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**HappyPuppy** · 03-17-2015, 08:50 PM

To explain, this will be a live thread detailing the buildup of my long-abused 325i Convertible into...well I'm still not entirely sure, exactly. At the moment, it's veering towards overpowered, slidey street car that retains its creature comforts--mostly.

And now Picture Time!

This is how she was last seen by the general public:

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**HappyPuppy** · 03-17-2015, 09:17 PM

She had been through the wringer far too many times: her suspension was worn out, her engine was threatening to overheat at any time, and ate coolant, and her bodywork had that "crackle" look that seems to be trendy now--in furniture!

So, I went about pulling the engine and transmission out, which went pretty smoothly--then again, this is the third time we've been down that road, so I guess it should be no surprise ;)

Along the way, I scored a deal on some nifty wheels--I can't wait to try out the slicks...someday

Attached Files

**Garageaholic** · 03-17-2015, 09:18 PM

Why blank out your face? I don't get it.

**HappyPuppy** · 03-17-2015, 09:20 PM

With the motor and tranny gone, I rolled the car out, and gave it some love in the engine bay with the pressure washer. Years of grime fell away, and I was finally able to see the condition of all the ancillary parts still attached--most notably the crumbling wiring harness.

After a bit of discussion, I decided that the best plan was to simply pull out the "engine bay wiring harness", and rebuild it. Easy peasy, and that would ensure I wouldn't be chasing electrical gremlins later on.

--If I had to pick the moment that would lead me to the first picture, that would be it. I had done a lot of things to this car, and over time had developed a certain well-known arrogance that befalls most enthusiasts: I know this car like the back of my hand--

So, for anyone curious, the main harness goes from the headlights to the taillights in a single, unbroken section. That connector you spied under the dash? Do NOT confuse that with the kind of bulkhead connector we're used to seeing on American cars, or you will have a bad day.

This is me having a bad day (pics blurry due to tears):

**HappyPuppy** · 03-17-2015, 10:07 PM

Originally posted by FrankM E30 View Post

Why blank out your face? I don't get it.

Same reason I blanked out the license plate--people be crazy :crazy:

So, as you can tell from the previous pics, the entire interior was (eventually) pulled in the process of discovering that the main harness was unbroken. This yielded yet more unpleasant surprises...

If you own a vert, your top seals must not leak! Replace them if they do!

Also, check your battery tray for missing paint and/or rust. As evidenced by the last pic, sulfuric acid will eat holes in your firewall :(

**HappyPuppy** · 03-18-2015, 12:32 AM

Now, while my adventures in prepping the vert for its new motivation was being stymied by setbacks, the process of acquiring the needed parts was going pretty smooth...at least at first.

A bit of background: when I first began this project, I was aiming for more of a junkyard dog kind of plan--M30B34 out of a e23 we had sitting around, a couple of b234 turbos mounted to adapters bolted to flipped exhaust manifolds, a tweaked Motronic, some adjustable suspension bits, and topped off with those sexy wheels.

It started with the mounts. I am grateful that GoodNTight--obviously banking on me personally :)--had the uncanny foresight to predict that I might need B34 mounts, and to go ahead and design them for me

I'm kidding a bit--but seriously, how many people have used a B34 in an E30?

Next came stiffening up the various suspension bits, thanks to some nicely cut out bits of metal from Garagastic

Originally, I had planned to just put put the motor in as is, then worry about forced induction at a later date. However, after finding the rust, fighting with the harness, and finding numerous other smaller issues, I was at a tipping point. After numerous discussions, I was (reluctantly) convinced of the superior logic in doing everything at once.

As if to drive the point home, I came across a pretty amazing deal: A gentleman selling an original CarTech M30 kit, complete with the water-to-air intercooler!

After a bit of good-natured wrangling, I managed to get it for 2 grand, which certainly hastened the expected completion date along--or so I thought...

**HappyPuppy** · 03-18-2015, 01:00 AM

As it turns out, the Cartech kit works perfectly on an M30...as long as it's in an E23, E24, E28, E32, or even an E34. When you try to stuff it in an E30, there just isn't enough room to fit the turbo the way it was designed (underhung in the back, FWIW)

As a side note, I will most likely be posting all the pieces that don't fit for sale soon :grin:

I know it was a setback, but it had an unexpected upside--in the process of trawling the internets for inspiration, I discovered the magic of the variable vane turbo! :up:

I could post all my findings here, but the quickest way to see where I'm going with this is to check out DNovak's excellent post on the Rennlist Forum.

The Garrett GT3782va is the OEM turbo on 03-07 6.0 Powerstroke Fords, and can be had pretty cheaply. It uses V-band clamps on both sides of the turbine, and incorporates a novel electronic actuator that controls the flow of oil to adjust the vanes. It can be easily incorporated into a MegaSquirt ECU--or for the truly insane, something like this...

