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E28 M535i from Finland - The project that got out of hand!

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  • E28 M535i from Finland - The project that got out of hand!

    Hi!

    I have been following this forum for quite a while now. Decided to make a thread of my project Beamer.
    I live in Helsinki, Finland. Have been into cars since i got my licence, ~16years.

    I copied this thread from another forum, so the dodded lines mark end and beginning of original posts.

    Bought the car little over a year ago, in October 2012. It's a -85 model and has done ~330000km (little over 200000miles)
    The car seemed to to be in good condition for its age, little did i know how much would i have to do rust repairs.

    This is how the car stood the day i bought it.
    There is some damage on drivers side quarter panel, a tree had fallen beside the car and a branch hit the panel.








    Options list.
    S300A ZENTRALVERRIEGELUNG ELEKTRISCH (Central locking with anti-theft system)
    S311 ELEKTRISCHER BEIFAHRERSPIEGEL (Electronic side mirrors)
    S350A WAERMESCHUTZGLAS GRUEN, RUNDUM (Therm.insulat.glass green)
    S403A GLASDACH, ELEKTRISCH (Glass roof, electrical)
    S410A FENSTERHEBER, ELEKTRISCH VORN (Window lifts, electric, front)
    S498A KOPFSTUETZEN IM FOND (Headrests mechanically adjustable, rear)
    S500A SCHEINW.WASCHANL./INTENSIVREINIGUNG (Headl.washer system/intensive cleaning)
    S820 Nordland-Ausfuehrung (North country equipment)
    S850A ZUSAETZL. TANKFUELLUNG EXPORT (Additional Export tank filling)
    S860A SEITLICHE BLINKLEUCHTEN VORN (Additional turn indicator lamp)


    First idea was to get the car back in to trafic, but the project got "a little" out of hand.

    Pictures of the interior, seats are in good condition. Little repairs to drivers seat needed:






    No major rust damage in trunk after removing upholstery:


    Better picture of quarter panels damage:


    Engine bay:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    First things first, before i even started the project i bought a set of OZ Futura wheels from a friend, 9"x17" and 10"x17".
    Later found out that these where original Arden wheels from AJ4 or AJ6.





    Rear wheel:


    Front wheel:



    Specs:
    Front wheel 9"x17" ET6
    Rear wheel 10"x17" ET19

    Tried them on:







    Little too big tires on wheels when i got them. Ordered 215/45 for front and 245/40 for rear.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    It was time to start the rust repairs on January 2013. Started by making parts for new accelerator pedal mount:







    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Rust damage was found after i removed foor matt and sound insulation. The windshield frame had rusted and water leaked
    in. All the sound insulation was soaked.

    Pictures of the damage:














    Accelerator pedal mount ready:




    The car looked like this on 6th of january:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Next got the engine and gearbox out.



    Some rust in the front corners






    The engine


    Getrag 265, previous owner had this overhauled:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    It wasnt long before the project got totally out of hand, and decided make this a twin turbo..
    Turbos are going to be Mitsubishi TD04-16T, hopefully getting the power figure to around 450hp.

    Parts for exhaust manifolts, still missing turbo side flanges


    Made parts for collectors




    Welding the collectors:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Rust repairs on footwells, front and rear

    Driver:


    Patches:


    Drivers side outer front corner had been driven into a rock (or something like that). It was all bend up.




    Bigger holes and patches for the rear footwells:








    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Drivers footwell welded:















    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Bought some parts from Germany. First order, many to follow..

    New ///M badges:


    Eccentric bolts for rear axle:


    M5 arbs and battery tray:


    Welded the rear footwells:




    Accelerator pedal mount welded:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Bought a donor car, best decision in the whole project. It was a 518 Bavaria


    Cut the front valance off.


    Parts needed to fix the front corners of the car

    Drivers side bought new, passenger side taken from donor car.

    Front corner repairs:








    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Got E34 M5 brake calipers from German Ebay:


    Little repairs made and ABS-unit mounts welded to passengers side front corner floor:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Found a set of rust free doors for the project.
    After sandblasting the bottom parts, found out that they werent rust free..

    Drivers door, bottom rear corner:


    Door frame fixed:


    ..and the door skin fixed:


    Someone had put a big ass speaker in the door, a part from another door and little welding needed:


    Driver side rear door, front corner:


    Frame fixed:


    And the skin


    Same door, rear corner:


    The frame:


    ..and the skin:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Had to fix the groove for door seal and frame underneath it..

    The beginning:


    Parts for the repair, taken from donor cars door:


    rust damage under seal groove:


    Fixing the frame:








    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The groove welded back on the door:


    Had to do minor repairs under the little window. Two of the three layers of steel had rust damage:


    Same place fixed:


    Thats two out of four doors finished..

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Took a break from fixing doors and started fitting the turbos to the engine.

