agent's build thread: Klaus

[w201cosworth]

subscribed

[agent]

Lukebox/audio installation continued this past weekend and yesterday. Thanks to bimmerteck for the head unit wiring assist on Sunday.

I cut about a 6 foot section of BMW factory audio wiring (from the amp to the driver door sill junction) out of one of the parts cars a friend has, and extended my speaker wires using all the same colors. Luke's amp bypass write-up was absolutely invaluable...








Then it was time to wire up the sub, again using Luke's awesome instructions...








Tidying up the trunk and getting ready to install the box and wire up the amp...






Lukebox installed. Fits like a glove...




Head unit wired up and tested. We have sound!




Amp wired up and pretty panel in place...




Getting the head unit pushed in far enough to latch was really difficult at first. So I removed the cluster and was able to get some better wire organization done behind the head unit, then it went it easily...





I still need to (re)tune the crossovers and the levels, but even with the head unit set to all factory defaults, this system sounds better than I could have possibly imagined. I can't wait to crank it up after I get it tuned!

[agent]

New blower foam gasket in, the rest of the tar out and cleaned up, and the LukeBox test fitted:

[agent]

Unfortunately the parts I ordered didn't arrive in time to reassemble the dash this weekend. So I went ahead and ran the RCAs, since that needed to be done anyway, and started on the process of removing the trunk tar.

It was only coming out in tiny pieces at first, so I put a space heater in the spare tire well and let the tar get soft enough to pull it out in much bigger chunks using a remodeling bar. I read a couple of threads which said taking it out in two layers seemed to work well, and so far that has been the case for me too.

The afternoon in images:

[el bimmer]

Very nice

[agent]

I have everything I need audio-wise, just waiting on a couple more parts to arrive. Then planning to reassemble it this weekend. C'mon over!

[chondamx]

Looking good, Chris, did you get her buttoned back up? I've got a 12" (15"?) fosgate sub in a ported box with a 1000w amp mounted to it if you want some bump in the trunk :D.

[GOT8SPD]

that's so much work to swap out the dash... :(

[Mr. Schwarz]

Very nice Bud!

[GAbOS]

Get it done! :p

[agent]

We are counting down to the Brodeo at the end of October, so today I finally got around to pulling Klaus' old dash out to swap it and start the audio install. Apologies for the crappy cell phone quality/perspective.

Dash out...






New dash in the foreground, dusty from being stored in the garage for over a year...





It's not perfect but it's close...

[GAbOS]

[agent]

Over the weekend Klaus got a new exhaust. Thanks to RobertK for the tip on the FS ad. :D

[agent]

Thanks Alex! :D

[Mr. Schwarz]

Thanks for bumping this. I can't believe the transformation. It looked like there was no running away from its previous life as an old beat down E30. I commend you kind sir for bringing it back to life and making it... somewhat sexually attractive. Too far... No?



Awesome job Chris. Even professional pictures will never do the car justice, one must see it in person to believe it.






oh and in R3v fashion, Ne3dZ m0Ar lows0rz!!!!