MadaboutKitcars

Is that the contents of Peter Sutcliffe's travel bag?

Some spanners and screwdrivers for when you know what to do

Some hammers and an axe for when you don't

Some gaffer tape and zip ties to get you back on the road

What could possibly go wrong?

Well they say if it cannot be fixed with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem.....

I was an armourer. What makes you think you can't fix electrical problems with a hammer?

If the Towed corrects you, then you stand corrected!

Nice meeting you guys today - I emailed a couple of the shots I did
Have fun tomorrow.

Paul

Shiney!!

Need to enlarge the holes for the side repeaters to put the new chrome and white ones in place.

I am hoping that getting some of these will work, I think they are what RedAndy was describing at Stoneleigh

http://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/6917847432140992453?hl=en

They are called "step drills" or the unofficial name we use in the workshop is "Christmas Tree Drills", you will see why.

Side repeaters fitted fine but managed to pull one of the wires loose.

That's okay, just whip off the little front wing and stick a new connector on.

The bonnet will not open! All that opening and closing over the weekend seems to have bent the lever that pops the bonnet so that it no longer pushes the catch fully open.

My bonnet is now locked closed :-(

I will spend the next maintenance period scrunched under the car with a big screw driver trying to get it open

That's the good Lord's way of telling you he thinks you consumed too much beer at Stoneleigh.
Just use the axe..........

tempting, very fookin tempting

Just off to browse more BMW forums. I can't 'knock out one of the kidney grilles and reach through' with my bonnet :-(

When you finally do fix it, it may be worth installing another cord internally as a fail-safe, that you can access from only you know where? I have done that in the past with great success.

Don't worry, I will be!

Still not open but at least all the dirt and crap that has fallen out while poking and prodding should lighten the front of the car up and counteract the effect of the re-enforcing weight

Still can't get the bonnet open but found another thread that I will leave here in case anyone else gets this problem : http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=441868

The more I google the worse this looks!

People are talking about $800 work at a garage or cutting out things and the main point of access appears to be through the kidney grills at the front which I don't have. If I work out a solution I will photo and write it up.

Your best bet would be to pop out your corner signal light and pull on the black cable - Another option not open to me!

Good luck. I'm sure you'll get it open 'somehow'

Z3 bonnet opener

WCA, found this on the net , means sod-all to me , but may help you?

Remove the bottom panel under the bumper, and the panel inside the wheel well.

Reach inside with a coat hanger, and pull the latch towards you, this will pop the bonnet and allow access.

You may have to remove the bottle for better access.

Let me know if it works!!

I have found quite a few different examples of how to free the bonnet. I will be writing another How To guide as soon as work gets out of the way.

This video is useful to see where the bits are : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_73XgTOYjY

The outside of the car is good now - except for that fact that the rear needs fixing after being remodeled by an inattentive Kia driver - so I thought I would revisit the interior.

Chris told me at Stoneleigh that the passenger airbag wasn't fitted to the UK spec cars so I had a little look


He was right, all that was there was a hole. I thought that would be about right for a glove box if I fitted a liner and a hinge. If I did that I wouldn't need the standard nasty plastic one. A few people had commented on the comedy clock so I was already thinking about revising that bit.

Anyway, one thing led to another and this happened


I will now be thinking about how to create a new interior to hide the wiring and modern switch gear but maintain the functionality such as electric hood, heated seats and air conditioning...

Started trying to understand the electrics a bit which meant kneeling on the carpet in the passenger foot well. There was a damp feeling down below, good with a woman but less si with a car so I took the carpets out. This gave a better view of the wiring


Lots of wiring


Lots and lots of wiring


Removes some sticky cloth tape


and taped back the wiring I didn't need


Then started on a frame for the centre tunnel


Happy so for. More tomorrow.

Well I seem to have managed to delete all but four of the pictures showing the progress to date. Never mind, here are the four

The frame with a couple of holes near the middle to fix something to



Here are a couple more holes at the rear to fix something to


Here is something fixed to the frame. This will be acovered to look nicer

You surely have not done away with that marvelous little clock?

Add a bit of pretty play, some carpet and a metal gear stick surround and it all looks a lot better I think










Clearly there is more work to be done. Who thinks a Cuckoo Clock would be a step too far?

The cuckoo clock in the picture looks great WCA, but its about 35 degrees out of line...........

Hi mate, dash is really starting to take shape and looks loads better.
Would you be able to help me do some of those overlay sketches you did for your original concept? I have a genuine Lotus Europa body and want to overlay it over an MX5 or Mk2 MR2. Any help much appreciated mate.

Hammy