My 1988 e30 325ix - Garage'd

[jeenyus]

Oh wait I just realized that was a suggestion probably. Yea I thought about that too. Maybe some black vinyl. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[Kershaw]

Plastidip will be easier to remove unless you get quick release vinyl which has dots of adhesive on the back. Either option, don't leave it on for more than 2 years before reapplying it.

[jeenyus]

This drain plug right by the gas pedal insert/stand is a hard part to find accurately and I'm wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction? It's pretty small and on realoem.com they have them all listed individually without reference to where they are in the floor. I think there are three different sizes there. here is the link. https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=51_1746

[s14brent]

good info here...i'm going to have to repair a smaller rust spot in the same area (driver foot well). figured I'm going to have to depressurize fuel lines and just wrap a fiberglass blanket over the lines....not looking forward to doing this at all quite honestly.

[Eskie]

This drain plug right by the gas pedal insert/stand is a hard part to find accurately and I'm wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction? It's pretty small and on realoem.com they have them all listed individually without reference to where they are in the floor. I think there are three different sizes there. here is the link. https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=51_1746

Unfortunately you have to pull it out and measure the hole diameter. You're right that the plug is in that catalog picture. It's most likely the 18.5mm one--part number 51211838473.

[jeenyus]

I guess I should give a little bit of an update. I wanted to fully finish the project before I did, but teaching yourself to weld is harder than I thought it would be. I am making progress and my welding is getting better and I think that the process will speed up a little because of that. Time also prevents this from going as quick as I'd like, but little by little getting there. I have almost finished the drivers floor corner, where this whole process started and then I can go to the other side and I have two fairly small holes of rust from the exhaust shield studs (I guess this is a common place for rust). I will update with pictures as I get closer, but I've removed all the old sound deadning. I have new dynamat to cover the floor. I have two drain plugs, as those were rusted through, but didn't eat the floor. I have a couple cans of epoxy primer and seam sealer when all is said and done. this has been a great learning experience, similar to my whole history with the e30.

[jeenyus]

Disclaimer, I am no welder and this is literally my learning on a flux welder... Not ideal. Also, rust is cancer and I hate it! I have been working on this for a long time. I have been teaching myself along the way and it's been a frustrating endeavor, haha! YouTube made it look way easier!! Anyway, this is what I came up with. All surfaces will be covered in 2k epoxy primer and seam sealer, then rubberized undercoat for the exterior portions. I haven't been posting this up for two reasons. One, nobody wants to see this until it's finished I'm sure and two, I didn't want to get too much grief for going with a flux welder and having my shitty welds examined. LoL! I am happy to be done with one side, but I still have the passenger side to fix which has at least three rust spots close to the transmission tunnel and the corner as well has to be remade... Ugh. My goal is to finish this so I can drive the IX in the snow this winter! I want it for winter driving without having to worry about my car being fully eaten by salt.

[jeenyus]

Here is the other portion of rust I have to fix before I can prime, seam seal, dynomat and then put back in the carpet. This should be much easier than rebuilding the whole corner. There also is a rust hole in the corner though, but it doesn't look nearly as bad as the driver's side. Also a bonus picture of my new whip...

[mike.bmw]

I've only ever MIG'd an entryway table together, but I've always wanted to learn how to weld well/properly. I think it's awesome you are tackling all this yourself. Keep up the good work!

Also, I think you should try to fit those 24"s under the E30. You may have to cut and weld some structure, but it'll totally be worth it in the end. ;)

[jeenyus]

I've only ever MIG'd an entryway table together, but I've always wanted to learn how to weld well/properly. I think it's awesome you are tackling all this yourself. Keep up the good work! Also, I think you should try to fit those 24"s under the E30. You may have to cut and weld some structure, but it'll totally be worth it in the end. ;)

Haha! Tires showed as R28! Thanks for the kind words. It's been fun and thank God it won't be visible!

[jeenyus]

Taking care of the bottom of the fender. Just took a flappy wheel and took off as much as I could and sprayed some self-etching primer to avoid any oxidation. This should get me through winter season and then I think I will get new fenders and front valence (rust free!)

