Posts Tagged ‘Coilovers

13
May
12

Project E28: The Classic Compromise?

Considering this car is 27 years old and I’m dailying it, I’m struggling to see the “running a classic car” compromise:  It’s economical (we’re up to 36.9mpg after a service and plug/ lead change), comfortable, practical, will cruise at 85mph in pin-drop silence and (with no fear of jinxing it) is totally reliable.   I actually nearly sold this thing before I’d even started building it….then I nearly sold it again when I’d finished it…I’m just glad I stuck with it; this is literally the best “old” daily I’ve ever had!  The only problem is now I’m looking at even older BMWs thinking they will be as good; 2002 anyone?  Don’t encourage me…

 

 

07
Apr
12

Project E28: A Recipe For Success

Luckily success isn’t measured in CCs or number of cylinders, because if it was I’d look junior management at best.  You see, being a 518i she ain’t fast, but she is frugal (over 36mpg so far).  That said frugality isn’t sexy; Low ride heights and split rims BBS wheels are though, so get a load of this:

 

07
Apr
12

Project E28: Diet Build Montage

Maybe I tool the whole “luxury of not having to build it while driving it” thing too far, as messing about with the old land shark has taken far longer than I ever anticipated.  Not because there was more than I was expecting to do, just having the time proved more challenging that I first thought…that and some snow, which made one weekend particularly unpleasant.  Anyway, I’ve done loads and taken pretty much no pics, but the following (start singing the Team America montage song now) montage covers most of what went on, though not strictly in any order anything like any sequence of events:

You kinda get the gist…Apart from the above, it got waxoiled, new floors, OEM mats (flash I know!), new rear bumper, engine detail, service, too much money spent on it, new front suspension arms and bushes, spacers & spiggot rings, stripped, cleaned and painted the brakes, new plates and the moon on a stick. …you know how these things go….

02
Mar
12

Project Roadster 2: Visit to the Ministry

First fresh ticket of the year down.  2 to go.

19
Feb
12

Project E28: Still Sharkin’

This car has come a long way baby and I’ve got way more hours in it than I ever intended; Projects will do that to you, you know.  I’ll update properly as soon as I get chance, but from the teaser above you can see she’s almost there now…almost.

19
Feb
12

Project Roadster 2: Clockwork.

The Roadster has been all over with me the last few months and not skipped a beat; I love this car, but it’ll have to go soon as the E28 is nearly ready to rock (not that I’ve done any updates on it…but it is, honest).  I’m in two minds whether to strip off all the swanky bits and build my “Ultimate Roadster” and sell it as standard, or if I should just move on as I’ve had over 4 years of Roadster driving now and maybe I’m missing something…Mmm descisions!

30
Dec
11

Summer’s Gone (and so has the 924)

Country houses and ’80s GT cars. I had it all.

I’m still not sure if it’s a good or bad thing, but the 924 has changed hands twice since I sold it and it now lives with a guy I work with; I see it EVERY day.

20
Dec
11

Project Roadster 2: Convertible sports cars in winter; The thinking man’s choice.

20
Dec
11

Project Roadster 2: How not to not build a Silver Escape Pod

Right.  It’s been over 4 months.  Let’s blow the dust of this thing.  

And what better way to start than with an update on the daily driver situation.  I say situation because I sold the 924 and had nothing to replace it with.  The Herald took up the slack for a week until, handily, Kay (long-term friend of car show origins and 3am Taboo enthusiast) got in touch about selling her Roadster.  I’ve know the car since she got it and it was a good one; rust free and with the right crank.  So, I threw some money at her in the dark and drove “Minky” back.  While she was awesome and really good mechanically, she’d suffered a little cosmetically and obviously was not noisy enough or close enough to the ground.  I was going to live with it for winter…

The following is made up largely of terrible, grainy mobile phone pics; mainly because my garage cam finally bought it  after a fall and I hadn’t planned on really going as far as I have with this car so I’ve cobbled together what I could find…

 

The usual Service work was carried out with all the oils and filters and being changed

 

I then ordered in some Gaz coilies.  Accidentally I upgraded to gold pros which, compared to the GHAs I had on the blue Roadster (which I thought were great), are a massive leap forward on all fronts.  These were duly wound down, with locking collars removed and bump-stops slashed.  I also replaced the track rod ends and a ripped steering boot while I was at it…you see how this is getting out of hand?  I also replaced a load of interior trim: Doorcards, gear knob, gaiter, ash tray and fitted a stereo and new aerial.

 

Sump Guard:

In a bid to reign it in a bit I took the freshly powder coated Fondmetal meshies out of my storage facility (the Folk’s garage)  that had come off my E30 and fitted some skinny rubber.  By fluke more than judgement the fitment it pretty tight; I’m running no spacers and still had to roll the arches.  15s make life easier on the undercarriage too…I’m not saying I’m sold out yet, but you know…

 

Wait, there’s more.  B6s are non-interference.  And I believe this, I just didn’t want to find out for myself so I fitted a new cam belt, tensioners and water pump.  This was just a further excuse to clean the engine bay (which turned out to be a massive job), paint some stuff and delete the AC/ Header tank/ Washer bottle/ Carbon Can.  Looks good and won’t explode, what more could you want?

 

Well, being a tart there was:  A good second hand front bumper and splitter went on (yeah, about that splitter…not quite the OEM splitter I was told it was when I paid, but for now it’s better than nothing).

 

The final flourish was a new exhaust and de-cat.  I loved the sound from the system I put on the blue Roadster, so just bought another one and made up another tail pipe.

 I’ll throw some pics up of the completed car soon…well I say completed, despite the fact it’s got a new hood on it I still want a hard top (I’ve already put the fitting kit on it) so not quite there yet..

11
Aug
11

Project 924: Like a BOSS

Pics by RSVP




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