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Tunnel, firewall, and engine mounts
Bruce is fabricating the new tunnel and has started on a firewall template.
Plus some pics of the engine mounts.
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everyones thoughts
i would like to hear peoples thoughts and opinions on this project so far. what do you hate and what do you think is unique or cool let me know lets talk!
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Sunny day in the PNW
December rolled into the Pacific North West with a burst of sunshine, so naturally I had to take the car out for a drive.
I felt this one deserved multiple treatments..
I haven't posted many photos of the interior, especially with the new Renown wheel. (kindly ignore the dash cracks)
Takeaways from today:
1. The BMW 2002 is a joy to drive.
2. I desperately need to order a new hood trim piece, as it ruins every forward facing photo.
3. On the same vain, I need to figure out a front spoiler.. I temporarily mounted my old one today and decided I did not like it.
4. Because of #1, #2 and the paint cracks on the hood, I tend to take all photos from the rear.
5. Regardless of the above, the BMW 2002 is really a joy to drive.
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Alpina ScheelAss seat covers
In 2016 I bought an Alpina ScheelAss seat. The fabric was roached but the foam and mechanicals were all great.
Before.
I stuck the seat in my attic and kind of forgot about it. I even reupholstered two OMP classic seats (seen in one of my earlier blog posts.) As I am now putting together my interior I began to think about how uncomfortable my wife will be in the fixed back bucket seat. I then remembered I had the Scheel collecting dust.
So, I bought a HD sewing machine on a Black Friday deal from Joann’s and reupholsters the bottom insert and made a removable upper insert. I wanted to keep the Alpina fabric underneath it. I also patched up the left side bolster with a leftover corduroy swatch I had in hand.
I’m very happy with the finished product. I’m not chasing perfection and I like it that way. Haha. Below is the after photos.
After.
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It's not the crime, it's the [door panel] cover-up
Time to tackle the interior door and rear side panel coverings. The front door panels were in sad shape, had holes in them for speakers and the backing board was falling apart. The rear side panels were also in 50 year old tired shape, with bigger issues to the backer boards.
Also, I wanted my door panels to match my newly reupholstered Recaro seats (https://www.bmw2002faq.com/blogs/entry/2594-raising-recaros-back-from-the-graveyard/) and my rear seats, so when I ordered the seat recover kit from LSeat.com, I also ordered an additional 40 square feet of the same leather.
I was hoping to make my own replacement front door panel cards, as mine were severely deteriorated and had speaker holes. I bought what I thought was the best plywood for this project, but they just seemed too thin and flimsy. So, I bit the bullet and purchased new cards from Turtle Laboratories. They were pretty good, but a couple of the top holes had to be enlarged with a sharp blade because they weren’t lining up with the top black metal frame piece. Not a big deal, but thought I would mention it. Also, I gave the new wood backer boards a couple coats of urethane varnish to add extra moisture protection.
I took lots of pictures when I tore them down to make sure I had all of the documentation needed to put them back together. This is a huge step, don't overlook it. When you put everything back together, those tear down pics are priceless.
I also was hoping to stich my own door panel material. I used my wife’s cheap Brother sewing machine to sew a new vinyl upholstery for my boat and it worked fine. However, the leather from LSeat was just too thick and it wouldn’t sew a stitch. So, I bought a Chinese knock-off of the Sailrite sewing machine, but it too wouldn’t sew a stitch in the leather, so I returned it. I have a local friend who does auto and marine upholstery, so I handed him the project and he did a great job. I wanted the stitching to closely match the “stitching” on the original panels and he didn’t disappoint. I also thought I was going to need to staple the upholstery on the card, so I was preparing for that, but ended up getting Weldwood contact cement to work perfect. I ended up not needing any staples at all.
For the rear side panels, my boards were pretty warped and torn. I used a steamer to heat and moisten the boards and worked them back into their original shape as best I could. After they were dry again, I used resin and fiberglass, with a little thin plywood, to rebuild some of the missing corners and torn holes. They aren’t pretty, but they are stronger and functional.
One thing to note if making repairs to the front or rear panels, at the top where the black metal frame piece attaches, you have to make sure you do not add any thickness above what was there originally. Not only does it make attaching the metal frame piece difficult with the prongs, but it also interferes with how the panel attaches to the top of the door/body. The clips actually sit right inside the lip of the black metal frame piece, so you cannot have anything impeding that area. My repairs were very much in the way and I ended up having to grind away a bit of my repairs to clear enough space for the clips to fit up in there.
When applying the new covers, I started by using 3M 90 Spray Adhesive to attach the new covers to the front of the panels. After the spray adhesive setup for a couple of hours, I used Weldwood contact adhesive on the back side of the panels when wrapping the extra around the back. The key thing to remember when using a contact adhesive is to follow the label directions. Usually that means applying the adhesive to both surfaces and letting them dry until they are tacky. After they are tacky, you can adhere the two surfaces together. The Weldwood holds very strong when applied properly and no staples are needed.
The results are fantastic, I am very happy with the door panels. And, the original rear armrest perfectly matches my new leather.
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Latest Entry
1000 Electric Miles in 30 Days
I’ve now logged 20 consecutive days behind the wheel of the Electr02, covering 1,000 miles over the last month. Rain and out-of-town commitments were the only interruptions that could keep me from savoring its daily ritual. Most days, I managed to squeeze in 2-4 hours of charging at work; on others, I got by without it. All of this on a humble 120V outlet, without a Level 2 interface, relying on the onboard 3kW charger, even if it only utilized 1.5kW. With a 45-mile range, my routes were brief, but fortunately, a dozen or so small towns lie within that radius, including those hosting friends, family, and my office. Once I had the range dialed in and my makeshift ‘fuel gauge’ calibrated, there was just one instance where I came up short and required a tow. The process of tuning that gauge came with its hiccups—two incidents, in fact, that ended in tow trucks. Both happened within a mile of home, making for some embarrassment, but they were valuable lessons that put my range confidence in the right place.
