MadaboutKitcars

I thought I'd start a build thread from the very beginning (Pre-everything!)

I've started searching for a 2.8 Z3, have an idea on kit manufacturing times (5-6 weeks before Stoneleigh) and have the money sat in the bank ready to go.

Research I've done pretty much tells me it'll be nigh on impossible to get a decent insurance quote over here in Dublin, Ireland so I'll be building it here but then shipping and keeping in England to use when I'm over (quite often!) - Originally from Leeds and all my family still over there.

There's also the consideration of road tax. The 1.9 would cost me e700 to tax (used to have one that I swappped for an SLK). The 2.8 would cost a whopping e1391 a year in road tax.

I've been searching ebay / autotrader for a suitable donor and hope to get one this week. Got outbid on one today. Trying to keep it to a tight budget but prices seem to rising daily as we head towards summer. With the cost of road tax they are nearly all 1.9's here. Buying in UK is an option but I'll be buying blind as I'd have to fly in and drive it out (unless its NI).

Once I have a donor I'll order the kit. First time building something like this and looking forward to it. Got a mate helping me but he's as clueless as me.

Really enjoyed lurking and reading the build threads - theres some fantastic finished cars on here.

Plan for my build is to keep everything simple. Will complete the kit pretty much as is designed, without much modification, and then paint it myself to keep costs as low as possible. Seen some of the results of painting that members on here and other forums have got from both roller and spray and been impressed enough to give it a try. Not sure on colours yet. Maybe a dark matt grey. If the build process goes well then the mate will probably buy himself a kit too and that may get a few modifications if the confidence is there.

Thanks ericholm - if my car ends up half as good as yours I'll be happy!

Thanks WCA thats a real generous offer. Unfortunately I'll have to miss the BBQ this year and hopefully have a tribute to turn up in next year.

Prices on ebay and even autotrader currently mental. Lots of cars up for 4k+ but if you look at completed listings they're not selling. It is encouraging people to put them up at silly prices though. The search continues

Well after a bit of looking I finally got a car. Flew over to the UK during the week to pick it up and it's now sat on the driveway.

I gave it a good test drive on the way home, went from the south coast up to the wash and then across to holyhead via the peak district. After driving the 1.9 I must say the 2.8 is a much better car. I drove it in a pretty unhurried manner enjoying the sunshine with the roof down most of the time, but when I needed to over take it was effortless. Was a bit disappointed by the average speed cameras on the cat and fiddle!

Previous owner was sound, 3 of us offered asking price and I got it as I sounded like i would take care of it. I didnt mention turning it into a kit car. Oops.

The car is in good condition, and I am not too sure I want to take it apart now I've got it... but I cant afford to go buy another so...

Next step is to secure somewhere to do the work (although the driveway is an option). Went out and looked at a place last week but it was expensive for what was a farm building with no electricity. Hoping to see another couple of units this week.

IMAG0579 by couerdelion2013, on Flickr

Thanks Jag, I've bookmarked Eric's posts on the wiring.

Set a rough schedule with my mate to get things done. From reading the threads on here (and I'm doing a lot of reading!) the strip down and bodywork, minus the doors, looks straight forward and quick enough. The doors look like they could be a real struggle, not done any fibre glassing before so no idea how I'll reshape etc if I need to. Will be a real learning experience. As will cutting the door skins and getting the handles to work.

The real time though seems to be sunk into the finishing and painting.
I'm due to head to Barcelona in late Sept. Plan is to make sure the car is ready before then and drive down in it.

Thanks Paul, yeah we have our fair share of rain here alright. I did a fair amount of work last year getting another Z3 oback on the road after 6 years and all that work was done on the driveway. Like you say, its not fun having to pack up whilst you need to the motor factors, then get it all back out again. Plan is definitely to get a lockup of some kind, but they're as rare as hens teeth. I remember back in Leeds you used to be able to rent garages off the council for a few quid a week. Nothing like that here. It's that bad I'm seriously considering setting up some kind of business that rents out garages!

Deposit just paid for a 250 SWB Hard Top.

Now to start the parts shopping!

I've looked at the pop-up gazebos and if I can only rent a secure yard then they would be ideal. Unfortunately I've no access to the back of my place unless I demolish a wall. It has been considered but I think the management company might be against it as it would also mean removing their planting.

It was actually seeing that some of you managed to get it done on your driveways that gsve me the kick to just get on with it. I've spent too long waiting for perfect conditions before taking the plunge so I've decided to be a little more zen like - what will be will be.

So the shopping has started. Picked this up today.

_MG_2906Copy by couerdelion2013, on Flickr

Managed to find a unit to rent to do the build in so with the long weekend coming up I'll be looking to get the strip of the donor sorted. It's about a 15 minute drive away so close enough. Not cheap but it's only for a max of 5 months.

Is there a guide anywhere? Or is it a case of using the Haynes manual?

Lots of ideas in my head at the moment as to how I want to do the build. I quite like Hilltops' Race/Rally style and might use some of his ideas.

Car will be black (think I've decided for sure) as that is the donor colour and I'll be painting myself and it saves painting engine bay, door shuts etc.

Steel Wheels - 17" (any cons over 16"?)

New seats

Nubodis dash and dials (probably)

New exhaust - dual twin as seems to be the standard

Has anyone done anything about the ICE? I'm thinking something hidden / stealth that I can listen to when moving but hidden if people looking in.

Needs to be finished by mid Sept as latest as I'm driving it to Spain.

That is about as much thinking as I've done. Once I start I'm sure I'll be firing the questions in!

Thanks



Thanks for the advice, I saw the challenge you had with the gaps and hoping that if I do the same I can use your thread for inspiration. Good idea about the van material for lining. I'll look at that as I was wondering what to do.



