Mucci

The bad news is I found out my roof has some pretty aggressive rust on the underside that's starting to bubble to the top. The good news is I'm already stripping the car down for paint. 

I'm a fabricator but most of my experience pertains to motorcycles so I'm looking for tips on replacing the roof in the car with one from a donor. 

With the little bit of research I've done it looks like a common way to replace a roof is to tack in a trusswork of angle iron on the interior that ties the lower pillars to the body and each other. Then chop the pillars like halfway up. The trusswork is to keep the lower pillars in place after the roof is gone. Measure and chop out the donor roof in the same spot then weld it to the lower pillars stubs of the main car. 

This seems like a good tactic in theory since I imagine the cross section of the pillars prevents warpage when welding. 

I'm interested in hearing from others who might have tackled this already. Have any tips or feedback?

I'm in search of a donor shell with a clean roof I can cut out. I'm in Portland OR. Willing to travel within about a 5hr radius and extract it myself. 

Ideally with sunroof. 

Thanks,

Dave

508-9three2-twelve88

On 7/26/2019 at 6:47 AM, xr4tic said:

I just got my AG battery, 3 lbs. I already had removed the original tray because I was going to mount in the trunk, but that doesn't make sense with a 3 lb battery, the long cables would weigh more than that.
 

Figured I would weigh the difference since I'm mid project and have a postage scale...

Here's the weight of the E36 positive battery cable to trunk, negative cable, junction block, and "junction to starter cable" (in this case it's the stock 02 positive cable.)

5lbs 2oz. 

With the stock 02 positive cable removed

4lbs 10oz. 

So the stock + cable is about 8oz. I'd say the stock ground strap is about the same length but braided and likely lighter. Let's say it's 6oz. 

So the added cable weight to relocate a battery to the trunk is an additional 4lbs 4oz (+/- 2oz.)

Removing the tray would save something too I guess. Maybe another few oz. 

This is of course pretty rough but yes you are correct that running the 3lbs battery up front instead of in the trunk saves you about 4lbs in addition to the 30 or so you are saving over lead acid. 

2 hours ago, xr4tic said:

I just got my AG battery, 3 lbs. I already had removed the original tray because I was going to mount in the trunk, but that doesn't make sense with a 3 lb battery, the long cables would weigh more than that.
I'll mount it close to the stock location



Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

How's that thing crank? I thought people used two of those daisy chained together. 480 CCA seems pretty low. 

20 minutes ago, cgates30 said:

I want to relocate my battery to the trunk and would like to use welding wire to run through a fuse to a terminal block in the engine compartment. I'm not sure what size of wire to get (and the fuse). The #2 wire is rated for about 200 A at 50 feet. The wire length will be much less than 50' and the starter shouldn't shouldn't draw current for more than a few seconds. Is a #2 welding wire suitable, or should I go with something larger? Also, for the fuse should it be sized based on the rated current of the wire (200A)? I guess... will that fuse blow if the starter briefly draws more than 200 A?

What I've read is 4 gauge or thicker is the ticket. In my search for the cheapest solution 25' 4 gauge jumper cables can be had for about $16 shipped on Amazon. Home Depot wanted about $1/ft. For reference the nose of the car to the trunk is about 13' A to B. 

Jumper cable and welding cable is pretty much the same "flexible" thin strand wire. 

There isn't typically a fuse between the battery and starter on cars. 

FYI - Just swung by the local Pick-n-Pull and grabbed the positive cable to the trunk, negative cable, terminal block, and positive cable from block to starter from an E46 for FOUR DOLLARS. Yes, $4! That also included a Bosch coil from a Volvo. 

Ok, ok, $6. I had to pay $2 to get in. Took about 15min to pull it. I just chopped the starter cable because it was way longer than I needed and I didn't feel like skinning my knuckles. 

Great, I just want to start it anyways. Thanks guys

13 minutes ago, JerryC said:

By the way, I'm curious now. What '02 are you working on? I've removed tumblers from a couple of them. Just wondering if I left this trail. My thoughts on removing the tumblers is that no one else knows they're gone, and any key will work afterward.

Thanks for the info. It's a 1975 in Taiga green. I pulled the passenger handle to get the code and had keys cut from it only to find out the ignition was different and the driver's side was uncoded and missing tumblers.

