1990 325i Sport Restoration

[goosiegander]

Epic!

[bmwe30mtech]

Thanks mate

[csl]

Good work mate. There is definate satisfaction to be had when you get the headlight wipers working again!!! This was a job that really got on my t*ts.

[bmwe30mtech]

Thanks csl, yeah it's nice when everything works as it should

[brettski]

hi mate just read the whole thread a lot of work has been put in there! how much has it cost you to redo the air con system converting it to the latest gas, condensor etc? also how much is the bmw underseal and how many cans do you think it would take to do the car? thanks.

[bmwe30mtech]

Hi,

Thanks. The conversion kit from BMW consists of 2 valves and a new dryer and pressure switch. This is about £105 i think.

New condensor is about £70 from ECP, and new radiator about £140 from ECP. All new air-con fittings and seals come to about £60 from BMW. Air-con sets are about £200 second hand, and a re-gas is £50 at kwick fit. All adds up to do properly!

[brettski]

brilliant thanks for that i've already got the air con in the car i just need to get it working! so can you get this underseal from bmw? thanks.

[bmwe30mtech]

Yeah the underseal comes from BMW, in white or black. I will be using black. Both are over-paintable, but not necessary. Its the stuff they use on new BMW's, similar to the E30 stuff but better im told.

A schutz gun can be bought cheaply, I paid £10 for a new one on ebay.

[/// KAMI]

Mate i just read the whole resto and i got to say hats of to you mate.....

[brettski]

brilliant thanks for that guess i'll have to visit the dealer now!

[bmwsport]

[/quote]Sorry I never replied! It's probably too late now, but I used the aerosol stuff, but I don't recomend it - its not thick and tough enough, hence im about to re-do mine with the schutz/bmw stuff. You need a schutz gun and compressor to apply this.

It does not need to be overpainted, and is not at all porus. Painting it just makes it look better.

Thanks[/quote]

No worries lad, in the end i bought a crate (10 schutz cans) of Dinitrol stonechip 445 for approx £80 all in and still have 5 cans left if or whenever it needs a top-up.

http://www.rejel.com/product/8580.aspx

It's meant to be good stuff and is certainly doing a fine job (although time will tell!)

Ps your doing a grand job on your car, just seen all the updates since i last posted.

[bmwe30mtech]

Thanks guys.

bmwsport - That stuff looks good, looks just like the stuff I just bought from BMW. Should be very tough! Thanks again.

[bmwe30mtech]

Just a little update.

I decided to seal up the back half of the car properly before winter (and with it, salt) sets in.

First I removed the exhaust, shocks, fuel filler pipe, body kit, and anything else under there.

Then used a high pressure washer to remove any muck, and then spirits to remove any grease, then another pressure wash.

This revealed a couple of tiny areas of surface rust, which I took back to grey metal using a wire wheel, and then ground back to shiny metal using sanding equipment. I then etch primed the bare metal with several coats. Overall however I was very very pleased to find basically no rust whatsoever . Not a spec now.


I then bought an oil free air compressor, schutz gun, and 4 litres of BMW underseal. After masking up the car carefully, this is the result!

Just after I sprayed it on, quite a thick coating, drying. I sprayed it over the arch lips also, not factory, but prevents stone chipping.





Exhaust area



Anything forward of the diff beam still dirty as hell! Although there appears to be no body rust at all despite all the rusty components. Didnt take the rust off the bottom of the diff mount stupidly, so didnt cover it.





This stuff splats everywhere!



Shiny new exhaust heat shield



Once dry it looks factory, and is very tough





With the wheels off was an opportunity to adjust the handbrake properly to suit the new disks

I used a paintbrush to get the under seal right into the arch lips, especially where they are rolled



New plates. I masked down the sides of the car about an inch up from the sill, and the same on the rear valance to ”˜seal in’ the perimeter of the car. Not very factory, but better in my opinion.



Offside arch got a thicker coat so the finish isn’t as nice, but it’s very tough to the elements at least. Flash went off hence looks odd.



All bits re-fitted with new bolts



I used some bike inner tube to protect the paint from the bumper shock absorbers







Job jobbed.

The pictures don't really do any of it justice, but it looks news.
Also fitted new mounting parts under the car, and some heated windscreen washer jets.

Paul

[csl]

Good stuff Paul!
Nice to see you keeping on top of the Sport.Looks really well.

[SteMarsden]

Stunning!
Great to see that you are putting so much effort into the car in the bits that rarely get seen!

[bmwe30mtech]

Thanks guys

As you say these parts are rarely seen but I want to protect the car from rusting. Shame I didn't take any pictures before spraying the under seal on, but the car looked spotless without it, the underside was white which was a surprise!

