318is Slicktop M52 Swap -- Pic Heavy

[Arteeste]

Me like

[W. Lundberg]

Wow, I've just finished reading all your updates and all comments, and just wow. I love how you do everything properly and post many pictures off everything. Wow. What's your goal? 5 stars and subscribed. Good luck and keep the good work up mate ; )

[mtlbloodshot]

Wow, I've just finished reading all your updates and all comments, and just wow. I love how you do everything properly and post many pictures off everything. Wow. What's your goal? 5 stars and subscribed. Good luck and keep the good work up mate ; )

My goal is to have it done before June 29, 2013. On that day, the biggest EURO show in Montreal takes place. The garage that I'm building the car at is one of the major sponsors for the show and will have 5-6 cars there for exposition. We are very good friends with the organizers of the show and they've been demanding that my car be done.

[mtlbloodshot]

Monday, November 19, 2012 --

After excessive reading and questioning, I found out clearly that I'll need 6 cylinder differential output flanges for my Z3M DIFF. Luckily a good friend of mine has a parts car with a medium case off. Went to see the car yesterday, differential was sitting there inside the car. Removed the flanges and took them with me. Got to the shop this afternoon and started removing all the crap that was on them. First picture shows the difference between clean and dirty. Once they were cleaned, I sprayed them with high heat flat black paint.

[Raarasutra]

Hell yeah! Looking forward to seeing this beast on the streets

[mtlbloodshot]

Tuesday, November 20, 2012 --

Got the new half shafts I ordered Monday afternoon. I painted them just incase they try to rust. Next thing to be done is drop down the gas tank. It might have to be sent out to clean up and make sure there isn't any rust inside or cracks. Have to bring it down before I reinstall the rear subframe. Planning on ordering my rear wheel bearings and the front control arms soon.

[mtlbloodshot]

Thursday, November 22, 2012 --

Planning on starting the rebuild of the rear subframe so I had to clean the wheel hubs. Pretty simple. Degrease, wire brush,cleaning pad and paint. Routine. Also reinforced the front crossmember sway bar tabs but sadly I didn't take any pics of this. I couldn't find something solid laying around the shop so I just grabbed two full metal rods, welded them together and then welded to the trailing arms to make the "A" style reinforcement like the Z3Ms. I'll have more updates later tonight as the trailing arms, subframe and crossmember are currently drying from paint.

[mtlbloodshot]

Friday, November 23, 2012 --

A lot of updates coming today! Lets start with these

[mtlbloodshot]

Friday, November 23, 2012 -- Continued

Picked up a perfect furniture dolly from a friend to rebuild the subframe. Since the parts were dried, I choose to put my AKG trailing arms and subframe bushings in. Everything went well. I couldn't figure out if the "collar" on the bushings had to go towards the outside or the inside. Looked for a few DIY and some pics, finally just put them towards the outside. Hopefully its the right way. The subframe bushings were marked UP on the bag so the collar had no choice to go on top. Next up, probably Monday, is to put the half shafts with the wheel bearings. Also got a Stainless Steel Clutch Line from UUC. It came out to be crazy expensive. 45$ with shipping plus another 25$ for UPS brokerage. I could of had it custom made.

[Spookye]

Nice work!! Keep up!!

[rsingh3g]

Keep the updates coming!

[D&W]

this things going to be minty fresh dude

[mtlbloodshot]

Monday, November 26, 2012 --

Very productive day! Friday I got all my AKG bushings in and today I wanted to get everything settled in and torqued. Started off by tightening up the trailing arm bolts which pass through the bushing (49 ftlbs). Once that was done, we got new FAG wheel bearings pressed in. Went well. Brand new circlip installed. Again I was forced to clean and paint the dust shield. Maybe I should have got new ones but I couldn't wait to see this rear end assembled so what the heck. They obviously don't look new but they look better than before.
Once that was done, pressed in the hub and placed the new axle shafts with the nut (150 ftlbs) and axle lock nut plate. Smooth sailing so far. Might as well get the hand brake shoes and cables set in. Overall it was great day and next step is mount the trailing arm section with the brake lines,discs and caliper. Luckily everything that I need is already purchased. Just collecting dust.

[ZammoTheChoppa]

O_o

why have i only just come accross this

well done cant wait to see the finnished product

[mtlbloodshot]

Wednesday, November 28, 2012 --

Very little progress today.. Discs on (Brembo Blanks), painted them with ZINC just incase they try to rust. Calipers on with EBC "Green Stuff" Pads. Set up the trailing arm brake lines with the SS lines. They're not done but they are placed. ST sway bar links are set too. I was bored at the shop so I put on the AKG M50 Swap POLY mounts to my crossmember. Put on the new steering rack hard lines I got a while back and bolt that on with the E30/E36 RACK SPACERS. Maybe I should have put the steering rack on once the crossmember was on bolted to the car, but heck had nothing else to do.