Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Project "Purple Rain" - S54 Techno Sedan

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Arida Zona
    Posts
    30,107
    My Cars
    z3

    Project "Purple Rain" - S54 Techno Sedan

    Hey guys, thought it was about time to start a build thread on this impulsive money pit

    I wasn't intending to buy an E36 M3, especially a sedan, when my friend listed the one I roadtripped home with him from Wisconsin for sale...

    WhatsApp Image 2019-01-08 at 10.17.04 AM.jpeg

    I sure as heck didn't expect, not even 3 weeks later to buy an S54 engine for said car...

    And yet here I am, credit card burning, Z3M harness, adapter harness, a box of re-seal parts in the mail... 5 speed transmission/driveshaft sourced locally. Friend who can do the coding for me irritated at my barrage of questions. Girlfriend looking on forlorn as I desperately check my bank account for good news. My bank account declaring sadly: "No good news today"

    Here's what I've ordered so far:
    S54 w/ 6 speed SMG (selling the transmission to recoup some funds)
    Z3M S54 Engine Harness
    Engine harness adapter
    Full re-seal kit (ECS had one on sale I ordered, plus a few other bits I thought I would want)
    Upgraded VANOS bolts
    (need to order: fuel pump, exhaust, headers, pedal)

    For the 5 speed swap:
    Transmission
    Driveshaft
    Manual, slave cylinders
    (need to source: pedals, clutch setup, hydraulic line)

    And just for the car in general, major items:
    Purple carbon fiber trim (Center console and glovebox)
    K Sport coilovers (they have some bad reviews online but I have them in my other M3 and LOVE them)
    Riken Tires - good enough to canyon carve, cheap enough to roast doing some donuts and not feel bad
    OE clear taillights and sidemarkers, light smoke corners and depo dimpled glass headlights
    (have a full Purple M Rain interior planned too - thus the title)

    WhatsApp Image 2019-01-31 at 9.20.16 AM.jpeg

    That's basically where I'm at. At this point it's just a matter of sourcing a few more parts for the transmission swap (notably the pedals and lines), figuring out a clutch setup for the S54/320Z setup and headers/exhaust are the last major things. I hear so much conflicting info on headers and exhaust that its hard to sort out whats what.

    I'm documenting everything very thoroughly though so I know the costs involved and will be able to share a rough ballpark when all is done (because of course some things will vary according to preference and some parts are used)

    Also got a Z3 cluster here from a facelift model and a Z3M S54 gauge face so hoping with some coding trickery I can make that into a pseudo Z3M cluster. Otherwise thats gonna be one more major expense but at this point, I'm already committed financially lol.

    I'll add some more pictures in later, having trouble posting them from this PC
    Last edited by BimmerBreaker; 02-05-2019 at 01:23 PM.

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

    PRICE CUT on ALL FABRICS
    Offering the best prices on the best quality reproduction fabrics!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Houston, TX
    Posts
    12,459
    My Cars
    36 Cylinders
    Woohoo!
    I'm always a text away
    -Abel

    - E36 328is ~210-220whp: Lots of Mods.
    - 2000 Z3: Many Mods.
    - 2003 VW Jetta TDI Manual 47-50mpg
    - 1999 S52 Estoril M Coupe
    - 2014 328d Wagon, self-tuned, 270hp/430ft-lbs
    - 2019 M2 Competition, self-tuned, 504whp
    - 2016 Mini Cooper S

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Rogers AR
    Posts
    4,426
    My Cars
    1995 BMW M3
    Looks like an awesome build!! I love the techno sedans!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    2,797
    My Cars
    97 M3 99 Z3M
    Subscribed for updates
    1997 M3
    1999 Z3 M Coupe - Turbocharged

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Stuttgart, Germany
    Posts
    577
    My Cars
    1997 M3 / 5.3
    We passed on a Techno sedan...wish we would have done the same (California to Florida journey though!) - neat color!

