**\My new Toy - now with tints/HID Conversion/Digital TV/**

[Rosc0PColtrane]

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaasseeeee paint the wheel centres black!!

Would offer an excellent contrast and go well with the silver/black theme of your car!

[aceraf]

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaasseeeee paint the wheel centres black!!

Would offer an excellent contrast and go well with the silver/black theme of your car!

Your thinking along the same lines as me.

Would go well with my theme. Also, the silver looks really flat against the shiny dish, so i think black/dark grey centre's would have alot more impact than the current silver centre. Swaying more towards black though.

[aceraf]

Found a few more pics...(phone camera so poor quality sorry)

The car after a good clean...







Some of the wheels

[e36boy]

The Borbets look sweeeeeeeet.......Especiallly with the polished rims
Im not normally a fan of tints but they dont look to bad. All in all very nice.

[aceraf]

The Borbets look sweeeeeeeet.......Especiallly with the polished rims
Im not normally a fan of tints but they dont look to bad. All in all very nice.

Tints do a good job of hiding your ICE, headrest monitors and dvd head-units can be fitted without worry as you can't see in the car at night.

It's also good for night journeys as the people with wrongly adjusted lights, or the people who drive with their fogs on won't affect you as the light is greatly reduced through the rear window.

I always do a light smoke on the front, and because the rear one's are blacked out it makes the front ones look darker than they actually are.

I think i will be spraying the centres of the borbets as the current silver does nothing for the polished dish.

[Tom-Tom]

Your touring looks spot-on Aceraf, It almost makes me want one for myself. Do you find that the body shape makes it noticably more practical than a 4dr or 2dr?

I think the Borbets "make" the car, if that makes sense.

[aceraf]

Your touring looks spot-on Aceraf, It almost makes me want one for myself. Do you find that the body shape makes it noticably more practical than a 4dr or 2dr?

I think the Borbets "make" the car, if that makes sense.

I went for the touring because i like the way it looks, makes a great sleeper, and you don't have people trying to race you all the time as you do in a 2/4door.

Also as i have kids it helps having 4 doors, and i prefer the shape of the touring over the normal 4door.

The Borbets really do make the car...change the whole stance of the car.

[aceraf]

Gave the car a good clean today so thought i'd throw some pics up.

Paid particular attention to the wheels, since polishing them i've struggled to find a cleaner/sealant combo that was both easy to use and effective at keeping the shine of the wheel.

Todays results came from

P21s Wheel cleaner (lighter green)
00 Wire wool (gone over all wheels)
Meguiars NXT Metal Polish (2-3 coats/applications per wheel)

Here are the pics.























Pics were taken a hour or so after washing so wheels have already got some dust on them which i couldn't be bothered to wipe clean for the pics.

Finally got a lower lip spoiler fitted after nearly 4 months of not having one...the tech 2 lit is still sat in my garden half prepped so hope to press on with that and get it fitted (hopefully before winter ).

[cro320]

what happened with IS spoiler?

[aceraf]

what happened with IS spoiler?

It got washed away when i went to collect the Tech2 kit.

I did find it on my way home, but it was so badly damaged that it was beyond repair.

I did consider getting another IS lip, but seen as i have the tech2 kit i couldn't justify getting a new IS lip seen as it'll get replaced by the tech 2 valance anyway!

[cro320]

what happened with IS spoiler?

It got washed away when i went to collect the Tech2 kit.

I did find it on my way home, but it was so badly damaged that it was beyond repair.

I did consider getting another IS lip, but seen as i have the tech2 kit i couldn't justify getting a new IS lip seen as it'll get replaced by the tech 2 valance anyway!

M-tech 2 is awesome, fit it ASAP

[aceraf]

what happened with IS spoiler?

It got washed away when i went to collect the Tech2 kit.

I did find it on my way home, but it was so badly damaged that it was beyond repair.

I did consider getting another IS lip, but seen as i have the tech2 kit i couldn't justify getting a new IS lip seen as it'll get replaced by the tech 2 valance anyway!

M-tech 2 is awesome, fit it ASAP

I hope to get it done soon.

I bought it last year, but one thing and another has delayed me getting it sprayed, and the weather here hasn't exactly helped.

[aceraf]

Well, many months after purchasing the tech 2 kit, and much deliberation as to whether i should sell up or keep i finally began work on the kit.

[before]












It was described as being in very good condition, which to be fair it was, but the front valance was in a shocking state after someone had done a DIY job on it.

I spent several hours sanding most of the valance back to plastic and looked like this...



Then I began work filling the scratches that had been put into it.
Then primed up and guide coated, ready for a rub-down.

(photo's taken on camera phone, so low quality pics)











ran out of high-build, so did a few of the panels in a red primer i had for a alloy refurb i was supposed to do.

I've got the front bumper (which needs a bit of work) and the rear bumper to prime and flat, and then we're ready for paint.

May need some help when it comes to fitting it all as i've never fitted a tech 2 kit, so hoping some of you out there can help me out when the time comes.

I'm hoping once the mechanicals are all spot on, to fix up all the damaged paint on the car. The pics i take seem to make it look like it's got good paintwork, when infact both sides have deep scratches in (and possible through) the lacquer. The front wind is also in very bad condition, so i will either flat it all back to metal and repair the sections, or if suitable replacements can be sourced, then i will replace. Either way, I may be giving the whole car a respay later this year.

