Ghost Chip

@Olaf That’s a fair point and I understand what you mean. I’m inclined to do the same but it really just seemed like @Mikan has made up his mind already (correct me if I’m wrong), and in this situation I don’t really see anything wrong with that. Not trying to discount anyone’s comment (they’re very helpful and does look like the better option), was just making an observation is all. Maybe this is just one of those occasions where I should’ve just kept it to myself haha.

There’s another level to that, the even rarer few will jump in the harbour themselves, collect the few thousand thrown and donate it themselves to Wellington Free Ambulance.

Maybe an unpopular opinion but I feel like @Mikan realises all this. Seems like he just wants to pass it on now. Will be a bargain for the buyer but as long as both parties are happy with the price, don’t see anything wrong with that.

8 hours ago, Cammsport said:

Come for a ride @Ghost Chip

 

For sure bro, have just been flat out lately so actually don’t have a lot of spare time.

@nick496

Ah, I’ll jot that down on the list.

Yeah, I feel like that’s the case. The fan doesn’t even turn on so definitely not that.

You’re right, I’ll need to really jump in an e30 with good coilovers to see how it feels.

Haha, maybe you just wear em out real quick! Would be keen to see what you upgrade to and the difference.

11 minutes ago, Sammo said:

I have two in my Glovebox 🤣

Are you just lowkey flexing then, pretending that that’s not your car?

21 minutes ago, Sammo said:

A potential challenger 🤔

I’d probably bring a micro fibre cloth to get rid of my and other people’s fingerprints haha

@Sammo It currently has blue cloth door cards and rear seats. I thought, there was something specific about the kit that made it better haha. The other option for the exterior is this sort of colour (turquoise/teal) or a light blue (similar to the one in the bmw photos thread that Graham posted, it’s not coming up for some reason though so can’t link)

@nick496 @Southerner Very true, I guess my goal for the car is for it to be a street car that I’m hoping can be almost dailied but that I can do some ‘spirited driving’ in and maybe to the track (but probably rarely - maybe once a month?). From what I’ve seen it looks like 16” wheels seem to be the best fit for the e30 - will probably need to look into this more.

With regards to the AC - it looks like it won’t be an actual retrofit as the car came with AC but got deleted, even the fan isn’t working. However, when I press the AC it sounds like something is intermittently whirring - unsure as to what/why that is.

Coilovers was because I thought they would be better than shocks and springs in terms of being able to adjust it so that I can find a sweet spot between daily drivability and performance. Happy to be wrong though as it does affect cert

5 stud was because I heard that I can then get bigger brakes. However, someone that raced the e30 race series said that it’s really not needed and good pads and tyres should do the trick. That’s why I’m a bit torn as it might not be worth it for my use of it.

For reference I was going to follow this for the 5 stud if I was to do it:

Rear

5 hours ago, Sammo said:

Good luck with the smoke!

Whats the wiring issue? Something swap related?

What are these seats like, I remember it having some buckets?

I think Dark green would look better as Tech 1.

Thanks mate!

Yep, it’s just very messy and it seems like the fan’s not working, rear speakers not working, windows only go up/down when the door is open, side mirror windows are not working, defogger on the rear window is not working. Definitely feel like I’ll need to take it off the road soon, and start stripping it. I’m planning to do it maybe in 2 months time when I’m hopefully less busy.

Yep, was thinking about replacing the front to normal sports seats (cloth if they exist). But certed for bucket seats so not sure how that’s going to go with cert if I remove it.

Why’s that? Kinda going for this kind of green or something close. I saw a wagon on one of the fb groups with dark green exterior and brown(ish) interior (can’t find the photo now though). It looked great so was hoping to replicate that. Unsure what kit it had.

2 hours ago, HJ130i said:

Had some people in the car today, lowered the passenger right hand rear window - crunch. Loud crunch, window won’t come back up at all. When you try to get it up, more crunching. 
 

ended up getting it up by hand (as I’m in the coromandel, and have a 3 hour drive back to aucks tomorrow), but the window is just held up with a ton of tape. Any ideas what it is? Motor issue, regulator? 

If you can hear the motor trying to work when trying to lift/operate the window from the button then likely just the regulator.

Some updates:

Got gifted a second hand b20 radiator from a fellow bimmer enthusiast (massive thanks to him). Has some cosmetic differences but doesn’t leak so definitely a plus!

