5sp 528iT Transformed from an ugly duckling

[umnitza]

In early September, we found a great car for our shop. One that would help us deliver items to our customers, ship items out through our shipping partners, get reasonably great gas mileage doing that, AND look good.

Below is a small list that doesn't include all the things we did to it, but some of the highlights. Now, some of these items could not have been done without the help of our local partners, so, in alphabetical order:
Contra Costa Auto Service Adrian
@Federal Auto Body in Concord - Mark & Crew
@Independent - BMW And Mercedes Benz Maintenance and Repair

And here's the list of upgrades:
A: Motorsport Molding Badge
B: Body Color M-Sport Moldings
C: V4 LED Brake Light Bulbs
D: V4 LED Reverse Light Bulbs
E: V4 LED License Plate Bulbs
F: Mtech Wagon Rear Bumper
G: Body Color Window Release Cover
H: M5 Front Bumper
I: Projector39 Hella Style with Orion V4
H1 Bixenon Mini Projectors
35W Canbus 6000K
K: V4 LED Front Turn Signals with Resistor
L: Full Interior LED Kit
M: Full Interior Detail
N: E39 M5 Style Side Mirrors
O: Umnitza E39 Coil-Over Kit (in testing)
All New Suspension (Subframe Bushings, Control Arms F/R, RSM, TM etc.)
P: Painted Wiper Trim (Jet BLack)
Q: Full Buff & Polish
R: New Clutch
S: Painted Window and Door Trim
T: 35% Tint
U: BBS CH Reps 19X8.5 and 19X9.5 with 245/35 and 275/30

It started by looking like an ugly duckling:
https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1185423_10152187937744874_138607324_n.jpg

And slowly, it turned into a pretty decent looking swan:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t31/1504312_10152187938449874_904221692_o.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1506312_10152187938569874_1258309361_o.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1532083_10152187938389874_1583814333_o.jpg

[AnotherGeezer]

Saw that on your FB page. The car looks great.

[Dave Sal]

Looking good. Lot's of cosmetic upgrades, which make the car look really well cared for and updated. Any upgrades to the cooling system, which is a known weak point on these cars? If not, consider a complete cooling system overhaul including radiator, water pump, belts, fan clutch and expansion tank.

[1NAWTY5]

Build looking good!

More info on this coilover kit in testing. Non-sls? camber plates?, Adjustable damping?

[sparklee39]

An very big change ! Congrat !

[AusE39er]

Nice work. But personally those original rims look better.

[AquilaBMW]

Very Nice Indeed! You guys actually used this to deliver to a buddy of mine in San Mateo. Anyway you'd be able to relist the items with pricing per item? Also... questions, questions, questions.... we need details on the touring coilover. Will there be one for the 540iT? How did you guys do the Shadowline trim around the doors / windows?

[RVAE34]

Great shop vehicle.

Are you getting the coilovers from Fortune Auto? Fortune seems to be the only company that makes a decent touring option now. They used my car as the prototype and I absolutely love my suspension. Drives like a sedan. I also just got my solid upper rear mounts from Fortune's fabricator but have yet to put them in. Even with the oem upper rear rubber mounts, the car handles wonderfully on backroads.

[540i4life]

Looks mean. I like it

Sent from my Soviet Nuke using BF.com

[AutoRotate]

Very nice.

[umnitza]

Looking good. Lot's of cosmetic upgrades, which make the car look really well cared for and updated. Any upgrades to the cooling system, which is a known weak point on these cars? If not, consider a complete cooling system overhaul including radiator, water pump, belts, fan clutch and expansion tank.
First thing we did was the cooling system (FCP provided the parts).


Build looking good!

More info on this coilover kit in testing. Non-sls? camber plates?, Adjustable damping?
Custom GC Camber Plates, for now non-SLS.
We're still working out the details on the back.
Non-adjustable


Very Nice Indeed! You guys actually used this to deliver to a buddy of mine in San Mateo. Anyway you'd be able to relist the items with pricing per item? Also... questions, questions, questions.... we need details on the touring coilover. Will there be one for the 540iT? How did you guys do the Shadowline trim around the doors / windows?
The car was masked off and the trim pieces were all painted body color Jet Black 668/9. Normally a service like this ranges from $750-1500 due to the labor involved.
The suspension we're not 100% sure we're going to release it, there are some drawbacks on this setup that requires camber plates. We'd like to build a set that had the proper plates rather than relying on CG.
See attachment.488983



Great shop vehicle.