[beemer_jay]

looking good mate, keep up the good work.

wish i had any sort of patience to attemp that.


the front mtech2 valance, does that completely replace the existing one and how hard to do?? if you know that is?

cheers jamie

[aceraf]

looking good mate, keep up the good work.

wish i had any sort of patience to attemp that.


the front mtech2 valance, does that completely replace the existing one and how hard to do?? if you know that is?

cheers jamie

Thanks, although i don't think i deserve it seen as the kit's dragged on for so long

I'm pretty sure that the tech 2 valance fits over the existing one and also clips onto the underside of the front bumper (sure someone will confirm this).

[jayjay325]

looking good

[Motorsport_325i]

been waiting for a long time to see this kit go on

[aceraf]

been waiting for a long time to see this kit go on

tell me about it

To be fair it hasn't been my fault as i've been very busy over the last few months sorting out a few things.

Should be prepping the rest of the kit by the weekend, and then will try and get some topcoat and lacquer on them by the end of next week.

[aceraf]

Well, the kit is for sale, and if sold will pay towards getting some work done on the car (i'm short of funds, and while it pains me to sell i'd rather not neglect things that need doing). If it doesn't sell then it will be sprayed and fitted.

In the meantime seen as i need a new exhaust i thought i'd treat myself to this...



Full Scorpion S/S exhaust, bought from Salami, in very good condition for a 2nd hand exhaust, and should make the car sound great.

I'm doing alot of work to the car, however this may be up for sale later this year, will have to see how it goes...i've already changed my mind about 4/5 times whether to sell or to keep it.

[aceraf]

A few more pics of the exhaust once i've cleaned it up a bit.













Can't wait to hear what it sounds like.

The car has been dropped off with Chris Warburton for some much needed TLC. Can't wait to get it back.

[Alex]

when its fitted you will have to upload a video of it running, scorpion exhausts sound

[aceraf]

Will do as soon as I get it back.

[aceraf]

Wow, been a long time since i put any updates on this....well to be honest not much has been done...

The scorpion exhaust is on, and sounds sooooo sweet once you take it over 3500rpm...i'll try and get a video of it up some time (always forget to do that).

It actually sounds pretty awful when you start it first thing in the morning, but once it's warm, it really is an awesome sound...and very addictive. The auto box just adds to the sound when up shifting and down shifting it really does sound awesome.

Also purchased some black leather rear seats of Spadge, but not fitted them yet as I intend on dying them (some of you know the colour scheme, those who don't, all will be revealed in due time and looking at how long this project has taken so far, it will no doubt be a very long time LOL ). Now need to get hold of a set of sports front leather seats, so anyone who's got some up for sale drop me a pm.









Few maintenance jobs....replaced the looney rear wiper motor (would be on constatntly), and managed to fix the rear wash wipe at the same time, which was a nice bonus Still got the front wiper motor to replace, and also got to diagnose why it's returning such poor mileage. Also replaced the fuel pump after that gave up on me at the start of last month (dont' attempt this if you've just full tanked your car .

Been a costly week for me as i've been off work sick (meaning i dont' get paid as i'm not permanent yet, and the agency don't offer sick pay) and all that free time has meant i've been on the zone more, but also ebay so i now have the following goodies coming...

Map light Mirror £50 - watched loads of these sell recently, and bidded not really too bothered if I won or not...not a bad price though. Anyone done an LED conversion on these?



IS Lip Spoiler £45 - couldn't pass it up at £35 + £10 postage. And no it's not fibreglass, its genuine, was on for £50 + £10 postage, i offered £35 posted, and he accepted, should've offered less LOL!







E46 Automatic Gearknob £12 - Stole this idea from Dips who used one on 'Sweet as Chocolate'.


Also in the pipe line could possibly be:-

Heated seats - front & back

[aceraf]

Few more pics...

[fingerman]

You won the lottery

[aceraf]

You won the lottery

No, why???

[fingerman]

Sorry - I'm skint at the moment and would love to buy loads of bits for me car but it seems to all vanish on the house, wife and 3 kids

[aceraf]

Sorry - I'm skint at the moment and would love to buy loads of bits for me car but it seems to all vanish on the house, wife and 3 kids

Got a wife and 2 kids myself, and will probably have to buy a house soon so I know what you mean. I have a set budget for the car every month that i can use for maintenance or mods as and when i wish. Not spent anything on the car for a while so had a bit saved up. I came very close to buying another car off the zone, but personal circumstances meant that deal fell through.

I troll the net and small ads daily and only buy when i see real bargains so it's not as bad as it may seem, but I get your point, on this page alone there's probably over £1K's worth or parts/mods so it probably does look like i'm spending a fair few £'s.

Also as i plan on keeping the car i don't hesitate to buy. I do have a plan in my head for the car, so i'm only buying when i see things that i will need/want and fit into the bigger picture. Just a case of bringing all those things together and creating the finished car (if there ever is such a thing).

[Alex]

well i have no kids, no wife, and no house so i must be loaded

[aceraf]

well i have no kids, no wife, and no house so i must be loaded

Enjoy it while it lasts

[fingerman]

well i have no kids, no wife, and no house so i must be loaded

I used to be but never realised it at the time !!!

Anyhoo - keep us updated about the mods and pic please

[Alex]

i take it its no fun with responsibility then

[aceraf]

i take it its no fun with responsibility then

No it's no fun being poor

[Alex]

everyone is poor due to this toss pot

[aceraf]

And will be for alot longer the way things are going.