1978 323i driver/project

[cgifool]

I hadn't taken down the center bearing when I took everything apart, but I was thinking along the same lines to re-set the preload just in case. Visually it looks fine, rubber isn't cracked or anything, no obvious noises when I turn it by hand. Flex disc (3 years old, not too many miles) is starting to have a few cracks, annoying, but still not really suspect as far as the noise goes..

Today I idled the car in 2nd gear on stands for a bit while I poked around underneath and listened.. Did not hear anything that sounded all that much like "the noise", except in the right rear disc it sounds like one spot in the rotation where the parking brake shoes making a little sound... Expect I'll have to revisit this again.

I also noticed both boots on one axle are leaking grease out the big end, must not have gotten the clamps on tight enough when I replaced them. I noticed in the blue book that they recommend gluing the ends when reassembling.

No sign of any leakage from the diff at least!

Meanwhile, something interested I never tried before, seems like the rear brakes have very little grab at all - While idling in 2nd gear, standing on the brake pedal I couldn't get the rear left wheel to stop turning (couldn't see the right rear). Seems fishy. Is there any way I can check the proportioning valve?? (strange, looking online I found someone claiming 323s don't have one) I do get a realistic amount of brake fluid from both rear calipers when I flush them with the power bleeder. The old pads have plenty of meat on them, but there's no telling how old they are or if they're contaminated and have lost their grab.

Meantime, I pulled the rear wheels, rotors, and parking brake shoes. New shoes on the shelf. Rotors off to get machined tomorrow (inside and out). New rear pads en route from UK, maybe here friday or saturday, but I'll be out of town.

[cgifool]

Overnight I realized my rear brake issue is probably more with the calipers themselves.. Makes sense, since I ended up replacing the fronts after finding how rusty the pucks were when attempting to rebuild those. Looking for rebuild kits now, hoping there's some easy crossover part available. They're clearly not totally frozen, because the rotor braking surfaces are nice and smooth, and a few days of driving got all the rust off.

[cgifool]

And so it's done. Lol. Frenkit 227001, £1.75 apiece per kit, and £17.14 shipping (2 day DHL).

[cgifool]

Today I started the car up and pushed the brake pedal with the rotors removed, but pads still installed - to check the movement of the rear pistons. They extended until the pads were touching, with little trouble. After removing the pads, I was able to retract both of them smoothly, with finger pressure alone. This would seem to indicate no issue with corrosion of the pistons.

Given how easy the pucks seem to slide in and out, I think I'll hold off on rebuilding the calipers until I can try deglazing the rotors and putting some new pads on there in a couple weeks. Again I wonder if the old pads have gotten contaminated and simply lost their will to grab.

(The rotors are only a year old and the surfaces seem perfectly smooth).

I stopped by the machine shop this morning and asked them to do only the parking brake surfaces, but their tooling was unable to accommodate the job. They suggested "sandpapering the shit out of it".

I'll go with that and the new parking brake shoes, and see how it goes.

[320iAman]

To check the proportioning valve is working fully get a brake pressure Kit- it has a gauge and adapters that fit in the bleeder valve area on the calipers and drums. My back brake shoes were like not wearing and the fronts pads were wearing down faster, I know about the rear adjuster cams--these were equalized-- I bought a new Ate proportioning valve from a parts seller in Italy,, around $90-100 delivered, seller was in a United Nations trade agreement area,, it all went smoothly.

proportioning-valve.png

When the spring ages and or the valve gets restricted by debris and what not--low pressure in the back brake circuit thus back brakes dont grab as they should--caeteris paribus--all other items are good. This is the part that is mostly omitted , like the other half of Ohms Law.

Randy

[cgifool]

Annoying! Today I ran over this big clear dry cleaning bag and of course it immediately glued itself to a 4 foot section of downpipe and exhaust and started melting and stinking

I stopped right away and got the rest of it off, wondering if there’s any real way to clean it up again? Or is it just going to be forever black and burnt looking?

Im hoping a razor blade scraper will help at least partially.

[sbcrockett]

that sucks man. grocery store plastic bag permabonded itself to my resonator a couple years ago. smell is gone (after about 2 weeks) but the black stain remains

[cgifool]

I looked for the solution online and found both oven cleaner and "goo gone" recommended - I plan to go it with the razor blade scraper first then goo gone and oven cleaner (in that order). (oven cleaner sprayed on a rag not directly on the bottom of the car)

[cgifool]

Changed oil & filter, topped off my coolant with distilled water, seems to have dropped several inches in just a month or so... strange.. no sign of head gasket issues, so Im going to assume it's going away via the slow leak from the thermostat area.

Stopped by Lowes today and installed $10-worth of traction control

IMG_0358.jpg

[cgifool]

Got a quote for rust repair and paint job (base coat + clear coat) from a local restoration shop, $11k +/- 20% (eg 9-13k). Yikes. I do know they do good work but that would double my investment in the car.

