new cabbie!

[jonmsm]

Hey all,

long time since I have been on - too busy with an e28 drift tramp! However, this week saw the arrival of a bone stock 320i cab. £500 with a spanking new hood and in reasonable condition. She needs a bit of body work here and there which is on the cards and I have some Mimms to go on...

however - I want some thoughts. I am pricing up a full major service (dizzy, oil, filters, plugs, disks, pads, brake lines etc etc) and I am wondering if the 57i kit is worth while instead of a new oem panel filter or if it will ruin it as a nice standard car.

Also - the exhaust needs attention so I want to ditch the single pipe and have a subtle twin pipe so I can hear the baby 6 noise that I missed so much! Any advice on a good system that not chavvy and a good place to source (ideally brand new)

Also - is eurocarparts still a good place for parts (as the gsf web site is a pain to use!)??

sorry for the Spanish inquisition...

Here is a taster



fyi - ziggy - I totally blame you for this car!

my inspiration (Ziggy aside)...

[adit]

£500!! you're nearly a twokker!

well done mate, must be worth 2-3 times that all day long if it's as tidy as it seems. any more pics?

[jonmsm]

not as yet - she is in the lock up! Heading back to start stripping my volvo t5 for its BTCC stickers so will get more pics then! I agreed the price with the guy about 2 years ago and he was more than happy to stick to it and has kept it dry stored for me in his barn all this time! She does need some work - behind the front bumper is a fairly big parking dent but only superficial, the arches need a look at but nothing major I dont think and the sills need cleaning up might be able to escape the welder.

no skin and wind inside but the fabric seats are in reasonable condition so I'm happy. I'm smitten already!

[magpie]

lucky man,welcome back

[George]

Congrats, bargain price.

I use ECP, can't stand the GSF website, utter rubbish.

[Ziggy]

Not a bad plate on that!

[jonmsm]

TY for the replies! I have been on to fritz bitz for an exhaust and he has quoted me £411 + a 325 manifold to allow it all the mate up but I am worried about the noise gain from 86 - 91dB for the increased flow. I understand that 26% better flow is epic but I don't really need it...

dilema!!

I want to support fritz with the business as he has helped me out many a time with the m535i but I have a feeling from some youtube research that the remus system might be the most subtle upgrade for the car... hmmm!

[Ziggy]

Oh, and I used to have that front chin spoiler on mine. Yup, I do indeed still have it stowed away somewhere...

[Ziggy]

P.s: please don't throw money at a 'performance' exhaust for a m20b20!

Find yourself a stock BMW one.

[jonmsm]

I'm not after a performance one - just one that looks nice and has twin pipes. That's the only visual mod I have planned for her!

[jonmsm]

some update photos!



arches are a mess though


sils are not great either


VERY messy front valance

[Ziggy]

Stock 325i exhaust FTW

Plus the Jimmy Hill chin of course...

[jonmsm]

Think I'm gonna be having Adit's twin pipe system and I am considering the JH chin splitter but I want to get her looking stock to start with and go from there got a load of bits for her today - i'll photo the stock pile of parts when I have them all next week!

[jonmsm]

OK - the latest pictures...

Some nice new bits from the lads at retro-BMW in Brum..



So tonight I started to remove the front end to inspect the damage...


It's not looking good! On the plus side - I have a valance waiting with Adi and the exhaust, the new tyres came today so I whipped the old tyres off the Mimms and got them over to the refurb place so they should be ready in just over a week!

Just got to wait to here back from a few body shops with some quotes then send her off!

Got the rear bumper off too... but not without a fight!!I forgot to get photos but its evident that has been bumped at the back too but luckily the rear valance is ok, just the chrome is bent!

More next week hopefully

[adit]

Congrats, bargain price.

I use ECP, can't stand the GSF website, utter rubbish.

+1!

good work Jon, keep at it. this is my conv. project:

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=176634

[jonmsm]

More nice bit arrived:



and I bit of autosol and show shine later...


woot

[jonmsm]

More pretty new bits (sorry this is becoming a project thread!)

New front drop links..


And a small delivery from EuroCarParts - brakes and timing belt. I have no history with the car so I have no idea when it was last done. I am sure the car has been well looked after by its condition but you never know!

