Jim's Sport

[suchy]

This will still look good for years if you do nothing apart from sorting the susp. and engine!! Sod fragging it, do that when it gets preoperly bad. Drive it and enjoy it

[Kedge]

To be fair it does look fine when you step back a few paces. There's plenty of MOT left on it so may as well use it.

[Jim320i]

Kedge is correct with the bubble on the scuttle, the picture doesn't show it up very well, but I think it's because there was condensation on the car as it was morning. When it's a good day, I'll give it a wash and polish and get some detailed pictures. The scuttle, I'll get the vents out and have a look from the other side, I'm extremely tempted to put my finger throughn it but then it will look worse

Anyway, no one will see it close when I drift past them... Seeing as I'm one of the 'boys' now

[Kedge]

Anyway, no one will see it close when I drift past them... Seeing as I'm one of the 'boys' now

[suchy]

Anyway, no one will see it close when I drift past them... Seeing as I'm one of the 'boys' now

Leave that to the welders and driftcocks. You will be wanting to waft pass them with your nose in the air riding on a cushion of superiority as you're now a Sport elitist

[bss325i]

Was an Mot in the post then with suspension like that!

As said, engine in, suspension on and use it for a bit then frag.

Note the missing fan shroud and dizy cap lead cover. A sure sign of a well maintained E30!

[Speedtouch]

If it turns out that the usual rot areas are in good shape, it would be worth preserving.

[polsta]

polstas top tip, if your just going to use it, get some FERTAN in in behind them rear door cards all in there on them rear arches will sort that a bit/hold it off, them other scabby bits, FERTAN and some touch up paint will work a treat


are you going as far as removing carpet and dash etc ?

[Jim320i]

Barry the mot MUST have been done by a friend of Lukes

Polsta, already thought of you Will be grabbing some Fertan when I head over to Leicester next as Matt (meatballs82) found a place that does it

The carpet may come out the dash will remain... When ever I take out a dash, I usually frag them within a week

Looking forward to getting the other engine started and running (still havent tried since the last time I mentioned it) but looks as if were set for some really bad weather this week. Started pissssing it down already so will be indoors decorating now until it stops. Then hopefully get out there later next week. Hoping to get over to Matt's though on Friday with Kedge so we can start poking at his car too as he is having the kit off on the hunt for rust

[polsta]

going round kedges to get the kit off and have a good poke

[Jim320i]

Standard zone activity round the midlands Polsta, you guys not do that down south?

[Meatballs82]

I've never poked in front of a crowd. I hope I don't get stagefright!

[suchy]

Standard zone activity round the midlands Polsta, you guys not do that down south?

You seen the bunch of miscreants down here? I wouldn't touch them with Rav's!!! Even Pacer doesn't venture down these parts...

[lukec88]

Barry the mot MUST have been done by a friend of Lukes

Polsta, already thought of you Will be grabbing some Fertan when I head over to Leicester next as Matt (meatballs82) found a place that does it

The carpet may come out the dash will remain... When ever I take out a dash, I usually frag them within a week

Looking forward to getting the other engine started and running (still havent tried since the last time I mentioned it) but looks as if were set for some really bad weather this week. Started pissssing it down already so will be indoors decorating now until it stops. Then hopefully get out there later next week. Hoping to get over to Matt's though on Friday with Kedge so we can start poking at his car too as he is having the kit off on the hunt for rust

Jim believe it or not the MOT was actually done by an In n Out MOT centre in northampton and i didnt know the people there. it was the only place i could find open late enough on a saturday to be able to get it done. i took it there the only fails were that patch under the fuse box which got patched up quickly and the abs light on which i got those ones off of you to get it off. then it went through. lol.

[Jim320i]

Havent had any time spare to go play with the sport yet until today, but didnt get much done as wasnt out there for too long...

Anyway, purchased some Eibachs and made a start on fitting them earlier.

This is how it sat on the Rear Driver side before I started



Jack wouldnt fit under for a start




Its had new disc and pads all round with new flexihoses and rear backing plates on the rear too which is nice



I then got side tracked and thought i'll get the side skirts off and have a nosey...



It isnt as bad as I thought Although I have a feeling the horrors are on the inner sill






Now Luke, you said it didnt handle too badly I beg to differ fella even without driving it on the road.



Springs that came off next to the Eibachs. Didnt look for any brands or markings but I will when I go out next



While I was there I thought I would switch the rear shocks for some Bilstein B6/8's (One or the other) which I was saving for the chromie but might aswell use them on this...

The top mount parts that were on there had some play





Both in



The hook eye thing next to the shock has some rust on it and there are a few places in the arch where they usually have some scabs, but in all its not that bad! The arch lining is solid enough for me



Wheel from the Chromie on her, tyre size is 205/55 where as the the ones that were on it were 195/50 I think



Ebay special dustcaps because i'm council







I was gonna do the front too but when I started the but on the tie rod arm holding it to the front strut descided the whole thing would start spinning Im guessing the only way to remove it to hack saw the thread I can get to between the 2 and replace the tie rod? I already have replacement Lemforder ones so I can use them. Also need a ball joint splitter. For too long I have just twaaated them with the tapping stick, but I dont wanna damage the thread.

Anyway, put the wheel back on and dropped it and it sat like this



Nothing had been changed on the front but im guessing it will settle and fall back on it arse again.

But even like this... It looks a little better than it was





The other side still on the dropped springs



From the rear



Camber... Innit...



Still think some bushes need changing but looks a bit better





In all, I think it will handle and look a million times better once the springs have all been switched.

[jmc330i]

Whilst I like low cars, that will look 100 times better with a sensible drop

The front right will sit higher than before as the rear left is still stupidly low, when you raise the left rear, the front right will lower a little.

