With the all the mechanical and electrical elements of my build expected to be completed in a couple of weeks,  all that remains is adding all the shinny bits and dressing up the interior. I thought this would be an opportune time to add this information to the list of posts.  I was always curious to what extent other 'o2 enthusists had gone with respect to their projects,  but was always somewhat reluctant to ask. So I hope some find this helpful or at the very least some what interesting.

 

I have tried for the most part to list the various stages of my project as they were started.  I realize that some who have gone before me, have taken a different approach with their builds but through researching their work, I found this is the plan that worked for me. I also should point out that after joining the site in Aug, 2013 it took me another six months gain the knowledge and confidence to dive into this project. You see the car sat idle in my garage since Oct. 1979 collecting dust, without  engine or transmission. Both had been removed prior to that because of mechanical issues,  blown snycoros and  a seized rings to be truthful. They were repaired the following year but there were a number of life issues seemed to come at me in waves. I was difficult to find the time and resources nor the energy to deal with it. 

 

Now thirty five years later with retirement now providing an opportunity to catch up on a few things and the information this site provides, the once neglected classic became a priority once again.

 

Here is a brief history of the car.

 

VIN 2580042

Produced: Decemeber 21, 1971 Munich, Germany

Arrived:  Jan. 5, 1972 Montreal Que.

Delivered : Vancouver Auto, Vancouver BC Jan. 30, 1972

Sold Feb, 1972

 

Acquired (3rd owner) Aug. 10, 1978  (30240 mi)

Purchase Price: 4500.00  (CND)

Last driven October, 1979 (51156 mi)

 

Damage/Repair History 

 

• Front brakes,rotors turned and bearings, Vancouver Auto, June 18, 1975
• Right Vent window replaced Georgia Pacific  Auto, Victoria BC, Dec 11, 1975
• Clutch, presure plate and throw out bearing, German Motor Corp, San Fransisco, Ca.,  June 28, 1976
• Minor accident resulting in damage to rear roll pan,  repaired No. 1 Autobody, Vancouver, BC,  April 1979
• Syncros & main shaft replaced, Nixon Automotive, Burnaby, BC, Dec. 6,  1979, 
• Engine seized, Feb. 1980 
• New rings and bearing, repaired April 1980, stored as short block until Feb. 2017

 

Project started Aug, 28, 2015

Condition when started

 

All original metal no rust repair required

Original doors, fenders, hood and trunk

Original glass and interior

 

Sept. 2014

Prep work

• Soundproofing removed (dry Ice)
• Rockers soda blasted- (Specialty Blasting Ltd., Langely, BC)
• Floor pan soda blasted
• Wheel houses garnet blasted
• Support struts and columns garnet blasted

 

Sept. 2014

Body repair ( Panelcraft Restorations, Langley, BC)

• Markers deleted
• Reflectors deleted
• Rear roll pan repaired 
• Left Fender wheel well repaired
• Exhaust exit moved to centre of roll pan

 

December 2015

Paint ( Panelcraft Restorations, Langley, BC)

• Single Stage (002)
• Two coats
• Color sanded between coats
• Final coat colour sanded and buffed
• Under carriage inner fenders and wheel wheels undercoated

 

 

One of the tips gleamed from my research was the importance of bagging and tagging. I did try to catalogue as much of the mounting hardware as possible during the disassembling process.  Sheepishly, I  admit I was not as diligent as I should have been. As a result of my efforts I  managed to misplace a number of these pieces, mainly due to carelessness with moving them around... a lot . I admit I should taken greater care to bag and tag these pieces properly and store them all together. For those anticipating a similar type of build I can not tress enough how important it is to manage this part of the build more effectively. It will save you time and money when it comes time to open them up ready for refinishing or to re-install.

 

Plating

One of the things that always impressed me when I looked at restoration projects whether they be true restorations or mod/custom builds was the extent the owners went to to detail their projects. To be honest I wanted  to feel that same sense of pride. I know it's a slippery slope you enter upon when you start with such an approach but at the end of the day I saw no sense in just cleaning up hardware just to have look cleaner rather than something that completes the build  in looking new. I realize there is a opinion that All critical mounting hardware should be replaced because of strength  issues but seeing I has a complete history of the car I found no reason to go to that extent. That said few pieces I was unsure about were replaced with OEM hardware.. 

