Overdue build thread

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Das_Prachtstrasse
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Joined: Sep 10, 2006 7:06 AM
Location: Melbourne, Doooown Under

Overdue build thread

Post by Das_Prachtstrasse »

I never got around to doing a proper build thread after all these years of ownership, but seeing as i'm about to kick into the next stage of my project, figured it's better late than never.

Here's a brief back story for those interested.

Bought the car knowing nothing about cars or BMW's in 2006 for 3.5k, stock 1986 automatic 525e with Alpina reps, bronzitbeige over sable brown comfort leather interior, 200k km's on the clock.

Here's what it looked like:

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After the first year or two (and being thoroughly infected by the BMW bug), I added a pfeba front spoiler, lowered it with bilstein sports and an eibach pro kit, strut brace, ecu chip, 540i brakes and a set of Hartge's I bought from Germany.

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Shortly thereafter, I located an M5 front lip in the motherland, pearlbeige leather sport interior (front seats from an e24), went balls deep with mechanical self exploration completing a manual conversion (after buying a second e28 for parts), and had a custom exhaust made.

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I drove it around like this for a few years, and did some other small things here and there, but the next big stage was to follow. The B27 was getting tired, and while looking for a B35 to replace it, I found an m106B34 (had no idea at the time) in an e34 parts car interstate and bought the whole car sight unseen from a wrecker, for $500. This was a gamble that paid off.
Turned out the motor had been completely rebuilt, and although it'd never been started, the turbo was missing and it was only half installed in the e34, I ended up parting the rest of the car out for twice what I paid for it. Free rebuilt M106 meant turbo build was an opportunity too good to pass up. Unemployment meant putting the turbo part of the build on the backburner, and getting the car running N/A while I saved the cash to re-turbo it.

After 2 years off the road,and a whole lot of self educating it was running N/A. Countless new parts, Miller MAF conversion, self modified B34 wiring harness, straight through 3inch bespoke turbo-ready exhaust and Stage 3 TCD clutch kit installed. Also installed a headlight wiper kit, some homemade timber roofracks, M-tachometer, medikit, fire extinguisher, the infamous 'beatcase' and some slight changes to the interior colour combo.

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It took a lot of tweaking, including an upgrade to M1.3 to get it running well, but as it stands currently, it's driving beautifully N/A. Dyno'd recently at 120rwkw (160hp), which isn't too bad for low comp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW2g798g ... tkM9B24yHA

It was around this time that I decided to go down the Hartge cosmetic route, and I've been tracking down, and collecting parts ever since, whilst also planning for a respray, and finally completing the turbo build.
Last edited by Das_Prachtstrasse on Mar 28, 2016 4:52 AM, edited 18 times in total.
Das_Prachtstrasse
Posts: 5612
Joined: Sep 10, 2006 7:06 AM
Location: Melbourne, Doooown Under

Post by Das_Prachtstrasse »

This brings the build up to the present day, and i'd like to document for my own records, and for the those interested, my progress. I've got big plans in the works, and have a goal to have it complete by March next year in time for the Australian BMW Nationals.

As far as the Hartge parts go, so far I've managed to locate an instrument cluster, valve cover, gearknob(s), steering wheel, replica front spoiler (Paul LaDue shameless plug), 2 sets of charcoal side stripes, front grille badge and an Alpina rear spoiler (close enough).

The turbo side of things has seen me invest firstly in a copy of Corky Bells 'Maximum Boost' a set of ARP head studs, Tial V38 wastegate and a Garrett GT3071r turbocharger so far, with many parts still left to acquire. The motor's presently got around 8000km on it since the rebuild, and is run-in sufficiently enough to receive positive pressure.

As of today, I'm taking the car off the road to strip and prep for a respray i'm having done at work, and some overdue suspension refreshing. I have an LSD, powerflex bushing kit, and a few other little bits and pieces to install while I prep the car for paint, and I'll update the thread with pics as I move along. I've also had a few interior parts including some M5 door pulls, and a rear parcel shelf with integrated roller blind sent off to the leather trimmers to get re-dyed and wrapped. Leaps and bounds.

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Last edited by Das_Prachtstrasse on Nov 01, 2012 7:14 AM, edited 3 times in total.
alijonny
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Post by alijonny »

Very cool!
Coldswede
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Post by Coldswede »

Quite the journey! Nice results though. :up:

Bronzit rules.
davintosh
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Post by davintosh »

Very nice! That engine bay is about as handsome as they get...

