phenryiv1's 1989 325iC Project - SETA 2.7i Swap Complete and Running!

[phenryiv1]

Curious to see how installation of the GE Keyless entry goes. I've had mine for months but just haven't gotten around to installing it.

Me too. The car is currently awaiting an alignment. The UUC / SPC camber plates were installed last week but the alignment guy is out until mid-week this week. I was hoping to get the car today but that is a no-go.

I was on vacation for a few days and ended up receiving a few different parts but it looks like I won't be installing them for a few days.

[JWHIII]

Curious to see how installation of the GE Keyless entry goes. I've had mine for months but just haven't gotten around to installing it.

[phenryiv1]

I just got new wheels but I might need to have these...

http://www.3sdm.co.uk/collection/wheel-005.php

[phenryiv1]

Well, in an act of submission I admit that I have more things to do than time to do them. I need an alignment but need to get the UUC/SPC camber plates installed before that and I am about to go on vacation. I had hoped to get the camber plates on last weekend but that never happened so I am paying a local Euro shop to do the install and alignment while I am on vacation. I hate to pay for services that I can do on my own but time necessitates this if I want the car to get alignment before the end of time.

I also ordered HIDs, LED license plate lights, and a German Engineering keyless entry module. Results after I get the suspension and alignment.

[phenryiv1]

A couple pictures from last weekend that I forgot to post:





And in other news, I bought new wheels. As much as I love the look of the 17" wheels on the car they are more than I want in the wheel wells for cruising around, particularly given local roads.

I was on the fence about it but I saw a set of 15x7 D-Force LTWs with StarSpec II tires for sale, which made the decision for me. The price was right and the timing was good so I snapped them up. They arrive this coning week. I got a full set of 5 - 4 are good and one has some curb rash. All have tires.

[phenryiv1]

whose console is this? where did you get?

Bought it on here. http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=291396

Sold out for now but he makes them by request as far as I know.

[shootnjunky]

Fiberglass cupholder console arrived- so much cooler than the OEM console.

whose console is this? where did you get?

[phenryiv1]

Momo Monte Carlo Install

I bought a Momo Monte Carlo wheel from a coworker several months ago. I know that he wheel is cliche for the e30 but I ran one in my rallyX car and loved the feel. Having had the MTech wheel in this car earlier I knew that it was not what I wanted in the long run and when another Monte Carlo came up I snagged it.

I put off ordering the 2006 hub for a while but caved a few weeks ago. I sat on the install for a few weeks after having horn issues with the MTech wheel and after solving them I left that wheel in place until after my state inspection.

Speaking of horns, I never really liked the Momo horn buttons (nor could I justify $30 for one) but the $10 Sparco horn button was more low key and far cheaper. I bought it and the 2006 Momo hub from OG Racing.

Several other points:

• As of install the horn works
• As of install the turn signal cancel works only when I turn the wheel more than 1 full turn, and even then not every time.
• I realized (after the fact) that I made the horn button install more difficult than it had to be

On to the pictures.


Test fit of the Sparco horn. I had to use a file to make the horn fit in the bore of the wheel but it was a 5-minute job. I removed as little as possible to avoid taking out too much material.





Hub mounted:





Test-alignment of the wheel on the hub:





Now the horn...


Button back detail:





Made a short ground wire (I should/could have used the metal ring that comes with the hub but I totally spaced out on that) to ground the horn button. The black wire is the 12V+ and comes with the hub. I know that the wire codes are backwards but I did not want double blacks so I made the wire red.





I connected the spade connector to the wheel by loosening the bottom Allen screw and slipping the spade connector between the wheel and the hub. I then tightened things down working in a star pattern.








Horn button fitted:





And horn emblem applied:




Result:

[phenryiv1]

Fog Light Tinting (Yellow)

First off, I like yellow fog lights. Some people hate them- sorry. I like yellow fogs and decided that since my OEM late model foglight lenses were already pitted that I'd use the Krylon stained glass paint to tint them yellow. The results are about as good as I can expect but certainly not perfect.

Taped off:



First 2 coats:



Heavy coat (dried clear):



Results after 12 hours curing:

[phenryiv1]

So my UUC / SPC camber plates arrived way sooner than expected. I want to try to get them installed this week so that I can get an alignment later this week, if possible.

[phenryiv1]

Sent payment for a bunch of oddball parts that I need:

2 or 3 sets of late fog pigtails
Plastic bumper front passenger/right side slider/bracket
Battery cable with the isolator/distribution block on the firewall
Antenna cable.

Also dealing with an odd shaking/instability when driving 45-55 mph. Most of the steering and front end are new but it could be tires/wheels, control arms, CABs, general alignment, or any number of other things.

I started a thread about it:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=357758

Additional news, I almost started a fire. Fortunately the source was also the remedy. I had not re-attached the washer nozzles since they will have to come back out for the second round of paint/bodywork and the tube was poorly secured by the paint shop by looping it and taping it to the cap.

That tape finally failed and the result was that the tube ended up making contact with the manifold. I heard a sizzle, smelled something burning, and opened the hood to find this:



Fortunately the leaking washer fluid prevented a fire. I cut off the tube and plugged it with the temporary seal:

[phenryiv1]

Fiberglass cupholder console arrived- so much cooler than the OEM console.

[phenryiv1]

How do you think the STB feels on the vert? I am considering one as well.

Having never really driven the 'vert without it I can't say how much it did or did not help. The convertibles have that strut tower reinforcement anyway but the cross-bay bracing can't hurt.

[shootnjunky]

So the Garagistic front strut tower brace arrived (9 days in transit!!!) and it fit as expected.

Nice quality piece but their idea of "grey" and mine are a bit different. This is silver- not grey. Given that I just painted my IM (not the one in the picture below) grey in anticipation of the bar arriving I am a bit disappointed.





Still, the fit was good and the quality/finish is solid.

How do you think the STB feels on the vert? I am considering one as well.

[phenryiv1]

Additional work this weekend:

I started work on the stereo wiring. The car had previously had an aftermarket stereo installed. I never saw the headhunt- just the harness that remained. The wiring to the speakers was aftermarket, so as to bypass the OEM amp. I never tested it.

Before:



After:



UNFORTUNATELY, I never tried out the wires, nor checked the wire codes. Stupid me. The HU would not power up. Not a big deal- I'll pull the codes, check the connections, and try again later this week or next. Wiring directly to the speakers will be temporary, only in place until I get my amp and subwoofer installed.

If I have to I will run a new 12V+ and ground and find the 12V switched.

I started working on the Z3 antenna install. Unfortunately the antenna cable termination was totally cut off. I'll have to look into that one:



I also rectified the destroyed trunk carpeting support over the rear tire:



I cut some 3/16" board to the approximate shape, opened up the cover (from the back) with a utility knife, dumped out the pile of broken pieces and dust that was in there, and installed the fresh board.

The carpet is still dirty but at least I now have some semblance of a trunk floor.



The release latch for the tonneau cover had been damaged for a while. I pulled a solid handle cup from my parts stash and installed it with a fresh (functional) handle and pin:



And reinstalled the trim panel:



Now the effort to release the cover is minimal. Much improvement there.

My wife hated the lack of a door panel on her side so I installed it. I had been planning to do it after I did some sound deadening work but it was a 5-minute thing so I can always remove it later.



Closing out with a couple more shots in the garage: