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My E36 320i build

21K views 111 replies 21 participants last post by  Eight Thirty 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey guys, so as it is a pretty boring day for me today, I decided to create a thread about my E36.

The progress hasn't been very fast, but still, there is some, so comments are welcome!

Let's begin!

This is the first day for my car with me:


The car was pretty much stock, when I bought it. 272000 km on the speedo. 10.03.2011

Due to the financial problems I had back then, there wasn't any progress with the build for two months.

After that, I decided, that I wanted to the same height for front and back, so I bought a pair of FK adjustable springs for 80$
After fitting them:



After fitting the springs I realized, that my front shocks are totally broken, but unfortunately, I was as broken as my shocks. Again.
As the summer was already starting to show up, I knew, that I wanted to get the car closer to the ground, so I had to buy some "low profile" tires - I got two pairs of 195/50 tires for less than 40$. Not the best way to drop the car, but still it works pretty much. So here's a pic.



Also, while having financial problems I started to do some minor interior upgrades - I played around with the 3M Carbon film, and this is what came out of that:


Looks pretty good in my opinion

Also I got the original gear knob - wooden style, but I don't care, at least its original. I hate that steering wheel!



And again, a few weeks doing nothing, but collecting stickers :D Also I made that cheapo 2$ fisheye for my camera. The quality is bad, but still - its a fisheye! So here's a fusheye pic of the stickers :D



And yeah, at last I got a different steering wheel:


Ignore the crappy blurry image - I took it while driving

After that, I tinted the front blinkers and the side blinkers. I also painted the upper grille (I don't know how in the hell do you call it in English, help, anyone? :D)



A few days later, while washing my car, I noticed, that the bumper strips on the front bumper are all scratched and dyed out, so I took the matt-black spraycan and restored the "new look":


Upper is the restored one

And the same day - one of the happiest days in my life - I got the front coilovers! Happy as hell, I just couldn't resist trying to put them on :D


Those are FK Coilovers, got them used (about 10k kilometers done with them) for 140$.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to put them on by myself, so I called some friends for help. About 2,5h of messing around with lots of shiny tools, we finally got the coilovers on. I haven't tried to drop it as low as can go (about 7 more cm), but I definitely will.
Now my car's handling has improved, and also, the car got lowered for about 1cm.
My target is to get it as low as a cigarette packet (a standard size - Gold Marlboro, for example). And well, look at this - I've done it!


Those are Marlboro's slim Gold's - the pack is about 3mm smaller than the usual one

A few pics, just to compare to the ones higher:



 
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#9 ·
Thank you!

I will not change the headlights. Actually, when I tinted the side blinkers, I just wanted to get them the same color as the headlights are, I overtinted a little :D

Now I am thinking about tinting the headlights too. Bad idea? :dunno:
 
#10 · (Edited)
plus he's not in north america.

They got the good stuff.
What do you mean with good stuff?

I would just love to get the red US tails and the US boot. Wait, is there any difference between the US and EU boot, or is it just the number plate, which makes it look different?
 
#16 ·
Yesterday I decided to fit some wheels on my car using Photoshop, tried BMW style don't-know-which, BBS RS and BMW Style32. Here are the pics:

1. BBS RS

2. BMW Style32

3. BMW Style??


Comments and ideas are welcome. :thumbup:
 
#22 ·
I like the Style 32's, looks great. Overall, definitely some nice improvements on the car!

The idea of tinting headlights is silly (not picking on you, I've seen plenty of ricers do it too).....why decrease light output for "style". Talk about form over function. :tsk:

It always amuses me to see the stripper cars you guys get in Europe, like the cloth seats and analog clock. :rofl:
 
#23 ·
I also thought that tinting the headlights would be silly, so I am not doing it.

I know that the 32's look great, but they are not what I actually like. Style 5's are my dream.

Yeah, but our European cars have some things that you don't ;) Also, mine is a stripped version, there are many ones with black, white or beige leather and full OBC. It is a must, which I will do someday, but I am good with the analog clock for now :D

Black leather SportSitzes and a full OBC is one of the things, that will be done after changing rims and getting rid of the rust on rear fenders.
 
#24 ·
Hey guys,
It's been a while with 2$ in my pockets, so I've only done a few cheapo mods, the first one - painting the bumper grill black, don 't ask why I decided that. :D
The start:

The process:

The result:


I know that's nothing big with that, but still, makes a difference for me :D

Also, bored as hell, I took some close-to-the-ground pics. Wondering how is my exhaust still in its place?





