The other mistress (e36 325i)

[thorburn 120]

Valentines morning I woke up to a call from Captain transporter (excellent company to deal with). Car B was down the drive by 8.30. Here is how it looked:

I purchased the car knowing it had ripped the floor holding onto the subframe. Being currently unemployed I thought what better time to have a go at something like this. By the way if anyone has any work please send me a pm.

It's a 1990 Australian Import-can someone explain this. Manual and has white leather.

Getting stuck in to a very romantic valentines day. Subframe and fuel tank were removed. Everything in the back end was inspected along the way.

Now to the damage. Front drivers side subframe mount was torn out, rear passengers was the same and the other front bolt had snapped.

The rear muffler is rather rattly so that will be replace with either a miltek or some home built item.

Although the subframe and rear trailing arm bushes seem ok (hard to believe when only one bolt was holding the subframe in) but they will all be replaced.

Rear shocks weren't tightened properly. Shock mounts are probably no good. Think i've got some new mounts around here somewhere.

Rear tyres are bin material after driving around with large amounts of camber

List to buy

rear crossmember: 41118153949

front crossmember: 41118174049

front reinforcement plates 41002256495, 41002256496

rear reinforcement plates 41112256497, 41112256498

shock support 41148169027, 41148169028

front threaded bolt 33311136428 x2

rear bolt 33326760361 x2

Some sort of subframe and RTA bushes

So the goal is to fix it up and reinforce the rear end. Lower it with some spare suspension I have lying around. Put the style 19's on it . And sell

Edited February 15, 2012 by bbs

[Michael. 2312]

Good on you James

Although this is kinda scary seeing these parts fail...... I mean with my V8 in my stock non-M E36 I doubt my mounting points are very happy right now...

The plan is to get the M3 reinforcing plates welded in at my panel and paint guy when I also get him to clear space for the dual exhaust and swap in another subframe/diff, but I think I should get it done sooner than later!

Edited February 15, 2012 by Michael.

[thorburn 120]

Hopefully the auto is nice on it.

It'll be about $600 for the front and rear cross members if you do bust in. Although i'm sure most people just bulk up plenty of weld in there and hope for the best.

It's pretty scary that this car was being driven with the back end the way it was. Good thing the warrant man picked up on it.

Here is the damage because that first photo didn't do it any justice. The front cross member is ready for unstitching.

Subframes have been ordered from Coombes. Should be 7-10 days away. And getting reinforcement plates + other bits now from pelican

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2122]

its not going to be a 1990 as its an E36. 93 onwards.

and good on you that your being productive and furthering your skills with your time out of work instead of watching soaps all day!

[BM WORLD 1258]

its not going to be a 1990 as its an E36. 93 onwards.

and good on you that your being productive and furthering your skills with your time out of work instead of watching soaps all day!

e36 started in november 1989 .

with 325i manual being the first model .

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2122]

e36 started in november 1989 .

with 325i manual being the first model .

really??? i have never heard of one so early!!! i stand corrected! why did they produce both?

[Ben 0]

its not going to be a 1990 as its an E36. 93 onwards.

and good on you that your being productive and furthering your skills with your time out of work instead of watching soaps all day!

Mines a 1990

I had the same problem with the diff mounts.

mine ripped out 3 of them though.

I dont know what the reinforcement plates look like but

to fix mine used 6 mm plate folded around the contour of the mount area

then welded the crap out of it

[thorburn 120]

Rego says 1990. Realoem says January 1991.

You can see what the reinforcements look like in my other thread.

I had considered doing it the cheap way. But I'd probably have sleepless nights knowing that I hadn't done it properly.

Was it obvious when it started ripping?

Got all the measurement done so the new piece's will go in the right place. I've got a feeling it'll fit snug anyways and this might have been pointless

[Ben 0]

Rego says 1990. Realoem says January 1991.

You can see what the reinforcements look like in my other thread.

I had considered doing it the cheap way. But I'd probably have sleepless nights knowing that I hadn't done it properly.

Was it obvious when it started ripping?

Got all the measurement done so the new piece's will go in the right place. I've got a feeling it'll fit snug anyways and this might have been pointless

I dunno if i would say making it yourself isnt doing it properly

but to each their own

It wasnt so obvious at first thought it was just

worn bushes then as it got worse It sounded

like a wheel bearing.

Found out it was the diff mounts when i pulled over in cambridge

then drove home to welly with 1 bolt holding my diff in

[thorburn 120]

I've been waiting on my pelican parts order for a month now. But it is finally in the country. Lesson learnt, don't buy gearbox internals from pelican parts.

The crossmembers have both been removed. I still need to clean up the area around them, some of the tacked areas and damaged areas.