Going for another quote later this week.

[320iAman]

Got a quote for rust repair and paint job (base coat + clear coat) from a local restoration shop, $11k +/- 20% (eg 9-13k). Yikes. I do know they do good work but that would double my investment in the car.

Going for another quote later this week.

Indeed, prices have gone banana's quite a few shops merely reduce the clear coat and then spray base coat / clear coat, thats why I have re equipped body work , paint, paint guns, ect. A good paint job requires going to bare metal all over the car, rust repair and then start with epoxy and or primer surfacer ect. I have complete coveralls, 3M full mask and filters and so forth. The paint system used too has a big impact on the overall quality of the paint job--there are many paint companies with factory paint for these e21's BASF,Martin Senour,PPG (Shopline, Deltron, Nexa, Global), Sherman Williams, ect paint system is epoxy and or primer, primer sealer, Base Coat, Clear Coat--its best to use one system--like Glasurit, Shopline, ect. Ask these chowder heads what paint system they are using.

Randy

[cgifool]

Indeed, prices have gone banana's ... Ask these chowder heads what paint system they are using.

Randy

Lol "chowder heads". Getting two more quotes Friday, price isn't the only consideration though. I get the feeling the chowderheads definitely would do a good job.

Check out this sweet Aston Martin AM V8 they had in progress... Like a bada$$ mustang.. They generally specialize in Land Rovers though.

IMG_0418.jpg

[mtbmx]

can't wait to see this thing when it's done!

[320iAman]

I'd shop around. If you sanded the car to bare metal and removed the bumpers I'm sure the price would go down, then ready for epoxy or etch primer.


Randy

[cgifool]

There's no way I can handle sanding the car down myself, but this quote was indeed taking into account that I would do all the disassembly and reassembly myself (bumpers, windows, trim, etc). Seems pretty extreme. Getting two more quotes tomorrow.

[320iAman]

Typical costs:

• Some shops offer a paint job for about $300-$900. In this price range, a shop typically uses an inexpensive synthetic enamel paint with a minimum number of coats; they might not paint areas like the door jams or inside the hood; and, in some cases, they may simply mask off rather than take off removable trim and parts (which can result in harsh masking edges or paint in unwanted areas). CostHelper readers report paying $400-$875 for a basic auto paint job at an average price of $566; about a third of these readers say they are unhappy with the results.
• Expect to pay $1,000-$3,500 for a more thorough paint job using higher-quality, brand-name paint, with costs varying depending on the make, model and condition of the vehicle (the amount of rust and number of dents or scratches), and whether any interior or engine-area painting is included. In this price range, the process typically includes additional prep work (sanding, removing rust spots and dents) and ends with three to five applications of clear coat car paint^[1] to protect the base paint color and to create a smooth, glossy final look. CostHelper readers report paying $1,000-$1,800 for a mid-quality paint job, at an average cost of $1,316; most are happy with the results.
• A showroom-quality custom or specialty auto paint job can cost $2,500-$20,000 or more, depending on the make, model and condition of the vehicle, the location, and what is included. This typically includes the highest quality automotive paint (some of which can cost hundreds of dollars a quart); sanding the vehicle down to bare metal, removing any dents, and applying 20-24 layers of paint, including six to eight applications of clear coat; and high-end options such as details by an air brush artist or a two-tone metallic paint job. The process can take up to a month or longer. CostHelper Readers report spending $2,400-$7,500 for high-quality auto painting, with an average cost of $4,975; all report they are satisfied with the final results.

https://cars.costhelper.com/auto-painting.html

A Comment at Cost Helper:

Ask your insurance agent for the phone number of your local insurance claims adjuster. Those guys can point you to a good paint garage.

Randy

[320iAman]

Any Progress ?

Randy

[Bullet Ride]

Typical costs:

• Some shops offer a paint job for about $300-$900. In this price range, a shop typically uses an inexpensive synthetic enamel paint with a minimum number of coats; they might not paint areas like the door jams or inside the hood; and, in some cases, they may simply mask off rather than take off removable trim and parts (which can result in harsh masking edges or paint in unwanted areas). CostHelper readers report paying $400-$875 for a basic auto paint job at an average price of $566; about a third of these readers say they are unhappy with the results.
• Expect to pay $1,000-$3,500 for a more thorough paint job using higher-quality, brand-name paint, with costs varying depending on the make, model and condition of the vehicle (the amount of rust and number of dents or scratches), and whether any interior or engine-area painting is included. In this price range, the process typically includes additional prep work (sanding, removing rust spots and dents) and ends with three to five applications of clear coat car paint^[1] to protect the base paint color and to create a smooth, glossy final look. CostHelper readers report paying $1,000-$1,800 for a mid-quality paint job, at an average cost of $1,316; most are happy with the results.
• A showroom-quality custom or specialty auto paint job can cost $2,500-$20,000 or more, depending on the make, model and condition of the vehicle, the location, and what is included. This typically includes the highest quality automotive paint (some of which can cost hundreds of dollars a quart); sanding the vehicle down to bare metal, removing any dents, and applying 20-24 layers of paint, including six to eight applications of clear coat; and high-end options such as details by an air brush artist or a two-tone metallic paint job. The process can take up to a month or longer. CostHelper Readers report spending $2,400-$7,500 for high-quality auto painting, with an average cost of $4,975; all report they are satisfied with the final results.

