. So please give me some feed back.

Here is my dilemma,
I have really enjoyed painting the engine bay and I plan on continuing with the exact same color for the exterior, trunk, and door jambs. My dilemma is that I had planned on finishing the car with a satin clear to continue the theme of subdued military coloring, plus it looks cool in satin, BUT the gloss looks so good! My iPotato pictures do not do the engine bay justice at all. So do I paint the exterior to match the engine bay in gloss finish or finish it with the same color and continue with the satin clear coat finish?

Please consider these before replying:
* I know satin is higher maintenance and that is not an issue
* I will be painting the exterior and have access to a professional booth
* The exterior paint is a little down the road, turbo and MS are first.
* My hardtop has been stripped and is being painted in high gloss black

Let me know.

[RagtopE30]

Yeah next weekend I will be there from sun up to sun down. I am hoping to be able to fire her up by the end of next Sunday.

[jim325]

You gonna be around next weekend? Pretty sure I don't have to work. I'll come up n marvel at the goodness.

[RagtopE30]

^ thanks Nick and Jim.

Jim I am still waiting for you to come up and help me on this thing.

[jim325]

You make my intercooler/spal fan/ wiring hell u make my whole car look like shit. I mean it is, but urs really puts it in perspective. I need a dang garage n a new body to redo mine half as good.

[IS300E30]

This is going to be built better than BMW did it in the 80s.

Matt is the only person I could ever drop my car off to and say, "please do this, this, and, this" and have no concern at all that it will be done and done right. Any one else I am always concern when they have it that they will screw it up and after I get the car back, I always look over their work to make sure it is right, but this guy is a genius. He truly has the intelligence like a professor but the knowledge of a mechanic.

Can't wait to see the final product.

[RagtopE30]

OPERATION: Removable Radiator Support and Intercooler install and Engine Bay Paint and Wire Tuck and Hood Release Cable Tuck and other stuff, IS COMPLETE!!

Got some work done today.

I mounted the headlights


I then started working on mounting the SPAL fan. I had to make some brackets.




Then I went ahead and mounted the intercooler with the fan in place and the wiring pulled across the radiator support to ensure that I didn't make any mistakes with clearances. It looked like is was manufactured that way!!




Then I disassembled everything and painted the brackets. And finally remounted everything. I cleaned up the intercooler and reinstalled the hood hinge mechanism and the hood shock arm.

[RagtopE30]

For the moment, yes

[jeffnhiscars]

Innoparts, they're located in Germany I believe.

http://www.innoparts.de/shop/index.php

Whats nice is that its for a "sportive" driver and includes a "basement".

Gotta love it


Matt is your engine bay suppose to have a nicer paint job than the body ?