The pursuit of Zen... My journey toward automotive perfection (e30 content))

[DER E30]

Alright, The update from the beginning of December till now! I tore it down for sound deadener, and swap the heater valve. Still no heat though! I received a German Audio Specialties 10inch sub box and Sparco strut bar for Christmas. I bought a 5 channel amp, painted the parcel shelf to go with it.

PICS! In chronological order, I think, this is all the ok ones. : My internet is stupid and slow so fliker didn’t like it if I tried to upload 38 in one shot. :
Pulled carpet, and began laying sound deadener.

IMG_1811m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_1808m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_1807m by Der E30, on Flickr
Bonus points if you know where this is!

IMG_5290m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5275m by Der E30, on Flickr
Anybody local have another door seal they’d let go of for a good price?????? Mine is toast.

IMG_5274m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5272m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5269m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_1850m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_1825m by Der E30, on Flickr
Is this a premium package speaker? I have these in the front, they still sound nice and clear!

IMG_1813m by Der E30, on Flickr
Christmas morning! Thanks Mom and Dad!

IMG_1836m by Der E30, on Flickr
Sparco bar fit perfect after a few mins with a hammer to dent it for the intake mani.

IMG_5296m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5292m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5294m by Der E30, on Flickr
Ends of the amp.

IMG_5362m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5351m by Der E30, on Flickr
For those that are curious what the box, amp, and infinity sub weigh together...
IMG_1865m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_1866m by Der E30, on Flickr
Box test fit.

IMG_1846m by Der E30, on Flickr
:

IMG_5378m by Der E30, on Flickr
My nasty, faded stock parcel shelf.

IMG_5388m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5386m by Der E30, on Flickr
Test spot.

IMG_5383m by Der E30, on Flickr
Power for the amp is from under the parcel shelf.

IMG_5376m by Der E30, on Flickr
Finished install of the amp.

IMG_5372m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5370m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5368m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5366mm by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5391m by Der E30, on Flickr
But what about the parcel shelf????? Here you go. It was painted in “automobile primer” from a spray bomb. I sprayed it on heavy and used a clean scrub brush to rub it into the fibers more evenly and completely. I think it came out beautiful, it isn’t particularly crunchy or anything! A huge improvement I think...

IMG_5400m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5399m by Der E30, on Flickr
All back together!

IMG_5392m by Der E30, on Flickr
Did this last night, I’m trying to make my exhaust quieter...

IMG_5394m by Der E30, on Flickr
The road noise is much improved, when I’m not in the gas... The sub sounds GREAT! I love having sound below just vocals and having some lowws! I kept a huge amount of trunk space as well! WIN WIN!

[DER E30]

Hello all, this is my car’s story, to be updated as things happen to it...

I picked her up on July 2nd, with the following parts... She is a 1991 318iS.

*Things that are starred I have done...

Drivetrain

Rebuilt 1.8L engine by Bavarian Auto Recycling (approx.5000 mi, on rebuild)
Ported & Polished Head
S14 Camshaft Grind
High Flow Air filter
Custom 2.5" Exhaust w/ Magnaflow Muffler (no cat)
Engine Skid Plate
Lightened Flywheel, w/ Recent clutch
Z3 Short Shifter
4.27 LSD Rear End *replaced with 4.10 open, the LSD is loud.

Suspension
Ground Control Coil-Overs w/ 500lb Eibach Spring
Billy HD's
OEM M3 FCABs
E36 Power steering Rack
Stainless Steel Brake Lines
*Sparco strut bar
Wheel Studs
Rota RB 16x8+20 square 7mm spacer in front
*10mm spacer in rear, but its not on in any pics...
Nexen N3000 225/45/16

Exterior
Recent Body Paint & Trim
Euro Smiley headlights with 5k H.I.D
*Morimoto 3Five.1 ballasts with 5k morimoto H3C bulbs in fog lights
Euro Shadowline Kidney Grills
Kopi European Grills
Euro Smoked Side Repeaters
Euro Bumper Trim
Euro License Plate Filler
Racing Dynamics Rear Wing (original E30 trunk & is spoiler on wall)
DTM Fiberglass Rear Apron
*LED license plate lights

