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Thread: 83 320is - The Mulligan

  1. #76
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    91 318is - 83 320is
    So I drilled 4 holes this afternoon to fit the e46 camber plates. I also picked up a cheap set of plates that has caster adjustment, but probably won't use them for the GRM challenge due to budget.

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    Garagistic has been slashing prices for black friday, so I snatched up a set of delrin control arm bushings, rear subframe mounts/bushings, and diff bushings. For some reason they shipped me two sets of control arm bushings, so I get to knock $15 off the budget. Yeehaw!

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    Last edited by captain awesome; 11-19-2018 at 07:26 PM.
    91 318is
    83 320is

  2. #77
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    Did some more measuring last night for the m10 flywheel swap. I noticed the m42 starter bolts directly to the bellhousing, but the m10 bolts to the block AND the bellhousing. This means the m10 starter has about 7.25mm more protrusion into the trans when used on the m42 Getrag 240. Either I put a 7mm spacer between the starter or try to use the m42 and hope for the best, or go back to swapping ring gears? Either way I have some thinking to do.

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  3. #78
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    I've been plugging away jumping from one task to the next to try to stay busy. The motor is all sealed up now, but I still need to paint the header side of the block and finish cleaning the oil pans. Speaking of oil pans, I spent a few minutes trimming for front subframe clearance.

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    I also started cutting the strut housings down 2 inches. Of course as soon as I start to tack the second one in place I run out of welding wire. I'll pick some more up today and get them finished up tonight with the spring perches.

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    I also scored this 1.75" roll bar hoop for $43.69 from Amazon that's intended for a Mustang II but looks like it will fit almost perfect. It's ERW which is kind of a bummer, but for a budget built 4 point I think think this is a good starting point. For anyone interested it's from Competition Engineering part number C3126 but bear in mind it's fairly thick walled and has some weight to it. Patrick from the GRM forum was the one who brought it to my attention, and I'm forever grateful as I was worried about putting in the cage within budget constraints. The track days I want to do leading up to the Challenge may or may not require the cage, but I just feel better knowing with a fixed back seat and harness that I'll be better off with one in play. I'll try to source some pieces of 1.75" locally to save on shipping for the rear legs, cross bar, and harness bar. Still can't believe this hunk of metal was bent and then shipped for only $43.69!

    I will mention the legs kick inward at a slight angle, but nothing crazy. I'll build some short plinth boxes at 1-2" tall for these to weld to, and raise it up closer to the roofline. That little bump in height puts the bend profiles in line with the B pillar perfectly as well.

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    I tossed some 2x4's under the legs and the roof to B pillar profile is just amazing.

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    91 318is
    83 320is

  4. #79
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    E30M3,318is,318i,E21320
    Just a few quick notes but I'd lean the hoop back a couple inches at a slight angle either chop tube ends angle or when make your plinth boxes. We wished we'd leaned ours just a bit more for ergonomics. We're kinda tall and even with the kirkey mounted right up against the hoop it could be a smidge better.

    A trick for better fit before welding is put a piece of ratchet strap around it and the B pillar (since rear window is out) and put a bar on the outside in the strap. Using it as a tourniquet. Pulls it right up to the b pillar to either gusset to it with some sheet or stitch it right on directly. Careful if stitching directly to a corner they are thinner. I used a piece of sheet to the inside edge near the window where metal is thicker for welding.

    Food for thought.
    88 M3
    91 318is
    91 318i
    83 320is
    08 X3 3.0si

    "If it flys, floats, or f*cks, rent it!"

  5. #80
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    Yeah I really want to get the seat mount sorted before starting on the hoop location. I'm a tall 5' 11" but honestly am not sure where the seat will end up. Getting it to sit still while getting in and out to arrange placement was rather difficult when I messed around with it weeks ago. Frustrating as hell with a stack of 2x4s and 4x4s with the degree of kickback the seat has, it kept wanting to tip rearward on me. I need to build a platform of some sort out of wood to keep stable while I tweak the position. I also realized that I'll probably have to redo my gas pedal mount as it's further back from the brake pedal making heel toe difficult. I'm thinking I'll wait to do the seat until I get the brakes all hooked up and see where the pedals rest. The cage will probably just be welded to the floor for now, not sure if it will get connected to the pillars yet.
    91 318is
    83 320is

