Plsnoread- My '89 325is - Mostly hopes, dreams, and tool hoarding

[badwella]

My parents came over to visit this weekend so my dad and I hit up the local pick-n-pull. I scored something I had been searching for a long time: 740i remote reservoir connectors!



These babies have been a pain to try and locate. I missed out on a set once thinking I could come back and get them later, but the car was gone by then. Now with these I can try and run my e32 booster and master cylinder without clearance issues or having to modify the rear extension bracket.

Sunday I decided to fix my stuttering/dying issue. Whenever I pulled my foot of the gas I'd have to watch the rpm's to make sure they didn't dip down too low and stall. I had replaced the ICV with a brand new unit just recently and sealed 98% of my vacuum leaks (as identified with my diy smoke tester) so I ruled them out for now. So, that led me to think my TPS was maybe turned and not engaging the idle switch.



Well, it was the TPS, but it was a unique situation to me. The idle switch would work for a couple times but wouldn't always switch. Dunno what the heck was going on, but I swapped it out for a TPS I pulled from a yard a while back. Problem solved. Important to note that the bad unit was a brand new TPS that I installed while doing the rebuild. Had only been in use since October.

One last sweet update. Finally got myself a nice welding cart for my MIG and TIG setups. Now that I have a garage I needed something I could move around somewhat. My dad and I pulled 8/3 cable in my garage and installed a 220V power outlet on a 50 amp breaker (maybe it was 40, but the TIG only draws 37 amps at full power).



Redoing my garage now so I can have more of a proper workshop. Right now it's a dang mess due to my e30 parts hoarding and various projects. Moving back to a place with other BMW enthusiasts is nice since I can find parts more frequently, but bad for my wallet.

Bonus pic of my garage helper: Roman, the lazy-ass Bagle hound

[efficient]

Nice progress really enjoyed reading through your thread. I hope you can get more updates. Keep up the good work

[badwella]

Nice progress really enjoyed reading through your thread. I hope you can get more updates. Keep up the good work

Thanks, man! I will definitely post as frequently as I can.

I've now decided that I'm going to go with an 80's tuner style theme to my e30. Going to keep those 80's WEDS wheels I have (until I can get some other 80's rally wheels) with some meaty tires to help fill out the fenders. If I can ever afford it, I'd love to get some rear window louvers too. Wood steering wheel.

Debating whether I want to get one of these pods:



or delete the ashtray:



I like the first one better, but I actually use that little cubby for throwing things in. I never use the ashtray, but I like the look of it.

Plan to get one of these for summer driving (keep the Mtech1 for winter):



Definitely love the look of these window louvers. My wife think's it silly, but I think it's totally 80's and I love that.

[TheWipprSnappr]

ive always had a thing for louvers as well. I think they would look good with the lachsilber body

[VBe30]

I personally like the first gauge setup. You can always replace the ashtray with this part too.

[badwella]

ive always had a thing for louvers as well. I think they would look good with the lachsilber body

I think it will look cool. I am going to vinyl wrap her for now in Gloss Anthracite (3M) which is pretty similar to Lachssillber. I plan to do a repaint in the future, but I'll have to save mucho $$ for that over time, especially because my wife and I are planning on a couple more kids in the upcoming years. I'm going to have to sell my body to pay for them ;)

I personally like the first gauge setup. You can always replace the ashtray with this part too.

Doh! I forgot about that. I posted that same pic to someone else the other day. I found them on Amazon for something like $35 or so. I think that would look pretty cool with the first gauge setup. The only thing I put in that little cubby is my wallet or something, so I don't need a lot of space. Thanks for reminding me, man.

As for tires, I'm thinking 225/50-15's. With my 20mm spacers, that puts my wheels at et15 (originally et35). Needed to clear my Mazda calipers up front, but just for looks in the back, but it's still not wide enough to get close. Current tires are 205 55 15 and they look super skinny to me.

Need something like this in terms of width



I may go with some 15mm spacers up front with the 225's to make sure I'm not sticking out too far. We'll see. As for the rear, I'll have to see how close it gets to the fender. I own a fender roller so I can get real close.

I'm a little weary about getting any wider wheel spacers though (if needed) I always dreamed of doing some Auto-X in the future and am a little afraid of my wheel coming off! Already running 90mm studs so that parts taken care of.

Oh yeah, don't want to forget this, but I've always loved the look of tire letters too:

[stonea]

Personally I'm going with gauge option 2. I use that space above the ashtray waaaaaay to often to delete it.

[badwella]

Personally I'm going with gauge option 2. I use that space above the ashtray waaaaaay to often to delete it.

I'm torn. I like the look of the first one slightly better, but in reality, I do use that area way too much. Phone, change, etc. The second option is only $20 or so on ebay so I could try it out. I'll have to find some German vinyl to cover it to match a little better than the paint.

I'm also not sure what gauges I want to put in there. I definitely want oil pressure, most likely oil temp too, but dunno about the other. I can put a voltmeter in the cluster like BavRest does.

Anyone have a suggestion?

[stonea]

I think Volt Meter, Oil Temp, and Oil Pressure are classic.

[badwella]

I think Volt Meter, Oil Temp, and Oil Pressure are classic.

