Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

E34 Touring | Grocery Getter

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    E34 Touring | Grocery Getter

    This thread has been hiding in the unpopular 5 Series section.. Figured it be more beneficial over here :)


    Ultimate goal: A "responsible" daily driver.

    I've desired a wagon for about three years, and as of Aug 2017 I found one.

    Plans from the beginning:
    -Adjustable Height
    -Many Wheels
    -Manual
    -Improved Engine
    -Winter Capable
    -Road Trip-Ready

    Plans updated as the project continued:
    -BC Coilovers
    -3.64 Limited Slip
    -ZF 5 speed
    -Euro Bits, trim and headlights
    -MT2 wheel
    -3.0 M50, or Poor Mans S50

    Future Plans (For better gas mileage and better road tripping):
    -6 Speed Manual
    -Supercharger

    I found this specific wagon via an auction in California. I live in Idaho. The final bid was great, but after fees and shipping just less than $1k was spent. From the pictures I could tell that the engine was missing some parts, and the car was otherwise complete. Perfect!

    Here's what arrived. First step was a quick detail and some wheel changing.







































    #2
    The BBS RK's I had collected from a previous partout... I threw them on so the car could at least look good while it was parked, until I got the engine sorted.

    What's on the grocery list?

    Well, first things first. After looking over the wagon's condition, it appeared the previous owners were attempting a DIY head gasket repair. They probably didn't know what they were doing, and the first thing I found was that the HEAD WAS CRACKED. They had all the head bolts removed except the three tiny ones at the front of the engine, and I imagine them thinking "oh it's probably just stuck, let's give it some sledgehammer motivation".

    That would be a good reason to get rid of the car especially if you didn't know its value.

    So I needed to do a head gasket repair, and I needed a new head, and I knew I wanted it 5 speed swapped. Let's just do it all at once.

    Engine rebuild - 3.0 M50 using M54 rotating assembly and intake cam.
    Manual Swap - Whole ZF 5 speed swap acquired from the junkyard.





    Comment


      #3
      1) Take it apart

      2) Clean it up

      3) Buy a bunch of parts

      4) Pull a junkyard m54

      5) Discover a cracked piston

      6) Return m54 #1

      7) Discover your m50 block is rusted and pitted in the cylinder walls, from being exposed to the elements for so long.

      8) Pull two more fucking engines. :hitler:
























      Comment


        #4
        8) Clean up the block

        9) Hone it out

        10) Paint it up

        11) Install rotating assembly with new rings and bearings

        12) Rebuild the head, New valve guides, and m54b30 intake cam (timing has to be manual set on this setup. Timing blocks do not work)

        13) Throw it all together and place in the car

        14) Build an exhaust

        15) Start it... or not.






















        Comment


          #5
          Got the engine all put together and it ran like shit!!

          A couple of things happened:

          M50 timing blocks cannot be used to set timing on m54 camshaft.

          The engine shook like crazy. Ran a compression test and had no compression in cyl 5. I adjusted timing and tried again. Better compression in all cylinders but still none in cyl 5.

          Leak down test also showed that the cylinder wouldn't hold any pressure what so ever.

          So fuck it, take the head back off and I discover two ever so slightly bent exhaust valves... Even though I replaced all the valve guides I didn't notice the two slight bends.

          16) Take the head back off

          17) Replace the bad valves

          18) Put it back together

          19) Drive it at last.

          Note cam lobes when using m50 timing blocks








          And Manually adjust timing





          Just in time for snow!


          Comment


            #6
            Some other projects came up along the way.

            Found a set of staggered ACS Type 2's and test fit. They need some repairs and powdercoating before they go on full time.

            Found a set of working and uncracked fog lights. Threw some tint film on them to protect them from cracking like they all do.

            The lady and I bought a fixer upper which meant the wagon got to haul 1000 sqft of flooring and many trips back and forth from the old house. Note - Shop

            Started building a custom sub box.. haven't finished it yet.

            And mostly just enjoyed driving the wagon around for a few months!

























            Comment


              #7
              Back to the shopping list

              20) Buy a parts car

              21) Take the Parts (Euro bumper trim, MT2 Wheel, BC Coiovers)

              22) Return parts car to stock, and fix many things.












              Comment


                #8
                Coilovers are installed, and the parts car has been returned to stock.


                I love how clean the front of this car looks!













                Comment


                  #9
                  Threw some new wheels on for shits and giggles.

                  Also cleaned out the front garage so the lady has a place to park for the impending weather change.












                  Comment


                    #10
                    Nice work. You have a lot of patience. Hopefully the E34 wagon builds are a growing trend because they are AWESOME.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Took some pictures

                      Fixed the rear wiper arm

                      Bought another e34 for the rear bumper

                      Powder coated the BBS Rx's

                      Bought another wagon

                      Got the rear M-tech bumper painted

                      More wheels too.....























































                      Comment


                        #12
                        Love E34 Wagons... Cant decide if I would rather have a 24v or 32v though... It will be the backup plan if/when my lady says I need a bigger car.
                        Simon
                        Current Cars:
                        -1999 996.1 911 4/98 3.8L 6-Speed, 21st Century Beetle

                        Make R3V Great Again -2020

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Im getting jealous of all these 5 series wagon builds....I want one.
                          1984 Delphin 318i 2 door

                          Comment


                            #14
                            This thing gives me wagon fever. Takes me back to my 5sp 530iT that I never should've sold.
                            1990 Brilliantrot 325iS Build Thread
                            1989 Zinnoberrot M3 Build Thread

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Car looks awesome! Love all the work you've done.
                              the BBS Wheels are by far my favorite on that car.
                              I do things.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X