OK... on to the next one! 10/24/20 update

[RoyW]

I had made minimal progress on my '02 project car these past few of months, what with Summer activities (with Covid-19 avoidance) like hiking, camping and helping my son with a camp (lake front cabin) he bought up on Lake Champlain (NY side) consuming my time. But this past couple of weeks I finally got back to it and took care of over-spray on the oil pan and front suspension components; installed Kilmat thru-out the interior; and nearly completed the install of the new carpet set. Pictures below.

I cleaned up the area around the peddle box and re-installed the factory padding on the driver's side that was still good, then used Kilmat to even and smooth things out meeting up with the factory padding. I then installed Kilmat throughout the interior, including the rear seat area, and then used insolite (thin foam padding) over the Kilmat in the floor pan areas. I found the insolite stuff very difficult to apply, so I opted to only used it on the floors. It comes in a large sheet, is peel and stick, but it curls up when removing the backing, and is sticky as hell... very difficult work with and to lay smoothly, unless you have two or three pairs of hands! LOL

The carpet set I bought was good quality, nicely sectioned (12 pieces), and pretty easy to install... requiring just a little minor trimming or triangle cuts to get some areas to lay flat. I still need to trim off the excess carpet on the rear seat vertical frame piece (about an inch or so at the top of the frame so it's flush with the top); also need to install the kick panel carpet sections, but, I need to relocate some stereo system wires first; and, I need to fit the driver's side section over the pedals and into final position, but not until I figure out how to adjust the clutch and brake pedals so they are somewhat even (my clutch peddle is much further out than the brake pedal)?

Next I'll start on the install of the center console and put the seats back in. Then install a new steering wheel, shifter and e-brake stuff. I sent my seat belts off for re-refurbishment as most did not function properly and looked pretty nasty... those will go in when I get them back. Finally, get the stereo system install completed. I'm sure there are other trim pieces to install as well that I'm forgetting.

I have a good Mye28 friend (and mechanic) coming over at the end of the month to help me with some remaining mechanical tasks, e.g., engine bracket, alternator swap, deletion of voltage regulator, wiring up driving lights and switch, and a few other items. Then, hopefully, she'll be ready for a maiden voyage. That's the plan anyway. ... only about 4 or 5 month longer than I hoped for completion... not bad!

-RoyW

P8030433 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P8030435 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P8230439 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P8030432 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P8030431 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P8070438 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P8290476 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9010485 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9020487 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9020489 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9020492 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9020494 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9020495 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr

[maybeillbuyit]

Nice interior work Roy. I hope with your move to a storage unit you'll continue with the project cars forever. I miss the AutoBahn as well. What brand was the carpet set?

[RoyW]

Nice interior work Roy. I hope with your move to a storage unit you'll continue with the project cars forever. I miss the AutoBahn as well. What brand was the carpet set?

Thanks a lot, I appreciated it. Not sure about continuing with "project cars" after this '02 is finished, despite how much I enjoy it... its a function of space, $, time, and energy.... and I'm lower on all of those than I use to be

The carpets set was made by Esty, she is an '02 owner on the '02 FAQ forum who does carpet set as a side-line. Very nice quality and fitment.

-RoyW

[RoyW]

Made some more progress on the ’75 2002 project car this past week… had some help yesterday from a good friend (from Mye28 fame) who’s a far better “wrench” than me and was an immense help, thanks Aaron (ahab) The tasks accomplished this week included:

- installed the missing limiting bracket under the right motor mount

- replaced the coil with new one (old one still worked, but looked like hell)

- wired up the Hella driving lights to the fog light switch (which previously was a dummy switch on this car) and mounted them thru the grill with custom brackets purchased from an ’02 FAQ forum member

- installed the freshly refurbished rear seat belts (refurbished by an ’02 FAQ member who did awesome work) Will work on the front ones this week

- re-routed the heater cables to their proper place on top of the steering column (they were in front of the column from PO’s re-assembly work)

- installed Kooglewerks’ long center console replica, leather shifter boot, shifter knob, and e-brake handle (high quality products with excellent video on console install… thanks Forrest)

- test fit a replacement steering wheel I bought on eBay to determine if the hub was correct, how the various panels under the steering wheel go together, and if we could figure out how to get the horn connected? More work is needed here, as I’m missing all the bolts for the trim panels around and below the steering wheel/column, etc.

-Swapped in a new upgraded alternator (re-man Bosch AL41-X), only to find out that the shaft was too long and would just clip the fan blade, also the extra washers needed for keyway-to-pulley/fan alignment caused the belt to not be properly aligned on the same plane as the pulley on the engine. So, out with the AL-41X and back in went the old one! I need to find an upgraded alternator that will properly fit, since the AL116-X from the e21 (a direct bolt-in upgrade) is now NLA? I was told this AL-41X would work fine... not so!