[s14brent]

nobody wants to see this until it's finished

but....from my understanding...these car's are rarely "finished", so keep posting! good job tackling this, I've never used a flux-core, but if you're going to epoxy and cover with seam sealer and underside rubberized coating i think you're going to be just fine. Do you mind sharing what products you plan on using? And how did the gas pedal bracket go? That's the area I need to tackle on my car. I actually plan on cutting the bracket out completely and using a SRS pedal bracket on the replacement sheet metal. (ordered a 3 hole bracket but they also make a 2 hole version also.)

You might have covered it already, but what gauge sheet metal did you use around that area? I might actually need to buy thinner gauge mig wire and rollers for this job. I had a friend bring his miller 110v welder over when we did my rear fenders because I didn't want to blow through it with my .030 or .035 (i forget which one i have since I haven't used it in forever). I'm thinking of practicing on a some cut up pieces of sheet first. Super worried about blowing through and making it worse.

[jeenyus]

but....from my understanding...these car's are rarely "finished", so keep posting! good job tackling this, I've never used a flux-core, but if you're going to epoxy and cover with seam sealer and underside rubberized coating i think you're going to be just fine. Do you mind sharing what products you plan on using? And how did the gas pedal bracket go? That's the area I need to tackle on my car. I actually plan on cutting the bracket out completely and using a SRS pedal bracket on the replacement sheet metal. (ordered a 3 hole bracket but they also make a 2 hole version also.)

You might have covered it already, but what gauge sheet metal did you use around that area? I might actually need to buy thinner gauge mig wire and rollers for this job. I had a friend bring his miller 110v welder over when we did my rear fenders because I didn't want to blow through it with my .030 or .035 (i forget which one i have since I haven't used it in forever). I'm thinking of practicing on a some cut up pieces of sheet first. Super worried about blowing through and making it worse.

I ended up using 16 gauge with .030 wire. I would probably use 18 gauge steel though if I had to do it again. 16 is a little too beefy to pair with the original floors, which i think might possibly be 20 gauge tbh. You should be just find going with .030 wire. .028 wire could work too, but it's not as versatile and you would only use it for that one project and I think i read on your thread, you had the same spool of wire for ever. The gas pedal was only covered in rust and I was able to clean it up, lucky me! I did have to replace one of the drain holes by the gas pedal though. Waited a month to get the part from the UK. little 20mm plug.

The product I am using (epoxy primer, brush-on seam sealer, prep spray and rubberized spray for the under) is all Eastwood. I have had really good success with their products in the past and like their company is general. Price is meh, but I like keeping it all in the family.

[15Michaeljoseph]

Excellent work on this. I went through the EXACT same floor repairs last August on my New England daily'd 325iS... Same as you, learning with hand tools and a flux welder. My patches looked the same, and I ended up costing everything with Eastwood's rust encapsulator and seam sealer when done, followed by another coat of encapsulator and undercoating on the outside. "A grinder and paint"... it's fun when you think of what you're doing for the car. Making matters worse, my passenger side transmission mounting slot (on the body) was rotted out. That was fun to do. Ended up cutting a rust free section off of a friend's parts car and welding it into mine Worked perfectly. Can't wait to tackle the rear spring perches. Fantastic job, love to see someone succeeding in a similar position. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[jeenyus]

Excellent work on this. I went through the EXACT same floor repairs last August on my New England daily'd 325iS... Same as you, learning with hand tools and a flux welder. My patches looked the same, and I ended up costing everything with Eastwood's rust encapsulator and seam sealer when done, followed by another coat of encapsulator and undercoating on the outside. "A grinder and paint"... it's fun when you think of what you're doing for the car. Making matters worse, my passenger side transmission mounting slot (on the body) was rotted out. That was fun to do. Ended up cutting a rust free section off of a friend's parts car and welding it into mine Worked perfectly. Can't wait to tackle the rear spring perches. Fantastic job, love to see someone succeeding in a similar position. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

This honestly made my day. Thanks for the kind words. As I see a light at the end of the tunnel I'm getting excited to actually drive the car again! Flux welder is as difficult to weld sheet metal with as they all say.