Econti's Lazurblau 318is twin builds

[Hooffenstein HD]

330mm is too small for a daily, you won't be able to see your gauges. I'd stick to 350mm.

One other thing to consider is that Nardi steering wheels require an adaptor since they use their own bolt pattern. This will put the steering wheel closer to you which may, or may not be a problem depending on the design/dish of the wheel.

[itsonlygeorge]

I vote for the Diamond Stitch. That shit is sexy.

[econti]

OK. So, I've been doing some thinking.
Apologies if post turns out to be long winded.

So the thing that I wanted to work out, was what I actually wanted the car to be.
I love driving fast, want to try drifting, but I also enjoy long road trips.
So, I'm now on a mission to create the ultimate all-round E30.
Track work, grand touring, technical windy roads, drifting, road trips. The car has to do all of them.
At the moment I have a decent income and don't spend it on anything aside from a gym membership. So I figure there are only a few times in your life that you can dump money into cars, and this is one of them. Cars for me are my biggest passion, and if any of you knew me in person you'd realise how I talk about almost nothing else lol.

With that in mind, I've started building up a parts list.
Note that this will change on a regular basis.
I'll need a strut brace, E46 steering rack, LSD, driveshaft with good unis, guibo, centre bearing, short shifter, big brakes front and rear (probably RX7 as someone's selling some good second hand ones), Fortune Auto 500 coils, and numerous other things, with the final piece for the puzzle being a turbo M42 with a GT2560 on the side aiming for at least 250hp.

The thing that I need help with, however, is the interior. Just not sure what direction to take.
With that in mind, I've got a few pics of ideas that I'm considering, and I'd like your input on what would be best.
I already have sports seats in bad condition that need a retrim. Steering wheel would be this in 330mm as I love the design:





Option 1: Diamond stitch.
This, except in a black or dark grey, and only door cards and seats done.


Option 2: pattern retrim
This except in the blue/green that the iS has.


Option 3: Stripped
Bucket seat, 4 point harness, half cage.
The car I used to daily had no doors and interior at all, and I enjoy it. So comfort isn't a huge problem.


Option 5: Retrim
Basically this exactly. Except with the Nardi wheel as I flat out refuse to use a fake steering wheel.
This one's my favourite.
(what door cards are these? M3?)

[Hooffenstein HD]

Why is that? Do you have experience with both? I was planning on ordering a Z3 rack next month...

Lock to lock is pretty much irrelevant. You need to look at travel per rotation. Standard(not Sport) E46 is right on 50mm, which is much more than the E36, slightly less than the Z3. The problem is Z3's aren't all that common in Australia and a rack will either set you back a good chunk of coin, or you'll just be shipped a regular E36 rack. They're interchangeable so as far as most wreckers are concerned they're the same thing.

E46's are everywhere, the racks will generally be newer and in better condition if you're pulling one at the junk yard.

That's where I'm going. What do you have to do for the linkage? Same as Z3 swap?

The RHD links don't need any interesting set up, usually a custom steering coupling made to the right width and bolt spacing is all that's required.

I chose to ditch the E30 style shaft though and use the XC Barina/Vauxhall Corsa C steering shaft to get some more room in the bay for headers, or a turbo dump.

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Corsa_Steering_Linkage

[econti]

Why is that? Do you have experience with both? I was planning on ordering a Z3 rack next month...

From what I understand the Z3 rack is a little much for the highway, and the E46 clubsport rack is a couple points slower lock to lock which makes it nicer for high speed driving, but is still easily fast enough for hard cornering

[Ray Smoodiver]

Hnnnnnggggg Lazur Blau.

Ship it across the ditch to me pls.

[rturbo 930]

Skip the E36/Z3 rack and go straight for an E46 rack. You'll need E36 tie rod ends though.

Why is that? Do you have experience with both? I was planning on ordering a Z3 rack next month...

[econti]

Skip the E36/Z3 rack and go straight for an E46 rack. You'll need E36 tie rod ends though.

That's where I'm going. What do you have to do for the linkage? Same as Z3 swap?

awesome work - love your thread title. I'm the same way, figure out the money later.. you'll be fine in the end..

I'm in a better place than I was before, with an actual income now. So lots of things are planned for this car.
Cannot wait to see how it drives once it's done

[animal]

awesome work - love your thread title. I'm the same way, figure out the money later.. you'll be fine in the end..

[Hooffenstein HD]

Skip the E36/Z3 rack and go straight for an E46 rack. You'll need E36 tie rod ends though.

[econti]

Bought some things!

16x8 Klutch SL1s, in 205/50 Federal 595EVO.
Not the greatest colour combo in the world, but it's grown on me a lot.

[Matt341]

I absolutely love that color!

[G FORCE]

Great looking car!

[econti]

I had noticed that when I went over bumps there was a clunk from the front driver's side suspension assembly.
Jacked the car up, and the wheel was wobbling a ridiculous amount while the control arm was not. Bad balljoint(s).
Ordered a pair of control arms.



Got cracking on with it. These cars are so simple that it was not a difficult job at all.
However half way through, I found that despite what I was told by someone you can't actually re-use the bushing on the end of the control arm.
Shit.
On to Gumtree and someone a few suburbs down was selling some bushings that didn't get used in his car.
$85 and an hour later I was back home with some big chunks of polyurethane in hand.
Into the freezer they went, and fell right into the lollipop that they locate into. No press needed.



All back together easy as, and what a difference it makes. Going from balljoints which had 5mm of verticle movement (!) to ones which are nice and new is amazing. The steering is much more communicative and precise, and it's even nicer to drive. Bumps also aren't worse than before, which I was surprised about given the solid bushing.
Would recommend.

Excuse shitty iPhone photos.

[MPLFoster]

That color is fantastic. almost makes me wanna respray my alpinweiß...