Project Alpine White Z3 - Build Thread

[DanielFD]

Hello, I'm new to the forum here. I haven't been on any forum for a couple of years. So I'm excited to get back into it. I thought I'd start by introducing my project car. I bought her a couple of months ago, on impulse, and without laying eyes on her from a friend who bought it but didn't fit in it—kind of how all these good stories start.
Supposedly the first owner passed away ten years ago, and the car sat since then until the grandson drove it for a few months and sold it to my friend. 1999 BMW Z3 2.5 M52TU with 50,000 miles and a stick. I was never the guy to buy a small white convertible car, but I've always loved the Z3 ever since they came out. I remember seeing one for the first time as a young kid, and it was the first car that struck my attention and helped me start to notice what a good looking car looks like. So when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped on it. I've been wrenching on cars for a couple of years now and have my laptop set up for software coding and diagnosis on BMWs. Coming from a 2007 e60 with an N62, these cars are just a joy/easy to work on.


Pictures from the first hour of ownership in Palmdale before driving back into LA:
IMG_1336.jpgIMG_1338.jpgIMG_1340.jpg

The car is in acceptable condition. It needs some paintwork, and the interior is in excellent condition for the age. The drivetrain is very healthy. The car most likely was not covered in those ten years and got repainted before being sold. No dents anywhere, but you can tell the paintwork isn't the best. I've already realigned the front and rear bumper correctly. Oil and filter change with 5-40W LiquiMoly and a Mann oil filter. Lubed all the rubber with Gummi Pflege. Lithium Silicon sprayed the window guides (which fixed the windows being stuck on both sides). Delrin seat bushings, of course. The blower resistor was shot, and the car was missing some freon (no leak detected after testing). I got that fixed, and she blows freezing now. There was a loud screeching noise when the car was at idle. It sounded like a vacuum leak, so I replaced all the CCV components and intake boots on the engine (not fun), and that fixed it. I soaked the seats in some leatherique that brought back a lot of life into the seats, which are in good condition (driver's side has had repairs, but good ones). The sagging glovebox has been fixed already using the ND kit.
IMG_1732.jpg373556B8-34B9-4CA0-B280-36BDEF0729C1.jpg

[DanielFD]

I also rebuilt the brakes with Zimmerman Rotors and Akebono Brake Pads, even did the parking brake pads "since I was in there".
63079925642__75FC7DA8-2C28-4437-B3C1-8C46D9012BD2.jpg
I've also installed the VDO TR7412UB-OR Head Unit.
IMG_1733 (1).jpg
I got an awesome deal on an E39 single stage airbag wheel.
IMG_1616.jpgIMG_1679.jpg
And just lately I fitted face-lifted headlights with clear turn-signals and clear side markers and clear side turn signals (all with chrome amber bulbs). The car looks great now.
67B2DBC3-20AC-424B-9E94-494BB66CEDE1.jpg

[KBH22102]

Congrats and welcome. Alpine White is an awesome color on these cars and really accentuates the classic lines. Kudos on your refurbishments. There is a lot of information on this forum on every aspect of these cars. Be careful of going down the rabbit hole, though you look like you are already well on your way.

[DanielFD]

Congrats and welcome. Alpine White is an awesome color on these cars and really accentuates the classic lines. Kudos on your refurbishments. There is a lot of information on this forum on every aspect of these cars. Be careful of going down the rabbit hole, though you look like you are already well on your way.

Thank you! Yes that ship has sailed. But I got into this knowing that would happen. Looking forward to it even!

[DanielFD]

Plan on installing Z3 M taillights and a Bilstein B12 Pro Kit with style 23 wheels in anthracite grey to finish up the look.
IMG_2183.jpg
I also need to catch up on all the missed maintenance. Pretty much everything needs to be replaced after sitting for 10 years. ABS Module was sent be rebuilt and is now installed and working great. A sound system is definitely in the books soon.
IMG_2570.jpg
I've also retrofitted an auto dimming mirror w/homelink out of a R57 MINI Cooper.

