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Operation: Obtain e30>>SUCCESS>>Initiate project #2

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    Operation: Obtain e30>>SUCCESS>>Initiate project #2

    June 28, 2012...This was not a day to be forgotten for a while. Let me preface all this by saying I am not a rich kid, but I am a very hard worker. Supporting my girlfriend and myself on one paycheck for the last year+ has been a constant struggle. I have been dreaming of owning a second BMW for a couple years here. I randomly jump on Craigslist a couple times a week to see what's up for sale, and luckily July presented a nice opportunity. Three paychecks in a month instead of the usual two? Hell. Yes. So, I began to comb CL a little more frequently, knowing I would have to jump quickly.

    Found a vague posting for a black '87 e30 coupe, but the photos looked pretty good. The ad stated the couple who owned the e30 just got another car (making three), so they had no real use for this one. The lady who posted the ad had her work and cell phone listed, so I gave her a ring at work as fast as I could dial. She answered saying she had just come back from vacation and had been overwhelmed by the response she had gotten for the car. At $900, I could understand why; this was the ever-increasingly elusive running e30 for under a grand!!! Ran through the usual questions and everything seemed in order. I immediately offered an even thousand if I could be the first one to look at her, and she agreed. Sweet!

    Took her about 5 days to arrange a meeting, and honestly by day three I was getting pretty bummed out, losing hope that this would ever happen. But then on the fifth day, I got a text saying if I was still interested, come on by. In a flash I replied, grabbed my girlfriend and smashed through the canyon in the e36.

    The couple selling the car turned out to be extremely nice. After chatting about the car, we went for a quick test drive. Feels pretty good for it's age, awesome! I get out, and my girlfriend switches with me. She pulls the seat all the way up (she's a shorty) and realizes she can't engage the clutch... in fact she has to be sitting on the absolute forward-most part of the seat to do so. We both have a laugh, and I do my best to keep her pushed all the way forward so she can still drive it. She likes it, but she's concerned since part of the reason I am getting the car is so she has something to drive.

    Once we came back and decided to take the car anyways, I walked up the hill where my car was parked to grab the cash I had hidden away. I rolled Veronica (my e36) down the hill and parked about 150 feet from the e30. The second I get out and start to walk back up to the hill, the husband comes jogging down going "No no no... You gotta show me what you have there." I pop open the hood and swing the doors all open for him, and offered the driver's seat up. While he sat there looking around in utter disbelief, I explained that she was hand-built and what I had done thus far... I could tell he was really impressed for some reason, so I offered him a spin and boy you should have seen his face light up! There was a nice strip of 2 lane road that ran along the freeway, so I waited until there were no cars, eased into 1st and swung around the median. Glanced at him, he was ready, so I rolled the gas pedal to the floor, took it to redline and then made fast work of 2nd and 3rd, settling into a cruise in 4th. He was incredibly giddy, and grinning from ear to ear. Just loving it.

    He turned to me and said "I know I don't know you, but I am really proud of you man." Somewhat taken off guard, I said thank you... He went on to ask us to be guests at a barbecue soon, and also a car show coming up. They apparently run a non-profit that helps homeless and veterans get into housing. I did not refuse either! After dropping him off at his place, I had a feeling we gave that man one of the most exciting afternoons he's had in a very long time.

    I called my best friend who works about a mile away as a motorcycle tech, so he could drive the car back home for me. Luckily he had just gotten off minutes before, so it was perfect timing. The car stalled a couple times, but I could tell it was nothing major. It wanted to start every single time, so we figured we would stop and get some premium in the tank. Pull into the first gas station we see and go to fill her up. NO GAS CAP!!! Ugh... Okay this is easy; plastic bag, rubber band, and poke a small hole in it. On our way again, going back through the canyon and I can tell from behind that she's running perfect. Win! My girlfriend and I are bullshitting, and she stumbles upon a name for her. The cracked dash, and coming from a somewhat ghetto area she goes "I got it! Her name should be Le-ah!" (Pronounced: Le Dasha) "The dash ain't silent bitch, can't you read?!" We bust up laughing. It fit perfectly, so now she is named and we're not even home yet. We got Le-ah home without any problems at all, and so the story begins...

    My buddy Joe driving, it had just stalled again...

    Trying to get Le-ah back home by greggdrake, on Flickr

    Fresh gas, and a McGyver'd gas cap

    Le-ah's journey begins by greggdrake, on Flickr

    Home!

    Le-ah front by greggdrake, on Flickr


    Le-ah driver side by greggdrake, on Flickr


    Le-ah driver interior by greggdrake, on Flickr


    Le-ah passenger side by greggdrake, on Flickr


    Le-ah passenger interior by greggdrake, on Flickr


    Le-ah rear by greggdrake, on Flickr


    Le-ah rear interior by greggdrake, on Flickr


    The girls at home 1 by greggdrake, on Flickr


    The girls at home 2 by greggdrake, on Flickr
    Current_SeeDee 1972 e10 Luna 1975 e10
    Past___Veronica 1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

    #2
    New Corbeau seats installed. Had to modify the brackets a bit to get them installed, but everything worked out. Seems like they move forward a bit more than stock, so my little girlfriend can actually use the clutch pedal now.


    New Recaro seats by greggdrake, on Flickr

    Antenna deleted. No more pool in the trunk! I haven't listened to the radio in a good 10 years anyhow.


