E30 Rally Build Thread

[iamsam]

I exaggerate sometimes.

Really, maybe two or three pounds...

Ok, that was a particularly precise number for an exaggeration.... 3 significant figures in a 3 digit number.

[MasterOfPuppets]

Have updates, but first...

I have two of those same vents side by side and there is a lot of air flowing through the car.
My solution to the window lock bypass was to cut out the entire power window system. I am replacing the glass with Lexan at some point. It saves like 112 pounds of wire weight too.

Let's see that botched roof!

Good to hear that they flow well, I plan on using them heavily. And I don't know if power windows or the premium sound system has more wire weight... I have a few Walmart bags full of the audio stuff.

Thanks. Now to get off my duff and find an E30 so I can do more than lurk here and envy you guys.

I lurked for quite a while before I could lower myself to the level of BMW ownership...;)

I don't know if its already been said, but 1 is the code box for the OBC. If you remove it, you need to jumper a wire across the connector, ill take a look at which wires need the connection.

I found out this the hard way with removing it and not knowing why I wasn't getting power to the coil. Jumped the connector and then had power.

That makes sense, I eagerly await a result. I'll also try to find that box specifically in the Bentley, maybe I'll have more luck than blindly paging through.

[SlapDash]

whoa whoa wait a sec... 112 lbs????

I exaggerate sometimes.

Really, maybe two or three pounds...

[SlapDash]

"Thanks. Now to get off my duff and find an E30 so I can do more than lurk here and envy you guys."


Go. Now. Search. Find one. We'll wait for you.

[seatown88]

Since I have the dash off, I have easy access to remove unnecessary crap from underneath. So, in the interest of doing so, can someone help me identify the four ECU-esque boxes under the dash? There are two on each side, numbered in the picture below. It's hard to see the ones on the passenger side, but one is quite large (1" x 5" x 10") and one is smaller, bolted to the bigger one. I assume at least one or two of the four deal with sound system or safety and can be removed, but which ones?

Pointers to a good reference will be gratefully accepted.

I don't know if its already been said, but 1 is the code box for the OBC. If you remove it, you need to jumper a wire across the connector, ill take a look at which wires need the connection.

I found out this the hard way with removing it and not knowing why I wasn't getting power to the coil. Jumped the connector and then had power.

[iamsam]

Yes, rocks, sticks, leaves and small children fit through those holes at highway speeds. I would keep them as well. I have two of those same vents side by side and there is a lot of air flowing through the car. Plus it gives it a vintage look (my car will be eligible for historic class in two years).

My solution to the window lock bypass was to cut out the entire power window system. I am replacing the glass with Lexan at some point. It saves like 112 pounds of wire weight too.

Let's see that botched roof!

whoa whoa wait a sec... 112 lbs????

[iamsam]

No.

Well, i'll just go ahead and go back to my corner...

[MDVDuber]

Welcome to R3V! I grew up in Elkton.

Thanks. Now to get off my duff and find an E30 so I can do more than lurk here and envy you guys.

[SlapDash]

Yes, rocks, sticks, leaves and small children fit through those holes at highway speeds. I would keep them as well. I have two of those same vents side by side and there is a lot of air flowing through the car. Plus it gives it a vintage look (my car will be eligible for historic class in two years).

My solution to the window lock bypass was to cut out the entire power window system. I am replacing the glass with Lexan at some point. It saves like 112 pounds of wire weight too.

Let's see that botched roof!

[MasterOfPuppets]

pics of the botched roof?

Also, to get more airflow out of that vent, I would cut a large-ish square out of the vent area, all those holes will just kill the air flow.

No.

I like the fact that they will keep gravel, sticks, branches, from flying into my lap. And they seem to flow plenty, but we'll see when they're installed.

[iamsam]

pics of the botched roof?

Also, to get more airflow out of that vent, I would cut a large-ish square out of the vent area, all those holes will just kill the air flow.

[MasterOfPuppets]

No flockin' way! You're moving to Rally Country!

You didn't go nuts on the roof vents did you? Some pay $400+ for carbon jobbies. I paid $50 for both. Straight from a UPS truck. Literally. They're the side kick vents from a UPS truck.

So go flock yourself in the dash and post some pics when you're done.

Ja, the heart of rally country. I looked it up, and by just taking easy weekend trips, I can make it to 16 of the 20-odd RA Central Regional rallies every year. Life will be good.

I almost threw up in disgust when I first saw that rally vents are $300. I surfed around on the specialstage forums and found a place that sells side vents for passenger vans and picked up a slick aluminum one. Turns out I'll want two, but I was able to test it today with the sunroof hole and it moves a good bit of air into the car. $25 from a place called Mill Supply.



It's a pretty solid piece with very positive opeining and closing action. Opens both ways, and the black you see on the bottom of the flap is some foam to seal it off when closed. Should work great.

On another note, I made my second attempt at painting the roof tonight. There are no words for how wrong it went. "Botch job" is close. Is it good enough for a street car? No. But is it good enough for a rally car? No. It will be redone at some point. Along those same lines, my attempts to find a nice looking, durable coating for my aluminum patch have been fruitless. It will be staying bare aluminum.

I also did a sweet mod I'll call "window lock switch bypass" after spending 10 minutes trying to figure out why my windows suddenly wouldn't go up.



Awesome.

[SlapDash]

No flockin' way! You're moving to Rally Country!

You didn't go nuts on the roof vents did you? Some pay $400+ for carbon jobbies. I paid $50 for both. Straight from a UPS truck. Literally. They're the side kick vents from a UPS truck.

So go flock yourself in the dash and post some pics when you're done.

[MasterOfPuppets]

Unlike that Garage Queen Capital of the World that is the southwest. Ha!

Damn straight! That's why I've bought so many cars down here, beats the hell out of the quality of sheetmetal in MN that I'm used to. Although in two months I'm plunging back into the great white north by moving to Houghton, MI... 300" of snow annually, here I come!

Roof vent shows up tonight, I'll apply it to the sunroof patch and get that all sealed up this weekend. Flocking kit shows up tomorrow, and hopefully I can flock the dash and get it back on this weekend as well. Then it's off for two weeks in beautiful Tuscon for a work trip. Yeeha.

In the meantime, let the huge flocking string of jokes using the word "flock" begin! That way, when I actually post the process, you'll all have it out of your flocking systems.

[iamsam]

Maybe cause back in the day cars wouldn't last more than 10 years in New England - Salt, Sea and cruddy Dirt Roads...or maybe that was just where I grew up....

I'm enjoying this thread immensely

Welcome to R3V! I grew up in Elkton.