E30 from Ukraine - "Shadow of Intelligence"

[The_Glory]

New Year's gift, or a tree under the Christmas tree!

Happy New Year everyone! )

Last time I wrote about my New Year's gift, and I promised to write about another one, which was just miraculously found right before the New Year! )

I’ll start from the very beginning - when buying a car, it was equipped with a momo wooden steering wheel, an original wooden gear knob, and a very rare (as it turned out later) part from a factory wood trim kit - a glove compartment pad.



Since then, for more than 10 years, I have been trying to find the rest of the parts from this kit ... They have long been discontinued, and the tree in the E30 was ordered very rarely, so even in the photo on the Internet, they are rare. For all the time, I only once saw it for sale on eBay, almost at the price of a car)) In a car, it looks like this:





The second time, I saw it in Kyiv at a disassembly, but not the original, but an aftermarket, - on some foreign forum I read that this kit was from the catalog of the tuning company D&W.



This is also natural wood on an aluminum base, like the factory overlays.



Such kits are often found on the E30 from ALPINA.





The difference is in the one-piece lining for the instrument panel and the light switch (probably not very convenient to remove the dashboard with it), the central lining is only on the upper part, and not on the whole, and the side linings are not on the fabric insert, but on the upper part of the door trim for the whole its length.

Now you can buy cheap Chinese kits - vinyl stickers for the entire salon "wood" or any other texture and color.



I had them glued on the ashtray covers and under the air ducts of the torpedo - they look cheap and collective farm, so I immediately took them off. This is not our method! )

So, - flipping through the forum flea market, I can’t believe my eyes - there is an overlay for the light switch and under the dashboard for sale. I call the seller — confirms that this is the original and that they are! My joy knew no bounds! )))



True, then it turned out that the pad for the dashboard had already been bought separately ... ((Who needs it separately - it's not clear ... Suddenly he reads, the one who bought it - I would buy it! ;) In general, I took what was left - a trifle, but Nice! ))







During the search, I found the original EVA instructions for installing interior decor, which says that the glove compartment lining is screwed with two pins - I have it, and all other linings are simply glued with "superglue" to standard interior details. Cheap and cheerful! ))
100% original - visible glued natural wood veneer based on:



The switch pad itself, judging by its number, is ordinary.



It’s also pleasing that only one finish color was available - this somehow simplifies the search for individual elements. They all match in color.



It remains to find the lining under the dashboard and on the door. I don’t really like the central pad and the gearshift lever pad ... But if I find it, I’ll buy it too!

I’ve already thought about hydrographic printing… but haven’t made up my mind yet — we’ll look for it!

[The_Glory]

Just a business

For a long time I did not buy good rarities ... and now, before the New Year, I decided to treat myself to a gift! )) I bought myself another business! )) Namely - BMW BAVARIA C BUSINESS - the top-end cassette recorder for the E30 of the last years of production.



In this case, this is the German BECKER, as indicated by the stamp and sticker on the case:







There is an output for antenna diversity, but no output for an amplifier and CD changer.



And here is my previous business) - BMW BAVARIA C BUSINESS RDS - also a top-end cassette recorder for the E30 of the last years of production.



But this is already a Japanese PIONEER







There is also an output for antenna diversity, and besides this, there is also an output for an amplifier



Two businesses for comparison:



Pioneer's design is quite strict and fits perfectly into the interior of the E30.
But I always wanted a BECKER - its design is even stricter and more severe - the Germans after all!



Although, it would be even cooler to put BECKER MEXICO - it was the top one for the E30 before the restyling, but for it you need to redo the connectors on the wiring, and finding it in good condition for sane money is not easy. So I bought this one.

Well, for the sake of interest, I connected a couple of speakers to check and compare them.





