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Saving another Henna 316 1.8
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 6:16 pm
by samrenton
Hello all,
Me and Bro bought this 1984 316 off ebay for £600 expecting the worst!
We were pleasantly suprised
When we got it, it didn't run well, we discovered someone had put some vacuum hoses on the carb the wrong way. We fixed and it starts fine but has uneven idle, bearable, not terrible! We can only assume its the dreaded pierberg carb electronic choke! The Engine has done 100k so are looking to change to weber, psst if anyone is selling???
So engine not to shabby, some one has already put fairly new ignition leads, plugs and distributor on for us

obviously trying to fix it.
Everything lights, dials, fans etc... work perfectly, unbelievable!
The Interior isn't bad either, there is a rip in the driver chair and some holes on the rear bottom part of the seat. Apart from that, original mats, carpets are like new!
p.s the dash is cracked, so if anyone is selling a better one, I'm interested
Body work we thought would be the biggest thing on this car. The paint was faded badly, but with Rubbing compound come up really well!!!
However the rear wheel arches both sides inside and out need replacing so when they are fixed up we will need to respray.
Small patches of rust around the car but nothing that requires panels to be changed!
so we have started to salvage and clean up as much as we can, repainted headlights
started on the underside also, dropping the rear subframe ready for painting and new bushes. surprisingly again someone has bought fairly new exhaust, springs and shocks underneath, bonus
We are super excited to get the Bimmer on the road! we want to give it a little more wow factor so have started collecting a shopping list of bits, so hopefully you guys might be able to help me find some bits
Shopping list:
Weber Carb
New Front Dash
New Interior if the price is right but not essential
Chrome trim across the top of the passenger doors (see pic)
Rear Passenger side brake light unit
Front Preface Foglight Glass
Fancy parts here requested by my brother!
16inch Deep Dish 4x100 Alloy Wheels (BBS Style or similar)
Shocks and Springs
Stainless Steel Exhaust
CD player with an AUX input
Rear chrome aerial
Rear metal BMW badge
Drop me a PM if you can help
Thanks for looking, hope you all like, we hope to keep updating on progress!
Cheers
Sam and Bill
Re: Saving another Henna 316 1.8
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 6:22 pm
by Alex
Looks awesome, henna red and chrome is the best combo.
Oh and Welcome

Re: Saving another Henna 316 1.8
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 6:29 pm
by Sanchez
What a first post. Epic thread, I'm subscribed, who's got the popcorn?
Re: Saving another Henna 316 1.8
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 7:03 pm
by Andyboy
Brilliant!
BMW paint was about an inch thick back then and compounds up well. Halfords do a pretty good custom mixed Henna red, but BL Cinnibar red is very close.
The Pierturd 2BE is utter shite.
A crack free dash is £150+ these days alas. Get the black plastic filler out.

Re: Saving another Henna 316 1.8
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 7:08 pm
by samrenton
Ha awesome, thanks guys! Hmmm might have to try out some black plastic filler

Re: Saving another Henna 316 1.8
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 7:26 pm
by bab-91
NOMMMM, need a red chromie in my life.
Subscribed!

Re: Saving another Henna 316 1.8
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 8:13 pm
by aimlessrock
Another chromie saved... Nice work. The pierberg is a moody bit of shite so look to get rid. Subscribed.
Re: Saving another Henna 316 1.8
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 8:14 pm
by hennabm
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 8:33 pm
by darkchild
Henna goodness. Nice little project that.

Re:
Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 3:53 am
by Automaton
Great work so far and Yay! to another chromie/carb 316 saved from being M52ed.
The new electrical and suspension bits by the seller are a great bonus and saving$ that anyone would welcome.

Re:
Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 6:57 am
by TPS
Subscribed !
Re:
Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:24 am
by Rav335uk
Good work. Another chromie on its way to resurrection. .

Saving another Henna 316 1.8 [Update]
Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 12:57 am
by samrenton
Hi all,
update time...on hmmm need a name for this car??
We dropped the rear axle, don't think its been removed at all, which is nice, all original but in need of some serious tlc.
Thought we'd tackle the diff first. We're going for a red and black colour combination on the underside parts...black axles, red diff and drums so should look funky.
Cleaned and degreased the differential. Etch primed and spray painted
Second update....went shopping! Saw the state of the bushes and brakes so decided to revamp, powerflex included!
Also managed to find a chrome Ariel for the boot as there was just a hole previous ha!
next job is the paint up the drums and I'm thinking of powder coating the trailing arms and diff craddle, rock on!!!
Re: Saving another Henna 316 1.8 [Update]
Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 8:24 am
by Jesus325iTouring
I like the look of your kitchen

Cars

too

Re: Saving another Henna 316 1.8 [Update]
Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 8:27 am
by aimlessrock
nice work, trailing arms and rear beam look good powder coated, i can recommend. Poly bushes can gove a rather hard ride so use them with caution. OEM rubber bushes make for a better drive (so im told).
Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 5:04 pm
by samrenton

hard ride i'm used too, i've got a classic mini, that's a bone shaker!!
I was looking for local BMW garages the other day in Lincoln stumbled across this machine

a little e30 inspiration!

UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 1:45 pm
by samrenton
Hello everyone, time for an update on the 316. We managed to clean up the rear axle. I don't think it had been touched since it left the factory in 84' so it was in need of some TLC. I firstly had the rear beam sand blasted and powder coated
And then the rear trailing arms, but when they were sand blasted we discovered some small holes where water must have been trapped and rusted under the rubber spring pads. So we welded them up for powder coating, which turned out awesome!!
During that I had my second foot operation after my accident with a digger blade....long story!!!
hmmmm anyways, something a little less physical...drive shafts rebuilt, new boots and a lick of paint. oooo and a new rear headlight
Then along comes a new WEBER carb, the old one just seemed lifeless

bolted it straight on tweaked the mix, sounds and runs a million times better.
Old
New
needed a swanky painted air box also so sprayed that up! debating whether to try and polish my aluminium rocker cover, but might need some tips???
Next, we started to put the rear axle back together, brand new brakes, poly bushes and bearings, brake lines, should work and look great. I'm leaving the springs and shocks for the moment as they are fairly new and thinking of switching to BC Racing Coil overs when its on the road .
Best thing is we put on the poly bushes the wrong bloody way haha, had to make a contraption to take them back out without damaging them!
that's better!
Then the window on my VRS broke
Just before we assemble the axle back onto the car, we had a mate finish up the rear arch welding, which looks great
Under sealing is under way as we speak and some new oil for the engine and diff is also on its way!
Next, rebuild the front, see what treats lie under there! I think we will definitely need some new bushes and mountings, brakes, bearings etc.... but we'll see
Enjoy!
Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 2:00 pm
by Nobby_N
Where is this action happening, so close to me??
Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 2:38 pm
by samrenton
Freiston Shore

Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 2:40 pm
by Nobby_N
A zoner thats a little to close to comfort!
Perfect Dogging Spot for PacerPete and Gert lol
Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:58 pm
by Sanchez
Lovely work.
Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:22 pm
by Nobby_N
Mine is living a couple of miles from yours, (fishtoft) well until tomorrow hopefully lol
Bet you can nearly see your house background lol

Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:31 pm
by samrenton
haha awesome!!!
Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:39 pm
by Nobby_N
Think I saw yours on ebay a while back, was it on for 600? was it one of Judds autos?
Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:39 pm
by samrenton
my henna will have a friend

Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:47 pm
by Nobby_N
Lol Ive sold it, well buyer is coming tomorrow anyway, if he does not take it I may keep it and spend a bit on it like your doing with yours!
Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 12:51 pm
by samrenton
it was on ebay yeh £600 but from this random geezer who dropped it off at my house haha he might have been connected to judds :s
Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 12:52 pm
by samrenton
did it sell?
Re: UPDATE!!! Sorry its been a while
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 4:10 pm
by Nobby_N
Yes got it sold for 3.5k so happy days, looking for a Beetle or another BMW now lol
Update!!
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2015 6:23 pm
by samrenton
Hello all!
The car is getting close to respray territory now!
Ok we have the rear back together after a little under seal touch up.
Drive-shafts and exhaust back on
The rear arches have been welded and primed
found some holes up at the front so need to weld them up
new fog light for the front, took me a while to source!
Front end pulled off ready for refurb
dismantled, time to order new bushes and track rod ends, and steering rack boots
new parts and a nice powder coated front subframe
assembled
Some Late night spray work
OIL!!!
Also Started putting the interior back together...new rear speaker shelf
Will have some more updates soon
Cheers
Re: Update!!
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2015 11:30 pm
by Zaffaz
Great updates, hope to see this finished soon. Love a Henna red E30, such a rarity noways!
updates continue...
Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2015 6:20 pm
by samrenton
Hi all the updates continue, its a battle fighting with these short days and crap weather...need a garage!
Also struggling to find a paint sprayer in the Lincolnshire area. if anyone knows of any please let me know
Taken off the old panels as the bottoms had rusted. perfect underneath though so ready for a clean up and paint.
corners welded and unnoticeable. under sealed also
new front panels
boot smoothed over
My suspension come...nice
Struts welded and painted
Hopefully if its dry outside I can get it back on the ground this weekend
Cheers
Sam
Re: updates continue...
Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 8:11 pm
by MPOWERCRAZY
that welding is very neat and tidy! great progress!!
Update!!
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 3:48 pm
by samrenton
Hi all,
its coming on! So we reassembled the front end, just waiting on the brake callipers to be sandblasted and painted. but its all looking great!
parts on the kitchen table hah!
All together
fiddling with camber
Cleaned up rusted discs
All nice and shiney
Put her back on the ground, sits much better!
Got a test alloy see how it looked. Loving the japanese shakotans, thinking 205 50 15 tires for more aggressive look!
Brakes look nice through the middle
might need a little arch rolling but should look great
Plenty of room at the front!
Soooo, all I need to do is attach the front brakes, bleed them add steering rack and shes drivable!
Getting close now!
Re: Update!!
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 6:15 pm
by Skinhead
Look's good bud, your a brave man restoring your motor out side! I use to live up your way, fooking cold!