Olaf 3341 Report post Posted February 26, 2019 12 hours ago, modz said: @Olaf - great thread and detail I think the sport wheel you picked up from the book of faces was from me. Glad it went to a good home. I too have an e30 coupe, in delphin. Build thread to appear shortly Did you convert your struts to 51mm? Hi Mark, yes indeed! And thank you ? I’m about to install the wheel. Being a fastidious bstard, I ordered a new locknut. Yes, I have 51mm Koni Yellows, and have sourced 51mm housings. I have all the hardware for new shock build and new wheel bearings too. Just waiting on finalizing spring choice and source them. ? And refinishing the housings. That’s after the wheel refurbishment, coming soon. Looking forward to seeing your build thread! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted February 26, 2019 And in today’s news, this: ... I’ve never had a car that someone liked enough to try to buy! Think I’ll dust off my sheepskin coat, put on my best Arthur Daley, and see if he’d like to buy a classic 855-T5 instead ? 2 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted February 26, 2019 haha thats brilliant 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob HB1 90 Report post Posted February 26, 2019 1 hour ago, Olaf said: And in today’s news, this: ... I’ve never had a car that someone liked enough to try to buy! Think I’ll dust off my sheepskin coat, put on my best Arthur Daley, and see if he’d like to buy a classic 855-T5 instead ? Nice...makes the work all wirtwhile!? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted March 19, 2019 (edited) Date: 19 Mar 2019 Distance: 258970km Beneath Grey Thunder in dry dock I: stripped nekkid, awaiting new clobber. Empty rack, no ARB or LCAs. Photo Credit: Jon Mechaniker. 1. Steering. Replaced tie rods (inner and outer - OEM), lock washers, boots. 2. Suspension. Replaced Lower Control Arms (OEM) and LCA Bushes (e36 solid). Installed freshly painted 19mm front ARB, with gen BMW bushes. I'll find a 20mm bar eventually. New end links. 3. Shifter. Replaced all the bushes, and a Z3 1.9 short-shifter. New gearbox mounts. And changed the gearbox oil to the right grade. I'd run it on diff oil by mistake... 4. Aligned. It was aligned given so much work on the steering/suspension. Report: It’s been a gorgeous day in Wellington, blue skies, no cloud, warm and sunny. I decided to drive back from Auto 38 in Newtown over Alexandra Road/Palliser Road/Hawker st/Majoribanks St to town. Car is transformed. First impression: the short-shift courtesy of the z3 1.9 shift lever - along with all the other bushings and stuff - is groovy. Very short crisp gate. - The steering is smooth, even, and it tracks straight. No more pitching into understeer. Handling is improved - even with 19mm front bar - though now with new (genuine) bushes and HD endlinks. It's more progressive and the rear end mostly follows the front! The gearbox bushings have improved things, with less drivetrain lurch (in concert with the fresh diff mount from a couple of months back). I'm looking forward to engine mounts. It's much easier to drive, now. More predictable. It's smooooooooooooth. And quieter. Yes, despite my plans and intentions, this job was wallet-mechanic'd. Jon at Auto 38 has done a brilliant job. Efficient, communicative, reliable. I'm just not getting the opportunity to spanner myself. I have complete confidence in Jon and Keren. If you're looking for a great independent workshop in Wellington, give them a call or visit. They'll see you right. Beneath Grey Thunder in dry dock II: New LCAs, Bushes, Tie Rods & Boots, ARB, Bushes, End Links installed. Photo Credit: Jon Mechaniker. Next steps: Prepping and painting the 14" basketweaves. EDIT: and sort out the horns, and install the sport steering wheel! EDIT II: Future job is sump gasket and oil filter to block gasket. Deferred this time. Edited March 19, 2019 by Olaf formatting, spelling, next steps, photo titling and credits 6 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaz 1062 Report post Posted March 19, 2019 Nice, where did you get the z3 shifter from? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2313 Report post Posted March 19, 2019 Few things as satisfying when you feel the improvement new suspension components make! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted March 19, 2019 10 minutes ago, Michael. said: Few things as satisfying when you feel the improvement new suspension components make! yeah! that's why next move is the wheels; I'm interested to see how much difference I feel with the extra inch width of the rims (same tyres 195/65/14 Hankooks - don't laugh), wider track, and lower unsprung weight. When you're trotting around on a (spec'd) 102hp, I'm expecting to feel it. I'll get that sorted before the shocks and springs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted March 20, 2019 (edited) And in today’s news, this: ... which indicates I may have driven even as many as 1500km since acquiring Grey Thunder. $ per km based on the large expenditure on parts and labour ?, rather than cents/km. I expect the smiles/km factor to chip away at the balance sheet ?? Edited March 21, 2019 by Olaf grammar. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted March 20, 2019 more surprising is that the odo actually works 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted March 21, 2019 8 hours ago, qube said: more surprising is that the odo actually works maaaate, with this car, *everything* works! ...except for the remote mirrors. I'll get to them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtydoogle 383 Report post Posted March 21, 2019 I'd offer to buy it off you if I saw it too ? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted April 13, 2019 (edited) it was time Grey Thunder had a shampoo. So I gave her some Auto Glym love, and a dry off with my Rapid Dry Towel. an e30, this morning, just seven weeks shy of her 30th birthday. snap by iPhone, processing by Adobe Lightroom. that's it for now. I've been concentrating on my 'SS Commodore in a sharp German suit', and my Volvo 855-T5, this week. Edited April 13, 2019 by Olaf linkage, titlage 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted April 13, 2019 (edited) I was thinking about manufacturing date. Like 'Incept date'. I wonder if Grey Thunder is more like 'Pris'. Edited April 13, 2019 by Olaf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted May 8, 2019 this morning, this happened. should be here in a couple of weeks. ? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted May 15, 2019 (edited) Springs have arrived. I'm making space in my workshop (over the past few years had become unworkable due to amount of sh*t in it), so that I can prep the wheels, prep and paint the fatter ARBs (20mm front**, 14.5mm rear), the 51mm strut housings, the rear shocks. A few more parts to come; decided on Hawk HPS pads for the front as I really like what they're doing on my 545i. And I have to re build and repaint the Girling front callipers. I saw this. Perfect timing. I'm not planning on going so far, I'll be concentrrating on the front faces. ** and funny thing happened on the way to the workshop. My 20mm bar that I lovingly stripped and repainted earlier in this thread, turned out to be a 19mm. When Jon went to fit it, the specified 20mm bushes were too big. Hey ho, new 19mm bushes and game on. The 20 & 14.5mm bars are on their way to me now. So the heat is on. I'm not sure I have enough time to complete all the prep work in time to take this on the Castlepoint trip in mid-June, but I'm going to try. It's time for some Glen Frey. Oh f#%k that...I Need some motivation and pace. And some greater authenticity, real 80's rather than commercial pap. Fortunately I'm wiring up a new workshop hifi to keep myself motivated while working. While I do that, here's The Cure: Yeah, once upon a time, The Cure were truly edgy and completely outside the mainstream. I think I may be some time, so much back catalogue to explore. Here's some obscure B-side material: Edited May 15, 2019 by Olaf music to prep wheels by 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted May 15, 2019 Nice work! Looking forward to reading about your experience with the wheels. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adro 1084 Report post Posted May 15, 2019 Between the 3 of us we could almost get a bulk discount ? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted May 15, 2019 18 minutes ago, Mikan said: Nice work! Looking forward to reading about your experience with the wheels. I’ll be photographing it as I go... ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted May 17, 2019 “Boing” mkii And these have arrived... Am now deep in planning. Perhaps suspension, front brakes, and cooling, before wheels. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted May 18, 2019 Took the e30 for a buzz out to the Hutt Valley this morning. Gave her a drink - 300ml of Messers Penrite finest HPR5, and later fed her $75 of BP Inc’s 98 octane. However, I returned from buying a Stilson wrench, and my son greeted me with a present. He’d been waiting in the car. Hmmm. Where can I find these? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikan 173 Report post Posted May 18, 2019 1 hour ago, Olaf said: Were can I find these? Other than auto 38? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted May 18, 2019 16 hours ago, Olaf said: Hmmm. Where can I find these? I thought e30goodies might have had them, but seems not. (They do have new pedal rubbers, if you're interested?) Someone was 3d printing them. Maybe investigate r3v? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted May 18, 2019 15 hours ago, Mikan said: Other than auto 38? Of course I'll give Jon a shout ? 21 minutes ago, gjm said: I thought e30goodies might have had them, but seems not. (They do have new pedal rubbers, if you're interested?) Someone was 3d printing them. Maybe investigate r3v? Thanks Graham! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olaf 3341 Report post Posted May 20, 2019 A step in the right direction yesterday, at least. Workshop prep to assist with motivation: Surplus home theatre receiver, and a classic Philips CD502 (one of the best (budget) CDP’s ever for fun and pace. Made the interconnects with my son, teaching him to solder. And now to clear workbench space and get to it. Struts and calipers first. # days till Castlepoint: 25. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