I stripped off the grey stuff I spayed on last year so this would stick properly to the factory under seal, not the rattle can stuff.

[bmwe30mtech]

Just noticed this thread has had more hits than the 'babes and beemers' one. Must be lots of E30 deviants out there!

[bmwe30mtech]

A quick update. I bought a leather centre console from a motorsport cab, and changed its colour from grey to black using the kit from furniture clinic. I would highly recommend the kit, as it involves dyeing the leather the same way as in the factory.

First, a leather console:



Then you prep the leather by stripping off the sealant surface applied in the factory and removing the dye, using leather prep. You then clean using alcohol. You can see the natural leather showing through.



Other bits I was doing:



I then applied three coats of black with a sponge. I then applied three further coats using a compressor (oil free) and a small spray gun. You then need to apply a seal to the leather, again spraying on three coats (the same as the seal applied by BMW when its new), and finally spraying on a single top coat of leather finish.

I hung them from the garage roof for spraying:



I left them several days to dry properly, and then worked in a leather cream sold by Gliptone. The leather now feels soft and smells great. The pictures don’t really do it justice, and make it look a little more shiny than in reality. The ashtray surround is leather also, but I opted for the original ashtrays.

Moved the heated seat switched forward to fills the holes. A better place for them really.











And a few of the car back on M-tech suspension:







Thanks for looking

Paul

[FMH]

I want that console

Good work, nice car.4

I was looking into the furnitureclinic dye, just wanted to see a step-by-step before i buy it, and today i did.

[goosiegander]

I've said it before and i'll say it again, Epic!

[Theo]

The car is looking amazing Paul, great work. Would be nice to get a set of leather doorcards to compliment the other leather bits.

I think I'm going to have to borrow you and your compressor to underseal my Hartge, I'm really impressed with the result you've achieved.

[Speedtouch]

That certainly looks rather executive - good work

[bmwe30mtech]

Many thanks for the replies guys .

Theo, sure you can, although I wont be back in Kent untill about december the 10th. I don't know how soon you plan on doing it?! Leather door cards would be nice but finding some would be very hard, as it would have to be from an M3 with extra leather options.

[bmwe30mtech]

I just been offered a centre console which has just been re-trimmed, but is an identical copy of the motorsport style. Do I sell the origional for a new one?!

[SHAKEELE30]

sell me one mate

[bmwe30mtech]

Going to keep the original, because its original.

Search on german ebay shakeel, there is a guy on there who trims them and charges 200 euros. Stitching is a very good copy.

[e30topless]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0500417281

[SHAKEELE30]

that does look tempting, but maybe when ive see better days with my cash flow.... but then again its still not original, i like my stuff to be original as possible, like some other zoners....

[/// KAMI]

car and console look spot on......credit to you

[tonybtonyb]

Nice touch!

[cro320]

console looks awesome!

chrome exhaust tips next mod?

[bmwe30mtech]

Cheers lads.

Just a couple of fun things I did recently. Rubbish pictures taken in the garage, the flash makes it all look a bit odd.

Re-furbished BBS with polished lip. Thanks for these Kami, they polished up great.







Standard clocks in an M3 housing.



I changed my console for this new one I had made up by a company in Germany (yeah pretty sad). It’s an exact copy of the motorsport one, but trimmed in black nappa leather. Also had the door card pockets and handles done in nappa leather, again exact copy of the BMW stitching.















Fitted a new BMW extinguisher, which I realised was a good idea after an E30 I was driving recently caught fire. To do this use an original E30 seat bracket and strap, and bolt the new extinguisher and holder to it using the original bolt holes. It’s designed to fit, and will work in an emergency unlike the old ones.



And a nice new BMW tech 2 wheel



Also fitted a heated kit from a 325iSE - drivers mirror, washer jets and door lock. Never thought I would be that sad/boring, but the mirror is useful in this weather.

Cro320 ”“ Yes I have actually put chrome exhaust trims on it, pulled them off a breaker the other day!

It’s not a garage queen though, have had some great fun lately in the heavy rain on some roundabouts near me, had forgotten how easy these are to control sideways. Haven’t been out in the snow yet though, wouldn’t get up my drive if I tried anyway!

[SHAKEELE30]

Paul looking nice mate, how much it cost you to get that from germany if you dont mind, also do they not do doorcards in leather(m3/motorsport style)???

and noticed you have put the rear seat in... you still have it?

[Ollie_bwoii]

Thats an absolutely stunning interior, but partially ruined by that awful head unit!

[Theo]

He's done a great job on those leather bits, I had a look on the etk the other day to see what leather bits are still availble - the door handles are (395 euros each) as are the pockets (252 euros each)