Managed to finally fit it this week, transferred the electric fan, and got the coolant in.

Still smoking, so definitely still due to go to the mechanic for a leak down test. But the coolant that leaked looked dirty but didn’t seem to have oil mixed in with it, so hopefully nothing too significant!

Realised that the fan wasn’t engaging at all and the temp was climbing more and more when idling (definitely can’t use during the week at the moment in Auckland traffic!). So hopefully will have time to suss that out this weekend!

Upon reflection on this past week, although there’s been setback upon setback, I’ve actually been quite thankful  that I’m physically able to work on a car. Have been thankful for fellow enthusiasts that I can ask/hassle about car problems and good old google (A little context to that is my CV in working on a car is very short. It literally has only been changing oil, putting a spare tyre on, and replacing a head unit). Another highlight of this week has been a mate of mine teaching me how to drive a manual car (yes I bought a manual car that needs work without knowing how to drive one and without ever really working on a car 😂). Definitely put a smile on my face being able to finally drive the car and cruise back home. Even ended up doing some accidental burnouts on the way 😆.

Excited what else is to come and learning experiences to pick up. I’ve been compiling a list of what I want/aim to do to the car - feel free to chime in your 2cents. (In no particular order and still not final)

 - Engine rebuild (gaskets, etc.) + m50 manifold

 - Cooling system overhaul

 - Retrofit AC

 - Coilovers vs spring/shocks

 - Stainless steel brake lines

 - Fix the wiring

 - Strip, treat rust, repaint to dark green

 - Clean all surfaces and replace all fluids

 - Wheels and tyres (? RE-003)

 - ? replace sound system

 - ? Tech 2 fibreglass kit

  - ? 5 stud conversion (mixed feelings about this, seems too expensive for just expanding wheel options. Also apparently caster is all wrong even if done properly)

Would you consider doing a compression test as well?

4 hours ago, Twistee said:

Anyone coming out of Picton off the ferry, I think at the first right hand turn in front of a Gull station there is a hole from the flooding that wouldn't just bend a rim, it would take the rim, hub, and anything else you care to name attached and remove it in one quick hit. 

https://fb.watch/v/11Z2EleO-/

7 hours ago, Sammo said:

Yours has to be close to $20k? 

Only 24v E30 I've seen in ages was the white one Ghost Chip bought but I think that was a little more of a project car?

Yeah, I got it for close to asking price and although seems to be an honest car so far, it needs a bit of loving.

@Cammsport let me know who you go with as need to insure mine as well.

2 hours ago, Driftit said:

But mate I spent 2 mins in it with my asthmatic vacuum cleaner.  And smeared the dash in the oldest greasiest Amore All I could find in Dads garage.

“Oh, just haven’t had time to clean it lately (even though I haven’t cleaned it at all while I owned it). It should tidy up well”

@E28E30 Oh nah, that’s not what I meant. I didn’t even understand what extended leather was 😂. I can contribute a spare engine if the turbo one craps out though

4 hours ago, E28E30 said:

Let’s do extended leather while we are at it Sam, black with ivory stitching on dash and console.

I can contribute nil mechanical skills and at least $73

You two are too fancy for me. I had to look up what extended leather meant.

What’s the going rate for wagons nowadays?

For some reason when people say in their listing that their car is “very tidy” this is what I imagine. I’ve learnt to be disappointed.

This video does not disappoint. Although I wonder if they have a service where they completely strip the car apart and clean everything (not just the ones that are facing out).

Was too late to take a picture but saw an E39 M5 going northbound on SH1 with the rego ‘M BHP’. If it’s someone here, that exhaust is music to the ears mate. Legitimately contemplated sitting behind you in traffic just to admire. 👌

Tell him that it’s such a nice example and I’ve never been more tempted to spend 30k on anything before. Except for houses, but they’re way more than 30k.

@nick496 Thanks for that! I was planning on getting this one https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-cooling-system-kit-e36-e36coolingkit#description

Yeah, I was just thinking that I may just borrow/buy a used stock rad just for it to hold the coolant on my way to the mechanic to get a leak down test. I think the rad is just the stock b20 rad - can’t really tell, have attached some photos if anyone can identify it.