Normally, it will be possible to compare the sound, of course, only in a car, but for now, just a superficial comparison in terms of functionality.
Of course, PIONEER has wider functionality - as its name suggests, it already has RDS, so the screen is larger, there is an amplifier output, Dolby B, Dolby C noise reduction. An interesting button backlighting algorithm - only buttons available in this mode are highlighted — i.e. or cassette control or radio control. All buttons are touch-sensitive, the cassette is lifted, its work is softer. Installation without "mine". In addition to the code, there is also some kind of security system diode, but I did not understand how it works. In general - the Japanese! )
But in some ways he is inferior to the German - fewer memory cells for the radio - 6 instead of 10, and, accordingly, not direct code entry. In principle, this is of course trifles.

Why is BECKER better? ... I don’t even know ...) Most likely, only with a more strict design and a rarer arrangement of the cassette receiver - film forward. Well, as I said above - it has 10 "number" buttons, so there is more memory for the radio, and direct code entry. Well, it's German! )
Otherwise, it loses to the Japanese - there is no RDS, a smaller screen, no output to an amplifier, noise reduction is simpler - only Dolby B, mechanical buttons, respectively, more rigid operation of the cassette. I have not yet understood how it is installed, but probably in the "mine" (it's good that I have it, the main thing is that it would fit).

Both radios were available for the E30 in its later years. Which one will I put? .. I haven’t decided yet ... There are still “nuances” for my specific specimens.
For example, a leaky screen on a PIONEER, which I sealed with a black film around the edges, and not at all confident operation of the cassette. I already wrote earlier that I broke it like a fool with a Chinese mp3 adapter cassette.
The BECKER cassette works well, but there is no output to the amplifier, which I bought a long time ago, and the functionality is more modest ...
In general, we will think, we will see ...

P.S.
As you know, miracles happen on New Year's Eve)) I also had a small miracle - I found a small, but sooooo rare thing that I had been looking for for many years! )) About her next time! ;)

[The_Glory]

Great project. You have love for the e30❤️👍👍👍

Thank you.
That's right, I love her! )

[e30m3s54turbo]

Great project. You have love for the e30❤️👍👍👍

[The_Glory]

Build_02. Polishing the taillights.

In general, not quite according to plan, but somehow the taillights came under my arm, and I decided to do even with them ... (I think that there will be quite a few deviations from the plan, depending on finances, time and mood ;) )
Moreover, in the light of the latest prices for "startec", it seems, they do not "shine" for me, either literally or figuratively))
So, back to our (my) taillights. Once, even before me, they were painted over with red varnish, and then the left one changed, and it was either initially blown out with more red varnish, or simply with better varnish - since the difference became more noticeable every year - the right one noticeably faded, and the left one still remained red) Since, I immediately, in a collective farm way, filled them with silicone from the inside (I confess))), so that the water would not flow into the trunk, it was too lazy to remove them - I drove the last couple of years with multi-colored taillights) They looked like this:



From the inside, everything was not bad, but a little dirty. But the sealing gum was already on silicone, and looked very deplorable ...



Started with plastic caps. By the way, I have them with a "bonus" illumination of the trunk - behind the parking lights there is a "window" through which, when the parking lights are on, the trunk is also illuminated - a handy thing.
Even after buying the car, before pouring everything with silicone))), I noticed that the rear fog lights are only in the left headlight, and there is a place for them on the right, but there is no wire - I thought that he "interfered with someone "and they threw it away, and made a homemade contact and wire. It was later that I realized that this was how it should have been in stock, and that two rear fog lights were an option, or some kind of "feature", depending on the configuration. Taking this opportunity, I replaced this contact and wire with the original one from the donor left lamp - now everything is "according to Feng Shui"))
Everything is disassembled very simply - turn the latches, remove the cover, carefully pull out the latches, remove the bar with the lamps, pry and remove the connector housing, then press and pull out the contacts with a thin screwdriver from the outside of the cover, and also pull the contacts out of the connector housing with a screwdriver.



Assemble in reverse order. Before assembly, I painted the bar of the lamps, for beauty, and simply cleaned the covers with fine sandpaper and washed them with chemistry. I did not want to paint - I left it as it was in the factory. Of course, I also cleaned the contacts, although they were already normal.
On the connector body, all the wires are signed by color, and on the cover the type of lamps - therefore, it is difficult to confuse during assembly.





