A trip down memory lane...89' 325is + S52 inside!

[gkurey]

Great update and congrats on the a/c conversion. I did it last spring on my wife's E30 and I was also pleasantly surprised at how well the R134a cools. Really couldn't tell the difference.

Curious though--when you charged the system, did you have a digital scale to accurately weigh the freon? I'm sure you know that's very important.

TrentW, I didn't have a scale unfortunately. I went by 'feel' to get 2.5 cans in ~28-30 oz. Performance is good and pressures are acceptable. If performance is lackluster in summer, I'll get it evac'd and refilled by a shop to get proper performance....they could also probably do a better job removing moisture...although right now, I think it's good enough!

Guys...a quick update for the evening. I painted the faces last night and also got my Black Forest Industries black bolts in for the wheels...I had to throw them together to see how it looks for a little motivation. All that remains now is to polish the lips and assemble!! I also got my 42DD wheel spacers/adapters in via 8380 designs. I am impressed...steep costs, but WOW!



And here are some wheel teasers....





The wheels are getting new center logos and a different style of center cap...you'll see!

Can't wait to have the best e30 in town...and possibly the only e30 in town...ha!

[gkurey]

Also a quick note on things to come...better rounding/daily-ness to my car with addition of cruise control and back-up lights...lights are a no-brainer, and the cruise is pretty simple too...pics to follow.

[gkurey]

Got this gem back from the bodyshop yesterday:



It is a real OEM M-Tech 2 front lower valance. Got it for a great price and pretty quickly through Blunttech...it even had to come all the way from Germany. The kit is awesome...came with all the required hardware and a sweet drilling template as well to aide in clean install. I will detail the install process to hopefully help out anyone who is trying to install something similar!

First, you need to remove the factory upper bumper, connectors, etc. After that, remove the lower fogs, scoops, lip and associated clips, etc...basically anything and everything you have attached to the OEM metal valance. Once the car has those parts removed, you should make sure you have the required hardware and prepare the new valance. Here are shots of the hardware and of the nice brand new trim kit to protect the car's metal valance:





After that's done, you can get ready to drill holes in your precious e30; here is a shot of the drill template resting on the front end:



I drilled the holes in two steps to ensure easy drilling. You don't need to put much thought into it though...the template fits exactly in one place and one place only...very easy and very precise. I was impressed.



Once the drilling is done, you can test fit the valance to the car. Place the 5 white tabs in the holes that were drilled, and snap the valance in. There is one stud on each corner of the valance to secure the edges and several mounting points on the bottom edge that utilize existing holes from the old lip clips. For the corner/side studs, I rubbed the stud on the metal valance to know where to drill one hole per side to finish up the mounting effort. Below is a shot of the test fit.



After you determine the fit to be adequate, remove the new valance and reinstall the factory upper bumper as it cannot be installed after the valance is on (the two main bolt holes for the factory upper bumper are obscured by the valance). Once the upper bumper is back on, just snap the new valance in place and fasten the bottom and corners and you're done. Oh, also install the new extended brake ducts in the kit as well as reinstall the foglights. I have yet to snap pictures with my fogs in place. You get the idea though...The finished product:



More pictures to come when I get it cleaned up and once I get the new wheels done!

[8380 Labs]

coming along really nicely, i go back and forth on running an mtech2 front valence myself.

[gkurey]

^^^You should get one...I love it a lot more than any of the lip options, and it installed pretty easily, and is very sturdy!

I've been slaving away on the wheels...they are all done! I'm getting the tires mounted tomorrow and then I'll put up some installed pics. It was a little intense, but the hand polishing of the lips came out decent. I didn't want to go too nuts as it isn't a show car, just my daily so I figure bad things may happen to them in time. Here is a shot of all 4 lips done and polished as well as one of the centers in one lip with the black bolts. Lookin' fresh IMO!



I'm not gonna write much else about the wheel build...there are dozens of threads out there about building RS's, so I'll spare the minutia. ALL in all, it came out great for a set I'll use every day. Here are a few shots of my test fitment of a rear. Spacer/adapter is 18mm and the wheels are 16x8 et21. I have a lot of rear camber too, otherwise it would look more flush...just another thing I need to address. On with the pics:





Close in of the lips, the conical cap, new logos, and nice new bolts....



I'll have full shots with tires on the car soon! Thanks for looking!

[ClausE30]

Lookin good! More pictures with mtech2 front please :D

[shaferbm]

Lookin good! More pictures with mtech2 front please :D

x2!!

[gkurey]

Per your requests...some pics of the latest look! I wish the rears were a little wider looking, but I blame my non-adjustable rear alignment. I'll see what I can do about fixing the camber soon. I think it looks pretty good for now! Big improvement...











Looking forward to some feedback!

[8380 Labs]

looks great - huge step forward cosmetically!

[gkurey]

Thanks man, also....thanks for the sapcers/adapters, solid product!

[TrentW]

Lookin' gooood. Don't go changin'.

[e30 gangsta]

Car is soooo clean, id love to see it locally sometime. What part of florida are you in?

[gkurey]

I was in Pensacola, but I recently relocated to MS...feel free to drive up here in the middle of nowhere, and I'll gladly show it off...although I can't say I recommend a drive to Meridian, MS. Thanks for the compliments, I appreciate it!

[ClausE30]

I like the the bumpers/trim with the mtech2 valence, looks good!
Should look into some euro trim that would be icing on the cake :)

[20gmr]

As you are probably aware, the S52 Z3 M Coupe and Roadster have a 3.23 final drive (they have a similar curb weight as the E30). If you are looking for a factory feel, 3.23 is the way to go.

They also have taller wheels than most e30's run, which has an effect on the overall gearing.