Are you getting the coilovers from Fortune Auto? Fortune seems to be the only company that makes a decent touring option now. They used my car as the prototype and I absolutely love my suspension. Drives like a sedan. I also just got my solid upper rear mounts from Fortune's fabricator but have yet to put them in. Even with the oem upper rear rubber mounts, the car handles wonderfully on backroads.
Our own. I don't think a wagon can ever truly drive like a sedan, too much glass/flex, but it gets close with the setup.

[Stück]

Umnothxbra.

[RVAE34]

Custom GC Camber Plates, for now non-SLS.
We're still working out the details on the back.
Non-adjustable



The suspension we're not 100% sure we're going to release it, there are some drawbacks on this setup that requires camber plates. We'd like to build a set that had the proper plates rather than relying on CG.
See attachment.488983



Our own. I don't think a wagon can ever truly drive like a sedan, too much glass/flex, but it gets close with the setup.

I can assure you mine drives like a sedan :) It amazes me. I am very particular.

Those pictures couldn't be of the non SLS touring kit unless you did a lot of modifications to the subframe. Those are all in one rears and have circular upper mounts which would never fit in a touring. I originally thought about doing an all in one kit but an engineer told me the shocks mounts on the subframe weren't designed to take all the force of a coilover and would break over time. And at the very least you would have to use triangular rear mounts like these.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/11787285003_18d72141a3_c.jpg

[umnitza]

You're 100% right, it's just a sample of the type we're working with.
Still haven't worked out all the kinks.

[Stück]

RVAE34, China hasn't sent them new pictures yet.

[AnotherGeezer]

Stork, the forum's resident grumpy britches, sprinkling the board with his customary rainbows and unicorns

[AquilaBMW]

RVAE34, China hasn't sent them new pictures yet.

Hmmm.... He said GC. If they are the GC I am thinking of, they are in Northern California - not China. They also make some seriously great quality coilovers.


Stork, the forum's resident grumpy britches, sprinkling the board with his customary rainbows and unicorns

Today is a milestone! I totally agree with you! LOL! HNY!


First thing we did was the cooling system (FCP provided the parts).

Custom GC Camber Plates, for now non-SLS.
We're still working out the details on the back.
Non-adjustable

The car was masked off and the trim pieces were all painted body color Jet Black 668/9. Normally a service like this ranges from $750-1500 due to the labor involved.
The suspension we're not 100% sure we're going to release it, there are some drawbacks on this setup that requires camber plates. We'd like to build a set that had the proper plates rather than relying on CG.
See attachment.488983

Our own. I don't think a wagon can ever truly drive like a sedan, too much glass/flex, but it gets close with the setup.

Interesting project and Kudos for taking it head on. Hopefully this provides Touring owner more inspiration and the knowledge that one can build a kick ass touring as well. Will you be offering the Shadowline service to customers?

If you are indeed dealing with the guys from GC up north, I am pretty sure they have Camber plates available or they can build adjustable camber mounts and incorporate them into the coilover kit.

[umnitza]

Hmmm.... He said GC. If they are the GC I am thinking of, they are in Northern California - not China. They also make some seriously great quality coilovers.



Today is a milestone! I totally agree with you! LOL! HNY!



Interesting project and Kudos for taking it head on. Hopefully this provides Touring owner more inspiration and the knowledge that one can build a kick ass touring as well. Will you be offering the Shadowline service to customers?

If you are indeed dealing with the guys from GC up north, I am pretty sure they have Camber plates available or they can build adjustable camber mounts and incorporate them into the coilover kit.

Yes, GC = Ground Control in NorCal. We actually had one of their reps make a set of CP for the E39 M5 that were custom for these coils.
The rear is proving to be a challenge as far as time and research and may need to be delayed due to other projects.

today is a true milestone as the maiden voyage in its current state was undertaken...note the "slight" bend in the cross bar...
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/893103_10152192617324874_922755426_o.jpg

[RuskiE39]

Nice! *thums up*

[jamesdc4]

I like the makeover, but I wouldn't exactly call the E39 touring an ugly duckling in it's stock config.

[UmnitzaSupport]

i love driving this car
it was a disaster when i first saw it, it looked like it was parked inside a bird cage and the birds pecked the whole car.

[d1984]

looks great :cool

[umnitza]

Thanks D!