JackBenny's 1991 318is Project

[jackbenny]

Meeting for the local bmw club is this coming up thursday, we would love to finally see this thing.

-Dan

Yeah, I know, I've been slacking. I'm going to the Barn this weekend so I can get some trim and the bumpers painted.

Couple of things worked on this weekend but nothing noteworthy to report. I'm dicking with the windsheild wiper as I installed the mechanism not quite bottomed out. It is a royal pain to get to the wiper mechanism with a 24v in there. I may just say screw it and be done with it....no I've come this far.

I'll be repainting the shadowline trim on the left side a THIRD time. Last two cans of SEM didn't work out so well. The last one splattered as the tip kept getting clogged. Needless to say I was pretty pissed. I'm going to try and get it all painted this week time permitted.

I'll try and get some pictures posted but they aren't too exciting.

Well, I got an MTech I replica spoiler for the back from Eurostop but I'll discuss that in a later update.

[bejbis]

Meeting for the local bmw club is this coming up thursday, we would love to finally see this thing.

-Dan

[longms]

Wow!!!! Just read all 39 pages. I feel like I went on a life journey: initially getting the car with a jacked up rear end that seemed to have no future, then making the car look as if it was Superman just coming out of the phone booth, the birth of a child and now a heart beat from the motor that seemed would never get cranked over.

Congratulation on the new family member. I can't say I have seen many builds this detailed and thorough. Amazing job, absolutely amazing!

You got skills!!!!!!

[Takahashi]

Fucking awesome build!!! keep working 'til the end!!!

[dirtysix]

This thread never disappoints.

Tis the truth.
Welcome to fatherhood. You'll love it.

[Simon S]

Holy crap!
I've been away too long..
This thread never disappoints.
Cheers to the new family member !

[jackbenny]

this is obviously a matter of personal preference but i think an OEM radio delete drilled out to fit the gauges would look a little cleaner here. just a stupid observation, i love your whole project dude.

Tis temporary. This whole panel is going to be redone eventually. I'm not thrilled with it as it looks tacky even though it matches the door cards. If it really bothers me after a while, I'll just paint it black.

You have been nominated...

http://jalopnik.com/5655068/whats-your-favorite-build-thread

Check the comments

I didn't see me in the comments but there are some wicked builds listed there!

[blalor]

You have been nominated...

http://jalopnik.com/5655068/whats-your-favorite-build-thread

Check the comments

I did that. You really gotta dig through the comments ("load earlier discussions") to find it, tho.

[defaultName]

You have been nominated...

http://jalopnik.com/5655068/whats-your-favorite-build-thread

Check the comments

[8380 Labs]

I wanted something to hold the gauges so I picked this piece up from summit. not bad for 12 bucks or so.

this is obviously a matter of personal preference but i think an OEM radio delete drilled out to fit the gauges would look a little cleaner here. just a stupid observation, i love your whole project dude.

[ahriley91]

Very nice. You do fantastic work. And it sounds great.

[jackbenny]

Vroom



Daddy like. It came out very nice though the recording would lead you to believe there is some rasp, it's probably just audio clipping.

I wanted something to hold the gauges so I picked this piece up from summit. not bad for 12 bucks or so.



The car seems to be running cool now. The ride is firm but not jarring and I haven't played with the shock settings yet. An alignment is next on the agenda. It darts around more than my buddy's elise.

I'll tackle that next weekend.

[SS350]

So tonight was .... fun?



4) Engine got pretty hot. At idle, the cluster gauge made it to red and my auxiliary temp gauge red 210. This was with the heat on and the ac condenser fan on as well. When I got home, I let it idle with the coolant cap off to bleed some air and added some more coolant as I'm sure the heater core took some. When everything was said and done it was at halfway on the cluster and just under 200 on the other gauge. I need to get the car on more of an incline and do it again. I have two fans to add as well so I think the cooling might be taken care of.
.....
I also have seemed to acquire my father-in-laws project car that's been sitting for 10 years. He can't work on it and would rather see it finished by someone who would appreciate it. I pick that up in November but you'll have to wait til then.

And yes, I know there are no pictures. I'll try and get some posted this weekend along with a sound clip assuming there are no issues at the shop.

On the coolant bleeding, that is where my one major mistake in my swap occured... I had a heater hose slightly loose... anyways i could not keep the heater from blowing hot air, and with air staying entrained in the system i ended up blowing my head gasket by overheating (after trying for hours of bleeding) - of course maybe the gasket was bad to begin with... but... if the heat doesnt stay hot just be careful!! Sounds like you are ok tho.

other than that, new project car sounds fun! and i really like the rear deck, 911 style shelf/seats sound very nice..

good job and enjoy!

[jackbenny]

So tonight was .... fun?

Tonight I fired up the car after putting the proper registration stickers on the plate and decided to take it to get gas for the first time in two years. During the drive which was really only a couple of miles total, I was able to assess several things about the car:

1) My alignment is crap. The caster is providing some great steering feedback but my toe is way off. The car will push on initial turn in and then bite pretty hard. The tires are new and need to be scrubbed but it was an unsettling feeling. That alignment is forthcoming.

2) My horn keeps shorting in the steering wheel hub. It's quite embarrassing to pull into the gas station with your horn blaring. I have since unplugged the horns until I can figure out what's shorting in the hub.

3) I have not installed an O2 sensor but my check engine light has yet to come on. I have verified that it works by unplugging various sensors on the engine and it lights immediately. I would have thought it would be in open loop now.

4) Engine got pretty hot. At idle, the cluster gauge made it to red and my auxiliary temp gauge red 210. This was with the heat on and the ac condenser fan on as well. When I got home, I let it idle with the coolant cap off to bleed some air and added some more coolant as I'm sure the heater core took some. When everything was said and done it was at halfway on the cluster and just under 200 on the other gauge. I need to get the car on more of an incline and do it again. I have two fans to add as well so I think the cooling might be taken care of.

Friday, the car will get its exhaust system installed. The setup will be very similar to Hoveringuy's. I got a nice y transition piece from the place he recommended. I was quite pleased. It will go to a magnaflow cat, to a Borla XR1 intermediate resonator/muffler and back to a vibrant muffler. Piping will be stainless. They are going to try and tweak my headers as well.

The car now has door handles and I've started prepping the trim and painting it. They seem to be coming along fine and Blunt is shipping me some fasteners for it. Dad has repaired the bumpers and I will going out next month to paint them and pick them around Thanksgiving.

I also have seemed to acquire my father-in-laws project car that's been sitting for 10 years. He can't work on it and would rather see it finished by someone who would appreciate it. I pick that up in November but you'll have to wait til then.

And yes, I know there are no pictures. I'll try and get some posted this weekend along with a sound clip assuming there are no issues at the shop.

[ayemattyyy]

Nardi deep corn in Alcantara, read up a page or two.
Looking great man! And congrats with the kid. Glad to see you still find time for both him and the car.
Matt