My 1988 325 track build

[phenryiv1]

Bentley arrived(!!!).

Disassembled one of the spare front struts, removed the calipers from the spare housings and am about to disassemble them for paint annd rebuilding.

Also, sourced the M-Tech wheel and a spare set of fuel injectors (stock 325i units), new cap, new rotor, new button.

[phenryiv1]

Got snow today, and the car was outside, so no progress. But I will post a pic of the car in the snow, rolling like a pimp on steelies.

[phenryiv1]

Ordered a Bentley.

Received rear strut tower bar:





Local JY has an M-Tech I wheel in so-so condition that they are practically giving me. I will probably get it re-covered and see which wheel I like better.

[phenryiv1]

Some actual progress:

Installed my "i" cluster and a 3-spoke leather steering wheel:







Received my set of 205/50/15 Falken Azenis RT-615 tires. For $230 shipped, I could not beat them.



3.73 LSD arrived:



Nothing major, but it is SOMETHING!

I also ordered a caliper rebuild kit for my spare front calipers, and new front brake lines. I also ordered new ftont upper strut mounts.

[phenryiv1]

Sick Build. How are you still following me? I know you were on MSV before it got shut down, and I think you were on maxima.org lol.

I am an OG on the org. (2001 join, and am a mod there). I was on all of the SpecV sites, and sold my B15 SpecV for a Legacy about 2 years ago.

I snatched up the E30 as a track car.

Thanks for the compliment. I have an S-ton of parts, but nothing is installed, really. I need more time.

I am also trying to change EVERYTHING with each upgrade- all of the mounts, bushings, bearings, seals, etc.

Since this will be on the track, I want to do things once, but I have so many "primary" components and not all of the supporting parts to go along. For example, I have springs and struts, but I don't yet have all of the mounts. I have pads, and rotors, but no caliper rebuild kits, new lines, etc.

I have car ADD.

[evil_twin]

Sick Build. How are you still following me? I know you were on MSV before it got shut down, and I think you were on maxima.org lol.

[phenryiv1]

Parts pics:

Bilstein Sports and E46 M3 Vert RSMs:



Rotors (Brembo F, PBR R):



H&R Sports:



E28 spoiler:

[phenryiv1]

Looks way longer than the G260 linkage. You could always just cut-and-weld... ;)

I think I will swap them over rather than to try cutting and welding, seeing as how I can't weld.

Bah, just put some tires on em and try em on already.

For now, I plan to rock steelies until spring. I already have the wheels and don't have the money for tires. What money I do have left is a contingency fund for those things that will inevitably go wrong or be needed as I do the head swap and install suspension, brakes, etc.

[Wh33lhop]

I never thought about the fact that the linkage might not be the right size...I just knew that the shifter itself was a direct-fit.

Maybe I'll have more on my hands than I had anticipated.

Looks way longer than the G260 linkage. You could always just cut-and-weld... ;)

Only pics I have



Stock G260 selector rod (G240--318 gearbox--has longer shifter hardware IIRC)



You can see the shift carrier rod in this one, not very well but it gives you an idea. Both look way shorter, like 3-4".

I know that the size is 15 x 6.5, but there are no good markings for the offset. Ihave suspicion that it may be 25 (I HOPE), because all 4 have 3 sets of numbers stamped on the back. One set is the size (15 x 6.5), one set is different on all 4 wheels (completely random 2-digit numbers), and the last is "25" on all 4. No "ET" designation or anything- just a "25" under the size casting.

Bah, just put some tires on em and try em on already.

[phenryiv1]

Cool beans. That M Coupe shifter assembly looks waaay too long to me, but at the least the nylon cup and shift rod should be good. You may be able to reuse the shift tower bushing too (although I'd just order a delrin set for like $20 if it's not perfect).

I never thought about the fact that the linkage might not be the right size...I just knew that the shifter itself was a direct-fit.

Maybe I'll have more on my hands than I had anticipated.

Also I dig the hartge reps. What's the width and offset?

I know that the size is 15 x 6.5, but there are no good markings for the offset. Ihave suspicion that it may be 25 (I HOPE), because all 4 have 3 sets of numbers stamped on the back. One set is the size (15 x 6.5), one set is different on all 4 wheels (completely random 2-digit numbers), and the last is "25" on all 4. No "ET" designation or anything- just a "25" under the size casting.

[Wh33lhop]

Cool beans. That M Coupe shifter assembly looks waaay too long to me, but at the least the nylon cup and shift rod should be good. You may be able to reuse the shift tower bushing too (although I'd just order a delrin set for like $20 if it's not perfect).

Also I dig the hartge reps. What's the width and offset?

[phenryiv1]

looks sweet so far man! We are doing some similar stuff. Check out my build, the link is in my sig. The only thing that caught me off gaurd was you saying that you were going to have your wife drive a track car to work! Really? Wont it be kinda... loud?

She has a short commute, and may drive it from time to time, just for fun.

