SoCal General Chat

[max.rodriguezzz]

First weekend of chassis swap down✓

Started by swapping over my front suspension, and rear springs/struts. Rear subframe/trailing arms next, just waiting on those bushings. Started stripping down the interior as well, so thats next. Upgrading to stainless steel brake lines, and brass pedal bushings. Money is getting TIIIGGGHHHTT for me so thats a big challenge within this too.

After all the parts are swapped, im gunna need to overall the sunroof, and the car will need paint or some sort of paint correction. I plan to swap over my doors and trunk too 1.) so I can keep my original locks/key 2.) because they are just better condition. I'll figure out the vin stickers later. I want to treat myself to a new windshield at some point too.

I'm thinking once I get the car fully swapped over and out of his place, I'll take care of the upgrades and nice things on my own time. So the "comeback" wont be a whole grand finale kind of thing. Just one of the compromises I'll have to make with my situation. Having no garage at my apartment sucks ass.

Also I'm horrible at taking photos of the process, and not good and keeping threads updated, so bear with me on that too..

JasonWilson48 - seems like our timelines are similar, my overall goal is to get EVERYTHING I want completed in time for the e30 picnic.

Only photos from the weekend :3

[JasonWilson48]

max.rodriguezzz I think the real turning point will be if I can get it done before June. If I do that, I think I got it in the bag. If I don't... I'm getting married in June, and won't be able to work on the car for basically all of June and July. That will give you some time to catch up on summer break.

Since you're calling yourself a brokie, I'll buy the $5 sticker for the loser /s

[max.rodriguezzz]

2mAn Keep my name out of your mouth over here in the SoCal chat! Now that being said…

max.rodriguezzz it’s on! Simon just signed you up.

We will have a poll on here for terrible bumper stickers. And based on voting in that poll, the loser will have to purchase and put that bumper sticker on their car. Make it a little interesting!

HAHAAAAA OK I GUESS IM IN! Fair warning you might eat me alive on this one. Brokie college student over here, consumed by school work, and slaving away at some minimum wage job... also Im storing the cars at my friends place about an hour away from me, and so I only really have the weekend to work on it. This should be interesting, But I'm still up for the challenge. May the loser suffer the worst bumper sticker I guess haha ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'll start my own thread once I get at it this weekend.

Also, if anyone is looking for any parts let me know. - (besides the chassis and bumpers OBVIOUSLY)

[JasonWilson48]

2mAn Keep my name out of your mouth over here in the SoCal chat! Now that being said…

max.rodriguezzz it’s on! Simon just signed you up.

We will have a poll on here for terrible bumper stickers. And based on voting in that poll, the loser will have to purchase and put that bumper sticker on their car. Make it a little interesting!

[2mAn]

Road tripped up to NorCal this weekend in my friends e46 325iX wagon, acquired a running and driving late model coupe - this means chassis swap can now begin. We spent a few nights at my friends place in Chico. Spent 2 days getting it road trip ready, then drove the car 11 hours and like 500+ miles back home to SoCal. Two major fuel leaks from both o-rings on both sides of the gas tank (fuel pump and level sensor). Kinda silly, but with some large o-rings from the plumbing section of home depot, the issues were able to be fixed. M20 did great the whole way home. I'll keep the SoCal forum updated on the chassis swap progress. Most fun weekend I've had in a loooooong time.

Nice work!! Start a full thread and we can see who finishes their chassis swap first, as JasonWilson48 is doing the same thing right now in Philly (right?)

East Coast VS West Coast!

[max.rodriguezzz]

Road tripped up to NorCal this weekend in my friends e46 325iX wagon, acquired a running and driving late model coupe - this means chassis swap can now begin. We spent a few nights at my friends place in Chico. Spent 2 days getting it road trip ready, then drove the car 11 hours and like 500+ miles back home to SoCal. Two major fuel leaks from both o-rings on both sides of the gas tank (fuel pump and level sensor). Kinda silly, but with some large o-rings from the plumbing section of home depot, the issues were able to be fixed. M20 did great the whole way home. I'll keep the SoCal forum updated on the chassis swap progress. Most fun weekend I've had in a loooooong time.

[Chilezen]

It's still winter. Holy crap. I saw in the news last week that people were rushing up the mountains to enjoy the snow we just got. And now it's over 90°

[MrBurgundy]

Nice summer day, boys.

[E30_IZM]

Friday the 27th is correct, for the Midtown Crossing E30 Meet.
Like Simon said earlier, our state is not fun/loud car friendly, some like to live on the edge and still risk it,. It’s really up to you to make that decision. I say come check out the meet and judge for yourself.

