M3AN 4015 Report post Posted October 27, 2016 56 minutes ago, NZ300E said: The mini........ Started life as a 1963 mk1 bog standard 850. i love nostalgia and the cars I build, I want to invoke the feel, and smell of what it was like. I can't afford the real thing, so I make it. I happened to come across a car that had already had the body resto done and painted the right colour still on its original rego for a couple of grand. The mini is now an exact tribute car to the mk1 cooper bmc "works" rally car of 1963. It has taken 3 years and a lot of searching, but everything on that car is period correct and from the 60s both interior and exterior. It now has a 1275 engine and is heaps of fun. It's a keeper and will be my daughters in time (she's 4). Same with the e30, again all period correct parts to "relive" another time. maybe they'll be worth something one day, maybe not....I don't care. It all about how it makes you feel. And the point being for anyone out there, is that you don't have to have a lot of cash to create something special, just pick the car you love from the past and recreate it. Cheers That's awesome Craig. If you have the time and inclination perhaps you could start a Mini thread in the 'Other European Cars' section of this site? I'm pretty damn sure there's a lot of people around here that would love to see and hear more about it. Very, very fine effort I must say. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matth5 471 Report post Posted November 4, 2016 Just flashed MHD Stage 1 tune on my BMW 335i and took it for a test drive. That was fun. Feels like the car has a bigger engine, much more kick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NZ300E 44 Report post Posted November 10, 2016 (edited) Shadow lined the window trim. Managed to get it all off without bending or breaking, whew !!! Painted mirrors zinno. Then m3'd the dash.(painted needles, added m badge above the check light) Then added speaker pods and wired them up..... Edited November 10, 2016 by NZ300E 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonoe30 53 Report post Posted November 14, 2016 (edited) Fixed the electro-mechanical mechanism for my soft-top - it's taken me about 2 years to source the parts from various wreckers overseas needed to repair it. Now it goes up and down at the press of a button, just in time for summer! Edited November 14, 2016 by jonoe30 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NZ300E 44 Report post Posted November 18, 2016 Retro fitted premium speakers, and acquired NOS seat badges from Germany. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lucan 196 Report post Posted November 19, 2016 Replaced the arm rest on the E39 with a leather non-phone type. Thanks Zebra - only $10! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3191 Report post Posted November 21, 2016 Been stripping more bits off the white E30 coupe - project E30 may have resurfaced. No-one came forward with folding to buy the two cars, so I'm heading down the rabbit hole again. I did buy a cordless strimmer. Fa-a-a-antastic. So easy to use and with a 3A battery, the battery lasts long enough to charge the battery I'm not using. Got three chickens, too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedRocketTi 131 Report post Posted November 24, 2016 I managed to do some things! First off is I hardwired my V1 into my Ti No more draining of the battery due to non switched cigarette lighter adapter! Will get some photos and post up a how to guide tomorrow on how I did it all! Also managed to make my headlights a little more french! Tested them out tonight and the high beams being yellow help with fog along with allowing for a lower contrast so its easier on the eyes to make out whats in the shadows more, also I personally think it just looks cool! Also the ever practical Ti came in handy today picking up my new getrag 220 gearbox that will eventually be making its way in, so no more popping out of third gear for me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tawa 150 Report post Posted November 25, 2016 23 hours ago, RedRocketTi said: I managed to do some things! First off is I hardwired my V1 into my Ti No more draining of the battery due to non switched cigarette lighter adapter! Will get some photos and post up a how to guide tomorrow on how I did it all! Also managed to make my headlights a little more french! Tested them out tonight and the high beams being yellow help with fog along with allowing for a lower contrast so its easier on the eyes to make out whats in the shadows more, also I personally think it just looks cool! Also the ever practical Ti came in handy today picking up my new getrag 220 gearbox that will eventually be making its way in, so no more popping out of third gear for me! Welcome to the club! I did mine with vinyl a while back and agree they look mint, actually goes pretty well with the red I reckon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lucan 196 Report post Posted November 25, 2016 Picked up some RD2's for my E39 for an absolute steal. Practically new Firestone TZ700 tyres to boot. Curbing isn't as bad as I initially thought, mainly paint rubbed off rather than rim damage. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aja540i 1895 Report post Posted November 27, 2016 Wired up the trailer plug on the M5, just have to rewire the trailer now to have seperate left/right tail light circuits, then put a 50mm coupling on my trailer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huff3r 347 Report post Posted November 27, 2016 Re-installed the parcel tray and top half of the rear seat in the white E30. Feels like progress! Still a fair bit of welding to do on the inner arch and the sills, but getting there slowly. Can't wait to get it on the road in time for summer hopefully! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3235 Report post Posted December 4, 2016 On 11/24/2016 at 11:21 PM, RedRocketTi said: Also managed to make my headlights a little more french! Tested them out tonight and the high beams being yellow help with fog along with allowing for a lower contrast so its easier on the eyes to make out whats in the shadows more, also I personally think it just looks cool! I'd suggest that if you're in fog and using your high beams, you're doing it wrong! Next time you're in genuinely dense fog, you may find that *just* using your fog lights (and of course the side lights) may increase your vision, due to the low angles. Using high beam usually cuts your vision, with more light reflected back at you. Or did I misunderstand your post? cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3235 Report post Posted December 4, 2016 (edited) I've mostly been just driving mine. It really needs a good clean. Today I ordered a DISA valve repair kit. It's down on torque, and I'm hearing a rattle... hopefully this'll improve things. Failing that it could be VANOS seals and rattle? Could be time for another service appointment. Oil and filter next weekend. Nearly 173k kms now. Edited December 4, 2016 by Olaf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedRocketTi 131 Report post Posted December 4, 2016 2 hours ago, Olaf said: I'd suggest that if you're in fog and using your high beams, you're doing it wrong! Next time you're in genuinely dense fog, you may find that *just* using your fog lights (and of course the side lights) may increase your vision, due to the low angles. Using high beam usually cuts your vision, with more light reflected back at you. Or did I misunderstand your post? cheers Yes I understand using low beams or just even fog lights to get underneath the fog, I was just using it as a slight example to show how the lowered contrast meant that it was still easy to see I am still loving the look and tbh dont use the high beams all too much. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huff3r 347 Report post Posted December 6, 2016 Both front guards back on, dash back in. Starting to look like a car again. Just two patches to weld in the floor, and repair all four jacking points on the sills, and find a right rear door then we'll be on the road again! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3235 Report post Posted December 6, 2016 On 12/4/2016 at 8:17 PM, RedRocketTi said: Yes I understand using low beams or just even fog lights to get underneath the fog, I was just using it as a slight example to show how the lowered contrast meant that it was still easy to see I am still loving the look and tbh dont use the high beams all too much. thanks for helping me understand. indeed, yellow certainly helps with contrast in low light. Those Frenchies are clever sods, having done this for so long! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3191 Report post Posted December 6, 2016 Not the BMW, but two days ago fitted the new plugs, leads, dizzy cap and rotor arm to the 500SE. This seems to have fixed the misfire issue - the dizzy cap appears to have been the culprit as no matter what I did (new plugs, leads) no.6 was showing corrosion on the spark plug pin where it contacts the lead. Then yesterday I finally fitted the new exhaust rubber hangar. Looks like someone has had problems with the exhaust in the past as it appears to have been welded, and is now nearly a half-inch longer than it used to be. Which means the exhaust rubbers no longer line up correctly, are under additional strain (have you felt the weight of a Mercedes V8 exhaust? ) and are likely to break more often than is at all necessary. I am so looking forward to dropping the exhaust system to fix someone else's mess. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedRocketTi 131 Report post Posted December 9, 2016 I took pictures of my dads 2002, not my bmw but kinda close... 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huff3r 347 Report post Posted December 9, 2016 Floor welded, seam sealed, painted and sound deadening foam back in. AC/Radio panel re-assembled. Sill on one side welded, painted, seam sealed ready for topcoat. Other side ready for welding tomorrow. It's starting to look like a car again and I'm feeling good about getting it on the road, and comfortable knowing exactly how each bit of rust has been treated (lots of new steel instead of bog/seam sealer etc) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NZ300E 44 Report post Posted December 9, 2016 (edited) On 27/10/2016 at 6:18 PM, M3AN said: ^ Also need more pics and details of the Mini please! As promised here's the mini.my version of a 1963 mk 1 rally works car. Take no notice of passenger seat it is there until restall seat arrives from England. Edited December 9, 2016 by NZ300E 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4015 Report post Posted December 10, 2016 Dude, that is so cool! Leather straps and all... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huff3r 347 Report post Posted December 10, 2016 Looks fun, but must be scary at night with such inadequate lighting! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NZ300E 44 Report post Posted December 10, 2016 Yes scary.........for those approaching me. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4015 Report post Posted December 11, 2016 The 328 has been off the road for a few weeks because the damn alarm remote f'd out and unless I wanted to do LED + Ignition gymnastics I couldn't disable the immobiliser. Reprogramming with the old or a new Trademe remote didn't want to work... until today that is. On previous attempts I'd had the bonnet open so I could disable the siren with the key. It seems that this was enough to prevent the alarm going into programming mode. Weighing down the bonnet switch was enough. Couldn't programme the original remote but the Trademe one works a treat. Original in bin and second TM one ordered. Although I must admit I've been enjoying driving the M3... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
