ZHPizza's red car

[slater]

I love the way that looks, awesome job. So clean!! Do you have Z4M bushings? I thought ET35 was a perfect fit on E46’s. I just ordered some wheels and decided not to go ET35 knowing the bushings lush the hubs out

the Z4M bushings push the front hubs forward, not out. it would not have an affect on wheel offset.



The touring shot was totes for you, Peterman. I laid out all of the wheels/tires and was like....I...I just don't know how I'm going to fit this in that little car...

Then I got going and realized it had TONS of room. Like, I could have easily fit another set of wheels and the dogs in there.

oh ya... definitely. it's cavernous. have you unlocked the hidden storage under the rear seat? easter egg...

thanks for the pic. i love the "let's just see what the Touring can do today..." pics. :) i take a whole bunch that i never post, LOL.



Grounded:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180402/203a301b62648b599d0017294bed0962.jpg

looks like you've been rubbing on the very top inside lip of the fender too.... might want to roll that sucker a tiny bit. i'm doing mine this spring.

oh, and you're missing a fastener there? liner-to-bumper. should be a coarse-thread M8 with a big washer.

[ZHPizza]

I'm running stock tire sizes 255x35x18 Hancooks... they have a pretty narrow tread.
I forgot you had a coupe... I think they do have a little more clearance IIRC Yikes!... back to afraid of opening them...

I think you'll be fine since you're going from et35 to et35, the position of the tire won't change. You'll just be pushing the point where the sidewall and wheel meet out by 0.25in. The tread will retain the same width and position.

Here's the same wheels on a sedan (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?19220-Zhpe30abe-s-Project-Thread/page7), but with some wide 235/40's like I have. They're taller than your 255/35's, so more likely to rub.


Dayum Pizza, those wheels look sick AF!

ARC8's have always been the dream wheels for me. Maybe someday when I have some $$$ saved up and we have full-on trade wars going on so that the CAD doesn't suck as much as it does now. :)

lol just wait like two years until the US is a post apocalyptic wasteland. The CAD will be a lot stronger then.


I haven’t heard “Bingo Bango Bongo” in so long I thought it was 1998.

Good update. One problem tho: where are your spinnaz/sittaz?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Man, 1998 was a great year for music. Take a trip back through these hot bitties. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1998)


Dem wheel bolts do'

aye



looks like you've been rubbing on the very top inside lip of the fender too.... might want to roll that sucker a tiny bit. i'm doing mine this spring.

oh, and you're missing a fastener there? liner-to-bumper. should be a coarse-thread M8 with a big washer.

Dang that does look like paint rubbed off huh? Couldn't see that angle when I was grinding. That rubbing was with spacers that put the rear at et32, so I'm probably fine now...but the front is so pushed out that I might try to add a spacer in the rear down the road. Roll tide?

And the missing fastener confuses the hell out of me. It's like that on both sides and when I shine a light in there I see nothing behind the fender liner. No threads/panel/etc. Any other coupie bois noticed this?

[ZHPizza]

Also snagged a pic for @slater last night when I noticed the lights in this parking lot were making that pinstripe POP

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180403/1b8e9aef2da1d8b9d76be409645a6780.jpg

[Sockethead]

I think you'll be fine since you're going from et35 to et35, the position of the tire won't change. You'll just be pushing the point where the sidewall and wheel meet out by 0.25in. The tread will retain the same width and position.

Here's the same wheels on a sedan (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?19220-Zhpe30abe-s-Project-Thread/page7), but with some wide 235/40's like I have. They're taller than your 255/35's, so more likely to rub.


Thanks for the link... I forgot about that guy...
He cut out his rear fender liners... something I'd be willing to try if I have to but he never posted pics of it...

EDIT: looks like those wheels are fitting nicely under your fenders... Is it the picture angle or are your tires slightly stretched on those wheels...

[704sw]

Is it the picture angle or are your tires slightly stretched on those wheels...

[emoji23]which of the 9 pixels in that picture are you looking at?

[ZHPizza]

Thanks for the link... I forgot about that guy...
He cut out his rear fender liners... something I'd be willing to try if I have to but he never posted pics of it...

EDIT: looks like those wheels are fitting nicely under your fenders... Is it the picture angle or are your tires slightly stretched on those wheels...

Theyre only slightly stretched. Just enough for the wheel to touch if I lay them down. Here is a better pic. I may actually put a small (3mm) spacer back there.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180403/8ddbfc09e3ad99f5fdc8c1d6168cd688.jpg

[704sw]

Theyre only slightly stretched. Just enough for the wheel to touch if I lay them down. Here is a better pic. I may actually put a small (3mm) spacer back there.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180403/8ddbfc09e3ad99f5fdc8c1d6168cd688.jpg

That may just be an Apex thing. You can hear the metal touch on my 8.5s when you set them down (also 235). And I have 3mm spacers if you want to test fit.

[BMWCurves]

I’m rubber on rubber on my 17x8.5” with ExtremeContact DW 245/40R17s. But that’s a lot less stretch (see: no stretch) than yours.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[slater]

Also snagged a pic for @slater last night when I noticed the lights in this parking lot were making that pinstripe POP

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180403/1b8e9aef2da1d8b9d76be409645a6780.jpg

heck yeah - as trevor mentioned, that is definitely Alpina-esque. ;) haha.



Theyre only slightly stretched. Just enough for the wheel to touch if I lay them down. Here is a better pic. I may actually put a small (3mm) spacer back there.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180403/8ddbfc09e3ad99f5fdc8c1d6168cd688.jpg

man, those fronts are pokey! some megative camber is required, fo sho.

i run a 3mm spacer in the rear with my apexeseses.

maybe a bit too much stretchy for me. i think if it was sitting lower it would look better, in my eyes. but that ride! gotta preserve that.

[cornercarver]

Grounded:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180402/203a301b62648b599d0017294bed0962.jpg

I don't understand why the passenger side has that metal clip and the driver's side doesn't...

[ZHPizza]

That may just be an Apex thing. You can hear the metal touch on my 8.5s when you set them down (also 235). And I have 3mm spacers if you want to test fit.


I’m rubber on rubber on my 17x8.5” with ExtremeContact DW 245/40R17s. But that’s a lot less stretch (see: no stretch) than yours.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking at the pics, I think it may have a lot to do with the Apex design. The lip follows the angle of the spokes and pushes out:

https://www.apexraceparts.com/media/wysiwyg/Wheels/18-ARC8/Info-Page-Concave-Comparison.jpg
http://www.myapexparts.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Blog-19-ARC8-Profiles.jpg



heck yeah - as trevor mentioned, that is definitely Alpina-esque. ;) haha.

man, those fronts are pokey! some megative camber is required, fo sho.

i run a 3mm spacer in the rear with my apexeseses.

maybe a bit too much stretchy for me. i think if it was sitting lower it would look better, in my eyes. but that ride! gotta preserve that.

It's funny -- going from the 9.0 width to 9.5, I can feel how the sidewall has stiffened with the additional stretch. The handling is more responsive, but impacts are harsher. I may go a little wider with the next set of tires, but I'm ok with the trade off for now since we are driving the wagon more on trips so I'm almost always alone and hooning when driving this car.


I don't understand why the passenger side has that metal clip and the driver's side doesn't...

The fender hanger clip? It's on both sides. I had just removed it in the first pic. I flattened it out a bit with a hammer to give more clearance, then reinstalled it, then ground the stud all the way down to the nut.

[slater]

...but I'm ok with the trade off for now since we are driving the wagon more on trips so I'm almost always alone and hooning when driving this car.

so when does the LSD go in? :)

it amplifies hoonage by at least 150%.

but that's probably a bad thing.



The fender hanger clip? It's on both sides. I had just removed it in the first pic. I flattened it out a bit with a hammer to give more clearance, then reinstalled it, then ground the stud all the way down to the nut.

nice. on northern cars... you just leave that nut alone. sure, you can grind the stud down... but you don't touch the nut. i think i have successfully removed 3 out of maybe 8 that i've removed. the other 5 were lonely and brought the stud with them.

[cornercarver]

on northern cars... you just leave that nut alone. sure, you can grind the stud down... but you don't touch the nut. i think i have successfully removed 3 out of maybe 8 that i've removed. the other 5 were lonely and brought the stud with them.
That might explain why there isn't one on my driver's side. :( I was wondering why that side was only being held on by the plastic piece further back along the seam.

[anandoc]

nice. on northern cars... you just leave that nut alone. sure, you can grind the stud down... but you don't touch the nut. i think i have successfully removed 3 out of maybe 8 that i've removed. the other 5 were lonely and brought the stud with them.

2 of those clingy/lonely ones were from my car when we installed the ZHP rear bumper. Fun times were had...

[slater]

2 of those clingy/lonely ones were from my car when we installed the ZHP rear bumper. Fun times were had...

yep, we RTV'd those brackets back on. :) still holding? the one i RTV'd back onto my ZHP held until the day i removed that rear bumper for the last time... i think it was 2 years!

[anandoc]

yep, we RTV'd those brackets back on. :) still holding? the one i RTV'd back onto my ZHP held until the day i removed that rear bumper for the last time... i think it was 2 years!

Yup - no issues so far!

[Sreten]

Love love the new kicks! I think they look mighty better than the previous set. Excellent choice Pizzaman.

[ZHPizza]

so when does the LSD go in? :)

it amplifies hoonage by at least 150%.

but that's probably a bad thing.




nice. on northern cars... you just leave that nut alone. sure, you can grind the stud down... but you don't touch the nut. i think i have successfully removed 3 out of maybe 8 that i've removed. the other 5 were lonely and brought the stud with them.

Man...I'm thinking more and more about an LSD now...the only thing I'm worried about (other than the cost) is gear whine. I know yours is pretty loud but that's probably more due to the solid mounts everywhere.

And the paint underneath my Florida car is in better condition than the roof.


Love love the new kicks! I think they look mighty better than the previous set. Excellent choice Pizzaman.

Dude...they really...like...really really make the pinstripe pop. No joke.

It's going to take some time to get used to the fronts sticking out so much, but I'm loving the profile view so far.

[Sockethead]

I have an M3 clutch style LSD. Just put in AKG 95A diff bushings. Everything else back there is OEM except for M3 OEM RTAB and limiters. No gear whine at all

[slater]

Man...I'm thinking more and more about an LSD now...the only thing I'm worried about (other than the cost) is gear whine. I know yours is pretty loud but that's probably more due to the solid mounts everywhere.

yeah, exactly. rubber mounts should negate that entirely.




Dude...they really...like...really really make the pinstripe pop. No joke.

so, it's staying?? :)



I have an M3 clutch style LSD. Just put in AKG 95A diff bushings. Everything else back there is OEM except for M3 OEM RTAB and limiters. No gear whine at all

really? weird. i wonder if it has something to do with the diff type - i'm running a helical diff.

[Sockethead]

My diff has polished ring and pinion... not sure if that would make a difference with gear whine...

[slater]

My diff has polished ring and pinion... not sure if that would make a difference with gear whine...

hrmm... that's a great question!

[ZHPizza]

Put myself and the whip to the test yesterday on a mission to retrieve all of the interior bits (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?21399-(Sold)-Complete-Coupe-Alcantara-Interior-Seats) I need to erase the damage from 12 years in the Florida sun.

The route:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/cc629f07dc499ff44876f92ce51eb71c.jpg

The stats:

6am start time: the sun was tryna catchup but red car 2fast4u
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/66aeb5b5467fbe7ea763378127fe035d.jpg

Like a billion mountains:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/396714a1c07362d333312df18cd7641f.jpg

Three tunnels:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/a5f72dc987149267242920ffb18dd66f.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/714583b73be63bf97c1117c8938bc57a.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/beca68fe24ced79839edc33c3f7e3bfb.jpg

One dragon:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/a9d0cff4b55cc43789a53552950857d7.jpg

Two cheese sticks on a makeshift cooler via half-installed headunit:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/e7095db49107b5ff78f65b123e1c646d.jpg

One really weird section of Kentucky:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/51e0129d192c72240c2eb8e701dace62.jpg

Four states EACH WITH THEIR OWN DISTINCT POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES*
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/ba730c24ede27fe6d8989011a7ed27d6.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/757b972bf314e17db96a3553ae440ca4.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/942089d60efcacb2cf44ae71868435c1.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/9df2bd9f608fa8914a9329b7211cbf9e.jpg
*lol nah kentucky is trash

And one very red car:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/8eb484f056436e0abb4dd6f79497573b.jpg

Back home at 10pm: 16 hours and 957 miles later
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/f04a043f780ced74a664aa7226366fa1.jpg

I was pleasantly surprised with the final MPG number after spending the trip running balls out at 80+mph, ~30 minutes in crawling traffic, and stopping 10+ times to refuel the car, refuel the man, load up the parts, and drain some fluids (followed by redlining 1>2>3 at every on-ramp, of course). Confirms that my new CAI is straight kicking butts. More to come on that bad boy.

