Project car back at last!!

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   Right lads � finally I got her back after the respray.  I know shes sitting a little high at the mo but this is due to the fact that its engine and gearbox less!!!

heres a link to how she used to look -  

click here for old pix

For those that don�t know, this car started out as a standard 320 with rear drums and 46mm front struts.  It also had standard seats, no electrics, manual rack and manual sunroof.  It had the standard chrome and sat on 14� bottle tops. 

So what have I done??????

Well, lets start with the spray job itself.  It�s a bare metal respray.  The shell was completely stripped � interior, trims, dash, carpet, door locks, glass, lights etc etc.  Luckily enough the shell was spot on � no rust issues and no signs of crash damage.  There was a couple of dings on the panels but these were filled accordingly.  Underneath was spot on as well and 100% rust free.  It seems it had been rust proofed before.  However I decided to go the whole hog and spent a full day under the car hosing it and then wire brushing it down.  It was then drowned in fresh waxoil again all underneath!!  As the interior and carpet was out, I waxoiled the interior as well including the arches but they were solid as a rock anyways.  I think we then put on 6 coats of paint and 4 coats of laquer in total.   The only body panels I replaced were the 2 front wings as one had a big crease on it and the other had been painted before but it looked as if the paint had reacted before.  So 2 new wings from BMW were ordered.  I also removed the arial from the rear of the car and fitted an m3 arial to the roof instead.  Looks wise, I wanted to keep the car as standard as possible and I am more of a less is more type guy.  No mtech 2 kit for me � just a front Is lip spoiler!  I also as you can see decromed her!  15� bbs were treated to a refurb and the centres resprayed in black.  These are now wrapped in new Falken 512 tyres.  Smiley headlights were also installed along with new headlight and kidney grills.  Various other rubber seals were replaced as well i.e sunroof seal, rear light seals etc etc

I also fitted smoked brown glass from an early 325 which I think looks the bomb!

Now on to the inside.  Out came the crappy dirty white headlining and in went black headlining from a sport.  Sport map mirror was also installed.  The carpet was replaced with one from a touring which has a suede type texture as opposed to the crude ruffle type carpet.  An electric sunroof was also retrofitted along with leccy windows.  I also installed a13 button OBC as well as mtech 1 steering wheel.  Crappy standard seats were replace with a houndstooth recaros with rear head rests.

Now the mechanics!!!  First off the rear.  Ok � as the 320 has rear drums, I sourced an axle from a 325 which had disks.  The old axle was dropped and I put up the 325 axle.  In the process I replaced the brake lines, the sub frame bushes and the rear trailing arm bushes.  Also I changed the hand brake cables, the wheel bearings, new brake callipers, new brake disks and pads, new hand brake shoes and rear brake dust covers.  The brake hoses were replaced with braided ones.  Before I put the subframe back up I painted it with black rust proof paint!  Rear shocks are now new bilsteins with eibach springs and new top shock mounts.  I put in a new 14.5mm arb from a convertible and new drop links as well.

Now the front � out came the 46mm struts and in went 51mm with new inverted bilstiens, eibach springs, new top shock mounts, new callipers, new ate disks, new mintex pads, new wheel bearings, new brake dust covers, braided hoses, 21mm arb, new drop links, 2 new wishbones with m3 offset bushes, new tie rods and a power steering rack!! Phew!!! Oh and a new brake and clutch cylinder!!

So she now sits in my yard awaiting a s14 transplant � albeit I,m not quite sure if it will be a 320is or m3 engine � opinions please???

I know for some people what I did was probably completely overkill with how far I went with things.  It wasn�t done on the cheap either � all parts came from my local dealer.  In fairness I did get a savage discount and I do look after there I.T.

So I would appreciate your comments and feedback � negative or otherwise and if you have any further advise it would be great!!

Now next step is finding m3 running gear!!!!!!

Edited by Eamo