Although it is possible - to my surprise I found that I had 21W lamps in the parking lights, instead of 10W it was too much) Either I forgot about it, or I scored - I don’t remember ..... but now I put the correct lamps.



Lids are ready.
Somewhere I had stickers that were inside the lids - they even fell away from life .... If I find it, I'll stick it)



Let's move on to the lights.
I read on the Internet that the varnish from the lights is easily removed with brake fluid. In principle, there is logic in this - since the brake fluid and paint "undermines". I decided to try it ... But apparently there are different varnishes - after a day of "lotions" from the brake fluid, I did not achieve any effect. None at all. Therefore, I bought more effective materials.



The varnish was removed with sandpaper 240 and 320. On the right, it was easily removed on a dry one, and on the left, the varnish was still more "severe" - there with some water. Then with water circles 400, 600, and manually 400 and 600, and manually 1000. There was no finer sandpaper, so after 1000 I switched to headlight polishing paste in three approaches - one circle and two manually.
I liked the result.



And in the sun, I was so impressed at all - the headlights looked like new! )





But there is also a "minus" - I had to sacrifice the original numbers and logo on the glasses - they were erased to zero ... but it was worth it.

Since I don’t have orange “turns” on my car, I had an idea to tint the lights with a red or black film, but now looking at them I’m thinking .... they seem so beautiful))) ... we’ll see ...

The plastic case was also cleaned and washed.
The fixing nuts and pressure plate have already appeared in the electroplating entry - they are also like new.
It remains to buy original gaskets or cut them yourself on laser cutting - the difference in price is very decent;) I'm still thinking about it...

P.S.
Prepared the second batch of pieces of iron for electroplating. There will also be a third...

P.P.S.
The ghostly plan to paint the body before the New Year failed miserably - but I didn’t really believe in it ...) If only to paint in January ....

[The_Glory]

Club calendar 2020 and color choice...

Annual club calendar entry)

This year, "at the numerous requests of the workers" I had to choose twice, because, as usual - "didn't know / didn't see / didn't hear / stuck / was late")) Despite this, they managed to print the calendar even a few weeks before the New Year.

4 cars from the TOP12 of our festival competition OLD SCHOOL E30 got into the calendar, and the remaining 8 cars by the general vote.

A preview of the entire calendar of the Ukrainian Club BMW E30 for 2020 can be viewed here

My car hit it again, albeit the last of 8 places...



By the way, it is likely that this is her last photo in the calendar in an "interesting color" - it will be a keepsake;)



P.S.
The calendar is no longer available. Who did not have time - he was late! )




P.P.S.
The torment of choosing a color continues ...) I laid out all the color options against the background of an "interesting color" .... and thought - maybe we can leave it ...? )) My children really do not want to change the color of thirty ))



The choice is not easy...



Although there are only original BMW colors from the 90s



Spread beautiful blue...



Which to choose? Blue? Or is it blue?... or is it blue?? No, blue is better...







... but in the sun they are different .... but by car it can turn out even different ....
I'm lost...)

[The_Glory]

Body repair_23. Bottom processing. (part 2)

Yesterday I was at the painter's - things are going on, albeit slowly, but still) I expected to see the finished bottom, but it turned out that the readiness was not yet complete ... It remains to process the two left arches, finish some joints, and then go through the second layer . But even now the bottom looks pretty good, as for me:









As for the bodywork, the thresholds, rear fenders with roof racks and the roof are almost completely prepared.









Well, the preparation of the engine compartment and interior began.



I was given a plan to paint the body itself before the New Year - then, after the holidays, hinged body elements. Let's see... Hour "H" of the final choice of color is getting closer, and the torment of choice is more and more...)))



P.S.
While I continue to prepare for assembly - I rake all the boxes, remember where it is, clean / wash all the plastic, prepare / sort fasteners and pieces of iron for electroplating, sandblasting, and painting, make lists of what to buy. But more on that later.