[BMWCurves]

Impressive and entertaining as always.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[704sw]

Tbh I thought Kentucky was a pretty state. But I was on backroads the whole time.

[slater]

awesome trip - that must've been great! but.... sad to see no pics of the red car trying to be a Touring. where's the All Loaded Up pics?

(and why didn't you take the Touring? ;))

[SaltyNC]

Wow, that's a heckuva parts run. :)

[PetesZ]

Stop at the Biltmore Estate in Ashville next time.....

I 40 over the mountains is always a fun drive.

[Yelkos]

How did you fit all that stuff in the red car? Did you strip the interior before hand and sit on a stack of old newspapers for the first 7 hours??

[704sw]

How did you fit all that stuff in the red car? Did you strip the interior before hand and sit on a stack of old newspapers for the first 7 hours??

C’mon Yelkos, no one gets the paper anymore...well, at least not the Charlotte Observer. He sat on magazines.

[ZHPizza]

How did you fit all that stuff in the red car? Did you strip the interior before hand and sit on a stack of old newspapers for the first 7 hours??




awesome trip - that must've been great! but.... sad to see no pics of the red car trying to be a Touring. where's the All Loaded Up pics?

(and why didn't you take the Touring? ;))

I just really wanted to drive the red car so I made it work. That pic was actually at mile 700ish with the full load!

I pulled the passenger seat and rear bench/back/bolsters before the trip, so I drove up with just the driver's seat. Installed the new passenger seat and rear seat parts in place, driver's seat on the rear bench, three door panels in the trunk, one door panel behind the front seats, and the headliner...man...I did not have a plan for the headliner...I set it up on the rear deck (headrests removed) and shoved it all the way to the back glass, sunroof cutout fitting around the driver's seat laid in the back, and the rest softly bent down behind my driver's seat with the back leaned all the way forward. Very upright position for the drive home, but it wasn't bad.

Here's the driver's seat strapped in with a child-locked seatbelt:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/52156e9fea37f5db5b1f7e86ae178edc.jpg

And the headliner bent into place:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/7ad15c9ceac8a25b71d4e42b7e48b9bf.jpg



Impressive and entertaining as always.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Should have mentioned the part that you'll appreciate: The fatigue finally hit me at hour 15 when it got to full dark out, so I had to bust out the big guns to stay awake until I made it home: singing along to the entire Greatest Showman sound track. I'm talking that high note hitting sore throat type of work.


Wow, that's a heckuva parts run. :)

I'd definitely do it again, but make sure that I got back before dark.


Stop at the Biltmore Estate in Ashville next time.....

I 40 over the mountains is always a fun drive.

It was a great drive all the way through Tennessee, but no time for tourism. 16 hours was enough for one day.


Tbh I thought Kentucky was a pretty state. But I was on backroads the whole time.

I-75 is all potholes, deer carcasses, and Christian theme parks. I also ran into a Walmart to pee so got to see the real Kentucky.

[704sw]

The real Kentucky? Shit, brother, I stopped for gas in Harlan County and I swear to god it was like I stepped onto the set of Justified. It was very clear my presence was unwelcome.

[slater]

I just really wanted to drive the red car so I made it work. That pic was actually at mile 700ish with the full load!

I pulled the passenger seat and rear bench/back/bolsters before the trip, so I drove up with just the driver's seat. Installed the new passenger seat and rear seat parts in place, driver's seat on the rear bench, three door panels in the trunk, one door panel behind the front seats, and the headliner...man...I did not have a plan for the headliner...I set it up on the rear deck (headrests removed) and shoved it all the way to the back glass, sunroof cutout fitting around the driver's seat laid in the back, and the rest softly bent down behind my driver's seat with the back leaned all the way forward. Very upright position for the drive home, but it wasn't bad.


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/7ad15c9ceac8a25b71d4e42b7e48b9bf.jpg

YES! that's how ya do it. but i guess i should've expected that! beers on me next time you're up this way.

also - yeah, your headliner is in sad, sorry shape... it's an easy swap.



Should have mentioned the part that you'll appreciate: The fatigue finally hit me at hour 15 when it got to full dark out, so I had to bust out the big guns to stay awake until I made it home: singing along to the entire Greatest Showman sound track. I'm talking that high note hitting sore throat type of work.

haha... man, too bad The Slater Family wasn't along for the ride! that soundtrack gets heavy rotation around our house. it's pretty good. that and the hamilton soundtrack... which is a masterpiece.

[Johnmadd]

You guys are too much :rofl

[PetesZ]

This just confirms my theory about red car owners.

It is so they can hide the blood.

Fear the walking dead my ass. The guy in the red car did it. 4 out of 3 times

[BMWCurves]

Should have mentioned the part that you'll appreciate: The fatigue finally hit me at hour 15 when it got to full dark out, so I had to bust out the big guns to stay awake until I made it home: singing along to the entire Greatest Showman sound track. I'm talking that high note hitting sore throat type of work.

A man after my own heart. Heading across western Texas at 2 AM still an hour away from our destination, my driving buddy was PTFO, so I was blaring "Stayin' Alive" and belting along just to stay awake.

[holyc0w]

The real Kentucky? Shit, brother, I stopped for gas in Harlan County and I swear to god it was like I stepped onto the set of Justified. It was very clear my presence was unwelcome.

Did you stop for some apple pie?

[Sockethead]

Ugh, many a trip between Columbus OH and South Jersey... the whole family including dogs asleep... me driving with the window down slapping my face and singing along to something like disturbed to stay awake... good times! :)

[Yelkos]

C’mon Yelkos, no one gets the paper anymore...well, at least not the Charlotte Observer. He sat on magazines.

must have been all those MODERN BRIDE magazines

[ZHPizza]

So a few months ago (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?8698-What-did-you-do-for-your-ZHP-BMW-MINI-today-2&p=547182#post547182) I bought a bigass filter w/ velocity stack (https://www.ebay.com/itm/BLOX-Racing-Performance-Filter-Kit-3-5-Velocity-Stack-Black-Silicone-Hose-/152833764865?hash=item23959a2e01), some aluminum pipe (https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-5-Alu-Tube-Tubing-Pipe-12-Long-065-/362289702790?hash=item545a262786), and a few 45deg silicone sleeves and made a functional prototype for a long tube CAI.

When I first mocked it up, I went in guns blazing. Soldering guns blazing lol

https://imgur.com/sqTFVCF.jpg

Just making room for the giant ass filter to fit in there...

https://imgur.com/NaSnkvi.jpg

There we go.

https://imgur.com/IkXO1ps.jpg

There were two major roadblocks with the prototype, though.

1. The headlight won't fit back in with the xenon ballast hitting that bigass pipe (you can see on the left where I need another inch or so):

https://imgur.com/xPJFtSG.jpg

2. That bigass filter is going to get wrecked by rocks/bugs/water/Cthulhu/etc:

https://imgur.com/SHXuWH1.jpg

I took it on a test drive sans ballast to see how it worked, but didn't immediately feel any better than stock. Hm. I glued the ambient temp sensor back in place, buttoned everything up with the OE airbox, and tabled the project until I could sort out the issues.

I kept researching intake theory and everything pointed to the long tube being the most beneficial for power through the rev range and [obviously] getting the coldest available air. I continued to casually look for solutions and eventually found someone that was able to relocate the ballast (here (http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showpost.php?p=13116460&postcount=197)) and, after wearing out the amazon return policy, found a pre-filter that fit perfectly on the giant cone (here (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012HMT7W/)). The pieces were in place and I jumped back into it last weekend.

HERE. WE. GO.

One of the flaws I suspected with the initial test was that, with the brake duct removed, the hot air coming through the radiator was being pushed right into the intake. So I did what any engineer worth his salt would do: I taped that shit up.

https://imgur.com/ZyASYxe.jpg

https://imgur.com/pFDpnQV.jpg

Then came modifying the brake duct so I could use it to direct flow to both the brakes and intake.

https://imgur.com/fQOT4kh.jpg

^Note that by now I've upgraded my soldering gun plastic cutting station with a powerful fume hood (I worked beside the A/C condenser and let it pull the fumes away and blow them up to the sky).

https://imgur.com/ofZitN4.jpg

https://imgur.com/obtR8p5.jpg

oh yeah dat fitment

https://imgur.com/ptQTvCt.jpg

Fitted up with light on it:

https://imgur.com/67X5if6.jpg

and without:

https://imgur.com/wXPb6wU.jpg

Bumper back on, shining a light into the brake duct:

https://imgur.com/6lPoIPT.jpg

and out in the daylight:

https://imgur.com/JWQmxZy.jpg

stealthy

Next step was making the headlight fit. It took A LOT of work to get the little ballast plug moved around to the back, but I managed and man...it just barely reaches. Not a great solution by any means...

https://imgur.com/7V30W4I.jpg

Then had to cut an inch off the old ballast tray seen here:

https://imgur.com/rfXhoDR.jpg

AND in good reduce/reuse/recycle form, used the pieces that I had cut off to (1) seal up the cutout where the ballast connector used to be:

https://imgur.com/Qh6d3mu.jpg

https://imgur.com/CSYukZs.jpg

and (2) provide a catch for the clip on the ballast connector (it's under a lot of tape):

https://imgur.com/jw5zh3f.jpg

Final shot of the new ballast location:

https://imgur.com/LXnat4E.jpg

^It's not pretty...and I really wasn't sure if it would be functional, but it held up find for my 1k mile trip the next day. I still have some work to do as far as securing the ballast itself and maybe some more waterproofing.

Oh and a final shot from the engine bay. I'll replace the zip ties with hose clamps...maybe...

https://imgur.com/GBJVwVI.jpg


Thoughts after 1k miles:

Sound is awesome. I can only really hear it when I jump on it above 3500rpm with the windows down, but it's a good, clean intake sound. No whistling at any rpm.

Power is definitely improved. My butt dyno is not nearly as sensitive as my NVH...dyno?..but there is definitely a power bump. I'm also reading intake temperatures about 10F lower than the OE airbox in all driving situations, so that's confirmed power right there.

Fuel mileage is also improved, without a doubt. My balls-out trip to Cincy should not have netted anywhere near 30mpg.

Overall I am very happy with the end result. It is exactly what I wanted in an intake because I built it myself.

Planned revisions: hose clamps, a block off plate from the engine bay, and some heat shielding for the HFM

[704sw]

No TL;DR?

[ZHPizza]

No TL;DR?Pipey boi make go good

[ZHPizza]

So about two months ago I noticed that my A/C was weak and I was getting that noise in the dash that means low refrigerant. No biggie, car is 13 years old, right? I went to top it off with a can of r143a and noticed a little bit of pressure was released when I removed the cap from the low side service port. A clue! We'll keep an eye on that one...

I get back from my European walkabout, pumped to drive the red car, and lo and behold the A/C is struggling again due to low refrigerant. I pulled the low side service cap, noticed the same burp of pressure, spit on it and saw bubbles coming from the schrader valve core verrrrry slowly. Super tiny leak on the valve core, no surprise there. Now the valve core itself is like a $3 part so replacing it would be no big deal buuuuut that system is hella pressurized with some nasty stuff, so you have to use some special equipment to safely evacuate the system, swap the core, then pull a vacuum while you refill with the refrigerant/oil/dye mix. I'm too stubborn not to DIY everything and you can't rent that kind of equipment from Autozone, so doing it right is out of the question.

Now I work with shcrader valves every day and know how finicky they can be and how little torque is usually used to install them, so with my classic disney character hubris, I'm all like "ok, the leak is tiny so I'll just tighten the core a bit and see if it holds." Here we go...

[BMWCurves]

It was good knowing you, Nate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[704sw]

It was good knowing you, Nate.

This is all that’s left of our good friend Nate.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180620/2d2d0c90ec74ba32cb22cc5c506fd38e.jpeg

Press F to pay respect.