 

In  a few cases where I had misplaced some of the  mounting hardware I was fortunate to have some back-up.  I had parted a few cars during this build and kept just about every bolt, washer and nut from them. In any case,  I decided to have the lot re-plated. Not a cheap process by any stretch but one that I am glad I did. I chose to have them cad plated, a process that is more durable than yellow zinc. The majority was barrel plated but the larger pieces were hand dipped adding slightly to the overall cost.

 

The only pieces I did not re-plate was the hardware for the window/door mechanism. They were simply washed as they still retained their original patina. no corrosion was visible.

 

On Jan. 20, 2016,  the car returned from paint and with the all the plating completed I started on that long road to put it back together. Here is the work that has been completed since that day.

 

Suspension/Steering

Front

• Original front sub frame,  reinforced engine mount and lower cross support, garnet blasted, and powder coated
• Original  struts, torsion bars and pitman arms, garnet blasted and powder coated
• Original Steering box, serviced,polished and re-painted
• Deleted stock backing plates
• Stock 74 lower control arm stitch welded garnet blasted and powder coated
• New OEM drag link and ball joints
• E21 Hubs
• After market Cross drilled slotted rotors
• Rebuilt Gerling 4 piston callipers
• OEM bearings and seal
• Belstien HD struts
• H&R Springs
• ST Sway bar garnet blasted and powder coated
• IE poly bushings
• IE Stainless Strut brace

 

Rear 

• Original Rear Frame garnet blasted and powder coated
• Reinforced Sub frame poly bushings
• Tie bars, garnet blasted and powder coated
• Original  stock trailing arms garnet blasted and powder coated
• IE Poly bushings
• Original Diff hanger garnet blasted and powder coatedI, IE poly bushings
• Bielstein  HD shocks
• IE poly DOT 1 spring pads
• H & R springs
• ST rear sway bar garnet blasted and powder coated, ST poly bushings
• E21 rear backing plates, garnet blasted and powder coated
• New E21 Drums and brake pads
• OEM Wheel Cylinders
• Original hubs , new OEM wheel  bearings & seals
• E21 shafts with stock E10 ends, serviced new boots and painted.
• E21 LSD Differential (3.91) serviced new seals and fluid, painted and polished
• Late  model cover plate bead blasted and powder coated

 

Engine Bay

• Original firewall insulation 
• All original decals and labels
• Original wire looms
• Original Wiper motor and cover 
• Hold down bracket polished and plated
• Hood insulation replaced
• Custom Vapour can added
• Windshield washer deleted, SS container to be installed
• All mounting hardware cad plated
• Booster bracket and pedal box bead blasted , powder coated

 

Trunk

• Original gas tank, cleaned bead blasted and power coated
• Electric fuel pump added
• Original  gas filler cad plated
• OEM gaskets
• New fuel lines re-plumbed
• Original tank and spare tire well covers
• Original pinch mouldings
• Vapor tank deleted
• SS Shock tower brace and battery tray 
• Relocated battery

 

Braking System

• All original lines polished 
• T block, bead blasted and cad plated
• New lines for rear frame to replace original and to fit new MC
• Tii Booster (added)
• OEM  Tii master cylinder
• Braided steel brake lines 
• Cad plated hangers and clips
• New E brakes cables

 

Interior

• Original Dashboard and gauges
• Original Petri Steering wheel**
• Original Visors
• Original seat belts
• Original  door and window controls
• Original chrome threshold trim**
• Original Frt, seat mounting brackets and controls
• Original door and window mounting hardware and fasteners, re-plated where found necessary 
• Massive Billet seat adaptors
• Recaro fronts (rebuilt)frames bead blasted and powder coated
• E24 rears and console
• Custom console  New VDO gauges & clock
• Custom door cards
• Custom rear seat cards (ash tray deleted)
• Custom Hat Tray, LED brake light bar added
• Custom stainless steel gauge bezels
• Shortened E Brake
• USB & 12V plug added
• Stainless Steel Cup Holders
• Dome light relocate ( sun roof style)
• Custom headliner
• Custom sun visors
• DynaMat sound barrier
• DynaPad underlayment
• German  Square weave carpet
• Chestnut brown NapaLeather and black Vinyl upholstery.
• Custom kick panels
• Rebuilt Heater w/late model core
• Late model controls (Illuminated) added
• Illuminated stainless heater control bezels 
• IE billet door and window cranks
• Brushed Chrome trim pieces

 

Driveline

Engine (Built by Midnight Motorsport, Seattle Wa.)

• Original block magna fluxed and honed
• Forged Ross  9.5:1 Pistons (80mm stroke 90mm bore)
• New rods and bearings
• New mains
• IE windage tray and scraper
• 2 row crank sprocket
• 2 row cam sprocket
• New OEM oil pump
• New OEM water pump
• E12 Head, polished
• IE 1mm oversize SS valves
• New Rocker shafts
• IE Heavy Duty Single Valve Springs
• Chrome moly retainers
• 292 Shick Cam
• OEM timing chain and guide
• Twin Weber DCOE 40
• Ti manifold
• Redline linkage
• 12" Mr Gasket electric fan w/thermal switch
• New S14 starter
• New 318i 90 amp alternator
• IE Silicone radiator and heater hose set. 
• Cutom Stainless Steel Radiator
• MSD Ignition

 

Transmission & Drive Shaft 

• Getrag 245 Transmission (parted from 1979 E21)
• OEM seals & linkage knuckle
• IE Speedometer cable
• M3 E36 shift lever
• OEM Reverse light switch
• Shortened E10 shift platform (powder coated)
• Shift platform sound insulator "donut" gasket
• New Sachs E21/E30 Clutch slave cylinder
• New Sachs E 10 Clutch master
• IE SS clutch hose
• OEM Guibo
• Shortened drive shaft

 

Exhaust Sytem (Built by Midnight Motorsport, Seattle Wa.)

• Stahl Headers  ceramic coated
• Custom SS exhaust  center exit
• Summit SS Glass pack muffler
• Magnaflow 6x14 Muffler
• Summit Racing 2.5" tubing
• Quicktime electrical exhaust cutout

 

Electrical Systems

Lighting

• Carello H4 Headlights**
• Cadmium Plated Buckets
• LED taillight conversion
• Tail light trim re chromed
• Original LP lights, polished
• European Signal lights added
• Bosch Driving lights (TBA)

 

Audio

• Kenwood X998 receiver
• Alpine SPR 69
• Alpine SPR 60
• Pre wired for future amplifier

 

Electrical (Built by Midnight Motorsport, Seattle Wa.)

• Original harness rewrapped cloth electrical tape
• Original side markers deleted
• Relocated 12V battery
• 318i 90 amp alternator
• 12V plug added
• USB ports(2) added
• Viper Alarm System added
• Door lock actuators aded

 

Glass & Trim

• All original Glass*
• All Original Trim* chrome plated
• All Original knee trim, polished
• New OEM trim fasteners
• All original bumpers, chrome plated
• Orinal bumper brackets, bead blasted powder coated  
• Original Mud flaps** (re-plated hardware)
• New OEM mounting hardware and fasteners
• Stock F & R OEM over riders deleted
• Horn Style fronts added & chrome plated
• Euro style rear brackets added
• Original Antenna- polished
• All Original Exterior Handles and locks-polished
• Original SS Rocker Trim - polished and gaskets
• Original B pillar finisher, chrome plated
• Original Quarter Window finisher, chrome plated
• Vent Window frames chrome plated*
• Original Door Finishers, chrome plated
• New OEM rubber and felt trim
• New OEM sill gaskets
• New OEM Door Seals
• New OEM Quarter Glass Seals
• New OEM B Pillar Gaskets
• New OEM Windshield  Gasket & Moulding
• New OEM Rear Window Gasket & Trim Moulding
• New Gutter Trim
• New OEM Trunk and Hood Gaskets
• Original  D/S "Trap" mirror, chrome plated
• Added P/S "trap" mirror, chrome plated

 

Wheels & Tires 

• 15 x 7 Rotas ET25
• 195R50 x15 Bridgestone RE71

 

 

* P/S Vent frame and glass replaced because of damage caused by theft

** Original to car upon purchase however  I believe to be a dealer option or after market purchase

 

 

Thanks for your time.