Hope to see out there.

[Chilezen]

This might get buried but this year's schedule is

Feb 27
Apr 24
Jun 26
Aug 28
Oct 30
Dec 18

Same spot as usual unless otherwise noted. 4550 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019 middle level of the parking structure.
8pm - 11pm

With how the roads are here, and some driveways, I would recommend raising the ride height a bit.

[2mAn]

also, just generally looking to make friends in the area.

Hi Chris! You made it... Theres a GTG at the end of every other month (right Chilezen ?) called the Mid_city GTG.Happens on a Friday night. SoCal Vintage isnt until October.

As for the car, theres a few parking options though not sure whats up that way by you in Echo Park. I think Hagerty has something up in the valley that might be closer than the few options I know of in the South Bay area.

Dont rush to register it here until you know exactly what the next step is. Also, I can try and connect you with Beau to help with the tuning.

[MrBurgundy]

welcome

If you see an unattended trash fire in the middle of the road, don't call 911

They arent going to come

[chriso]

So I just moved to LA. Looking to meet some people and learn some details about the scene here. I’m bringing my S42 tribute e30 here this spring from Vermont, and trying to see if it’s worth keeping it in Cali or selling it.

essentially, I finished it up recently, but it’s an NA M42 spinning to 10,600 rpm and making about 290hp running on E85. Too slammed to really get to my house in Echo Park, and too loud to not be obviously modified, so not sure what my options are otherwise. Especially getting it registered.

also, just generally looking to make friends in the area.

[max.rodriguezzz]

GD Teslas...

Sorry man, there are shells out there. (I took your email to avoid bots/ spam being sent your way)

Whats been done to yours that makes you want to do a full chassis swap??

No worries and thanks man, I hope I can come across something good soon.

The reason why I want to chassis swap it, theres some buckling on the roof, and the firewall got beat up :( Even if I got everything as straight as could be and replace what is necessary, The structural rigidity will forever be compromised, and that just not safe. Especially because I plan to continue to keep this car my daily driver, I plan to keep it a street car, and anything can happen out on the road, I think safety should be the priority. Also a full chassis swap eliminates the risk of parts not lining up in the future, which would be a whole headache to deal with.

Reasons I want to keep it/chassis swap:
- first off, its an iS, so 3.73 LSD, sport seats, Mtech 1 wheel, BBS basketweaves, iS front lip, iS rear wing, 13 button obc, rear parcel shelf, and the map light rear view mirror.
- also its got a damn clean interior

The things I've done to it-
- getrag 260 swapped
- stainless steel clutch fork pivot pin
- poly/delrin shifter bushings
- Garagistic dssr shift selector rod/joint
- bmw z3 short shifter
- bmw z3 steering rack conversion
- polyurethane steering coupler bushing
- front and rear strut bars
- bilstein b8 shocks and struts
-H&R race springs lowering springs
- e90 front strut top hats
- condor speed shop adjustable rear spring pads
- 3.73 Limited slip differential (as mentioned)
- differential mounting bolt to stud conversion
- polyurethane front sway bar bushings
- Garagistic SPEC front sway bar
- Turner Motorsport Jim Conforti ecu chip tune
- full sound system-( Bluetooth head unit, amplifier, 10” sub, new speakers, 10g speaker wire. I honestly forgot the exact specs for all that equipment, but it bumps decently nice)
- r12 to r134a AC conversion
- rebuilt and fully functioning sunroof
- Sparco Sprint bucket seat, with Garagistic mounting supplies (seat was swapped in/out for autoX days)

Also, I've fully refreshed everything engine and suspension wise, Dead reliable.

So yea, needless to say I've put hundreds of hours, blood, sweat, and tears into this. It sucks to see the car this way, but I'm not giving up on it and I'll get back in e30 one way or another.

[2mAn]

Hey everyone, tragedy struck, I was moving some boxes to my new apartment and a Tesla brake checked me and I couldn't stop in time :( After extensive analysis and consideration, I think a full chassis swap is the safest and most logistical route to go to get me back in an E30 and on the road again.

WITH THAT BEING SAID - If anyone has, or has any leads to a donor chassis:
- clean title
- straight body
- 2 door
- hardtop
- (ideally) black

GD Teslas...

Sorry man, there are shells out there. (I took your email to avoid bots/ spam being sent your way)

Whats been done to yours that makes you want to do a full chassis swap??