36 minutes ago, Einspritz said:

It depends on if you removed the switch from the lock and kept it attached to the wires before sending it to the locksmith.

 

If so, then a screwdriver should do the trick.

 

BTW there should be or should have been a sticker on the lock (Wxxxx) that will give the key code.

I'm not sure what you mean. I pulled out the pin and removed just the cylinder. The wiring is still there. 

Unfortunately the code wasn't there anymore and it turned out the doors were different. Someone removed a bunch of the pins so everything is getting rekeyed. 

So I don't need to make any electrical connection, just turn the thing with a screw driver? Looks like this

My ignition cylinder is out at the locksmith while he's trying to reverse engineer a key for it. 

I just finished rebuilding the carb and want to fire it up. I was wondering if I could start the car without the lock cylinder in it and what I would need to do to do it safely. 

Turns out the part number from Redline is just SYNC-LINK. My local Worldpac dealer ordered it in for me. Also if you get the Redline upjet kit (701-DGV4) it comes with the dual pumper nozzle. Just an FYI

Well, I pulled the other two cylinders. The driver's door doesn't have a W number on it and appears to be newer than the passenger side. 

Went back to the locksmith and he found that someone took two pins out of the driver's cylinder and filed a third. Likely to get it to "match" the ignition key. On top of that it also doesn't match the pass. side. 

I left it all with him and he's going to try to use what's left of the driver's cylinder to make guesses on a key for the ignition cylinder. Once he's figured that out he's going to rekey the pass side. It's never easy...

1 minute ago, Conserv said:

 

Probably not: your driver’s door and ignition lock cylinders have worn more than your passenger’s door lock cylinder.

 

I got new keys from BMW for the ‘73 based solely on the original key codes. The driver’s door and ignition worked not at all but the passenger’s door could be unlocked if you jiggled the new key a bit. I had the car’s original keys (with codes) and, I’m guessing, an old copied set (without codes), so I simply had the brand new keys re-cut — touched up — to match the worn originals.  Now all three sets work, but none is crisp and new.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

So if I don't have the original key anymore how would I fix this? Hit the new keys with a deburring wheel?

So I just got a key cut using the pass. door handle and code. Key works for the pass. door but not the ignition or drivers door. My old key worked on both doors and ignition.

Am I missing something? Did I somehow cut a reverse valet key?

Thanks for posting OP! That was a quick 2min job getting the passenger door pull off. 

For reference:

Anyone have a spare drivers side headlight bracket / bucket? 

3 hours ago, AceAndrew said:

Sync-link can be bought from Redline (owned by worldpac).  Redline is also the US importer of Weber carbs.  Therefore, your shop can get the sync-link the next day, just like webers…. if they know the redline part number.

 

edit: and today is the fourth.... so don't get your hopes up that something ordered today to be there in the morning.

Ah great, the shop is a Worldpac dealer. 

14 minutes ago, Mike87 said:

That is there to keep the new diaphragm from getting damaged during storage prior to installation. It now goes in your junk drawer for some hack later on.

Haha jesus. This is why I always reference technical documents instead of previous owners.

Ok thanks, I'll ask the shop if they can get them in the morning. 

Wanted to go with the sync link while rebuilding my 32/36 and I'm curious if the parts to do this are off of other Weber carburetors. Asking because the shop down the street can get Weber parts next day so I'd be able to get this thing back together sooner. 

I believe at least the dual pumper nozzle is a 38/38 part correct? What about the rest?

I'm rebuilding the Weber 32/36 DGAV that came on the car. It's definitely been rebuilt before as I'm finding some discrepancies while going through it. 

This brass part was under the power valve diaphragm when I took it apart and does not look like it's supposed to go there. Does it belong somewhere else? I can't find it in the diagrams. 

What's the PN for those rubber grommets? I need to replace mine too. They're called out on realoem but there's no corresponding information. 

Delete

Autozam! Man those are cool.

Hope you're under 5'8"

Putting this here to try and further motivate myself...

Formula BMW junior series uses the K1200 motor in stock 140hp trim. The cars with drivers clock in at 1000 lbs. 

I want a 2002 with that snorkel sticking out of the hood