330i ZHP's 1989 325iX 4dr build thread

[330i ZHP]

Love it!! The BBS on the E30 came out of a Mini right?

I have to say I love the touring the black one is so nice and the one with the wide body is amazing!

Well done sir.

the wheels are from a Mini - I bought them from a member of this forum



thank you everyone

[freeride53]

Do you have any hi-res shots of your e46s??? :D

[330i ZHP]

[freeride53]

ohmygod YES

[330i ZHP]

todays update - I ended up only working on the front lighting, the splitter and the bumper trim:




I finally have both fogs - although the new left unit is SO MUCH clearer - so I ordered a right side to match





I had to order H1 bulbs - didnt realize the damn $$$$ lights didnt come with bulbs

[330i ZHP]

I put the oem chrome grills back on - they are faded grey (the black parts) and match the side grills

note to others - these are from Abrahams so I guess you should get the kidneys from them too instead of trying to save money and get from ebay.

I finished the front lighting, I will get back to the front suspension and brakes tomorrow (and install the euro side indicators)

[330i ZHP]

I installed new sway links and mounts in the rear...the old ones were completely dry rotted and crumbling
I need to inspect the control arms and bushing - I am guessing they are screwed as well - might explain why its like riding in a boat through the turns

[twism]

those e46s

[330i ZHP]

thank you - they have a lot of my hard work and money in them


question for you folks:

The car already had the US ellipsoids (which have different plugs than the sealed beams). I installed the Hella euro smileys and an H1 hid kit in the low beams. the lights work great but the car is reporting a low beam failure on the "check" monitor in the headliner

Any ideas what is wrong? or any way to fool the system? or how to remove that bulb - although that wont stop the CHECK light from flashing in the instrument cluster (the lights stops flashing after a little bit)

[CHIF8008]

VERY nice sir

[twism]

thank you - they have a lot of my hard work and money in them


question for you folks:

The car already had the US ellipsoids (which have different plugs than the sealed beams). I installed the Hella euro smileys and an H1 hid kit in the low beams. the lights work great but the car is reporting a low beam failure on the "check" monitor in the headliner

Any ideas what is wrong? or any way to fool the system? or how to remove that bulb - although that wont stop the CHECK light from flashing in the instrument cluster (the lights stops flashing after a little bit)

Yeah its really clear they have a lot of your money and hard work but they look awesome and I bet both of them are blast to drive.

About your question, the hid kit has lower resistance than the regular bulb, thats why the car thinks the bulb is burned. DDM tuning sells a resistor that you can install and as far as I know it should take care of the problem.

[330i ZHP]

thank you on all accounts twism

todays update - not much but I still spent HOURS working on the little sh1t

I installed the right side euro indicator, painted where the fresh metal was exposed, cleaned inside the front right fender, inner wheel well, and inside the fender towards the passenger door (found some rust where the one bolt for the mud flap connects to the body (or did)

I cut away the rust to good metal and filled the inner area with cavity foam (but cut it back to allow for welding in new section of metal)

welded in a small section of sheet metal, primed and painted with POR - then painted the entire right front inner fender and inner wheel well with POR allowed to dry and then applied undercoating...

All the while FIGHTING with the strut assembly....that locking nut that holds the strut in the carrier is a rusty little pita (23 years and never changed)

the strut was completely blown, there was more oil in the strut carrier than in the strut

cleaned everything and applied some POR to the strut carrier/housing and various parts

allowed everything to dry (used some heat to speed the process)

reassembled the new Bilstein HD strut and H&R assembly and reinstalled

I could be done with the right side front but I decided to get new calipers for the front, new control arms, new bushings and new tie-rods

I did manage to get the new front sway links and new sway bushings installed


lighting is just about complete (only need to install the drivers side indicator), I rcvd and installed the new right fog (to match the new drivers) and the new H1 bulbs for the high beams

new rear calipers came in - but I am still waiting on the rotors (since I rcvd two sets of the front rotors...IRK!)

anyway, enough diary entry for today

[catuned]

Great cars. And awesome find with the e30. You sir have great taste :)

[330i ZHP]

todays red car update:

removed the front grills, kidneys, lower air vent and the rings around the headlights - prepped, primed and later in day painted flat black - everything looks great and matches

striped and cleaned right strut carrier and repainted - re-installed the right strut, removed lower control arm (waiting on new one)

installed 65mm studs front and 75mm studs in the rear

and cleaned and prepped the right underside of the car from the engine bay back to the gastank - and applied POR, then later in day applied undercoating

I am still waiting on the rear rotors, front control arms, FCABs, tie-rods - can't get anything completed...ugh








damn the brakes are small - i am used the the 380mm and 355mm (front and rear of both E46s)

[Doughnut]

keep the pictures coming! Dem e46's are good as.