    Had to make more room to the passenger side. So a new motor mount was needed.
    Old mount and a jig, made the jig so that the new mount would be 10mm longer than the original:


    Engine lifted 10mm from passenger side, no mount.


    New mount on the jig:


    and welded


    group photo:


    second turbo in its place:


    and the first one too:


    A view from underneath


    Turbos gone:


    Made a tool that allows me to press the end of tube bend to match port shape:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4-5-6 manifolt forming:

    Collector and first bends tacked in place


    First tube:


    Building the second one:


    tacked:


    Third one:


    All tacked:



    Bolted to engine:



    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Decided to alter the route of 4ht cylinder pipe as it was too close to brake lines.

    Fixed:






    Next building the 1-2-3 manifolt.

    First pipe tacked:


    Forming the second pipe..:


    ..and tacked:


    Almost finished, one pipe to go:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Fitting the last pipe to 1-2-3 manifolt




    Manifolts and turbos in their place:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Downpipes tacked:




    Few bad pics of test fitting:




    I'm trying to keep engine bay as original looking as possible, so the first turbo is going to use little revised original air filter box.
    Still have to finish the box after i get the engine back in.






    Test fitting:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    So, it was back to fixing up the doors, passenger side rear door:






    Bottom of the door ready:


    Same steps as the other side under the little window:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Last of the four doors, passenger side front.
    Top front corner has rusted under the seal:


    Repair piece, taken from donor car. Little rust repairs needed to the piece also.


    Frame repairs:




    Door skin needed a little patch also:




    Groove for seal back on, taken from donor cars door:


    Frame and seal groove repairs on the bottom part of door:


    Donor car has given pretty much all it has..:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Pic of the manifolts before tig welding:




    Some rust damage on windshield frame:




    Took off the front wings, dash, heater and wiper-mechanism:


    Removed the damaged parts of the frame:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    New windshield frame plus cleaned the body side of the frame:






    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    A friend of mine tig-welded the manifolts:




    Little fixing needed for body side of windshield frame:


    New frame on its place and welded:




    Mounting E34 535 expansion tank to get room for boost pipe:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Drivers side a-pillar needed a little patch to get rid of rust:




    Made a bracket for E36 +block


    Cut out all un-used brackets; expansion tank-, air cleaner- and coil-bracket:




    Had to take off original tow hooks to get room for ic piping.
    Ordered tow straps to take their place, in black of course.












    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Cleaned rust spots in rear part of the car, and took off the tank and the arc flares..

    Licence plate bolt holes:


    Fill in flap surrounding. Too bad there is rust in the same place on donor car:


    Right hand side, rear wheel housing, arc and sill:








    M-tech bumper bracket and spare wheel well:


    Left hand side, rear wheel housing, arc and sill:








    Tank, looks usable:






    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Rear axle out:


    To be dismantled, sand blasted, lsd rebuild to 50% locking and camber + toe adjustments added:


    LSD and wide ratio:


    Now i'm scared, someone has been here with his repairs:


    YES! RUST!




    Drivers side looks a little better:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Donor car gave up rear axle mounting points and spare wheel well




    Donor car is about done:


    Got XYZ-coil overs:


    Rear axle mounts, these need little fixing too:


    Made a jig for the original mounting points. Checked mounting points aligment before building jig:




    Started to take rusted parts out, passenger side:






    ..and drivers side:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Continued cutting rusted sheet metal out:


    Drivers side sill opened, quite a lot work to be done to the inner sill:


    Passenger side sill is in better condition, as is the inner sill:


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Got the IC:


    Rusted parts of the rear inner sill removed, passenger side:







    Repair piece, new vs. old (new 2mm steel, old ~1,25mm)


    Same thing done to the drivers sude:






    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Welding the repair pieces to the rear inner sill








    Rest of inner sill repaired, passenger side:






    Drivers side needed more attention:


    Out with the old and in with the new:




    ..ready:




    Rear jack up points fixed:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Rear axle mounting point floor repairs. Pieces taken from donor car.
    Made a tool for making stiffening grooves out of two by four and a piece of steel:






    Floor panels and mounting points welded back on:






    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    It was time to take the jig out:


    Extra stiffening plates for rear axle mountin points:




    From start to finish:




    Painter came over and started to straighten the drivers side rear quarter:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Repaired doors on for fitting:




    Passenger side sill back on:


    End of the sill from wheel housing


    Drivers side sill, ready to go on the car:


    Mounting points for the side skirt:


    Inner sill painted:


    Outer sill welded back on, still have to grind the welds:


    Wheel housing side:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Drivers side rear arc repaired, piece taken from E34 rear arc.