[The_Glory]

Build_01. Plan. Fastener preparation.

I think it's time to start a new "series" - "Assembly")

In short, the build plan would be:
1. Put on wheels - suspension and steering.
2. Treatment of all hidden cavities.
3. Vibration isolation (without fanaticism, as it was at the factory)
4. Everything on the bottom - brake pipes, brakes, fuel pipes, tank, shields, protection, etc.
5. Body wiring.
6. Assembling the back.
7. Luke, ceiling.
8. Heater, torpedo with noise insulation and wiring.
9. Doors, door wiring, cards.
10. Noise isolation, carpet, interior parts, seats.
11. Glasses.
12. Transmission - gearbox, cardan, differential, axle shafts.
13. Motor, motor wiring.
14. Exhaust system.
15. Radiator, attachments.
16. Assembly of the front.
17. Body kit and bumpers.
18. Wheels.

Here is such a plan ... with pleasure I will listen to advice and recommendations for assembling. I’m not sure about the 12th point - it’s probably better to put the differential and axle shafts right away with the rear suspension, and the gearbox along with the motor ...

I don’t even want to plan on terms ... how will it go ...)
I will collect very slowly, carefully and accurately. I even came up with an entertainment for myself - assembling as close as possible to the ETK;) I don’t promise full compliance with the ETK, due to the unavailability or inadequacy of the price for some parts)), but I will strive for this! )
Naturally, everything old, down to the nuts and screws, will be washed, cleaned, painted, galvanized, or changed to a new and beautiful one. To paraphrase the classic - Everything should be fine in the car: the body, the engine, the suspension, and the interior! ))

Well, perhaps, let's start - with fasteners.
First of all, I assembled all the fasteners of hinged body elements, and suspensions with a transmission. I soaked each nut and screw in a paint remover, then in a rust converter, and manually cleaned with a soft wire brush, but the effect was not sufficient. Therefore, I decided to go with the "folk method" - citric acid at a concentration of 100 g per 1 liter of water - this is the topic! Cheap, reliable and practical! (c) )) All fasteners were perfectly cleaned of rust after a day of soaking. Some parts soaked for 2-3 days. Then washing in a soda solution, and degreasing with white spirit. This is all very long and troublesome, but beauty requires sacrifice! )
After that, I put everything in bags, signed it, and gave it to a friend for electroplating, or rather, yellow galvanizing.







By the way, Seryoga - thank you again! Nothing was lost and the result is super!
Well, actually, here it is, the result:









This, of course, is not all the fasteners - there will be one more, or even two batches. But this is a little later.

[The_Glory]

Body repair_22. Bottom processing. (Part 1)

I haven’t written for a long time .... there isn’t a lot of news, but there is still ...
Apparently, even my karma is not right, in terms of body repairs ... maybe the chakras need to be cleared))) Well, it doesn’t work out for me in any way - neither with welding, nor with painting ...) It was planned to finish painting in a maximum of two months, but now three have passed, and the car has not yet been painted ... Partly due to all sorts of force majeure at the painter, and partly all because of the same welding - it was necessary to weld the little things after the sand, but take the car back from -I didn’t want to, and the local welder turned out to be very busy ... As a result, almost two months of downtime ...
And now - I can not fully believe it, but the welding is still completed! ))) I never found a living manhole cover. Therefore, from two rusty covers they made one normal one - they welded mine, parts from a donor one. Since in fact mine turned out to be livelier than the one that I bought. We welded one rear door, as they missed the jamb - a hole in the window mount.





Well, small kosyachki were brewed, and imperfections that surfaced after the sand.
All welding seams are treated with seam sealant. All mounting studs, mounting points for the beams and the gearbox crosshead, and threaded holes are covered with masking tape and temporary bolts. After that there was a "pen test" with several sealants and guns.