  6. #81
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    I managed to put some cheap $1 Lowes spray paint on the subframe, replaced tie rods, and press in the new delrin control arm bushings. Unfortunately the QC or parts creation for these with Garagistic is lacking. The ID for the factory bushings is 16mm and the Garagistic stuff is almost 1/2 a mm too small, so I've got a drill bit on the way to open up the holes to fit properly. If things go pear shaped I'll default back to the factory bushings and fill them with window weld since they popped out without a fuss. The OD of the bushings is a smidge too large as well, so I'm not sure they were worth buying even at the low price. Comparing them to the poly set I bought, they appear to all have the same issues.

    Anyway, the strut housings have been welded back, I just need to put a collar on each strut to hold the ebay adjuster sleeves. The plan is to get the car back to roller status by the end of the week if the drill bit shows up in time. I leave on the 13th for a trip to Punta Cana and return right before Christmas, so not much will be happening for a bit.

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    You can see the threads wanted to cut into the inner sleeve, and the material that squished out when pressing them in.

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    91 318is
    83 320is

  7. #82
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    E30M3,318is,318i,E21320
    Merry Christmas Gents.



    Your not alone on Garagistic parts. I didn't want to say anything after messing with their stuff on E30's. Have a full bag of their E30 trail arm bushings. The grey plastic material they use shattered and the sleeves are improper docol R8 ID that still has slop even on reamed 1/2" bolts (vs 12mm). QC is don't give a F Most critical is the sleeves length if ever mess with trail bushes. The sleeve should protrude past the bushings on each end just a few thousandths. This way the bushing isn't pinched on the tabs when bolted down. Allows to pivot up down without tearing the ears off the subframe. Welcome to aftermarket. Still gotta mod new parts and make it work yourself. I found AKG motorsport knows what's up more than all the others when comes to trail bushings. Even with grease grooves inside their bushes to store additional lube.

    Front control arm. I'd honestly find a way to weld in a bearing cup and replaceable QA1 bearing (SLB's). If not maybe weld a solid washer front and back with a sleeve for the swaybar your using. I ran solid bushings in mine it works If rules can have rubber washers front and rear to "hide" your solid setup.
    88 M3
    91 318is
    91 318i
    83 320is
    08 X3 3.0si

    "If it flys, floats, or f*cks, rent it!"

  8. #83
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    I haven't had any issues so far with the other stuff I've got from them in the past, but these are definitely not what I expected.

    Unfortunately I went back into the garage to get the front calipers cleaned up and load some brake pads only to find the passenger caliper is buggered. One of the pistons doesn't want to come out and half of the lip is broken off by the looks of it. Hopefully I can find some pistons or just fork up the cash for some remans that are ready to go. There goes my roller status before vacation.....

    Quote Originally Posted by autox320 View Post
    Merry Christmas Gents.



    Your not alone on Garagistic parts. I didn't want to say anything after messing with their stuff on E30's. Have a full bag of their E30 trail arm bushings. The grey plastic material they use shattered and the sleeves are improper docol R8 ID that still has slop even on reamed 1/2" bolts (vs 12mm). QC is don't give a F Most critical is the sleeves length if ever mess with trail bushes. The sleeve should protrude past the bushings on each end just a few thousandths. This way the bushing isn't pinched on the tabs when bolted down. Allows to pivot up down without tearing the ears off the subframe. Welcome to aftermarket. Still gotta mod new parts and make it work yourself. I found AKG motorsport knows what's up more than all the others when comes to trail bushings. Even with grease grooves inside their bushes to store additional lube.

    Front control arm. I'd honestly find a way to weld in a bearing cup and replaceable QA1 bearing (SLB's). If not maybe weld a solid washer front and back with a sleeve for the swaybar your using. I ran solid bushings in mine it works If rules can have rubber washers front and rear to "hide" your solid setup.
    91 318is
    83 320is

  9. #84
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    Broken caliper piston on the passenger side. Oreilly has a reman unit dropping to my house tomorrow, hopefully it's the correct ATE version, or just e21 specific.

