My $3400 M3

[Ryan...]

the bushing that holds the aluminum shift towere to the tranny and the clip that holds it in

is that something I wouldn't be able to take off the car and reuse? I've never had to work on a tranny before in my life, so excuse my complete lack of understanding lol

[Ryan...]

I know nobody really cares, but I'm gonna keep updating this shit because it's therapeutic lol

Just spent over $120 on the M3 today, bought the new Tranny mount with bushings, the heatshield that goes between the driveshaft and exhaust (my feet were roasting!), and I'm about to grab some new hood shocks to keep my hood up.

Next up is to start sourcing all the goodies for the tranny rebuild, along with all the stuff for a proper cooling system overhaul: radiator, fan, aluminum thermostat housing, thermostat, and waterpump for sure. While I'm digging apart the engine I'll probably do the headgasket. All in all, if I can find some mechanically inclined friends to help work on it, I know I'll be spending at least $150 on parts for the tranny, at least $350-400 for the cooling system parts, and the head gasket alone is over $200. Its gonna be an expensive next month :D

Question: when tearing all this stuff apart, is there anything else you guys think I should do as a precautionary measure? I think by doing the headgasket and cooling I have all my basics covered...?

[justin_l_]

WTF are you doing a head gasket? That is one of those thing that if it ain't broke don't fix it...

[Ryan...]

Yeah i'm typing faster than I was thinking there, I'll be checking it while I"m doing the rest of the stuff like valve cover gaskets. I'm preparing for the fact that it may need replacing.

[Ryan...]

Whattya guys think? I know my MS Paint skills are lacking lol

I'd get them dark enough to appear black from about 20ft away, like my e30. THe 3rd brake light on the spoiler would also be getting tinted, the roundels and //M3 badge would also be going black/gray, and the windows are getting 20% all around..

[craig4ie]

Get the car where it needs to be for repairs and maintenance...then start spending your money and time dinkin around with the cosmetic stuff.

[Ryan...]

Right now I"m waiting on about $200 worth of stuff to come, and I'm prepared to spend much more getting it up to date on maint. I'mdefinitely not going to waste money of cosmetic stuff right now, but I have time and a can of Niteshade left over from my e30.

Anywho, what do you think about the lights? Leave the white peice? Do it all black? Just the top half black? Leave em alone?

[quickervicar]

Leave them alone. I'm ok with a very light smoke, but black is just wrong. (Unless you don't like the shape of your bumper & trunk)

[Philo]

Paint the roof black. Do it!

[Ryan...]

Ok I'm not going all black, I think I'm gonna do this though:

I really wanna get rid of the orange sections, and I've already got clear corners on the way, and the sidemarkers are getting smoked too.

[Rodoni]

i got my e36 m3 for 4200, no body work needed, runs great.

[Ryan...]

i got my e36 m3 for 4200, no body work needed, runs great.

Nice, any other issues?

[Holland]

Please no black. Light smoke on the clear sections would be stellar though. Throw some ambers up front, I never liked the clear signals on the M3.

[Philo]

i got my e36 m3 for 4200, no body work needed, runs great.

It's been the R3v member's lucky week. OP, you, and I all got E36M3s for cheap. Just over $10k for all three. lol.

[Ryan...]

Please no black. Light smoke on the clear sections would be stellar though. Throw some ambers up front, I never liked the clear signals on the M3.

I just cant stand the orange lights all over. They gotta go.

It's been the R3v member's lucky week. OP, you, and I all got E36M3s for cheap. Just over $10k for all three. lol.

Haha sweet, we got the luck of R3V on our sides :D