Olaf

fixed that for ya. errr I'll get my coat then... <ducks> ?

Another time, as it turns out.

@Mikan well, quite possibly. I still need to knock up an extinguisher bracket. I'd rather it was on better rubber... but this is what I have. It's enough for driver education.

Date: 23 Sep 2020 Distance: 261931kms 1. Brake Fluid Full flush and bleed with DOT4 (from Auto38 excellent product and value), with thanks to @Autoglym. Replaced fluid in the front last year with Front Brake overhaul, and Rear this year, with rear brake overhaul. It was time for a precautionary full-flush. Job done. If I win lotto, I'm getting a garage with a hoist! 2. Strut Brace I'd sourced this on-sale from Garagistic a couple of months ago. Buying on sale and bare (untreated steel) it cost under USD60 delivered to my freight forwarder in USA. Didn't cost much to get it here either. Having studied the box for a week or two, I noted it wasn't self-installing. Action was required. I dressed it first, arissing the edges with a file, using scotchbrite, wax and grease remover, and rags to remove surface rust. I then etch primed it, followed with a couple of thin coats of primer/surfacer. A couple of days later I sanded it back with 600 grit, and shot two coats of Lachssilber (scanned and mixed to match the exterior by Union Hardware), over it. Then 20 minutes later added a coat of fairly average clearcoat. Then I let it dry for a couple of hours, and attempted to fit it to the car, following the logic that it was less likely to get damaged if it was on the car, drying. This was wrong on a number of levels, not least of which was that it didn't fit! I tried jacking one side, which didn't help. So a little damage was sustained. I put the bar in the boot, reasoning that it was less likely to get damaged in there, and the paint might relax as it dries, making it an easier fit. (not really). When I opened the boot yesterday, it was interesting how much the paint had 'gassed out', between Saturday arvo and Tuesday morning. Today - having read the FAQs on the Garagistic site - we tried to fit it with the wheels off the ground... and nothing had changed. A little pursuasion with a rat-tail file, and precision TNE**, and we were there. Torqueing down the fasteners, watching the top plates forming to the strut towers, and waiting for the 'click' of the wrench. M40 love, on Saturday. Painted and ready Admitted to The Bar, today. It hasn't turned beans into peas, though it has tied the front end together, and improved the steering. (I put a brace onto my old Maxima, wow what a transformation! this is less extreme). Less effort off of centre, and mid-corner the camber is consistent. I don't think it was very floppy before, though it certainly is 'tighter'. Result! ** official acronym of "Trial aNd Error" - with thanks to Mr Crosby, my tech drawing teacher ? PS: Note in the bottom image, the clutch reservoir proximity to the bar. In the US of eh, they run their clutch master from the Brake Reservoir. Our right hand drive reservoirs foul the Garagistic bar, in standard position. I loosened the hose clamp and rotated it, and loosened the 10mm securing bolt for the reservoir, and rotated it on the mounting plate, to create space.

any more of that talk and your visa will be revoked before you reach WLG, you'll be confined to the Bombay Hills Border, mate! ?

“Nowhere to stop”? Our forefathers would be turning in their graves. Take a packed lunch!! I seem to recall “something under nine hours” for last couple of trips, though must be mistaken, officer.

This!! Yep, I'd much rather drive the Paraparas to get to Auckland than the Rimutakas and then relatively boring until after Masterton parts of Wairarapa. (only using quote post above as it pushes over to next page)

Meyle are made in many countries (Turkey, China, come to mind though there are others). Meyle HD kit is good, where they've looked at the failure modes of stock parts and uprated it (e30 front endlinks, e46 LCAs are a good example). 'standard' Meyle isn't great, these days. I usually buy Lemforder for about the same price, or TRW, or Sachs, or Febi etc. And yeah, those strut mounts aren't looking healthy, @NZ00Z3 Murray.

I thought only bad-taste charlies bought those. Screams "I want a faaaaast hot hatch, I don't care how ugly it is as it has the right badge".

Welcome, Sam. Exciting times indeed.

Thanks, good idea! Finding coupe shadowline trim wouldn’t be easy, though as you say, wrapping would be! I may give that a crack, thanks! My e30 Touring had shadowline as a factory option (though ISTR it wasn’t hi-gloss like the e46 stuff, was e30 satin?), I did like it so. It’ll make a change to do something cosmetic for the old girl, most of it has been all about mechanicals.

Date: 19 Sep 2020 Distance: 261883kms 1. Tachometer @skidz cluster went to a good home! Cleaned up, and swapped my speedo/odometer assembly into the substitute cluster. Gone is the huge clock of the poverty-spec cluster, replaced with the more functional tachometer and econometer. Another item sorted! At least, once I remembered to change over the 4cyl cluster coding plug. With the 6 cyl plug in place, It barely read over 2k rpm at 110kph (shurley shome mishtake!).. 2. Vacuum Because I was there, and it had been about 10 months since last done.

that's the definition of "oh no, UK cars don't rust out once they're in NZ...." Yes it depends on where, yes this was well before galv.... yes, it's basically f*#ked. Unless you're a panel-beater with a thing for early e24s, there's no money in putting this back on the road.

congrats, Dan!

I dig these. I've a kitchen renno approaching, don't think my spouse would be too happy if I bought this.

wasn't this the plot of a Mike Myers movie?! ?

Ain't that the truth! Cool car, but ultimately really flawed. Nice in the blue, too. Tasty details, appears to have been sympathetically built.

thanks @Karun, you're most welcome. I'm pleased it's working out for you. Good to know I'm not talking sh!t either! ? The guy who worked on my Datsun in the early 90's is long-retired, he was in his late 50's back then, owned his own business. They were called Ah Wong Panel and Paint, they were down where the BNZ Building is being demolished on the waterfront (or that general area), did a lot of govt work too. I did wonder about them a while ago, looking into the company records (as one does) it appears the company passed on to family, and then closed down. I'll ask about the names of the panel beaters and get back to you in the next few days. You might want to post your parts required list (include the part numbers even, and the diagrams from RealOEM) and indicate which bits you've secured, and which you still need. Then folks here can help sort you out if they've got parts stashed that they'll spare you. (no pun intended) I saw your car at school last week, it's looking pretty reasonable... be great to get it sorted, no doubt.

Yes. I wasn’t assuming all Bimmersporters knew that ?

how to stretch a 3 minute review to 25 minutes! I watched him demonstrating an e30 325i coupe recently, watch it and make up your own mind. Reminds me of the bloke I met a couple of decades back, instructing a Cisco course south of London. He talked (and talked) knowledgably and authoritatively about his bike and riding... had every go-fast bit for his Suzuki 600 imaginable, It had an amazing polished reinforced aftermarket swingarm, braided lines, all the go-fast gear... and then I noticed his top-notch tyres had an inch and a quarter on either side that had never seen the tarmac ?

Holy thread exhumation, batman!

All is not lost, Jo. I'm teaching my offspring this, whilst attempting to filter any of the bad habits acquired over the last 38 years of licensed driving (even more without).

It's a well-known fact that e39 M5 drivers spend less time on the brakes. ?

I did mine with Autosol as well, worked well. You should find they pull-off. They do in the e60. Makes it easier to do. Then slide back on afterwards.

great stuff, you've brought it up to scratch with carefully thought out remedial maintenance. Next stop after your RTABs: VANOS seals and oil line. I've been running an M54325i touring for 8.5 years, still love it. Wish I had the 330 though!