*!Build of the year candidate!* Strange PNW Build: E30+Volvo

[oekundar]

I’m in Seattle.

Apologies...geographically the same for me [emoji4]


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[adam.nonis]

Apologies...geographically the same for me [emoji4]


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Sorry, I use the mobile app and I can’t easily see that info. Where are you?

[oekundar]

Sorry, I use the mobile app and I can’t easily see that info. Where are you?

Dirty Jersey aka New Jersey.


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[adam.nonis]

Sample came in today



Very inefficient shipping



Spent time today swapping out the front spring seats, camber plates, rear springs and brake rotors/pads, but it was just too dark for pictures by the time I was done. I’ll take some more tomorrow. The good news is I’m pretty happy with the height. The bad news is the fronts struts are basically bottomed out. I’m going to have to buy some Corrado inserts and shorten the tubes.

[adam.nonis]

Took some steps forward this weekend and some steps back. Buttoned up a few small details (got seals in the middle side window openings, extended the wiper wiring, made sure the wipers are clocked correctly, trimmed the airdam and stuck it on, got both seats completely modified and got one taillight in place), but found out that the ride height that I want will require shorter struts and tubes, figured out (a bit too late) that since I used sedan seats to use for modifying that they don’t tilt forward, therefore there’s no access to the rear seat and found out that the wiper hubs I ordered won’t work (no inner splines). All in all though a productive weekend.

Going into the weekend with stock rear springs and front spring seats:



After rear spring swap and camber plates/dropped seats (the chain is to keep my pop up from walking away over night):



With airdam installed:

[LJ851]

Nice work.

Do you have regular (centered) E30 front control arm bushings on the chassis? If you do, switching to E30 M3 offset bushings would push your front wheels further forward closer to the center of the wheel arch.

Still really digging this build !

[adam.nonis]

Nice work.



Do you have regular (centered) E30 front control arm bushings on the chassis? If you do, switching to E30 M3 offset bushings would push your front wheels further forward closer to the center of the wheel arch.



Still really digging this build !

Yeah, still centered CABs. I have a set of poly Garagistic offset CABs to go in at some point. I knew that was achievable so I centered the rear wheel (as best I could).

[rzerob]

Wow. How the hell have I not known about this thread. Subscribed. This is right up there with anklebiter in my opinion. Love it.

[adam.nonis]

Please excuse my newb-ness here, but I need some knowledge. I know the red/purple/blue is for M cars (I've even read the reasoning), but are there colors that are associated with other aftermarket manufacturers, or race teams or something. I want to add a little spice to the interior as I reupholster the seats, but don't want to inadvertently grab a color scheme that would associate with something else. My thought was adding a couple slashes in one panel per seat in grey and white to pay homage to the original Amazon body (arrived in primer) and the E30 chassis (arrived in white).

Will I be stepping in something doing that?

[delamaize]

Please excuse my newb-ness here, but I need some knowledge. I know the red/purple/blue is for M cars (I've even read the reasoning), but are there colors that are associated with other aftermarket manufacturers, or race teams or something. I want to add a little spice to the interior as I reupholster the seats, but don't want to inadvertently grab a color scheme that would associate with something else. My thought was adding a couple slashes in one panel per seat in grey and white to pay homage to the original Amazon body (arrived in primer) and the E30 chassis (arrived in white).

Will I be stepping in something doing that?

My 2nd E30 had Vader seats, that had a little M/// stripes on it. I liked it. Here is a picture I found on the web.

[adam.nonis]

My 2nd E30 had Vader seats, that had a little M/// stripes on it. I liked it. Here is a picture I found on the web.

That’s pretty much what I was thinking about, but a single grey and white stripe on a cardinal background.

[LateFan]

You do many things very well. Are they all for personal fun / hobby, or do you make a living from one of them? Sorry to pry if you'd rather not answer.

Also - Nice V70 wagon.

Thanks -

[adam.nonis]

Strange PNW Build

You do many things very well. Are they all for personal fun / hobby, or do you make a living from one of them? Sorry to pry if you'd rather not answer.



Also - Nice V70 wagon.



Thanks -

No worries. I’ve done lots of things for a living. I’ve always been hands on. A fabricator type. I didn’t have much money growing up, so I made everything I could myself. I grew up in a body shop, but I don’t like doing body work. Out of high school I started working in car audio. It didn’t take long before I got into building custom cars. Then back into high end car audio for a while. I know you guys have seen mostly metal work, but I’m actually pretty skilled with composites. I got recruited by a defense contractor developing composite ballistic armor. After that I went to my current job. I’m an Integration Engineer. I work for a satellite tech company (Kymeta try googling it) installing/prototyping our equipment into things. I’m the provider for our family (of five now) so my budgets for “fun stuff” is always tight. Couple that with always having trouble paying someone for something I think I can do myself and I’ve learned a fair amount of skills. I wouldn’t say I’ve mastered any of them, but I get by.

Here’s a bunch of stuff I’ve made with my hands. Some my stuff, some other people’s stuff. Not in any particular order.

[adam.nonis]

You do many things very well. Are they all for personal fun / hobby, or do you make a living from one of them? Sorry to pry if you'd rather not answer.



Also - Nice V70 wagon.



Thanks -

Also, not to sound nit picky, but it’s an XC70. Factory lifted style. I had to put a bunch of work into it to get it low like that.

When I bought it:


After I had my way with it:

[adam.nonis]

Built a deck last spring too.