Rebuild thread: MWSE30 #12

#1

10/26/12: Got started on the new build today! First off, about the donor. Big thanks to Kieran Gobey for turning us on to this car on Akron CL. 1988 IS, 250k miles. Car is unbelievably rust free and straight for its mileage in the Midwest. Also came with 2 motors (one is a 60k miler). Tiny bit of surface rust, but everything you’d expect to be rusted is clean. Paid $1300!! Only one problem–it has pinstriping EVERYWHERE! Must be 3 miles of the stuff.

The plan: get the car stripped, to McMahan for the cage, and reinstall the motor and suspension from the old car.

Big thanks to John Van Houten for finding a super clean car!

On to the pics!

I built an E36 a few years ago and I was shocked at how MUCH less wiring there is in these cars. Little critters were living in the backseat. Hidden treasures included: about a dollar in change, a BNIB Maxell cassette tape circa 1997, 3 pepsi cans, 1 coke can, a Montero spare tire cover, and . . .

A prison shank:

John and I get everything out in a half day. I did the easy stuff and he did the fiddly stuff. Still need to get the sound deadening out (leaving the trunk in for now) and the unnecessary wiring.

Planning to get it to McMahan in a couple of weeks. Standard stuff–X bars on the doors, rears landed on the spring perches. I want to do a bar from the halo down to the foot (A pillar bar for more crush resistance). That’s legal right? We’re not adding another point(s).

#2

But it’s not black!?

Probably for the better, there’ll be enough black and white cars in our group B)

#3

Not sure what I’m going to do. I’m really not looking forward to removing all that striking. They even put red strikes on the window trim!

#4

Heat gun is your friend.

#5

Friends with heat guns are MY friends! :stuck_out_tongue:

#6

The first thing you’re worried about is decals again.

#7

It’s complicated.

#8

11/1/12: Spent a few hours removing the sound deadening. Again, an easier task than in the E36. As before, used the heatgun/scraper method with great results. Leaving the stuff in the trunk for now. Need to get back in there with the stinky stuff and clean up the adhesive.

Should be heading out for the cage in two weeks!

Pics:

#9

Looks good. What are you using to remove the glue?

#10

Goof Off in the aerosol can in a well-ventilated area!

#11

What are you going to put on the firewall inside the cabin in place of the black plastic piece that held the heater core stuff? I’ve just gotten done removing all that crap, and am trying to figure out if I just should put a piece of sheet metal there, or what. Any advice is appreciated!

#12

I’ve been saving up old license plates. Rivet them. In the past I’ve used the thin “beware of dog” type signs at your local Home Depot.

#13

What are you guys talking about? The biggest hole in my firewall was maybe 1" by 2" and rounded.

#14

Was your car a heater delete car? If not, you have a breadbox sized hole in your firewall.

#15

Heater delete!? Are you kidding me, BMW actually offered a HD option on their “executive sedan”?

#16

It was a joke–either robert has a giant hole in his firewall, or he forgot he plugged it. :cheer:

#17

Maybe it’s because I have a late model but I swear there weren’t any holes that couldn’t be covered with a single piece of foil tape.

#18

Breadbox.

#19

Spent another couple of hours on the car today. Got the adhesives cleaned up. Goof Off FTMFW! Got some of the stereo wiring out (the easy stuff). John can tackle the rest.

Got the seat in the car for a test fit. Decided to go with VAC mounts so we can have infinite adjustment to get it just right. May drop the column, we’ll see.

Car is off to McMahan next week.

#20

Nice! I wish I was ready to send my car off to the cage builders already. I’d love to see pics!