Definitely. However, I was thinking about something different. I've had issues in the past with hard starts and trying to see if I'm getting fuel pressure the normal way (removing seats, checking voltage at pump, spraying fuel line into a bucket, etc). I'm curious to see if I could use an oil pressure gauge with a custom face for a fuel pressure gauge. That way I could see if I'm getting pressure and then could target spark as my issue.

I saw this cool custom gauge a Porsche 911 guy made for his car to show voltage and fuel pressure.



I can get one of those cheap chinese voltmeter gauges for a few bucks and install it in my spare cluster (been refurbing it to put in my car once I replace my dash) along the service indicator bar like this (far left).



Stonea, thanks for all your comments and feedback, btw.

I was looking at my ashtray today and decided to go with the gauge pod there rather than the one that would eliminate the cubby. Thanks for helping me with that decision. I definitely use my cubby way too much.

I am currently trying to locate a good USB port that I can put in there to charge my phone, etc. I want something that I could put in the pod but look pretty oem still. Something like it would come from BMW as a factory update.

The e60's came with some cool looking ports. I hope I can find a cheap one to get dimensions off. I may actually put that in my shift console where the window breaker is. That may be a better location.



Curse having a mind full of ideas but no money or time to follow through!

[badwella]

Decided to order this guy since I deleted my oil cooler and have no plans to put it back in. I hate being able to see through to my lower rad support. Need to paint the lower portion black so it looks better.



I'll probably be selling the other one. Only a few months old so if anyone needs it, keep your eyes open in the FS forum.

Exactly this one:

[badwella]

In laws were in town this weekend so not much happened. They did, however, bring me a pretty sweet gift in this antique 6" vice:



That's my old 4" vice I purchased from Home Depot or Lowe's. This thing is a beast. I'm going to restore it and put it on a stand in my garage. It's in great shape, but has been sitting for 20 or 30 years in my father-in-law's family farm. He's not so much a tool guy but thought I might appreciate it. Boy was that an understatement!







You can see all the boxes I have yet to unpack in the background. Some are empty, but most are full of various car parts and nuts and bolts, etc.



After wire wheeling her a bit, I realized it may just be best for me to have it sandblasted to remove the remaining paint. I want to paint it in Rustoleum hammered Verde Green. Love this color.

Here's an awesome antique Wilton vice in this color



The chrome plating is junk on the handles and thread so I may see what that will cost to have them nickel plated.

Hope this interests some of you guys. The vice is one of the most important tools in your shop.

Here's another one of my projects: a fold-down workbench. I have very limited space in my shop and would like to have the option to park both mine and my wife's car in the garage in case of hail, etc. So, to do that whilst still having all the necessities of a functional workshop, I wanted to make a workbench that can support 200 lbs but also fold away when not in use.



I'm going to build fold-out triangular wing braces from 1 1/4" square tubing that will be hinged to fold inwards and under the table when it's not in use. That workbench top is just laminated wood so I will use 1" angle iron as an outer perimeter frame with square tubing braces in three places to give it some more rigidity.

That outlet you see in the bottom right corner is a 220v 40 amp plug that my dad and I installed a few weekends ago to power my welders. Finally able to utilize the full capabilities of my new TIG machine. I don't know what for yet, but I'd rather have it available before I need it.

[kts]

Damn nice vise! That thing will look great once cleaned up and I'm sure you'll pass it on to your kids some day.

Also jealous of the 240v in the garage. I did that in my old townhouse (panel was right there so super easy to add a 240v) and I miss it in my current house where the panel is in the finished basement and total opposite side of the house from the garage.

[badwella]

Damn nice vise! That thing will look great once cleaned up and I'm sure you'll pass it on to your kids some day.

Also jealous of the 240v in the garage. I did that in my old townhouse (panel was right there so super easy to add a 240v) and I miss it in my current house where the panel is in the finished basement and total opposite side of the house from the garage.

Thanks, man! Yeah, my son is going to inherit lots of my tools and everything my dad has passed down to me already. He has a ton of beautiful antique woodworking tools from his time as a carpenter. That's what I really want.

I totally understand about the 240. I only ran 8/3 wire up and over my garage entrance door. Cost me around $100 for the 20 ft of wire, the 40A breaker, plug, and cover. I don't even want to think about what it would cost to run wire where you need it or to have an electrician do it. Luckily my dad became an electrician (still doing carpentry on the side) before he became an electrical engineer so he helped me not kill myself.

[badwella]

In-laws gave me a gift card and I used it to buy myself a new toy/shop tool

My car isn't lowered a whole lot, but I thought this would come in handy due to the height it can raise vehicles to and if any of the other e30 guys in my area come over to work on cars.

This was one heavy bastard. Wouldn't fit in my trunk either so I had to put it in the backseat of my e30. I should've gone home first to get my wife's SUV, but I was impatient.







So, it seems this thread has become more of a shop-outfitting thread than an e30 update. Once I'm sort of set up, I'll be back to wrenching.

I still have many things to do:

* Fix my front turn signal (wires crossed so passenger front doesn't work)
* Repair my battery tray rust (have an entire section to weld in)
* Install my genuine BMW radiator support (currently running a cheap import that sucks)
* Replace my dashboard with my 99% crack free
* Replace the heater core
* Finish installing my A/C conversion - hiding the lines in the fender, etc.
* Install my tuner gauge pod (going with the ashtray delete)

Lots of other things I'm working on and some are specifically to cater to the rest of R3V more than myself.