Lilo, the new 24V track car project

[kingston]

Given that I've just about finished up my swap and various other projects on Shiobhan (my `88 M50-swapped DD Schwartz Sedan http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=217284), I figured it was about time to introduce the New Girl.


Meet Lilo, an `86 325e Coupe


She's already got an M50 in the bay, but that's being pulled and sold to my friend Jeremy Salenius for his Turbo M50 build http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=227154.

You can see that she's not exactly pristine right now, but she does have Koni adjustables, camber plates (fixed), welded-in camber adjustability out back, and of course, the 24V swap.


Hmmm...did I mention she wasn't pristine? :p

I consider myself darn lucky to have her. Blessed, really. She belonged to Drew, a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend. Drew got a promotion and was transferred to Tulsa. After determining that it wasn't realistic to commute back and forth from Tulsa and Kansas, he decided to just let the coupe go to a good BMW guy (which I guess I am!) for the low, low cost of...FREE!

There's a lot to be done, and I'll be taking the time t do this one right. I will be picking up an S52 engine for her in a few weeks, and my friend Tim will be whisking the head off to Metric Mechanic for some tweeks. Right now, the build consists of cleaning and making a build sheet!

More updates soon!!

[Wh33lhop]

Nice! It's always fun taking someone else's crappy car and turning it into something awesome.

For a second I thought you were trading an M50 for a turbo'd M50. THAT would make quite a track car. ;)

[kingston]

Nice! It's always fun taking someone else's crappy car and turning it into something awesome.

For a second I thought you were trading an M50 for a turbo'd M50. THAT would make quite a track car. ;)

Wh33lhop, I know nothing of boost! At some point, I plan to put a supercharger on the S52, tho!!

[JeremyE30autox]

Shes a dirty bitch, but I like her!

[Luis325]

I like dirty bitches... especially for track toys!

[kingston]

I like dirty bitches... especially for track toys!

Luis, I've been reading your build for inspiration!!

The nice thing is that since this isn't by DD I can take my time with the build and really do it right. So while she's dirty now she won't be when I'm done. :D

[JeremyE30autox]

I like dirty bitches... especially for track toys!

As should everyone!

[kingston]

After being sick in bed for the last two days, I felt like getting something done on Lilo after work today.

The carpet was always going to go (I'll be installing lightweight carpeting instead) so I started yanking it out tonight.


What lies beneath


Note the "rear access hatch" :D. The PO had started on rust correction. Thankfully there's a gentleman on Rev selling floor pans!
This part I knew about...


...but this part was a surprise. OK, so that's the passenger side front AND rear I'll be needing!


Just for grins, I painted the passenger-side grill. Little detail, and not important right now, but sometimes seeing a difference like that can keep motivation up.

I also found the right side hood guide bracket and installed that. Hey it's something, right?

[6gen91]

<3

[JeremyE30autox]

Ouch on that hole. But mine was worse and I got it all patched up.

[kingston]

<3

:D Thanks Mike! Glad you like her!

Ouch on that hole. But mine was worse and I got it all patched up.

Yeah, this is the epicenter of the 'While I'm In There" black hole of time and finance. Where do you start and stop? It will be soooo easy to put E30 M3-type money into this car, and I need to be both smart and patient.

Neither is my strong suit...

[MattAvino]

i like where this is going.

[kingston]

i like where this is going.

Matt,

Thanks, man! You should see the build sheet for it! It's fakking MENTAL, is what it is! :D

I hope I an actually execute what I envision...

[JeremyE30autox]

M3 money = while your at it do the m3 conversion

[kingston]

M3 money = while your at it do the m3 conversion

Which part? 5-lug setup? That would be cool, but I can't quite justify it... Aside from having a better choice of wheels, I just don't see the benefit. I'm looking into AST suspension, and that's going to be soooo much better than stock M3 stuff...

Or do you mean bodywork? I think that's YOUR territory!!