ISRGC Claims Another E30

[ClayW]

Just got a few boxes from Blunttech.com. This is going to be fun.

[M3M3]

hope those are not the same as these.....:-)

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,361829/postdays,0/postorder,asc/topic_view,/start,90/

[jgerock]

When changing out those rear springs, just remember to release the parking brake first.. it will make your life easier. I smell scope creep.

[ClayW]

hope those are not the same as these.....:-)

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,361829/postdays,0/postorder,asc/topic_view,/start,90/

Mine are a Bilstein comb deal. Springs and shocks.

Aren't yours H&R springs and Bilstein Sports that are a little too rough for the street?

[ClayW]

When changing out those rear springs, just remember to release the parking brake first.... it will make your life easier.

Thanks for the tips.

I smell scope creep.

You shut your mouth!

Actually, I'm on a very rigorous budget. We just sold the wife's Corolla, so now I have to make this car as reliable as that one was. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

"It's okay, Honey. These parts needed to be replaced"

[under my breath]: ".......with upgrades."

[jgerock]

Actually, I'm on a very rigorous budget. We just sold the wife's Corolla, so now I have to make this car as reliable as that one was. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

"It's okay, Honey. These parts needed to be replaced"

[under my breath]: ".......with upgrades."

So now Dana gets the E30 and a garage space? What's her commute like?

[ClayW]

So now Dana gets the E30 and a garage space? What's her commute like?

Yep! Now neither of us have cars outside. Also, an E30 is way more fun to work on and drive than a Corolla.

We both commute to her job in Woodley Park every day, then I Metro downtown.

[M3M3]

hope those are not the same as these.....:-)

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,361829/postdays,0/postorder,asc/topic_view,/start,90/

Mine are a Bilstein comb deal. Springs and shocks.

Aren't yours H&R springs and Bilstein Sports that are a little too rough for the street?

your billy springs look like they are made by H&R. they look identical to mine. did you get hd shocks or sports?

yes, the sport/sport combo is too rough for commuter/city use. hopefully you got the HD's with the H&R OE sport springs.

suggest cutting the internal billy bumpstops on the fronts regardless. i eventually will take mine back apart and do it.

[ClayW]

hope those are not the same as these.....:-)

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,361829/postdays,0/postorder,asc/topic_view,/start,90/

Mine are a Bilstein comb deal. Springs and shocks.

Aren't yours H&R springs and Bilstein Sports that are a little too rough for the street?

your billy springs look like they are made by H&R. they look identical to mine. did you get hd shocks or sports?

yes, the sport/sport combo is too rough for commuter/city use. hopefully you got the HD's with the H&R OE sport springs.

suggest cutting the internal billy bumpstops on the fronts regardless. i eventually will take mine back apart and do it.

Looks like you're coming over in the near future, Marshall.

[ClayW]

In my parts mega order, I included a short shift kit from Blunttech.com. I wanted to tighten the shifter up a bit and improve the throw, but, since the car is a daily driver that my wife and I share, I didn't want to get too aggressive with the shifter or bushings. Blunt's kit fit the bill.

So, here is where I started:

After removing the exhaust, heat shield and driveshaft, I gazed upon this oily mess:

After a little preliminary cleaning:

Removed the shifter carrier:

Then I replaced the transmission output seal and the shift selector rod seal.

Removed the old carrier bushing and replaced with new. If I repeated this effort, I might have gone with a delrin bushing, but the new, OEM rubber is nice and tight.

Comarison of the new Z3 1.9 shifter and the original E30 shifter:

Shifter carrier and associated parts installed:

While the center support bearing looked new and was pliable, the guibo was in need of replacement:

I also removed the driveshaft balancer/dampener.

Installed with new transmission mounts:

Also replaced a broken exhaust hanger.

The cherry on top of this project is the ZHP shift knob. It feels like a new(er) car.

[ClayW]

I started on the suspension this weekend. By Sunday night, thanks in no small part to Dudley and Marc, I had shocks and springs installed on all four corners and the rear got new subframe and trailing arm bushings. I have new tie rods ends, control arm bushings and control arms for the front, but those will have to wait until next weekend. The shock and spring combination is a "Bilstein Tuned Suspension" kit from www.Blunttech.com.

So I started by grinding my jackstands to slot into the frame rail/edge.

We yanked out the rear subframe and found some seriously worn shocks paired up with the car's original springs.

As strange as it seems, the rear shock mounts looked fairly new, though they were installed incorrectly atop prehistoric shocks.

We burned out the subframe bushings and used a homemade puller to remove and replace the trailing arm bushings.

Then we bolted the whole thing back up into the car. I'll get to that differential alter.

After realizing that I didn't have time to replace the tie rods, control arms and control arm bushings up front, but also couldn't drive around for a week with only the rear lowered, we decided to get the shocks, springs and upper shock mounts in the car. I'll get to the rest of it next weekend if the wife doesn't kick me out of the house.

So, here we go: New Bilstein shocks and springs all the way around. I also threw in E90 drop hats for a little more rake.

Before:

After:

I also swapped in a new shift boot from Fuzz Fabrics.

[ClayW]

(nt)

[M3M3]

interesting, even with the drop hats it does not look very low.

did you change the rear soft brake lines while you had the subframe down?

trim the front bumpstops?

[ClayW]

interesting, even with the drop hats it does not look very low.

did you change the rear soft brake lines while you had the subframe down?

trim the front bumpstops?

The new stainless braided lines brake lines didn't show up until today, so I didn't get a chance to swap them. However, after taking a closer look at my brake system, I'm presently ordering caliper rebuild kits for all four corners. I'll get into that this weekend.

As for the bumpstops, I popped the bottoms open and trimmed a section.

[M3M3]

would have been easier to do the inner soft hose with the subframe dropped.

good job on bumpstops.