Range:
- At an enthusiast’s pace through flat terrain: 45 miles.
- At a snail’s pace (keeping to speed limits, coasting to stops): 50 miles.
My goal for this summer was straightforward: daily driving the Electr02 and entering a couple of autocross events. I managed to sign up for two but didn’t get to run. The first event left me with a bit of philosophical musing about EVs, while the second was lost to an untimely illness. The nearest autocross track sits about 40 miles away, presenting a dilemma. Without charging facilities nearby, I’d need either a tow or an overnight stay. The flat tow dolly that came with the car seemed like the simplest answer, but come race day, we discovered that the 02, now lowered even further by its new springs, needed an absurdly low hitch—one we didn’t have. We had to call it quits for the day. It sparked a reflection on the car’s utility: a daily delight, yes, but limited by its range when it came to reaching the best roads and driving events. I’d envisioned doubling the car’s battery capacity over winter, imagining more freedom—enough to reach the great roads and return. But now, having lived with the car day in and day out, I realized that its lighter front axle and shifted weight balance made for an incredibly balanced twisty-road companion, especially on short courses. For now, I’ll leave the setup as-is and focus on equipping a better tow vehicle while mulling over future plans—whether that means a hybrid system, a battery trailer, a generator, or some mix of the three.
Performance:
- 140kw @ 4000rpm into the motor, probably about 135whp.
- 2200 Lbs 48% Front / 58% Rear
- 0-60 7 Seconds 1/4 mile TBD
The Electr02 feels transformed with 250 fewer pounds on the front axle and the fuel tank weight moved ahead of the rear axle (and increased). Though I don’t have original corner weights for a stock 02, the electric motor and modern battery yield a distribution of 48% front and 52% rear. Initially, with the updated battery placement, the car rode on stock springs, cut in the front. The rear struggled with 300 pounds of batteries, leading to awkward handling in tight turns, as the tail bounced the front in and out of grip. Swapping in H&R springs brought balance, but introduced initial understeer as the front spring rate pushed weight off the nose. A pair of cut H&R springs at the front restored harmony, with an extra 100 pounds of weight on the front axle, yielding delicacy on turn-in and mid-corner corrections that felt almost telepathic. Under hard braking, the car straightens, with an inner front tire that protests just before lockup. The rear, with its weight and lack of an LSD, grips mightily until loaded to the edge, where the inside tire becomes the weak link. The dance at the limit between front and rear is exquisite. With the front singing at apex and a well-timed transition, the rear answers on exit. It’s a narrow window but one I hope to widen with better roll control.
Not all aspects of the performance shine, however. With enough torque to dust most 02s from a standstill, the Electr02 hits the next corner with more speed than before, and the brakes quickly find their limit. Initially suspecting a bad bleed, I discovered through summer work that the brakes were simply being cooked. A brake upgrade is needed, but one compatible with the 13-inch steel wheels I use daily, preferring to save the autocross tires. The transmission, shifter, and clutch system also need attention. The linkage and mounts cry out for a rebuild, and the master and slave cylinders have never inspired confidence. This winter, alongside the brakes, these will get a refresh, with urethane bushings for added strength. The rear subframe and trailing arms also await a rebuild, stiffer bushings, and camber compensation for the lowered stance. It promises to be a busy winter, but with dividends waiting in spring.
As a driving machine, the Electr02 is a joy—easy ingress, straightforward operation, free from distractions or grating intrusions. It’s all about the drive. While the 2 Series may be considered its modern-day equivalent, decades separate the Electr02 from when BMW last pushed the “sporting sedan” ethos forward. Modern cars, built for purpose, often lose out on that general motoring bliss, bliss that an electrified classic amplifies. The absence of engine noise clears the mental deck; fewer distractions mean a heightened drive. Modern EVs might isolate you with their tech and cabin cocooning, but the Electr02 amplifies each connection: a whisper of tire hum, the fleeting scent of heated brakes, a trace of rubber from the road. It’s an experience more intimate, one that demands the driver find their own engagement—the engine won’t do it for you.
Of course, even serenity has its disruptions. The battery and associated systems need proper enclosures to pass tech inspection for autocross and reduce NVH by securing the rear seat area with trim, covers, and sound insulation. The gauges need a refresh, carpets need replacing, the headliner needs cleaning, and the center console begs for installation, complete with a modern radio and center speaker.
Find joy in a light electric car, and you’ll notice yourself regularly carrying 10mph more at apex, neighbors smiling and waving as you pass. No one’s day ruined by the roar of exhaust; they hardly notice your pace. In smiles per mile, this might be unbeatable. Now, as fall wraps the Midwest, the Electr02 takes its place in the garage, awaiting winter improvements and another summer I can’t wait to greet.
Winter, Spring, and Summer Goals for 2025
Mechanical:
- Upgrade front brakes (final setup TBD).
- Replace front and rear bushings with urethane; solid subframe mounts; adjust RTAB and add bump steer spacers up front.
- Rebuild steering linkage bushings.
- Refresh shifter linkage bushings.
- Remove old rear battery boxes.
- Replace rear differential mount.
- Upgrade rear sway bar and bushings.
- Replace front sway bar with hollow, adjustable blades, and new bushings.
Exterior:
- Weld, repair, and repaint the front panel down to the lip.
- Replace rudimentary body electronics wiring with waterproof fuse and relay bus.
- Cut and buff paint.
- Replace window trim chrome inserts.
Interior:
- Rebuild and polish gauge cluster with new trim and bulbs.
- Update wiper and signal actuators.
- Install a proper battery enclosure.
- Create and install rear seat and parcel shelf covers.
- Install an interior light activated by door entry.
- Install a modern radio and console.