    More images please!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Arida Zona
    Posts
    30,107
    My Cars
    z3
    Quote Originally Posted by 328 Power 04 View Post
    Woohoo!
    I'm always a text away


    Quote Originally Posted by lbennyboobool View Post
    Looks like an awesome build!! I love the techno sedans!
    Thanks! Me too apparently... never thought I was a sedan guy but I think I like it a bit more every time I drive it. Still think I'm a coupe guy at heart but I see the value in sedans now

    Quote Originally Posted by Tim Mc View Post
    We passed on a Techno sedan...wish we would have done the same (California to Florida journey though!) - neat color!

    More images please!
    Sharing images as soon as I have images to share!

    Some parts have started showing up...

    WhatsApp Image 2019-02-08 at 6.02.25 PM.jpeg

    Random pile of stuff above... the nice new Z3M harness pictured below So nice and soft and pliable. Normally cars out here in AZ especially get super dry, cracked, brittle wiring. Disintegrates when you touch it kind of stuff. But this. Mmmm. So fresh

    WhatsApp Image 2019-02-08 at 6.04.01 PM.jpeg

    Had to take it out and stretch it's legs a bit

    WhatsApp Image 2019-02-08 at 6.08.11 PM.jpeg

    Was also at the junkyard today and grabbed this aux-in panel from an E90. Gonna wire it in eventually to an aftermarket CD43 aux-in input to have a totally factory look but aux-in. It's just sitting in there for now. Eventually I'll remove the ASC panel and have an OE alarm light put in place there I think.

    WhatsApp Image 2019-02-08 at 6.43.59 PM.jpeg

    No pictures unfortunately (my phone sucks) but also bought some E46 sedan door gaskets today. My E36 ones had the common issue of being super shrunken and not fitting properly plus the front ones were ripped apart. Pretty noisy on the highway and some air escaping in/out around the doors. I originally grabbed E36 rear gaskets - I was gonna cut and splice in nice large pieces on the bottom (the width of the whole plastic sill, looks a little nicer than just adding in a 1" spacer or whatever imo). But then I saw a few E46s with really nice gaskets and thought to give em a shot.

    There was one E36 sedan in the yard, luckily a sedan, and a rudimentary test fit in the yard yielded good results. $24 for the set was a deal imo. Went back to the shop afterwards and threw em on. The rears were pretty much a dead-on fit from the get-go - they were actually slightly too large in the rear so I trimmed them down. The fronts needed a spacer added (I just trimmed down the excess rear segment a bit further) and some massaging particularly around the B pillars. Was able to get it pretty darn good just by pinching the door gasket together (there is a metal band inside it, I just tried to pinch it to squeeze it together more to help it grab the metal a bit more) and pushing on it firmly. I probably need new B pillars but thats a separate issue (gonna re-do the whole headliner down the road). The point is, the gaskets fit and look really great imo. Plus they have a felt lining inside instead of rubber. Idk why but its a nice touch

    Have also ordered a bunch more stuff recently, ordered an OE throwout bearing, and omg I don't even want to think about what else
    S54 is shipping out tomorrow or Monday - hope to see it next week

    It's getting real over here....

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

    PRICE CUT on ALL FABRICS
    Offering the best prices on the best quality reproduction fabrics!

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 52
    Last Post: 09-19-2013, 07:35 PM
  2. 67-69 Camaro vs. S54 E46 sedan
    By Black E46 sedan in forum Kill Stories
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 07-02-2012, 09:27 PM
  3. [QUOTE=therichsta]ballinnnnnnnnnn![/QUOTE]
    By tabasco in forum Georgia sponsored by Harrison Motorsports
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 01-01-2011, 09:45 PM
  4. RI: 1997 Techno Sedan
    By northmiler89 in forum 3 series & Z Series
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 05-22-2009, 01:29 AM
  5. Techno Sedan <3
    By Geoff.T in forum BMW Rides & Events
    Replies: 43
    Last Post: 01-23-2009, 12:39 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •