MadaboutKitcars

It's certainly very shiny - wait til you see it with the mouth and bumpers

Back from holiday yesterday evening so lots to do before Stoneleigh.

Discovered the door panel doesn't fit as I'd used too much padding at the top. Will dismantle and make the top section again.

Rear screen chrome trim fitted professionally today, still a sod to do and required some cutting at the bottom. Car looks better for it now.

Made the headlining today. Just the fluffy van lining material but still took a long while. Roll cage covered in it as well. Jet lag didn't help speed or accuracy, but it looks ok.

Stripped the drivers seat so put the spacers in the sliders. Found I'd lost them since I did the passengers side. A job for another day now.

Bob.

Thank you Bob, I do appreciate the effort.
Jack

Today I tidied up the front corners of the screen where the cage bolts in.
Fitted the under dash parts.
Moved the air (outside/recirculating) switches to the vacant headlight adjustor space.
Nearly finished the downwards part of the centre console.

As I refit parts they are all given a good clean and polish up. When the console was back in I thought I'd better make sure things worked. The heater fan certainly does as I dumped a tin full of filler dust through the vents and all over everything I'd cleaned. Oh well, better down than on the way out somewhere.

Couldn't find the seat spacers so ordered some more. Hopefully they arrive tomorrow as in the afternoon the car is going for it's new exhaust.

Had some time this morning so I started sorting out the rear parcel shelf. I want to keep as much usable space as possible but get around all the lumps and bolts on there.

Moved some other things in the garage and found the seat spacers and got them fitted . An hour later the new ones arrived. I have a spare set now.

Want to fit the accessory plug into the console and found I'd lost the adapter bits. You can guess the next bit. I bought a new one so I expect to find the lost parts shortly.

Bought more glue and van lining fabric so when the car comes back tomorrow from having the exhaust made. I can hopefully finish the rear shelf.

This afternoon I collected the car from good friend Mark at Power and Performance.
The standard (and very nice) choice for a 250swb exhaust is 2 twin tailpipes but I'm a hot rodder so had to do something different. Mine has stainless twin pipes down one side as the standard Z3 does, but with a difference. Mark fitted a remote control cut out flap so that although the gases exit through the pipe ends, the silencer can be bypassed. I've had some fun with that already.

I've had to accept that the interior isn't going to be finished in time as I need to get the battery checked out by the suppliers tomorrow. This means the only free time I have left is some of Saturday and the car is very grubby so will need that time for a decent clean up.

The good part is that I now have more thinking time to sort out the little items that finish the car off, and an excuse to add more to the thread through the summer.

Hope to see some of you on Monday.

Cheers, Bob.

The flat battery problem turned out to be a faulty battery which as it had a 3 year warranty was replaced. The jump leads have lived in the boot for a while now so I think they can stay a little longer.

This afternoon's plans were cancelled so I finished the left door panel and made the right one. The car looks better now they're on.

Tomorrow will be a good clean of the car all round. Especially inside as the filler dust kept blowing through the vents. I'd better put the passenger seat in as well as a mate is coming with me to Stoneleigh.

Any spare time and I'll start on the centre tunnel. Not sure what to do yet but I may adapt the original console where it's between the seats and use some diamond vinyl around the gear lever, with an MGB surround I have. Or not.

Photos of progress once it's clean.

Bob.

Bob - Your exhaust's silencer "bypass" looks like a very trick piece of kit.

I think your rear set up looks good, with the twin pipes on one side and the big reversing light on the other.

Enjoy the show, your car is a great example of how many improvements can be made in the space of 12 months.

Take care, Paul.

Thanks Paul,
the 250swb is a great looking car however it's built, I just wanted to add a few of my own ideas.

Cheers, Bob.

This is where the car is up to. Lots more bits to do but I'm out of time for a while now.

Looking great! Really like your choice of wheels.

Bob - thanks for pm

Very nice love the colour and wheel combination and the interior is looking good too.

I've got to echo JG, above. This looks spot-on! Will have to keep it in mind when I have the drophead.

Hi guys, Last week I thought I'd fit a dash mounted interior mirror. All went well and a roof one I had, turned round, did the job fine and kept the dipping facility.

When it came to removing the old one it didn't go so well. I didn't know it twisted off the base so I ended up with a mirror in my hand with the inside of the screen fixed to it!

I'd been wondering what to do about the screen earlier as it had some scratches from a sander on it. This made my mind up.

I've just had a new top tint screen fitted. It comes with the mirror based already bonded on but I can get round that.

Next on the list is a rubber and trim stuck on to add some age and silver paint on the wipers.

Whoops - I don't know how the base is bonded on to the screen, but I method to get it off, worth a try is dental floss!

I use a thin wire in a sawing motion. Pops right off.
Dental floss should work well too. I Never thought of that one.

Morning Bob i was looking at the same interior position for the rear view mirror (it does give a better view out of the rear window) but that dash position meant i could no longer see out of my wing mounted nearside mirror! Geoff .

Hope to get a few bits done on the car next week. Picked up these from my fairly local Z3 breaker. My original interior was beige with a horrid M type gear knob. These will be much better.



If you need any Z3 parts Les is in North Norfolk and can be reached on [email]yamsel1@aol.com[/email] It's not his main business so give him time to get back to you.

Cheers, Bob.

Thats who I bought my £775 2.8 bargain from!
Most spare parts now sold, just 1 headlight, pair of rear lights to go. Wheels also need to be sold but I will wait until the bodywork is finished, when they go the car will be a "free" donor, can't be bad.

Just back from a great weekend at the NSRA Supernats hot rod event. The car is filthy and I'm increasingly finding that I don't like cleaning/polishing and prefer scruffy cars.

That and the need to buy a good van for work means I may consider selling it to someone who'll look after it better.

It still needs a few bits finishing off as I've done nothing since the last photos.

The headlining needs some stronger glue as the heat of the weekend wasn't good for the spray glue and I managed to snap off one of the window catches (Land Rover) on Thursday. I'll order a new one today.

If you're seriously interested and have read my thread so you've found the answers to most of your questions already, then give me a ring on 01603 408021. I'll be looking for near £18,000 and won't be advertising it elsewhere in the foreseeable future as I'm not that certain what I want to do.

Thanks, Bob.

Hi Bob,
I'm hoping it's ok to ask 3 questions.....
Have you sold your car? (I ask out of interest, I'm not in a position to buy!)
Did you need to shim your headlights to get the beam height correct?
Are your wheels 'standard' (your drilling mods excepted) and with no spacers? They look perfect to me (as do Ericholm's) if (like me) the builder doesn't want the expense/aggro of wires).
regards,

Hi,
I still have the car, sadly it's just sitting in the garage as I don't have time to use it at all.

The headlights just went straight in without any issues or shimming.

The wheels are standard BMW steels with no mods or spacers.

Thanks, Bob.

Bob, Thanks for the reply. If I see anyone who wants one I'll send them in your direction...... seriously, I was at MOT a few weeks ago in Norwich, and the tested said he has a Z3, so of course the conversation went to SWB250. He looked on his phone and fell in love! Unfortunately 5k for a kit phased him, so I suspect he's not in the market for a ready-built car.