M50 / M52 / S50 manifold group buy?

[old_skool]

That is sexual welding. Very nice. You start to appreciate the price when you see the work.

Looking from the outside, in, the price seems high, but then a picture justifys it instantly.

Oh yes, how true.

[jaistanley]

Gorgeous work to be sure. The welding is lovely.

For a cross pipe, might it be easier to use two radius bends, cut at an intersect whereby the CSA is equal to that of the two intersecting pipes? Think of it like writing an X with two swoops rather than a cross. Does that make any sense to anyone? I might draw up the radius's available from that site in CAD and see if I cant design one and come up with a BOM and cut/weld list. It all depends how bored I get and if I can get Inventor working. AutoCAD might be a bit clonky for this.

I have all these great ideas but no workshop, welder or welding skills... Here-in lies the rub I guess.

Jai

[ste]

Glad this is moving forward.

BTB sure do have a wonky calculator, but at least this time the price has dropped £100 per manifold. Be greatful for small mercys I suppose!

Interestingly - the original price I was quoted was even less than the £400 that the Group-buy was agreed at. Originally BTB quoted me £250 for each manifold. Food for thought!

[Jhonno]

Ste, you're not making things better

[Jhonno]

i think their calculator must be on the fritz or something.. maybe back to using an abacus and got confused between the 10's and the 100's?!

Just feels more and more like they are making it up as they go along..

[jaistanley]

Yea, Thats about the figure I'd have come up with for the actual labour and materials. I mean come on. There's fark all to it once you have the process sorted. I can see it might have been a pain in the arse to develop and they need to re-coup some of those costs, but then they shouldn't have put the 17 year old work experience student in charge of it (speculation).

Grrrrrr....

Bitter? Moi? Never.

Certainly seem to be making up prices as they go along to put people off because they realised they aren't going to be getting loads of business from it. Again speculation, but thats what many companies do. Piss off the client if they have other things to do or they underestimate the profitability.

I'd better get off my high horse before someone kicks me off it. Lets wait till they arrive, then if something else goes wrong, pick the scab off and start again.

Jai

[Beemer Redeemer]

Hey thats brilliant news that the ball is rolling Dameon.

Pleased we've got an order confirmed now. So here's me saying a big thank you to Dameon, Ste, Ian and the others who are going for the manifolds/x-pipes/systems - without any of these people, it wouldn't be happening. Lots of hard work over several months, i am as appreciative as all the others

Better start raiding that piggy bank

James

[old_skool]

Okay,

Please don't all get too excited but I have had an email from BTB to say that the first manifold is ready to "trial fit" on a car. I guess this means I'll trailer my car to them. I don't know when yet as I'm waiting to hear from them tomorrow.

Rest assured, when they are ready - I'll be there like a shot. Without wishing to jump the gun, it looks like we are on target for the order date. Fingers crossed eh?

[jaistanley]

Awesome...

Thats the first of August isn't it? I've resolved to put £250 out of this months wages and the same out of the following... That'll be the full £900 then. Don't tell me I'm gonna be digging the bone marrow out myself with an old teaspoon!? (to milk that one just a little more).

Looking forward to gettin' mine after the long wait. I'll still need to do loads of other things but it seems like a big milestone.

Woohoo!

Jai

[old_skool]

Awesome...

Thats the first of August isn't it? I've resolved to put £250 out of this months wages and the same out of the following... That'll be the full £900 then. Don't tell me I'm gonna be digging the bone marrow out myself with an old teaspoon!? (to milk that one just a little more).

Looking forward to gettin' mine after the long wait. I'll still need to do loads of other things but it seems like a big milestone.

Woohoo!

Jai

Better get the engine in now then Jai!

[jaistanley]

Yup... found a buyer for my sump/pump/pickup etc. He has a 3.0 E36 M3 GT Individual which didn't come with the euro spec GT engine (the english 'Individual' ones got 286 brake normal engine, not the more developed 3.0 GT engine) so hopefully there's potential for a swap/enough money for the engine mounts and gaskets.

No excuse now I guess

I'm moving an hour closer to Essex where my car is at the end of the month too... All's good in project land.

Jai

[jmc330i]

Excellent news

This means I better start sorting the other odds and sods that Ive been putting off

[Beemer Redeemer]

Great news

Really looking forward to these. Cheers for the Update bud

James

[old_skool]

it's 'Updates-R-Us' this week

I am booked in at BTB on Monday to take my car to them for trial fitting. It will stay there for a week or so for them to template and check the manifolds. I will advise more when I have returned but so far they can see no reason why they shouldn't all be done for the 1st of August deadline.