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    After way too much time fiddling, I managed to finish up the front coilovers minus some paint. The cheapo camber plates clear the ebay coilover strut tops just perfect. The total cut from strut housings was 2", pvc spacers under the struts were about 3", and the sleeve ring is from some bent up 3/16" x 3/4" flat stock. The ebay sleeves fit nice and snug with the rubber o-rings, and so far don't spin when performing adjustments. I've got some 450lb springs up front right now, but I think the ebay springs will have to do for the challenge. Budget is getting tight with the nickel/dime stuff so the delrin rear subframe bushings will probably have to be swapped out for some modified stock ones to help as well. Front wheel bearings are showing up soon hopefully as well as my 16mm drill bit so I can get this thing back to roller status. I'm hoping to roll the beast outside on a somewhat warm day to scrub the engine bay and get it paint ready. I doubt the weather will cooperate enough for that though.

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    91 318is
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  10. #85
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    My rebuilt caliper came in, so I loaded the pads for both and didn't touch the car for almost a week. Last night I packed and installed new front wheel bearings without much fuss. I don't know why, but I really enjoy the refresh process of brakes and bearings. Anyway, there was some black spray paint leftover, so I sprayed the water pump and crank pulleys to give it a little bump in the looks department. I'm still waiting on my 16mm drill bit. Not happy about that, but it's obvious the front end will not be assembled anytime soon. Tomorrow AM I'm headed to Punta Cana for 7 days, and with holidays being crazy I would be lucky to get much done at all.

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    91 318is
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  11. #86
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    So I'm back from the Dominican Republic from some much needed R&R. I definitely came back with a heavy dose of motivation for the e21. My 16mm drill bit was here when I got back, so I immediately reamed out the undersized Garagistic control arm bushings and assembled the front subframe assembly. Once the sway bar was attached it was immediately obvious it was in desperate need of some cheap spray paint. I managed to snap pictures up until that point and then just a flurry of parts ended up installed. New rotors, studs loctited in, calipers installed, new soft brake lines, and of course the subframe. I set the springs at the lowest adjustment on the assembly and dropped the car down from the jack stands. It tucks a tall 13" tire without an engine and trans, so the adjustment will probably be a couple inches higher than it is now. I'm just stoked to be back to roller status so I can clean the engine bay up some and get ready to start on the rear suspension stuff.

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  12. #87
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    1978 323i
    Looking good!!

  13. #88
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    Quote Originally Posted by cgifool View Post
    Looking good!!
    Thanks!

    Today we closed up shop at 3, so I rolled the car out of the garage and spent a couple hours cleaning up my mess. I shoved some parts that I've been tripping over for a while now in the attic, and swept up all the grunge. After dinner with the kiddos I decided to test fit my 14" basketweaves and A7s to make sure the 15mm spacers are enough to clear the dreaded tie rod ends. My math worked out at least in static mode, so I adjusted front ride height where the control arms are pointing downward using a little bubble level. I then installed the rear Bilsteins and spent some time setting the ride height with a slight rake. Obviously there will be future adjustments since I don't have all of the weight back in the car, but I really wanted the visual motivation and to make sure there weren't any clearance issues. When I get a chance I would like to see what my camber front/rear is. If the rear is in a reasonable spec at the current ride height, I'm going to skip the subframe adjusters for the Challenge to help give me plenty of budget for whatever may come up between now and then.

    I also snapped a pic of the parts installed the other day, I'm pretty happy with how it all turned out.

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  14. #89
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    It's not a huge update, but it was cold yesterday. Cold enough that rolling the car into the driveway and doing some wet scrubbing wasn't in the cards. I'm tired of staring at the filthy engine bay, so I decided to do some spot cleaning with some purple power and brushes within the warm garage. I still need to hose down the bay when things warm up, but at least it's considerably less skanky. The plan is to get the motor and trans dropped back in before moving on to the rear. I need to test fit the radiator, wiring stuff, position the air intake box, and battery. Once these are checked off the list I'll drop the rear subframe and gas tanks. The local SCCA posted this years autocross schedule, so by March 24th I'll need this beast ready and sorted. There are two other clubs I run with that haven't posted up dates yet. I can only assume both will try to run events earlier in March so there could be some potential for two test and tune events prior to the SCCA.