[cpallenjr]

Nice! Looks a lot like mine!

[CoconutPete]

Nice pickup. Welcome!

That interior looks mint.

[Pima Roadster]

Tell us about the installation of the Mini mirror. Plug & play or? Does yours have a security system? I have wanted a mirror with Home-Link which was the size of the OE interior mirror for my 01 since we bought it ten years ago. Auto dimming would be nice too if not prone to dripping!

[DanielFD]

The car is prewired for an alarm system but does not have an alarm at the moment. There were no electronics in the mirror that I removed, Im unsure what model years/options had antennas in the mirror. The mirror I installed comes on convertible R57 Minis, they fit the windscreen nib on our cars, plug and play. I found a few on ebay. I used the following Mini wiring diagram to understand what wires to give power to get the homelink + auto-dimming to work. Then routed those wires up through the Windscreen frame and down the A pilar and into the engine bay to its own fuse in the fuse box. 5A is more than enough. I used pin 3 for fused ignition power and pin 10 for ground(that I just wired up to a grounded bolt under the dash). Pin 1 can be connected if you want autodimming to turn off when the car is in reverse. You have to wire it up to the reverse position switch, not worth the trouble for me. Pin 2 and 8 look like they are data wires that help communicate with other electronics in the mirror, maybe an antenna, I'm not sure but they aren't applicable for the retrofit anyway so you can ignore them. If you want to do it right you can buy this retrofit connector that plugs into the mirror from bmw with the right pins 61120434330
8BC058E2-CE62-492F-A58D-761D4A9BA3BF.png

[Pima Roadster]

@daniel.dahdal thank you! Certain that others beside myself will appreciate the information, the diagram & the part number. To have a remote garage door opener rattling around inside a vehicle, especially a convertible, is a temptation to thieves. This will get a higher priority on my things to do list for my Roadster

[DanielFD]

I finally upgraded the speakers in the car. 5.25” 2-way Alpine SPE-5000 speakers installed in the rear. Sound Ordnance P-52CB components installed in the front footwell and doors. Removed the original HiFi amp and currently just running directly off my aftermarket radio. Sounds miles better than it was and Im still using all the original wiring so I can splice in an amp later down the road if I want too.
IMG_3364.jpgIMG_3365.jpgIMG_3366.jpgIMG_3413.jpgIMG_3414.jpg

[DanielFD]

I used a Dremel and cut away at the plastic offset from the original speaker to give the rear of the speaker the most space possible.
IMG_3421.jpgIMG_3420.jpgIMG_3416.jpgIMG_3415.jpgIMG_3410.jpg

[DanielFD]

Also finally got around to replacing the manual trans oil and went with Redline ATF D4. I don't know if it is that or because I replaced the Flex Disc and end bearing but the shifter feels much much better now. Also bonus pictures driving through Angeles Crest.
IMG_3409.jpgIMG_3017.jpg53E9252E-E6FE-4F69-BB06-3018D215BAEE.jpg

[ragged325]

Car looks great! I've seen Matt Farah (One Take - youtube) driving on Angeles Crest and I'd like to make it up there one day this Summer. Looks like a lot of cutting to get the 5.25" rear speakers to fit, but I imagine the sound improvement makes it worth it.

[DanielFD]

Car looks great! I've seen Matt Farah (One Take - youtube) driving on Angeles Crest and I'd like to make it up there one day this Summer. Looks like a lot of cutting to get the 5.25" rear speakers to fit, but I imagine the sound improvement makes it worth it.

Thanks! Yea its a great area to to just enjoy our cars, the Z3 definitely feels at home on canyon roads. I ran the car with only the upgraded speakers in the front and the smaller speakers in the rear for a day and the difference with the bigger size in the back is night and day. They add a lot of depth and bass to the system.