the grip missile. chronicling the sadventures of a neglected M3

[rajicase]

Something like this? http://www.cseoffroad.com/1910703.html

But whats the purpose of putting it in the trunk?

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And what about these mats? http://www.ecstuning.com/ES196751/?g...lU4aAv0m8P8HAQ

I need new ones as well.. was thinking about these

[doktor b]

i had to fight flickr, my phone, gmail, and the oldest operating version of IE to get this pic posted because no one likes threads without pictures.
this is from last week when i washed the car. pretty sure this is pre-radiator duct install too judging by the concrete visible thru the center grille in the bumper.
i've ordered a new passenger side kidney thru work, but it's super janky. i'm gonna paint it and see what i can do to make it look less like trash.

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Something like this? http://www.cseoffroad.com/1910703.html

But whats the purpose of putting it in the trunk?

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And what about these mats? http://www.ecstuning.com/ES196751/?g...lU4aAv0m8P8HAQ

I need new ones as well.. was thinking about these

purpose of putting it in the trunk was originally to make room for a turbo....but i've since slightly modified that plan and now just want to clean up the bay a bit. that big, unsightly tank is ugly and has to go. i don't want to put the tank in the bumper because i like to keep the bumper easy to remove. (4 nuts, 4 screws currently)

those mats are perfect. i'll see about getting a set in on our next ECS order at work!

[rajicase]

Ever consider paint?

[doktor b]

Ever consider paint?

what? the car?
yeah. i've considered it. but it would need to go back to bare metal. the paint was super rough when i got it. a ton of super deep scratches, key marks, and rock chips. i'll probably wrap it with vinyl over the winter. i have some better connections for that than i did earlier this year so it should net a better result.

if i spent the money on proper paint, id want the car to be perfect. and this car will never be perfect. it'd cost me a fortune to get there and i'm not interested in having a car like that again right now. it's easy enough to strip the plasti-dipped sections or peel a wrap if i ever decide to paint the car. but in all likelihood, i'll DIY the paint if i ever pursue a paint job.

the nice part of the car having awful paint is that it liberates me to try whatever i want with the body with minimal/no consequences. if i FUBAR a panel, i can just slap another on from a boneyard and if it's JETBLACK instead of COSMO, i really won't even care. same goes for a wrap. i just wrap the new panel and i'm off.

i'll probably just buy another M3/e36 with a clean shell at some point so i can have a 'nice car' and a fun car.

[Baby ///M3]

Your car is coming together very nicely! I especially like the rims.

Kudos to you for having the patience and perseverance to continue modding this car as needed.

Jon

[doktor b]

Your car is coming together very nicely! I especially like the rims.

Kudos to you for having the patience and perseverance to continue modding this car as needed.

Jon

thanks.
i just today ordered something i didn't need, but really wanted. (that's a teaser)
a bit of maintenance while i gather a few sundry bits and i'll have a big BFC reveal party. (that's a post in this thread where i let the cat out of the bag...unless it's Schroedinger's Cat...)
updates will follow as i actually do something other than work and troll this forum.

[M3Dynamic]

Why not just plasti dip the whole thing?

[rajicase]

^^He had it plasti dipped.

I actually kind of liked the matte black look of your car OP. But maybe it didnt look right in person? IDK

[doktor b]

Why not just plasti dip the whole thing?

^^He had it plasti dipped.

I actually kind of liked the matte black look of your car OP. But maybe it didnt look right in person? IDK

as posted, it was fully dipped at one point. i hated it more than anything i can recall doing to any car i've ever owned. i hate the dip, but it works very well with the whole ethos of this project. at some point, i'll try a different exterior treatment. but that's back-burnered for now. got something much better than shiny paint in the works.

[3VurtSpeed28I]

When will this Bag of Cats be released?
By the way i follow you on instagram im Jack_simon1 fallow 4 fallow?

[HBpredhunter]

Everything looks great so far, perfect car to start chopping up, you could always use it for tracking too.

[propcar]

When will this Bag of Cats be released?
By the way i follow you on instagram im Jack_simon1 fallow 4 fallow?

current status

[doktor b]

When will this Bag of Cats be released?
By the way i follow you on instagram im Jack_simon1 fallow 4 fallow?

the two big packages arrive next Tuesday. We'll see if I can keep my secret past then.
ill check out your IG for sure.

Everything looks great so far, perfect car to start chopping up, you could always use it for tracking too.

i was planning on Auto-X this summer, but the chapter I was going to join lost their spot to race at right before the first event. They just got another one last week. We'll see if I can make it out this year or if it'll be next. HPDE is cool, but expensive AF. And I'd rather not go too crazy til I have at least a half-cage. Planning at least one trip to the Tail of the Dragon next summer. Hoping to make a few trips in lieu of so many car shows.

current status

Indeed.

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Changed LR wheel bearing tonight.
sheared a bolt in the exhaust hanger. Got to weld in a bolt to take its place.
no pics because wheel bearings are boring and no one cares.
i did identify my diff ratio today tho. So that's cool. (3.23 if you're wondering)
driving to Philly Friday. Hopefully the M continues its streak of being dead nuts reliable.

