Ratch's 318iS Resto is back!!!

[The_Diddler]

seat porn, i'm all moist........

Impressive work, B-Trim is that right.....

Those handbrake handles, are those the standard plastic ones re-trimmed, any chance you could let me know how much for the gaitors and handles??

[Dezzy]

Very nice work.

I am looking forward to some pics of this all bolted together mate. It will be one of the best once finished

[bss325i]

Those front seats are spectacular!

[Royalratch]

Cheers lads, cheers.

@Diddler - Reckon you'd get a gaitor and handle for £50ish? Can ask, just need to supply plastic handle - that's how the real ones are too.

Barry - one of those handles is yours.

Yep, feels good to sit a new seat - feels like a modern car now, got all my bushes sorted so lots of nice steering weight, E36 rack sharpens it all up, new trim and firm seat - like when I picked it up all those years ago...

[The_Diddler]

Ask away, that would be great

[magpie]

i like your style

[E30BeemerLad]

Stellar work on this dude, must be silly sums of money going on here but all worth it for a nice fresh car and one that's a keeper.

[Royalratch]

Not silly sums. Slow steady stream to get things done right = nothing OTT.

Entire interior was all free of charge

[Dezzy]

Not silly sums. Slow steady stream to get things done right = nothing OTT.

Entire interior was all free of charge

Foc for that interior you lucky coont!

[E30BeemerLad]

What you doing Ratch, running black from the homeland?

[Royalratch]

Lol you make it sound like the 80's. "I use a little cigarette moored off Cadiz..."

I provide design and marketing muscle on request. So free of charge but not exactly - did their website and photography - an ongoing mutually beneficial thing.

Works well

[Royalratch]

I purchased this 'genuine' real blind parcel shelf (off a Zoner!) with excellent condition Premium Speakers fitted.




When it arrived, the roller blind was not actually recessed into the shelf as the proper ones were, rather it was a cheapo nasty mesh roller blind just screwed directly onto the shelf!



Even if this is was some kind of nasty dealer retrofit, I was not amused. I emailed said Zoner who promptly demanded the return of the parcel shelf and said he would be checking 'The Nokia speakers are still there' as if I would be returning it minus these jewels of modern car audio. WTF!? Suffice to say, I said I would return them for a FULL refund including postage - and have not heard from him since.

Anyway, adit to the rescue with a nice condition (just needs a hoover/stem) Indigo rear shelf with the proper blind.





These speakers are not worth the cost as the shelf is essentially worthless, unless it can go on eBay 16x9'ed up. But the speakers are here now and I'm wondering if I can be arsed to return them...

[Dezzy]

Maybe use the period covers to hide modern quality components and have best of both worlds?

For the sake of a few quid it isn't really going to matter after the money you have spent really is it?

[Royalratch]

My issue is Dezzy I paid £100 for proper blind/shelf with the Premium Speakers. I basically ended up with just the speakers as the shelf and 'blind' are worthless to me or anyone else. So I basically have paid £100 for speakers, which I think is wrong.

[Dezzy]

That makes it a totally different issue.

Through it back at whoever sold it. Let him double and triple check that the speakers are there and take your money back. What makes me wonder is how that could have been valued at £100 in the first place.

[Royalratch]

A mint roller blind shelf with mint Premium speakers fitted and posted is worth around that. Not cheap but not a rip off.

Unless it is not in fact a roller blind shelf!

[bss325i]

Name and shame!!

[Royalratch]

Not about that dude, just pissed at the slackness and snide comments.

[Ollie_bwoii]

Is that the shelf maxos was selling...up for offers weren't it?

I think you've done well to get a refund if I'm honest as it did have pictures in the advert. £100's a lot of money either way... i'm sure the premium speakers can be had from the states pretty easily...?

This is a fantastic thread btw... Really is inspiring.

[Royalratch]

Yeh but you can't see from the pix that it's a fake! And I don't have a refund!

Cheers tho.

[Dezzy]

The pics can't have been up to much though?

I can see from Ratch's pics that it's not worth that sort of money. Surely the for sale pics can't have been as clear?

[Ollie_bwoii]

Have you sent the shelf back...? That's fair enough if it was being sold as genuine and it's not.

[Martinaston]

Top effort, it looks good.
If you want to throw money at it, what about getting the steering wheel covered the same colour as the seats ?

[Royalratch]

Cheers dude. The wheel in Blue would be a step too far but I do like some of the BMW factory dash/wheel leather colours.

[toddy]

bmw did two blinds one was a retrofit one and one was built in to the shelf, see pics below.


Rear window shelf/sun blind - BMW parts catalog


Rear window shelf/sun blind - BMW parts catalog

[Royalratch]

If this is the case I'm happy to eat my words - but the roller blind mesh looks like shite fishing net. Anyway, I've already decided to put the speakers into my Blue shelf so the whole sordid affair is over.

[toddy]

If this is the case I'm happy to eat my words - but the roller blind mesh looks like shite fishing net. Anyway, I've already decided to put the speakers into my Blue shelf so the whole sordid affair is over.

If it looks that bad then it probably isn't a bmw one as my old car had a retrofit one and I'm sure it was the same material as the built in one in my current car.

[Royalratch]

The Resto has taken a dramatic turn.


My mighty M42, after years of putting the smack down on hundreds of M20s and tarmac all over the globe, it seems has finally given up the ghost and decided to overheat on a semi-permanent basis. At best a head/profile gasket is suspected, at worst a damaged head. I had a good run at 130K trouble free miles. The question now is, new head, new M42 or add 2 Cylinders.



Okay lay it on me you rabid animals...!

[Ziggy]

M52, no question. Would suit the car perfectly, and you know it deserves a proper engine!

[Rav335uk]

Authenticity Ratch is the word here.

[Royalratch]

I was thinking (no joke) a lo-miles 1.9 M44 from an E36/Z3.

The M52 is a sound argument but too far from where the car started for me.

Plus to do it properly I'd have to do suspension, brakes, staggered wheels etc etc...

[Dezzy]

If you go M52 it's light enough to keep your suspension standard. You will get low to mid 30 mpg and standard brakes will be fine for everything up to complete abuse.

Plus it is just right.

[johnt0709]

I agree with Rav - Surely the only option is a full rebuild of this "glorious engine" in an x works style - cant believe you had the thought of an additional 2 cylinders after all the slagging of the 6 cylinder boys

For me its 6 cylinders FTW, but not in your car.

[Ziggy]

I was thinking (no joke) a lo-miles 1.9 M44 from an E36/Z3.

The M52 is a sound argument but too far from where the car started for me.

Plus to do it properly I'd have to do suspension, brakes, staggered wheels etc etc...

Are you sure you'd be happy in the knowledge that you no longer had a forged crank?! I've no real experience of either, but I certainly wouldn't take it as a given that the M44 is 'better'.

[Royalratch]

I've never slagged off the 6-Cylinder boys - only the M20 boys.

Will have to get the head orf first and I'd like to have a crack at it myself if I can.

@Ziggy - The legendary motorsport-derived crank is a plus. The M44 is better for what I do - more torque at lo revs, bit smoother, more MPg and lower mileage ones more available.