The guy with the digger had finished but the graffiti "artists" hadn't...
and this was my drum for the night...
On the hottest day of the year
I've been splattering on the filler and sanding it away around the shut lines on each side of the bonnet.
As today was a bit hot to work outside I decided to let the Z300S do what it does best- drive.
And took some record shots to show how it is currently.
Mark asked me about the boot lock I used...
I used a "Hex Nut 21mm Male Thread Mounted Security Panel Lock for Drawer Cabinet" off eBay. Its disadvantage is that there is no hole cover so it freezes in winter.
However I've seen this "Hex Nut 19mm Male Thread Mounted Security Panel Lock for Drawer Cabinet" eBay item number: 361306801688 which has a cover.
Historic Specials Day 2015 - Sunday August 9th
FSCC Historic Specials Day 2015 - August 9th
The Cotswold Wildlife Park, Burford, Oxon, England
This FSCC event attracts around sixty cars each year mainly Ford Ten and Austin Seven based specials. Specials and limited production sports cars of all makes are invited, although cars built or designed after 1964 may be asked to park outside the display area. Some of the marques that have been to previous shows include: TWM, Turner, Fairthorpe, Elva, Lotus, Ginetta, Lola, Martin, Rochdale, Siva, and Dellow.
The event is held at The Cotswold Wildlife Park, Burford, Oxon, England.
Admission is FREE for the driver when you say you're there for the car show.
The park opens at 10.30am.
This is where the kit car movement came from- always some great (re)creations. Hoping for a good day- last year's was a bit of a washout!!!
Latest Addition
Latest addition...
Yes, I know it would have been hand-written and that there wouldn't be a letter prefix but hey...
Out and about
My out and about pic from yesterday- at the Historic Specials Day organised by the Fairthorpe Sports Car Club at Cotswold Wildlife Park near Burford, Oxon. Nice weather this year so about 40 cars there.
Admission is free for the driver and the rest of the park is accessible so we took the opportunity to look at the animals including their new baby white rhino born in March called - Ian !!!
TBH- he's looking a bit peed off at not being able to play with the dumper truck and cement mixer.
Anonymity
Tried to remove more signs of the car's origins by scratching the BMW badges off the windows. The paint came off OK but the marks are etched into the glass.
Grindstone in a Dremel next?
Circuit of Wales
BBC News Web site - News just in...
Circuit of Wales plans at Ebbw Vale move a step closer
29 minutes ago
From the section Wales
A hotel and motor industries centre are part of the development
Plans for a £325m motor racing track in Blaenau Gwent have moved a step forward.
The Welsh government said it was "minded to grant" an application to allow the firm behind the plans to take over common land for the Circuit of Wales in Ebbw Vale.
It said outstanding issues with the rights of commoners must be resolved before a formal decision was made.
The Heads of the Valleys Development Company welcomed the move.
Good suggestion Scottie. The markings are very small; about 5mm diameter. Don't wish to draw attention to them !!!
I know someone who didn't bother. Just married another girl with the same name.
The answer to getting bright enough indicators in the base of the headlamp cowl is shown at 1m57s into this
video
Just mount a bare, orange 21w flasher bulb there.
Further- having obtained the requisite bulbs and holders, it was a quick job yesterday to swap them in. Being the full 21w rating, I was able to dispense with the resistors that compensated for the previous 5w jobbies. I decided to keep the small repeaters in the brake ducts for now.
Replacing a Z3 Mirror
Another little job to hide the BMW origins is to replace the door mirrors. I'd bought a pair of suitable chromy round devices that looked as if I could use the original mounting holes. Correct!!!
First I removed the existing mirror which was held on by some M5 socket screws. Whilst wrapping the doors some time ago I had disconnected the electrics. I attacked the bodywork with an angle grinder to key the filler:
Then I taped over the cable hole, inserted some well greased M5 button head screws and filled the indentation with P40 Isopon- the one with glass strands embedded:
Then I used a skim of ordinary filler to bring the level up- I sanded to the contours and level of the wrap on the doors. The first layer of high-build primer is likely to be that thick anyway.
Then a temporary piece of wrap to hide the evidence:
While the filling and sanding was going on- I'd dunked the fixing brackets (mild steel !!!) in Hammerite to give the plot some longevity.
Then the time came to fit the mirror itself- result!!!
The view out the back is OK- not as wide angle as the originals but then they don't protrude as much either.
Just need another dry afternoon to fit the nearside one. Should be quicker...
I'd been wondering how to avoid corrosion in the exposed indicator bulb holders but I understand that "a good smear of silicon grease will stop further corrosion due to the lack of protective plating. Silicon grease is good stuff if a bit of mess isn't a problem- it'll even keep salty water out of cleaned up pitted sidelight bulb holders! "
For What It's Worth
I've just put my BMW Z3 Boston Green door mirrors on eBay for £95 each.
The driver side one sold in 19 minutes.
Looks like it's gone to a car repairer in Sarf Lunnun. Good on you, sir.
No Excuse not to...
Tesco are selling bottles of St Austell Tribute ale for £1.79 and bottles of St Austell Proper Job ale for £1.99.
Or £6 for any 4 bottles.
Of course I did- rude not to.
Mot ok !!!
The BMW service light reset tool arrived in the post yesterday and worked its magic- £7 well spent.
MOT passed this morning having done all of 1922 miles since last year.
The advisories mean that I feel a set of stainless braided brake hoses coming on.
Seen here with sidelights, dipped beams, hazards and rear fog light under test.
It's this one on eBay:
BMW E30 E34 E36 E39 Z3 X5 1982-2001 Sockets Oil Service Reset Tool 20 Pin
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400711489556?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
For my MY2000 Z3- I've also got an OBD2 service code reader for that 20 pin socket under the bonnet. I've never used the D-connector under the dash.
I bought this one:
BMW C110 MANUFACTURER OBDII FAULT CODE ENGINE ABS TRANSMISSION AIRBAG SCANNER
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-C110-MANUFACTURER-OBDII-FAULT-CODE-ENGINE-ABS-TRANSMISSION-AIRBAG-SCANNER-/190882974581?hash=item2c71830b75:g:hpkAAOSwxYxU0ou7
but couldn't find the D-connector socket so bought an adapter so that it now works in the 20pin socket under the bonnet. I've since found the D-connector socket under the RH side of the dash but not tried it there.
I've just checked out the OBD2 reader using the socket under the dashboard and although it connects and runs- a lot of the functions are giving comms errors. Too dark and cold to compare with using it via the underbonnet 20 pin socket.