[papa_g]

i had a leak from the valve cores as well. luckily my system evacuated itself via a number of leaks. replacing them was pretty easy except I learned you have to get the large bore tool as opposed to the regular sized one sold at autozone and oreilly's

[ZHPizza]

Setting:
6pm. My driveway. Wife's wagon is in the garage, red car pulled right up behind it. Hood open. Like 9 billion degrees.

Characters:
ZHPizza, 704sw, Viktor (the dirty Russian valve core)

Scene:
I get home from work [enter ZHPizza] with like half an hour before the wife and I have to leave for a show. We're walking to the theater, so being sweaty isn't a problem, but being filthy is. I can not get dirty. Spenser shows up [enter 704sw] to swap some parts/stories from my trip while I'm using the small time window to tighten the valve core [enter Viktor] and recharge the system so that I can drive to work with A/C the next day. Easy peasy, right?

I get my custom built, recently calibrated torque driver specific for valve cores that I grabbed from work and go to snug Viktor up...dang...Viktor is a thicc boi and the tool doesn't fit. No big deal, I've been in this situation before and can adapt. I grab my smallest set of needle nose pliers and man, they fit in there perfectly. Wrap those bad boys around Viktor and...crap...Viktor is already tight...well...maybe he can handle a little more torque since he's all thicc like...lean on the pliers a bit and...all good! Viktor is looking a little unhappy about the ordeal (red flag #1), but he's still in one piece and no longer leaking >> victory!

At this point I've got like 10 minutes before I need to leave. No problem. Just gotta dump a can of refrigerant into the system, change clothes, and roll out. Well, as it turns out, Viktor's pissed. I go to connect the charge tube to the service port and it pops right back off (red flag #2). Weird. Must have kicked back due to the lock ring on the connector. I pull the ring back and go to slide it over the port and it still won't sit down all the way (red flag #3). Weird. Must be the pressure of the system pushing back on the connection (it's not). It just needs some coercing (it doesn't). I set the connector in place with one hand and give it a firm slap with the other BOOOOOOOM

Y'all know in the movies when there's a police chase and they run over a fire hydrant and it just blasts water like 50ft in the air? That's what my car looked like. But instead of water, it's bright green oil. Fun.

This shit sprays straight out into the kidney grill, which diverts the shower in the specific direction of every-fucking-where [exit Viktor].

I panic and smash the charge tube connector over the service port. I've stopped the flow, but now I'm the little boy standing there with his finger plugging the hole in the dam. I'm trapped.

Good thing my soon-to-be-very-close friend Spenser is still around! He's finishing up a phone call back behind the car and is unaware of my predicament. I wait patiently for him to be free and give him a quick update on the situation, followed by a request for assistance: "please find a pair of safety glasses...ok and a nitrile glove....ok....now....uh....put them on me..."

[end scene]

Conclusion:
I got the cap for the service port back on without spraying too much more shit allover the place. The wife came down as I was cleaning neon green oil off of her car to let me know that we were 15 minutes late. I wiped most of the oil off of my face and went to the show.

Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity for growth in our friendship. I think I breathed in his mouth while he was putting the glasses on my face, and there was a special moment where he was sliding the glove over my oil soaked hand that...well...it's hard to describe.

Fun times in Pizza's garage.

[BMWCurves]

Such vivid imagery. I can practically taste that errant refrigerant


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[704sw]

We’ll always have the garage times...

...and clubbing in Toronto with DJ Dan.

[papa_g]

goosebumps...

[Sreten]

Dude, this is fucking gold. I was reading and laughing all the way through it. You paint quite a picture.

[slater]

Setting:
6pm. My driveway. Wife's wagon is in the garage, red car pulled right up behind it. Hood open. Like 9 billion degrees.

Characters:
ZHPizza, 704sw, Viktor (the dirty Russian valve core)

Scene:
I get home from work [enter ZHPizza] with like half an hour before the wife and I have to leave for a show. We're walking to the theater, so being sweaty isn't a problem, but being filthy is. I can not get dirty. Spenser shows up [enter 704sw] to swap some parts/stories from my trip while I'm using the small time window to tighten the valve core [enter Viktor] and recharge the system so that I can drive to work with A/C the next day. Easy peasy, right?

I get my custom built, recently calibrated torque driver specific for valve cores that I grabbed from work and go to snug Viktor up...dang...Viktor is a thicc boi and the tool doesn't fit. No big deal, I've been in this situation before and can adapt. I grab my smallest set of needle nose pliers and man, they fit in there perfectly. Wrap those bad boys around Viktor and...crap...Viktor is already tight...well...maybe he can handle a little more torque since he's all thicc like...lean on the pliers a bit and...all good! Viktor is looking a little unhappy about the ordeal (red flag #1), but he's still in one piece and no longer leaking >> victory!

At this point I've got like 10 minutes before I need to leave. No problem. Just gotta dump a can of refrigerant into the system, change clothes, and roll out. Well, as it turns out, Viktor's pissed. I go to connect the charge tube to the service port and it pops right back off (red flag #2). Weird. Must have kicked back due to the lock ring on the connector. I pull the ring back and go to slide it over the port and it still won't sit down all the way (red flag #3). Weird. Must be the pressure of the system pushing back on the connection (it's not). It just needs some coercing (it doesn't). I set the connector in place with one hand and give it a firm slap with the other BOOOOOOOM

Y'all know in the movies when there's a police chase and they run over a fire hydrant and it just blasts water like 50ft in the air? That's what my car looked like. But instead of water, it's bright green oil. Fun.

This shit sprays straight out into the kidney grill, which diverts the shower in the specific direction of every-fucking-where [exit Viktor].

I panic and smash the charge tube connector over the service port. I've stopped the flow, but now I'm the little boy standing there with his finger plugging the hole in the dam. I'm trapped.

Good thing my soon-to-be-very-close friend Spenser is still around! He's finishing up a phone call back behind the car and is unaware of my predicament. I wait patiently for him to be free and give him a quick update on the situation, followed by a request for assistance: "please find a pair of safety glasses...ok and a nitrile glove....ok....now....uh....put them on me..."

[end scene]

Conclusion:
I got the cap for the service port back on without spraying too much more shit allover the place. The wife came down as I was cleaning neon green oil off of her car to let me know that we were 15 minutes late. I wiped most of the oil off of my face and went to the show.

Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity for growth in our friendship. I think I breathed in his mouth while he was putting the glasses on my face, and there was a special moment where he was sliding the glove over my oil soaked hand that...well...it's hard to describe.

Fun times in Pizza's garage.

oh frig, nate! this is almost worse than the gear oil. and yet... i can relate (again) - refrigerant is most unpleasant stuff. had that lime green nasty juice spray on me once, too.

at least it's less smelly than gear oil.

so what's the plan going forward? i mean.... besides not having A/C on your commute tomorrow.

[704sw]

(posting here instead of just texting you, with the hope somebody else might find this information useful as well)

What is it about the OMP 1010 pedals you like so much? Is it the checkering/texture? What’s the advantage of them versus something like the knockoff versions of the BMW Performance pedals you see on eBay? One is all aluminum, the other is aluminum with rubber grippers.

My takeaway is this: OMP pedals are more about performance, and the knockoff BMW pedals are about looking pretty. This isn’t about my trying to cheap out (they are really close in price), but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a hint concern about using generic-fit pedals in lieu of some which replicate a BMW-specific set, even if the Mad Russian’s OMP install looks good.

[ZHPizza]

so what's the plan going forward? i mean.... besides not having A/C on your commute tomorrow.

Haha man it was quite the adventure. I should have known better, as it was already one of those days where everything was going wrong, but I thought Spenser needed some excitement.

It still had pressure in the system after I got it capped, so I picked up some valve cores from the dealer and bought this tool (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0GZ9GT/), but the fatty BMW valve cores wouldn't fit through the opening when I went to pull it through. Whatever. I had already lost so much refrigerant and oil that there was no way I was going to get the right mix back in there anyway. Just tucked my tail between my legs and took it to a highly recommended shop to have them evacuate the system, replace the valve cores on both service ports, and refill with the correct oil/dye/refrigerant ratios. I was sure to note in the work request that anyone that took the cap off of the low side port before the system was bled was going to have a baaad day.

They did a fine job and had the car parked out front like this when I went to pick it up:

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180620/ef94c5d19647a241d4d450c5c07e45e3.jpg

I also had some fun conversation with the owner's son...

Me: Yo man I'm here to pick up that obnoxious red car out front

Him (trying to compliment the depth of imola, but struggling for the right word): That's yours? Man, that's a nice car. I really like the paint...it's like...subtle?

Me: What the hell car are you talking about? Subtle...

Him: Well...no...but like...

[ZHPizza]

(posting here instead of just texting you, with the hope somebody else might find this information useful as well)

What is it about the OMP 1010 pedals you like so much? Is it the checkering/texture? What’s the advantage of them versus something like the knockoff versions of the BMW Performance pedals you see on eBay? One is all aluminum, the other is aluminum with rubber grippers.

My takeaway is this: OMP pedals are more about performance, and the knockoff BMW pedals are about looking pretty. This isn’t about my trying to cheap out (they are really close in price), but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a hint concern about using generic-fit pedals in lieu of some which replicate a BMW-specific set, even if the Mad Russian’s OMP install looks good.

Ah my b boo. When we were sexting about the pedals I had assumed that you were a particpant of this thread (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?21290-Too-Much&p=557069#post557069).

There are some advantages to the OMP pedals -- mainly the wet grip and brake guard. I had the ebay/UUC/whatev pedals in my last ZHP and I really liked them, but they were slippery when wet and my foot would sometimes catch on the screw on the back of the brake pedal when transitioning from gas > brake. That didn't feel no good. I put the OMP pedals in the Mazda and fricken loved them. Looks wise...meh...but functionality can't be beat.

Since I haven't installed the OMP pedals in the red car yet, I'll defer to the Madrussian himself to make the comparison (note that he included install instructions for both in his DIY section):

http://m3.madrussian.net/review_uuc_pedals.shtml

http://m3.madrussian.net/review_omp_pedals.shtml

The TL:DR is that he and I are on the same page:


My personal conclusion is simple - these are great, cheap, functional, and but do not carry the cool factor of some others so if you're worried about matching your pedals to the latest color of CF interior trim these may not be for you - if you however want pedals that allow you to get the utmost control out of your car and know or want to learn how to heel to toe and left foot brake these are great.

[704sw]

Perfect, thanks bb. Now in the Amazon cart.

[BMWCurves]

I'd be all over those if I didn't have to drill the gas pedal. How easy is that to replace?

[Sockethead]

I have UUC pedals but they are the original style 10 years old now. They are more similar to the OMP pedals, all aluminum. The have held up very well. no real visible wear. Personally, I don't like any of the style with the rubber on them. Rubber gets slippery... especially when oil or antifreeze is involved

[704sw]

I'd be all over those if I didn't have to drill the gas pedal. How easy is that to replace?

That was my biggest reservation initially too, but I’ve gotten past it—I need something with better feel/grip on the track (I drive in the same cushy Nikes I run half marathons in, not exactly the best for pedal-feel). I don’t want my foot sliding off when I try to heel-toe coming into a braking zone lol.

[BMWCurves]

That was my biggest reservation initially too, but I’ve gotten past it—I need something with better feel/grip on the track (I drive in the same cushy Nikes I run half marathons in, not exactly the best for pedal-feel). I don’t want my foot sliding off when I try to heel-toe coming into a braking zone lol.

Bro, just get bigger feet

[704sw]

Bro, just get bigger feet

That sure seems like a simpler solution...you’re in med school, right? Any suggestions?

[ZHPizza]

That sure seems like a simpler solution...you’re in med school, right? Any suggestions?Clown school

[704sw]

Clown school

Does that include Z3 Coupes?

[BMWCurves]

That sure seems like a simpler solution...you’re in med school, right? Any suggestions?

Don’t have small feet?


Clown school

A viable alternative


Does that include Z3 Coupes?

Yeah, tuition pays for one for every 10 students.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

Uhh kinda. I put the Bavsound speakers in one half of the car to see if I noticed a difference in sound quality from the OE HK speakers...and I don't remember which side it was, if that tells you anything. I guess I should finish out the install and see if it sounds any better and report back.

@BMWCurves

To elaborate on this a bit, after I got my android headunit going, I compared left/right side and the Bavsound speakers were noticeably clearer/punchier than the OE HK.

Now I finally got the rest of the Bavsound set installed and hopped in the car this morning expecting a full, rich sound, and it was wonky af. Turns out there is some break in required for speakers. So right now, the speakers with 1 year of use sound awesome, and the speakers fresh out of the box sound almost as weak/muddy as the HK. That explains why I didn't notice much of a difference right after install.

[johnrando]

That's a relief. Hsd no idea there was a breakin period.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

That's a relief. Hsd no idea there was a breakin period.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Me neither! I was flipping the balance between the rear woofers this morning trying to figure out how I installed the new one wrong...it's just two freaking wires...but...it sounds like the muddy HK...did I even put it in? Am I losing my mind?

Then I remembered a comment that I had read in passing the other day where someone was like "the new speakers sounded pretty good out of the box and even better after break in!"

Turns out it's a very real and audible thing that can take up to 100 hours. Guess I should leave the car running on blast while I'm at work for the next week.

https://www.klipsch.com/blog/how-and-why-to-break-in-your-new-speakers

[BMWCurves]

Me neither! I was flipping the balance between the rear woofers this morning trying to figure out how I installed the new one wrong...it's just two freaking wires...but...it sounds like the muddy HK...did I even put it in? Am I losing my mind?

Then I remembered a comment that I had read in passing the other day where someone was like "the new speakers sounded pretty good out of the box and even better after break in!"

Turns out it's a very real and audible thing that can take up to 100 hours. Guess I should leave the car running on blast while I'm at work for the next week.

https://www.klipsch.com/blog/how-and-why-to-break-in-your-new-speakers

Looking forward to that update in 100 hours

[ZHPizza]

Got a little too wild the night before the 4th, so I spent my holiday chugging gatorade and working on the interior of the red car.

Started off pulling the seats and then got distracted into installing my OMP pedals that I had in my Mazda. I think I drilled 5 holes in the gas pedal before I got something to fit. Hungover me isn't so great at the whole measuring twice thing.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/6c6931cce7a136f50b2010889d4171d7.jpg

Note that the clutch pedal is shorter because I had to cut the lower 1/2in off to keep it from catching the floor mat in my Mazda. Not something that I care enough about to pay for a new set for this car.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/2610421864fa9a177705bef6db420914.jpg

Got distracted again with painting the faded cloth on the HK door pulls.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/f981b3ea1b1d4559170d63a58537dc15.jpg

fresh2deaf

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/45835200f3bd1c02f4c2791e3cb4d7bf.jpg

Then mocked up my new shift boots (https://www.panjo.com/buy/bmw-e36-e46-alcantara-shift-boot-ebrake-boot-9002-alcantara-m-stitch-zig-zag-336381) that I had been sitting on for months. Told myself that I couldn't install them until I refinished the rest of the console. You gotta set limits on the child in your head...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/0b157ff032177a197510e0ad82379c43.jpg

I also had forgotten about the whole boot glued to the frame thing and didn't want to shred my decent condition OE boots, so I ran by the local Pull-A-Part with a knife and mercilessly gutted some leather boots on a few cars. I think I came away with an extra set of frames if anyone needs them.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/6264d8bf7e5b32f8177c44ac1c49ac09.jpg

Popped her in to check the fitment...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/de75b8ab5c513574b444e0497057ccb4.jpg

Then Spenser told me it was backwards...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/d785b9822acf67fd6375be3f28294d4d.jpg

There we go! Stitching is nice and hidden. Who designed this?

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/2fca6db2f3c4f2976acf94e41db451e5.jpg

Next was a hot bath with my center console and a scrubby dish sponge. Looked kind of wonky afterwards, but one coat of Aerospace 303 (https://www.amazon.com/303-30313-CSR-Protectant-Plastic-Fiberglass/dp/B00KN0UOEE/) and that ish was lookin fresh. The bare plastic is a little shinier than I prefer, but the finish is consistent and I can hit this thing with a golf club and not scratch it. Thumbs way the f up.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/e98961d7592bf986af6f047a7ed7ab53.jpg

Then I cleaned out a couple pounds of dog hair and installed the new (to me) alcantara seats and door panels that I went up to Cincinnasty to get a few weeks ago.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/b5cb79d3aed6ecd2e75479a1865ba57e.jpg

Swapping door panels meant finally finishing my Bavsound Stage 1 speaker install, which I talked about a few posts back. And apparently the seats had sat long enough (~3 years?) that the motors had seized up, so I swapped all 8 (four per seat wtf) motors over from my old seats and we were good to go!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/27451b991c48c0e20c980d35023771cd.jpg

Current status, with that badass ultimate sunshade in place:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180709/a7a27d696cddf7e9a05a7056ac2aff15.jpg

[papa_g]

Looks amazing!

[704sw]

Those pedals make an unreal difference. Very happy you recommended them.

[ZHPizza]

Looks amazing!
Thanks man. Got some more shots of the interior in daylight today. It's weird being this content with a section of the car when it's seemed like a never-ending project.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180711/aedd29e5b122ed0e5157816ac89b8513.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180711/938f87eee3af8498c942edd1302463ee.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180711/0bbf7e3db4c060829014cae7be2098e6.jpg


All I have left to do is swap the headliner and repair the stitching on the driver's seat bolster. The fabric itself is in great shape and should remain that way if I can avoid rubbing my donk on it when I get in and out of the car.


Those pedals make an unreal difference. Very happy you recommended them.I completely forgot I had installed them, which I guess is a good thing. Made a lot of stops during the rain storm last Friday and never noticed any slipping on the pedals.

[az3579]

Looks great!
I'm thinking a new shift knob to match your new looking wheel. :)

[Kicker35]

The interior is looking great with the new seats! Love how small things like the new pedals and shift boots make a big difference.


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[Vas]

Alcantara looks Soo much more inviting them black leather.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[az3579]

Alcantara looks Soo much more inviting them black leather.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


It must be the "suede" look - first thing that comes to mind is "soft and fuzzy".

[ZHPizza]

Looks great!
I'm thinking a new shift knob to match your new looking wheel. :)

You know, I was planning to go on my rant about how I don't like to replace things that I handle because it makes me focus on being gentle with them instead of slamming through the gears while I focus on driving...and then I got in the car...and looked at that shift knob...and I said.....dammit BP.

Ordered.


The interior is looking great with the new seats! Love how small things like the new pedals and shift boots make a big difference.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agreed! The little things all added up. It now feels like the car is 3 years old instead of 13.


Alcantara looks Soo much more inviting them black leather.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


It must be the "suede" look - first thing that comes to mind is "soft and fuzzy".

like this?

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/515qQsbgoDL.jpg

[az3579]

You know, I was planning to go on my rant about how I don't like to replace things that I handle because it makes me focus on being gentle with them instead of slamming through the gears while I focus on driving...and then I got in the car...and looked at that shift knob...and I said.....dammit BP.

Using that logic, the steering wheel shouldn't be replaced either... ;)

My OCD knows no bounds -- other than money of course. LOL




And...

You're welcome. :rofl

[ZHPizza]

Using that logic, the steering wheel shouldn't be replaced either... ;)


Agreed! That's why I put on a $24 PU leather steering wheel cover -- looks good, feels good, don't give a damn if I tear it up.

$45 PU leather shift knob is on the way!

[Stigissimo]

Got a little too wild the night before the 4th, so I spent my holiday chugging gatorade and working on the interior of the red car.





Yo you drink bruh?






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[nextelbuddy]

wonderful looking interior man. love clean alcantara.

If i could find a set of non folding sedan alcantara interior in MINT condition with heat i would be willing to sell or trade my NB M3 sedan non folding interior up for it so i could finally switch to an alcantara steering wheel to match.

i would retrofit the extra set of M3 bolster & lumbar control system into the non M sedan seats just to do it lol

[ZHPizza]

Yo you drink bruh?






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


Bruh



wonderful looking interior man. love clean alcantara.

If i could find a set of non folding sedan alcantara interior in MINT condition with heat i would be willing to sell or trade my NB M3 sedan non folding interior up for it so i could finally switch to an alcantara steering wheel to match.

i would retrofit the extra set of M3 bolster & lumbar control system into the non M sedan seats just to do it lol

Man good luck. It would have to come out of a car that was put in an underground garage and forgotten about. Even if you don't sit on Alcantara, it gets bad UV fade over the years.

[ZHPizza]

Ya boy got braces

I bought some beefy steel front/rear tower braces on eBay only to find out that the front didn't fit with my alignment pin and M56 beauty cover. I had been flirting with the easily removable ACS bars on Spenser's car and he was digging my strong af steel bits so we did a lil swaparooski.

Starting in the rear like you know we do.....

Yeah the rear kind of sucked. I had to put the car in the air and pull the wheel to get to the stupid underside nuts on the Rogue reinforcements. I don't know why people like these so much.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/b0617c1721ae38ef321f09ef9adc9623.jpg

Whatever. They're in. Laid the carpet back over and beat that ass with a rubber hammer. No cutting needed. All hammer.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/f8b8f5308c0985bade0c3bafdcc94383.jpg

Then beat the bar in place with the same rubber hammer. Not an ideal fitment. Whatever.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/8eb11ba8f7a678ad4cb2d3e807878de6.jpg

Then went to put in the cam bolts and they hit the carpet. Kind of annoying. Whatever.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/be76df3d95426298c313c864964f49a8.jpg

Got that ish in and locked down tho

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/da8bccc9c81f794bdbf9798c6477e9cc.jpg

And we got ourselves a bar! Hooray bar!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/c462f9acf716390cc37932ff1a082c42.jpg


Now the front bar is an interesting design in that they cut threads into aluminum thinking they would hold up on an often removed part mmmok.

So you're like "yeah dude drill out the threads and run a through bolt with a nut on the other side problem solved"

NOT SO FAST

The top bracket covers one of the mounting holes, so you actually cannot tighten it until you have the plate secured (I didn't get a before pic so you can already see my solution here).

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/eb6cfcdf4c7ac4029526831a8bdaa6ee.jpg

That means you cannot hold a nut on the bottom with a wrench...and I'm not paying somebody to weld a nut to aluminum...let's take some inspiration from the rear bar and hit em with a cam lock bolt!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/6a0e645c55902fd443740a5617975b30.jpg

Did some test fitments and stacked some washers to get full travel out of the cam lock then glued that nut in place on the backside. It won't see any torque, just the vertical force of the bolt locking down. Perfect.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/bd4c7ac5efc7d4dfc26e3f1179070d47.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/7d7dae04ac8d218ccf5e2a90b1a6efa1.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/4c32141afcbb16bbe47241920661c8bf.jpg

awww yeaaaaaaa

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/67da497360acda804808bb863f5b049a.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/fb39253abfd87c2e14a91b04b122c4b3.jpg

[704sw]

Fuck me, those cam locks are a brilliant idea.

[Sockethead]

The Rogue mounts are reversible for rear strut bars...Where you get those cam locks? I never installed my rear bar because i didn't want to lose the trunk space

[704sw]

The Rogue mounts are reversible for rear strut bars...Where you get those cam locks? I never installed my rear bar because i didn't want to lose the trunk space

That’s actually why he and I switched. If I ever need the extra trunk space I’d probably just borrow my parent’s SUV, so the solid bar doesn’t bother me. The ACS bar in the red car has a removable center.

[Sockethead]

Yes I've had the identical bar in my garage for 9 years but I'd still like an easy way to remove the center section...

[ZHPizza]

Yes I've had the identical bar in my garage for 9 years but I'd still like an easy way to remove the center section...

The ACS rear bar came with those (they thread into the steel mount), but these are the ones that I used for the front. A little narrow at M6, but I was having trouble tracking down an M8 size and they'll be fine for the application.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019OMU2MA/

[Sockethead]

Nice! thanks

[johnrando]

Sweet!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

Man I am so overdue for an update here...

Let's take it back to August when I got going on the poor man's spherical RTAB project (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?21496-sealed-spherical-RTAB-from-a-camry-!).

There's more pics and info in that thread, but man, what a headache. I had so much trouble getting them to press in straight and replaced the lower control arm bushing with a bearing at the same time. The results: the rear end hits LOUD over 40% of bumps in the road, but feels amazing. I still have better fitting tires waiting to go on until I can decide if the noise is acceptable. On the current stretched/hard sidewalled tires, it is not, but the car crashed hard with those tires and OE rubber bushings. Just not loudly.

