Jayson's E38 740i: Project Freeway

[purplecty]

Great progress! My rear shock plate is bent and will be replacing them soon with bilstein b4s...

[Odartey]

My rear suspension took a crap while driving back from another trip to South Carolina. Looks like 17 years, 147k, and northeast winters finally did in the stock struts. Stay tuned!

Oh snap, that's exactly what happened to mine 2 yrs ago. Went with bc coils, couldn't be happier!

[jaysonx]

Oh snap, that's exactly what happened to mine 2 yrs ago. Went with bc coils, couldn't be happier!

I think you are on to something here...

[jaysonx]

Some updates:

UPS Man Goodness!


BC Coilovers - seemed like the best solution for adjustability


Time to get to work, started with the busted shock...


Rear upper arm off, shock bolt coming off, but the strut is frozen in.


Hit this thing with a sledge and chisel over 50 times, no budge. Time to get serious.


Somewhere between using heat for ~20min and banging countless times with the sledge and chisel


And it is finally off. I honestly think it took~500 hits with the 5lb sledge with heat pretty much melting everything. This ended up being the case for both sides.

[jaysonx]

New Hotness vs. Old & Busted


Doing the rear upper arms while I am at it (honestly, there is no way the old arm would still thread the bolt anyway)


Copious amounts of anti-seize installed (never doing that fight again for removal)


For anyone who does this, job is almost impossible without a racheting wrench to hold the bolts.


New coilover and rear upper arms installed!


Might as well replace the front lower arms while I am at it

[Sundaycruzer]

Did you anti-seize the treads if your new coil overs? If not you will have junk in a couple of years. Just a FYI


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[Odartey]

I didn't use anti seize on mine two years ago and it's still golden, fully adjustable.

[Sundaycruzer]

Just a suggestion, salt and aluminum aren’t friends


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[setconstr]

Nice job saving this car your doing Awesome work and it's nice to see !... subscribed

[jaysonx]

First time out on the road since mid august. Car drives great with the new coilovers! Also did an entire polish / paint correction.

Next is the bodyshop to remove some minor wheel well rust.

[CGinev]

Great job so far! Keep it up!

[Jamos]

The car looks great! What a hell of a job getting that old suspension outta there.

[jaysonx]

Nice job saving this car your doing Awesome work and it's nice to see !... subscribed

Thanks

Great job so far! Keep it up!

Thank you!

The car looks great! What a hell of a job getting that old suspension outta there.

Yeah, I've been working on cars for a while - and this one was def. one of the most brutal suspension removals I have ever experienced! lol.

- - - Updated - - -

Did you anti-seize the treads if your new coil overs? If not you will have junk in a couple of years. Just a FYI

Thanks for the heads up on this one. I went back and put anti-seize on the threads and couplings.

[franco90]

Another 750mi trip from NYC area to South Carolina. Scenic Blue Ridge Mountains in Va.



Anddd my rear strut took a crap while driving back. Looks like 17 years, 147k, and northeast winters finally did in the stock struts. Stay tuned!

why you dont get this for your E38
https://www.ebay.com/i/251318655937?chn=ps&dispItem=1

it will display your phone screen on it

[jaysonx]

Woohoo! Next batch of parts in - full 750il brake swap.


Note you need the caliper and mounting brackets. Mine came with both. (Fronts from Autozone, rears from Rock Auto. Ordered Online)

[jaysonx]

End of year update! Bodyshop took care of all of the rust spots, and I swapped over shadowline trim from a sport model. Also finished the 750il brake swap on all 4 corners.

[purplecty]

End of year update! Bodyshop took care of all of the rust spots, and I swapped over shadowline trim from a sport model. Also finished the 750il brake swap on all 4 corners.

Looks great! I hope you painted those calipers as I believe they come unfinished if they are rebuilt ones you purchased...

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[shanecarmaster1]

That came together so nicely! You don't find the BC coilovers too harsh for our Northeastern roads? Stock sport suspension is already borderline for me

[jaysonx]

Looks great! I hope you painted those calipers as I believe they come unfinished if they are rebuilt ones you purchased...

I wanted to but ran out of time. They are painted with that standard gray paint that lots of rebuilt parts use. I may redo it later!

That came together so nicely! You don't find the BC coilovers too harsh for our Northeastern roads? Stock sport suspension is already borderline for me

Thanks! I have the fronts set at full soft and the rears set at 4. It is fine for my taste but did increase road noise more than I’d like. I would have gone with full OEM sport suspension if it wasn’t so dang expensive!

[clarkitect]

Looks really nice.

[danieljames]

Tasteful well sorted build. Your car looks immaculate. Gsx biker who sold me the 750 calipers rebuilt and painted mine. Including the spring retainers. I threw in a set of color coded stainless brake lines as well. I'm still breaking mine in so I can't really tell any particular driving difference. How do yours feel compared to the stock brakes?

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[4liter]

Lookin' good!!

[jaysonx]

Tasteful well sorted build. Your car looks immaculate. Gsx biker who sold me the 750 calipers rebuilt and painted mine. Including the spring retainers. I threw in a set of color coded stainless brake lines as well. I'm still breaking mine in so I can't really tell any particular driving difference. How do yours feel compared to the stock brakes?

Thanks - your setup looks awesome! My brakes needed a total refresh so I didnt mind spending a tad extra for the 750 setup consideing the amount of highway driving and hills / mountains that I deal with. I did the upgrade knowing that it probably wouldnt impact overall stopping distance / etc, but the pedal feel certainly feels much more linear now. I did SS lines and pentosin fluid along with it. Overall I am really happy with the result.

[ColtonBH]

I wanted to but ran out of time. They are painted with that standard gray paint that lots of rebuilt parts use. I may redo it later!



Thanks! I have the fronts set at full soft and the rears set at 4. It is fine for my taste but did increase road noise more than I’d like. I would have gone with full OEM sport suspension if it wasn’t so dang expensive!

What I did that reduced noise drastically, I took a sheet of rubber (sold at hardware stores, 12x12, 1/8 to 3/16 thick) and basically traced and cut it to fit in between the coilover top mount and the body. Did wonders, no more direct metal on metal.

[jaysonx]

What I did that reduced noise drastically, I took a sheet of rubber (sold at hardware stores, 12x12, 1/8 to 3/16 thick) and basically traced and cut it to fit in between the coilover top mount and the body. Did wonders, no more direct metal on metal.

Woah, this is an awesome idea. I am going to give it a shot!