modz 140 Report post Posted May 6, 2023 Great thread and attention to detail @hqstu, glad to see these being 'saved' hold my beer while I jump on the interwebs searching for a 540i M touring.... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted May 7, 2023 On 5/6/2023 at 5:58 PM, modz said: hold my beer while I jump on the interwebs searching for a 540i M touring.... I'd say drink your beer now so it's not wasted... but let me know when you've found it... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted June 17, 2023 (edited) Changed the title of this thread to be more reflective of what goes on in the shed... Been a bit busy with life etc, attended the Holden Nationals with a mates car I've been helping restore, then a brief visit to Australia, followed up by a BMW Car Club South Island road trip in the M5 which was just fantastic, cruising down and up the country with @hunter and 20 or so other owners. The 740 msport has been the focus otherwise. Bought a large chunk of a 735i msport part out with the same interior, and set about swapping out seats, parcel shelf, under dash trim etc etc to significantly lift the interior (sold the now second full msport interior seats / doorcards for a massive $1.50 on the open market...), replacement steering wheel I had in stock, wiring loom tidy. Also decided to replace the 4 shocks with genuine BMW msport like for like. It was the larger jar of vaseline... Also have done some suspension arms, ball joints, engine mounts, sway bar links and bushes, tie rods, brakes tidy up. A wider insert for the boot to accommodate the "BMW711" plates which have just gone on. The radio was playing up so I scored another C23 Oceania module which a member in our e39 M5 group was offloading. All sorted now and a bluetooth module is on the way to replace the CD changer. Ripped out all the old Nav gear as well. A bit of paint work went on before it got too cold, mirrors, top of passengers door. Next summer there will be more to come... But up next is the rear main seal oil leak fix, which means transmission out. There will be a bit of other "while you are in there" preventive stuff like driveshaft bits and cleaning. Not to forget a few engine gaskets and fluid changes. A power steer hose was leaking so a home fix was enacted saving a few hundred dollars for a new pipe/hose. Still lots to do but coming along nicely.... Edited June 17, 2023 by hqstu edit 13 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
treone 608 Report post Posted June 18, 2023 Wow - it’s coming along and what a really nice example already! Look forward to the updates 😁 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
necsis 23 Report post Posted June 19, 2023 Goodness! Great work Stu. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted October 24, 2023 (edited) Well it's been quite a while so time for a bit of an update... M5 - driving it when I can and trying to get from A to B as "efficiently" as I can whilst doing so... 540 - going really well. Just done a couple of good trips including the BMW Car Club run to Whangamomona. What a blast. Just recently I've painted the instrument needles again. A PO had painted them red, so I just re-did them in red again, would prefer the white but needle changing is a nightmare, and cluster even worse... Also put on a new steering column leather cover (that was a mission) and a new cluster surround. Got it all back together to discover a backlight bulb had blown.... out it all comes... Still, it all looks great now. I've also decided to fully paint the 540 early next year so preparing for that, new rear MSII shocks whilst the interior is apart as well, rear parcel tray needs a re-cover. 740 - I've done a major gasket etc replacement on the engine and the oil leak has reduced considerably, it was the valve covers mainly, no surprises there. The engine was a real RTV special, why don't people just renew... But it appears there is still a minor weep suspecting the top oil pan gasket. I had thought originally rear main seal... However I happened to scan the transmission one day and a code for slipping lockup clutch is up on the torque converter. So I'm going to get my spare msport TC refurbed and sometime in the next few months I'm thinking an upper gasket, RMS, and TC changeout is coming up... I haven't really noticed any symptoms driving it, but now I know the code is there, my mind is playing silly buggers with me... Other items I've changed on the 740 are the rear door rear rubber trims, transmission mounts, trans fluid and filter (code was up before this), fuel filler hose, centre console rear controls, and a new LCD screen for the Bordmonitor. Being a newer screen it is compatible with polarized sunglasses so that is a great improvement, as well as generally looking heaps better. Will be looking to do a bit of paint on the 740 myself over Summer if I can find the time... Edited October 24, 2023 by hqstu spelling 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted October 24, 2023 Couple of shots of the engine tidy up, the headlights also got a tidy up, including removing the blingy aftermarket halo's, polishing the lens, sorting some wiring, and also new foglights have gone in. I have got new covers for the headlights but I was originally sent two of the same side, so will replace them when I repair and paint front bumper over summer. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hunter 402 Report post Posted October 24, 2023 Good move de-haloing. Both cars are looking fantastic Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hqstu 780 Report post Posted October 24, 2023 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hunter 402 Report post Posted October 24, 2023 2 minutes ago, hqstu said: The middle child always gets left out. 😂 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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