noe30's 89 325i build

[dmjensen]

awesome build, and iowa needs to figure out how to not use salt during the winter.
maybe sand. or heated cement lol.

[noE30]

Euro plate filler install with detailed pics.

For Christmas the e30 got euro trim, euro grills, and a rear plate filler. Since I had some free time tonight I decided to install the plate filler. After reading a few threads here on r3v about how to install it, I decided to try something a little different mounting wise. Looks like most people drill a hole in the filler that is big enough to run a bolt through and then just sandwich the plate, filler, and body of the car together and put a nut on the back side. That works fine, but I was worried about the hole in the body not being water tight as I wanted to keep it oem as possible.


IMG_1359resize by m_colby, on Flickr

Here's what I came up with:
Basically what I did was drilled holes into the plate filler that were big enough that the threaded poppers could fit inside, thus allowing me to use the oem mounting screws. Everything should be water tight like oem and still allow me to securely mount the plate filler.


IMG_1329resize by m_colby, on Flickr


IMG_1328resize by m_colby, on Flickr


IMG_1330resize by m_colby, on Flickr


IMG_1332resize by m_colby, on Flickr


IMG_1334resize by m_colby, on Flickr
I will probably find some kind of plate frame that will cover up those bottom holes in the plate, just to clean it up a bit.

Here's the rest of the e30's Christmas present yet to be installed, maybe later this week.

IMG_1339 by m_colby, on Flickr

Cleaned up and stored away for the winter.

IMG_1351 by m_colby, on Flickr

[noE30]

Nice buid ! Will you start the M50 swap this winter ?

Cheers

I wish, that project has pretty much fell by the way side I've actually sold off most of the swap parts that I had. I'm going to wait until I finish school/get a real job before I do a swap haha.

[pegase747]

Nice buid ! Will you start the M50 swap this winter ?

Cheers

[noE30]

Well I've done it again, and by that I mean forget to update this project thread with my progress. So here's another one to bring it up to speed with where I'm at.

Since the last update I have finally fixed my suspension so my car no longer rides like shit, and in that process I replaced my front shocks with some cheap kyb shocks, replaced the totally ruined sway bar links and installed new tie rods as the old ones were also shot.

IMG_0054 by m_colby, on Flickr


IMG_0062 by m_colby, on Flickr

And now that winter has hit us officially here in Iowa, I will be putting the e30 away in the garage for the winter and to get some work done.

The current to do/buy list for the winter/spring is:
Install GE group buy coils (along with camber plates when available)
Bilstein sports
Skid Plate
Wheels
New front seats as mine are trash
New pads/rotors/lines for the front and rear
LSD open diff FTL!
Euro Trim/Grills
Depo Smileys (probably the eurostop ones)
HIDS
New windshield
and may be some body work..

I'm really hoping to take the e30 to the Eurowerks car show next year in Minneapolis next June, so I've got plenty of time to get some work done to get the e30 show ready. Anyone who hasn't heard of eurowerks please check out http://eurowerks.org/ and make the trip to MN for the car show, especially if you're from the midwest!!


IMG_0347 by m_colby, on Flickr

[noE30]

Did a little work to the e30 today, more to come in the next few days..
Currently I've got a vacuum leak because of a crack in my intake boot and some brittle vacuum lines running from the throttle body. Soon to be replaced with new parts from blunt, (ordering them tonight). I also found some oil deposits and dirt in the coolant reservoir, what is the best way to clean the reservoir/ flush the coolant system? I think I read that baking soda and distilled water will work to flush the system and a bleach solution to soak the reservoir in, do either of those sound correct?

IMG_0652 by m_colby, on Flickr


IMG_0653 by m_colby, on Flickr

Cracked boot and shitty vacuum lines.

IMG_0650 by m_colby, on Flickr

I'm hoping to get in on the fk suspension group buy and pick up some coils, my current bilstein sports are blown in the front so I'm looking forward to upgrading and replacing those.

[noE30]

Well the car is back on the road for now anyway.. I've got an annoying rattle coming from the trans and I believe it is the throwout bearing which I replaced last fall.. The rattle goes away as soon as I depress the clutch, anyone have any ideas that could cause a throwout bearing to fail so soon?

Any way here are some current photos of the car that I snapped as I left this morning.

IMG_0161edit by m_colby, on Flickr


IMG_0160copy by m_colby, on Flickr

[noE30]

subscribed...

Well thanks, hopefully there's some more interested updates to follow..

Anyway my wheel bearings and some misc nuts just showed up, thanks again blunt! So I'm heading to the shop to get some work done now, should be on the road by the weekend. I have tomorrow off so it's officially go time!

[bernzpeed]

subscribed...

[noE30]

Damn I really need to keep updating this more than just when my car breaks down. Either way, a few weeks ago I let a friend drive my car around the block and.... he broke an axle (the driver side to be exact) so my car went off the road and on to the lift again.
Following the similar style of the rest of this build I decided that if I'm going to replace the axles then I might as well give the rear end a bit of a re-fresh. So currently I'm in the process of replacing both axles, IE rear strut mounts, IE trailing arm bushings, OEM rear subframe bushings, OEM diff mount bushing, diff out put seals, and rear wheel bearings. This thing should ride worlds better once I'm done as the old bushings were shit. The subframe itself had at least an inch of play when twisting it back and forth by hand. The entire rear end is currently tore out but I will get some photos to document the progress, hopefully it should be complete by this weekend.

[noE30]

Power sprayed the under body, this is afterwards. It's a little cleaner than before but not perfect.

IMG_0184 by m_colby, on Flickr

Heat shields before cleaning.

IMG_0176 by m_colby, on Flickr

And after

IMG_0188 by m_colby, on Flickr

Cleaned up trans

IMG_0189 by m_colby, on Flickr

New under coat

IMG_0196 by m_colby, on Flickr


IMG_0197 by m_colby, on Flickr

Re-installed the flywheel and new clutch today. My short shifter kit came in yesterday as well. Hopefully ill be putting the trans back in tomorrow along with new trans mounts, engine mounts, and quibo. Then I'm on to the drive shaft and support bearing and exhaust. Should be driving it again this week hopefully.

[noE30]

That blue coral stuff is the shit, havnt found anything that works nearly as well.

Curious, how much did you pay to have the head rebuilt, thinking about doing it while i have mine out.

I think it was like $120 or so, all they did was check to make sure the cam, springs etc were within spec still, install new valve seals (came with gasket kit) and machine it down a little to make sure it was perfectly flat.

[TimKninja]

That blue coral stuff is the shit, havnt found anything that works nearly as well.

Curious, how much did you pay to have the head rebuilt, thinking about doing it while i have mine out.

[noE30]

Still posted glad to see your still doin good with the car. I love how clean the car is.

Thanks, I'm slowly making progress.

what do you use to clean the dirty carpet?

Just some random carpet cleaner from an auto parts store, I'll see if I can find the can.
Edit: it was called Blue Corral Upholstery Cleaner, blue and white can with a built in scrubber on top.

Simple & done right, thats the way more cars need to be built nowadays...well, at least done right lol

Keep up the good work! Way to represent the midwest

Thanks!

[mRodiek]

Simple & done right, thats the way more cars need to be built nowadays...well, at least done right lol

Keep up the good work! Way to represent the midwest