The front crossmember wasn't overly difficult to remove. After removing some sound deadening on the seat and slicing and folding the seat backing. It was quite easy to find and access all of the spot welds. There are some small welds in the corners where the crossmember meets the main chassis rail. This pic shows all of the spot weld positions and the lines of green show the welded part

The rear crossmember was quite difficult to get out. Most of the spot welds are easy to find in the boot and spare wheel well. There are also welds going up the spare wheel well

I'll update this with detailed pictures when the camera is charged

On the drivers side back seat the panel has been forced up where the mounnt was slamming into the back seat.

I got the new cross members from Coombes Johnston BMW. The pair cost about $500. I've nearly spent as much on parts as I have on the car now.

Edited March 16, 2012 by bbs

[Michael. 2312]

Crikey, good work James!

[thorburn 120]

Cheers Michael.

Once my order arrives i'll weld the reinforcement plates to the new cross members. This will be so nice to do sitting at a table instead of upside down under the car

I've started adding to the info. I haven't seen anyone else document doing this so I'll try mention all the important details.

I also accidentally found petrol removes the goo left from removing the sound deadening. It seems to work better then turps

[thorburn 120]

Got the crossmembers in. No stress, no fuss, just time consuming (which is ideal for me). Welding in the cross members and reinforcements was very easy. Cross members were tacked in with the subframe in place. Welding up the back seat was very time consuming. I really needed another set of hands to get it done quickly.

I've just finished painting it all in por15. I need to source some of the foam underbody sealer gunk tomorrow, then change a few bushes and bolt it up. I'll also fix up all the rust in the boot and have a big search over the car for any more rust.

Edited March 27, 2012 by bbs

[Michael. 2312]

Any reason why the rust seemed to take hold of this car in a few places?

...Perhaps a UK or Japan import that was on salted roads too long?

[Allanw 1051]

It's a 1990 Australian Import

Doesn't really make sense... Maybe it was a beach tractor?

I guess being such an early car, the may not have had the processes sorted properly yet... I ALWAYS avoid the first few years of a new model (never buy new either though).

[thorburn 120]

Not sure really. It was imported from Australia early on. The only rust i've found is in the battery tray and under the spare tyre well. Nothing really to worry about. Especially if you compare it with cars you see from the uk

[thorburn 120]

All has been bolted back together.

Added some bilstein shocks, eibach springs, non evo m3 strut tops, new factory rtab's(will make some limiters for them soon), new subframe bushes, new fluids all around and probably some other bit's i've forgotten.

Got the wheel alignment rig out and set it up. Really stoaked with how it works but need to make some adjustable height platforms with sliding plates on it to make it easier. I'm also looking into getting some scales for each corner. Will add some pictures of the rig at some stage

It got a warrant with the usual strange looks.

Then I sold it cheap to a mate.

It'll have a bit more work done to it. Starting with finishing the suspension overhaul then doing the cooling system.

With some pursauding it'll have some cams, stainless headers made by myself and a megasquirt ecu

[BMRBOI 8]

All has been bolted back together.

Added some bilstein shocks, eibach springs, non evo m3 strut tops, new factory rtab's(will make some limiters for them soon), new subframe bushes, new fluids all around and probably some other bit's i've forgotten.

Got the wheel alignment rig out and set it up. Really stoaked with how it works but need to make some adjustable height platforms with sliding plates on it to make it easier. I'm also looking into getting some scales for each corner. Will add some pictures of the rig at some stage

It got a warrant with the usual strange looks.

Then I sold it cheap to a mate.

It'll have a bit more work done to it. Starting with finishing the suspension overhaul then doing the cooling system.

With some pursauding it'll have some cams, stainless headers made by myself and a megasquirt ecu

Good to see it turned out ok! I'll be interested in seeing how the performance mods turn out, might be able to convince you to make a manifold and megasquirt for me.

[thorburn 120]

I'll keep you updated on how it goes.

[Michael. 2312]

Sounds like a good result.

Would have been a valuable learn curve!

[thorburn 120]

Has just been stolen in Rotorua.

No doubt it'll be in a ditch by now as it was tail happy enough in the dry

Will be keeping an eye on trademe for the parts

[BMRBOI 8]

Hey James, just noticed the post. I thought I've seen it parked up/ driving in rotorua over the last few months. Shame about it been stolen, any news on this?

quote name='Thorburn' date='Nov 17 2012, 03:04 PM' post='469395']

Has just been stolen in Rotorua.

No doubt it'll be in a ditch by now as it was tail happy enough in the dry

Will be keeping an eye on trademe for the parts

[thorburn 120]

It was recovered after he got paid out. Should be at the Hamilton turners auction soon. Sadly it has been deregistered

Wheels were traded, front door cards were stolen and some other random bits pinched. Should have all the m3 suspension in it still.

My mate picked up the e30 wagon Ray was selling with the payout.