    Spare wheel well rust damage repaired and new m-tech bumper mount welded on. Still have to fix that earlier repair.
    Had to do some work on the towing hook as well:






    There was some rust under the rear window. Repair peace sourced from donor car:


    Ordered few stickers. One for my car, the other for friends E30M3


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Drivers side sill welds ground:


    Repairs on the rear window frame:




    Fixing the earlier repairs on the spare wheel well:




    Jack up point reinforcements:




    Piece of rear seat front frame back on, had to take it out to get to the rear axle mount:


    Repairs on rear wheel housings, drivers side..:






    ..and the passenger side:


    Antenna hole welded:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Next the front wings:


    Passenger side, three patches:


    Drivers side, five:


    License plate mounting holes:


    ..and hacked 6x9" speaker holes opened on the parcel shelf


    Also did repairs on the hood, no pics of that.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Painter started the base work:










    Fixed the fill in flap surrounding. Took the repair piece from donor car. I had to repair the repair piece before i could use it..:








    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Welded the speaker holes shut on the parcel shelf:


    Painter resumed with the base work:








    Started making brackets for the intercooler:






    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The painter found a little rust patch on the drivers door, fixed that. Next it was time to paint the body and hatches with epoxy primer and sanding paint:


















    When we tried rear lights and boot lid, we found out that the drives side quarter panel isnt the right shape yet. It needs a little more work.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Painted the inside of the car and repaired spots with epoxy primer and 2-component paint:




    Got a Mocal oil cooler and started to make bracket for it.






    Cleaned the trunk from sound insulation, sanded it down and primered it:






    Found a nice surprice by front arb bracket, will be repaired after the car is painted:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    A fresh coat of paint! Plus it was my birthday, 28th of July 2013









    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The turbos:

    TD04 16T, should be enough for ~500bhp (over 400 is enough for me)

    Few front bumper parts sandblasted and primered:


    Started converting front sturts to coil overs.
    First some measurements:








    Then cut the spindle out (pics after sandblasting and primer):




    All welded up!




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Cleaned the rear differential:


    Rear axle dismantled, every part has rusted..:


    Took out the lsd-unit, will be send to local drive line specialist. To be modified to take douple locking plates with new plates.


    Empty housing:


    Parts painted with epoxy primer:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Two component rallye black for the parts:










    Bumpers and few other parts were painted with sanding paint:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Decided to cut out front licence plate "box" bottom to increace airflow to the intercooler:


    Again parts painted with rallye black:








    Cleaned the drive shafts:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Christmas in September:


    New control arms, tie rods and pitman arm to front axle. New bearings, drop arms, arb links and hand brake cables to rear axle

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Painted the bonnet hinges:


    Added camber- and toe adjustments to rear beam and painted it:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Polished the wheel lips. Not perfect mirror surface, but they'll have to do:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Got the strut spacers from AKG-motorsport:


    Order from Pielmeier (z3 gear lever, e34 m5 trailing arm bushes, brake lines etc..)




    Took the instrument panel apart, the SI-boards batterys have leaked..






    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Rust repairs on frame rail under the front arb mount and rear corners of engine bay:




    Frame rail and rear corner of engine bay welded:


    Decided to chage the bottom parts of the frame rails as they had been mangled with jack:








    Engine bay rear corner fixed, drivers side:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    One year since i bought the car, October 2013.

    Welded the drivers side frame rail bottom:


    Hopefylly the last rust repair that i have to do on this car:


    Got back the lsd-unit, now with douple locking plates:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Couldnt get the original bushings out with 10t press..

    ..so, it was nice feeling to set fire to newly painted parts:


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Painted the ic and oil cooler with rallye black, so they wouldnt show behind grill and bumper:




    Sanded down the wheel hubs and inner lips, waiting for paint:




    Found out that these wheels were originally on Arden AJ4 or AJ6 (found Arden armorial bearings under some stickers on dust caps):
    AJ4: http://www.1000sel.com/index.php/jag...er-aj1-and-aj4
    AJ6: http://www.1000sel.com/index.php/jag...-aj6-2-2-coupe

    Got the M5 arbs for the car a while back. The original arb-mounts wont fit M5 arb in the front and m5 mounts arent available
    through BMW dealers no more. So had to make my own. Start with E34 mounts and angle grider:


    Also started to scrape the rust protection goo off the car:






    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Finished front arb-mounts:




    ..welded on:




    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Made reinforcements for the rear arb mounts as well, baseline and reinforced:




    Painted the inner lips:






    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Got parts for the exhaust from local expert (Martelius Ehaust), 2x2,5":


    Tore down brake calipers for sandblasting and painting. Tried to be gentle and not to damage the rubbers,
    but managed to fck up one of them..:


    Epoxy primer:




    And rallye black:




    Painted the door stoppers at the same time + few other parts:






    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Christmas vacation 2013..