I actually won't be doing much to the exhaust. I plan to replace the current exhaust with something that won't draw too much attention. As a matter of fact, if the exhaust was not rusted out at the muffler, I'd leave the stock IS exhaust in place.

[freeski27]

looks sweet so far man! We are doing some similar stuff. Check out my build, the link is in my sig. The only thing that caught me off gaurd was you saying that you were going to have your wife drive a track car to work! Really? Wont it be kinda... loud?

[phenryiv1]

So that brings us to right about now- today. I have a baby on the way in 3 weeks, and a 3 year-old, so time and money are short, plus that red pickup (1988 Jeep Comanche)that is in the background of some of the pics is another project of mine, though it is almost complete. It belonged to my grandfather (who bought it new in 1987), who passed away last year. I am restoring and keeping it running after some neglect.

I have really made a lot of progress collecting parts, but not a lot of progress in actually getting them installed. I hope to get the head swap/327i build completed first, with the timing belt, accessory belts, water pump, thermostat, etc. all done at the same time. I have all of the parts, but not the time to do the work.

The suspension and brake work should be pretty easy, as I have done all of that countless times. I am sourcing a spare set of calipers to rebuild, and a spare set of front strut housings to refinish for the Bilstein install. I pick them up this weekend.

Like I said- I am GREAT at collecting parts...

[phenryiv1]

10.12.09:

Another successful JY run:







Eclipse 5.25s sourced from a clunkered Jeep Cherokee, E34 leather e-brake handle and boot, and a 380 DME ( since my "build package" did not come with a 173, like I had hoped) for my build. They let me keep the 153 as a spare, but I sold it.

11.13.09:

Now, the real fun begins…

Bought some lightly used 50406 H&R Sport springs to get started on the suspension rebuild.

Bought some Brembo and PBR rotors (from brakeswap.com - GREAT vendor!) and have the Mintex Red pads for the street.

I also found some light 15s for track wheels, and awaiting paypal payment info to pay for them. Probably going with Falken Azenis RT-615s in 205/50/15 for tires.

11.16.09:

Score...H&Rs arrived. Used, but look to be in like-new condition.

Found a Euro 320i in my local JY. Let the EDM 'leet-ness commence! In addition to pulling some parts for myself, I am pulling the euro parts from the 320i and will be selling them at a small profit to fund other parts that I need. Also, but purchasing parts in bulk at my junk yard, I get a better price for the parts that I need (volume/cash discount), AND I help out other owners. Win/Win.

I was approached about swapping my 2.93 LSD for a 3.73 LSD. After negotiating via email for a couple of days, we struck a deal where I pay shipping both ways and the guy with the 3.73 sends me his LSD (with new seals and a fresh coat of POR-15 paint) and I send him my 2.93. Since my car is not operable, I was able to pull mine first and send it to him, and he will swap his out and ship it back to me with a prepaid FedEx label.

On the 16th, I finally pulled my 2.93LSD and shipped it off in phase 1 of a swap for a 3.73LSD. I built a pimp wooden box, overlaid it with cardboard, and off it went.

As for wheel progress, I had debated getting good tires for my weaves, but I was able to sell them for a really good price (what I paid for them, including shipping), so I sold them and sent payment for the 15” wheels mentioned above. They are basically Hartage reps...15 x 6.5.

To have rollers between now and when I get tires (still looking at the RT-615s and possibly Star Specs), I grabbed a set of 14 x 5.5" BMW steelies off of the 320 to use as rollers. Tires will come closer to the spring. No need to order them now just to have them sit in cold weather all winter.

Also, ordered some used 19# injectors. The ones that I got with my swap package had 2 busted tips, so I needed new ones, and I decided to upgrade now.

The nice thing about how I managed to get things arranged in my garage/driveway is that I can actually push the E30 in and out of the garage to work on it in bad weather while still keeping my daily driver in the garage for my pre-dawn commute.

11.21.09:

15" Hartage reps arrived. They looked better in pics, but the seller did not mislead me or anything. Pics:





11.22.09:

Ordered a set of Bilstein Sport struts and E46 M3 Cabrio rear upper strut mounts from bimmerparts.com. Great prices on them, and they should pair up perfectly with the H&R Sports.

I also ordered a stainless steel rear strut tower brace/bar. This may or may not do much, but for the price, it looks cool and gives me a more solid upper mounting surface for the rear struts.

I took an hour or so and sanded/wire-wheeled the spare valve cover and the “I” intake manifold from the M20B25 that I snagged at the JY. After prep, I painted them both, as well as a spare set of exhaust manifolds that I had:







Paint looks absolutely stellar this morning. In those pics, the paint was still a bit wet. As of last night, I was thinking about topcoating the VC and IM with a semigloss or even gloss black. After looking at the flat finish 12 hours later, I love it.

Paint is VHT 1300* exhaust paint. Their engine paint goes to 500, but I wanted to paint the exhaust manifolds, so I used the higher-temp stuff.