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The e32/e34 airbox is a big improvement over the stock, and the powder-coated intake & valve cover add a lot. Excellent work! :up:
ACHTUNG
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Post by ACHTUNG »

I love the suitcase sub box! Nice touch.
Pedi
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Post by Pedi »

Nice, very nice!!!!
silence
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Post by silence »

awesome build, love the speaker box!
Brandon@BluntTech
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Post by Brandon@BluntTech »

awesome ! Thanks for sharing
Brad D.
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Post by Brad D. »

Great thread, the car looks great! I agree, the sub box is awesome.
Das_Prachtstrasse
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Post by Das_Prachtstrasse »

davintosh wrote:Very nice! That engine bay is about as handsome as they get...

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The e32/e34 airbox is a big improvement over the stock, and the powder-coated intake & valve cover add a lot. Excellent work! :up:
I don't really understand why more people don't do the e34/e32 airbox conversion, it's an easy install, more efficient and IMO better looking, especially if you've got a valve cover you want to show off :laugh:
Having said that, I did have an issue with it last week, where Cylinder 1 spark plug lead got worn through after rubbing on the edge of the lower metal heat sheild of the airbox, meaning I had to drive around on 5 cylinders for a day. I wrapped the first 3 spark plug wires (they come in contact with the box) in BMW insulation tape I had left over from my harness build, and moved the mounting bracket slightly over to avoid it happening again.

The wrinkle coating was something I was most pleased about, it's held up well. I just wish I'd been more thorough with my engine bay prep and cleaning when I had the chance! I'll go through and mediablast the throttle body, paint the block and either clean or paint the head once it all comes apart for the turbo install.. THEN it'll be a handsome engine bay.
Das_Prachtstrasse
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Post by Das_Prachtstrasse »

I started inquiring about tubular, RHD turbo exhaust manifolds this week, as I've decided not to use the original 745i cast poo log. I sent an email off to a mob in Queensland who are pretty well known for impressive manifold work, and received a reply today. Unfortunately they would require the car to custom make something for me, as they've only worked on one BMW engine, (which wasn't in an e28), and given they're a 30hr drive away, that's not going to happen. They did send me these photo's of the manifold they made up for that particular customer however, and I was pretty impressed.

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Nevertheless, it looks like I'll be going the TCD top mount route unless I can locate something better in the meantime.

I was scrounging around today and found the complete set of bronze glass i'd forgotten about too, so I'll have to get around to installing them one of these days. Unfortunately the front windshield is NLA and is the only piece I'm missing, so I may end up just getting the clear version and either have it tinted to match, or leave it clear. Thoughts?
shagrath
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Post by shagrath »

Subscribed! Awesome build from original Christian, and I like the color mix on the interior, that old interior was a bit "blah" for my taste. I am thinking of doing this on my 88 eta with blue and black, and Lindsey's car with black and PB.
Das_Prachtstrasse
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Post by Das_Prachtstrasse »

Collected some products from work today, and began paint stripping the boot lid. Trial fit of the Alpina spoiler isn't bad, although i'm going to have to massage the holes a little bit to get the side tabs flush, seems I guesstimated them a little to high up on the lid. This bloody boot lid is like a piece of swiss cheese :roll: I'll weld up the old holes, and the hacked ones from previous owners/me, and once the bonnet and bootlid have been paint stripped, I'll take them into work on the weekend and get them in primer/putty so at least that portion of the respray is out of the way.

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Also received my complete Powerflex bushing kit from the UK today. The car will be up on jackstands either this evening or tomorrow, and the front end bushes are a job planned for the weekend. The rear end kit is going to be a little more involved. I've got a spare subframe sitting uninstalled from a car, so I'll build that up, re-paint it, and install the powerflex kit, LSD and new rear bilstein sports when I receive them (discovered the sachs that are in the rear are fubar when I replaced the top mounts the other week) and whatever else all in one hit to minimize the amount of time the car is off the road.

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Nebraska_e28
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Post by Nebraska_e28 »

Sub box = pure awesomeness
clongo
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Post by clongo »

Your car has come a long way! I can't wait to see it boosted!
kzolee
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Post by kzolee »

Thanks for sharing! Great car. :clap:

The airbox gave me some inspiration on the upcoming engine swap... :roll:
AT8M5
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Re: Overdue build thread. Picture heavy.