    Made engine brackets to fit later type M30 blocks (S38 also) to E28. One pair for me, others went to friends:


    Started work on intake manifolt modification.
    Little hole cut to the manifolt:


    Throttle body in its new place with new flange:


    Made bracket for throttle cable:




    The original throttle body flange will be welded suht and tidyed up:


    Bought a RHD throttle cable a while back, sould be long enough..

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Finished scraping the rust protection goo from the under carriage. What a pain in the a** it has been.









    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    There you go, the longest post ever?
    About a years worth of work.

    -Timo
    Last edited by cossie; 05-23-2018, 08:58 AM.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    Mushroom Motorsport - Performance since 2003

    My E28 M535 project..

  • #2
    Love the work man.
    I'm rebuilding my e28 as well. And I just have to say nice job on fixing all the rust.
    -Instagram@jdjurhuus
    Stretchsaurus and Pokemon.

    Comment


    • #3
      I can't wait to get home to read this!


      W I L D M A N 'S R O D S H O P




      R.I.P P.WALKER 2013/11/30

      Comment


      • #4
        Great job man!
        Current cars:
        Mercedes-Benz SLC450 1977
        Hyundai Accent 2001 (I know right)

        Comment


        • #5
          This E28 is going to come out amazing!! Keep up the good work.

          Comment


          • #6
            Now this is a build thread, not just some wheels and suspension bs haha

            Awesome work!

            3/96 Build Date, Montreal Blue, 304,310 miles and counting...

            Comment


            • #7
              Unbelievably good.
              1981 300TD 4 speed
              2000 BMW M5

              Mike Finnelly
              , on Flickr
              IG @michaelfinnelly

              Comment


              • #8
                Awesome read! Nice work so far! You definitely made good use of your donor car...

                Hit me up for all your quality used bmw parts needs! http://properperformance.com/ IG: Lowlygent

                Comment


                • #9
                  Greetings from Estonia, neighbor !

                  Amazing work you have done there. I have also an e28, which waits for rust damage repairs. After reading your thread I have a lot more confidence to do it. Also I noticed there is 2 days between our birthdays. :P


                  Keep up the good work!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    You have some crazy skills and unbelievable patience.
                    I've seen e28's with less rust go to scrap yard , so it's nice to see you bringing one back on the road.
                    Good luck with the rest of your build, and keep up the good work!
                    E30 build

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I'm impressed.

                      I thing is I think about: why didn't You put Your engine for donor car if that had body without rust?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        That is some amazing work your doing , I am so impressed !!! I cannot wait to see the rest of it. Keep up the awesome work
                        my build thread:
                        http://www.stanceworks.com/forums/sh...730#post930730

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          This is awesome work!!!! Not sure if I missed it but are you going to rebuild the engine and lower the 10:1 compression ratio?!
                          Instagram: rmehrIV

                          Build Thread: BMW Euro e24 635csi...TLC She Needs! (Pic Heavy)

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            this is fucking awesome! seems like fun too. crazy going with twins and fabbing everything on your own. mad props. i love it. are you going to run a standalone management? and upgraded fuel set-up? I wanna see more!!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by MartinsElerts View Post
                              You have some crazy skills and unbelievable patience.
                              I've seen e28's with less rust go to scrap yard , so it's nice to see you bringing one back on the road.
                              Good luck with the rest of your build, and keep up the good work!
                              NOO! No E28 should go to scrap yard, especially if its not rusted bad..
                              Im thinking of building another e28 (or e23) to be my next winter/daily driver (possibly with M52B28 or M57D29. If you have good candidates there, i could come over and pick one up..
                              Originally posted by Kucharz View Post
                              I'm impressed.

                              I thing is I think about: why didn't You put Your engine for donor car if that had body without rust?
                              There was two reasons. Firstly i wanted to keep the cars identity, original M-car. Also the donor car had rust, just in other places than this. By combining two i got one!

                              Originally posted by rmehrIV View Post
                              This is awesome work!!!! Not sure if I missed it but are you going to rebuild the engine and lower the 10:1 compression ratio?!
                              Yes, im going to rebuild the engine and no, im not going to lower the compression ratio.
                              I have one friend who has M30B35 with similar twin turbo setup running 430bhp, other friend has single turbo M30B35 running ~660bhp. Both with stock pistons and connection rods!!
                              Actually the 430hp one has completely stock engine internals apart from ARP head bolts and Cometic head casget.

                              Originally posted by dubs&boost View Post
                              this is fucking awesome! seems like fun too. crazy going with twins and fabbing everything on your own. mad props. i love it. are you going to run a standalone management? and upgraded fuel set-up? I wanna see more!!
                              I have a Haltech E6X, 660cc injectors, bosch -044 fuel pump and adjustable fuel pressure regulator waiting to be installed.

                              -Timo
                              Last edited by cossie; 01-09-2014, 02:31 AM.
                              --------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Mushroom Motorsport - Performance since 2003

                              My E28 M535 project..

                              Comment

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