I was also chasing a creak in the rear, so I replaced the spring pads. No dice. Pretty sure it is the rear sway bar mounts making some sweet metal-to-metal music on the frame. I'll have to address that later...

On another note, I picked up a 1.4 bar expansion tank cap (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-expansion-tank-cap-14-bar-oem-17111742232) on the cheap! $11 for some peace of mind over the OE 2.0 bar cap and a lot less dollars than the 1.2 bar ANODIZED MACHINED VTEC cap from G.A.S.


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/e2d6d61afeb719f3e6d75427312e0295.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/c88199844f7a4d4a991f92c5cc2206e1.jpg

[ZHPizza]

Let's see what else we got OH RIGHT. I went through the hell of trimming/rolling the rear fender lips. Never. Again.

I researched the shit out of this topic for months on end and finally settled on a plan to cut the fender lip back a bit, but not so much that it breaks the seam weld, then roll the remaining lip up out of the way. Did it go to plan? Well, no. Nothing ever does.

First things first, drink a beer. Then, pop another one onto the trailing arm with a mAGiCaL mAgNeT kOoZiE oOoOoOh

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/65151f34bcfa1ae28ab61fa49d1c9798.jpg

I got started cutting the fender lip with Spenser's dremel tool. Cute lil guy. Should do fine, right?

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31EZU5dzXgL.jpg

Quickly ate through one disc...ok...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/843872f6d42b6af406786b0285cf2f61.jpg

...then it got real hot and started smoking a bit...ok... we'll wait for you to cool off...

While I was waiting, I googled "Dremel 400 XPR smoking." Apparently it's common for that tool to overheat and people were saying that it's better to just leave it on a low speed and let the fan cool it off instead of shutting it down hot...ok...

So, back at it, grinding away, speed 6, paying more attention to heat/binding, being real sweet to it, bitch starts spewing smoke again...ok...I immediately crank the speed down to zero...oops, wanted to keep it on low...oops, slid it back to 4 AND FLAMES SHOOT OUT OF THE SIDES OF THIS THING. 0. We're done playing these games.

I went inside, had a beer, explained to the wife what the burning hair smell was that had crept up to the main floor. Back to the garage 10 minutes later, clicked the Dremel on, it smokes, sparks, and sputters to its death. Bye bye.

This is how far I got. I'm done for the night. One casualty is enough.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/ae8e77fc2fc299882ad17ed2633f2cb9.jpg

And I still owe Spenser a dremel tool :(

[Sockethead]

mayber you'd be better off with a real cutoff wheel... air or electric. Those dremmels aren't designed to take that kind of load... as you found out

[tomnobes]

Looks like you haven't had good luck with your dremel. I bought one about 6 years ago (was the nicest one they sold at the time and I think pretty much still is) but every time I have had to use it, it has been invaluable for me..

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[704sw]

Looks like you haven't had good luck with your dremel. I bought one about 6 years ago (was the nicest one they sold at the time and I think pretty much still is) but every time I have had to use it, it has been invaluable for me..

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

The XPR actually was the top model when I bought it. It’s been awesome for the HID retrofit/projector mods I’ve done to my cars over the years. It’s pretty much just used with a sanding drum to trim my dogs’ nails these days.

[tomnobes]

The XPR actually was the top model when I bought it. It’s been awesome for the HID retrofit/projector mods I’ve done to my cars over the years. It’s pretty much just used with a sanding drum to trim my dogs’ nails these days.Gotcha. This is the one I have. And yeah. I feel like they aren't used too often but whenever I need it, it's something that no other tool would work for. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/2d500e781a1788bb2bb280593f00e691.jpg

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

mayber you'd be better off with a real cutoff wheel... air or electric. Those dremmels aren't designed to take that kind of load... as you found outYep, I moved up to the $15 harbor freight angle grinder of death, threw on a face shield/ear protection and went to town.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/288df49b52f203129b25d72509f559d1.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/a8d94b2242ce550aa8b58dc09f8ba08b.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/b2292f1dcce4de9de9ad8aec22715700.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/d4eecf111bb379e6d669e8f61719ebc8.jpg

The used a heat gun to soften the remaining caulk stuff enough to pull out

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/01bc2400dc1ee4fe755335351faed5f7.jpg

And removed the spring to test the fit

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/b33b90e4ed3e3ac11db18fe185a9c4ee.jpg

We're good!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/e897cc98feb5fefe94aca102d1c348b7.jpg

[emoji106]

[Sockethead]

What offset is that wheel? I don't remember...

[ZHPizza]

By this time I had bought a replacement for Spenser's murdered Dremel tool (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MUSLCC/) and used it to clean up the edges on the cut sheet metal. Then I tried rolling the remaining lip, but the wheel on my janky $25 fender roller was super soft, so it just kind of mashed it up a little bit and didn't really do anything productive. Whatever, I got the space I needed from cutting. All that was left to do was clean the inside of the lip and brush on a few coats of POR 15 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Q0I62IU/).

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/2859c856bebc8527a3bcf7d5c7465ec2.jpg

And I got all up in that ass

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/2342efb9cc68be80bb53e33a6be1b877.jpg

A little bid of bleed under the masking tape but it's on the bottom of the fender lip so idgaf party on rust free fam

[ZHPizza]

What offset is that wheel? I don't remember...

18x9.5 et35 with 235/40r18 stretched too far for comfort, but great sidewall stability for handling

[san]

Yep, I moved up to the $15 harbor freight angle grinder of death, threw on a face shield/ear protection and went to town.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/288df49b52f203129b25d72509f559d1.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/a8d94b2242ce550aa8b58dc09f8ba08b.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/b2292f1dcce4de9de9ad8aec22715700.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/d4eecf111bb379e6d669e8f61719ebc8.jpg

The used a heat gun to soften the remaining caulk stuff enough to pull out

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/01bc2400dc1ee4fe755335351faed5f7.jpg

And removed the spring to test the fit

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/b33b90e4ed3e3ac11db18fe185a9c4ee.jpg

We're good!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181019/e897cc98feb5fefe94aca102d1c348b7.jpg

[emoji106]

Man this is painful to watch!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[papa_g]

Hey pizza bruh, I was stalking your build thread and noticed you painted the bottom black mesh part of the front bumper. I keep putting that off, but wanted to know what you used to paint it. Also, do you think it is possible to pain without removing the bumper? like maybe stuffing a piece of cardboard between the thing and the radiator and taping off the edges? I know removing the bumper is easy af but I don't like doing it if I don't have to

Also pizza bruh, what method did you use to clean up the alcantara steering wheel?

[johnrando]

I painted w/o removing. Cardboard and blue painter tape.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

I was actually trying to paint it without removing the bumper, but got frustrated and just pulled the thing off. I'm glad I did too. I learned a lot about how everything fit together in there and fixed some loose fasteners on the brake ducts. And of course the paint job came out better than it would have on the car too. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

[ZHPizza]

So the other day I snagged a pic of a fellow local red rocketeer (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?97-Official-BMW-330-ZHP-Sighting-Thread&p=578363#post578363) and Spenser was an asshole and jinxed my whip


I hope homeboi has zero suspension travel or the roads around Plaza gon’ wreck those fenders.

Fast forward to that evening when I'm cruising around Plaza and pull into a shopping center where there's a municipal water shutoff access right in the middle of the entry way (I'm turning in just like the car in the streetview pic):

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190116/696d778abd2d1bec720812a452cca39a.jpg

and there USED TO BE a cover on it until uhhh the other day I guess

My front left tire dropped right into that hole and that whole corner of the car slammed hard af

Got it into the parking lot expecting the fog lights to be through the damn hood but the bumper and everything looked fine aside from some new scratches on the bottom of the bumper fang *shocked.gif*

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190116/b8329bd8dd6600fe2994e74ac70a3fe5.jpg

Cool, no worries. It wasn't until 24 hours later that I noticed a gash in the tire tread and this mother of a boo boo peeled back on the fender lip:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190115/b840e2e963237a3b5eba92f8b56fc631.jpg

Got it on the lift to peep the damage:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190115/07f27af6afec027a9294e6b5b0ad99f9.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190115/fe13ca1987f63903e82e86720942d27f.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190115/6ae909d6c4142de3b4a494eda7b5fcc1.jpg

Frigglesticks.

The sheet metal is hella stretched, the paint is cracked all along the lip, shit is ruff.

At this point, I have two options: Take it to a pro to get it fixed or try my hand at paint & body work. I can't make it worse, right?

[Johnmadd]

Dayum

[ZHPizza]

I decided to see what I could do in an hour. If it still came out busted, then I can get it fixed right. If it came out ok, then I just saved myself a lot of dollars. Not really going for perfection with a 15 year old shell here.

I taped over the paint and went to town on the lip with some plastic dead blow hammers and wood blocks. To give you an idea of how much patience and care I had for this shit, the wife was two floors up and thought I was hitting the floor under her.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190115/879fd53035deb5ec5119795500951c35.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190115/58c8659a2672ecf5b6692217a9a0227b.jpg

I got the sheet metal back in place-ish and had to address all of the chipped paint, so I taped around the area and got to sanding.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190115/6bf4b78ab002587a9c184731cb9ff0f7.jpg

Then masked off everything that I didn't want red and went threw on 5 coats of the good stuff (https://www.automotivetouchup.com/)

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190115/e69a522595ae4134cf5bb685ffe083cb.jpg

Didn't bother masking off the plastic fender liner or even trying to smooth out the sheet metal because who gives a shit

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190115/fd6906124d8f450f87608a8926f047e2.jpg

And voila!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190115/308f9a071d8f1b6e9edd6790069b6feb.jpg

No clear coat yet as I just ordered a can, but it looks pretty dang acceptable. Just need to throw the PDR guy $20 to pop that remaining dent out and it'll be like it never happened.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190116/768d31368b50d7cc4358a50a094aa985.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190116/6b64a377f24bc1edfcefb8915ef358ff.jpg

Pizza's body shop accepting customers in 2019 BYOB

[holyc0w]

No clear coat yet as I just ordered a can, but it looks pretty dang acceptable. Just need to throw the PDR guy $20 to pop that remaining dent out and it'll be like it never happened.
...
Pizza's body shop accepting customers in 2019 BYOB

I know what you did winter 2018

Come on down to IL to fix my rust spots.

[johnrando]

Wow, cool you DIY'd it.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[E46Fan]

[QUOTE=ZHPizza;516506]Grabbed some clear reflectors (http://www.ebay.com/itm/122267180830) to see how they looked and damn if they're not a perfect match for the corner lights on the facefilft coupe. Like any new plastic, though, it's gotta be coated in Dlux before it gets installed.

Thinking about these for my coupe. Can you confirm the ZHP MTechII bumper and the M3 bumper share the same reflector? Can't seem to find a part number in real oem.

[ZHPizza]

[QUOTE=ZHPizza;516506]Grabbed some clear reflectors (http://www.ebay.com/itm/122267180830) to see how they looked and damn if they're not a perfect match for the corner lights on the facefilft coupe. Like any new plastic, though, it's gotta be coated in Dlux before it gets installed.

Thinking about these for my coupe. Can you confirm the ZHP MTechII bumper and the M3 bumper share the same reflector? Can't seem to find a part number in real oem.

oops yes

[Will]

I just caught up on your thread, awesome read!

How many miles do you have on the FSD's, and what's your thoughts about them after some mileage?

I'm debating between the Yellows and the new FSDs.

Edit: No need for impressions, seems like everyone loves them. I wish I plunked down the cash for the FSDs. I decided to swap over some young Koni Yellows from another e46 I had.

[ZHPizza]

Guess I'll try to get back on this thread with what looks like an isolation period looming. But first, my only snow pic this winter:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200315/55272e9f94c10b62f78b7b1a6d8330ca.jpg

[BerDz3nA]

What aftermarket mods do you have on your car ?

[ZHPizza]

What better way to reignite this thread than with the most walmart of repairs...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201015/2eb90ddc8675a1526195b9634aaaf574.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201015/3d436b54dcd7ed4cfb3b1951450cf89b.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201015/77769c3d105acf70f4aee94b9ac57a75.jpg

Iron-on patch gang lmao

[BMWCurves]

https://i.imgur.com/KzXQH3W.gif

Is that denim?