[Kedge]

Can't believe you dared take the skirts off, I see it wasn't fitted with the proper clips though!

Good stuff getting the rear shock and spring swapped, looks better already, now just need the sell the scrap ones to Verde

Wonder how long he'd been driving it around with tyres that bad, mind you looking at the 14s that came with it they'd have stayed one for some while yet.

[Jim320i]

Which clips do you mean Dave? The ones along the bottom and on the body were all the correct ones, then end bits were screws and 8mm bolts, wasnt sure if they were fine.

Front wing looks very solid too I was gonna have them off to check under but will do that when I have the front lights out and swapped as I couldnt be arsed to remove them earlier.

Those wheels wont be staying on it just yet, i';; through some other 15's on with some worn but road legal tyres to make sure its not still wearing that bad as I dont want it fewking up some tyres for no reason

[Alex]

Looking great Jim keep up us updated

Do you just take both rear shocks off which allows trailing arms to drop to change rear springs ?

[magpie]

put the trolly jack on the bottom of the track rod end and jack the car up from there .you should be able to undo the nut with the cars weight on the bottom pushing the shaft up tight

you might have to tighten then slacken a bit but failing all that heat the nut right up till all the nylon inside melts . been there don that soo many times,nothing can hold me back !!

[Kedge]

The end jibs Jim, should be those plastic pop rivets like on Matts, screws will just cause more rust and are another certain sign of bodyshop bodgery! Bet there's no protection on the bodywork under the kits likes Matts sport either.

[Kedge]

put the trolly jack on the bottom of the track rod end and jack the car up from there .you should be able to undo the nut with the cars weight on the bottom pushing the shaft up tight

you might have to tighten then slacken a bit but failing all that heat the nut right up till all the nylon inside melts . been there don that soo many times,nothing can hold me back !!

These are both tips a fragger like Jim really ought to know by now

[Andyboy]

There's the makings of a useable Sport there - run it for a year and make a few quid on top....good work.

[Jim320i]

put the trolly jack on the bottom of the track rod end and jack the car up from there .you should be able to undo the nut with the cars weight on the bottom pushing the shaft up tight

you might have to tighten then slacken a bit but failing all that heat the nut right up till all the nylon inside melts . been there don that soo many times,nothing can hold me back !!

These are both tips a fragger like Jim really ought to know by now

I did try using a jack on it but no joy... Havent got electric out by the unit so couldnt heat it up with the air gun and stopped smoking a while back so no lighter

I'll hack saw the thing off when I get time on it next.

I do remember the end clips now. I'll have to have a nosey at Matt's or Andy in Stoney Stanton and get the correct clips.

@ Andy - Thats the plan. Hopefully in the mean time I can search for a nice chromie too

[Kedge]

put the trolly jack on the bottom of the track rod end and jack the car up from there .you should be able to undo the nut with the cars weight on the bottom pushing the shaft up tight

you might have to tighten then slacken a bit but failing all that heat the nut right up till all the nylon inside melts . been there don that soo many times,nothing can hold me back !!

These are both tips a fragger like Jim really ought to know by now

I did try using a jack on it but no joy... Havent got electric out by the unit so couldnt heat it up with the air gun

That's unlikely to get it hot enough, you need a blow torch

[Jim320i]

Got the strut front strut out earlier in the end, jacked the car up again like you suggested Magpie Wasnt putting enough pressure on it before...

I did get some pictures, but they on the other pc and im in bed now but will upload some tomorrow...

The front struts that came off The shock itself looks to be a B6/8... But the thing is fully decompressed and doesnt move, not sure why, or what could be stopping it but it wouldnt budge. The springs, I have got a picture of them from my phone which is the only photo I got with that.



Yellow are what was on it, middle are the Eibachs, the end are standard E30 springs for size

They also didnt have any bump stops in and when fitted the springs fully compressed so it actually had no suspension up front


I was gonna then use the front struts I was saving for the chromie, but unfortunately, it looks as if they have gone walkabouts/some fuuucker has nicked them as they are not to be seen

I removed the front strut from the 325 chromie breaker I have which had some standard looking shocks inserted so using them for now, springs are on them and everything needs putting back on when I get the chance.

Hopefully the other front struts show up but I searched for about an hour with no joy

Cleaned up the front arch a bit too wire bushed some surface scabs, put my fingers through some holes, treated the scabs and undersealed it to make it look nice. Painted the caliper too I know its only a run around but I canny help myself when i'm there

[Rav335uk]

For a spring to be fully compressed sounds like the dampers are fooked Jim.
Check them properly

[Jim320i]

Yeah, the insert shock is fooked by the look of it, its fully decompressed and doesnt move freely like normal. Thats why I just used the front struts from the other car...

I did call Matt for cheap replacements but he laughed at me and said stop being a tight arse The cheapest ones he could do are still too much for my liking, even though they were a good price

[Rav335uk]

Cheapskate!!!!
Get some decent ones on there.
BTW, I've got to ring that lazy b'stard tomorrow for my M30 bits

[Jim320i]

I had some but they've gone missing

I do have some other B6/8's but they dont push back out when when decompressed so I assume they are fooked? Although they are still slow to push in...

[Kedge]

The billes don't need bumpstops Jim, they have their own internal bumpstops. If the shock doesn't comeback up when compressed it's bin fodder!

[Jim320i]

Poo... One might be alright but one definately didnt push back out

[Jim320i]

Need to get the other side off and see what that one is like as might only need to replace the one with the spare I have that does work?

[Kedge]

You should replace them as a pair, especially as they'll be different types. I'm sure the other side will be shagged out anyway, both sides had no give in the suspension!

[Rav335uk]

Don't throw them away!!!!
You can have them revalved Jim by Bilstien.
It's worth finding out a price.