Hi Everyone,
So i picked up a 1990 PFL 325i cab recently.
See my intro post at here.
I'll use this post to update everyone on the progress of my build/maintenance etc. and hoping to get advise and recommendations on parts/work/mods etc. on the way.
Thank you!
Alpinweiss II Build Thread
Moderator: martauto
WEEK 1
Went to the amazing BMR Performance.
Barry and his super team found lots of issues - thankfully, mostly age realted work.
They kindly gave me a list of priritised items and I'm waiting for a rough quote now. They are very busy (understandable) and I won't probably go back till August, so in the mean time will DIY to replace pads/rotors, alloys and tyres - all in terrible condition.
Went to the amazing BMR Performance.
Barry and his super team found lots of issues - thankfully, mostly age realted work.
They kindly gave me a list of priritised items and I'm waiting for a rough quote now. They are very busy (understandable) and I won't probably go back till August, so in the mean time will DIY to replace pads/rotors, alloys and tyres - all in terrible condition.
WEEK 2
Did a few bits:
Did a few bits:
- Fitted new hood insulation
- Restored the badly rusted tools
- New set of Zimmerman rotors/discs. I ordered Zimmerman as they have good ant-rust coating
- New set of Meyle prake pads. I've never used them before but they seem to be good?
- New 15" BBS basetweave alloys from maxilite.ch
Thanks. I got em' on your recommendation
I cheated... since I wasn't aware of any place in London that would do it.
I sanded them, used a fine wire wool to polish and then painted them with brake caliper paint as that's what I had. Galvanizing paint works well too.
I had them in Coke for 24 hours. Turns out it's a myth. Nothing happended
WEEK 3
New basket weaves (excuse the lack of hub caps, haven't fitted them yet)
New discs and pads have arrived but I noticed that I need new brake splash guards too
I took a punt by ordering Zimmerman discs instead of OE - because of the zinc coating. Let's see how they work out.
New basket weaves (excuse the lack of hub caps, haven't fitted them yet)
New discs and pads have arrived but I noticed that I need new brake splash guards too
I took a punt by ordering Zimmerman discs instead of OE - because of the zinc coating. Let's see how they work out.
Haha yes. I also took time to apply generous coatings of Poorboys wheel sealant and Meguire's tyre gel before fitting so hopefully it will stay like that for a while!
WEEK 8
The car is with BMR Performance - getting tons of stuff done - and I mean tons as my wallet would attest haha. Glad that it's being spent at the only place worth spending it though, so overall I'm not too grumpy.
Before the car went to BMR I did a few things myself but didn't take photos.
The car is with BMR Performance - getting tons of stuff done - and I mean tons as my wallet would attest haha. Glad that it's being spent at the only place worth spending it though, so overall I'm not too grumpy.
Before the car went to BMR I did a few things myself but didn't take photos.
- Got a new fuel tank to be fitted at BMR. As far as third party ones go, it wasn't too bad at £159 shipped from Germany
- Bought Billstein B4s all around on recommendation from Barry to be fitted at BMR too
- The rear fog light wasn't working. Turns out that pulling out the switch and cleaning the contacts fixed things
- Replaced the NS/F high beam which had a chip and water ingress
- Painted the front grill and windshield wiper arms and grills with satin black paint and they look wonderful (Autotek spray paint from eBay to the rescue)
- Picked up all the parts for cruise control from Bonymaenjack
WEEK 9
The car is back from BMR Performance.
WOW!
It's a different beast altogether. Just made that one trip from BMR to home (it's not like the weather is amazing for anything) but it feels like a different car.
Solid pickup, feels tight around the corners, all random rattles and shakes gone and despite having some random 3rd pary exhaust, even quiter. Worth the ££££ spent for sure!
Next on the list of todo:
The car is back from BMR Performance.
WOW!
It's a different beast altogether. Just made that one trip from BMR to home (it's not like the weather is amazing for anything) but it feels like a different car.
Solid pickup, feels tight around the corners, all random rattles and shakes gone and despite having some random 3rd pary exhaust, even quiter. Worth the ££££ spent for sure!
Next on the list of todo:
- Getting rust proofed. Barry @ BMR recommended a place that uses wax and cavity injection as opposed to outright rubbury coating that some places do. Hopefully will get this done at Barry's recommended bodyshop
- New exhaust. Nothing wrong with the current exhaust, but it's a bit too loud for my taste. Barry recommends genuine OE, but that's ££££... need to think about it. Regardless, I need to fit a new heat insulation tunnel (aka exhaust heat shield), the carrier bracket and the plate that attaches to it
- Do up the leather interior and
- Misc body work, e.g. external trim repaint, bumper refresh
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Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member
- Posts: 49353
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
By rubbery coating, I assume you mean what is commonly known as 'schutz', and I'll echo Barry's recommendation and more.
