Tweaked body

[kroberts]

When I bought my M3, the PO told me it had been wrecked by the original owner back in 1989. The Carfax report verified this. As I tore into the car I found that most of the front end was replacement sheetmetal. However I got a nasty surprise yesterday when I tried to install my driveshaft. The driveshaft center support bearing wouldn't fit. The distance between the two bolt holes in the floor is greater than the distance between the slots in the bearing. This car must have taken quite a hit! That explains why I only paid $7500 for it. While I was laying there scrtaching my head, I remembered wondering why the old bolt slots had been cut out when I took the car apart last year. I wonder what's going to happen when I try to get this thing aligned? I am happy that it is a ZERO rust car though...none.

Oh well.

[FredK]

Dude. Major bummer! Sorry to hear about that kroberts, I know that your project was a huge undertaking, and even that is an understatement! :(

[xLibelle]

DAMN that sucks!!!

[kroberts]

It's not really going to deter me from finishing. I drove the car for about a month with the S14 in it. It seemed to handle fine and was a blast to scoot around in. I really wonder how the driveshaft tunnel was tweaked though. It's been up on jackstands in my garage for almost a year, I'm dying to get it finished.

[AndrewBird]

My guess is that the guy hit something head on and it compressed the frame, making the tunnel fold and push out. But I would think this would make the doors not open?

[xLibelle]

do you need the factory frame measurements? i can dig them out of these manuals

[kroberts]

I think that's a little over my head at the moment. I'm sure the troof will come out when I get it aligned.

Thanks for the offer.

[rcko]

We ran into something similar to this on a buddy of mine E30 M3 which we were preparing for the Targa Newfounland. It turned out to be the wrong CBS part. There are two parts. What I cant recall is the year. I think his was an 88 from there after it was a different part number. Something about early M3 using one part number and laters the other. Same issue as you described, the slot on the CSB wouldnt match the bolt holes. Research this first, you might be ok with regards to the chssis tweak...

[houstonh]

sorry if I read this wrong but it is entirely possibly you just have the wrong CSB. I know there is an inch or so different between the early vs late model 325's. I am thinking that could be the issue as well. Dont get too worried yet.

[kroberts]

Damn, you got my hopes up for a second. I went to the BavAuto website and selected 88 M3 and then selected 90 M3, the part numbers were the same:(. I'll do some more digging. Maybe I'll email that tech guy at Roundel magazine

The difference in width was only about a quarter inch.

Thanks,

kr

[kroberts]

Correction! I did some more looking. You are right, there are two part numbers. Basically early and late, cut-off date was 9/87. The shit is that the late CSB is $40.00, the early is $145. I did some searching at S14.net and on RealOEM. Holy shit, one hundred and forty five dollars for a CSB.

This is going to hurt.

Good to know that my car isn't tweaked.

[rcko]

yeah, we were surprise by the price difference also. keep looking I think the owner of the M3 got it for less than that.