JackBenny's 1991 318is Project

[jackbenny]

To me, it only pays to have a windshield guy do it if it's sealed, like in an E30 M3 or later bimmers. I recall you were having a hell of a time with yours, and I'm not sure why. Mine went in without any issues.



There is a guy that makes fairly inexpensive CF OBC fill panels, both blank and with various cutouts for gauges, switches, etc.. I thought I saved the link, but now can't find it (I got a trim panel from a Euro 316i, that had no opening for the OBC/clock, with centered heater controls).

Couldn't tell you why. The older locking strips are much stiffer than the new ones I purchased. I may get a bug and try again but my biggest fear is that I will get frustrated and crack the windshield or worse yet, the back glass.

I remember a thread describing what you wrote about but like you, I couldn't find it as well. Gauges will go where the radio used to reside and you can pick up a single DIN piece from summitt or jegs pretty cheap. I might explore realoem and see what the other cars have.

WOW Josh I cant say Ive ever seen a cooler build. Ive just spent an hour going through this and it is truly awesome. Very impressive attention to detail and above all good taste.
Im blown away.

yea, i have blunt in my thread!

I didn't know the M3 covers went all the way over to the passenger side. My 318is one only covers half of that.. Hmmmm, I wonder how much that one piece is.

It's two pieces. The one that covers the harness piece bolted to the fire wall and then the second piece that covers the power distribution area. Got it from BluntTech.

[Matt-B]

its like 20-30$ contact blunt. they call them m3 covers cause yea, its a full cover, because the coolant bottle sits there on e30 m3. protects wires if coolant spills or overflows :D

[SamE30e]

I didn't know the M3 covers went all the way over to the passenger side. My 318is one only covers half of that.. Hmmmm, I wonder how much that one piece is.

[Matt-B]

2.5 hrs total man I just spent going through all this. I love this thread. good progress. Choices of parts are nice. Love the total rebuild. you saved another one!!!! GL on the baby and hope everything goes well also.

matt

[Schwarz325]

wow a truly awesome build, so much attention to details!

good job man, keep up updated!

[monty23psk]

Coming out very nice. Hopefully it will get started soon enough.

[blunttech]

WOW Josh I cant say Ive ever seen a cooler build. Ive just spent an hour going through this and it is truly awesome. Very impressive attention to detail and above all good taste.
Im blown away.

[flipper325es]

The forward clip at the center of the windsheild was giving me fits so I took out the front glass. It was only held in with 4 scraps of locking strip anyway and it made the installation much easier. I'll have a windsheild guy come out and install it later.

To me, it only pays to have a windshield guy do it if it's sealed, like in an E30 M3 or later bimmers. I recall you were having a hell of a time with yours, and I'm not sure why. Mine went in without any issues.

I am deleting the OBC and will fabricate a panel for the two window switches and the breaker to go. I am contemplating carbon fiber to match the doors.

There is a guy that makes fairly inexpensive CF OBC fill panels, both blank and with various cutouts for gauges, switches, etc.. I thought I saved the link, but now can't find it (I got a trim panel from a Euro 316i, that had no opening for the OBC/clock, with centered heater controls).

[jackbenny]

Small update today. I didn't get to work on everything I wanted today due to other obligations but progress was still made. The nursery is almost finished and the interior of the car is coming together nicely.

Gots the uncracked dash out and the wife was kind enough to clean it and use some Aerospace 303 on it.



In the meantime I was doing a pretty extensive wire reroute in the cabin of the car. Reasons will be clear later.



Floor look pretty. I will not be running a center console so I elected to place the window control switches in the dash.







I remember removing the dash and it was a pain to put back in. The forward clip at the center of the windsheild was giving me fits so I took out the front glass. It was only held in with 4 scraps of locking strip anyway and it made the installation much easier. I'll have a windsheild guy come out and install it later.



I like.



I like a lot.

Blunt sent me some M3 harness covers for the engine bay. I reworked the harness so it fit better.





I am pleased with how the engine bay is turning out. Let's hope it starts!



Here the climate control is reinstalled. I am deleting the OBC and will fabricate a panel for the two window switches and the breaker to go. I am contemplating carbon fiber to match the doors.

And that's it. It doesn't look like much but it took all day. I still wanted to re-bleed the brakes since I got some new master cylinder grommets but that didn't happen. I need to order a coolant temperature sensor for the engine because I ordered the wrong one...twice. Once I get that in, I should be able to hook everything up. I will probably order an expansion tank too so hopefully I can fire this up next weekend. Got word that my seats will be shipped in a couple of weeks too so things are looking up.

Til the next update.

[jackbenny]

Looks nice, but, I don't know anything about the quality and whatnot.

I got it from a thread on bimmerforums. Jack Money from Elephant Racing uses it. It's similar to the Canton Racing Products unit but about 20 bucks cheaper.

Just curious.

[325ix]

yeah, yeah, yeah. It's on the to do list. I'll probably take the hood off to polish and do it then.

Any thoughts on something like this for a coolant expansion tank?

http://www.joesracing.com/scripts/pr...?idProduct=748

Looks nice, but, I don't know anything about the quality and whatnot.

[jackbenny]

Awesome

Ps. Repaint your Hood Hinge

yeah, yeah, yeah. It's on the to do list. I'll probably take the hood off to polish and do it then.

Any thoughts on something like this for a coolant expansion tank?

http://www.joesracing.com/scripts/pr...?idProduct=748

[GK-E30M3]

Awesome

Ps. Repaint your Hood Hinge

[jackbenny]

Bummer about the fan blade man!! I have just over a half inch of clearance for both the engine and radiator. I have the stock m20 radiator and as long as I make sure my motor mounts are good, I think I should be fine!! :) I'm very happy with the fan blade it self too! Very thin and since it has the supporting ring around the outside of the blades, I don't see it coming apart like the stock blades supposedly do!!

Great looking build, excited to see it done!!

Cheers,
Chris

That may be the magic combination then. I'll have to pass that on to Blunt. It's a good fan and looks to be a great option for those who still want to retain their mechanical fans.

A noble effort I suppose. ;)

[jackbenny]

If you need an expansion tank built let me know, I can whip one up for ya that's aluminumy as well. Just have to tell me where you want it to go and if you want it polished or not. I dont know if you saw it at last meeting, but that windshield washer i could make one exactly like the aluminum windshield washer resivour i made. Only with proper bungs for coolant caps.

Serious? I'd like to put it in the passenger side by the firewall...where the battery used to go. That's the E30 M3 style, right? That would be sweet. Doesn't even need to be polished. Let me know. :)