E30 Zone

well, i couldn't resist it any longer. i just can't stand seeing a beast suffer in silent agony, slowing dying under a tree.
to cut a long story short, i posted about this car a year or so ago. i popped round to the owner's on the off-chance a few days ago and we struck a deal. she shall be saved:















more details shall follow, after hearing some of your comments

Good luck with that!

good man!!

I will be up tomorrow

You've got to save it, the colour is brillant, Tech1s are nice, hope theres no hidden horrors underneath those arches!Looks like it could just do with a good clean & tidy up apart from that

Top man for taking it on!

You`ve done the right thing fella

Looks related to mine, colour and rust combined lol

spook wrote:I will be up tomorrow

TPS wrote:You've got to save it, the colour is brillant, Tech1s are nice, hope theres no hidden horrors underneath those arches!Looks like it could just do with a good clean & tidy up apart from that

If you think that will just need a good clean and tidy up then you are missguided.

That will need stripping to a shell to reveal the true extent of the rot and there will be rot.

Will say adeiu for a while then adi, fair play to you mate.

Adi,that will be stunning when its finished,Dolphin grey is one of the best colours of that period...totally un biased of course
It looks to be mainly bodywork that needs doing,has it done many miles?
I think that would have been registered in my neck of the woods too,chelmsford is AR i believe.
Looks like it will be keeping you busy

Looks like you saved it just in time

bss325i wrote:

TPS wrote:You've got to save it, the colour is brillant, Tech1s are nice, hope theres no hidden horrors underneath those arches!Looks like it could just do with a good clean & tidy up apart from that

If you think that will just need a good clean and tidy up then you are missguided.

That will need stripping to a shell to reveal the true extent of the rot and there will be rot.

I agree,there will be lots of nasty surprises,no doubt!
As long as you cant check the tyre depths through the inner arches then it has to be worth saving

adit wrote:

spook wrote:I will be up tomorrow

Shall i bring some polish

Or my breaker bar

many thanks for all the positives guys.


i took her for the MOT yesterday.....not too bad at all. she's not rotten baz.
failed on:
1) neither side lights working
2) w/wipers not clearing screen properly
3) o/s main beam unit cracked (advisory)
4) n/s/r tyre below limit
5) side repeaters showing dim light
6) corrosion on o/s sill (where it meets the floorpan (underneath) )

result! 1) - 5) = nothing really. i've replaced the sidelight bulbs, wiper blades, headlight, tyre and front indicators & side repeaters (for original orange jobbies), all for a total of £20 .
(i didn't have time beforehand to give her a pre-mot)

no.6) i had a good poke around underneath and found three 3-4 inch areas that need plating, it all feels ok on the very bottom edge and outer sides of the sills, but shall take the skirts off tomorrow. i shall probably do the welding myself (i've done enough in my time), again for approx. £20, if that. so i reckon £100 inc. the test fee itself should see her back on the road (+ road fund robbery of course).

i removed the boot side carpets and the inner arches are ok (the n/s has been welded before), as are the scuttle and the front wings etc.
the rear arches need to be done of course(for sale: my iS ), either repaired or replaced, and the rear quarters repainted, then the usual t-cut and polish to the rest and she will look very presentable i reckon. i shall also touch up the X-spokes (or fit my Alpinas).
then the inside, which is surprisingly tidy. non-sunroof shell with aircon and black leather sports interior, with no holes on the bolsters! a good feed and polish should see the seats come up like new. i have as-new dashboards and centre consoles, etc., so no worries there. i shall fit a black rear-blind parcel shelf, maybe an original Blaupunkt stereo and off we go!

If it were mine i would be removing the carpet, full body kit and dash to inspect fully.

Non sunroof and A/C!

jamie323i wrote:Adi,that will be stunning when its finished,Dolphin grey is one of the best colours of that period...totally un biased of course
It looks to be mainly bodywork that needs doing,has it done many miles?
I think that would have been registered in my neck of the woods too,chelmsford is AR i believe.
Looks like it will be keeping you busy

Looks like you saved it just in time

hi jamie.
yes, dolphin grey, lovely.
141k, low for its age really, every mot cert to prove.
yes, is there any way to get 36 hours in a day?

i had to mate, a tech1 with leather and aircon, sorry mr. carcrusher scrappy man, but ... not this one matey


i forgot to add, stainless exhaust and a six-branch are fitted (+ LSD naturally)

bss325i wrote:If it were mine i would be removing the carpet, full body kit and dash to inspect fully.

