Touring Project Begins...

[NHskibm]

As of 12:28pm on 4/28/2008:

"Motor is Out. Smooth Sailing at this point. Thought I'd Update you."

E-mail from my friend Owen, owner of Kensington Autoworks, who is helping (well doing the swap for me) since I'm stuck in a 9 to 5 now...

[Shaka]

Lookin good mate. Can't wait to see the finished project.

Semi-OT ... two things...
#1 - are you still going to maybe travel out to Ohio for that E30 GTG in Columbus? Just curious.... and

#2 - is the comments you made about Bav based on some annual event i assume they maybe hold at their shop? when is it? just trying to plan ahead, in case the wife/kid do try to make it

[1988 325ix]

Lookin good mate. Can't wait to see the finished project.

Semi-OT ... two things...
#1 - are you still going to maybe travel out to Ohio for that E30 GTG in Columbus? Just curious.... and

#2 - is the comments you made about Bav based on some annual event i assume they maybe hold at their shop? when is it? just trying to plan ahead, in case the wife/kid do try to make it

As far as #2 goes yes it's an annual event held at there shop. I beleive it's the first weekend in october. Last year it was october 7th.

[NHskibm]

Lookin good mate. Can't wait to see the finished project.

Semi-OT ... two things...
#1 - are you still going to maybe travel out to Ohio for that E30 GTG in Columbus? Just curious.... and

#2 - is the comments you made about Bav based on some annual event i assume they maybe hold at their shop? when is it? just trying to plan ahead, in case the wife/kid do try to make it

As far as #2 goes yes it's an annual event held at there shop. I beleive it's the first weekend in october. Last year it was october 7th.

#1 - when is the event? it is still a possibility depending on date(s)...

#2 - the above answer is correct, although Bav doesn't have a shop, just a big ass warehouse. And it is the first weekend in October. TONS of cars over a variety of years, models, and different types of "tuning".


Picked up a 3.23 LSD from Dan at Diffsonline tonight... Thing is in GREAT shape! Thanks to Dan for meeting me this evening and helping out and his shop looks spectacular...

[1988 325ix]

#1 - when is the event? it is still a possibility depending on date(s)...

#2 - the above answer is correct, although Bav doesn't have a shop, just a big ass warehouse. And it is the first weekend in October. TONS of cars over a variety of years, models, and different types of "tuning".


Picked up a 3.23 LSD from Dan at Diffsonline tonight... Thing is in GREAT shape! Thanks to Dan for meeting me this evening and helping out and his shop looks spectacular...

As far as I know at this point, it's the first weekend in october still.

[Shaka]

RE: Ohio GTG
Here is that thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=912874
Problem is that I don't think enough details have really been nailed down. Plus there is a far more exciting GTG the next day (VW/Audi) at Presque Isle in Erie, PA that all my friends are going to that I may do... either instead, or in addition. We'll see....

RE: Driving to NH with a 1-year old
My daughter will be just shy of a year old come the first weekend in October... but my wife was hot-and-cold about going out for the show. She is all about cars, and we've never been to Boston. So it sounds like fun, except when you look at 10-hours driving with a 1-yr old kid. So we'll see as we get closer. There is a chance, but not a huge one.

Back ON TOPIC (sorta)... i'm such a huge wagon fan. I'm thinking of picking up an E34 wagon. Anyone have any experience with those?!

[kellie]

Back ON TOPIC (sorta)... i'm such a huge wagon fan. I'm thinking of picking up an E34 wagon. Anyone have any experience with those?!

Get a 6-cylinder. That's my advice.

[NHskibm]

As far as I know at this point, it's the first weekend in october still.

Of course it (Bav) is still in October... I was asking about the Ohio Event...

[NHskibm]

RE: Ohio GTG
Here is that thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=912874
Problem is that I don't think enough details have really been nailed down. Plus there is a far more exciting GTG the next day (VW/Audi) at Presque Isle in Erie, PA that all my friends are going to that I may do... either instead, or in addition. We'll see....

RE: Driving to NH with a 1-year old
My daughter will be just shy of a year old come the first weekend in October... but my wife was hot-and-cold about going out for the show. She is all about cars, and we've never been to Boston. So it sounds like fun, except when you look at 10-hours driving with a 1-yr old kid. So we'll see as we get closer. There is a chance, but not a huge one.

Back ON TOPIC (sorta)... i'm such a huge wagon fan. I'm thinking of picking up an E34 wagon. Anyone have any experience with those?!