[holyc0w]

Beautiful work :biggrin

I dig it.

[t.er]

All of the work you've done... and you post that​? :rofl

[ZHPizza]

https://i.imgur.com/KzXQH3W.gif

Is that denim?

Not in this denim market, pal


Beautiful work :biggrin

I dig it.

Band-aid fix is best fix


All of the work you've done... and you post that​? :rofl

Baby steps :)

[ZHPizza]

What aftermarket mods do you have on your car ?

Whew doggy. What a question. I'll just copy over my running list and do some organizing...




Engine:
Turner Underdrive Pulley Kit
Turner Shark Injector
M56 Valve Cover
1.4 bar Expansion Tank Cap
M3 Fuel Tank Baffle
Achilles upgraded oil pump shaft kit
Bimmerworld oil pan baffle
Ebay Headers w/ fiberglass wrap & DEI High-Temperature Silicone Coating Spray
MagnaFlow 59954 Universal Catalytic Converters (2)
Custom Intake w/ Conforti heat shield
AFE Dynamic Air Scoop

Drivetrain:
3.38 Differential
Mason Clutch Pedal
UUC Clutch Stop

Suspension/Brakes:
G2 Brake Caliper Paint Kit - Gloss Black
Koni FSD Kit 2100-4006
Extended slots on front strut towers
Ultra Racing Front Strut Brace (shortened)
Rogue RSM's
27mm Front Sway Bar from Z4M Roadster
20mm Rear Sway bar from 330xi
Stainless Steel Brake Line Set
Zimmerman Cross Drilled Brake Rotors
PFC Z-Rated Front & Rear Brake Pads
Endless RF-650 Brake Fluid
OE Z4M RTABs w/ Vorshlag UHMW RTAB limiters

Wheels/Tires:
18x9.5 et35 Apex Arc-8 w/ 255/35r18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
18x8.5 et52 BMW Style 264 w/ 245/40-18 Cooper Zeon RS3-G1

Exterior:
BMW Performance Gloss Black Grilles
LED License Plate Lights
7440 LED Bulbs for Front Corners
1156 LED's for Reverse Lights
Coupe Side Mirror Glass - Convex
Clear Front Bumper Reflectors
3M Color Stable 35 tint on all windows
Morimoto XB LED Fog Lights
PIAA Si-Tech Wiper Blades

Interior:
Android Headunit (7" screen, 8 core processor, 2GB ram)
Bavsound Stage 1 Speaker Upgrade
M3 Brushed Aluminum Trim
Alcantara Shift & Parking Brake Boots w/ Tricolor Crosstitch
Genuine BMW Armrest Delete Kit
Black Vinyl Door Panel Set
e85 Z4 Multifunction Steering Wheel w/ Airbag
Genuine Leather e85 Steering Wheel Cover

Currently installing:
Z4M Shift Lever w/ ECS shifter rebuild kit
Z4 3.0si 3.23 Rear Differential w/ Russian LSD
PartsShopMax Solid Aluminum Subframe Bushings
Bimmerworld Spherical RTAB's
Bimmerworld Repair Shop RSM's
Koni Yellow Sport Shocks/Struts
Pizza's Creations RACP Reinforcement
SME e46 RACP Brace
HK Amplifier Bracket
Antigravity ATX30-RS Lithium Battery

In the garage, waiting to be installed:
Bag Hooks for Trunk
ECS LED Interior Lighting Kit
Cliq Tuning Sunroof Delete Panel
Slicktop Headliner
Corbeau A4 Seats
e36 M3 replica mirrors w/ aspherical glass
Thule Roof Rack
1L Washer Fluid Tank/Pump Relocation Kit
Pizza's Garage Big Bore Throttle Body
Decoupling Alternator pulley
NGK 2667 BKR7EIX Spark Plugs
Schmiedmann Equal Length Headers
Magnaflow 94008 Universal Catalytic Converter
Borla 140084 Catback Exhaust
SAP Delete
Stiff Ring Rigid Collars for front subframe SM-E36-F00600
e36 M3 front strut mounts
Z4M FCABs
Meyle HD Front Sway Bar End Links
ECS Bronze brake caliper bushing set

In the garage, really just need to sell:
Polyurethane Splitters for M-Tech Bumper
BMWP Shift Lever
Sport button panel from M3
Turner Monoball Front Control Arm Bushings
M3 Side Mirrors
S54 Headers/Cats tack welded to M54 exhaust flanges
DM_G_DZN front strut bar
AKG Polyurethane Rear Subframe Bushings - 95A Yellow (limited ed)
PartsShopMax Front Strut Bar
PartsShopMax Rear Strut Tower/Subframe Bar
M3 Coupe Brushed Aluminum Pillars/Columns Trim Set
Stripped plastic coupe trim set for wrap




YEAH, I'M A LITTLE BEHIND ON PROJECT RED ROCKET

[t.er]

Oooooh is that the racingdiffs conversion? I'll be following along to see how it stands up to long-term street & track mileage.

[ZHPizza]

Oooooh is that the racingdiffs conversion? I'll be following along to see how it stands up to long-term street & track mileage.

Nah it's a helical, but I definitely would have tried that spring plate if I was sticking to the 3.38.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201016/bb58f65f996d869f5373c863708168c0.jpg

I bought it like a year ago and let my eastern bloc transmission guy install it while he was swapping the input shaft on the 3.23 Z4 diff.

https://ebay.us/LUhjnJ

The seller's instagram is just loaded with videos of e46's laying rubber so it must be pretty stout lol

https://www.instagram.com/highco_46/

[Galapolis]

S54 Headers/Cats tack welded to M54 exhaust flanges


Why do you keep tempting me with all these amazing parts...

[t.er]

Man... how do you keep finding out about these parts? First time I've heard of partsshopmax or highco. Definitely seems more legit than racingdiffs, looking forward to seeing how you like it

[ZHPizza]

Why do you keep tempting me with all these amazing parts...

88k miles on the cats and you can have them for cheeeeep. It's a fun project that I think would pan out real well as long as you had 2.25" diameter exhaust pipes (or a single 3") all the way back. I wanted to run them into the stock 2" ZHP exhaust, which would create a bottle neck and screw up the exhaust velocities. What catback do you have again? Might be a good fit.


Man... how do you keep finding out about these parts? First time I've heard of partsshopmax or highco. Definitely seems more legit than racingdiffs, looking forward to seeing how you like it

When I was working in my miserable job I would spend downtime planning car projects/looking for (and obviously ordering the shit out of) parts. I'm enjoying the transition to buy nothing, try to work through this pile of parts.

You also reminded me that I have their front and rear braces in the garage too, so I added those to the list of things to sell if anyone wants them.

[Galapolis]

88k miles on the cats and you can have them for cheeeeep. It's a fun project that I think would pan out real well as long as you had 2.25" diameter exhaust pipes (or a single 3") all the way back. I wanted to run them into the stock 2" ZHP exhaust, which would create a bottle neck and screw up the exhaust velocities. What catback do you have again? Might be a good fit.

Won't ya look at that

37376

This sounds like the most sensible solution to my 155k cats.

What did you do in terms of O2 sensors/emissions testing?

[ZHPizza]

Won't ya look at that

37376

This sounds like the most sensible solution to my 155k cats.

What did you do in terms of O2 sensors/emissions testing?

NICE. You'll just need the means to weld them up and find a way to mate them to the midpipes. We can look at it when you're here and draw something up.

I made a damn mess of my secondary O2 sensors trying to stack extensions and such to fool the DME. Nothing worked, so I'm just going to code them out and plug the holes.

The S54 headers have ports for them though so you should be fine. Here they are with the M54 flanges. Text me if you want more pics and I can dig them out of the shelves.


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201016/2ef05628b31c4ef64ae5643f2fe99cf4.jpg

[ZHPizza]

BIG THINGS STILL POPPIN OFF IN PIZZA'S GARAGE

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201016/71b4cd75c24f4574766ed41eef6fb5bc.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201016/aa6c5fd5da661dedc63658cbd5184f14.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201016/2015e5b6d4d5ee1c448d53fd33196945.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201016/158368773981a434ba27eec3fd7c0806.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201016/400a807735adc9509ef48c633b905df5.jpg

HELL YEAH

[ZHPizza]

CAN'T STOP

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201016/55311b53dc17038947f737ceb30c033b.jpg

WON'T STOP

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201016/023274bdd2b9e444a0bcdbc0aafa05cf.jpg

[d-rod]

Let’s see a pic of the e85 wheel


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

Let’s see a pic of the e85 wheel


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkAs you wish...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201017/26b922ed3ee3a425c70647ddfb513805.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201017/557eda77db78ea82b9773d75594c8e55.jpg

It's the smallest diameter wheel that you can get that retains functional radio controls. You lose cruise control unless you also install the Z4 cruise stalk. I don't use cruise so I didn't bother with it. The thickness is about the same as the OE ZHP/M3 wheel once you add a wrap. I want to add another layer though so it's fat af like my M3 wheel below in the comparison shots.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201017/bd71dda48a021ad98e64d831a07bfe0d.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201017/861d813b4e7208c4b40fc1e8d26f4d08.jpg

Also I didn't expect it to match anything but the dark grey trim is actually a perfect match for the gauge rings on the ZHP instrument cluster. I mean I meant to do that?

[Galapolis]

Now let's see a pic of the rear subframe attached to the car.:mwah

[ZHPizza]

Now let's see a pic of the rear subframe attached to the car.:mwahHah! You wish.

Hopefully by next weekend. I'm done with the RACP brace, and got the driveshaft in tonight. Making progress now at least.

[E46Fan]

Fun thread, always something interesting going on here. Curious about your selection of the Zimmemann cross drilled rotors. Any particular reason you selected them? Are you happy with them? I went with StopTech because they have black coated hats and I run my car through winter in the northeast. The coating held up well through winter one. We'll see how they look this spring. I feel the braking performance is on par with OEM rotors, although the only real way to know performance would be 70-0 stop distance testing. I don't do autocross, just street driving.

[ZHPizza]

Fun thread, always something interesting going on here. Curious about your selection of the Zimmemann cross drilled rotors. Any particular reason you selected them? Are you happy with them? I went with StopTech because they have black coated hats and I run my car through winter in the northeast. The coating held up well through winter one. We'll see how they look this spring. I feel the braking performance is on par with OEM rotors, although the only real way to know performance would be 70-0 stop distance testing. I don't do autocross, just street driving.I went with the Zimmerman since they're supposedly the same as OE blanks and were fully zinc plated. I haven't been happy with the feel of my brakes, but I changed several factors at the same time:

Zimmerman CD Rotors
PFC Z Rated Pads
Centric Rebuilt Calipers
Endless RF650 Fluid

The performance has been good when I really bear down on it, but the pedal feel is soft no matter how much I bleed them. I'm hoping it's due to the cheap rubber guides on the Centric calipers and it'll be right with some brass bushings.

[BMWCurves]

When did you remove those Moog spherical RTABs in your car? They're not listed on that recent list you put up (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?19536-ZHPizza-s-red-car&p=600642#post600642), only the Z4M ones. Was the crashing you talked about just too much?

[ZHPizza]

When did you remove those Moog spherical RTABs in your car? They're not listed on that recent list you put up (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?19536-ZHPizza-s-red-car&p=600642#post600642), only the Z4M ones. Was the crashing you talked about just too much?

Looks like I swapped them out for the stiffer OE RTABS (Z4M spec) and limiters in Nov 2018, 11k miles ago. Funny enough it was shortly after a track day where I was like "don't need no LSD this shit is planted." The crashing, albeit like one in every 15 impacts, was driving me crazy on the street and made me change back to rubber, but I've been thinking about that planted rear end for 2 years since. I just finished really locking down the whole rear -- subframe mount to chassis rail brackets, RACP X-brace, solid subframe bushings, even a helical LSD and guess what? Rear end still feels fucking sloppy.

I bought some Bimmerworld RTABearings while they were on sale and am going to try them out, but I don't suspect they'll be any different from the Moog's other than easier to install.

Now you know I'm not one to compromise on NVH (I'ma lil bitch boy), but I think the RTABearings are actually worth it.

As a test, I filled the body cavity around the left RTAB pocket with expanding pillar foam. We'll see if that dampens the crashing or if I grew a pair since 2018.