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Shock towers…. And other stuff
Alright so another update. I decided to tackle the shock towers. From the research I’ve seen it’s a pretty straight forward job. Cut along some landmarks and line them up with the replacements. So that’s what I did.
here’s what I started with. Some pretty nasty rot, and someone decided to repair it in the past with wire mesh and tar that I had to remove.
I discovered in the trunk that they also used those weld in metal covers over top of the shock tower. Luckily the metal wasn’t totally destroyed underneath. So I made my cuts and got the old tower pulled out
Then I cut out the shock tower. Really took my time here to make sure it fit right. Did my best to measure its location based on the owner manual dimensions. It was close. Certainly not perfect, but I think as close as I was ever gonna get it.
once I had it tacked up and checked for proper placement I welder it in.
So far I’ve got the drivers side done and have the passenger side cut out. I also did some tunnel repair, cut out some rust in the trunk, and found some ridiculous amounts of filler.
this is a chunk of filler that was holding up the fuel tank. There was probably 5 pieces like this I knocked out of the lower rear quarter panels.
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I'm Back my Back Won't be Back with MRIs
These are the significant slices of the September 13th 2024 MRI which show the Schmorle's Nodes. This is when the discs between the vertebrae herniate internally into the lower vertebrae. I attribute this to 30+ years of "Farmers Carries" with 40 pounds in each hand & walking the 80 extra pounds of Water Softener Salt, Chicken Feed, Firewood or set up my scaffolding & moving the planks single handedly. All of that is only a memory now.
As my Grandfather used to say, "I'm half the man I think I am & think I never was"September 25th was the Telehealth consultation with the Portland Maine Spinal Specialist. I asked the Physicians Assistant to have one of the surgeons also examined the MRIs. I pointed out that when I stand, the L7 into L8 into L9 especially10 into L11 are literally touching when I stand up. The 4 Schmorle's Nodes activate the nerve roots of my left Sciatic Nerve down to my foot , Back Muscles up into my jaw & locking up my left hip & shoulder. The Spinal Surgeon let me know these do not respond well to surgery because it never lasts & only make eventually make problems worse
Any relief from this are a powerful anti-inflammatory, an extremely powerful nerve suppressant, a high dose of daytime & higher nighttime muscle relaxant.
I never saw this coming but it's here to stay. I do all the PT exercises several times a day at times helps me put my self back in alignment when my pelvis twists left & down.
The diagnosis is only medically supervised & administered pain management. I have an Physiatrist appointment in Boston in late November & another more local one at the end of JanuaryRight now I am just trying to hold myself together the best I am able. The only real relief is laying on my back on a Pilates mat with a heating pad & as much traction as possible.
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Chocolate for brakes. The odyssey
Ok, folks, so for those who didn't witness my crying in the forums about my brakes, I will bring you up to speed........
Okay, now that you are up to speed, I blasted everything apart and was finally able to install my performance brake pivot from I.E. The existing pivot was a bit rusty but ultimately functional. The new one feels better, but I haven't tried putting any fluid in the system.
I was convinced that shims were required behind the push rod that goes into the M/C. So I got the tiny little shims (a bag of over 100) and had at it. While there, I sandblasted ( glass bead) everything and gave it a good coat of my favourite paint, Steelit. I assembled and installed it.
One note on assembly with the performance pivot. There is a support bracket that bolts to the fender, but you will need to remove it, as you can't align the bracket to the bottom bolts of the brake booster, so slip the central pivot bolt over the bracket. You must do this because you can't remove the bolt holding in the pivot; you need to drop it over the slotted bracket, so you can't slide it back to clear the fender-mounted bracket.
I know this is a mouthful, and to be honest, I should have removed the two bolts on the fender bracket and the four at the firewall, loosened the main pivot bracket, and pulled it all out as one unit. Live and learn
Now that I have the main bracket installed and the pivot bolt tightened (not too tight, or the performance pivot won't roll), I can proceed to the original task of shimming out the push rod, eliminating space between the rod's tip and the MC.
So I stacked 6, then pushed the M/C flush; nope.. too many... so I took another one-off, nope, still pushing off.... so that continues until I have one 0.5 mm shim. So, long story short, there isn't a problem with the shimming of the actuator rod. F&%K !!
I got my old M/C and tried it, but I still felt the same. Okay, so plan B is to take the new M/C apart.
I found the little washer floating around inside the spring. It is essentially doing nothing. The second picture shows how I think it should go.
Some small holes in the piston look like they are there to let fluid pass through. If the spring is pushing on the rubber seal, I don't think it will allow the fluid to flow through. I will need to look at this more, but loose parts inside the M/C seem like a red flag.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
This is what I found when I popped out the piston.
I think that It should look like this.
Here are the holes.
This is how the small washer sits on the shoulder of the piston.
Here is the entire internal assembly.
Bore measurements look ok.
Before Pictures.
After pictures
****** Update Oct 20th 2024*****
After reversing the spring and reassembling the M/C, the bleeding process was normal. I filled up the brake reservoir and made some small tappity tappity on the pedal to see if I could get any air out, and surprisingly, I got a lot out of the rearmost hose. This was a tip that I got from Junkyard Diggs (YouTube channel). I noticed a difference in the pedal feel right away.
I then proceeded to power bleed the system with a pressurized cap set to about 12lbs. I got a little air out of the left rear calliper.
I hope this helps.
Regards
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Track Day or Bust
This is long... I mean, It's been like a year and a half. You thought I gave up, didn't you? Do I have to link the hamburger scene again?
Last season I said I was going to put the car on the track by the fall. It never happened. I thought I was so much closer than I really was. It was a pretty big disappointment.
I told myself no excuses this year. Get it there and rev the snot out of it. Spoiler: Video at the bottom.
The things that happened between then and now? There have been a lot.
