Worlds longest Resto, my C2 2.7 19/3/18 Vent guage action

[bss325i]

Si on a scale of 1-10 how excited are you after seeing thoser pics
Lucky b4stard!

Barry,awesome work mate

Kudos must go to Adam (bmad) and Gary, the ONLY people i would let do body work to my cars.

Top work guys.

[Gortour]

Looks great Si. I know I voted blue, but it still looks good. It was going to look good either way really.
Congrats on a great job. Also to the boys doing the job.

[Simon13]

11 i am listening to jackie wilson higher and higher on youtube Tony!

this is me -

MASSIVE thanks to Barry,Adam and Gary this makes all those saturday+sunday and evenings working all worth while. It's been a hard slog to this point, well before it went to the paintshop. I've often sat at work having a fag break thinking about has it been all worth it. It's taken exactly a year to get this far. As in when i started stripping the car and buying the panels etc. Even longer buying all the parts new to go back on for this moment.

I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I might need a rest although when it's home there is soooooooooo much stuff to go back on and the thinking about which way to best put it back together. I need to build an engine to it justice as it need to go aswell as it looks!

guys

[DanThe]

Best resto ive seen

[stuartgallafant]

I need to build an engine to it justice as it need to go aswell as it looks!

I got a spare M42 lump if you want it Si?!

[DieselMeister]

[Ant]

V V nice

Massive kudos to all involved

[daimlerman]

Well,you cannot please all of the people all of the time,you are doing well to please some of the people some of the time....(Dale Carniege....How To Be a Salesman) would have looked better in blue,but still,it is'nt my 'pina!! Looks a first class paint/body job,do take great care with building it up....be a shame to spoil that finish..

[glenn]

Best resto ive seen

i second that!
i've enjoyed reading every update.
brilliant work

[bmwe30mtech]

That looks amzing Si, probably the best E30' shell out there!

You must be so pleased. Bet you cant wait to start bolting shiney new bits back on.

[Speedtouch]

If you don't mind saying, out of interest, how much did it cost to restore and respray the shell?

Cheers,

[bss325i]

That looks amzing Si, probably the best E30' shell out there!

You must be so pleased. Bet you cant wait to start bolting shiney new bits back on.

Coughwhataboutminecough! Funny you should say that Paul, when Si came down to see it today Adam said the same thing!

[Gortour]

Biggest pain comes when anything he goes to bolt back on looks naff in comparison and he ends up replacing EVERYTHING...

[Simon13]

If you don't mind saying, out of interest, how much did it cost to restore and respray the shell?

Cheers,

Do you really want to know as it hasn't been cheap by any stretch of the imgination! lol

hehe was funny Barry! Did you find my iS lip?

[bss325i]

If you don't mind saying, out of interest, how much did it cost to restore and respray the shell?

Cheers,

Do you really want to know as it hasn't been cheap by any stretch of the imgination! lol

hehe was funny Barry! Did you find my iS lip?

Yes mate, that Car park attendant had put it in the scrap plastic pile!

[Simon13]

touche! i had resigned myself to finally losing it. That carpark nobba needs a slap he's more a hinderance than use!

[bss325i]

touche! i had resigned myself to finally losing it. That carpark nobba needs a slap he's more a hinderance than use!

We've had customers complain about him before! I've fallen out with him before.

[Speedtouch]

If you don't mind saying, out of interest, how much did it cost to restore and respray the shell?

Cheers,

Do you really want to know as it hasn't been cheap by any stretch of the imgination! lol

Just thought it would be of interest to any Zoners contemplating restoring an E30 in such a thorough way. Fully understand if you don't want to say though!

[Simon13]

Body job £4100 inc.VAT slightly discounted labour rate due to 110 hours being quoted. The reality is Gary and Adam have spent probably 220 hours on it!

New panels which i bought off the top of my head

bonnet £220
2 front wings £220
Alpina front spoiler £220
battery tray £50
inner inner arch £150
rear panel £100
sunroof £110

All bought new from BMW with hefty discount

secondhand doors x2 £30 and £25 each
bootlid £10

so £1135 for the panels

£5235 total

plus the sections i cut out from breaker cars to get grafted into the shell for the best looking repairs

I also did the complete strip down so God only knows the hours that took along with all the running about and driving involved and orgainising! but was we can see it's worth it in the end when it starts to come together

Now the car sounds like a rotton shed but to be fair it was no worse than most facelift 2drs kicking about. The painter and panel beater have really gone to town on the car but this is what i wanted and this is what it's cost. It's mad but the bodywork makes or breaks a job and i'm not planning on selling it and wanted an E30 a bit out of the norm to be my weekend toy that i can trundle about in and be a hero! As pacerpete would say

We don't do it for the money thats for sure. When can i start putting it back together hehe

[jamie325isport]

£5235 total

WOW! Thats a serious amount of cash invested, fair play looks amazing and it will be probably the best if not one of the best in the UK for sure. How much did you pay for the car in the first place out of interest?