Never, under any circumstances, apply this stuff to any vehicle you want to last indefinitely. It's purpose is to stave off the crusher for a few years, as well as to hide corrosion from the prying eyes of the MOT tester.
It's fine for a few years, but then it starts to lift, allowing moisture to get between it and the metal. The moisture has nowhere to go, so just sits there, eating away at the metal, and quickly rendering the car past saving.
If you want to add to the factory underseal, where that has lifted, usually for no more than a short distance from an edge, then use the proper two pack polyurethane stuff from 3M, or for small patches, you can use polyurethane sealant from a tube, shaping it with a tool and white spirit.
Excellent, thank you!
Brianmoooore wrote: ↑Sun Aug 30, 2020 7:40 pmBy rubbery coating, I assume you mean what is commonly known as 'schutz', and I'll echo Barry's recommendation and more.
Never, under any circumstances, apply this stuff to any vehicle you want to last indefinitely. It's purpose is to stave off the crusher for a few years, as well as to hide corrosion from the prying eyes of the MOT tester.
It's fine for a few years, but then it starts to lift, allowing moisture to get between it and the metal. The moisture has nowhere to go, so just sits there, eating away at the metal, and quickly rendering the car past saving.
If you want to add to the factory underseal, where that has lifted, usually for no more than a short distance from an edge, then use the proper two pack polyurethane stuff from 3M, or for small patches, you can use polyurethane sealant from a tube, shaping it with a tool and white spirit.
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TurtleDesignTech
- E30 Zone Regular
- Posts: 250
- Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2015 11:00 pm
- Location: Hampshire
Highly recommend the 3m 2 pack poyurethane (and 3m sealant in a tube).
I sprayed my parents Panda Cross 4x4 with this a few years ago - they drive it around Europe and take it up the mountains in winter.
New cars these days have sod all for underseal, so I did it this first month they brought the car and put bin bags around all the supension and driveline components to mask it off.
On an 30 year old car though you really need to remove most of the drivetrain and give the underside a serious clean down and fix any properly fix any rust you find.
Personally I would also want to paint it afterwards in the original BMW beige (see Barry's M3 restoration thread).
I sprayed my parents Panda Cross 4x4 with this a few years ago - they drive it around Europe and take it up the mountains in winter.
New cars these days have sod all for underseal, so I did it this first month they brought the car and put bin bags around all the supension and driveline components to mask it off.
On an 30 year old car though you really need to remove most of the drivetrain and give the underside a serious clean down and fix any properly fix any rust you find.
Personally I would also want to paint it afterwards in the original BMW beige (see Barry's M3 restoration thread).
Thanks. Looks great. The underside clean is the part that I need to get going with. This week I'm getting someone local to just look at the wheel arches and remove any rust and repaint as needed. After that I need to take it to Barry @ BMR Performance where his bodyshop will hopefully be able to do the cleaning and underside spraying.TurtleDesignTech wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2020 7:33 pmHighly recommend the 3m 2 pack poyurethane (and 3m sealant in a tube).
I sprayed my parents Panda Cross 4x4 with this a few years ago - they drive it around Europe and take it up the mountains in winter.
20180713-170533073822.jpg
20180713-170452418713.jpg
New cars these days have sod all for underseal, so I did it this first month they brought the car and put bin bags around all the supension and driveline components to mask it off.
On an 30 year old car though you really need to remove most of the drivetrain and give the underside a serious clean down and fix any properly fix any rust you find.
Personally I would also want to paint it afterwards in the original BMW beige (see Barry's M3 restoration thread).
More new parts in preparation for a new exhaust. After a lot of listening to YouTube videos and opinions from various folks I’ve decided to go for the stock exhaust. Will go for a two piece system and currently that comes down to £744 straight from BMW Classics. Not bad really.
I’d have loved to get a Supersprint but looks like it will be even more expensive than stock.
Also ordered a knee panel but instead of the genuine BMW one, which is made of vinyl and can flake as witnessed in mine went for an ABS plastic version that looks and feels like the original but a lot stronger. Downside is it came all the way from Australia and I had to pay crazy shipping and then VAT on top making it almost as expensive as the BMW part haha.
I’d have loved to get a Supersprint but looks like it will be even more expensive than stock.
Also ordered a knee panel but instead of the genuine BMW one, which is made of vinyl and can flake as witnessed in mine went for an ABS plastic version that looks and feels like the original but a lot stronger. Downside is it came all the way from Australia and I had to pay crazy shipping and then VAT on top making it almost as expensive as the BMW part haha.
The side flaked off and the edges were too soft... it wasn't a total loss as someone still bought it off me for 40 despite the condition.