    Before:
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    On another note, I recently discovered the Gambler 500 has been running locally for the past few years. Instead of being angry I missed all these years, I decided to secure transportation for 2019. This one was already campaigned on the first two here in the Ozarks, so it's just getting back to it's roots. I plan to do the bare minimal amount of effort to get this back on the road and enjoy it for some back road exploring, possibly take it to the dunes. Saturday I'll pick it up, so hopefully I can manage to split time between the baja and the e21 without throwing my whole schedule off too much.

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  15. #90
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    Still plugging along. I think the open center of the basketweaves are an eyesore. I've been buying these cheap plastic centercaps from ebay for my e30 euroweaves, and they just so happen to fit the baskets. Much better aesthetically pleasing, and they are priced slightly under the $10 mark for all 4.

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    I got motivated to get the motor and trans back together, but to get that accomplished there were a bunch of fiddly tasks I wanted to get done first. Driveshaft center support bearing, guibo, shifter bushings, shift selector seal, brass clutch pivot pin, cleaning trans crossmember and opening up holes to fit the HD e21 trans mounts. The manifold/header bolts were cut off long ago, so I welded in some stainless bolts and cleaned up all the mounting flange studs. All new gaskets/nuts and it's cinched down.

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    The motor was looking just about ready to pull off the stand, but realized it would be easier to make the coil on plug setup out of the car. I printed out my template to full scale, and taped it to the aluminum stock. Each hole was center punched and pilot drilled to get the best accuracy. Once the little holes were drilled to size, I used the world's worst hole saw to cut out the 4 larger holes. Trimmed to length the aluminum stock, cut an ear off the first cylinder coil mount, and bolted it all down with some stainless hardware. I cut down two short threaded rods and tightened a wide washer style nut to keep the rubber seal nice and snug for the valve cover. Slide the coil packs in place and two nylock nuts hold the whole enchilada in place with the studs.

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  16. #91
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    I drained the trans fluid and put in fresh ATF, installed new rear main seal, and also pilot bearing. The flywheel was bolted on, and on to the clutch/pressure assembly plus throwout bearing. It took a little effort to get the trans attached to the engine, but it's bolted together and everything seems to be fitting just right. At least until I bolt a starter to it. I've tried multiple configurations, and none of them seem to be engaging the flywheel properly. The m10 starter has the right tooth pattern, so I shimmed it out enough so the pinion gear isn't engaged with the flywheel until the solenoid pushes it forward. It will grind, and sometimes act like it's going to spin the flywheel, but never does. I finally realized the m10 starter is so fat compared to the m42 that it's pushing up against the block in two spots. I think it's causing a binding issue, but can't be 100%. At this point I'm going to pull the trans and try to swap to the m42 ring gear. If I remember correctly it's about a mm or two to small on the inner diameter, so that may require some shaving to fit.



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  17. #92
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    I took last night off of e21 duty to clean the Baja Gambler carb. Today I got an early day off of work, so my goal was to just get the ring gear swapped on the flywheel. I've never done it before, but a little heat and the old ones tapped off of each flywheel with a cold chisel and hammer. The m10 one had a spot weld on it, so had to grind it off before removal. The ID of the m42 ring is smaller than the m10, so it's been a fair bit of anxiety about how I will tackle that. I ended up taking a flap disc grinder to the ID slowly until it could be tapped in place. It wasn't a loose fit, very snug, and then a tack weld to keep it in place.


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    I then bolted the trans back in place and quickly fit the m42 starter to test it out. YEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! It spins the flywheel, engages like it's supposed to, no grinding, just doing what it's supposed to. I can now breathe a sigh of relief.
    Now that I know the motor can be slid back in place, it was time to go over my checklist of items left in the engine bay. The clutch master was acting funky on my last few drives, so I decided since it's a silly tight space now would be a good time to swap it out. The soft line was replaced as well. Both of these items took way more time than I expected, but I'm glad they were done without the engine in the way.