You guys are lucky you have so many and such cheap options for paint down there. When I was looking to get mine painted, I contacted about a dozen local paint shops, the regular collision repair shops wanted nothing to do with it, and the shops that do custom work (generally show quality stuff) all wanted a blank check... so like $15-20k to do it. There are very few middle of the road shops left where I live, the type that do both collision repair and restoration work. Eventually I was lucky to find an older guy that is semi-retired and works out of a shop in his back yard. That still cost me $6k, and that was for a very average quality paint job, exterior and engine bay only and I stripped delivered as basically a rolling shell.

[320iAman]

The prices of these paint jobs is what prompted me to get back into car painting, I have 4 spray guns, 7 in disk sander, sanding blocks,sandpaper grits for removing paint to bare metal all the way thru color sanding and many other items,, Maaco is the cheapest,,they will sand down the clear coat and then shoot the paint (paint plus clear coat) for about $800,it will look good for a short time( year or two) and then fade in most cases or delaminate .

Randy

[cgifool]

I'm in Bullet Ride's boat, very few body shops here are willing to do rust work, they just want to do collision work - frame straightening, bolt on new replacement panels and paint.

I went to a second place last Friday, a restoration place that was 2-3-times the size of the first shop, mostly doing american muscle cars but I saw a couple foreign classics - they quoted price was lower, but with a much longer lead time. Typically $7k for a "driver quality" paint job. They said it would save me $1500-2k if I do all the disassembly/reassembly myself. The rust repair they were unwilling to give a specific price, $75/hr labor rate for however long it takes - but guestimated $2k or so for the rust work - I asked if $9k +- 20% would be reasonable, and they said yes.

On the duration though, 2-3 months to get the car in, and 3-5 months "optimistically" to get the car finished. They had probably 15-20 cars around the place, not sure how many were in process, but it seemed like they take their time and don't focus on any one vehicle.

I visited a third shop yesterday, a much smaller place, the shop manager was from macedonia, he was very friendly and recognized the car for what it was. He looked it over and gave me a few options, said they mostly do collision work but like to work on classics as well, try to only have one of those going at a time - priority goes to the collision work because the insurance companies (and car owners) are usually in a rush to get that work finished quickly. The restoration jobs get done a little at a time, but he said due to space limitations he still tries not to let anything take TOO long. He was very flexible in how we did the job, even offered up the possibility of just doing one panel at a time (I was not interested in that idea)

He did not give me a price up front, said he wanted to run the numbers and talk to his guys and would call me back in the next few days, also said he would be willing to work with me on the price if that ultimately was going to be the deciding factor - so it seemed like he wanted the job - the other two places already had full plates and were less enthusiastic about it.

Third shop called back just now, quoted me $7500 and said he would try and stick to it unless there was some ugly discovery made after the paint is removed. 2-3 months working time, and he could start in just a few days (sooner than I'll be ready). I liked the guy and am leaning towards this place. Told him I would make my decision this week and would let all three know one way or the other when I make my decision.

[320iAman]

Its a good thing these cars are having a uptick in price.

Randy

[Bullet Ride]

I'm in Bullet Ride's boat, very few body shops here are willing to do rust work, they just want to do collision work - frame straightening, bolt on new replacement panels and paint.

I should also note, that this was with me doing all of the rust repair myself (see build thread). That price was just for filler, blocking, prime, paint, clear. Clear still needs a good cut and polish to get the job looking 100%.

[cgifool]

I made my choice, selected the third shop, only partly because of the lowest quoted price and working time, but also at least half because I simply liked the manager, and the very high ratings in reviews which echoed my impression of kind people and good customer service.

The work quality at all three shops seemed similar to my eye.

Going to start disassembly this weekend. Gathered up a whole bunch of boxes in preparation, damn sure don't want to lose anything while its apart for a few months!

[320iAman]

Good, Brand New Car Look....

Randy

[cgifool]

I made a new friend in the office building where I work - he drives a 1991 325i, we had been eyeing each others cars in the parking lot for a few months before finally running into each other.

We've been texting back and forth about car stuff for a few weeks now, it's been nice having someone to encourage and be encouraged by!

He came by yesterday evening and helped me get started on taking the car apart for paint. We worked for an hour & a half and removed the front & back seats, door panels, and rear side panels, plastic sill plates, and door gaskets, and got it all boxed up and organized in my shop.

Tonight he's coming by for another round.