Interior
E36 M3 “Vader” Front Seats
M Tech 1 steering wheel
Alum. Pedal Set
*Kustom stainless dead pedal
Pioneer AM/FM/CD/MP3 Player
Clarion SRR1320 speakers in rear deck
*LED dome lights
*German Audio Specialties 10" e30 sub box
*Infinity Reference 1062 DVC sub
*Planet Audio 1800.5 amp
*Fat mat sound deadener

Recent Maintenance
All Fluid Replacement
Front Wheel hubs
Front Control Arms
M3 Camber Adjustment
Tie Rod Ends
Guibo Coupling
Ceramic Brake Pads

Home fresh from my lovely drive back from Tacoma...





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Fresh after a wash...


Went for a super rushed photoshoot later in the summer...










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With my other baby...


Future plans include better wheels, bags, and s54...

* a breath, you know, for the zen...

The first things I did were adjust the projectors as the driver’s side was rest of world tilt, passenger was US tilt... It looked like \-----/ on a wall... I also tweaked the shields for a nice blue cutoff. I also made a new mounting point for the driver’s side as it flopped around with a broken adjuster...



Next I welded up a cross for my rearview mirror... Jesus rides with me.


During inspection I found a missing bolt in the guibo.


New 5k HID fog light bulbs and ballasts.


Aug 23rd I leatheriqued the seats, and took very few pics of that

The Vader headrests came out really nice.

Done backseat... It did get more matte as time went on.


Babies together while the body filler dries on the back fender of the truck...


September 8th I went to the Sunday drag races(test and tune) LOL It was really fun, I was the only thing euro there, and one of like 3 “imports.”



Some time later in September the blower motor (HVAC fan) threw a fan blade, or so I thought. It lost the little connector pieces between the blades, allowing them to flex and make fantastic noises!

IMG_1683m by Der E30, on Flickr
On an M42, pulling the intake manifold is the only real way to get the fan in without messing it up. Fortunately, it was a straightforward process...

IMG_1682m by Der E30, on Flickr

As much fun as drag racing was, it probably led to this...

IMG_4975m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_4981m by Der E30, on Flickr

Wait??? WHAT??? WHY??? Well I’ll tell you...
I was driving home from play practice one night, and it would make this weird harmonic noise at just about 2.8k revs in every gear... I thought what could be wrong that night in bed and the next day after school, (I ride with my sister in her car) I looked under it with a flashlight and see something weird, get up and go “huh.” I got back down to look again and the oil pan is sitting on the steering rack... Further investigation reveals that the subframe to motor mount plate welds are broken on the passenger side...

Normal...

IMG_4983m by Der E30, on Flickr
Broken...

IMG_4984m by Der E30, on Flickr
Better pics of the damage...

IMG_4985m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_4986m by Der E30, on Flickr
Money shot...

IMG_4991m by Der E30, on Flickr
Twisted wire wheel for the paint...Yup, its broken!

IMG_5006m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5007m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_5010m by Der E30, on Flickr
Oh yeah, when I tapped it with my trusty hammer to return it to the proper place, this happened. TAPPED, as in lightly... LOL

IMG_5013m by Der E30, on Flickr
Weldy weldy...

IMG_5015m by Der E30, on Flickr
Unbroken side got love as well.

IMG_5017m by Der E30, on Flickr
Still unbroken side...

IMG_5018m by Der E30, on Flickr
Back to the broken...

IMG_5019m by Der E30, on Flickr

Plated on the top, broken side first...

IMG_1695m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_1697m by Der E30, on Flickr
Unbroken side...

IMG_1696m by Der E30, on Flickr
Painted, red was what was on hand, and its fairly hidden down there anyway...

IMG_1700m by Der E30, on Flickr

Future plans include s54 swap, shaved bay, bags, better wheels, and another full respray.

To be continued!