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    Going back over my list I am reminded that I recently purchased a cheap hanging scale. I've been curious what the final weight of the whole assembly would be, so now's a good time. Here's the list of what's on the scale: no oil, some residual radiator fluid in the block, no alternator belt, m42 starter, m10 flywheel/clutch/pressure plate, coils mounted to COP plate, alternator was placed on the trans, guibo mounted,slave cylinder, and I think that about sums up everything. All told, the scale says 383.94 lbs and I'm going to guess the accuracy is probably within a few pounds. I've seen Vorshlag post up a photo of the stock weight with AC and it was 427 lbs. I don't know what trans they used in the photo I've seen, but it's not the same as the one from the 318is. Either way, I'm really stoked it's under 390 lbs, which would be 43 lbs less than stock than the Vorshlag weight. After I get the m42 stabbed back in place I'll weigh the m10 and trans to see the difference.


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  18. #93
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    Nice. Back when had more $ than time home I just bought Rob's COP kits for my m42's. I like that you made yours and it really is just plate and some S50 coils Nice job on the flywheel diy too. Once again I was ordering from a tent somewhere and just bought the ltw m20 kit which had a m42 ring gear on it. Carry on!

    We can chat on the side if want but something I also do on mine. Take the throttle body off and plug the inside pcv breather hole (one in front the throttle plate). The lower fitting leads to two holes one before and one after the throttle plate. I tapped it for a 1/4-20 and loctite a 1/4-20 plug in it. Then use a vented style vacuum canister(like the pvc ones I make) between the valve cover and outside throttle body connection. Keeps nice vacuum on the motor for low and part throttle response. Then vents to atmo when on the go pedal. Hey it's an M42 and needs all the low end help it can get :o)
    Last edited by autox320; 01-09-2019 at 11:50 AM.
    88 M3
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    91 318i
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    08 X3 3.0si

    "If it flys, floats, or f*cks, rent it!"

  19. #94
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    Quote Originally Posted by autox320 View Post
    Nice. Back when had more $ than time home I just bought Rob's COP kits for my m42's. I like that you made yours and it really is just plate and some S50 coils Nice job on the flywheel diy too. Once again I was ordering from a tent somewhere and just bought the ltw m20 kit which had a m42 ring gear on it. Carry on!

    We can chat on the side if want but something I also do on mine. Take the throttle body off and plug the inside pcv breather hole (one in front the throttle plate). The lower fitting leads to two holes one before and one after the throttle plate. I tapped it for a 1/4-20 and loctite a 1/4-20 plug in it. Then use a vented style vacuum canister(like the pvc ones I make) between the valve cover and outside throttle body connection. Keeps nice vacuum on the motor for low and part throttle response. Then vents to atmo when on the go pedal. Hey it's an M42 and needs all the low end help it can get :o)
    Yeah, I made the COP plate for my 318is as well. Honestly the only pain in the ass part about it was that I have a cheap hole saw, and refused to just go get a good quality version. That would have sped things up dramatically.

    I'm really glad the m10 flywheel is going to work out(fingers crossed). It's 10lbs difference between the dual mass and this one including all of the clutch pack and pressure plate stuff, so that's pretty decent chunk. I put a slightly lightened m20 in my 318is and just used the m20 starter. Works like a charm, but probably wasn't near the weight savings the m10 provided.

    I'll have to look into the breather stuff, but sounds like it's worth the effort and shouldn't be too big a hit on budget. I recall seeing that built in your thread so I'll check it out. It may be a project I can tackle after getting this thing on the road. Hoping to have this on the road at the very end of February to start ironing out the kinks!
    91 318is
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  20. #95
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    My Cars
    91 318is - 83 320is
    So the plan for the weekend was simple. Get the motor/trans in the car so I can start figuring out where the airbox, battery, shifter arm, rad brackets, and center support bearing mounts need to be set. After opening up the holes for the 318is trans crossmember to fit the e21 mount spacing, it was all bolted in place. Looks like I probably could have pushed the motor about a 1/2" further against the firewall, but I think this will work just fine. The shifter arm will need to be shortened 1 1/4" and welded back together as it's too far back. This was expected though. I need to find someone local to do the aluminum welding for a small fee, otherwise I'm going to have to try some ghetto bolts and loctite method in hopes it will hold together. The driveshaft center support bearing bracket is further back about 4-5 inches than the stock e21. I'll probably just fab some new ones out of scrap angle and try to weld them underneath the car. Next up was the stock 318is airbox. I set it on the rubber mount from the e21 airbox, which put it almost exactly where it needs to be. It looks like I can cut the stock brackets and reweld them in position for the new box. The battery is a tight fit in the fender well, and I hope that there is enough hood clearance. I sorta test fit it with the hood and took some measurements, but I'm still not 100% there's enough room. Time flew by, and I was unable to sort the rad mounts. I have a plan, just waiting on a part to roll in to implement it.

