will 169 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Finally finished off my latest project. Have yearned to get back into an E28 after owning several of the oldskool E12's and E28's back in SA, so when a wrecked genuine M535i manual came up for sale, I couldn't resist. Bought the wreck and then bought a very clean 528i auto to use for the transplant. Began by stripping the M535i to check that it was still mechanically ok, luckily it was all good in that department except for a very second-hand driver's side trailing arm and a torn centre hanger bearing mounting for the propshaft. The hanger bearing was easily replaced from our friendly Euro-Italian sponsor.. thanks Gavin, good price too.. Below are some pics of the M535i, there wasn't a straight panel on it!! How it survived without any major mechanical damage is suprising!!! Also a pic of the damaged trailing arm, had no luck in sourcing another one with the ABS sensor mounting, so had to resort to my best fabrication skills and fabricate a mounting for the sensor on the arm off the 528i. Came out very well, ABS is functioning perfectly, have tried it out in several different situations just to make sure and it passed with flying colours.. The M535i was a high spec with OBC, aircon,LSD, Bilstein sport suspension, ABS, leather recaros etc, the 528i was a basic model so I had to strip the 528i back to a shell and transfer EVERYTHING across including wiring looms. What fun!! When I stripped the 528i to a shell, I had a good look for rust and found none in the main body, and only a little in one of the doors, so was quite happy with that. The M535i was a low mileage car, 174000 on the clock, and the interior reflected it, with no marks on the seats, door cards or the carpet. The 528i had 320000+ k's on it so the carpet was showing its age a bit but the seats etc were still good (suprisingly), but not leather sports so out everything came. The M535i wreck had dark blue trim including carpet, which I intend to recolour black, but for now I just put it in. Suprisingly, it doesn't look bad in the 528i shell despite the colour clash. So it will remain until I am bored and decide to do the colour change. Below is the 528i before I stripped it, and another with the motor/gearbox removed, with me doing my best Gus impersonation... Then began to reassemble the whole thing, starting with fitting the ABS, aircon and wiring looms, and installing all the little brackets that go with all those bits, cutting them from the wreck and tig welding them to the 528i body. Painful fiddly job... Has to be done before installing the engine/gearbox though. Below is a pic of the interior midway through the reassembly, engine etc is now in and I am just tidying up. The old door card still on the passenger door here but new dash in as the old one was badly cracked, as is the OBC and aircon, AND the third pedal.. and I changed the steering column to one with an E30 spline so I could use a Mtech2 steering wheel I happened to have in my possession.. Now for the finished product.... I will be putting other wheels on it sometime as the standard 14" wheels just can't cope with the power and LSD, does quite spectacular drifts and smoking donuts.. . I have the standard metric M535i rims but two tyres are quite smooth so don't want to use them. Metric tyres are also hellishingly expensive, so will rather channel my funds into more conventional wheels. Looking for a set of 16" BBS 3piece wheels preferably, but others are also under consideration as long as they are not chrome!! Am also looking for an Mtech kit as the one on the car is beyond repair..!!! But that will all come later, for now the car is a sleeper.... . Will fit a cruise control too as I don't want to lose my licence... it is suprising how quickly it accelerates compared to any of my 325's, is doing a miserly 1800rpm at 110kmh, so is VERY easy to exceed the legal limit before you realise it!! I have also painted the hedliner black, that came out extremely well and changes the interior completely. Also done the centre console black but have left the carpet, door cards and seats blue for now. Have fitted a 5 star Mongoose alarm too, mainly because I hate using a key to get in.. . Will gas up the aircon when I get round to getting a new compressor bracket as the existing one was cracked in the accident. So still some way to go to the final product but for now it is running and much fun to drive. Pics of the "finished" product.. 260kmh speedo.. hope to get there someday.. what next?? Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grant 4 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Very well done - nice work indeed. How many cars does that make it now?? Cheers Grant Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ken Report post Posted June 30, 2007 (edited) Fantastic progress - be prepared to repel boarders sometime next week. P.S. "Am also looking for an Mtech kit..." Who's looking??? Edited June 30, 2007 by Ken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Clean engine bay. I want a ride. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Phil Ken Sebben Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Man that is clean! Well done Will. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Well done. There is a load of work in there! Looks great. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew 30 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Badass - looks great. My e28 is nearly finished also - not quite that nice but learning alot hah. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
will 169 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Cheers guys, I only do clean.. (327 eater excepted) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
B*Emz 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 I've already said I love it, but it's looking great now it's all shiny and whatnot! Ok and he says "finally finished off my project" when all this only took him a few weekends haha. Awesome. I must see this beasts sideways madness in action! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nobimmer 694 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Woah awesome work. That interior pic with all the wires hanging out gives me a headache...and thats just from looking at it. Whats next? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
m_power 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Wicked. E28's are certainly getting popular now, iv always liked then. Especially in red. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martyyn 2 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Finally finished....Thats not what I heard !what next?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
will 169 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Finally finished.... Thats not what I heard ! when I can drive the beast and make smoke, it is finished, the rest is prettying up.. what next?? who knows.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OLLIE 26 Report post Posted July 1, 2007 Cheers guys, I only do clean.. (327 eater excepted)so will we see it on the paddock? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ED1RTY 2 Report post Posted July 1, 2007 Sexy. All of your cars turn me on Will!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew 30 Report post Posted July 1, 2007 Sexy. you cars turn me on Will!! Fixed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
will 169 Report post Posted July 1, 2007 (edited) you cars turn me on Will!!HELP!!!!!! Edited July 1, 2007 by will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ED1RTY 2 Report post Posted July 1, 2007 LAWL! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ducatiss 1 Report post Posted July 2, 2007 Well done - looks very very nice. One question, take me through the process you used to paint your headliner ie what did you use, did you colour it in place, any tips etc. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
will 169 Report post Posted July 2, 2007 Well done - looks very very nice. One question, take me through the process you used to paint your headliner ie what did you use, did you colour it in place, any tips etc. Cheers Used VHT vinyl & carpet dye in a spray tin (SP141A part number), got it from Auto1. Use the satin black, not gloss or matt.. Sprayed it in place but removed all the door rubbers and masked the windscreens. Also removed the sunroof liner and sprayed that separately. Cleaned the roof with strong detergent, rinsed thoroughly and then finished it off by wiping the whole thing again with Meths. Used two tins of dye to spray the roof, looks just like the black headliner in my 325i so works well if you do your prep properly. Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topcat 11 Report post Posted July 2, 2007 Another red e28?! should an interesting show and shine. well one day anyway when i'm FINALLY finnished with the optional engine xtras Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SA Motorsport 0 Report post Posted July 5, 2007 excellent work done on the E28. awesome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
