The black car

[Julien]

oh, and can you provide a link to the fog light delete panels, please?

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...o/51711933767/
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...l/51711933768/

and don't forget the 8 clips

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162328266318

[AWDBOB]

This thread delivers- this car checks off so many boxes. I am sure it's a joy to drive!

One of these days I will M30 swap something, but the g260/6s are getting so hard to find.

I was wondering what you were up to when I saw your WTT on S14.

[freeride53]

Dear Julien,

It was truly a pleasure driving this car, even though I almost stalled the clutch. I hope you don't sell this car within the next 24 hours. See you soon for a beer.

Sincerely,
Sina

[uturn]

Awesome! When life gives you lemons, you swap in a M30!

[Julien]

Dear Julien,

It was truly a pleasure driving this car, even though I almost stalled the clutch. I hope you don't sell this car within the next 24 hours. See you soon for a beer.

Sincerely,
Sina

I will consider the 13 minute drive to alameda again :)

[moatilliatta]

You just think its good because its not white

#racist

Super prog BTW. Hope you hang on enough to ring it out.

[efficient]

clean e30

[Julien]

Thanks for all the comments!!

I played around with a couple things on my e30 this weekend. First and foremost, UGHHHHHHHH.

This &$*&#@)#(@waffleswaffles*O&$U@ Master clutch cylinder connector pipe had a pinhole leak in my car. The hose going up to the brake fluid reservoir had failed a few days prior and I must have pinched the plastic connector going to the master clutch cylinder while removing it in situ. I bled the clutch and the brakes after doing this but remember feeling like I had not collected a bottle's worth of brake fluid. GUESS WHAT HALF A LITER OF BRAKE FLUID DUMPED UNDER MY CARPET BEHIND THE DASH. I only noticed this when I got this black grease on my white converse after driving my e30 to trader joes. (side note, are converse all stars the new balance 608 for aging millennials?)


Since a replacement connector was a few days out (I noticed this on Friday) I decided to make my own.


Happy clutch master

After putting it all back together, light pressure bleed, no more leaks! The problem, however was my brake fluid soaked carpet. I've never dealt with that before but it seems like an awful thing for a car's floorboard, also the foam behind the carpet had gotten all soft and gooey. That night I decided to spray some water and later vacuum my footwell in an effort to dilute the brake fluid until I could deal with it.

The next morning I decided I couldn't live with this carpet situation, so I pulled the carpet out of my parts car. It's grey and has some tears but it's perfectly brake fluid free, which was my main concern.


(Simon taking a break from working on his 951 to relax and work on an e30)

And here is the part's car carpet:

UGH.

Vacuumed


Pressure washer pron:

https://i.imgur.com/0QUkvVs.mp4

Drying


Black carpet out. Note the color difference between black (rare) and grey (common) carpet. Both of these carpets came in cars with black interior. Carpet looks reasonable here but the driver's side was quite torn and foam was disintegrating. Sucks, this was my first black carpet ever.


Also, for those who don't know: sedan, coupe and touring carpet is all the same, just the little rear section is different between sedan/touring and coupe. Cabrio carpet is different.

Was very relived to find my floorboards had not suffered any damage. I did a deep wet clean of the driver side, dried it all up then blew it out with compressed air. Rest of the car got a good vaccuming.


Grey carpet in:




Another pet project of mine was to try to paint my part's car red trunk lid black. I want to eventually swap my car's trunk lid because the IS lip spoiler was added after the fact, they installed incorrectly and one of the holes started rusting.. oh and there is clear coat peeling on it. It's the only sign of paintwork on the car, I figured some body shop in the 90s did this but whatever. Anyways, i'm not great at painting and I want to get more experience doing it. First step was to sand all the peeling red clearcoat off (whats up with all these single stage e30 colors having clear!)
Funny side story, the parts car was an 88 325 but this trunk lid still had the glue marks for 325i under the paint. I tried to sand it all off



First coat of primer and I noticed a ding I had never seen before. argh. (left side)


Bondo


More primer and a 600 grit wetsand:


And my mediocre result. I was having trouble getting a decently wide spray pattern out of the HVLP gun without it blotching. Anyways, I put good bit of clear on so hopefully I can color sand it smooth. Worse case, I can sand it down again and repaint it.


More to come!

[808ETA]

Glad I inspired you LOL I hope you don't sell your car before I get a chance to drive it. Maybe we can put a m30 in Smokey next time you come.

[Tzantushka]

Holy crap - E30 rampage indeed.

[McGyver]

Great progress. We (you, me, freeride53 ) should go for a sedan cruise!

[BlackbirdM3]

Hahaha, you just can't stay away from an E30 can you?

Nice work on this one. You found some choice parts that should make for a very good car.

[Julien]

After letting the paint dry for three days it was time to see if I could get a reasonable result from the blotchy mess.

1-2 hours of wetsanding


Old truck lid (front) and new trunk lid (rear) showing the difference in shine.


Old trunk lid had all sorts of clear coat issues, along with some rust as well


Even the results up close show some imperfections I'm very happy with the results, it really did tidy up the car:



More updates soon!

[Mike36]

Damn I had a free Schwarz trunk lid that I could of sent you, I needed that brilliantrot lid lol