My (slow progress) 318i project - m50 has arrived

[rancido64]

Hey all
Been on here a while but never posted up my e30, so i figured it was probably about time

I got my 1990 318i in October '09, this is how she looked the day i got her:



She was completely standard when i got her and more than a little pink



One of the first things i did was get a new interior for her


New interior fitted


Same day i got the interior, i got a few other goodies, including a new steering wheel and foglamps which are both now fitted



Got a JVC iPod headunit


One of the lads gave me an Mtec gearknob


Got a shadowline grill


Grill fitted


Got some eyebrows


Got some Bilsteins


Got some HIDs


Then back in May i had a bit of bad luck and the fuel pump died So i sent her in to my friend's garage and asked him to do a few things while she was there:
*Fit new fuel pump
*Compound/Buff paint
*Fit Bilsteins and lowering springs

I went to have a look at progress about a week later, to find her running again and the back lowered


And another week later i collected the car and was shocked at the difference in the paint job!


On friday last week i fitted a z3 shortshifter, which has made a massive difference to the feel of things and i'd highly recommend that mod to anyone


I'd had 2 tires bust on me in the space of a week a while back and hadn't been able to afford more rubber at the time so she'd been running on my spare 14" steelies for a while (as seen in the pic above just after the compound/buff. I just rectified this a few days ago, and this is how she stands at present





Still to be done (short term), not necessarily in order

*I have an e36 steering rack to go in
*Crosshair light blackout + fit HIDs + fit Angel Eyes
*e36 318i gearbox for closer ratios
*Find a proper LSD with the right ratio so i can do away with the welded diff
*Get an alarm
*Upgrade speakers all round
*Twin tip back box
*Front splitter
*TecI side skirts

Long term plans (money is the issue atm )

*M50b25 conversion
*nicer alloys
*sort a couple of bodywork dents out


Thanks for reading, hope i didn't bore you

[m_jermyn]

Looks good mate.... Keep up the good work and continue the update.

Mike

[xr666]

looks good! needs a bit more time & effort put into it

[rancido64]

Thanks guys
Yeah, i know there's more to be done. I'll get there, slowly but surely

[Tedswagon]

The paint looks brand new, good work. I have seen so many red cars which have been re-sprayed on the cheap all because they go a bit pink and with some restoration the car can look showroom.

[rancido64]

Thanks for the comments guys

The paint looks brand new, good work. I have seen so many red cars which have been re-sprayed on the cheap all because they go a bit pink and with some restoration the car can look showroom.

Yeah, there's a few bits of the paintwork that still need touching up, and one spot that's hidden from view when the bonnet's closed where my friend went a bit too hard with the buffer and actually took off a tiny area of paint, but tbh looking at the larger picture, i'm happy

[rancido64]

So i finally got off my ass and spent the last 8 hours or so doing my headlights - smoked, HIDs & Angel eyes.

Removing outer rings



Removing dipped beams


Removing glass



Dipped beam insert sprayed and fitted


Crosshairs sprayed


Crosshairs glued together


Crosshairs fitted


HIDs fitted (HIDs on left, standard on right)


Terrible picture of angel eye halo rings fitted


Lights re-assembled

So, since last post, the z3 shortshifter was fitted and made a nice difference
And i finally got off my ass and spent the last 8 hours or so doing my headlights - smoked, HIDs & Angel eyes.

Removing outer rings



Removing dipped beams


Removing glass



Dipped beam insert sprayed and fitted


Crosshairs sprayed


Crosshairs glued together


Crosshairs fitted


HIDs fitted (HIDs on left, standard on right)


Terrible picture of angel eye halo rings fitted


Lights re-assembled




Just need to be fitted back onto the car tomorrow and at some point over the next few days then i'll spray the chrome rings black as well, ran out of paint earlier.


Just need to be fitted back onto the car tomorrow and at some point over the next few days then i'll spray the chrome rings black as well, ran out of paint earlier.

[magpie]

good work on the lights,get some pics up fitted


where did you get the cross-hairs ??

[bigredbmw]

THERE IS A LAD IN BLYTH DOIN THEM MICK

[aj_mckay]

Those shrouds round the projectors on the dipped beam are a good idea when fitting HIDs as they stop the glare you get from the reflector behind the projector. Will also do a good job of separating the light from your angel eyes too so you will actually be able to see them with the HIDs on!

Looks like you've made some good upgrades since buying it. But I can't help thinking the front is way too high compared to the back! Did you have lowering springs fitted all round when you had the shocks changed??

[rancido64]

Was going to fit them to the car before work tonight, but being an idiot i overslept and now it's dark so i'm gonna have to get the train to work and pray it's not raining in the morning when i get home so i can fit them then.

@aj_mckay: Thanks Yeah, i realised about a week ago that the springs i have are 6cyl springs, my car being a 4 pot doesn't have the weight over the front to get the proper ride height. It'll be sorted whenever i finally get myself round to the m50 conversion. It's supposed to be -40 front/-60 rear.

@magpie: got them from Rav320UK off here I had to modify them slightly to cater for the angel eye rings.

[rancido64]

Here's the HIDs wired up. Need to get them focused.



Haven't had a chance to take a pic of them fitted just showing how they look smoked, and i also haven't gotten to wire up the angel eyes yet so can't show them either.

[E30mart]

Looking very good there bud, i fitted my HIDs about two weeks ago, and what a diference! Was very pleased with the result.
Just need to do the insides of them now, just waiting foor a nice day haha!
Just wondering, what do you mean by geting the headlights focused? Do you mean adjusted?

[tonybtonyb]

you just can't rush the good things in life keep up the great work!

[rancido64]

Here they are fitted since i smoked them

[rancido64]

Well, in the time that the zone was down, this arrived



Also received the 88* thermostat about a week ago, and the e34 sump kit arrived today

Slowly slowly catchy monkey

[DanThe]

That looks like it came from a LHD E36

[rancido64]

from an e36 for sure, dunno whether lhd?

[rancido64]

Finally got off my ass and started to prepare for taking out the m40, pretty much ready to be taken out just have to undo engine & gearbox mounts, exhaust, prop. Waiting on one of the lads to grab a crane

[rancido64]

And here's the bit of jap scrap i'll be running around in for the next coupla months. It's completely sound mechanically and has NCT til Jan '13 so i'll probs keep it for a while anyway.



I now have the flywheel, sump/dipstick/oil pickup, and thermostat that i need, and am waiting on delivery of the engine arms, mounts & servo that are necessary.

Have to get the flywheel lightened, anyone any suggestions for somewhere decent?

Slowly slowly coming together

[rancido64]

Some parts that have arrived over the last while

m20 flywheel


e34 sump, dipstick & oil pickup


e36 Alloy engine arms


Clio brake servo with necessary mods already done


e28 m5 rubber engine mounts