Non sunroof and A/C!

yes, i think you're right baz. just want to get her on-the-road for now, looking tidy, while i finish the other cars, then "dive-in proper like" before the winter

adit wrote:

bss325i wrote:If it were mine i would be removing the carpet, full body kit and dash to inspect fully.

Non sunroof and A/C!

yes, i think you're right baz. just want to get her on-the-road for now, looking tidy, while i finish the other cars, then "dive-in proper like" before the winter

Other cars? Do tell!

You are moving up the e30 ladder Adi!

As said, its going to need some close attention, but if the inner arches are still present thats one less thing to do...

Well done for taking it on, personally I wouldn't touch a rusty car as I just can't do bodywork and I HATE paying other people to do stuff for me. In fact I have never spent a penny at a garage(repairs), and long may it stay like that...(grasps for some wood)

That looks like my car with a different number plate on it!

looks very nice. Cant wait to see it finished.

Ady

Looks like a nice project that, same it hasnt got the correct amount of doors thou, but you cant have everything i suppose

adit wrote:

Is that the "beige" alpina in the garage i have heard so much about

You've seen the light, That is a pre-facelift!

Looks really good, and not too much work to do to see her on the road! Does look good in this
photo!

Another one been saved

Baz: no!

Jon: eh? i've had an iS for ages!
........yep, outers only i hope
........well, i'm ok with it, but no Beardymat, i will have to pay for the painting, etc. i think of it as money invested

Mike: yours in dolphin grey/terracotta too?

Morrison: you may have a little wait mate

Paul: a 4-door sport? don't start that again!
.........beige Alpina? as above!

Ollie: i've got 2 pre facelifts already
..........hopefully MOTd by next week
..........thanks for the pic, that was at a pompey meet approx. two years ago IIRC. i think Tech1s look

me and you adi tech 1s rule
p.s check wicki tech 1 i did it he he he
this has been deleted

adit wrote:i've got 2 pre facelifts already

So this makes three? What are the others? Breakers?

four (E30s) in total in fact. 327 convertible, 325 conv. breaker and my beloved iS <<<

well, time to get the welding sorted!
i jacked her up and took of the driver's side skirt today a few get-bigger-when-poked holes on the outside of the sills as well as the three or holey areas up underneath. not totally unexpected tbh.
then i took the pass. side skirt off....and.... nothing! no holes at all, the sills a good'un

i went to Solent Car Panels today to get a new complete sill, but when they phoned Hadrians, they had none in stock. "we should have one in a week or ten days for you sir"
damn, she has to be retested (for free) by thursday.

the man suggested i try E.C.P., so i did. "we don't have one, but can order you one from our Wembley branch. it will be here for you at 8.00 tomorrow morning"

i phoned a highly recommended welder up and he said he will do it early next week

tomorrow, i shall clean, rustproof and underseal the n/s sill and do a few other little jobs, and will take some photos for you lot

well, the iS was collected today
so i went to the tech1. she was booked into the hospital today. had an appointment with Dr. gary, consultant weldologist.
i was a bag of nerves, she had to go in for some open sill surgery
a few hours later, i received the phone call....all had gone as well as could be expected and she was coming round, so could be allowed out on to the open road.
a quick rush down to the mot station (the retest period of grace expires tomorrow!) and, apart from completely forgetting about the tyre and w/washer failures, she passed!!
(i borrowed a x-spoke and w/w valve from another E30 while the tester was entering the pass info )
so, preparing for the daylight robbery hold-up which disguises itself as the dreaded road tax tomorrow and she's all legal and on-the-road

first zone meet this sunday (ignore any pics, she's still rough around the edges)

Not sure how i missed this post

Excellent news Adi, proper car now

Will be a beaut now doubt

wicked stuff dude, glad another tech 1 is on the road

Ball part figure on the welding cost please??????


And thats great news, eagerly await pics!

cheers boys.
give me time imy, it'll be a rolling project. can't wait to get the leather seats out and treated and give the inside a good clean (this saturday i hope) as i like to sit in a nice clean car.
i'm going to fit a rear-blind parcel shelf, leather handbrake grip and gaitor, chrome button, change the tech2 gearknob for a 1, etc.,etc.

ollie: he's excellent, quick and cheap. was highly recommended. i had a new driver's sill cut and welded on, with the associated repairs on the underside to the floor pan, and also a small patch welded under the floor pan/sill area near the n/s/f jacking point. "Schutz ed" too, £110!
VERY reasonable. i know who my new welder is

WOW thats cheap I got quoted over £50 per hole to weld on patches by a local bodyshop! THats why I did it the hard way by buying a welder and doing all the work with my dad!