And a random snap at a tire burning place near my house :D

 
#25 ·
Hello again,

After the whole summer being broke and having no time for my car, I went to study in Denmark, without my car, unfortunately. So everything was left for my dad.
I knew about the hardcore rust on the rear fender, so I asked my dad, to take the car to the repair shop, because on the 11th October I'm going home to Latvia to pick up my car and go back to Denmark.
So here are some "progress" pics:


You see the film which is sticked right behind the hole? Yeah, there's another hole







Well that is how it looks now. Got these pics only 5minutes ago, and when I saw my car after these long 1,5 months here in Denmark, I had never felt so happy about seeing my car.
Hope that the fender replacement will come out really nice! :thumbup:
 
#26 · (Edited)
^Well your exhaust is not stock at least :) Just one less thing you have to buy, unless you have scraped the hell out of it lol.

Also I like the euro set up with the inner 2 lights as running lights then the projectors all sealed behind non oxidizing glass :thumbup:..... I want your headlights :D
 
#27 ·
"^Well your exhaust is not stock at least Just one less thing you have to buy, unless you have scraped the hell out of it lol.

Also I like the euro set up with the inner 2 lights as running lights then the projectors all sealed behind non oxidizing glass ..... I want your headlights "

Yeah, I would like a new exhaust, cause mine is pretty rusty and old, but it's good while it works, so I don't care about that now :D

About the headlights - we can work something out with them :eeps:

Also, here's an update for the welding process - my dad sent me the pics today.


Just chilling in the workshop... :bigpimp:


The worst part es being cut out. Also some other minor holes were discovered and they'll all be welded or part replaced during the de-rustisation process :D
 
#28 ·
Got the good news today - the fender has been replaced!



:thumbup:

Also is this forum kind of dead, or is it just this thread? :confused:
 
#30 · (Edited)
Okay, I was just curious :D

Yeah, that's what I think, I hope it will look perfect after my dad will be done with filling, sanding and painting. Too bad I can't help with all of that, because I'm too far away :cry:

Actually, this is the first time, when I'm without my car for more than 2 days :D

I'll keep this thread up to date every day, because that's the only thing I can do while dying from boringness here in Denmark.

Also, while being bored, I decided to make an Ebay "wishlist", mostly it's more like a "will buy" list:

>Front strut brace
>Taillights (I can't decide between standard ones with red blinkers or LED ones with black blinkers. Any suggestions?)
>Velour floor mats (Mine are crappy and the driver's one is lost somwhere)
>Front lip for my bumper (if someone wants to see: http://www.ebay.de/itm/BMW-E36-Fron..._Autoteile&hash=item20b8defd46#ht_1671wt_1270)
>"Carbon" or Black Badges (mostly thinking of Black/Carbon on the bonnet and blue on the trunk)
>M Gear Knob
>Rims: I've actually decided to get some BMW Style 5's or BBS RS, or RM's, but also Borbet T is a possible choice. Suggestions? (Sorry Style 32 users, I'm looking for something with a bigger lip ;) )

Also a non Ebay list (this is more like a "wish list", well not completely, but some of the items are pretty expensive) :

>New air filter
>Winter rims - modified steelies or the rims used now, if I get some other summer rims.
>Leather/Semi Leather/Alcantara SportSitze's or M3 Seats.
>M rear spoiler (the little glued/sticky-taped lip on the trunk)
>M Steering wheel

And here comes the best part:

>M52B28 - a target for the next summer ;)
>LSD differential
>*optional*Short Shift Kit (from a Z3/M3 maybe)

That looks like all for now, we'll see in the future, how it goes with buying all that stuff. :)
 
#31 ·
I don't know about perfect. But at least it isn't black.... It will be perfect to other people, but you will always know that piece has been cut out and patched :/ I do the same thing, other people will be like "OOOHHHHHH Nice BMW O.O" and I'll be all, well actually it isn't to good looking and go point out all of the flaws to them lmao xD
 
#32 ·
Pretty much the same for me :D Of course, I will know that the patch is there and stuff, but still, I like it while it looks good :dunno:
 
#38 · (Edited)
Spam off, guys, I've got some news form the workshop -
they finished welding the part under the battery, and the small holes next to it.
As my dad said, he's starting the filling&sanding stuff tomorrow. Sounds good for me! :thumbup:

Pics:


Welded part from the trunk


Under view


Another under view


Random snap from the side. Dirty as hell, I'll be polishing it for hours, when I get home :D

And yeah, I didn't want to make a discussion about attention, I was just curious! :angel:
 
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