Brake line flaring, engine tear down, painting, custom digital displays, suspension, exhaust fitting, custom intake, welding, interior, coolant system, DC fan.. Literally every other aspect of building a car other than putting the windows in the doors, and of course all the other things I previously did.
I'll touch on a few points of interest, at least to me. As in, I wish I knew this earlier.
Brake lines:
I bent up the stainless lines and they looked so good. I was pretty diligent on their fitment and I thought I got it all right. I bought a flaring tool that seemed to do the job and called it a win. That was loss number 1. With the system in and bled I tried to build some pressure for the first time and dumped brake fluid on all four corners. No matter what I tried the stainless lines were just too hard. They never seated properly in the mating connectors. Most of them wept. I then bought some nickel copper lines and had another go. Loss number 2. They were way too soft. I could not flare them properly either. The flare would get 75 percent there then fold over on itself. I tried and tried but couldn't get them to play nice. So I bought the pre-flared lines and bent them up. Not what I wanted, but they work. Just call me Goldilocks. No pictures because this was miserable.I welded up a thermostat switch on the radiator for the electric fan.
It was about this time - I think - that I ran out of money so what better time to start another project! A free one of course. And you know what is free? Thinking. Thinking is free, and designing. I wanted to make a gauge cluster that would replace the Fasten Seatbelt light on the dash. My first electrical engineering project. I used KiCAD to design the system. The first revision was not too bad. I used a Raspberry Pi Pico ($4.00!) as my brain and a few other components to get data from some sensors. And it worked!I shared the project with a friend who happens to be an EE and he was eager to get a Rev 2 going that was more up to a standard. With that, we cranked out a second revision of the PCB and built up a unit. There is a brains board which takes in power and sensor data, uses the onboard ADC pins to get a digital signal and outputs the data to two displays and four RGB LED's mounted where the seatbelt light housing was. Right now it only outputs oil temp and oil pressure. One of the LEDs will blink red if pressure is low or temp is high. The other LED's will be hooked up to the tachometer and will act as shift lights. Fully programmable, I plan to have them light up green at 4k, yellow at 5k, and blink red at 6.5k RPM. I take a little credit for the vision here, but to get to this level of product, I relied heavily on my friend who was more than generous with his time and brain. Thanks a million, Joe!
Engine off. Warning light blinking for low pressure (or high temp)
Good pressure!
I am thinking about rev 3, already. I want to add water temp and water pressure. Also thinking about adding a wide band O2 maybe accelerometers for fun, that's a little bit more involved though. A second rev of the display housing will be done soon. I want something a little original looking, but still different? I don't know. We'll see.Another free project was designing intake runners for the carbs. I had these silly little filters mounted directly to the carb face and I didn't like it. So out came Fusion 360 again and I designed some runners.
I got some parts from sendcutsend and welded up the assemblies. They sound good and do the job. I like to think they add a little torque down low, as well.
Engine:
With the engine in, it was time to fire it up for the first time and start tuning the DCOEs. A few things went wrong here. Tuning was impossible. Nothing was consistent, I had a lean condition when snapping the throttle open, and some smoke out the tail pipe. Oil pressure was way too high as well. I discovered this with my prototype digital gauges! It was very frustrating but I let it be for the time being. We had other things to get done. We got the car over to Marshalls shop and we installed the exhaust. He was generous enough to swing by with his trailer, pick it up and drop it back off.
I bought a few items from AceRace.com to include V band clamps (Thanks, Zeppo!) and we got everything all fitted up and tacked together. We were able to resolve the high oil pressure by dropping the oil pan and deburring the slide in the pressure relief valve. With the car back home, I did the final TIG welding on the clamps and got the exhaust installed.
Back to the engine. I ended up pulling the carbs off and found oil pooling on top of the intake valve.
I was so confused. I then recalled the machine shop offering to put the valves in for me, which I let them do. Hidden under those valve springs were Amazon.com sourced blue valve seals and they didn't seal a thing. Oil was pouring through them. The machine shop work was just about 2 years prior so there was no going back. Off comes the head. Number 1 intake valve was a little sticky coming out so replaced that, lapped it, and new seals. Then I noticed vertical scratches on the bores. Welp, while you're in there(!) - I pulled the bottom end apart and honed the cylinders, again. New rings, new bearings. Back together.
In tandem with the gauges and runners,The interior went in. It was a pain, but it went in. I got an AGM battery mounted under the rear seat on the passenger side with a battery cut off mounted behind the driver seat. The headliner was also a pain. I used the wrong adhesive. It did not play well with the paint and therefore was not sticky enough. Front and rear windshields went in. The rear was very difficult. After that, I began to thread the 3 point seatbelts into the B pillar. I quickly learned that there was no plate behind the B pillar and that the previous owner simply "tapped" sheet metal. Maybe half a thread... maybe. That was a debacle to fix, but I did it. There is now a plate back there and plenty of threads.
Back to the engine, I still could not get it to tune after the second rebuild. I took the carbs off again. It had to be the carbs.
DCOEs have a lot of passages. They are all plugged with little lead plugs at the sides of the housing. I drilled out all the plugs and cleaned all of the passages with a small drill bit, carb cleaner, then ultrasonic cleaning.
I pulled out so much gunk, it was a step in the right direction. I then went to Walmart and bought some lead shot sinkers. I used them to plug up the passage ends. I made some blank jets for the starter circuit. I never used it and it just leaked all the time, so I closed it all up.
I still found that fuel would leak into the barrels. WHY?! Well after watching a video on properly setting the float height for the 4 thousandth time I realized I was missing a washer that was under the needle valve. This meant that the float hit the valve at an aggressive angle and the valve never closed completely - 99 percent is not 100. Problem solved. Engine tune-able!I was running out of time. The last track event was October 5/6. Gotta move. I bought font and rear ST sway bars, painted the hood, trunk, fenders, and doors. They all look terrible, but I was getting this car on track no matter what. With it drivable I took it over to Marshalls for a bolt check. Up on the four post, with it sitting on it's wheels, we methodically went through everything and got it all ready to go. I was missing a few cotter pins, a few loose nuts, bushings not fully seated. It was a very good thing we did this.
