E30 Zone

my project started when i got a pair of mtech 1 side skirts and is continually updated as i do bits and pieces to the car. The ultimate goal was to end up with a sport spec 325i in the 4 door shell but thats going by the wayside in favour of a 2.8 conversion.

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=174097 (link to 2.8 build and MAF Conversion)

EDIT: yes plans change, i'm not getting any wiser in my old age!

P1 Kitchen destroyed and confessions of secret diy.
P2 15" BBS treated to helfrauds paint.
P3 Skirts on the car and engine swap pics.
P4 6 branch manifold fitted.
P5 Tin-worm, Paint and Pannels.
P6 General spam...
P7 MAF & Recaro action.
P8 More Doors & Collision Woes...
P9 New Alloys
P10 S50 Conversion

Questions and comments are welcome, oh and abuse -definatly the abuse too lol!

The car today:


And the festering turd when it first rolled up, back when i was young, stupid and extremely council, not much has changed...


The skirts look like this...

Its like crazed paint thats flaking...


I think i have a bit of work ahead just to properly prep them. However, i am getting ok with the spray can, almost mirror finishes like on the eyebrow spoilers i was playing with...

Its not purposefully blended, i just couldant be bothered to spray the whole thing...


Hopefully i'm up to the task...

Will update the pictures as the work progresses... Where am i gonna get the clips? Should i resort to BMW?

Honk Honk!

got busy...

with this...

like this...





Smooth as it gets wet and dry slightly keyed surface ready for primer.

As you can see there are holes left from the previous mountings, should i just filler over them?

Either way the primer will go on in the morning... Hope this is entertaining you all lol!

Any imput from those of you who have done this before will be much appreciated... Goosie.

lookin good, keep us posted!

Are you still alive after the sanding in the kitchen???

Or does the misses not know????

Good Work.

Taking a break from the fumes
Halfway through spraying the first skirt with primer,


As you can see there is still some pitting on the rear sill, will sand it back and paint again and again until its an even surface, or till i say 'that'll do' lol!



Split with the girlfriend a few months back now... The kitchen is all mine lol!

skirt based...

It's new home...

Gonna have to get that wing colour matched properly at some point, i'd do it myself but dont really have the time...

Time to get the first coat of red on...

i still cant believe ur spraying in the kitchen

Yeah, i'll be warming up some heinz spag-bol in a bit as well! Ahh -the bachelor's life... almost done rubbing down for the red

LMAO - The batchelor's life. I know what you mean... though spraying in the kitchen would be a definite no-no!

Good work though fella!

I'd have got the front wing done before I attached any skirts to the old girl though.

Will take it to the bodyshop for attachment and have the wing done at the same time, they'd probably paint the skirts as well, but wheres the fun in that? lol! And yes i'm crazy lol!

O man - i'm married and still get to fill the conservatory with a complete engine stripped down in parts - Sarah just draws the line at me putting these parts into the dish washer lol.

Good job there fella - keep it up and keep us posted

Neil.

The sills are rust free... a bit dirty tho


I'm thinking about getting some form of rust protection on there before the skirts go on, Any suggestions?
Goosie
(first red coat going on!)

Quality,cant believe you sprayed them in the kitchen
Is that why the misses fooked off cause you said you were going to do that?
Only joking mate.
Fair play to you for getting your hands dirty and giving it a go

Regards the sills,definately worth treating them first to help avoid future rust issues,not sure what would be best but maybe something like Hammerite or Shult?

Good thread anyway,made me smile when i saw the pics

Cheers mate its a definate learning curve! Good advice!

cliffybabe wrote:i still cant believe ur spraying in the kitchen

Me neither

Good work mate, but are you sure you want to fit early skirts to a facelift?

Or do you plan on getting chromers on the front and rear like a tech one?

Andrew

What a true hero prepping and painting them in the kitchen ! If any car parts come antwhere in the final 50 metres of the house from the garage down the bottom of the garden I get beaten, Nelly you lucky thing, our conservatory is the 'family' room ! Shame it'd make a great workshop I could get a bike lift in there easily !

i sneak bits in all the time

theres nowhere safe in this house

I have hid in the bathroom with the shower on before now cleaning bike parts while the missus thinks I'm in the shower ! I want my ex back, she loved polishing !

Herrity wrote:I have hid in the bathroom with the shower on before now cleaning bike parts while the missus thinks I'm in the shower ! I want my ex back, she loved polishing !

is that polishing or polishing

Both

Wow! Its turning into the ninja-stealth home diy confessional! lol!

To be quite honest the counter surface is great with light, ventilation and room for spraying most things, you get a bit of dust here and there from the spray but it only takes a wiping down at the end of the day. Besides who needs a kitchen for cooking in when you can dial a take-away?

+Goosie's Spray Shop+


The skirt has the beginnings of a base coat on now, time to get sanding after another coat, will probably end up putting on about 4 coats in all on top of the base...


Something is going to happen with regard to harmonising the tech one with the rest of the car, but at the moment im more than open to suggestions

Any other other stealth spray-booths out there? Some interesting stories so far!

What a clean kitchen, credit to your housework skills for a batchelor !

Only cuz its never used for anything except spraying stuff -with the exception of last nights heinz spag-bol lol!

Skirts are lookin good can't wait to see 'em fitted

Good work! I've just finished spraying a touring tailgate in our "spare room". Luckily I get home from work at least 3 hours before the missus so the smell has more or less gone by time she gets back!

You just split with your girlfriend and you're putting on skirts .
Ah I just messing with you, it looks good work!

Have you got a front spoiler and rear apron to go on too?

The jury is still out on the front and rear valances, i was thinking of getting the lower lip replaced on the existing front valance (the alpinaish splitter type job) and then deciding on the rear... Wrap around plastic/fiberglass pannel to fit beneath the existing facelift rear bumper? If you know where to get these let me know

Taking a break from the fumes again...

Coming along well there fella - just to add, i've now got e30 parts in every room in the house, both sheds in the garden, on the patio + even hidden away in my boys bike shed lol.

Good effort! As soon as i have a shed i'll expand operations lol!

Cant decide if i'm happy with the finish i got on the first skirt...


What do we think?

Reasonable finish for an amateur would we say? will take some pics of the skirts held on to the body work to see what u guys and girls think



I'll go down to the bodyshop and they'll prolly offer to respray the skirts for free when they re-do the wing and fit them lol!

Still, always worth giving it a go and learning something -am i right?

Look good to me - more lacquer for that deeper look to the paint though

Found a rear valance on ebay that requires less effort and time to look right...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... &rd=1&rd=1

also an is lip spoiler

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... &rd=1&rd=1

Perhaps these will go with the skirts when fitted? what do we think?


Also getting smoked front indicator lenses...

free tip for you. on the last coat of paint spray real wet. by now you know the point at which it will run so go as wet as you can but avoid the run this will give you a smooth mirror like finish and save all the 'G' work afterwards. same with the laquer too if your using it

A final photo survey of the car before i start doing stuff lol!













And there is the proof that it is not in fact pink! That damn passenger wing is still annoying me tho