My research came up with something incredible: 240SXSpotter, on the MyE28 Forum. In his posts, he mentions the fact that his E30 is running off a VW ECU from a late model VR6. A little more digging, and I found myself deep within the world of ECU tuning, remapping, and reverse engineering. So, I decided to do what any reasonable BMW enthusiast would do: add an insane level of complexity by remapping an ECU out of this

...and conscript it to run a 26-year-old car with a 30-year-old motor, from an entirely different marque

**HappyPuppy** · 03-18-2015, 04:11 AM

Now, back to the Body!

We're finally at where that first picture comes into play. I have committed myself (HA!) to doing a fairly proper restoration of the body, but I have two things against me: my 2-post is still awaiting a concrete pad, and I loath working (on a car) on my back.

The solution? Rotisserie, baby!

And after seeing the ($900) price tag of even the cheapest one? DIY rotisserie FTW 8-) (Another one HERE)

If you look carefully, you can probably figure out the design. It uses treated 4x4s, 2.5" exhaust pipe, some casters, and two engine stand adapters, which I happened to have somewhat on hand

It was about $200 worth of wood and hardware, but it works great! Now, on to the ugly part...

Okay, so I had rust. How bad was it? Enter my three amigos: Mr. Grinder, Ms. Wire Wheel, and Sir Cut-Off Wheel :)

Yep, pretty ugly

**Ether-D** · 03-18-2015, 05:16 AM

I like most, if not all of this. And semi-local. Come to the Brodeo.

**quickervicar** · 03-18-2015, 05:39 AM

Originally posted by FrankM E30 View Post

Why blank out your face? I don't get it.

He did it to protect the guilty

**Ether-D** · 03-18-2015, 06:00 AM

The last pic shows his face. He's a wookie. No biggie OP. You're not the first wookie we've had on r3v…

**rcsoundn1** · 03-18-2015, 06:03 AM

Same reason the stig wears a helmet.

**CorvallisBMW** · 03-18-2015, 08:38 AM

So if I'm understanding you, the CarTech system doesn't fit the e30 bay in the standard guise, (bottom-mounted turbo between cyls 5-6), yes? If you flip the whole setup and run it top-mount near the front of the engine, you're going to have oiling issues since the feed will be on the bottom and the drain will be on the top. But you might be able to take off the exhaust housing and rotate it 180*

**HappyPuppy** · 03-18-2015, 05:40 PM

Originally posted by Ether-D View Post

I like most, if not all of this. And semi-local. Come to the Brodeo.

I do make it up to Knoxville on a regular basis...and we might even have the blue drift rat vert up by then...I'll see what I can do :)

Originally posted by quickervicar View Post

He did it to protect the guilty

...we'll go with that, sure ;)

Originally posted by Ether-D View Post

The last pic shows his face. He's a wookie. No biggie OP. You're not the first wookie we've had on r3v…

My brother found your wookie comments...disturbing

Originally posted by rcsoundn1 View Post

Same reason the stig wears a helmet.

While I love to pretend I'm actually a highly-skilled race car driver slumming it with mere mortals, I think it would quickly become more useful to prevent people from knowing who murdered all the cones on Turn 6 :shock:

Originally posted by CorvallisBMW View Post

So if I'm understanding you, the CarTech system doesn't fit the e30 bay in the standard guise, (bottom-mounted turbo between cyls 5-6), yes? If you flip the whole setup and run it top-mount near the front of the engine, you're going to have oiling issues since the feed will be on the bottom and the drain will be on the top. But you might be able to take off the exhaust housing and rotate it 180*

You are absolutely right: that's actually what we were mocking up in the picture with the cylinder head, exhaust manifold, and turbo in position. It's reasonably easy to clock the turbine and compressor housings in any position I need, so oiling can be remedied. However, after some prompting, I am selling off that turbo (RotoMaster T04B), in order to run the GT3782va. It's a fine turbo for a 250-350 HP build, but I want a little more adaptability.

Underbody Update:
I've been trying to teach myself stitch welding with flux core in my Lincoln 140, and it has been a pain in the ass. It amazes me how sheetmetal comes to life, and runs away from the bead faster than Usain Bolt :???: It finally gave me the push I needed to set my welder up for gas.

What a difference

It was almost effortless to get it to stick, and I found myself bridging 1/2" gaps with ease. So, I got a chance today to snap a few shots of the work so far...

I just have the battery tray, and a few odd screw holes (don't ask!), and it will be ready for undercoating.

That brings me to a question: I have several cans of the 3M undercoating, but I'd like to figure out that thick stuff they brushed on underneath that. It kinda reminds me of Liquid Nails, or paintable silicone--any thoughts?

Announcement

Project Just the Tip: E30 M30B34/5 VNT Turbo Vert

Project Just the Tip: E30 M30B34/5 VNT Turbo Vert

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