My '33 Hotrod is DONE....1/31/2023 update pics at post 515

[jp5Touring]

Don't know what I'm more jealous about, the new project or the garage space to do the new project.
Looking forward to the build.

[BimmerBreaker]

To be fair, my 540it hasn't been very needy at all, and I've daily-driven it for 1.5 years and 30k miles now. In that whole time, the only things that have actually failed have been the radiator (within the first month) and the CSB. Other than that, it's just been typical maintenance and refreshing the suspension, along with a handful of mods along the way. I almost feel like the harder you drive a 540i, the better it behaves.

lol bruh

[JimLev]

You don't daily the 540, right?

Do you DIY your powdercoating? I'd love to learn more about it.

Nate, I don't drive it everyday. If I need to go somewhere and the weather is good I'll take it, otherwise I'll take the Highlander.
If my wife is with me she prefers the Highlander.

Yes, I do my own powder coating, been doing it for 10-12 years. It's not that hard.
A ~$100 gun, compressor, an oven, and some powder is mostly what you need.
Cleaning old parts is the biggest job and takes a while, sometimes they need to be media blasted which can be a PITA.

For the '33 everything is new so just wash it down with acetone, then mask off where you don't want the powder.
Then spray the parts with powder, put them in an oven @400°F for 20-25 min and it done. Let the part cool and it's ready to be installed.
You just need to make sure you don't touch the part after it's sprayed as the powder will come off.

I did all the anodized blue parts on my 540, auaq's favorite color!

Here's some suspension parts and the front calipers I did last night, mirror black.

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[JimLev]

Can I be your chauffeur?

Sure, but there is more involved than just driving the wheels off it.
1) Needs to be cleaned every day
2) Polished every 2 weeks.
3) Wheels and tires cleaned daily.
4) 1st oil change at 500 miles, RPM has to be kept below 4000RPM.
5) 2nd oil change at 1500 miles, then keep RPM to 6K.
6) Need to stay with the car when you drop me off.
7) Need to know how to control car with gas and brake, no DSC, ABS, or traction control...your feet will be doing those things.

Still interested, LOL.

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Don't know what I'm more jealous about, the new project or the garage space to do the new project.
Looking forward to the build.

I'm pretty happy with both of them.

[computiNATEor]

Powder coating requires some sort of charged current, no? How do you apply that? Or is that part of the gun?

[computiNATEor]

Oh, just looked at some vids. Apparently Harbor Freight sells the gun for $75, which does the current, too. Gives me ideas for my very worn calipers, thanks!

[JimLev]

Yes, the gun provides the high voltage. I bought mine from Eastwood, it's got 2 voltage settings. IIRC 15K and 25K volts??
The current is very low so when you mess up and get shocked it really doesn't hurt. It's less than when you test a 9v battery on your tongue.
You clip the ground lead to the part (or connect a wire somehow to it) and the + is at the tip of the gun.
If you heat the part us to around 250 F before you spray the powder it will stick much better.
For small parts you can use a big toaster oven. Look at Eastwood.com, they have lots of info and a good small oven for $100.

[tptrsn]

This is SWEET Jim!! Other than the RPM limits for break in. Ain't nobody got time fo' dat! Lol

We need more pics of that chassis.

[philly98540]

Spindles and brakes look fairly light weight! Should ride nice on bumpy stuff!

[adm750]

Sure, but there is more involved than just driving the wheels off it.
1) Needs to be cleaned every day
2) Polished every 2 weeks.
3) Wheels and tires cleaned daily.
4) 1st oil change at 500 miles, RPM has to be kept below 4000RPM.
5) 2nd oil change at 1500 miles, then keep RPM to 6K.
6) Need to stay with the car when you drop me off.
7) Need to know how to control car with gas and brake, no DSC, ABS, or traction control...your feet will be doing those things.

Still interested, LOL.

is there some place online (I dunno - like a forum or something...?) where I could submit my resume for consideration Jim..?