Important note
I owe a lot to this community for all the knowledge and advise with these cars. Thank you. I want to extend a very special thanks to Marshall and Jim G for always lending a hand and donating parts to this build. You guys pulled me out of more than a few binds over the years. Time, parts, resources, it would not be on the road now without all the help. Thank you both so much. I'm glad I could help clean out all your excess parts.All that work culminated into about 30 miles on the street shaking the car down. I will say that I reserved probably 15 of those miles for engine break in. After which I eagerly pressed my foot to the floor.
30 miles around town, then the next 100minutes on track. Oil pressure was great, oil temp was a little high. You can see the red light blinking in the video I backed off on the straights to try to keep them reasonable - Under 250F. But it was fun!
I changed the oil when I got home and it looked like break-in oil should. A little glittery, no chunks. I cut the filter apart and was pleased to see clean pleats.
More things to come. Are any of these projects ever really done? For now, I can enjoy it for what it is meant to be. Can't wait for the next track outing.
Coil overs, camber plates, more custom stuff. Very exciting!
It was so windy that the blow up paint booth almost flew away. This was the only day I had to paint so I improvised. It was not the best...
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Off the table
Right so winter is coming and other cars needs love too so pushed this a little further. Chassis welded to bottom/floor. Cut & unbolted from jig table and lifted it up. Worked better than I expected. Cut supporting metalwork off. And I did weight the pile: about 80 kg. What a relief to get to this point! Happy happy.
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M10 1.8 L turbo engine
There are bits here and there about this build so I’ll put most of it here.
Short block: M10 1.6L 84 mm bore. Either from 02 or E21. Bored to 0.25 mm oversize. JE pistons, Total seal rings. Cr 8.9:1. Std 2L 80 mm stroke crankshaft. S14 (2.3L) connection rods w/ oe bolts. TTV Racing flywheel w/ 60-2 trigger teeth. Tii hub w/ custom Al flange for alt and dry sump drives. Pace dry sump pump. Are oil pan.
Clutch: Sasch 184 mm twin plate, AP racing discs. Tilton tob.
Head: 1.6 small port as a base. Full port and c/camber job. 46/38 oe valves. Custom cam 27x/29x i/e. Eibach double springs.
Manifold: custom, low mount. Tial 46 mm wg.
Turbo: Holset hy35/40. Water cooled chra, #16 twin scroll turbine housing. 3,5” exhaust pipe.Intake: custom intake for 40 mm itb’s w/ injector (980 ccm Bosch EV14) ports. Custom fuel rail. Aeromotive fpr. Jenvey turbo plenum. Custom intercooler. HKS pop-off valve.
Ecu: DTA s60 + Apexi avc-r. 034 motorsport coils. NGK b8ecs or br8ecs plugs. Accel 300+ race wires w/ Accel & Moroso heat shields. 98 E5 pump gas.
Max boost: 2 bar.
That’s about it.
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Turning a corner! The path to paint
9/10 Headed to the body shop!
Fender was worse than we thought. So much for my efforts to roll the fender. I'll just have to do it again.
Nick did a great job! I had a BMW factory fender repair panel and a rear quarter patch panel from Blunttech
New driver's side floorpan from W&N
Nick welded in the template pieces I designed & had Sendcutsend make and the captured nut for the brake tee that I fabbed
I think I picked my paint color. And a crude effort with Pixelmator to mock it up.
7/17 And now over to BlastCo in Quakertown, PA for sandblasting!
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Headliner, Day15: Done!
Tied the last few ends up today. Installed the dome light, doesn't work...but at this point I don't really care! Washed the 1600 to see if there weren't major leaks from the new seals. None that I could see. Now getting it ready for the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Festival on September 6. My kids and their significant others will be in town for the festival and I have 3 cars to get ready for the Glenora Run! The 1600, the 633csi, and the Mustang. Hope everyone enjoyed the blog!
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Help with timming issue
The last two times I have set the timing to the ball the idle drops form the 1400 rpm( i have it set at to time it) to around 1270.
I have a 1975 2002 automatic,original motor .Weber 32/36 carb the dwell at 60 all vacuum leaks fixed,all valves property adjusted. It sits a 1400 rpm right until I hit the ball. any ideas?
Thanks
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When I haven't posted an update for a while, it means I haven't done anything, usually. I've actually been getting a lot done on this. Where to start?
My rear window bottom corners were replaced at some point, and poorly. I was able to source donors an put those in. Very happy.
The back panel had about 1/2" of filler in spots. I ground all that out and did some fine tuning on it, and it's much better now. It isn't perfect, but it doesn't have to be. That will get replaced years down the road when I replace the front.
And finally, I removed the tarboards from the interior. 3M adhesive remover worked really well. This still took a lot of time and I'm only half way done!
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I bought a 2002! After looking around for quite a while and my daily commute ending, I decided to sell my newer fun car and buy the car I've always wanted. I'm an engineer at heart and wanted something that would allow me to be creative and engineer what I think is the ideal 2002. My car that was sold to purchase this was a 2011 Volvo C30R which was very fun and pretty quick but lacked the connection a vintage car gives and it felt that any upgrades were just chosen from a list that everyone had to choose from.
Anyways, I had a buddy drive with me to Sac and I came back with a 1975 BMW 2002. Here's a link to the car posted on the FAQ that you may remember:
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Chasing Leaks and Tuning Idle
Well, one good thing about getting the motor running, it does provide some quick feedback on if you have any leaks. After going through the mis-adventure of the leaking heater core, (turned out to be just the hose clamp to the heater core on the driver's side), I did identify 3 leaks while running the motor. I had an oil leak at the oil filter housing, a coolant leak at the thermostat and a transmission leak at the back of the transmission (output shaft seal, shift selector seal, or both). Two leaks I have successfully fixed and one remains until I have enough motivation and help to complete the task.
