Project Izzy: The AWD Money Pit

[6A LDY]

Nice man what did you use to get the springs off?

[stonea]

So while my dad was out of town, I decided to replace his clutch master cylinder so I could finally get it off the lift. Once I got it off I noticed a gas smell, but that was a problem he could figure out. I was excited to fix Izzy!!!.... but that excitement has VERY short lived. I started poking at stuff I should poke and found a little bit of rust.... well actually more like a lot of rust.






I was at a turning point, I obviously wanted to save the car, but I didn't have a welder and I didn't have the money to get one. Luckily my dad decided to lend a helping hand and bought a welder.



My dad got his guys at work to cut up some sheet metal and I tacked it in and then my dads coworker came over and welded it up for me.





Now that the rust was taken care of I could return to back to my project. I bought new hard brake lines for the rear and also decided to buy a few more extra goodies and got got some shocks, new RTABs, diff bushing, subframe bushings, sway bar bushings, rear half shafts, wheel bearings, and new upper shock mounts. Since I was doing the rear I thought, "Hey, why not do the front to?" So then I bought some struts, upper strut mounts, CABs, sway bar bushings, and wheel bearings. Now maybe you can see why I couldn't afford the welder, lol. Anyways the driver side spring perch was rusted to hell, but luckily I found one one on eBay for about $100.



Then I finally got everything installed and was ready to go back it!!!!









Also I finally got by front and rear plastic bumpers installed!!!!!!




And that ladies and gentleman brings us up to this past tuesday. I drove her back down to ODU and she drove like a champ. I felt like I had a brand new car!!!! I should have some small updates by the end of the weekend.

[stonea]

Since my cars AWD it make a e36 rack swap all but impossible, the e46 AWD rack has similar geometry, but its still far from being close. Its something I'd like to figure out, but realistically it may never happen.

Cool topic....That purple ix is also soo epic, any topic for that ix here??

My buddy personally hasn't started a thread, I've tried to find a build thread from the PO but I've come up empty handed. I know the PO used to be on R3v. Anyways the car hasn't changed minus some brakes and tie rods since he's bought it. I'll be sure to throw in an update about his car every now and then.

[E30NJ]

Nice work! From what I read, you want to swap in a E46 steering rack. E46 steering racks (from what I've read and heard) is linear which I'm pretty sure makes it harder to swap in. I swapped in a E36 328is steering rack for $100 and it was totally worth it. Keep up the photos! Black 2dr 5speed IX's are so cool.

[litu]

Cool topic....That purple ix is also soo epic, any topic for that ix here??

[stonea]

I think the color is Daytona Violet, other than that I don't know much about the car. Most of the work was done before he bought the car. Don't have any more pics of it though. Next time I'm home I'm sure I'll do a photo shoot with both of our cars.

Also hopefully I'll get the motivation today to finish updating the thread.

[6A LDY]

Yeah can you post more pics of his ix, looks pretty snazzy.

Also hurry and post more

[kid325e]

Nice thread

Giving me motivation to stop the excuses and start wrenching on my iX again! What's going on with your buddies' 90 ix? Kinda dig the color!

Your new room is looking good too. Love the flag, dig the desk.

[stonea]

Sweet find and sweet build, keep us updated on it.

Thanks!!! I got a lot more to post before I'm all caught up, but I'm hopping to keep this updated as much as possible.

this is a much more cohesive version of your build, good work

Yeah, my last one sucked. I've actually spent time organizing this one and I know a thing or two about what I'm talking about this time around.

[stonea]

On the way back down to school after getting my exhaust installed my friend asked for a ride back to school and this was sitting next to her house.



Still trying to buy it from her neighbors, lol

Towards the end of the school, year I was having some brake trouble. I kept on loosing brake pressure and I eventually found a tiny leak by the front driver side. I ordered new brake hoses and replace the leaky one and that seemed to fix the problem for about a day, then all of a sudden I had no brake pressure. I checked under the car and found that one of my hard brake lines rusted through and busted wide open. It was part number 12 that busted open.




With that discovery that led to this unfortunate event.....



Then the next day (no joke) my cousins 525i broken down in Williamsburg, so me and my dad drove down to pick that one up too. That one ended up just to be COP



After I got Izzy home she just kind of sat there until we got my dads 325is off the lift. So in the mean time I started driving the Z3 again.

But the z3 had it own problems later on. One day on my way down to ODU this summer something fell out of the truck I was following and it tagged the Z3. Don't know what it was, but it definitely banged her up pretty good. Insurance said they'll cover it, but I still haven't found the time to take her to a shop. Also I might just go ahead and get a full respray done on her. I have a OEM body kit for her and still need to get it painted....





Once I finally got to Norfolk I set up my new room and thought you guys would like my banner.

2

[6A LDY]

this is a much more cohesive version of your build, good work

[stonea]

Also earlier this year me and my buddy (the one who owns the 318i) bought a parts car. Meet Pepper




and in addition to the parts car I picked up a 3D printer



and I've been thinking about new wheels, I'm pretty sure I'm just going to refurbish the ones I got and paint the centers, but I do like these cheap rims I found.

[IzzY_325is]

Sweet find and sweet build, keep us updated on it.

[stonea]

Next on my list of things to do was to replace the rusted exhaust so I could FINALLY get it inspected.







Then I finally got her that stupid sticker



Did some work by the beach, and also got my new radio installed




Also Izzy finally got to have some fun in the snow!!!!!



Shortly after that project another one of my friends got bit by the e30 bug and got a 318i

[stonea]

3 hours later I was at school and Izzy was tucked away in the parking garage



A bit of a generation gap, but it was the only BMWs that parked next to each other



Shortly after my trip down to ODU, I drove up to Baltimore for the Baltimore Grand Prix. My locks were acting up, so I figured no one would mess with a 26 year old car if it was around some much nicer eye candy, lol.



Also ran into a slight problem on the way up there......



Once I got back to ODU I decided to plasti dip the bumpers, roof, and spray my tail lights.



.....oh and I got a roof rack......