Lachssilber 1989 E30 M325i

[Sammo 2544]

Must have been in a masochistic mood as finally got around to doing a proactive ‘rust hunt’ in the E30.

I already need to get some professional work done on the sunroof / tray / boot lid later in the year as funds allow but I wanted to go through and find anything else I can clean up and treat myself to nip in bud.

Findings (presumably typical):

• Bit of surface rust on front jacking points
• Small patch of surface rust on firewall below my well and truly buggered ‘Elephant drain’ but came off easily with a wire brush.
• Reasonable amount of surface rust on boot seal ‘seam’ including a small area that I managed to turn into a couple of little holes.

Will get this all cleaned up well, treated and order a new drain and boot seal.

Not sure on approach with the little holes on the boot seal area (about a 1/3rd pea size) - would bog work here just to plug the hole, or would welding be best?

Edited January 12, 2022 by Sammo

[E28E30 335]

Where is the elephant drain Sam @Sammo?

[Sammo 2544]

28 minutes ago, E28E30 said:

Where is the elephant drain Sam @Sammo?

On firewall at the end of the valve cover - enjoy haha

https://blog.fcpeuro.com/how-to-clean-out-replace-the-sunroof-drain-port-on-a-bmw-e30

[BMTHUG 1057]

Can't wait to see this beast! come see me soon haha

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

On 1/13/2022 at 11:14 AM, Sammo said:

Not sure on approach with the little holes on the boot seal area (about a 1/3rd pea size) - would bog work here just to plug the hole, or would welding be best?

 

Looking for rust in an E30 is usually only bad news, but by doing this you can find it, fix it and stop it becoming terminal. Much better than ignoring it / hoping it’s not there.

For that boot seal area, I would suggest the best way is to cut back to bare metal and weld in a replacement section (possibly from a wrecked E30 - worst case should be a simple fab job as it’s 90 degree bends and straightish). I would suggest that with bog it will only keep bubbling up over time - even if you treat it with rust cure.

[Sammo 2544]

@E30 325i Rag-Top Exactly! better than burying ones head in the sand...

I'm pretty comfortable with the extent of my findings (sunroof part excepted which I'm aware will cost $$$) - for boot I think I'll clean properly and treat it and plug the holes for now then get it welded and a new seal later this year when I'm getting the other 'serious' work done (sunroof tray / boot lid).

[KwS 2425]

If you are going to "plug the holes" for now, make sure you strip it back to bare metal as far as you can, treat the rust, paint it with something heavy in Zinc, and then fill the holes. That will at least slow the cancer in the mean time.

[Sammo 2544]

Definitely looking closer to her age underneath.

@BMTHUG giving her the once over so I can see how much of a financial mistake I’ve made 🤣

 

[E28E30 335]

Looks pretty good overall?  Battery box seems intact?  Original exhaust looking like it has been doing a great job on all of those kms @Sammo

[Sammo 2544]

11 minutes ago, E28E30 said:

Looks pretty good overall?  Battery box seems intact?  Original exhaust looking like it has been doing a great job on all of those kms @Sammo

Yup, not much I didn’t expect / am planning to do (suspension and bushings basically).

Bonus find was updated sways front and rear - 24mm / 16mm.

Original exhaust doing well thanks to Remus and Coby haha

[E28E30 335]

2 minutes ago, Sammo said:

Original exhaust doing well thanks to Remus and Coby haha

Oh haha, it’s a great looking car.  So great you found each other 😎

[BMTHUG 1057]

On 1/26/2022 at 3:29 PM, Sammo said:

Definitely looking closer to her age underneath.

@BMTHUG giving her the once over so I can see how much of a financial mistake I’ve made 🤣

 

So inlove with this car 🚗 

[Sammo 2544]

1 hour ago, BMTHUG said:

So inlove with this car 🚗 

You can hang out with it again next week haha 😎

[Sammo 2544]

Car got a mini overhaul this week with @BMTHUG - Timing belt & tensioner  / drive belts, water pump / thermostat / coolant / crank seal / rocker cover gasket / rocker shaft seals / spark plugs and Valve adjustment.

Car is running great, little smoother, bit less chattery and perhaps even a placebo 2.5whp.

Just gotta do my fluids then time to get on with suspension, interior, wheels and cosmetic stuff.