The oil and the coolant leak were first on my list. I started with the oil leak at the oil filter housing by pulling that part and inspecting all the connections (oil filter, AN fittings to the oil cooler, oil pressure sender for the aftermarket gauge and the oil pressure switch for the oil light on the dash). My inspection uncovered my mistake pretty quickly, I used the wrong type tape to seal the threads on the AN fittings and the oil dissolved it and started leaking. Cleaned up the threads and decided to use a proper thread sealer (Gasoila) to prevent future leaks. I had a "while I was in there" moment and decided to replace the electric oil pressure gauge with a mechanical one. Not because it was leaking or not working, but because it seemed to be always near pegged at 80 Lbs, the limit of the gauge. I found a 52mm mechanical oil pressure gauge from Dyno Racing on Amazon that reads up to 150 Lbs and bought it and the Dorman Universal installation kit. When it arrived, I thought I would just use the original M12 to 1/8" NPT fitting I had for the electric oil pressure sender to install it. I pulled the original adapter from the oil filter housing, coated the threads in Gasoila and screwed it back in. As I was snugging it up, I suddenly snapped in two, leaving the threaded section in the housing. Turns out, it was cheap aluminum and many people had the same issue. I did manage to find a stainless steel version and installed it instead. With all the fittings installed, I reinstalled the oil filter housing, ran the oil hose through the firewall and installed the gauge in the console.
Now the coolant leak. I never liked how some of the hose connections to the thermostat fit, lots of strange angles and hose clamps that didn't quite fit square on the fittings. For good measure, I reworked the lower hose from the thermostat to the radiator (longer) and the hose from the thermostat to the water pump (also longer). I replaced some of the clamps that weren't tightening properly with new and that seemed to correct the issues. The thermostat has two M14 fittings for sensors. I had one fitted with the sensor for the 52mm water temp gauge in my console, the other had a plug that I tapped for a ground wire for the other sensor. Well, this arrangement was not leaking, but when I was running the motor, the water temp gauge never seemed to register anything. I decided to replace the electric water temp gauge with the matching Dyno Racing mechanical gauge to see if that would solve my issue. When the gauge arrived, I found 2 issues, the probe was larger than the hole in my M14 adapter and that the connector for the probe was 1/2" NPT. I ended up drilling the M14 to 3/8" NPT hole larger so the probe fit through and then adding a male 3/8" NPT to 1/2" female NPT adapter to secure the temp probe. After everything was installed, I started the car and brought it up to temp (170 F out of the head). This equated to about 155F in the thermostat where cooler water from the bottom of the radiator mixes with hotter water from the head which was now showing on the new gauge. The old electric gauge was probably working, but the scale was such, that 150F didn't move the needle much. I completed the cooling system repairs with the correct radiator cap.
After firing up the motor after these repairs, no more oil and coolant leaks, but the motor still idles very high during the warmup cycle. After warm up enrichment is off and the idle control valve is closed, it should idle around 850 - 900 RPM. My motor idles around 1200 RPM when warm and nothing I have done seems to change it significantly. My theory is that I have too much air entering the motor which requires more fuel to get a decent AFR, which drives up the RPM, which increases the advance, which drives up the RPM. Here is a list of things I have done to work on this issue.
1. Verified the duty cycle of the IVC (20% closed, 85% open)
2. Restricted the air flow on the input side of the IVC (rubber stopper with a hole in it)
3. Cleaned the Air Bypass Screws, changed the O-Rings, reinstalled and adjusted with Carbtune (see video)
4. Turned in the idle speed screw (no change)
5. Modified the ignition map to run 3 degrees at idle (did drop the idle slightly)
6. Modified VE table at idle to produce 14.0 - 14.5 AFR
7. Performed smoke test on ITB vacuum ports and noted air leaking from throttle plates (Don't know if this is excessive, but will reset throttle plates at .1mm)
Things left to do
1. Pull throttle levers and verify proper length
2. Remove current TPS and adapter (Massive)
3. Reset throttle plates to .1mm
4. Reinstall throttle levers
5. Replace Massive TPS adapter with VAC Motorsports version (adjustable to remove signal delay to ECU)
6. Check and recalibrate Air Bypass screws with Carbtune (if needed)
Hopefully, getting me to a reasonable idle speed will be the end result of these changes so I can move on to other tasks, interior, suspension sitting too high, transmission leaks.
Thanks for reading!
Mark92131
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So jumping back into one of the many projects that goes into restoring our 2002. The heater box.
Last I posted, it was looking like this:
I got the kit from PRDesignsf....great kit. Wish it included the nuts/bolts to attach the heater valve to the box. But a trip to Ace fixes that.
It was in pretty rough shape but a quick vac and wash it was ready for plastic repair and paint.
I chose to paint the metal parts instead of plating them. Not sure if that was smart, but we'll see.
Also hit the body of the box with some paint after thoroughly cleaning it.
Reassembly was pretty strait forward. Getting the heater valve rebuilt was a little difficult. Mostly because of the corrosion of the screws holding it together.
I was afraid of breaking it while taking it apart!
It cleaned up well
The fan still works so I cleaned it up as best as I could and the new cables that came in the kit installed.
I'm still putting this together and should be done later today.
While I was at it, I also freshened up a Rock Island 571 vise a friend gifted me.
All it really needed was a good cleaning and paint. It's not perfect, for example there is a crack in the base, but it doesn't keep it from being useful.
But to be expected from a vise made during WW2.
I'll tear it down again one day and weld the crack. For now, a shot of John Deere tractor green will do.