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr
    91 318is
    83 320is

  21. #96
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Bentonville, AR USA
    Posts
    497
    My Cars
    91 318is - 83 320is
    For a little while now, I've been putting out the word to friends to find someone to TIG weld the aluminum shifter carrier. The carrier needs shortened 1 1/4" to put the shifter in just the right spot. Unfortunately all I have come up with is expensive solutions to a Challenge problem. I've considered cutting down the sheetmetal shifter console that came with the car, but have been hesitant to go there just yet. After my last quote of $80 to weld the aluminum, I decided it's time to commit. I cut the portion needed from the console, hammered the edges flat, and drilled a few holes to match up with the stock ones. I'll need to tack some nuts to the tunnel from the inside, but that's it. This does raise the shifter position, so I've got something in mind to cover that issue and shorten up my shifting throws.

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Today I wanted to get some engine bay mounts done. The stock airbox lower mount was at the right height, but needed moved toward the alternator a little. I cut the stub off and welded it back on. Then the stock airbox upper mount was cut off, trimmed down to one mount and welded back. With all that in position, I realized my lawn battery is not going to fit. I kinda knew that already, so I'm hoping a 12v 22ah battery will be enough. It's going to end up really close to the starter and the fuse box, so I think it will be enough.

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

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    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    The lower rad mounts were an idea I borrowed from Tom D. There is a long and short mount used on the m42 e30. Two of the long mounts work with the e21 frame legs once you notch them to fit. The rubber nubs sit in the mounts and keep everything located nicely. It took some drilling and a small square file to get them just right on both sides, but they turned out well. On the passenger side there was a clearance issue at the bottom. Some chop choppy with a hacksaw and now the ~$40 ebay radiator has some breathing room. I still need to figure out some upper mounts that are isolated by rubber. I've got something in mind, just need to figure out all the logistics. So, all of the hoses fit but the lower passenger side. I compared the new one with the old stock one, and it's definitely a better fit with the old one. It kinks a little, and I'm worried it's going to be an issue. It may require a splice or I'll have to bite the bullet to and purchase the OEM one.

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

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    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    The expansion tank hose need some sort of support, but fits fine otherwise. Everything all together looks nice and factory like I hoped. Later I'll tackle the throttle cable bracket, weld on a stud near the passenger motor mount for a ground, electric fan brackets, and connect the soft fuel lines in the engine bay.

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr
    91 318is
    83 320is

  22. #97
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Bentonville, AR USA
    Posts
    497
    My Cars
    91 318is - 83 320is
    Throttle cable adaptation ended up being pretty straight forward. I cut a slit in the throttle bracket to slide the cable through, and after lubricating the cable I was able to get it adjusted in the proper range. The throttle stop at the gas pedal needed adjustment as well so it would open up the butterflies all the way.

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Spent some time on a little arts and crafts for the electric fan. It's just a simple template that mirrors for both top and bottom with a few speed holes. I think they turned out pretty good, but now I'm struggling to figure out a top mount for the radiator. I wanted to use some rubber isolators bolted to the core support, but the height for both aren't quite in line to work out. I drilled out the the spot welds on the core support section to make pulling the motor in and out much simpler. I'll probably make a new one that will double as the upper rad bracket. I just need some more time staring at it before committing to anything.

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr
    91 318is
    83 320is

  23. #98
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Bentonville, AR USA
    Posts
    497
    My Cars
    91 318is - 83 320is
    Punch list in the engine bay is beginning to drop just a bit. The tiny details always take longer than expected, so I'm using whatever free minutes I have to just knock them out and leave the big stuff for when I have more time available.