This week I’ll need to figure out where the front re-furbished seat belts attach on the upper B pillar? The threaded hole that should be there is covered over by the new vinyl covering that the PO installed. Also need to find the front receiver belt attachment points on the trans tunnel, as I must have covered them over with the Kilmat and new carpet… but I don’t recall seeing it to begin with, plus I was thinking those receiver belts attached to the seats somewhere (like on e28 and e30)… they don’t!!?? Yikes!!!

Anyway, that’s it for now, some pictures below.

-RoyW

P9170573 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9170580 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9170581 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9170584 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9170579 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9150570 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9150571 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9180585 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P9170578 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr

[cek]

I've been trying to convince @ahab to move to the PNW. He thinks it's because I think the PNW is a great place to live. In reality, it's so I can enlist his help with the wrench.

Oh, did I say that out loud? Oops.

In all seriousness, Roy, this is a neat build. I'm watching closely because I still have a 2002 on my short list...

-cek

[RoyW]

YEA! FINISHED!… well, almost anyway (you know how that goes… a project car is never really finished) So, last week I got my Hagerty insurance, NY registration and license plates for this ‘02, and yesterday and today I went for a nice drive First impression is very favorable… rides nice, handles great, decent power, but as you’d expect for a mostly stock 2002 Now, to avoid the itch to modify engine performance for a little bit more power; replace those stock front seats, and ditch those diving board bumpers!

Over this past month the following tasks were completed, thanks to a bunch of help from VSR on a number of the items, plus the work that my good friend Aaron and I (mostly Aaron) previously did, and a big contribution from Boomer McCloud stereo shop in Nashua, NH.

-repaired super slow windshield wipers (cleaned, and greased-up parts)
-repaired blinker stalk only cancelling in one direction (replaced spring)
-installed upgraded and re-built Bosch 65 amp alternator
-installed blanking plate on engine where mechanical fuel pump was located (have electric one in trunk), and mounted fuel pressure regulator to engine with fabricated bracket
-replaced cracked & leaky fuel filler tank rubber elbow
-adjusted driver’s door to close tighter and even with body panels
-replaced stock steering wheel with a cool new one (ISO-Delta) and installed upper trim pieces to steering column, plus connected horn
-installed new switch for rear window defroster (had borrowed the original one to replace dummy one for driving lights)
-installed 12 volt power wire to center console for USB port
-installed interior light in headliner by driver’s side B pillar. Installed 2 pole door switches on each door
-completed installation of sound system; including Alpine head unit, front separate speakers (Focal) in custom kick panels. Previously, the complete system wiring was run, plus rear separates speakers (Hertz) were installed in e30/e28 enclosures and mounted on the rear parcel shelf, along with a powered Alpine sub-woofer mounted on the trunk firewall
-installed front seats and added some new seat trim parts that were missing
-installed new sill plates, new floor mats over the fresh Esty carpeting
-installed new hood insulation pieces
-installed replacement set of under-hood stickers

Some pictures of completed work below.

It took a bit over a full year to complete this ’02 project, and what with Covid-19 and all, this wasn’t too much longer than I had hoped for when I bought this car in early Oct of 2019 (early Summer was the initial completion plan). It was a “mid-stream” project when I bought it, and had sat in the PO’s garage unfinished for over 20 years…. but, now she’s fully assembled, with some fresh new parts here and there, along with a few minor upgrades. And, while I expect to get some shake-down seat time this next month, before putting her away for Winter, I’m really looking forward to enjoying this ’02 in 2021.

-RoyW

PA200039 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA200040 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240050 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240049 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240046 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240047 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240044 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240052 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240043 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240042 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240077 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240057 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240055 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240054 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240082 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240087 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
PA240083 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr

[Bonsaibacker]

I look forward to your bills and updates. Thank you for sharing! Anything on the horizon?

[gray635]

Roy:

The car looks great - as usual! What a nice build on a cool old car. I particularly like the black e28 speakers in the rear deck.

[muleskinner]

Car is looking great. Nice audio build.

[RoyW]

I look forward to your bills and updates. Thank you for sharing! Anything on the horizon?

Nothing planned going forward... but, I hadn't planned for this car when it came along So, there's always a possibility Thanks.

-RoyW

[RoyW]

Roy:

The car looks great - as usual! What a nice build on a cool old car. I particularly like the black e28 speakers in the rear deck.

Thanks again for that speaker pod contribution Mike... much appreciated. I'll let you know first when I decide to move on from this beauty

-RoyW

[gray635]

^^^^ Thanks! Standing by. Should be worth at least a $25 credit.