    Antenna deleted by greggdrake, on Flickr

    Ugly fogs and front plate removed as well.


    Fogs & front plate deleted by greggdrake, on Flickr
    Current_SeeDee 1972 e10 Luna 1975 e10
    Past___Veronica 1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

    Comment


      #3
      Both of the girls got a good washing this weekend, and I did some almost-free mods on the e30. Scrubbed, sanded, primed and painted the diving boards, and refreshed the bumper trim while I was at it. I also used some black reflective vinyl to cover the front & rear reflectors. This way they are nice and black to be less obvious/distracting, but they will still function as reflectors for safety. You can see the front one is dark, and the rear one catching a little bit of light. I call that a win/win for sure!

      Everything came out great but now that it looks so fresh, the outer bumper housings (not sure what to call those pieces) look absolutely offensive in comparison... I'm going to have to see if I can save them, or find newer ones for a reasonable cost.


      Front bumper painted black by greggdrake, on Flickr


      Rear bumper painted black by greggdrake, on Flickr
      Current_SeeDee 1972 e10 Luna 1975 e10
      Past___Veronica 1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

      Comment


        #4
        New smoked signal lenses, new euro grills, painted the black sections of the kidneys as well.


        New Euro grills & smoked turn signals by greggdrake, on Flickr

        Speedo gears replaced


        Speedo gears fixed by greggdrake, on Flickr

        Everybody loves boxes


        New suspension goodies by greggdrake, on Flickr

        Public education system failyre indeed


        Failyre indeed by greggdrake, on Flickr

        Front suspension installed. Only took 2 days...


        Front struts & springs installed (finally) by greggdrake, on Flickr

        Because of these bastards. They were horribly seized, in the end a sloppy monkey wrench and a map gas torch saved me.


        Son of a by greggdrake, on Flickr

        Rear done in only a couple hours, thankfully. My hands were still bruised from the weekend.


        Rear shocks & springs installed by greggdrake, on Flickr

        Also done:
        -New tires mounted and balanced
        -Free, and practically new black e30 rear seat. Literally looks like nobody has ever sat in them.
        -Front license plate delete strip
        -Brake pad wear sensors deleted/shorted out
        Current_SeeDee 1972 e10 Luna 1975 e10
        Past___Veronica 1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

        Comment


          #5
          Failyre lol

          Originally posted by SpasticDwarf;n6449866
          Honestly I built it just to have a place to sit and listen to Hotline Bling on repeat.

          Comment


            #6
            Rebuilt some door locks!


            Driver side door lock rebuilt by greggdrake, on Flickr
            Current_SeeDee 1972 e10 Luna 1975 e10
            Past___Veronica 1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

            Comment


              #7
              Central locking fixed, yaaaay! That felt good. Everything else is functional, so it looks like my box of tune-up goodies are ready to throw in. Can't wait to get smog, alignment and registration done.


              DSCN9282 by greggdrake, on Flickr
              Current_SeeDee 1972 e10 Luna 1975 e10
              Past___Veronica 1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

              Comment


                #8
                looks good!

                Comment


                  #9
                  What's the story on the E36? Nice find on the black coupe

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by butters View Post
                    What's the story on the E36?
                    Also interested


                    Bahama Beige E23 Project
                    Bluebird Bus Conversion
                    New Oregon Trail

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by efficient View Post
                      looks good!
                      Originally posted by butters View Post
                      What's the story on the E36? Nice find on the black coupe
                      Originally posted by LuckyHenriksen View Post
                      Also interested
                      Thanks guys! I'm hoping to have her finished and eating up some asphalt sometime this month. She was driveable when I bought her, but I didn't want my girlfriend driving her before I made sure everything was safe and she wouldn't be left stranded somewhere.

                      For anyone interested, you can check out my build thread on the e36:

                      http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1904124
                      Current_SeeDee 1972 e10 Luna 1975 e10
                      Past___Veronica 1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Getting close, so here's the first "fun" project;

                        The door panels on the e30 are pretty ugly (Beige) and not in the best shape either, so I figured I would make some aluminum door card delete panels. While I'm at it, might as well do some graphics and make them kick-ass too. My girlfriend and I settled on spider webs pretty quickly, and I got to work converting photos into line art. Pretty happy with my webs, now I need to start doing templates.

                        Designs attached below
                        Attached Files
                        Last edited by Spyke; 05-16-2013, 09:11 AM.
                        Current_SeeDee 1972 e10 Luna 1975 e10
                        Past___Veronica 1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

                        Comment


                          #13
                          AFM refurbished by Gregs///M :bow:
                          Current_SeeDee 1972 e10 Luna 1975 e10
                          Past___Veronica 1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

                          Comment


                            #14
                            She got new roundels front & back, and new tail lights!


                            IMG_5825 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr


                            IMG_5822 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr


                            IMG_5823 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr


                            IMG_5824 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr
                            Current_SeeDee 1972 e10 Luna 1975 e10
                            Past___Veronica 1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

                            Comment


                              #15

                              IMG_6002 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr


                              IMG_6004 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr

                              There's a matching shift boot too
                              Current_SeeDee 1972 e10 Luna 1975 e10
                              Past___Veronica 1994 e36 Le-Ah 1987 e30

                              Comment

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