I went with the Zimmerman since they're supposedly the same as OE blanks and were fully zinc plated. I haven't been happy with the feel of my brakes, but I changed several factors at the same time:

Zimmerman CD Rotors
PFC Z Rated Pads
Centric Rebuilt Calipers
Endless RF650 Fluid

The performance has been good when I really bear down on it, but the pedal feel is soft no matter how much I bleed them. I'm hoping it's due to the cheap rubber guides on the Centric calipers and it'll be right with some brass bushings.

Quoting myself to update this post too. I installed ECS's bronze caliper bushings (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-parts/performance-caliper-guide-bushing-set/003326ecs01~a/) the other day and it finally gave me the firm pedal that I'd been chasing. Pro tip: rebuild your own calipers instead of buying some shit rebuilds from Centric (or anyone else). They use the cheapest, softest excuses for rubber guides that I've ever seen and it had me thinking there was air in my lines and needlessly flushing expensive fluid through them for the past year.

[JPMo]

Looks like I swapped them out for the stiffer OE RTABS (Z4M spec) and limiters in Nov 2018, 11k miles ago. Funny enough it was shortly after a track day where I was like "don't need no LSD this shit is planted." The crashing, albeit like one in every 15 impacts, was driving me crazy on the street and made me change back to rubber, but I've been thinking about that planted rear end for 2 years since. I just finished really locking down the whole rear -- subframe mount to chassis rail brackets, RACP X-brace, solid subframe bushings, even a helical LSD and guess what? Rear end still feels fucking sloppy.

I bought some Bimmerworld RTABearings while they were on sale and am going to try them out, but I don't suspect they'll be any different from the Moog's other than easier to install.

Now you know I'm not one to compromise on NVH (I'ma lil bitch boy), but I think the RTABearings are actually worth it.

As a test, I filled the body cavity around the left RTAB pocket with expanding pillar foam. We'll see if that dampens the crashing or if I grew a pair since 2018.



Quoting myself to update this post too. I installed ECS's bronze caliper bushings (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-parts/performance-caliper-guide-bushing-set/003326ecs01~a/) the other day and it finally gave me the firm pedal that I'd been chasing. Pro tip: rebuild your own calipers instead of buying some shit rebuilds from Centric (or anyone else). They use the cheapest, softest excuses for rubber guides that I've ever seen and it had me thinking there was air in my lines and needlessly flushing expensive fluid through them for the past year.Good to know. What else would be needed for a caliper rebuild? I'm starting to suspect mine are sticking as I'm getting this whooshing sound at low speeds.

[Galapolis]

Solid tranny mounts when?

[BMWCurves]

Looks like I swapped them out for the stiffer OE RTABS (Z4M spec) and limiters in Nov 2018, 11k miles ago. Funny enough it was shortly after a track day where I was like "don't need no LSD this shit is planted." The crashing, albeit like one in every 15 impacts, was driving me crazy on the street and made me change back to rubber, but I've been thinking about that planted rear end for 2 years since. I just finished really locking down the whole rear -- subframe mount to chassis rail brackets, RACP X-brace, solid subframe bushings, even a helical LSD and guess what? Rear end still feels fucking sloppy.

I bought some Bimmerworld RTABearings while they were on sale and am going to try them out, but I don't suspect they'll be any different from the Moog's other than easier to install.

Now you know I'm not one to compromise on NVH (I'ma lil bitch boy), but I think the RTABearings are actually worth it.

As a test, I filled the body cavity around the left RTAB pocket with expanding pillar foam. We'll see if that dampens the crashing or if I grew a pair since 2018.

I look forward to your reporting back in wild jubilation with the return of the BW RTABs, or potential disappointment. Whichever, I enjoy your chaotic updates either way.

Also, when you do two things at once you literally smooth the wrinkles in my brain, muddying the waters for understanding the *fingers crossed* improved crashing; will it have been the foam or are the BW RTABs just somehow better? Your mockery of the scientific process accelerates the universe towards its inevitable heat death, you chaotic goof. (https://templatetraining.princeton.edu/sites/training/files/the_last_question_-_issac_asimov.pdf)


Quoting myself to update this post too. I installed ECS's bronze caliper bushings (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-parts/performance-caliper-guide-bushing-set/003326ecs01~a/) the other day and it finally gave me the firm pedal that I'd been chasing. Pro tip: rebuild your own calipers instead of buying some shit rebuilds from Centric (or anyone else). They use the cheapest, softest excuses for rubber guides that I've ever seen and it had me thinking there was air in my lines and needlessly flushing expensive fluid through them for the past year.

Was your pedal feel really mushy before? Can you describe the difference now? There was definitely a change for me just swapping from BMW pads to Hawk pads, but the feel was linear and none-too-mushy. Which reminds me, I need to go bed my brakes again since I got the new rear rotors. Is there a good way to do that without looking like a maniac at 2 AM accelerating and slamming on the brakes (https://www.hawkperformance.com/how-to) like I've got bees in my undergarments? (https://i.imgur.com/iAyosr1.gif)

[E46Fan]

Quoting myself to update this post too. I installed ECS's bronze caliper bushings (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-parts/performance-caliper-guide-bushing-set/003326ecs01~a/) the other day and it finally gave me the firm pedal that I'd been chasing. Pro tip: rebuild your own calipers instead of buying some shit rebuilds from Centric (or anyone else). They use the cheapest, softest excuses for rubber guides that I've ever seen and it had me thinking there was air in my lines and needlessly flushing expensive fluid through them for the past year.

Good to know, I have regularly used the centric rebuilt calipers and agree they feel s bit soft. Perhaps I'll try swapping out the pin guides.

[E46Fan]

Is there a good way to do that without looking like a maniac at 2 AM accelerating and slamming on the brakes (https://www.hawkperformance.com/how-to) like I've got bees in my undergarments? (https://i.imgur.com/iAyosr1.gif)

Not that I am aware of, embrace the madness!

[ZHPizza]

Solid tranny mounts when?

After the interior is stripped and the roll cage is in


I look forward to your reporting back in wild jubilation with the return of the BW RTABs, or potential disappointment. Whichever, I enjoy your chaotic updates either way.

Also, when you do two things at once you literally smooth the wrinkles in my brain, muddying the waters for understanding the *fingers crossed* improved crashing; will it have been the foam or are the BW RTABs just somehow better? Your mockery of the scientific process accelerates the universe towards its inevitable heat death, you chaotic goof. (https://templatetraining.princeton.edu/sites/training/files/the_last_question_-_issac_asimov.pdf)



Was your pedal feel really mushy before? Can you describe the difference now? There was definitely a change for me just swapping from BMW pads to Hawk pads, but the feel was linear and none-too-mushy. Which reminds me, I need to go bed my brakes again since I got the new rear rotors. Is there a good way to do that without looking like a maniac at 2 AM accelerating and slamming on the brakes (https://www.hawkperformance.com/how-to) like I've got bees in my undergarments? (https://i.imgur.com/iAyosr1.gif)

Listen here, smooth brain, I control variables when and how I determine it to be necessary. I only added the foam to the drivers side RTAB pocket cavity so I could see if it made a difference. The passenger side will get the RTABearing raw.

My pedal was absolute shit before. It's not OE pad levels of bite now, which you'll never have with a cold/track-friendly pad, but the response is definitely improved. I don't think the bronze bushings have much of an advantage over the OE reinforced rubber guides, though. Just a big leap from the trash that Centric used.


Good to know, I have regularly used the centric rebuilt calipers and agree they feel s bit soft. Perhaps I'll try swapping out the pin guides.

As I stated above I don't think the bronze is a huge leap from OE, so I'd just replace the Centric trash with Genuine BMW or whatever the OE is for that part.

[Will]

After the interior is stripped and the roll cage is in
...


Ok, someone has to ask: when's the s54 (or s62, s65, s85, maybe a LS?) going in?

[E46Fan]

Hey, when are those Schmiedmann headers going in along with the Magnaflow cat? Interested to know how well the headers fit and if you plan to add in post cat bungs and extend the wires.

[holyc0w]

I've been running the BW RTABs and I don't mind them, but I'm not too sensitive to changes. Usually I get parts installed, something feels stiffer or louder, then it becomes the new baseline.

[ZHPizza]

Ok, someone has to ask: when's the s54 (or s62, s65, s85, maybe a LS?) going in?Lol I'm happy with the M54. Hoping to get it dyno tuned once I am happy with the exhaust. A little more torque paired with the 3.23 lsd *chef's kiss*
Hey, when are those Schmiedmann headers going in along with the Magnaflow cat? Interested to know how well the headers fit and if you plan to add in post cat bungs and extend the wires.Hopefully sometime over the winter. I'm not planning to put the secondary O2's back in. I completely removed them and plugged the connectors. Just need to get them programmed out now.
I've been running the BW RTABs and I don't mind them, but I'm not too sensitive to changes. Usually I get parts installed, something feels stiffer or louder, then it becomes the new baseline.Little things like that never stop bothering me but I think the trade-off is worth it in this instance. The diff is a loud, clunky mess at low speeds so might as well racecar, right?

[ZHPizza]

In other news, I'm still rocking the e36m ebay rep mirrors. I'll throw a bunch of pics here since I can't remember what thread I had posted them in.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/71bceeb7bd65242027847c6ac324a26c.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/c5bdf42b7adbd5138da6d0b314a6277e.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/e0a311528e890fdd8ebc511cf187ff1c.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/609680cab92928759dee3d612a74c315.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/a3bbccba68124ec48d4304e04edbe073.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/d166286ec11dd0f4a55f89d5aad7eb6c.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/d109fbee33a54881d28a8a40b05c82ab.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/fe8ac737e4436f148d27dbf8ae02fcb6.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/18e604c7b6f81020c28afbc13e28cdd8.jpg

No, they're not very pretty, but damn they're light compared to stock!

From the Vorshlag NASA build thread:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/5a2ee52de1e4803c6626b7940e0e49aa.jpg


I definitely like the widening effect that the stock mirrors have on the look of the car, so I thought I'd try gutting them of whatever's so heavy in there (the motors?) and...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/73510dfe1118470fd37fafa258cf9a17.jpg
The motor is just a tee tiny little guy. Probably only a few oz. The real weight is in the massive cast aluminum core.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/1df07dfab61ba200ae9aa7bbe22f945d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/3930d72043060e508c439a0d8cda0c91.jpg

Not much to be done about that, so sticking with the springy boys for a little while longer...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/d8c97a992245ca9c92304b0f22811554.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/74b5034151aed03b4377d9b15986b520.jpg

[Will]

Car's looking fantastic! I'm digging the two-tone pinstripes, too.

[BMWCurves]

Listen here, smooth brain, I control variables when and how I determine it to be necessary.

https://massivelyop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/blasphemy-gif-3_570160_1.gif


I only added the foam to the drivers side RTAB pocket cavity so I could see if it made a difference. The passenger side will get the RTABearing raw.

https://i.imgur.com/v1GQJMa.gif


My pedal was absolute shit before. It's not OE pad levels of bite now, which you'll never have with a cold/track-friendly pad, but the response is definitely improved. I don't think the bronze bushings have much of an advantage over the OE reinforced rubber guides, though. Just a big leap from the trash that Centric used.

Good to know.


Not much to be done about that, so sticking with the springy boys for a little while longer...

https://i.imgur.com/1rirNPi.gif

But you do you! The weight savings is surprising, but is basically my fat ass pre- and post-consumption of an oversized burrito.

[t.er]

Not much to be done about that, so sticking with the springy boys for a little while longer...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/74b5034151aed03b4377d9b15986b520.jpg

Huh, that's a very interesting design, never seen that... I'm guessing there are detents to keep it from springing back?

[az3579]

Huh, that's a very interesting design, never seen that... I'm guessing there are detents to keep it from springing back?

No - If these are anything like the E36 M3 stock mirrors, these are non-folding. The only reason the springy action exists is so that the rmirror doesn't rip off in case someone taps the mirrors.

[ZHPizza]

Car's looking fantastic! I'm digging the two-tone pinstripes, too.

Love my mf'n pinstripez




But you do you! The weight savings is surprising, but is basically my fat ass pre- and post-consumption of an oversized burrito.

OE e46 M3 mirrors are ~150g less than stock so I'm trying to decide if I like them and can lighten them any. Not sure about either.


Huh, that's a very interesting design, never seen that... I'm guessing there are detents to keep it from springing back?


