My Mauritius Blue 1993 318i Convertible - NOW 325i + MOT

Show off your pride and joy here

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tom325sport
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Post Fri Mar 11, 2011 4:58 pm

Well i bought a 1993 318i convertible of a zoner last week. I went up a few weeks ago to have a look and gave a deposit. Then a few days ago i caught the train back up to the north to buy it. Nice steady 2.5 hour drive home.

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First things to do was to strip everything out of the boot to check for rust, nothing on the inner arches, just a tiny bit which has now been cut and replaced.


Next was the whole interior and carpet as it was looking filthy!

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All inner panels are solid with no rust, even the floor is great near the accelerator pedal!!

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The carpet was wet through as the 'crosshead type' bungs (orange ones) were just sitting on top letting in water. New one's were ordered and fitted.

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Finished the boot with all new bits and clips.

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While i had everything apart I fixed the central locking with the red/black wire mod. As you can see - this is what happens when the rubber mount doesn't cover on the A-pillar and the permanent 12v goes through.

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Which one for the 318i? Top one i think?

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Shampooed then Shake and Vacced!!!!

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The finished result....very happy.

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Last edited by tom325sport on Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:39 pm, edited 3 times in total.
csl
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Post Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:30 pm

Looks very nice,well done. :cool:
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Post Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:48 pm

Very nice job :cool:
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wullie325i
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Post Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:50 pm

i enjoy jobs like this where you can see and most likely smell the difference once you take a step back once its done.

good work
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drocha
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Post Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:53 pm

really nice car. well done. where did you get it from?
tom325sport
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Post Fri Mar 11, 2011 6:03 pm

Cheers guys! Well worth the effort of taking everything off to clean. Also piece of mind to check the floor pan and in the corners for rust etc! I also found £1.52!!!

drocha - i got the car from Sunderland from a top bloke who let me take bits off the car to check it before i bought it!
Theo
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Post Fri Mar 11, 2011 6:06 pm

Looks really nice Tom, the top tool kit is indeed for the 318i - you can see 'M40' marked on if you look closely.
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Post Fri Mar 11, 2011 6:25 pm

and the bottom tool kit has the all important 'rare' faulty leccy window winding tool.

Tool kit rule is long thin spark plug tool for the 4 pot short and fat for 6 pot. (as I was told)
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tom325sport
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Post Fri Mar 11, 2011 6:32 pm

Theo - Good spot! I never noticed that.

Well I've put the wrong tool set in, maybe i'll have to put a 2.5l 6 pot in as well!
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Post Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:43 am

Great thread. Good to see another convertible kept in good condition and on the road. Well done.
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Post Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:51 am

Well done!

Did you manage to get the carpet out and back without cutting it around the heater?
I usually take a scrubbing brush and a power washer to carpets,snag is the two weeks or so you have to wait for them to dry out properly...
M20 engine gives the cabbies the grunt and soundtrack to match the looks. :D
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tom325sport
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Post Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:48 pm

daimlerman - Unfortunately i cut the carpet under the heater as it just wouldn't move!
I had to leave the carpet out for nearly 4 days; it helped as well with the sun shining though.

In regards to the M20 i really am considering it - Hopefully it won't be that hard as cabs already have rear discs etc?
daimlerman
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Post Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:04 pm

tom325sport wrote:daimlerman - Unfortunately i cut the carpet under the heater as it just wouldn't move!
I had to leave the carpet out for nearly 4 days; it helped as well with the sun shining though.

In regards to the M20 i really am considering it - Hopefully it won't be that hard as cabs already have rear discs etc?
The carpet must have gone in before the heater on the line,I too have cut them to make the job easier,especialy going back.Just not worth the extra work involved in removing the heater!

Yes,cabbies all came with the bigger front struts and better rear brakes,you will need to swap the diff for a higher ratio,I am using a 3.64,and the front springs for 6 cylinder rated one's.Otherwise it is pretty much nut and bolt stuff.
The brackets for the 6 cylinder relay pack are available cheaply via the dealer and can be bolted in,no need to weld them unless you are fussy.
Air cleaner bracket can be adapted,etc.
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tom325sport
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Post Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:10 pm

Thought it was plug and play so that's good. My 318i doesn't come with the check panel? If i put in the m20 2.5l, would this be an easy retro fit?

Thanks in advance.
daimlerman
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Post Sat Mar 12, 2011 3:23 pm

tom325sport wrote:Thought it was plug and play so that's good. My 318i doesn't come with the check panel? If i put in the m20 2.5l, would this be an easy retro fit?

Thanks in advance.
No!

The wiring for the sensors in incorporated into the main body loom...