[jmc330i]

I am booked in at BTB on Monday to take my car to them for trial fitting. It will stay there for a week or so for them to template and check the manifolds.

Nice one mate Although Im a little confused as to what they did when they had Ians car there for so long???

Thanks for the update and the effort youre putting in to get these sorted

[ste]

...who knows, they had mine there for a week too..

Anyway - I popped in to BTB on Saturday to collect all the donor manifolds that will no longer be getting used. Dameon's manifold is 'finished' and ready for his trial fitting today.

All unused manifolds are now back at my house and ready for collection or for me to post out. Let me know what each of you wants to do.

I also now have spare manifolds that I no longer need - Please get in touch if you want a set.

Can I remind anyone whose deposit I still have that BTB will be taking payment from you directly and you need to get your deposit back off me. It will not be making its way from me to BTB. Some of you still haven't supplied bank details or alternative methods for me to get the funds back to you. I'm getting worried you're expecting this money to be part-payment to BTB and will get a shock on the day you're expected to pay them! Please get in touch, preferably with bank details so I can transfer funds.

[old_skool]

Thanks Ste, PM sent.

The car, as per my build thread, is now at BTB, all very impressive stuff indeed. I need everyone to state how soon they want there manifolds. The reason I am asking is that there is a slim chance that one or two may be ready earlier than anticipated. I guess, I put the emphasis on guess, that James JMC330i and Jhonno would be in more need than say, JaiStanley so far.

Could you all please PM me or post up here to let me know the status of your cars so that maybe one or two of you could have it earlier? If it's going to cause problems then it's best left to August the 1st. I'm just trying to make sure it is fair for everyone whilst keeping the whole thing moving along.


Dameon.

[jaistanley]

Too true my friend.. I can wait a while for mine, in fact as long as it's after the 26th july I'm happy (payday!).

Ste: I'll be in contact presently mate.

Jai

[Beemer Redeemer]

@ Ste;
Completely forgot to send you any details reference deposits and manifolds. Ill send you a PM bud Cheers.

@ Dameon;
Brilliant news again mate. I am a million miles off needing my manifolds so let the others go infront of me if there are a few ready sooner than anticipated.
August is fine for me bud

Cheers
James

[jmc330i]

Dameon - August 1st is fine with me, its only a few weeks. Im happy to wait, but if you end up with one or two sets hanging around before August then let me know


Ste - Sorry mate, bank details on the way

[ste]

Thanks Ste, PM sent.

No PM received - my inbox was 100% full though. Please try again or email me on steATe3024v.com

Thanks!

[old_skool]

Thanks Ste, email sent.

[jmc330i]

Just a thought, does the August 1st date include the X-pipes?

[Jhonno]

Yup it does i believe..

Im excited

[old_skool]

It's here, It's on, It's awesome.

Pics tomorrow

[Jhonno]

Got all them cleaance pics also dont foget?!

[jaistanley]

Pics pics pics pics pics pics..........

[old_skool]

Pics and Text taken from my build thread:







A load more random pics of the exhaust from underneath taken back at home. I'm sorry they are not really revealing but there is simply nowhere to get the camera into. They really are that tight. When you look at them you cannot understand how they did it.

[old_skool]

Ok, a small update. I have spoken to BTB today and the first set of manifolds will be coming along shortly. Tomson has also ordered a set and is now added to the list.

Updated list inc. Dan's and James' X pipes:

S50b30
1) Jhonno [manifold + X Pipe]
2) E30_tracker [manifold only]
3) jmc330i [manifold + X Pipe]
4) old_skool_2002 [manifold, X pipe & full system] DELIVERED

S50b32
1) jaistanley [manifold only]
2)Tomson [manifold only]

[jaistanley]

Looking at the pictures it's gonna be a right pain in the jacksie without buying an X pipe too... I seriously can't afford one atm though

Will BTB take an order for one after a month or so do you think? It just looks a bit fiddly to make even without an X section. LAME

LOVE the pics though Dameon...

Jai

[old_skool]

Jai, I'm sure they'll produce an X pipe later on if needs be. It really is quality work though.

[Jhonno]

bonus 4 me is the x-pipe section is alot longa than i thought.. so should be alot less effot to finish the system off than i thought..

[jmc330i]

bonus 4 me is the x-pipe section is alot longa than i thought.. so should be alot less effot to finish the system off than i thought..

Thats what I was just thinking

Now Im getting excited and also worried that I might actually get this conversion finished

[ian332isport]

I might actually get this conversion finished

Steady now

[jmc330i]

I might actually get this conversion finished

Steady now

I did have to go and sit down for a while after writing that, it was a bit of a shock