    I added some engine oil, and immediately saw some drips at the oil pan. Fook. The brand new copper washer isn't sealing the drain plug, even after snugging it down just a bit more. I'll probably just drain the oil, teflon the bolt, and snug it all back up at this point. On to the next.

    Clutch slave cylinder hard and soft lines were connected and tightened up. It's tight in the trans tunnel so that was a pain and I know it's going to be a struggle to bleed later.

    At this point I'm not taking pics, just trying to get the little things. Tighten alternator belt and bolt check.

    Engine harness installed so I can figure out what needs moved compared to an e30 engine bay. After a few hours of head scratching and internetting, I've figured out where to splice in the stock e21 engine connector, and that the fuel circuit needs one adjustment made to accommodate a proper fused circuit. I've got some Tesa tape to wrap all wires when it's all finished to give an OEM look.

    New alternator ground cable in to replace the shagged one. I got this 4 pack of them from ebay real cheap, but with them not being a larger gauge wire like the stock units I'm a bit worried. I have one for the engine ground off the passenger motor mount as well, just need to weld a stud on the frame rail to snug it down.

    Radiator temp sensor has been installed so the e-fan will kick on when needed. Looks like I need to extend the stock wires a few inches to reach the new location. Waiting on some more uninsulated splicers to roll in before I can get that done. Also hoping to finalize some upper rad mounts Sunday.

    Installed 3 nut style clips in the shifter tunnel so the shifter setup I drilled will bolt in using stock hardware. New shifter should roll in this afternoon so I can get the linkage sorted.

    Cleaned up and snatched some hose clamps from the m10 to make sure I don't need to order any or dig through the parts stash.

    My new smaller battery will be here tomorrow, so hopefully Sunday I can get a bracket made and start committing to wire harness work. It's an ebay knock off of the pc860 for $34.99 called a Mighty Max Viper VP-600. Could be junk, but it's a smaller footprint than the lawn battery and an exact penny for penny cost.

    So, speaking of budget, I am currently at $2809.09 before my $1000 recoup with only a few inexpensive items that haven't made the list yet. I have $190.91 left in the budget which I want to keep as open as possible until it's rolling and driving. There is a massive amount of parts that I ordered "just in case" to save on shipping, and some others that just didn't end up using. Luckily a large percentage of these can be sent back to FCP Euro for a refund/credit if needed.

    Anyway, one huge budget hit was going to be a good performance chip. I didn't want to do the $30 ebay chip, but that's what was going to be the only thing I could afford to pick up. Miraculously I scored a SSSquid chip from a R3vlimited forum member along with another engine ground clable and airbox clip for the cost of shipping $3.75! Mike, you friggin rock!

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

    Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr
    91 318is
    83 320is

  24. #99
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Fort Mac, Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    398
    My Cars
    82 320i
    I am really jealous of the fiberglass bumpers ! nice pickup ... I would even trade my Euro bumpers for some fiberglass ones !

    project coming along great, it's gonna be a fun car.

    oh and that e30 is your daily driver ? you should give it a quick buff and wax, you'll feel like the car is worth 10,000$ more !

  25. #100
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Bentonville, AR USA
    Posts
    497
    My Cars
    91 318is - 83 320is
    Quote Originally Posted by ButteDorFrank View Post
    I am really jealous of the fiberglass bumpers ! nice pickup ... I would even trade my Euro bumpers for some fiberglass ones !

    project coming along great, it's gonna be a fun car.

    oh and that e30 is your daily driver ? you should give it a quick buff and wax, you'll feel like the car is worth 10,000$ more !
    Yeah I'm pretty happy with them, hope to figure out some sort of splitter as I progress testing the car during the spring and summer months.

    The e30 is the daily, for now. The paint is completely borked and any chance of shining this beast up for more than a day is zero. At some point the front end has had a respray with a gloss coat vs. the stock single stage. It's rough, the clear coat is gone for the most part. The rear is so faded and burning through to the original single stage is toast. The plan is to retire it from daily status later this year to send it on to paint jail. After that I'll put it back on the road. It's turned out to be a super reliable car, and cosmetics are the only thing keeping it from being finished at this point.
    91 318is
    83 320is

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