My M5 engined, Touring car wheeled, air bagged suspension'd E36 Coupe

[andy318is]

Time to drag this into the present! Been a busy few months with life and shit so the car took a bit of a back seat only grabbing the odd hour here or there but things have calmed down a little so its back onto the old girl!

I'm afraid its a mix of phone and instgram filtered pictures these days, sorry chaps!

So onto business, the car was sat like this which look lovely but the picture doesn't really give the true story, the engine mounts were STILL not 100% buttoned up. Reason being is space around the drivers side of the engine, steering column + engine mount = fark all space for exhaust headers! So the plate steel mounts were binned and it was back to the drawing board....



So.... I think these are revision 3.... very simple in there design. I use the phrase of if it looks right, it is right.... the photo shows mocking up the mount strut in the jig I made, the mock up being out of 40mm plastic pipe to get the angles and chamfer etc.



The OE e36 mounts have been junked in favour of some much shallower items to free up more space, its wasn't a bolt in mount so mods to the cross member had to be made.

All welded and done, the engine is finally in with some workable space for the headers....



Moving forwards I picked up some flexi pipe insulation (which is exactly the same diameter as the exhaust tubing I'm going to be using to help me start to get my head around the fabrication of those but that'll wait till next time....



While I'm waiting for some exhaust bends to arrive (an teach myself how to tig weld!!!) I've started the revised layout of the boot install, that includes an upgrade to the air ride compressor, I've pretty much gone as good as I can justify and picked up an Air Zenith compressor! Can't wait to get this wired up and running!





I had to remake the compressor mounting as the Air Zenith is much larger than the old compressor, the front bar is removable so I can still take the battery out before anyone says anything lol.



The boots stripped of old the old install (apart from the motorized tool tray which is staying) with thoughts turned towards the new layout



There's actually alot of crap going into the boot - 2 batteries, air compressor, e-level, 5 gallon dry sump tank and 5 litre air tank! I'm still messing with layouts but it needs to look epic and still be serviceable!



The cars down on its wheels at the moment so any excuse for a snap of the centre locks tucking....



Things are moving forwards nicely at the moment with the gf being away training for work and I've knocked the gym on the head for a while I'm down the garage most evenings at the moment trying to get some shit done!

Untill next time... :-)

[Tuck&Poke]

I love this build. Love how it looks like a BTCC car.

[andy318is]

Got the rear brakelines remade to suit the pedalbox. It now means all lines have been replaced so 100% increased my chances of having a leaking joint somewhere! LOL.... we shall see.

Onto this weeks update, due to not having any space left on the V8 for a power steering pump I started to think about other options. A few weeks ago I did pick up an electric steering column from a corsa but those things are freaking HUGE! So that was sold on and plan B was formed.

A popular mod for kit cars is to run an electric power steering pump from a Saxo / Pug 106. Not the smallest of things BUT easily plumbed in and wired I though its gotta be work a punt, one cropped up local on ebay so I went round to grab it!



There are a few different types but this is ideal for me due to the external reservoir that I can put where I want (within reason)

I scratched my head for a bit deciding where I wanted to put the pump - obviously ruling out in the engine bay straight away! LOL ended up with think I had the space in the driverside wheel arch behind the front bumper. Ive seen these mounted vertically (normally horizontally) so knew I had a plan and go cracking with some scrapes I had in my stock pile...

Clearing up this mess I then had some space to get on





Given a clean up and a lick of paint it was time to stick it to the car :-)



...and finally the pump fitted, I;m happy to say this thing is mounted SOLID!! I can now measure up for the hydraulic lines and get those ordered! Only a small part but still moving forwards :-)



Thats all for now....

[The Simps]

Keep up the good work dude! Its this little fiddly jobs that are there to test us but we must push on!

[andy318is]

i. Need. More. +1 billion for white center lock wheels

lol

[scweet14]

i. need. more. +1 billion for white center lock wheels

[Peeunit]

Wow... Just wow.

[andy318is]

I'm getting pretty rubbish at keeping my build thread updated, its so much easier to stick up a picture on the facebook page or Instagram, very lazy I know!

Works been moving on slowly but steadily and again I'm getting worse at taking progress pictures, I just crack on and get things done!

Trying to re-cap where I was and where I'm at now...

I stripped the wiring loom out the car to do some more tidying - if you cast your mind waaaaaay back you'll know I've binned the ABS, air bags and a whole load of other crap



Which lead to days of....



Working on the loom I needed to get plugs for the e46 headlights.... so found a scrap yards and got busy



No pictures of the tidied loom but I'll get some sometime.... its back in its storage box at the moment

While the car was empty I gave the cavities a going over with some cavity wax to try and stop any tin worm in the future



Thought I'd start to mock up and test fit all the brakes and suspension so I placed an order for....

Dug some parts out of cupboards...



Thought as I was going this far I'd drop the petrol tank and make some new lines going over the tank



Ordered some black braided hoses from Goodridge with the correct male end fitting for the Willwood calipers.



Raided the piggie bank and ordered Accuair elevel and a VU4 manifold for the airride



Had to modify some new backing plates to get the handbrake (e-brake) working with the the new centrelock hubs...





Time to start assembly of the rear suspension, elevel and brakes.... loads of work involved, making bag mounts, elevel sensor brackets, running sensor wires and air lines etc...

Made some fire welding brackets and melting under seal



I wasn't happy with the caliper brackets and the sweep of the disc against the pads so dropped round a mates house and borrowed his mill - first time I've ever done any milling and its pretty fun! Anyone that can make anything decent I tip my cap as its damn time consuming and pretty frustrating!



355mm Stoptech discs and Will R4a 4 pot calipers..... on the rear! :-D



Started making the new lines from the calipers to the pedalbox :-)



New lines from the innerwings to a bulkhead fitting to get it into the car..



The start of the pedalbox plumbing



An overall shot just because...



I think thats' all the pictures I've got to offer at the moment! LOL

[The Simps]

Totally makes sense now! Lol

So when at drive height that's why you don't need the inner tub clearance. Gotcha!

Now crack on! Lol

[andy318is]

Sorry if I missed it but will this be static or bagged?

Its bagged dude, I thought you might not have known by your post :-)

[The Simps]

Sorry if I missed it but will this be static or bagged?

[mitchbrock1]

by far, its very interesting

[andy318is]

It'll roll but surely not steer?!?

You going to need to tub your front inner arches?

Is this for track or street car?

Its got a little steering, not a great deal though, I thought about tubbing the front arches but there'd be no great advantage to, yea I could get the front lower but I'd have to do some serious redesign of the rear suspension to get that any lower.

Its just a street car :-)

You should quick throw the bumper and lights on=D

Haha, I was going to dude but it'd only have to be all removed again

[Earl]

You should quick throw the bumper and lights on=D

[The Simps]

How rude of me....

...great work put into this and I have been enjoying your updates!