Fitted the Bremen SQR DAB and upgraded speakers and twitters. Way to enter 21st century for sure.
Have also gathered all the underside parts that were missing apart from a new exhaust. Currently on back order and I have no idea when it will be back!
MOT passed earlier today. No advisories. Yay!
Thanks... yours is basically the same as mine?
Mine looks good in the photo because I just had it clarybar'ed and sealant applied - makes a massive difference on basic white paint
So the last piece of the underside puzzle arrived today. About time!
This means I can fit the underside heat insulation items, rear carrier, engine under tray etc. also at the same time.
Christmas Day meant I could go for a spin in Central London without paying ULEZ and C charge 
More parts. Noticed the distributor cover was missing. So had to. While at it, decided the brake and accelerator pedals need refreshing too. All very reasonably priced from BMW Classics.
The worst part was the little rubber window seal. Had to replace it because the current one is mossy and green. €85 just for that!
The worst part was the little rubber window seal. Had to replace it because the current one is mossy and green. €85 just for that!
Long time no update, so I’m due for some I guess.
Fitted the Scorpion exhaust. Discovered during fitting that the old back box was form a 320. The car is now a completely different beast. Responds better and the straight six sound even better. Only thing I don’t like about the Scorpion exhaust is under lower rev there’s a noticeable drone. So much so, I ended up with a headache the first few times I drove it. Sort of used to it now but just for this, I wouldn’t recommend Scorpion to anyone.
Discovered (accidentally) that water has been depositing in the left corner of the boot right under where the antenna unit is and there’s a massive patch of rust under the carpet! Need to get to a body shop. Still debating a full restoration vs localised fixes.
Ordered tons of new parts, new washer bottle, coolant bottle, various hoses, terminals, connectors, wire covers (from M42 car), seals, knee panel etc. that’s sitting at home gathering dust! Feels like I have no time for anything! Also ordered new car mats matching the beige carpet from Germany. Will update when I get them.
At least managed to do a bit of interior facelift. Starting with refurbishing the stalks, fitting cruise control (not faulty working as luck would have it found the tab on the bowden cable broken) and Momo hub and steering wheel which I think has radically changed the interior.
That’s all for now.
Fitted the Scorpion exhaust. Discovered during fitting that the old back box was form a 320. The car is now a completely different beast. Responds better and the straight six sound even better. Only thing I don’t like about the Scorpion exhaust is under lower rev there’s a noticeable drone. So much so, I ended up with a headache the first few times I drove it. Sort of used to it now but just for this, I wouldn’t recommend Scorpion to anyone.
Discovered (accidentally) that water has been depositing in the left corner of the boot right under where the antenna unit is and there’s a massive patch of rust under the carpet! Need to get to a body shop. Still debating a full restoration vs localised fixes.
Ordered tons of new parts, new washer bottle, coolant bottle, various hoses, terminals, connectors, wire covers (from M42 car), seals, knee panel etc. that’s sitting at home gathering dust! Feels like I have no time for anything! Also ordered new car mats matching the beige carpet from Germany. Will update when I get them.
At least managed to do a bit of interior facelift. Starting with refurbishing the stalks, fitting cruise control (not faulty working as luck would have it found the tab on the bowden cable broken) and Momo hub and steering wheel which I think has radically changed the interior.
More bits and pieces acquired that I still haven’t had time.
First stop is the fire OE extinguisher, complete with bracket. Although BMW no longer makes the cradle type bracket, luckily, the extinguisher (both from BMW as seen here and Gloria, the ORM) comes with a plastic bracket that nicely lines up with the metal bracket. Keen readers will observe that the metal bracket I have is for a LHD, sadly I couldn't find a RHD version so the orientation of the extinguisher is wrong haha.
This one is a little hack that I came across in R3VLimited. It’s a 318is wiring cover (comes in three parts but the inner holder is NLA, luckily not important) that fits the 325i M20 fine. There’s also a second part, not pictured here that you can get for the cover to extend all the way to the battery for a clean look. Since mine is a cab and I don’t have battery in the boot I didn’t get it.
First stop is the fire OE extinguisher, complete with bracket. Although BMW no longer makes the cradle type bracket, luckily, the extinguisher (both from BMW as seen here and Gloria, the ORM) comes with a plastic bracket that nicely lines up with the metal bracket. Keen readers will observe that the metal bracket I have is for a LHD, sadly I couldn't find a RHD version so the orientation of the extinguisher is wrong haha.
This one is a little hack that I came across in R3VLimited. It’s a 318is wiring cover (comes in three parts but the inner holder is NLA, luckily not important) that fits the 325i M20 fine. There’s also a second part, not pictured here that you can get for the cover to extend all the way to the battery for a clean look. Since mine is a cab and I don’t have battery in the boot I didn’t get it.