[BMW540san]

Jim,
That is ultimate bucket list crossing off. Hell, it's the pool not the bucket. Just the thought of many happy days of slowly assembling it...
You deserve it so much and I'm truly happy for you!

[bpde328i]

Hey Congratulations Jim!! You have your work cut out for you, no doubt. Perfect project for a gear head with time on his hands. Can't wait to see the finished product.

[dovlet]

Deamn, is that somekind of Lego? Never seen and did not know about this one. My congrats.

[JimLev]

This is SWEET Jim!! Other than the RPM limits for break in. Ain't nobody got time fo' dat! Lol

We need more pics of that chassis.

Thad, gotta keep the warranty so I'll try to keep it below 4K. Hoping to do the 500 miles in 2 days cuz I really need to see what it's full potential feel like.
The chassis.

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Spindles and brakes look fairly light weight! Should ride nice on bumpy stuff!

The front calipers are aluminum, rears are cast. The rear wheel carriers are also aluminum.
Interesting that the rear rotors are bigger than the front. 2 different size master cylinders, rear has a bigger diameter.
OK, back to powder coating.

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Jim,
That is ultimate bucket list crossing off. Hell, it's the pool not the bucket. Just the thought of many happy days of slowly assembling it...
You deserve it so much and I'm truly happy for you!

Hi Z, was meaning to send you a few pics as your not on here much anymore.
LOL, yes pool better describes it.

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Hey Congratulations Jim!! You have your work cut out for you, no doubt. Perfect project for a gear head with time on his hands. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Hi Brad, was also going to send you some pics tonight, don't need to now.
How's the E46 been?
Just yesterday I posted no issues with mine for a long time. Well CEL this morning, O2 sensor heater circuit slow in responding....minor issue.

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Deamn, is that somekind of Lego? Never seen and did not know about this one. My congrats.

Thanks Dovlet. Go to www.FactoryFive.com for more info.

[Mannyf540]

Congrats Jim, this thing looks beast!!
Looking forward to this build!!

[JimLev]

is there some place online (I dunno - like a forum or something...?) where I could submit my resume for consideration Jim..?

LOL, maybe if you can keep it going straight while at a 45 deg angle, Thad could teach you the finer points of drifting.

[nsogiba]

subscribed!

[JimLev]

Finished powder coating all the calipers and carrier brackets, installed the rear (6) control arms.
Hope to get the diff installed tomorrow.

[JimLev]

Didn't get as much done as I hoped to, always tomorrow.
All 4 calipers are done and back together.
The diff is ready to go in maybe tonight and then the 1/2 shafts, rear wheel carriers, hubs, etc.
The front control arm will arrive tomorrow so I can get them and the rest of the front suspension installed.

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[philly98540]

Keeping it simple with black! No bright yellow or red calipers! You determine body color?

[computiNATEor]

Is the gel coat clean? I kinda like the look of it.

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Didn't get as much done as I hoped to, always tomorrow.
All 4 calipers are done and back together.
The diff is ready to go in maybe tonight and then the 1/2 shafts, rear wheel carriers, hubs, etc.
The front control arm will arrive tomorrow so I can get them and the rest of the front suspension installed.

Yeah, those look like late model Ford brakes. I hate those spring e-brake things.

[tptrsn]

Looking SWEEET Jim! Man that thing look ripe for hooliganism. 45 degrees indeed!

[tptrsn]

580 crank HP with just a CAM and Throttle Body!!!

[computiNATEor]

580 crank HP with just a CAM and Throttle Body!!!

580 crank, with no accessories, too. Dyno numbers. Chassis dynos would probably read, what, 450?

Either way, it's mighty impressive. The LS flows air so dang well.

[tptrsn]

I would guess a little more than that, but there is so much variance between dynos it's hard to say. It's a damn lot no matter how you cut it, especially in a flyweight car like that. I want one! Lol

No wait, I'm making one right now. Just MUUUUCH less cool. (and a lot cheaper, to fit with my cheapskateness.. hahaha)