There is a guy screen name andrewconti that has two of them. He's the one to talk to. You can find him in the NE section.

Check Continental for flights from Cleveland to Boston. For what you would spend in gas to get from cleveland to Boston you may as well fly (as you only need two tickets).

Come october I should still have the iX and Touring as well as the 135i that is on order. You're welcome to borrow something - you just need to supply the car seat.

Edit: Just saw the date for the Ohio meet. GF's 30th weekend extravaganza is that weekend.

Get a 6-cylinder. That's my advice.

E34 comes in something other than an M20 or M30???

[kellie]

E34 comes in something other than an M20 or M30???

For whatever reason, those V8s are enticing to some people. They aren't worth it...they're a headache.

[Shaka]

Howard... are you offering to let me borrow/drive the 135i for a weekend? Hahaha... something tells me you'd be more likely to part with the ix/touring. But heck, if the 135i is on the table, that might make the trip that much more worthwhile for me. LOL

kellie... the car in question is ebay item # 320243500071 ... this guy listed the car twice, this being the 2nd time. Last time it got bid to ~$2k but didnt meet his $2.5k reserve. This time he just wants to move it. Sadly my brother lives an hour away and is too busy to go look at it.

Shipping would be ~$800. Locally I work with Brett Anderson @ Koala Motorsports who is pretty well known in the BMW realm for his work in motor swaps and just overall service. He is the guy who works on my E30. So i'm confident I have a good local shop for service... the question really just is even as clean as a cali car is (carfax checks out okay), is the car worth $2,800 shipped... but it looks so fun/clean!

Ahh the joys of being an alpine white junky....

[NHskibm]

For whatever reason, those V8s are enticing to some people. They aren't worth it...they're a headache.

I'm so focused on my E30 Touring I was thinking "they don't make a 4 banger E34..." of course if I were a real man I would have known you were speaking of an E34 540 Touring....

Howard... are you offering to let me borrow/drive the 135i for a weekend? Hahaha... something tells me you'd be more likely to part with the ix/touring. But heck, if the 135i is on the table, that might make the trip that much more worthwhile for me. LOL

kellie... the car in question is ebay item # 320243500071 ... this guy listed the car twice, this being the 2nd time. Last time it got bid to ~$2k but didnt meet his $2.5k reserve. This time he just wants to move it. Sadly my brother lives an hour away and is too busy to go look at it.

Shipping would be ~$800. Locally I work with Brett Anderson @ Koala Motorsports who is pretty well known in the BMW realm for his work in motor swaps and just overall service. He is the guy who works on my E30. So i'm confident I have a good local shop for service... the question really just is even as clean as a cali car is (carfax checks out okay), is the car worth $2,800 shipped... but it looks so fun/clean!

Ahh the joys of being an alpine white junky....

Actually the 135i is exactly the car I was thinking... Not that I don't trust your driving skills but in the off chance you bottom out or take a curb or what have you I'd rather it be in a car under warranty and that I could replace easily and is also a lease (that is being turned in).

Last thing the iX or Touring needs is the dirty diaper smell. More than welcome to take them for a spin, don't get me wrong, but I also prefer people borrow my least modded most warrantied cars when I loan them out....

[1988 325ix]

Of course it (Bav) is still in October... I was asking about the Ohio Event...

OH...duh

[M-technik-3]

I'm so focused on my E30 Touring I was thinking "they don't make a 4 banger E34..." of course if I were a real man I would have known you were speaking of an E34 540 Touring....

Oh but they did make E34 with 4 bangers. They had 518iT which are very frugal if you drive it properly aka it's a momentum car.

Purchase a 525iT and swap a 5 speed or 6 speed in and you will be very happy with it. If you feel it's underpowered you have option of M52 2.8L or 3.0L s50 or S52 3.2L

Makes the wake up.

[kellie]

kellie... the car in question is ebay item # 320243500071 ... this guy listed the car twice, this being the 2nd time. Last time it got bid to ~$2k but didnt meet his $2.5k reserve. This time he just wants to move it. Sadly my brother lives an hour away and is too busy to go look at it.

Shipping would be ~$800. Locally I work with Brett Anderson @ Koala Motorsports who is pretty well known in the BMW realm for his work in motor swaps and just overall service. He is the guy who works on my E30. So i'm confident I have a good local shop for service... the question really just is even as clean as a cali car is (carfax checks out okay), is the car worth $2,800 shipped... but it looks so fun/clean!

Ahh the joys of being an alpine white junky....