[doktor b]

drove 1400 miles between Thursday of last week and yesterday. it was hot and it was humid. most of the 650+ miles i drove yesterday were thru 94-99 degree heat. the M never missed a beat.

i stopped in Reading, PA (pronounced red-ding. who knew that? silly PA.) on my way to Philly as i needed to flip my front tires and i have a friend there that was able to refer me to his tire guy. got the tires flipped pretty quickly (and for the paltry sum of 20USD) and he was checking out my hooptie. he says, "that's a pretty sweet harness bar you've got there." i thanked him for the compliment, but added that i hate it and intend to replace it with a 4-point ASAP. he follows with, "you really want a 4-point? i have one at home in my shed." this was followed by some driving and a lot of sweating (it was hot AF) and some swearing. but we managed to finagle the rollbar into the M without removing the rollbar....but everything else got moved.

it rattled.

a lot.

for another ~800 miles.

i'm not 100% on what brand it is. it's actually the back half of a bolt-in 6point cage. it's sitting in my garage waiting for me to cut some of it out, replace part of it, and reinforce it a bit beyond that. i'll be sure to share pics after i take some. (probably tomorrow)

also. i got the bagged cat i mentioned a few posts ago. fedex dropped off the two packages today. the boxes looked not so hot, but the contents are in perfect condition. as my plans for 'projekt bagged cat' (henceforth to be referred to as PBC) have slightly evolved, i fear it may be closer to March/April before i release the cat. (there are enough unfinished projects on this car for you guys to ogle in the interim)

just rest assured that i'm piling up parts for PBC and all the other sub-projects that make up the #gripmissile

d-r-b-out

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ordering a cubby/clock tomorrow to remove my OBC in preparation for more instrumentation.

is there any reason why i couldn't just completely remove the OBC, its wiring, and sensors?

car is OBDI

TIA

[doktor b]

that's my sweet rollbar as of 08:00 this AM.
it's gonna undergo some changes in the coming weeks.
for you safety enthusiasts, i plan to weld this into the chassis. however, the feet are very small. am i better off building boxes and welding to those? or can i just add a larger plate under each foot to help spread the load? **mainly at the base of the B-pillar. i'm definitely just using a large plate for the rear stays.

[Apex24]

Bolt in and then weld the plate all the way around? Seems to be the best of both worlds and wouldn't require any extra fab work

[rajicase]

I am boycotting this thread. How could you tease us with some super cool project and then tell us you won't be revealing it for months?!?!! :p

[fiveightandten]

Good read. Looks like a fun car.

If it were me, i'd do a roll job on the car. Either all black, or white.

[rajicase]

Good read. Looks like a fun car.

If it were me, i'd do a roll job on the car. Either all black, or white.

What is a roll job?

Oh wait.. I'm boycotting this thread.

[doktor b]

Bolt in and then weld the plate all the way around? Seems to be the best of both worlds and wouldn't require any extra fab work

yeah, I think I'm just gonna add another plate under each of the 4 existing plates and weld everything.

I am boycotting this thread. How could you tease us with some super cool project and then tell us you won't be revealing it for months?!?!! :p

im calling your bluff on the boycott.
based on an email convo today, the wait won't be nearly as long as originally thought.

Good read. Looks like a fun car.

If it were me, i'd do a roll job on the car. Either all black, or white.

considered that. One of our regular customers at work is a paint/body guy. Ill trade him some work at some point and get my paint issues slowly sorted....probably.

euro cubby/clock came in today. Pics this weekend.

tryjng to sell my wheels to fund more changes. So if you know anyone looking, LMK.

[rajicase]

I am NOT bluffing! After this post I am boycotting for reals.

But not the wheels I think those wheels look sweet..

Okay boycott starts now

[doktor b]

I am NOT bluffing! After this post I am boycotting for reals.

But not the wheels I think those wheels look sweet..

Okay boycott starts now

i want 18s real badly.
and i want to do some aero.
if i sell the HREs, i can afford both.
if they don't sell, i'm gonna be stuck where i am til next fall/winter.

[rajicase]

Why 18s? I think 17s are the only size wheel that looks good on an e36 m3. Any bigger just looks off IMO. But everyone got their own opinion.

Im still waiting for the details of project bag cat. Or cat bag.

[doktor b]

Why 18s? I think 17s are the only size wheel that looks good on an e36 m3. Any bigger just looks off IMO. But everyone got their own opinion.

Im still waiting for the details of project bag cat. Or cat bag.

for a standard bodied e36, you're exactly right. 17s look the best.
but my FF widebody has re-radiused arches and the 17s look small from the side. (like a 16 on an e36. close, but not quite right. no matter how wide)
the bagged cat project got some good news via email last night. so maybe sooner....maybe.
the sale of the HREs will really expedite the bagged cat as well as some of the other mods i really want.
ugh. i need to be wealthy.
like really badly

[rajicase]

The things I could do with my car if I was wealthy So much want.. so little money