1971 BMW 1600 Project

[oliver.r]

why dont you use aalpina style gauge pod?

http://catuned.com/alpina-style-gauge-pod-for-2002-fits-many-other-models-also-fits-e30-e36-e39-e28-e21-e9-2002

too many holes?

[phreshkid]

why dont you use aalpina style gauge pod?

http://catuned.com/alpina-style-gauge-pod-for-2002-fits-many-other-models-also-fits-e30-e36-e39-e28-e21-e9-2002

too many holes?

Damn it. That's not a bad idea. Ok I'll grab one.





I also did some soul searching last night and decided to back off the 300lb from springs. I'm going to start with 250lb springs and around 220lbs in the rear (maybe a bit higher).


I got antsy and ordered a set of springs a bit too stiff for the street.

[CorvallisBMW]

your car is light... don't over-spring it.

[phreshkid]

your car is light... don't over-spring it.

Agreed. But with the Bilstein Sports, I also don't want to be over-dampened.

[CorvallisBMW]

^good point

[mlytle]

why dont you use aalpina style gauge pod?

http://catuned.com/alpina-style-gauge-pod-for-2002-fits-many-other-models-also-fits-e30-e36-e39-e28-e21-e9-2002

too many holes?

be careful with that style. notice how there is no gauge in the right side hole in all the pics? because the hole is too close to the side panel, preventing putting any gauge in it that is more than about a half inch deep....bad design. the right side panel should be angled differently.

i have one. trying to figure out what to do with it.

[mlytle]

Nice choice with the suspension upgrade. So are those your GC housings^^ yours or just pics of what the final product will look like? Wondering since you mentioned a couple days back youre preparing housing for the coil overs. What I am getting at is that I'm curious about your choice on the front sway bar mount location and if you gave any thought about the length of the threaded piece that the adjustable collar moves up and down on.

yes...for 2002's this design should be changed. move sway bar mount up onto the tube like more modern M cars, and reduce the amount of threaded collar to 2inches. this gives more tire to tube clearance and the lower 2inches of threaded area can't be used anyway. i had mine custom made by GC this way.

here is comparison of the two designs. left strut is the "stock" GC design i originally bought. right two are the ones they made to my specs after i realized the limits of the "stock" style

.

[phreshkid]

yes...for 2002's this design should be changed. move sway bar mount up onto the tube like more modern M cars, and reduce the amount of threaded collar to 2inches. this gives more tire to tube clearance and the lower 2inches of threaded area can't be used anyway. i had mine custom made by GC this way.

here is comparison of the two designs. left strut is the "stock" GC design i originally bought. right two are the ones they made to my specs after i realized the limits of the "stock" style

.

Wow, these are great photos showing the differences. I didn't delve too deeply in coilover design this time around. Mainly because I am a noob. But I will take this into consideration with the next run. Scout's honor.

These strut housings will get the Marshall/GC treatment special, swaybar tabs and all.






For now, I'll make these work:


And behind these, are the Corbeau Classic seats that I bought a year or so ago. I think I'm going to make a simple bracket and bolt them in to replace the current stock seats. They will work better with my schizophrenic hotrod surfmobile canyon carving track car. The current passenger seat has no more horse-hair padding, so you can feel the springs quite easily. Not a great feeling.





I've also decided to go through the cooling system completely. This means sending my stock 1600 radiator rebuilt with a triple copper core, getting the mechanical fan back in action, testing (and replacing if necessary) the 71C thermostat (and drilling holes if they haven't been drilled already), rebuilding the heater valve, heater core, flushing the block, and anything else I can think of. I'm not happy with the cooling in stop-and-go traffic and want to go on a huge replacing spree until I figure out the problem. I also want the engine bay to look stock-ish again with a nice black-top radiator. Left is the 320iS radiator, right is the stock 1600 radiator that has begun to come apart.




Oh and the racing alternator pulley has to go. It doesn't do such a great job keeping the battery charged when idling. I'll get a stock pulley back in there.



I also managed to replace the tail light housings. What a bear of a job that was.







And lastly, I made a powdercoating run. This is the before photo.
-rear subframe
-tii trailing arms
-standard trailing arms
-two front subframes
-set of stock swaybars and brackets
-other suspension bits
-brake backing plates for both TA's




These should be done this week and ready for pickup. Excited.

Next is cooling system and getting fasteners plated. Oh and the seats.


And I have a new salt n pepper carpet purchased from Esty a year or three ago. I think I'll put it in this car.

[CorvallisBMW]

Hooray for progress :) looking good

[LJ851]

I approve of the seats, very nice.

Why stock sway bars?

[oliver.r]

I like it. I hope you never paint it. I dig the "make everything new" except for the paint look

[phreshkid]

I approve of the seats, very nice.

Why stock sway bars?

Thanks! I think I bought the seats for like $70 a year or two ago. Can't complain. They aren't perfect, but they are 9/10 as far as a set of Corbeaus go.

Why stock swaybars? Because I ripped the suspension off the 73 Polaris car a while back, and it came with stock swaybars. I think I'll build the Polaris car back up with a fairly stock setup, except for lowering and a 5 speed. Otherwise it will be mostly stock. I like the idea of simple 2002.

I like it. I hope you never paint it. I dig the "make everything new" except for the paint look

I'm with you there. The chrome and aluminum trim can use some serious polishing, but I don't know if I want to remove it all to do so. Gaskets will all be replaced though. So far I've done both windshields, and the b-pillar gasket. But as you may know, everything is expensive when new. A single door gasket goes for over $200.

I just got word that powdercoating is done. I think I'll pick that up today or tomorrow.

[mlytle]

maybe i missed it...did you reinforce the drivers side engine mount points on those front subframes before you sent them off for powder coating?

[ak-]

INSTOLL THE SOSPONSION ALREADY.

HWY 39 awaits.

[phreshkid]

maybe i missed it...did you reinforce the drivers side engine mount points on those front subframes before you sent them off for powder coating?

You definitely didn't miss it. I had two sets of reinforcement plates ready to go about three months ago, but I misplaced them and sort of didn't care anymore. I did have one hairline crack thoroughly repaired on a set, but the other was problem-free. Both were inspected and deemed solid, but no, not reinforced.

I know, I suck.

INSTOLL THE SOSPONSION ALREADY.

HWY 39 awaits.

Buying rear Bilstein Sports and rear springs this week!

And still need to grab roll center spacers. I hardly think IE's 13mm spacers will do much, but I'll probably grab a set anyways.