1991 BMW 325i Coupe - Build Thread - The end is in sight!

[MaksV]

Doughnut thing attaches the bracket to the car. Bracket goes around muffler. Hopefully that clearcoat doesn't wear out in the weather. Car looks good so far!

Thanks, thats what I was thinking. I guess they were replaced, cause the rear section of the exhaust is Stromong (spellcheck) stage 1 according to previous owner.

[Philipangoo]

I'm not sure that you have a Stromung Exhaust since your tips are diagonal, but I could be wrong. Nice to see a local project goin on.

[MaksV]

I'm not sure that you have a Stromung Exhaust since your tips are diagonal, but I could be wrong. Nice to see a local project goin on.

thats what the PO told me. Its all gonna get swapped out anyway.

[MaksV]

So another small update. Next week I have 3 EE tests in a 24 hour period. this sucks, so my attention is going to be on that. However after next week (think next thursday) I am gonna start ordering parts. I have also come to a dilema I need some help with.

the engine realistically has 200K on it. original head. I have a newer head (about 80K) but that one needs to be cleaned and needs a new cam. My current head is just fine (as far as I know). It it worth getting a new cam and rebuilding the extra head? One of the cam lobes is worn (best guess is oil starvation due to clogged channel) I am planning on upping the injectors and some other engine components. Also the current head gasket leaks a bit of oil out the back so it is getting replaced anyway. This means I will be pulling the head anyway. Is it worth the cash to rebuild the other one and swap or should I just bolt this one back on? All this said I plan on getting boost somewhere in the next year so I was gonna run a stock cam anyway. I cant really store the car anywhere for days at a time w/o a working engine, so if I swap I am going to build the newer head and just swap.

All that said, the plan for the short term is MAF, tuning(chip) , exhaust, electric fan conversion, 24# injectors as the base engine mods.

[MaksV]

Well its time for a small update.

so I finally have some time to devote to the car so I went to my parents to try to get the radio wired to the speakers using the stock wires. no dice.

somewhere between the speakers and the headunit the wires were cut so I had nothing to connect to. having spent too long figuring this out it was dark so I decided to go to harbor freight to take advantage of their November coupons.

about 2 minutes from my house the brake pedal fall through the floor. great. I turn around and go home. fill up with brake fluid and get back on the road. came home and checked it again and thankfully it was still as full as I left it. good thing I didn't goto an autocross last weekend

I got some stuff from hf that's gonna help big time with the work the car sis going to get soon. I need to take this weekend to finalize my shopping list and place orders Monday.

I decided I am going to rebuild one of the heads so I can have a new clean head to go on the car along with the rest of he parts. also in the next few days I am going to take the time to hardware the radar detector. also I am going to steal kpengs idea and make a cupholder/phone mount for the e30 so look for that DIY in the next few days.

[MaksV]

So another 3 hours later update.

Fact - my brake reserviour is leaking. I am fairly certain its the seal at the bottom of the reserviour. But I need to examine more closely. Also the head gasket kit includes all the gaskets I need to rebuild the head. Unfortunatly I dont have the stuff to fix the brakes at the moment but since the car isnt really driven right now it will be ok.

So here is what I did today.

DISCLAIMER: I totally stole kpengs idea. I admit it, but i work faster. so ha.

Stuff I bought today.


yup thats a gallon of brakleen - 18 bucks at Orielly. the wood is what I was going to use but it cracked like the pine it was, got some particle board instead.


stock ashtray. this shit was nasty.


$5 phone charger being adapted for car mode.


fits great and works well too.


originl design, I wanted 1 cupholder and a slot to use my phone as GPS and to charge it.


a 3" hole bit costs like $25 - this is strickly a $10 and under prject so I refused it.


smoothing it out nicely./


cut out the slot for the phone. pay attention to the angle of the slit - that was done with a file afterwards. I used a chisel to cut out the hole - so old school


the extra piece to hold everything flat and give it depth


test fitting - it not actually screwed down in this image....


basically when it is screwed down it fits in there pretty snuggly. I still need to get some black vinyl to wrap it, as well as making a bottom piece to give the cupholder a base so you cant see the edge through the hole.

I also am going to find some time to hardwire the radar detector in the next few days. Basically tackle all the small nonsense before jumping into the big stuff.


I need to figure out this brake situation, and place my orders for parts on monday so there will be more updates, more rapidly as we move forward.

[broke30]

You had me until the cupholder.....
Max

[Dj Buttchug]

u need a band saw or somtin

[einstein57]

No harbor freight in texas?

[Bimmerista]

Harbor Freights are all over the place here.

[MaksV]

The worst part is I was there a few days ago. Should have bought one. But I didnt and ts like a 30 min tip from my house. Since i am going to wrap it in black vinyl it won't make a big difference.

Broke30 there was nothig else I could think of to put next to the phone holder.

[Bimmerista]

But I didnt and ts like a 30 min trip from my house.

Its next to Richardson Square Mall. I know damn well you can get to it from any part of Richardson in less than 15 minutes. :D

[MaksV]

Its next to Richardson Square Mall. I know damn well you can get to it from any part of Richardson in less than 15 minutes. :D

ahh but its like 30 minutes from west plano where my car is...

[Bimmerista]

ahh but its like 30 minutes from west plano where my car is...

I practically live in West Plano, except my address happens to be Carrollton. Either way, there is a Harbor Freight on Josey Lane & Frankford.

[MaksV]

I practically live in West Plano, except my address happens to be Carrollton. Either way, there is a Harbor Freight on Josey Lane & Frankford.

I didnt know that. Thats closer to my apartment than the other one.


ohhh well whats done is done, I just need to get my vinyl so i can wrap it. the car is also dumping brake fluid everywhere so thats a more primary concern. I am placing my orders tomorrrow.