E30 M3 Steel Bodywork Conversion

[bmwmech1]

Decent sized update today, but it's more parts arriving, than work being done, but hey, it's progress! I got my master cylinders(yes, plural, there's 3 of them) and my bias adjuster from Wilwood today. Picked up the coolant reservoir I'm using, it's from a Mercedes C280 and I started modifying the coolant crossover manifold, since I now know where the reservoir is going and I don't need the outlet for the heater core, since there won't be one, haha. Pics...

3 Wilwood 5/8" bore MC's and the Wilwood proportioning valve


2 shots of them mounted to the pedal assembly, for reference
One from below


And from above... the third one is just out of sight under the column support, to the right


The coolant reservoir I've decided to use


And the crossover manifold mods... still need to TIG the nipple to the other side and TIG the holes up... just to clarify the pictures... the inlet nipple used to be on the left and I'm moving it to the right where I'm holding it up in the second picture, since the reservoir is going on that side. The original hole and the center hole will get TIG'ed shut




I should get my stainless lines tomorrow, which means I can do some brake system work over the weekend and my new light connectors should be here any day also, so I can forge ahead with the harness, too...

Garey

[Good & Tight]

Boxes arriving in the mail are the best, it's like Christmas year round.

[bmwmech1]

Boxes arriving in the mail are the best, it's like Christmas year round.

Amen... how's your's coming along?

Garey

[Good & Tight]

Amen... how's your's coming along?

Garey

Slowly, but hoping to be driving in about 2 months.

[bmwmech1]

Slowly, but hoping to be driving in about 2 months.

Meh, that's only 2 months... I need a few Snickers bars, 'cause mine will be a while, lol...

Garey

[ahriley91]

Long projects are the best though because you can take the time to do it right. And you are doing it right. And it makes the first drive that much better.

[bmwmech1]

Long projects are the best though because you can take the time to do it right. And you are doing it right. And it makes the first drive that much better.

Thanks man, it's nice to hear that what I'm doing meets some approval out there... I've tried to make this a project of "all of the cool things I'd like to do to my E30" all wrapped up into one build. And a couple of other things, "just because", lol! I think it's turning out better than I had anticipated when I started building it...

Garey

[ZM Blue Devil]

Thanks, I just spit out my coffee, Lol!:):):)

How's it going my friend? Was reading about the 190 you and Emre are building last night... That is looking very good... a chase across Montana between that and my E30 would be fun, no? Might make for getting to the West Coast a little quicker, haha. It'll be ready for the nice weather, come springtime... I'll bring it over in the spring, so we can do a shoot with the 190, deal?

Garey

done

[bmwmech1]

So be prepared, these pictures are graphic...































































It has an interior!!!!!! Well, some of it anyway, lol! I really need to get some placement of stuff down and I wanted to check the fit of the carpet around the plinths, the sill bars and how the harness was going to fit and before I knew it, the seats were in, the dash was in, the console was in and I was actually sitting in it... and making engine noises, lol! Pics...





I was mostly worried about the fit of the carpet and how the harness would work out, but both of those are really non-issues... I'm happy with both, so now I can continue with the re-assembly... I must say it was pretty cool to sit in it and look out over the hood, while holding the MT 2 wheel...

Garey

[catuned]

Best part is the noise making.. lol
Not at all childish.. it's what Men do and I do the same just dont admit it.. :)

Love the update!

[kingston]

Cool! Man, it's got to be such a GREAT feeling to be going forward like this!

[bmwmech1]

Thanks guys^^^^... It does feel good and much relief that I don't have to modify the carpet... it fits very well. Actually, I'm relieved about the carpet and the harness, as I said, so I feel like I can go forward, with a big monkey off my back. It's a little nerve-wracking to take a car so far down, modify so many things and not be real sure of how/whether it will all come back together. I feel pretty good now...

Thank goodness....

Garey

[kingston]

What's the net step, Garey?

[bmwmech1]

What's the net step, Garey?

Well, the idea here is to assemble most, if not all of the car, save the glass. I can get everything situated, working, fabricated, etc and then blow it back apart and paint it. Then, re-assembly is really simplified and there are no issues with fitment, function, etc. It may be a, put some together only to take it back apart two or three times, kind of a thing, but there is only so much on this car that goes back together like it came apart originally, lol! Lots of re-making or changing to make it fit/work kind of stuff, but heck, that's half the fun, right?

So that's the plan anyway...

Garey

[kingston]

Dude, you're my f*cking HERO! Totally inspiring me for my project build. Thanks for documenting all of this!