M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

FAQ / REFERENCE => Member Profiles => Topic started by: sfinsf on March 20, 2012, 08:42:21 PM

Title: sfinsf
Post by: sfinsf on March 20, 2012, 08:42:21 PM
Bought my beast in Dec 2011. It had a checkered past and many PO's.
This is one of my first photos after getting it home.
(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd474/strofal/frontlights.jpg)
The suspension had been "lowered" with a coilover set-up
(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd474/strofal/91%20318%20exterior/loweredrear.jpg)
The engine bay was very clean and what attracted me the most other than the clean body
(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd474/strofal/318%20engine/enginecompartment.jpg)
I have been working on it non-stop... it's not my DD
Started with the front suspension and removing as much as practical from the engine bay.
(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd474/strofal/2012-01-14_15-16-40_309.jpg)
(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd474/strofal/318%20engine/2012-02-18_17-21-05_162.jpg)
Title: sfinsf
Post by: sfinsf on March 24, 2012, 04:50:20 PM
pulled subframe, replacing all bushings
(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd474/strofal/2012-03-17_10-01-49_672.jpg)
after making tool, only took half hr to pull old bushings
(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd474/strofal/2012-03-24_08-25-15_851.jpg)
Title: sfinsf
Post by: sfinsf on March 25, 2012, 01:00:50 AM
Some of the things I have done so far, In the order that I remember them.
- Gutted Interior, it was super nasty
(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd474/strofal/318%20interior/2012-01-17_19-04-18_551.jpg)
- rebuilt driver seat from passenger seat parts
(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd474/strofal/318%20interior/seats/437764211_photobucket_143709_.jpg)
New rotors, caliper rebuild, pads, JOM coilovers pulled and reinstalled correctly
(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd474/strofal/91%20318%20exterior/Front%20Suspension/2012-01-14_15-51-45_815.jpg)
Title: sfinsf
Post by: sfinsf on April 22, 2012, 10:04:39 AM
(http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd474/strofal/cleanedup.jpg)
just a little bit different
Title: sfinsf
Post by: keflaman on April 22, 2012, 10:45:57 AM
A lot different! Looks good, my friend.
Title: while it's not running...
Post by: sfinsf on July 06, 2012, 06:07:16 PM
thought I would start with my electric problem search up front
Title: I like this view
Post by: sfinsf on July 15, 2012, 11:36:11 AM
Decided to go at pulling off as much of the front as practical so that I could pull the timing case and inspect my chain and guide. It started as a simple cleaning of a few parts and I think I got carried away.
Title: On the road again
Post by: sfinsf on October 22, 2012, 01:02:43 PM
Finally got my M42 to come back to life. Also got my JOM's installed correctly and down to a respectable height. Any lower and my resonator scrapes the driveway. This is with stock 14's, savin up for 15's.
Title: sfinsf
Post by: romkasponka on October 24, 2012, 05:23:50 PM
Nice car! Get some R16J9 with 225R16 ;)
Title: sfinsf
Post by: sfinsf on November 14, 2012, 11:50:33 PM
Pretty epic day for me!
3rd Anniversary with the best wife ever, she loves and supports my beamer addiction.
Got my 318is legal and title in my name,... finally.
Clean bill of health from my trusty BMW tech, I was concerned about a few things that I was unsure of from lack of experience... wheel bearings, diff whine, condition of CAB's ready for new wheels (enroute from Tire Rack) tires and alignment. Just need to replace CAB's and decide on brand of tires.
Figured out today that my diff is an open and not LSD as I thought and hoped. I suspected it the other day when I was getting squirrely.
Discussed the purchased of a 325i, auto trans with timing belt failure/head damage on an M20. Body is perfect, interior though comfort in excellent shape, only 150k on the clock. It's an Alpine just like mine, many possibilities and serious dreamy fodder.
So close to being ready for first track or HPD course/fun.
Title: sfinsf
Post by: sfinsf on November 17, 2012, 08:51:49 PM
New Tires and wheels... finally!

Putting final front end parts in before alignment

After painting rotor and caliper black, bottle caps sure hid alot
New Tires and wheels... finally!
Title: sfinsf
Post by: OKTAY on November 18, 2012, 10:16:08 AM
Good work mate, I wish I had some space to work on the car...
Title: sfinsf
Post by: keflaman on November 18, 2012, 05:26:32 PM
I may or may not be a bit confused: is "stjE30go" and "sfinsf" the same person?
Title: sfinsf
Post by: sfinsf on November 30, 2012, 10:15:08 AM
well you may be confused, but not about this, the site rejected me as stj so I switched to my R3V name.
Title: sfinsf
Post by: keflaman on November 30, 2012, 06:28:48 PM
Noted. I honestly thought another member was posting his car on your profile thread...a serious breach of decorum!!
Title: sfinsf
Post by: DesktopDave on November 30, 2012, 10:06:19 PM
:eek: :eek: :eek:

I'd be handing out some admin smackdown bans for breaches of decorum!
Title: sfinsf
Post by: DesktopDave on November 30, 2012, 10:08:35 PM
LMK if you need help recovering from the site rejecting you.  Your car is coming along very nicely - thanks for keeping us up to date.
Title: sfinsf
Post by: sfinsf on December 01, 2012, 09:03:53 AM
Thanks Dave, John fixed things. Back to normal
Title: sfinsf
Post by: ak96ss on December 01, 2012, 03:50:46 PM
There, I even fixed the title of the thread...   ;)
Title: Why do I love this car so much?
Post by: sfinsf on December 04, 2012, 07:19:06 PM
Makin a wee bit o' progress! This month is one year since my M42 came along....
Title: pic of my girls in Calif sun
Post by: sfinsf on December 31, 2012, 08:29:42 AM
Picked up a 325i, born in Feb 90'
Auto, busted TB, head is in the shop, boy am I looking forward to gettin to know this car.


Here are my alpine's together after my daughters gave them a bath.
318is in front

Dave you asked for pics of cars and sun.... this one's for you!
Title: sfinsf
Post by: Nelson_40 on December 31, 2012, 07:50:00 PM
Happy first year of ownership, keep it going in the new year!