[jonmsm]

Hi all - Finally an update!

First of all - she is booked in for her bodyshop visit and its now going to be a full body respray so she should be looking tasty!

Since the last post I have had some of the plastic bits off and cleaned them in front of the tele like a real looser...







New exhaust from Adit which will look lovely when its on!

And new front panel from Adit too


Also - through to zone too - the new windscreen chrome which will make it look so much more finished


Finally - some boot struts...

[jonmsm]

At last! They are here! The Mimms are back from the metal workers and are all refurbished and have new shoes on! I think they are going to look lush! Just 2 weeks before she goes in to the body shop now!

[jonmsm]

One new addition - took the tool kit out and it was looking a bit miserable so I bought this to replace it with!

[jonmsm]

more new lovely additions to the parts pile while she is at the body shop...

Original OEM BMW badges to replace the naff ebay ones I found before


Found this in a cupboard at home...


Random bits cleaned up and looking nice


That's all for now! Hopefully getting some new chrome headlight rings for the smiley headlights

[Jim320i]

I just seen your post requesting them parts... Look forward to seeing them as I could probably do with getting some to freshen up mine too.

[jonmsm]

I just seen your post requesting them parts... Look forward to seeing them as I could probably do with getting some to freshen up mine too.

is that the headlight rings?

[jonmsm]

GOOD NEWS! 5 months later, phase 1 is complete; the body work!!!!

Items done:
Two new OEM front wings
New front valance fitted as shown above
rust removed on the sils, door seal, boot seal etc
new arches at the rear
windscreen out for minor scuttle rust repair
full respray in original 'Zinnobar' red






She's being delivered back on Saturday for the mechanical rebuild to start!

Many thanks to Tim at True Paintworks!

[RM2186]

Nice work, looks sweet. Looking forward to seeing the finished article

[jacko]

Looking good. Looking forward to the finished product

[jonmsm]

Thank you! I am looking forward to it too! I am hoping to get it done this summer but not rushing it - so might be next summer as the next job is a bit of a mechanical overhaul but my m535i is priority first!

[kman82]

Looking

What's involved in the mechanial rebuild?

[macas]

Very nice cabby indeed,don't you just love a freshly painted car?!
Where abouts in brum is retro BMW btw?

[Kieran_n22]

my inspiration (Ziggy aside)...

What front lip is that? OE?

[Kieran_n22]

and just wondering how much was the chrome windscreen strip? And how easy is it to fit?

[kman82]

changed mine last year and cant remember how much it was but the tiny chrome clip that sits over the join in the middle was £10!

[jonmsm]

Macas, im sorry - I cant remember - was such a long time ago now - must have been September / October time! :-S

Kieran -Not sure about the chrome strip - I got it on here from the genuine parts department but it wasnt that much. I would highly recommend the spend though - I did it to my e28 and it transformed the look of the car! I think that is an OEM splitter - called a Jimmy Hill splitter, but I think they were usually black as OEM - this one has obviously been painted to match the zinnobar. I am sticking with my stock front splitter though

As for the mechanical rebuild, at the moment it's the following:

New springs and dampers all round with an undecided drop to just sit it better as it rides far too high on standard kit, refurbished calipers, new discs, pads, flexi lines, and hard lines. New lower arms & bushes and steering linkages, probably new bushes at the rear if the beam needs it, new anti-roll bar links and bushes, then a I am going to try avoiding taking the head off but that might happen anyway, certainly a cam belt and pulleys/tensioners, usual service items, all the front end furniture has been removed and cleaned/polished and all the bulbs replaces. I have bought better bumpers to polish up, new badges, tool kit, boot lifters etc etc, refurbished 15" mimms... then the interior.. not thought that far - I like the tartan cloths so no leather (useless in summer anyway... gets too hot!) but probably a good clean and refresh inside and a sensible sound system. Already bought an original 5 speed gear knob to replace the after market one and ditching the aftermarket chrome sil plates! Thats all...

J

[tonybtonyb]

What a bargain fella! looks pretty tidy ,will be fab once finished good luck with the re build

[jonmsm]

Thanks! I have to go hand over the second half of the payment to the body shop tomorrow... 1000 notes... that's always painful! So worth it though!