So are you putting it back together at home? Whens it coming home?

Once again awesome resto

[jaffro]

£5235 total Eek
sounds a lot a yeh it is but you no when its finished it will be mint and yours

[spook]

All those extra hours laying bricks have paid off Simon, get the Alpina back together and enjoy

[d6dph]

Si, May I suggest something and please don't think I'm being patronising.

Invest in a couple of wing protectors and some packing foam sheets to protect the panels while you are rebuilding the car. Last thing you want is some annoying little scratches appearing.

(I'm sure you have already thought of this)

[spook]

Are you gonna put the Alpina decals down the side of the car?

[bss325i]

Si, May I suggest something and please don't think I'm being patronising.

Invest in a couple of wing protectors and some packing foam sheets to protect the panels while you are rebuilding the car. Last thing you want is some annoying little scratches appearing.

(I'm sure you have already thought of this)

Old but clean blankets/sheets can help as well.

The first thing to go back in will probably be the loom and these will help here.

[gareth]

good idea dave, though make sure there's no dirt underneath as this will hold the crap against the bodywork while you're leaning on them, having a negative effect.
i reckon some of that black wrap stuff you can get for packing would work well to cover all the 'at risk' paintwork, doubled up with wing protectors... it shouldn't be too tacky so shouldn't affect the paint. worth trying some on the touring first though!
or cling film?

oh sod it, just wrap it all in cotton wool!

[d6dph]

/\ Very true.

Main thin is to make sure the panels are clean before you put anything over them as trapped dirt can mark it too.

How long will the paint take to fully harder Barry, or was it baked?

[beardymat]

that figure will certainly put things in perspective should anyone be thinking about doing a proper restoration on an e30. some people seem to have a missguided opinion that a respray costs a few hundred quid and slapping a few patches here and there only needs cost a couple. you get what you pay for and you have paid a top price for a top job

value for money??? i reckon so, what you have is in essence a new body which properly protected will be good for another 20 years or more.

one word of warning,people soon forget the effort you put in on your own when someone starts another resto

[bss325i]

/\ Very true.

Main thin is to make sure the panels are clean before you put anything over them as trapped dirt can mark it too.

How long will the paint take to fully harder Barry, or was it baked?

It was left to air dry over night and is still a bit soft. Baking is just for speed. Its still in the bake box (joined to the oven and only has heat not vented with an air supply so only for baking, not spraying.) with out any heat just to be kept out of the way.

Fresh paint can "sweat" and leave marks if covered with some types of film although by the time he needs to do this when fitting back up, the paint will be less susceptable to this.

[Simon13]

Full silver decal kit Spooky!

The car cost me £3750 as a Mot'd and fully running car from WLN in 2006. Twas a sold as seen car and i knew it needed work, but it was in a good colour and had reems of history and was a "matching numbers" car, lol

Those who buy total bmw etc may remember it in his Adverts back then as it was forsale for a good few months before i took the plunge.

it's tucked up in like a protection/drying booth today, when i came for a goosie gander.

All of the above mentioned things are in ones mind along with my pigsty of a garage. As it won't be home for a bit i shall have a mass clearout. I'll stick some of it on here and if it doesn't go then the bin it comes! Protecting her is causing me brain ache at the moment

Wing covers is a mighty good call Dave. But a few of these jobs are going to be a 2 man operation. I did the strip on my own. Adam the painter said about polishing it when it's back. I've got a load of stuff to do to the shell when it comes home before i can refit, like cavity wax etc! It's all fun now though as light is there at the end of the tunnel!



The day i bought it, Andy from WLN is on the left and Demlotcrew with the hoodie was a lovely day

We went up in my old sport (i do miss it alot sometimes)

[bss325i]

one word of warning,people soon forget the effort you put in on your own when someone starts another resto

There's plenty out there at the moment, some not as well publicised on here.

What ever happened to bloomeister?

[bmwe30mtech]

one word of warning,people soon forget the effort you put in on your own when someone starts another resto

True, i should add to my previous comment that you and barry (and others) also have totally solid shells!

What will the whole resto have cost you all in Si? (as you say though its not about the money, im just curious).

[Speedtouch]

Well, it's not actually at all bad for a top resto job, the finished vehicle will easily hold that value in years to come. Get some Waxoyl or Dinitrol in there as a matter of priority!

[beardymat]

just to add that fresh paint stays soft for an awful long time, you can mark it with pressure for quite a few days and even fitting trims like the grilles in the scuttle can cause the paint to ruffle up if you dont let it harden properly. shouldnt be a problem for you si as youre going to be taking it steady with the rebuild but just be concious not to let anything put pressure on the paint. and if anyone leans on it you must excecute them immediately to save us all from their stupidity.

[d6dph]

Si, Are you at Ace at the end of the month. I have a little present for the newly refurbished shell