I'd been without a vise since moving into the house. So this is a great addition to the shop.
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Leaf Motor Stack Advances EV Conversion
These past months have been filled with planning and hunting for key components to move my EV conversion of the 1971 Roundie know as Phaedrus forward. I've been following auctions for wrecked Leafs to source both the electric motor and battery pack, with a focus on the 2018 or later models that feature the third generation ZE0 motor stack with a 110kwh inverter and 40-62kwh battery packs. This newest motor offers 147HP and 236 ft/lbs of torque across the entire power band, which would give the conversion substantially more oomph than the stock motor I've pulled.
I landed one from a salvage yard between Boston and Providence a couple of weeks ago and made the 10-hour roundtrip trek to haul it home to NJ.
I've also been busy organizing a new kind of cooperative group called electr0motiv to make classic car EV conversions faster, easier and more affordable by working together. We're also calling the collaborative approach an EV Builder Guild because part of the mission is to facilitate learning, training and knowledge sharing so that more people can develop skills to do EV conversions. The idea is that a network of regional cooperatives can help convert DIY into Do-It-Ourselves, and make the conversion process more social and fun. For now, we're functioning through a Facebook group -- which you all and anyone you know who may be interested are welcome to join.
Meanwhile, with the stack back at home, I enlisted my college and high school age sons on XMas day to help me hoist it out of the Ford Flex and get it into the garage. I also broke the motor stack down, taking off the Powder Distribution Module on top, and the reduction gear box off the back of the motor.
That will make it a little easier to test fit the motor in the engine bay. The plan is to connect the motor directly to the four-speed manual transmission, via a frabricated coupler and an adapter plate. Utilizing the manual transmission will enable the right RPM range to the drive train -- otherwise I would require some other kind of reduction gearbox. The one I took off the stack is intended for the front wheel transverse configuration in the Leaf.
Procuring a battery pack with 40kwh or more of capacity is the next big challenge. Along with it is the work to fit that capacity into two battery boxes split between the trunk and the engine compartment to preserve the 2002's weight balance. While there is some weight reduction gains from the motor swap, exhaust and gas tank deletion, the batteries are likely to weigh between 600-800 lbs, so there may be some need to beef up the suspension with both the slightly greater gross weight and the significant power and torque gains.
Other big considerations are the Vehicle Control Unit and Battery Management System boxes needed to talk to the inverter to send power through the system and to manage the batteries and charging systems. I'll also need to find solutions for electric heating and a vacuum pump to replace the brake vacuum booster.
As always I welcome input, feedback, ideas and support on how to accomplish this conversion, on everything from figuring out how to mount the motor stack in the engine bay to leads on a battery pack or the other components needed to get this 2002tee back in the fast lane.
What's more, this new EV Builder Guild needs smart folks like those in this great community to grow the group and bring along their restoration expertise and technical gumption. Happy New Year!
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Latest Entry
VLOG: 1972 Resto Mod (Road Race) BMW 2002 Turbo
We will be documenting this build in pretty good detail. Our medium is VIDEO, so there will be videos about 8-20 minutes long posted to this blog every few weeks to few months (months if we get really busy with production work). We are not new to fabrication, but we are new to this chassis. Feel free to share your comments or suggestions.
If you want to support the build, there are 2 ways:
1. Watch our YouTube videos all the way through and leave a comment and a thumbs up!
2. If you are looking for E10 parts, we have some parts for sale. I will make a post about them soon! This build will take over a year and will be a road-worthy car that is definitely track focused with sanctioning rules met (full cage, fire suppression, fuel cell, etc).
Also, I know these aren't officially an "E10" chassis. That is a common nickname, and we are using it
Video 1: Teardown and engine revival attempt. The engine is worth way more running... but can we get there without investing too much time and money to make it worth it?! Watch to find out.
Video 2: Front suspension fabrication and layout. We reveal the wheel and tire setup (though we don't actually say the size... they are 275 wide!). We also discover an issue with our front suspension design and pledge to correct it in episode 3. We also cut a few more sections of sheet metal out of the car and drop the E10 rear subframe out.
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Latest Entry
Cool upgrades - Electric Fan and Silicone Hoses
1 Peter 3:15but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
I had these items hanging around collecting dust for the past few years. I set aside some time to get them finally installed. Electric Fan and Silicone radiator hoses from Ireland Engineering. The fan is wired in with a relay attached to switched power from the horn relay. I wrapped the wires in Temflex tape to match the wiring harness.A few hoses needed to have 1/4" or so trimmed off of them to fit perfectly but the hose kit included nice hose clamps so everything went in very nice overall. I spent a little time flushing out the cooling system and the heater core, which is just good maintenance. I will do an additional flush of the cooling system after running it a few cycles and then it should be pretty solid.
In order to install the electric fan, other than the relay wiring, The stainless steel front panel from a dishwasher I replaced was used to make a bracket that bolts onto the radiator mounting bolts and the fan.
Overall it took me longer to install everything than I thought it would but it's also been 104 degrees and I've been stealing an hour here and there to get it done. I finally took a good part of a Saturday to finish up the wiring and harness wrapping.- Read more...
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Latest Entry
Hazard flasher "always on"
As many of you all have, I recently have started restoring the interior of my '75 02.
When ordering parts I decided to purchase a new hazard flasher from rogerstii, installed it and the performance of my turn signals improved greatly...and probably gave me an extra 20 BHP!
Anyway--i just got my car back from the body shop where they welded in a replacement floor pan, and they said my flashers were going off, even when the ignition was off. And yeah, the new switch just turns them on without a key in the ignition.
I put my old, weary hazard switch back on and flashers didnt come on by itself, but neither the turn signals nor the hazard switch work. With the old one the hazard switch didnt activate, but it made the turn signals weak...kinda worked
My Question:
*Did the act of using a mig welder fry the relay, or the actual switch?