Regarding the fan situation viscous seem to be the preferred option and according to this thread 

it looks like it’ll fit with some careful planning - just need to get details on the planning part 😂

3 hours ago, Alex AA said:

is it reliable ?

To be honest, I wouldn’t know as I didn’t see it in the car running. Although can send through some videos of it before it got pulled out and screenshots of my endless questions to the seller.

For what it’s worth, I was genuinely going to rebuild (as it’ll need it anyway at some point and the seller mentioned that there’s a leak from the sump and the rocker cover - hence the gaskets) and use this to power a shell, but just ended up finding another car with an engine I liked.

My advice is if you really want to be sure of how reliable an engine is then try and hunt down for someone selling while it’s still in the car. Take it to a mechanic and do a leak down test, compression test, etc… Keep in mind that it’s still a 30 year old engine so will need to be rebuilt at some point.

I felt like it was worth the risk for this engine based on what I found out from the previous owner so you just need to make the same decision 🙂

Thanks @leichtbau. Contact @BMTHUG first as he replied first but I do have one that I was going to rebuild and use but have bought a car with an engine that works better for me (m52). It’s a facelift engine, send me a pm if you’re interested. Also have a cam belt kit, water pump, and sump+rocker cover gasket from FCP Euro that can come with it.

3 hours ago, Sammo said:

Great stuff mate - guessing this is the white Coupe off Trade Me?

Should go like stink once you sort a few niggles (hopefully just niggles).

Yep, that’s the one.

Fingers crossed eh. On that note, I’ve had a skim through m52 e30s here in the forum and can’t seem to find details on fittings, radiator wise.

Will be doing a cooling system overhaul so looking at getting one of those oem kits from FCP Euro for an e36 328i but obviously some parts may not apply. Anyone here have any insight about those things?

Not sure if you’ve seen my endless posts about hunting down a car, which started with an e36 and somehow got diverted to an e30. Finally bit the bullet with what may actually be a bit of a 🍋  in hindsight 😅 (I’ll explain later).

A bit about the car first. She started her life in the land of the rising sun in 1988 as a 320i coupe in alpine white and migrated to the land of the long white cloud in 1997. It’s had extensive service history that I can see up until October 2018 when a m52b28 + 5spd (haven’t jacked up yet so don’t know what box) found its way in the engine bay.

On viewing and a quick test drive:

Pros:

 - Mechanically sounded and felt well: quick turnover on a cold start, idled well, power felt fine, no knocks or ticking, transmission was smooth.

 - Wof, reg, and also certed for engine, seats, brakes, suspension

 - Pretty straight body. Doesn’t look like it’s been in an accident at all.

 - Central locking with an immobiliser

 - 2dr and a slick top 

Cons:

 - Has the usual e30 imperfections: some rust / corrosion in the common spots (except for the passenger door which may end up being pandora’s box), cracked dash, and paint fade

 - Wiring’s a bit of a mess in the engine bay and under the driver’s dash

 - AC deleted

 - Windows only go up/down if a door is open (some problem with the wiring from the alarm apparently)

After some thinking and asking around, I decided to just go for it so I bought it. Picked it up yesterday and that’s where we get to the to the potential lemon part. After a few stops and a bit of time driving around the tron (got some kai, gas, and pumped up tyres), my mate and I noticed a bit of white smoke coming out of the exhaust that kept going (noticed it when I first viewed it 1-2 weeks ago but thought it was just the cold and picked it up late arvo/evening yesterday so initially thought it was also just the cold). By this point we needed to top up the oil as it was sitting low so did that and after a few mins it went away. On the drive back my mate couldn’t tell whether or not smoke was coming out of the engine while driving (I drove the other car) but had his eyes on the temp gauge, which didn’t move. In saying that, we made it back to Auckland with no issues, even with a few moments of ‘spirited’ driving, and had no smoke coming from the engine bay when he was parking it at my place.

Another worry is that this morning, I saw that the radiator had been slowly leaking coolant, at least overnight (see video below, have also put pictures of the oil cap, and the coolant reservoir cap)

So it looks like the urgent things to do:

 - New rad (any recommendations?)

 - Get it to a mechanic to test if the head gasket’s blown

I’ll take some photos of the car when I finish getting over the fact that I may have made such a dumb decision 😂.

Cheers