E38 complete rebuild

[Second2ndward]

I bought myself a 2001 740iL, beautiful car! I got this on July 3, 2013 for 3,500 in Houston, Tx. I had so much fun with it until problems started coming out, like always. I had a coolant hose burst, pull over right away, towed home. Fuel pump failed, towed home, Transmission oil leak, towed home. And then that was it, after a month since I purchased it's been parked In the driveway. But, I got really bored and this past Monday is just started taking it completely apart. Idk why. I wasn't gonna pay to get it fixed, more problems would just appear. And I didn't wanna sell it, no one would've bought it anyway. So, nothing like breaking stuff apart. But, carefully, every screw accounted for. With tiny pill ziplock bags for ever screw for every panel that comes out.

[Second2ndward]

Started in the trunk, removed all panels and electronics. It's not going back in anyway.

[Second2ndward]

Then removed the back speakers, the shade, back seats, belts, lights, roof panel. It just pops off, I realized There are a lot of wires! There everywhere. I can't wait to rewire everything to my own liking.

[Second2ndward]

Then took the seats off, the belts, belt cover panels, started then with the center console. Still a lot of wires.

[M I C H A E L]

What the hell are you doing all this for lol

[jac1d]

Hey, while you have your CD changer out, any chance you could take some photos for me, as requested here?: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...ar-down-photos

[Second2ndward]

Dashboard, airbags, radio, A/C system, steering wheel gone, and carefully, this dashboard I like. This is going back in. I had to destroy the whole A/C system, everything was completely thin plastic and well, it took me forever trying to get it out, even if I had to take it apart in pieces, but no. So, there was a hammer just sitting there and I went for it! It felt good, until I burst the refrigerant hose, i ran out the car and opened all the doors.

[jac1d]

What the hell are you doing all this for lol

Shhhhh! He sounds very methodical... at the very least he'll provide us with some very detailed photos of what some of the disassembled components/sections of the car look like!

Maybe he can post up some high res copies of the photos on dropbox?

-Jeff

[Second2ndward]

Shhhhh! He sounds very methodical... at the very least he'll provide us with some very detailed photos of what some of the disassembled components/sections of the car look like! Maybe he can post up some high res copies of the photos on dropbox? -Jeff

Can y'all see the photos in here?

[Second2ndward]

What the hell are you doing all this for lol

Well, I want to rebuild to my liking, take out whatever is not gonna be used. My goal is to leave the car stripped, nothing on the car, down to frame, not a single screw or wire, just a 1 piece shell, then clean up completely, and rebuild with all new parts. New suspension, with nice coil overs, control arms, upgraded brake and rotors, new brake lines, new body kit, bumpers and basically buy every NEW aftermarket parts that are made for this car. I want to get myself a crate engine, with transmission combo. Those that are ready to run, which come with everything need to run, but that's the last step. I know it's gonna take me a long time, but I have nothing but free time, to do this everyday when I get home from work. I just enjoy taking things apart, like this car.

[M I C H A E L]

ERM... Okay you mean a remanufactered engine and trans for this car? Painting it too? That's a lot of work. Not too many bodykits for this car, and if you do find any they will be of poor quality unless you want to spend big bucks on a hamann kit for example..

[Second2ndward]

And removed the door panels with airbags intact, speakers which were burst, and now I can see why the rear windows didn't roll down, the regulators were destroyed. All 4 doors panels are out.

[Second2ndward]

ERM... Okay you mean a remanufactered engine and trans for this car? Painting it too? That's a lot of work. Not too many bodykits for this car, and if you do find any they will be of poor quality unless you want to spend big bucks on a hamann kit for example..

I would prefer a new engine and manual transmission for example a Chevy small block, or a big block if I knew it would fit. I've seen a 740 with a 350 in it but it looked kind small, too much empty room around it, it looked silly, I want something that'll make this car fly on the freeway. It use to pick up to 160 when I first bought it, I fell in love with this car. It's was just so fast, I know with a new engine, and right transmission, it'll be faster. But that's the last part, I can start saving up now, I looked them up, there around 10k and up, ready to run, dyno tested and come with everything. But, I was just randomly browsing, just to see the prices.

[Second2ndward]

Now, here I lifted the car up on jacks, I put these on all four jack points, pretty useful and not in the way, sturdy as hell, too. I removed the front suspension, too out everything without caring, it's just gonna get replaced with new parts, until I saw that that parts were still good, I saw no problems with the control arms, sway bar, tie rod ends, spindle, etc... So, I've decide to clean every part as I take out with degreaser spray and set it aside and decide to either paint all the clean up parts black and reuse, or just sell as used parts on eBay at half the price of every other used part. Do someone a favor, or something. And hey, make a little money towards that damn engine.

[Second2ndward]

Hey, while you have your CD changer out, any chance you could take some photos for me, as requested here?: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...ar-down-photos

I already tore down the trunk area except for the battery so I can turn on the car sometimes. But I'll see what I can do, I can try to put the parts back and take pictures, the take apart again, my navigation is screwed up, the update DVD got stuck inside, the previous owner told me about it. The CD changer looks like those old portable VCR Mini tv'a they had back in the 90's. Mine was a 6-cd changer but the last 3 couldn't be read. Lmk about anything else.

[T444E]

Didn't know Texas legalized marijuana.

[Binjammin]

I'll keep an eye on this thread for it to turn into a part out.

[7E38]

Put a Chevrolet engine in it and it'll be the first BMW to be recalled by GM

[Second2ndward]

Put a Chevrolet engine in it and it'll be the first BMW to be recalled by GM

LOL! Well, that's the plan. LS1 or LSX if it's fits. Anything is possible. But, I really want a Chevy engine.

[WarMachine7]

I'll keep an eye on this thread for it to turn into a part out.

Lmao

[Second2ndward]

I'll keep an eye on this thread for it to turn into a part out.

Cool, I'll be posting here frequently.

[Second2ndward]

Didn't know Texas legalized marijuana.

Why you say that?

[Sobek]

I've seen an LSX swap done to a 95 E38. Probably easier on the pre-OBD2 cars I imagine. Have fun with the project!

[M I C H A E L]

I'll keep an eye on this thread for it to turn into a part out.

this, lool.

[Second2ndward]

I've seen an LSX swap done to a 95 E38. Probably easier on the pre-OBD2 cars I imagine. Have fun with the project!

Cool, that would be awesome, I bet it was a tight fit. Do you know what transmission was used for that project? I'm not planning on using any of the electronics that came with the car, I'm gonna use aftermarket electronics and rewire everything, should be fun for me.

2001 BMW 740iL