Gretchen72 - Project SR2002 Touring

[gretchen72]

Hi,

After 6 years in storage I've finally re-started my project; Gretchen, an SR20 powered 2002 Touring.

This is a full ground up restoration with a bit of a difference as I am not restoring to concourse, rather, to my own personal taste. I'll use BMW parts wherever I can but if another manufacturers product is more appropriate then that's what I'll use. Obviously the engine is the biggest single change, what with it being a Nissan...

Basically the sky's the limit, but I'm trying to keep it real and within a reasonably generous budget. Even so, crazy ideas are being entertained and nothing is being ruled out at the moment.

I'll try and post as much detail as I can over the next weeks, months, years.., but for the time being I'll put up some pics of where I've been and where I'm up to.

I'm happy to take comments and constructive criticism, and I'm sure I'll ruffle a few feathers, so if you don't like the project, thanks and see you later, and if you do like the project feel free to chime in with suggestions.

Cheers,

Ad

[gretchen72]

Here's the pre-purchase concept. I was only ever thinking subtle body mods and period wheels with mildly tuned M10 in those days. Quite reserved compared to where I'm going now...

[gretchen72]

Let's skip the extreme boredom of me stripping every single nut and bolt out of the car...

Here's a pic of her delivered to the strippers and then two more of Gretchen re-born.

Seeing her stripped was an amazing sight. If you've ever had a car dipped you know what I'm talking about, but it's hard to describe. It's like she just came out of the factory.

There are 2 processes. First a caustic solution to strip off everything but steel (and oddly plastic?) and then a second dip to stop and reverse rust.

I was worried she'd come out looking like swiss cheese, but I was pleasantly surprised, sort of...

Every accident repair she'd ever had was revealed, being:

- Front clip and left front of the engine bay including the left rail (replaced!)

- left rear quarter from the b pillar to mid way through the wheel arch (replaced!)

- right rear quarter badly roughed out

- rear panel roughed out

- boot floor patched 10 million times including the fuel tank support

- passengers foot well patched, maybe only 5 million times?

And every piece of rust I may have missed if I didn't have her dipped was revealed, which was pretty much everywhere.

[gretchen72]

While I was procrastinating I pumped out another quick concept.

Picking colours is hard. Original 02 colours or something new??? I entertained the idea of Dakkar yellow for a while (the first rendering) and then this one in the more traditional silver with the ever popular Alpina rims.

[AceAndrew]

Grassroots Motorsports Magazine had a pretty nice little write-up on an SR-powered 2002 in this last months issue.

Good luck on the project.

[staunch2002]

Grassroots Motorsports Magazine had a pretty nice little write-up on an SR-powered 2002 in this last months issue.

Good luck on the project.

Any chance of posting a link? We don't get the magazine in Australia.

[M3M3]

While I was procrastinating I pumped out another quick concept.

Picking colours is hard. Original 02 colours or something new??? I entertained the idea of Dakkar yellow for a while (the first rendering) and then this one in the more traditional silver with the ever popular Alpina rims.

personally i am not a fan of silver, black or white. way too common on modern cars..it would just get lost in the crowd. they are colors for the masses.

dakar would be interesting.

technoviolet more interesting.

one color i will paint a car in some day is Karminrot. euro only E30 color. i briefly had a 320i in that color. sort of a rasberry red. stunning in person.

this was the car i had in that color.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=19434413

[jgerock]

Marshall and I are on the same wavelength

Bill Williams' Dakar Yellow 72tii

Marshall's (former) E30

[Swiftus]

Ok, I just pulled the first touring photo from google to make these..

After 2 minutes in photoshop we can now change the color of the car to any we like. Name a color and I will change the mask.

[gretchen72]

Ok, I just pulled the first touring photo from google to make these..

After 2 minutes in photoshop we can now change the color of the car to any we like. Name a color and I will change the mask.

Thanks for picking a car that I drool over on a semi regular basis.

I think I may have found the colour for Gretchen. Space grey.

[gretchen72]

maybe with satin black spoiler and flares?

[Swiftus]

I love that space gray. I was in and out of BMW dealerships this past weekend and I couldn't stop drooling over the 1 coupes in space gray.

I'm not at my computer, but I'll do a quick hue change in the morning (give me 8 hours to sleep).

[gretchen72]

I love that space gray. I was in and out of BMW dealerships this past weekend and I couldn't stop drooling over the 1 coupes in space gray.

I'm not at my computer, but I'll do a quick hue change in the morning (give me 8 hours to sleep).

You rock!

[Swiftus]

Just for good measure I did 3 shades.

[Swiftus]

Lets Add 1 more for a full spectrum