Post by AT8M5 »

Das_Prachtstraße wrote: Image
That my friend is just way too cool! Bronzit imho looks awesome in euro bumper form, are you repainting it in the same colour?
I can't wait to see the finished product, and see you're planning to have it completed by March. Perfect, just in time to join us for St. Paddy's day in San Diego... :beer:

Karl
Das_Prachtstrasse
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Post by Das_Prachtstrasse »

I was initially going to respray it in marrakesh brown, something I've wanted to do for years, but time limitations and the fact that it would involve a bare shell job because I'm anal, means ill respray it in bronzit for now. One day ill strip it right back to the shell and go marrakesh, perhaps even on a different future project car, as I'm in love with that colour.

And no worries, ill just put it in a container and ship it over for the meet in march shal I? I wish!
euronewbie
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Post by euronewbie »

Love it mate! Top work!

Curious on the airbox conversion. Is there much involved?
Das_Prachtstrasse
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Post by Das_Prachtstrasse »

euronewbie wrote:Love it mate! Top work!

Curious on the airbox conversion. Is there much involved?
There isn't too much involved. I just made a small bracket out of a piece of flat steel I had, mounted one end to an existing bracket down near the ABS unit, and that was it. Took a little bit of wiggling and massaging to get it in the right spot, as it is tight, but it works really well. Just make sure it's got the intake trumpet otherwise you lose a load of efficiency, and beware the lower heat shield can rub on the plug leads.
euronewbie
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Post by euronewbie »

Das_Prachtstraße wrote:
There isn't too much involved. I just made a small bracket out of a piece of flat steel I had, mounted one end to an existing bracket down near the ABS unit, and that was it. Took a little bit of wiggling and massaging to get it in the right spot, as it is tight, but it works really well. Just make sure it's got the intake trumpet otherwise you lose a load of efficiency, and beware the lower heat shield can rub on the plug leads.
Sweet, thanks. Might put that on the to-do list. It really tidies up that part of the engine bay.

x 1 000 000 on the beatcase too. Awesome!

What kind of power you chasing/hoping to get after the turbo and goodies?
Das_Prachtstrasse
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Post by Das_Prachtstrasse »

euronewbie wrote:
Sweet, thanks. Might put that on the to-do list. It really tidies up that part of the engine bay.

x 1 000 000 on the beatcase too. Awesome!


What kind of power you chasing/hoping to get after the turbo and goodies?
No problem dude, I'll take some detailed photo's if you're interested. Make sure you get the intake bellows elbow and AFM-Intake pipe, too, otherwise it won't fit. Should have mentioned that before.

Daily tune of 200-250rwkw (270-330rwhp). Anywhere within that bracket i'll be happy with, and with the setup I'm running it should be safely capable of almost double that. Will be a minimal lag, street tune/setup with room to play with, so I'm very much looking forward to completing it.
Das_Prachtstrasse
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Post by Das_Prachtstrasse »

Got a fair bit done over the weekend. Started the powerflex install, however after removing the UCA's noticed the balljoints are fubar, so I'll get some replacement arms on Monday to complete the front end. Sway bar bushes and LCA's are in. Sway mounts are the most perished, as can be seen.

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Replaced all the green door glazing with the bronze glass, too. That is a job I don't wish to be doing again for a long time. Front glass is a breeze, in and out in about 15mins a side, but getting the rear slides to detach from the regulator is a humongous PITA without breaking the adhesive tabs. I think it took me about an hour each side in and out. Damaged one of the rear belt moulds too whilst re-installed the glass as the rubber is so dry and perished it simply crumbled away. I'll have to order a new set at some stage. It does, however, looks fantastic and really compliments the bronzit paint over sable brown/pearl beige interior. I'll get some photo's once the car's off the jackstands, as it's hard to pick up the difference with it in the low light of the garage. I'll replace the rear screen with the bronze when the car goes into paint, as it'll be removed for masking.

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I'll be picking up the door pulls and parcel shelf tomorrow from the leather trimmers, too. Here's the two out of the car in stock form. It's a good indication of the factory fitted blind vs the dealer fitted option, factory being integrated, dealer being bolt on. I'm having the integrated blind swapped onto the scalloped parcel shelf and covered/moulded in brown leather with pearl beige stitching around the edges/blind. Should be nice.
Das_Prachtstrasse
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Post by Das_Prachtstrasse »

Went and picked up the M5 grab handles from the leather trimmers today, and damn did they come up a treat, from Natur to Pearlbeige. I'm so pleased with the results, and the price, I'm going to send them my seats to get repaired and re-dyed now, too. They had 2 458 Italia's, a Countach, an old Silver Spur and a beautiful 180SL in there for leather trimming and re-dye, so that was a comforting reminder of the quality of their work. The parcel shelf will take a little longer, as I've still not decided on a few details.


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