[BMTHUG 1057]

On 2/5/2022 at 10:28 AM, Sammo said:

Car got a mini overhaul this week with @BMTHUG - Timing belt & tensioner  / drive belts, water pump / thermostat / coolant / crank seal / rocker cover gasket / rocker shaft seals / spark plugs and Valve adjustment.

Car is running great, little smoother, bit less chattery and perhaps even a placebo 2.5whp.

Just gotta do my fluids then time to get on with suspension, interior, wheels and cosmetic stuff.

ahh what a pleasure she was to work on! She's stolen a piece of my heart this old girl 

[Sammo 2544]

Celebrated moving back to our house with a quick 20 minute wash and sealant followed by over an hour detailing all 5 wheels 🤣

The weaves are largely presentable (small amount of curbing on each) but one is a bit manky - fortunately my spare is in good nick so will get it swapped to tide me over until I decide what I’ll be doing wheel-wise.

Car is enjoying its new home - it was unfortunately parked outside in December and January.

Sadly no garage for me but will be replacing the old carport with something nicer and bigger in a few months.

 

[qube 3570]

Carport queen

[Sammo 2544]

Couriers were coming thick and fast today! Some goodies to keep me busy for a while and get this thing driving more like the Gods intended.

• ST Suspension springs and shocks - 50mm/40mm drop - likely similar to the Dobi springs its sitting on now
• Strut and shock mounts / dust caps
• 10mm springs pads / bump stops
• Engine and tranny mounts / steering Guibo
• Meyle HD endlinks
• Meyle tierods
• Meyle control arms 
• New lollypops and Revshift 80a CABs and Powerflex Street eccentric CABs (doubled up there - will sell what I don't use)

Will do the shocks and springs first to sort the ride and stance then the front suspension / steering related stuff at a later date.

DA polisher and a swag of CarPro goodies from Detail Depot arrived as well - I love this phase of the relationship 🤣

Edited February 15, 2022 by Sammo

[adro 1083]

That’s a nice birthday right there 

[Vass 831]

You don't muck about ey 😄 Good stuff, she's a lucky girl alright 

[BMTHUG 1057]

15 hours ago, Sammo said:

Couriers were coming thick and fast today! Some goodies to keep me busy for a while and get this thing driving more like the Gods intended.

• ST Suspension springs and shocks - 50mm/40mm drop - likely similar to the Dobi springs its sitting on now
• Strut and shock mounts / dust caps
• 10mm springs pads / bump stops
• Engine and tranny mounts / steering Guibo
• Meyle HD endlinks
• Meyle tierods
• Meyle control arms 
• New lollypops and Revshift 80a CABs and Powerflex Street eccentric CABs (doubled up there - will sell what I don't use)

Will do the shocks and springs first to sort the ride and stance then the front suspension / steering related stuff at a later date.

DA polisher and a swag of CarPro goodies from Detail Depot arrived as well - I love this phase of the relationship 🤣

ooooooo

[BMTHUG 1057]

also Sammo, with e30's it isn't a phase, It's a life-long commitment

[Allanw 1071]

8 hours ago, BMTHUG said:

also Sammo, with e30's it isn't a phase, It's a life-long commitment sentence

Fixed that for you😁

[Sammo 2544]

Got the new shocks and springs etc in - ST 50mm/40mm springs, AP Sport shocks, Meyle mounts front and rear and new BMW (I trimmed them) bump stops and 10mm spring pads

No drama's at all on the install but I am a slow wrencher!

Car drives much better than with the Dobi's and tired Koni shocks that were in it - a little firmer but well damped now and overall firmer, but more comfortable.

I've not had a chance to spank it on a back road but while this isn't an out and out performance combo, it feels like a good street setup with my 22mm/16mm swaybars.

Ride height is now a bit low at the front but should look better when/if I go for 16's.

Reversing into my driveway now is an exercise in caution.

One of the front perches was missing the lower spring shim, but I can't imagine new front spring shims would make too much difference in height? maybe 3-4mm?

The yuppie-mobile in its natural habitat:

[Sammo 2544]

Entering *and* exiting my driveway is now an exercise in extreme caution and full lock grrrrr.

It looks good and drives good but simply not practical - flashback to creeping sideways over speed bumps in the E46.

Im not dying to do this all again but think I’ll be installing thicker spring shims / pads front in rear in the near future (have 3mm and 9mm options in front and all kinds of combinations for rear pads) - I’m sure it will be a much quicker job 2nd time around.

Will do brake pads / handbrake adjustment at same time so it feels less of a waste of time.