*Is it a bad flasher relay or a bad hazard switch?
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NORWAY Adventure 2023
I seem to always dream up wacky and out of the norm adventures to average person. For those of you who are also 02 obsessed you are most likely of the same nature. Before embarking on my journey I really didn't know what to expect. I had a friend who was going to ride shot gun with me, but then due to a family emergency couldn't make it. Bummer.
I have to admit I was a little timid for a brief moment and wavered whether I should go, but there is no tomorrow; less thinking more doing. Once I got myself back on track for planning my solo trip I reached out to the Norge 02 group on Facebook. All the members were supportive and gave tips where they could which I found so very helpful. (Thank you Norge 02 Group!).
My journey started on June 17th and concluded on the July 1st. I wanted an adventure and I got one.
Sunday morning before arriving in Kristiansand, Norway. HollandNorway Ferry
Packed in like sardines, preparing for unloading in Kristiansand, Norway
Southern Norway with a goal of getting to Stavanger to meet up with Johannes.
Roadside Assistance! Thanks Johannes
Johanne's clean 02.
Incredible generosity and hospitality. Not only did Johanne's help adjust my wheel bearing he and his wife invited me to stay. Truly grateful.
First hella long underwater tunnel of the trip. I would have hated to be behind me with my exhaust!
One of the many ferry required to reach my destination. Often times I'd adjust my travel plans based on speaking with other people on the ferry or at campsites.
These views are everywhere, but felt compelled to take advantage whenever I could.
The reward at the end of my day. The beer wasn't as expensive as I'd read. Granted it is expensive, but just a bit more than in the Netherlands.
Took the train in Flåm up the mountain. This is a massive water fall that the train stops at on the way up and down.
Took a side route that got me off the main highway, wasn't disappointed.
The true adventure begins. Camped most of the trip, unless is was raining cats and dogs. The costs varied, but affordable. Little cabins were also available, but you'd need to call ahead to reserve.
Was recommended to check out this very unique boutique hotel in Laerdal.
Johannes Einemo has created a motorsport focused hotel that was built in the 1800's. The classic stying and vintage feel made me feel right at home. If you are anywhere near Laerdal, I'd highly recommend going to stay there.
That there is a real spare Testarossa motor. Better than keeping it in the garage where no one can see it.
The bar on the side of the hotel reminds of something you'd find at the Nurburgring. If you notice on the ceiling above the bar there is a small door. That door is for passing beer upstairs so you don't have to come down. Awesomeness!
Twists and turns galore, but short lived...
This camper blocked the road in both directions. They did their best to "try", but I decided to take a different route. Bummer.
On Kristan's recommendation I took this little independent ferry, which was tiny in comparison to the others. Only 3 cars onboard.
Fast slow going
This was awesome to get up to altitude and due to being late in the day it was empty.
Had heard that you could go skiing up on the mountain so went to check it out. Didn't ski, but next time I will!
Glacier skiing at it's finest.
Just missing the ski rack.
Can you recognize this spot? Look at how small the cruise ship looks from up here. It's the highest drivable motor parking lot in Europe.
Not often I drive my 02 to frozen lakes.
Climbing out of Geiranger Fjord.
The Trollstigen, just before descending into the valley.
Dooood, how dope does that look??! Recommended to drive it in the evening to avoid buses.
I stayed at the first campground I could find and this was it.
Sven invited me over to check out his very clean almost complete project in Ålesund. Thanks for having me over Sven.
Makin Norwegian friends!
Ålesund, Norway
Yet another ferry crossing.
Heard about this little town that had a bunch of of WW2 bunkers. The site was closed, but this was not such a bad place for lunch.
Initially I wasn't going to try and drive this road, but I was so close I had to. It's pretty short, but definitely scenic.
This is the first dinosaur bridge on the Atlantic Road.
Starting to head back South to catch the ferry back to Emden, Germany.
These types of churches, Stave Churches, have survived since the Middle Ages. Incredible that they still stand.
Fun!
I didn't stay when I rolled through the first time and when I had chance to spend the night in their "Garage Room" I had to do it.
Taking the whole experience in at the Laerdal Hotel.
Even from the toilet you can see your car!
Bedroom views!
What a rad experience! Johannes knows how to make something unique. I can't wait to go back.
The "Garage Room" used to be a butcher and still has many of bits inside from that time. Small cues that do not forget the heritage.
This is the old port in Laerdal. You may have seen some photos of Magnus Walker here.
Doin the good work. Johannes and Erik puttin in the time to clear out the old window factory walls to make more parking space! The plan for this space is car store, restoration and body/paint. In the middle of the building they want to put in a bar that has glass on all sides so you can watch what is happening. So dope.
Laerdal Tunnel - Longest car tunnel in the world.
Oh oh, this isn't good.
This really isn't good.
Makin more Norwegian friends
I was stranded and had to hitchhike to get to my rental car. I stood out there for a long time.
My parking garage for the next month. My insurance which is great, sent up a transport to bring her back to the Netherlands.
After picking up my rental car I stopped by to see Torleif. This is only one of his BMWs and the work he does is impeccable. Thanks for having me over Torleif!
Handed over the car keys to the rental and getting ready to board the ferry back to Emden, Germany.
Decent room and only 19 hours to get back. Too bad this service recently went bankrupt. I'm seriously lucky to have gone already. I heard over 75,000 people have lost their money.
What an amazing adventure. The people, the scenery, the roads, the breakdowns... it's all part of the story and feel very lucky to have these types of experiences. I can't say enough thank yous to the all the people who helped me along the way and especially before I left. Jeffery Kok was an essential part of me being able to do this trip! Without his expertise and advise I would have been stuck.
Hope it wasn't too long and boring for you to get through. If you made it to the end here, leave me a comment.
Look forward to meeting other 02ers in future adventures across Europe!
Peace,
Evan
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