Thanks Jeff - I think you are right on that front. I pretty much talked myself into doing the interior first today when I was replying to an email from Nubodi about the dash (despite deciding to do it last early this morning). I'm changing my mind about things like the wind changes direction....

Strip down started yesterday. Basically a case of looking for any exposed fastenings and undoing them. Bonnet and boot were off first and then finally rest of the body panels today.

[IMG]IMAG0598 by couerdelion2013, on Flickr[/IMG]

Cleaned the roof ready to sell so havent taken that off today, just dropped for this photo. Made a start on the interior and got the door panels removed

[IMG]IMAG0603 by couerdelion2013, on Flickr[/IMG]

Was surprised at the amount of dirt inside the sills. Generally the car is in pretty good nick. A little bit of corrosion near the jacking points but that knocked off and a wire brush and some anti rust treatment should see it ok. Will clean and give a good paint on the exposed parts before I start fitting anything.

Point taken. Think I'll go back to the original idea of gun metal grey. That might change again though


The kit comes in a grey colour now according to Chris - I had asked about other colours but was happy with that.

Thanks - I would probably have sold them and then only realised when the kit turned up.

What are the plastic door aperture trims? The bits next that the window comes through?

Managed to get a spare hour last night so cracked on with a few more bits and pieces.

Steering wheel off and chairs removed.

[IMG]IMAG0604 by couerdelion2013, on Flickr[/IMG]

Struggled working out how the second wire disconnected (the one the seems to disappear into the chair), realised eventually it was attached to the seatbelt buckle.

New number plates turned up too

IMAG0596 by couerdelion2013, on Flickr

The hardest part of this whole thing seems to be deciding on the 'style' points. What colour car? chairs? carpet? dashboard? door panels?....

Still not 100% decided.

I think you are right. There's always an option to spray dye the carpet if I'm really unhappy with it but at the moment cream interior is a go!



Ive ordered the dashboard from Nubodi so am heading down that route now. I wonder how hard it would be to make an arm rest for the door? More for me to think about. Centre console is a must though I agree.



I'm undecided - still. I've looked at the MGB ones and the new MGF ones but think I'm going for the same ones Hilltop used (BB2's). I'm used to an upright enough position as all my cars are 2 seaters and once I adjust for legs I've no room to recline.



No, I think its a must too - once the new dashboard is in theres a big gap underneath that most have filled with a piece of folded alloy. I don't think it's too big a job (famous last words) to put some kind of frame behind that to hold a single or ideally a double din unit. Cover over the top held in place with velcro...



Love the details in his build, so much so that last night I put a bid in on a sewing machine and am now planning on doing a similar looking centre console and doorcards!

Now I'm even more unsure. Your blue carpet looks great. To be honest though I think I've already convinced myself to go with black dash and chairs, and then Cream/Beige Carpet and Door panels.

Saw a video on how to make your own door panels on the Practical Classics "Skills Shack" - got 3 months membership for £1. So once I buy a sewing machine I'll give that a go.

Todays job was to see how well my chinese steering wheel boss fitted. Not very well is the answer. Will need a good belt from the rubber mallet I reckon, but didnt want to try tonight as once on I might not get it back off.

[IMG]IMAG0607 by couerdelion2013, on Flickr[/IMG]

As well as building the car I'm also trying to fit in training for a triathlon in October. It's sometimes quite difficult balancing the training with finding time for the car.

This morning I was up early as a mate came by to borrow my van, I was then out to the other side of the city to pick up a 1934 Singer electric sewing machine which is a magnificent piece of engineering. Once that was done I was home, changed into my Lycra and a 2 hour cycle. I then grabbed a sandwich in the garage on my way up to the unit, had 3 hours on the car and then came home changed and headed to the gym...

Todays work was removing the centre console, dials and some of the dash.

Couldn't get the stereo out for love nor money. Ended up smashing it. Only as I removed it did i realise it had been secured from the rear... Argghhh

This is where I finished up...
IMAG0610 by couerdelion2013, on Flickr

Need to spend some time tidying up tomorrow!

Thinking more about the interior and colours again today. Was in my SLK which has a black and cream interior and think it confirms that I'll stick with something similar for the 250 swb as it works well (I think so).

IMAG0609 by couerdelion2013, on Flickr


Car has been parked up in the dry unit for over a week now but noticed the carpet under where I've removed the seat is soaking (both sides). Will likeley need to remove to dry off properly. Worrying that i dont know where its leaking though.

Got the rest of the dash out and the rear plastics behind where the seats go. First removed the rear most carpet. It weighed a ton as it was saturated with water. Put that outside to start on the drying and went back in to remove the front one. That too was soaked and started to rip on me. I've got what I can out and I'll be shopping for new carpet now.

IMAG0613 by couerdelion2013, on Flickr

Thats my last bit of work on the car for a week, off to Italy now to enjoy the sun.

Not done much since I got back.

Got the rest of the carpet removed and the floor is now dried out.
[IMG]IMAG0706 by couerdelion2013, on Flickr[/IMG]

Then took the seats out of my mates Z3 to check the condition of his carpet. Wasn't brilliant - passenger side was slightly damp but drivers side dry. Whilst we had the seats out we replaced the bushings (recommended if you're keeping the originals). OEM are rubber but had just disintegrated. You will know they need replacing if your seat moves slightly backwards and forward when you rock.

The nylon replacements went on easy enough.
This is how to replace - http://www.instructables.com/id/BMW-Z3-Z3M-Seat-Rail-Track-Runner-Sub-Frame-Mechan/

The seats were refitted with a spacer under the front parts of the rails to raise the front of the seat up and make it more comfortable for longer trips. They were from the US, Thayer Motorsports. https://thayermotorsports.com/products/z3-seat-mod-kit?variant=35904036359