Project finished - 'MY22' 318is - bare metal, nut and bolt restoration

[Glaede]

It really looks amazing! I have a few questions, if you don't mind:

1. On the original E30 with low milages. Is that "3M" tape used all over the car or just under the wiring cover? Just debating if I should re-wrap my wiring in the 3M stuff or the TESA. I want what looks the most OEM.
2. What ignition coils will you be running and what will you do about the plastic cover? I haven't seen any proper solution yet.

Thanks in advance and thanks for sharing all this good stuff!

[burkey001]

Wow what a build. I think I want to see this finished more than I wanted my own project finished.

hey thanks, I'm pretty keen to see it move myself

Feels like the engine bay is wrapping up.

Got the rest of BMW coolant arrived just now, going to put that in tonight. Brake fluids on its way.

I feel like the catalytic convertor section is going to hold me up now for a turnover and fire.

Spent some time with engine wiring. Tidying a few things up.
Shortened the O2 sensor wiring, putting new terminals on things as needed etc.



Also pulled that injector harness fully apart to begin layout and orientation. I had planned to make a new subharness and join it up with a connector, but the OE harness has so much wire in it I will be cutting wire off.

Got it laying pretty neatly



Just waiting for the coils to arrive so I can terminate at the right length.


Pretty pleased, think it’s quite tidy

[kyleconstantine]

Wow what a build. I think I want to see this finished more than I wanted my own project finished.

[burkey001]

Couple of things slowly ticking over. Carpet not completed because in our covid lockdown we’re not allowed visitors etc, so hard getting trades on site (my carpet whiz)

Mounted up the iS side skirts and I used the adhesive rubber trim from E36 M3 to provide a little bit of contrast



I ordered a Supersprint exhaust and a Magnaflow “direct fit” OEM style catalyst section. Supersprint arrived… I suspect the Magnaflow will take a long time



Hardware to support


Wiring tape – I was never really happy with Tesa tape under the trim cover on the firewall. Just feels like the wrong tape. Wrong texture, wrong gloss. I found an option I think is a better match. 3M Temflex 1755 friction tape. Is a rubber coated cloth tape. Not sticky by itself but it sticks to itself, so it’s quite friendly to use and reposition.




This is my reference car, an E30 with 8,000 original miles on it. It is like brand new. Whenever I want to look at what “it should look like” I look at this car.



To my eyes, that’s not Tesa tape. It has the same semi-self amalgamating finish that this 1755 tape does

Poor photo, bad angle, sorry


As you can see I am using the original engine harness, or most of it. I considerer making it from scratch but, honestly, seemed overkill even for me. This one is clean and functional. So I have just some a few cosmetic changes like cleaning it, new plugs, renewing the black sheathing and wrapping the bits that were originally wrapped.



I am going to run coil on plug though, so the ignition harness is out for some adjustment. Waiting on coils still, so can’t finalise that bit yet.

Minor calamity, forgot to label the plugs as Cyl 1-4, so a bit of quick DME pinout later and i have that sorted




Engine has fluid in it, getting a few things bolted up









I rebuilt my alternator too. I cleaned up the castings but they turned out too bright compared to the rest of the raw aluminium. So, I painted them with some bleach and let them sit a couple minutes. Kind of dulled it off nicely and gave it – something – of a cast finish.
Lighting is poor in this part of workshop, apologies

and that red is too red….


Made up a bunch of 4GA earth straps too, got them all plugged in



That’s it, cya

[burkey001]

Had to slightly clearance the header to fit the purple tag rack. So close to fitting.



Fixed


Plugged in the AC lines and some rad hoses







And had to ask some folks if this barb was the PCV recirc from the charcoal canister, cos my memory failed.. 😊

[burkey001]

That rear shelf is pretty!

Thanks 😀 I am pretty pleased with it. Different from standard but not, IMO at least, over the top. The pattern of the seams ties in with the seats and the carpet will be edge bound in leather like that shelf insert is. So, it should all tie together pretty well I hope.

Ohh really like the style of the rear shelf! Maybe I missed it but where are you relocating the rear speakers? Also as curious if you decided to do anything with the m42 or are you keeping it stock?

No audio system in this car. I umm'd and arr'd over this but IMO E30 is a pretty ordinary audio platform. Kick panel area is too compact and sealing up a chamber - given it vents into the chassis section beneath the door opening - is a major pain... so I gave up on it.
If i need tunes I will just have a little bluetooth speaker on the passenger seat. No IASCA comps for me :)

[Staszek]

That rear shelf is pretty!

[onesecond]

Ohh really like the style of the rear shelf! Maybe I missed it but where are you relocating the rear speakers? Also as curious if you decided to do anything with the m42 or are you keeping it stock?

[burkey001]

couple more of the parcel shelf, quite happy with the detail in it

[burkey001]

That looks awesome.

Also - notice you're running 1x continuous length of hood weather stripping (top of the firewall and down the fenders).
I like that idea to channel water away.
- is that an OE special?
- or a locally sourced part.

it's a boot seal :)

[Tzantushka]

That looks awesome.

Also - notice you're running 1x continuous length of hood weather stripping (top of the firewall and down the fenders).
I like that idea to channel water away.
- is that an OE special?
- or a locally sourced part.

[burkey001]

Well this has been long overdue. Finally reunited with some COVID lockdown time put to good use.

Engine in, driveline in, underbody buttoned up.







Feels good 😊


And Econti, it’s the original damper with a coat of paint. “Looked fine” and didn’t want to drop too much money on the M42.

Wiring harness is OEM at the moment because I want to fire it up and check everything works before I ruin it with my own wiring 😊

Next is to see how bad the interference between the OE header and the E46 steering linkage is…

[econti]

New harmonic balancer or just old one made nice?
Can't decide whether to try hunt down a new E30 one (seemingly impossible) or just put a E36 one on and go to serpentine belt.

[burkey001]

also, custom carpet is underway in "German square weave"

[burkey001]

car, meet engine







there has been a lot of work gone into finding replacement bolts in the same size as the original yellow zinc ones but in ZNS3 zinc flake. MUCH realoem shopping. Redic how expensive genuine bolts are..