Pitchblack Motorsports Rally e30 318i (now with M50) - and some Porsche 924S stuff.

[irish44j]

Since we have a few new additions to the "team" here and I only had a few of the original batch made up, I had a handful of a newly updated team stickers done....with a bit of color this time :)

[Dj Buttchug]

glad you got the stuff man. shiz is coming along

[irish44j]

thanks, now just need to figure out a way to get that damn crank bolt off. Even with my 6x6 lumber braces on the motor mounts, I still couldn't put enough weight on the breaker bar and cheater to break it loose before the entire engine stand was getting levered off the ground. And was starting to bend the flywheel bolt that was being used to counter-force the crank against the engine stand.

SO basically I need to find a strong/heavy friend to keep the stand upright on the next attempt, lol.

[irish44j]

Been slacking a bit recently on the car while doing household projects and preparing for daughter #2 to arrive any day now (the sooner the better!).

In the meantime, a few things:

First - I finally caved in and ordered a rollbar. I planned to get one this winter anyhow but had a bit of cash come in from selling some things (and this month having 3 paydays) so decided to just do it. Ordered a Kirk from Bimmerworld, which has the best prices I could find (and less than the Autopower distributors, which is good since I prefer Kirk bars anyhow). For the time being I just want a bolt-in, which of course isn't as good as weld-in but gives me options for removal, ease of installation, and cost.

So, that will be good not only for safety (not that I expect to roll the car in rallycross, but ya never know), but also for mounting a camera, possibly some extra structural rigidity, and a bit of poser rally look :D

Not sure how long it will take, but hopefully just a couple weeks to come in so I can do it while I'm on work leave after the baby comes.

--

In little things on the car, I continue to round up parts for the M42 swap (I probably have about 90% of what I need, still looking for a few things) and still haven't gotten the crank pulley off.....so moving slow there.

Also was a bit bored today so trimmed down the rear "bumper spats" that I've always thought looked goofy with the tucked bumpers. Didn't want to remove them totally because that looks like crap and allows mud/dirt into the inside of the bumper, so just trimmed it up:



did a curved cut on the outside, just for looks (sure, why not)



and slapped a GRM sticker on the roof vent, just because



Also added a third row of "sorting jars" to the garage with a new little 2x4 perch, since my previous space was full and will be having many more jars in the near future



and spent some time lubing up the locks and door assemblies, since my key cylinders were rotating (grr).

more when I do something interesting.

[kts]

The Kirk bar was pretty self explanatory but it is a 2 person job. Let me know it you want a hand when it comes in.

[irish44j]

cool, I may do that :)

[irish44j]

we decided to have a bit of group solidarity fun for the bimmer group, so we got some "team banners" made up for all the e30s (and the e28), just for the hell of it. And because rallykar.

[DHGurs]

Nice build and car! I've been reading this thread and have always loved your WRX.

[irish44j]

thanks.....WRX is pretty much done, I've kind of lost interest in doing things to it lol....e30 is so much easier and cheaper to do things to :)

someday I might get back to it once its paid off and I can start taking it to the track :D

[irish44j]

So had one last day of work today before going on "paternity leave" as we will have our second daughter within the next 48 hours. Yeah, two daughters. Well, our first is 4 1/2 and already knows what all the tools in the garage are called, and likes to help put them away. Usually wearing a pink tutu or something, lol.

Anyhow, gonna take off work until probably the 20th, so being at home for all those days I should be able to get some little car projects done. One of those little projects will be to do some gauge installs, though I haven't decided exactly where I'll mount them yet - but probably will make a blank for the radio opening, and mount the radio in a self-enclosed box that I can take out the car quickly/easily for events.

Managed to pick up three VDO gauges for a good price in decent shape; only downside is that I would have liked the oil pressure gauge to be a smaller range, since I'm going to be sitting at the low end of this 150psi scale most of the time. But whatever, still will be nice to have. Also got an oil temp and volt. Now need to track down some senders and fab up a mounting plate for wherever I decide to put them.

[irish44j]

For today did mostly yardwork but took a little break to do some arts and crafts work.

First, against my wife's protests as them being "the only thing I like about that car," I decided to nix the red mirrors. Too much red......and too reminiscent of a Mini. So back to black they went, but just to not be totally boring I used some of the crinkle paint leftover from doing various valve covers and other things. Came out ok I guess, lol



And while I was using up half-full cans of paint, I decided to kill some time and make my helmet more interesting, because a flat black helmet is just kind of boring. So, 2 nearly-empty cans of matte green and tan paint (why I have these colors, I have no idea), and half a roll of masking tape I bought at the harbor freight later, the result came out looking less like the intended jungle tiger camouflage and more like a......watermelon? :D Anyhow, I like it and it will look appropriate at a rallycross I suppose.

On a side note, the blue painter's tape bought at HF is about 1/4 the cost of the "name brand" stuff at Home Depot, and is just as good. Next time I'm there I'll probably pick up 10 rolls of the stuff, it's that good.



So, last update for a few days, as tomorrow is "new baby" day so I'll probably not be around the house and/or awake this weekend...

[phenryiv1]

I have all of that lexian and lucite. Let me know what size you need the gauge plate and we can make it work.

Also, congrats on # 2. You saw how #2 cut down on my wrenching time, but it does rebound.

Call me when you get your head back above water. I have a couple questions for you.

[Simon S]

..get the main crank pulley nut off..

may sound barbaric - but have you tried using a big dead-blow hammer on a breaker bar?

[irish44j]

12 hours old is our Elyse. Old enough to start reading GRM and learning about cars, I think...

[phenryiv1]

12 hours old is our Elyse. Old enough to start reading GRM and learning about cars, I think...

Now you have to get new sponsorship stickers...