Only light really worth having is the low coolant one,but getting one to work needs Mr Moore's electrical skills!
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Post Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:32 pm

tom325sport wrote:
Well I've put the wrong tool set in, maybe i'll have to put a 2.5l 6 pot in as well!
any excuse! :teehee:

nice car Tom. are you doing anything about the steering wheel?
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tom325sport
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Post Sun Mar 13, 2011 7:03 pm

OK i'll think i'll leave the check panel for now then.

Not sure about the steering wheel, i kinda like it even though it is huge and feels like a a bus steering wheel!
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imsmithster
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Post Sun Mar 13, 2011 7:21 pm

hi tom car looks great,forgot to ask are you interested in the wind deflector?
tom325sport
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Post Sun Mar 13, 2011 7:44 pm

Hi Ian. Yes i totally forgot to mention it when i was at yours.

Yes very interested. Would you mind hanging on to it for me until the end of the month?

Thanks
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imsmithster
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Post Sun Mar 13, 2011 8:08 pm

Ok just text me cheers ian
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l16ydl
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Post Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:00 pm

Lovely work mate, hopefully get mine looking like that once i get the respray done.
tom325sport
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Post Sun Mar 20, 2011 5:57 pm

More work done today on the cab...

Fixed the horse shoe problem... thread here...
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=192921

The centre cap badges were falling apart so new ones ordered and fitted...

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It Shuts!!! Hooray!!

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And a really good clean and polish.

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Post Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:10 pm

What a lovely cab, well done in finding such a nice one!

Wind deflector is a must, get it asap..

All you need now is a hardtop! :wink:
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Post Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:46 pm

What a really tidy cab :cool:
They don't make bm's like this anymore!..They should.
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tom325sport
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Post Mon May 09, 2011 1:09 am

Progress report: Not had much time as I've been out the country but managed to squeeze a few hours in here and there! I decided that the front end of the cab needed an overhaul so nearly everything came off including the 1.8 engine! This was my first attempt at taking an engine out and it wasn't to bad! Got a bit filthy though. Here's the pictures so far...

From this...
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To this...by using 'RENOVO ULTRA CLEAR PLASTIC WINDOW POLISH'
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Primed...
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And ready...
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gratuitous engine shot!
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318i engine and loom and ecu for sale...
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Plans are to fit 2.5 engine + new wings and front valance. I've started to waxoyl in the front wheel wells so the front should be good for another 20 years!!!
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m0gsia
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Post Mon May 09, 2011 1:37 am

This is how I'd like my cabby to be! Nice one.
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sajad09
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Post Mon May 09, 2011 3:15 am

oh my favourite colour....

lovly cab matey.. looking good
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Post Mon May 09, 2011 6:57 pm

tidy looking cab! coming along nicely keep up the good work :D
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Post Mon May 09, 2011 9:37 pm

awsome work, love the colour :cool:
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Post Mon May 09, 2011 9:45 pm

Good work there Tom, especially on the rear screen.
I'm seriously thinking of going back to the origional cab colour too on mine. :D
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If you Got "Haters",Then your doing something Right!
CR24v??? Where's it all gone?? LOL
tom325sport
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Post Wed Jun 22, 2011 11:58 pm

Progress report:

Two excellent condition wings and front valance were bought as the original ones were rotten...

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Then I had a mobile welder (John) come and sort out a tiny bit of rust in the engine bay where someone had put an after market alarm and had drilled into the metalwork and hadn't treated it...

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Every arch has been jet washed, scrubbed, cleaned, treated then waxoyled

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A few rusty bits that will be replaced...anyone know the part numbers for the exhaust heat shields at the back?

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Middle heat shield was in good condition so treated and sprayed...starting to get a little obsessive!!

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While this was going on I had the valance and the wings sprayed...

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Tons more waxoyl...

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These parts needed to go back on...

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And nearly back together...minus the engine! Thats next!

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More to follow soon.
MurphyE30
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Post Thu Jun 23, 2011 6:08 am

Great work, cabs looking well

Will be spot on when the 6 pot goes in
tom325sport
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Post Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:19 pm

More stuff done.... I'm slowly getting there!

Bloody annoying rear beam off!!!

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Then today i've dropped the fuel tank as it was quite tatty around the ages.

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New bushes soon as soon as the underside is tidy!!!
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Post Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:33 am

Looks like its going well ive got a mauritious blue cabby aswel :cool:
Blue 1988 320i convertible
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Post Wed Jul 27, 2011 3:23 pm

Looking really good!

Just a thought, wouldn't it be safer for all that nice new paint to pop the engine in before you fit those wings on?

Like the way the precious parts get the carpet treatment! They'll all be expecting a wall to wall carpeted garage when they are all back together.
Selection of BMW hardtops available, please ask!