Another 5.0 build: #projectmerica

[ballski]

I have already been working on this for 6 months off and on, but here is an official build thread. I've never done a build thread before, but I wanted to just to get some constructive opinions and advice. I wanna thank FunfGan for some help and of course e30v8.com. I'm replacing about everything in the car. I had to go a little backwards in the aesthetics dept, but it's getting there.

The car had a lot of trouble starting, was pretty rusty, and the 260k motor was very tired. I was gonna swap this car and redo everything.








I had this for a few months and was working on removing the rust underneath and just keeping it alive. I already had some RS reps for it and cleaned it up nicely:




Then, a local buddy of mine approached me with a trade offer for his e30 (which I always wanted in the first place). His was giving him a bunch of issues and he just didn't have the time/money to make it a solid DD. That's where I step in with some cash and my 325e.



The new car was a m30b35 swapped 1987 325is that ran but was not drivable due to the suspension and overheating. It already had some goodies on it though: euro bumpers, mtech wing, 3.73 lsd, and and UUC short throw. The swap was pretty messy though and the dash looked like a xmas tree. He kept his style 5's and I kept the RS reps and my euro grilles and smileys.

The 3.5 is pretty nice, especially with a 3.73 lsd, but I want more. So the plan is to remove that and install a carbureted built 302, which I've been building the past couple months.

I hope these pictures get resized*


Thanks for looking,
Bryan in Cincinnati

[nickflic3]

pix don't work

[ballski]

So I got the alpine home and put a new water pump in and bled the crap outta the system and it now runs fine; no overheating. We never let the motor overheat so it's still solid.

[kalib0y]

cool project...make the pics work pwease (reduce the size)

[ballski]

pix don't work

how about now? and are they still huge??

[kalib0y]

yeah, they are. please resize them

[ballski]

ok, sorry about that. Skydrive doesn't allow them to be resized on the web side.

New metal impeller water pump:

[ballski]

I bought some ground control coilovers along with a subframe, F&R sways, trailing arms, and a Mtech 1 steering wheel. Polyurethane sway bar and trailing arm bushings and solid subframe bushings. Also they have pretty new wheel bearings in them:



I removed the old H&R cup kit and actually the struts are in good condition and for sale:

[nickflic3]

The first ones work, last 2 posts no lol

Nice build!

*Edit: Working now

[ballski]

I did the front suspension first including brand new: tie rods, strut top mounts, CSS offset lollipop bushings, sway bar w/ poly bushings, and new control arms:





The front sits way too high for me so I'm going to have a buddy section off about 1.5" of the front tubes and reweld them.

[325ix]

Looks good so far. Is the reason most people go with a carb'd 5.0 is that it's just that much easier to wire in?

[ballski]

Looks good so far. Is the reason most people go with a carb'd 5.0 is that it's just that much easier to wire in?

that was part of the reason for me, the other being I got a good deal on the carb setup.


I started spending money next:









CSS diff bushing and m20 motor mounts, e30v8 mounts, pan, tranny brace, Ford racing oil filter 90 degree adapter, 302 full gasket kit, Wilwood clutch stuff and lines, oil pickup, etc.....

[ballski]

Then....on to the rear....what a PITA!

I removed EVERYTHING as I had new trailing arms, a subframe and sway bar to install. The subframe and e-brake cables were terrible! Good thing for R3v, the lag screw method worked and dropped the subframe after lots of #$@%#$

Out with the old:



In with sexy new stuff:













I put Rustoleum paint on about everything and some extra undercoating while everything was out. There wasn't any rust on the body though :)

[MattTHEe30GURU]

i already liking it! im hopin to do this

[FunfGan]

Love the thread title hahah.