Sorry Howard, I don't mean to be a total thread jacker...

That wagon looks really nice. I'd still have a 3rd party pre-purchase inspection done, preferably by a dealer, or a shop that specializes in BMW. After seeing the things I've seen, I would be way too paranoid to buy a car sight unseen without some sort of an inspection. I'd say if it checks out, it would be worth $2,800. And don't worry, I'm also a sucker for white cars (with gold wheels).

[NHskibm]

no worries on the thread jacking... this is a Touring thread and that 5er is a Touring...

I just checked it out on ebay, that thing looks DAMN clean. $2,000 doesn't seem too unreasonable for the car based on the pictures...

But of course you never know.

[Shaka]

Well I was unable to convince myself to pull the trigger on the 5er wagon. It looked nice and my local shop said $3-4k max to get it road worthy (if it isn't already). So really I could have had a nice running touring for $5k max probably... but I got cold feet and didn't bid. Bummer!

So my offer still stands, Howard. When the time comes you goto sell that E30 touring, you better look me up. Hehe.....

As the year goes on I'll letcha know about us coming to Boston for BAV. In the meantime, I look forward to your project updates on your wagon. YAY! BTW, when does your 135i arrive? I think it is going to be a bit out of place amongst the E30s. Time to get a 2002... thats what the 135 really reminds me of.

[NHskibm]

Well I was unable to convince myself to pull the trigger on the 5er wagon. It looked nice and my local shop said $3-4k max to get it road worthy (if it isn't already). So really I could have had a nice running touring for $5k max probably... but I got cold feet and didn't bid. Bummer!

So my offer still stands, Howard. When the time comes you goto sell that E30 touring, you better look me up. Hehe.....

As the year goes on I'll letcha know about us coming to Boston for BAV. In the meantime, I look forward to your project updates on your wagon. YAY! BTW, when does your 135i arrive? I think it is going to be a bit out of place amongst the E30s. Time to get a 2002... thats what the 135 really reminds me of.

Sorry you got cold feet man... But it was only an Auto...

135i European Delivery Date of August 4, 2008 (hopefully - waiting to hear on the date). Drive it in Europe for a week or so, then it should be in by Bav - well right around that time. Of course if I don't sell one of my pieces of investment property soon then I may have to cancel... But hopefully not!

And of course I'm looking at a 2002 locally that is in need of some love... Found it on craigslist. CLaims there is rust, I need to see how bad... If it is repairable then I may jump on it and throw the M40 from the Touring in it and turn around and sell the car to finance my 135i.

[Shaka]

If you need to sell a car to finance your 135i, the Touring really wants to end up in Ohio.

[NHskibm]

I'll let it go for a measely $20k once completed...

Speaking of the E30 Touring... Look at the picture I just received...

[M-technik-3]

Thought you were going with a m50b25tu? That's an NV engine, NV are great engines.

[NHskibm]

Nope, always had the M50 Non vanos... I think someone said M50b25tu up above and I didn't correct them.

Funny that you say that the NV is a great engine. I had someone telling me the other night to get a Vanos engine as it is more tunable - i.e. S50 cams, etc etc.

Although when I told him what I paid for everything I had he said that it was definitely a good deal and since I have everything I should drop it in.

Nevertheless with 68k on the thing and what came with it I could care less NV or V.

Hopefully you'll be around this summer and be able to check it out when it is all done...

[kishg]

looking good howard!.. you will enjoy the 135, i was at summit pt this past weekend at a track event and was running with a 135 with just 2k on the clock.. that thing is fast!

[M-technik-3]

Double valve springs, no rattling in vanos unit. Swap cam and add an M3 Exhaust cam.

Add a bigger crank and you get 2.9L's

[NHskibm]

Stopped at the shop tonight. Of course my camera was dead.

Nonetheless the engine was in and on E24 motor mounts. TMS pulleys were installed. Aluminum thermostat housing was a nice surprise that came on the engine that I hadn't noticed before.

Tranny was on with the new clutch and 11.5lb flywheel.

I dropped off the diff but I'll be there Saturday morning installing the diff and the driveshaft myself (unless my buddy gets to it).

He was working on the wiring last night and will continue tomorrow while also trying to jump on the tranny cross brace.

We just need to get the cross brace, the shifter linkage, and a couple other things going to get this thing yard drivable. Hopefully Sat!

Then back to the bodyshop!

Perhaps this thing will be done by June. I know kevin chin is working on my rear seats for the thing!