We settled on APP polyurethane sealant in two layers.
Normal photos of the finished result on the bottom will be a little later ... Well, maybe this year, I'll paint ...)
In the meantime, quietly, I begin to prepare for a thorough assembly;)

[The_Glory]

So much work, most here would have scrapped that chassis. Good job bringing it back so far, excited to see more.

By the way, I know at least three people who profitably sold their restored E30 to Germany. And one in general, put it on the "stream" - he makes to order replicas of ring M3 DTM and sells them to Europe.
My friend from Belarus sold his red E30 Touring to the USA a few years ago.

There are such "paradoxes" ;)

[The_Glory]

I think this is reality for any non-restored E30 in Europe no matter of the country. Roads are salted during winters and it shows. I really respect the amount of work you've done in challenging conditions!

However, cars are in better condition in Europe.

Thank you.

[hasa]

I think this is reality for any non-restored E30 in Europe no matter of the country. Roads are salted during winters and it shows. I really respect the amount of work you've done in challenging conditions!

[The_Glory]

So much work, most here would have scrapped that chassis. Good job bringing it back so far, excited to see more.

Thank you.

Regarding the condition of the chassis - in our reality, it is not a very bad condition - it is a typical condition of most local E30 :)
This is due to the fact that these cars arrived in Ukraine back in the 90s, when there was no qualified service for them here, as well as due to bad roads and winter operation on roads sprinkled with salt. They were often broken in road accidents, then manually repaired. That's why they are all rusty.
E30 with live bodies, which are brought to us now from Europe - only for spare parts. Because legally it is no longer possible to clear them through customs and issue documents for them. Whole bodies are cut into parts in order to extend the life of rusty ones with their help... That's what I did - above were photos of car body parts from Europe that I bought at a local junkyard.
There are cars in much worse condition, but they still drive. Among them there is another category, which we call - "collective farm" - these are machines that have been repaired for a long time using cheap spare parts from the Soviet VAZ (Lada), GAZ (Volga) or simply improvised means and materials. This is a real horror that can cause psychological trauma to the American owner of a classic BMW! ))

But don't think that we only have junk :) There are also preserved original (although not many) or restored cars. Now there will be another ;)

[E30SPDFRK]

So much work, most here would have scrapped that chassis. Good job bringing it back so far, excited to see more.

[The_Glory]

Body repair_21. Body primer.

Immediately after sandblasting, on the same evening, or almost night, the body was primed with acid primer, and then with acrylic, or polymer or polyurethane, I don’t remember exactly. By the way, I completely trust the painter in the choice of materials. He painted this car in 99 or 2000 in this "interesting" color, and until 2012 there was no rust on the paintwork - I think this is a very worthy guarantee for painting.
Well, actually, how it looks - it already looks like a whole and beautiful body! ;)



But still not quite whole - I wrote in the previous entry about the holes that were opened by sandblasting.
There is a small hole near the right support on the edge of the battery platform.



On the bottom everything is fine.











But the next problematic place is the holes in the brackets of the rear seat belts and in the transverse beam on which they are welded, and a suspicious place near the left spring plate. As well as small holes at the top of the right rear arch:



Everything in the back is fine.



But on the left on the motor shield there are holes along the welds, although they are not particularly visible:



All is well under the hood around the supports.





With the timing of welding, I somehow didn’t work out initially) ... therefore, all this has not yet been completed ... And the welder still has one door and a hatch cover ... This welding is already finishing me off ....
For that, with the rest of the hinged body parts there is progress - small scratches are puttied, and all this is being prepared.





The roof and part of the rear are already prepared as a first approximation.
On this, while a pause - the painter goes on vacation for two weeks.
During this time, it is necessary to prepare for processing the bottom with a sealant, as well as buy the missing and prepare the one that is, fasteners for attachments of the body.

Far be.

P.S.
When I was on vacation in Odessa in the summer, a friend gave me such a small gift - a cigarette lighter with an unworn "cigarette". Thanks, Tolyan! ;)
Well, you need to buy options, despite all these repairs! And then "break" begins! ))) I bought an original heated mirror just in case. In the winter I will no longer ride, but let it be for the collection! )