No - If these are anything like the E36 M3 stock mirrors, these are non-folding. The only reason the springy action exists is so that the rmirror doesn't rip off in case someone taps the mirrors.

Correct - they're just heavy springs to bring it slapping back to home position after you drag the mirror down the wall. Simple and effective design. Kind of love it.

[ZHPizza]

Man I never update this thread but did want to post up a data point in that I managed to do a Shark Injector restore tonight (pulled the programming, reloaded stock) with my little lithium battery and 4.3a CTEK charger. I was nervously glancing between the lights on the Shark and the lights on the charger for the entire 15 minutes but it ran the full cycle without a hitch and then started right up.

Thoroughly impressed by this battery as it also sat for like 6 weeks over xmas and started without hesitation. Thought I'd be testing the re-start feature for sure.

Also lightened the RR corner by 45lb but who's counting ounces
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210210/b5e4c7a516ac1a049f753146a8d03aa6.jpg

[johnrando]

Nice!

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

[t.er]

Damn, that's one light battery... quite pricey though!

Was hoping to see more given that extensive parts list you posted a while ago :crying did you install the Corbeau A4 seats yet, if so how do you like them? I'm thinking about sticking an FX1 Pro in mine

[ZHPizza]

Damn, that's one light battery... quite pricey though!

Was hoping to see more given that extensive parts list you posted a while ago :crying did you install the Corbeau A4 seats yet, if so how do you like them? I'm thinking about sticking an FX1 Pro in mineMaybe one day lol

The Corbeaus are doing a great job of sitting in my storage unit. I was surprised at how narrow they are. Still want to try one out if I find the time to finish the slider project but will likely end up selling them instead.

[Galapolis]

Damn, that's one light battery... quite pricey though!

Have you looked into the Mini Cooper/CSL battery? Supposedly it saves a few lbs while not costing more than a normal battery and without losing any convenience compared to the standard size battery.

[t.er]

Have you looked into the Mini Cooper/CSL battery? Supposedly it saves a few lbs while not costing more than a normal battery and without losing any convenience compared to the standard size battery.

Yeah, there was a thread on nam3f where people were comparing costs versus weights of batteries and it seemed the Mini battery was a decent option. If it's an okay price I'll go for that when my battery conks out. But this year will be year 7 and it's still going strong!

[BMWCurves]

Damn...5 lbs? What's it running on, lithium-cardboard?

[johnrando]

Damn...5 lbs? What's it running on, lithium-cardboard?Lol!

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

Today's theme is CLEAR COAT

Cleared some M3 mirrors and bases that I spent 6 weeks prepping and painted last week:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210508/21dda59eb64482ea2e733159d6d5a662.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210508/37578ffb3696eb7f2a2d727d9e3669b4.jpg

Now I'm using the rest of the can to repair two spots where I have some bad clear coat peel:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210508/23909dd5c0bb8238bcacd09332197c11.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210508/c303cf33d2a884cda6a09226276a7900.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210508/fd93767818ebe3f85bda8ce0b8e85a7b.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210508/9b39bf859dadd08b87b1828d26f927c0.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210508/e8e9adae0b5fa4a8a8c08cf4905c84d3.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210508/1cbd4f45759152fe87d0dff28ebe73dc.jpg

A year of wearing a mask makes this respirator a piece of cake [emoji106]

[t.er]

I'm still waiting to hear how you swung using the bathtub for wetsanding :shifty

Paint looks good tho! That 2K spraymax stuff is the bomb, so much better than that acrylic stuff. But yeah the importance of a good respirator with 2K cannot be understated

[Galapolis]

Excited to see how this turns out, I've got a spot of missing clear coat on my quarter panel as well that I've been wanting to address.

[cakM3]

Those M3 side mirrors turned out stunning! :thumbsup

[ZHPizza]

I'm still waiting to hear how you swung using the bathtub for wetsanding :shifty

Paint looks good tho! That 2K spraymax stuff is the bomb, so much better than that acrylic stuff. But yeah the importance of a good respirator with 2K cannot be understatedDude the tub rinsed clean!

2k is truly amazing at making a shitty paint job shine
Excited to see how this turns out, I've got a spot of missing clear coat on my quarter panel as well that I've been wanting to address.I have a bottle of 1 part clear coat touch up you can try. I'm wishing I had done that for the small spot on my fender because I kept sanding through the base trying to feather the edge down and didn't have any base coat left to spray so I used Dr colorchip, which is definitely not a good match to imola.
Those M3 side mirrors turned out stunning! :thumbsupYeah they look good from 10+ft away lol

I wasn't about to play any games with the 2k fumes so I painted outside on a windy day and they clear is slam full of debris.

Whatever, they're shiny.

[t.er]

Sounds like my headlights, get right up to them and there are a few fly carcass mummified in there

Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk

[cakM3]

Looking forward to seeing everything completed... I'm looking to paint out a new side skirt and do my M3 side mirrors as well. Would love to hear your thoughts on using the 2k clear as I have been looking to get some for my upcoming painting project...

[ZHPizza]

Sounds like my headlights, get right up to them and there are a few fly carcass mummified in there

Sent from my SM-G781W using TapatalkI can't remember did you wetsand/polish after? I went stupid heavy on my last two coats on the mirrors so I would have enough thickness to sand out some of the crap and polish them back to shiny.
Looking forward to seeing everything completed... I'm looking to paint out a new side skirt and do my M3 side mirrors as well. Would love to hear your thoughts on using the 2k clear as I have been looking to get some for my upcoming painting project...The 2k is truly amazing. I probably watched this video a dozen times to prepare and it played out exactly as he described: first light coat meh. Second light coat still meh. Third coat a little heavier and BAM. Perfect gloss. I ended up with some orange peel but still less than any new BMW off the production line.

https://youtu.be/syXl6fvlXTQ

The only drawback is how god awful it is for your health. Full respirator and plenty of ventilation are key!

[t.er]

I can't remember did you wetsand/polish after?

The only drawback is how god awful it is for your health. Full respirator and plenty of ventilation are key!

No, that was the original plan but I never actually got around to doing it. I'm the same - since the can goes bad after 48 hours and I only had 2 sets of headlights to do, each of them got 4 heavy coats, so I have plenty of clear on them if I want to.

I was actually thinking about how bad it was for your health after this Donut Media video (https://youtu.be/088Ti7MgkOg) was posted to reddit, and everyone was up in arms about it. But for good reason, I have my own respirator with P100 cartridges that came in handy for this job

Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

I had a little left in the can and wanted to get some value out of it so I popped off my 4 year old side markers that were showing just a little touch of yellow on the tops:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210509/5dbd7d9496f475301664415dbbcfdd02.jpg

Hit em with the scotch brite:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210509/8a0801c64f9e0b30607194b2c9853155.jpg

Then cleart:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210509/f5f3266a5d1bd137e7e2f0d7b519d24e.jpg

Necessary? No. But that heavy clear probably bought me another 5 years before needing to replace these again.

[sillieidiot]

Nice. Wish I could do that to mines. The rubber goes yellow on mines. I could polish the plastic but it's still yellow lol

[johnrando]

Looks great!

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[REF84]

Hey ZHPizza, Im really interested in installing a z4 wheel into my ZHP, I think the stock wheel is a little bus like, I drove my friends A7 and the wheel is so small and nice. Can I use my existing airbag into the z4 wheel? I dont use cruise control either so dont care about the stalk for now.

[ZHPizza]

Hey ZHPizza, Im really interested in installing a z4 wheel into my ZHP, I think the stock wheel is a little bus like, I drove my friends A7 and the wheel is so small and nice. Can I use my existing airbag into the z4 wheel? I dont use cruise control either so dont care about the stalk for now.

Nah, unfortunately you need to source an airbag too.

Looks like I paid $275 for a multifunction wheel + airbag on eBay. Ideally the leather is worn but the buttons are in good shape (or you could go with a no-function one and save some more $).

[REF84]

Nah, unfortunately you need to source an airbag too.

Looks like I paid $275 for a multifunction wheel + airbag on eBay. Ideally the leather is worn but the buttons are in good shape (or you could go with a no-function one and save some more $).

Appreciate the reply thank you, I'll keep a look out on the bay for a deal. Can I just follow any other DIY for steering wheel replacement, or is there anything special I have to know/need to buy?

[ZHPizza]

Appreciate the reply thank you, I'll keep a look out on the bay for a deal. Can I just follow any other DIY for steering wheel replacement, or is there anything special I have to know/need to buy?Plug and play bro! Pop the airbag out, disconnect the electrical connectors from the clockspring, remove the center bolt, install the e85 wheel the same way. Takes me <5 mins to swap them.

You'll probably want to throw a wrap on it (I'm actually doing two) so it's not so skinny. But definitely test it first!

[YoitsTmac]

Love the thread. The mirrors are interesting and I like the battery! Always interesting stuff when I check in here

[REF84]

Plug and play bro! Pop the airbag out, disconnect the electrical connectors from the clockspring, remove the center bolt, install the e85 wheel the same way. Takes me <5 mins to swap them.

You'll probably want to throw a wrap on it (I'm actually doing two) so it's not so skinny. But definitely test it first!


Awesome, I found a nice one, (decent trim/buttons with worn leather) and Ill be putting an overwrap on it. Which one did you use? Im hearing decent things about the mewant. Im also planning on painting the trim black (maybe I should start a project thread).

Also, is the instrument cluster obstructed at all with the slightly smaller wheel? Can you try to get a shot of what you see when driving?

[ZHPizza]

Awesome, I found a nice one, (decent trim/buttons with worn leather) and Ill be putting an overwrap on it. Which one did you use? Im hearing decent things about the mewant. Im also planning on painting the trim black (maybe I should start a project thread).

Also, is the instrument cluster obstructed at all with the slightly smaller wheel? Can you try to get a shot of what you see when driving?

Yep, I used the Mewant and actually like the fake leather better than the real (grippier, stretches better, doesn't wrinkle up near the stitching).

I was also thinking about painting the trim but the dark silver is actually a perfect match to the ZHP gauge rings. It's surprisingly pleasing to the eye.

I don't have it installed and a pic wouldn't show perspective well anyway but yes on the instrument cluster obstruction. It sucks. I already can't see the top of the speedo/tach with the stock wheel, so it's even worse with the Z4. I haven't figured out a fix for this yet, but I need to do something because I can't see the red oil pressure light eek!

[Galapolis]

I don't have it installed and a pic wouldn't show perspective well anyway but yes on the instrument cluster obstruction. It sucks. I already can't see the top of the speedo/tach with the stock wheel, so it's even worse with the Z4. I haven't figured out a fix for this yet, but I need to do something because I can't see the red oil pressure light eek!

Sounds like you need some Recaro Sportsters.

[ZHPizza]

Sounds like you need some Recaro Sportsters.Lmao in this shitbox? A wet fart would total the car

I'm hoping the 0.5-1.0 inch drop from swapping to manual bases will be enough for me. If not, then I'll bust the Corbeau A4's out of storage and work on fitting them.

[t.er]

Lmao in this shitbox? A wet fart would total the car

I'm hoping the 0.5-1.0 inch drop from swapping to manual bases will be enough for me. If not, then I'll bust the Corbeau A4's out of storage and work on fitting them.

This is why you keep all your stock parts - if you get totaled you quickly swap everything back before it is sold to the insurance company. Or just buy the car back and part it out

[Will]

Lmao in this shitbox? A wet fart would total the car



LOL. Don't give insurance adjusters any ideas now.

[Galapolis]

On behalf of the Pizzaman himself, who could not be here with us today, here are some details on the LiFePo4 battery he installed (and that he convinced me to buy as well).

To secure it, he created a special custom high-tech mounting solution.

38810

You can try to use the original mounting system, but it does block the restart button which is apparently quite useful.

38811

He also got this charger, since you need one suitable for LiFePo4.

https://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-926-LITHIUM-Automatic-Phosphate/dp/B00EUF6UM8/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=lifepo4+battery+charger&qid=1644964491&sr=8-13

And these if you want to keep your stock terminals.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XH67B2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AF7KUP2NQRBZG&psc=1

[ZHPizza]

Thanks man! Just found this pic too -- 50lb savings over the chonkin stock size battery!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220216/599f5234f6dc42081b64c1b3dfb03c4f.jpg

It definitely threw off my corner-to-corner balances, but less weight is almost always better.

Does a damn fine job of starting the car too. I've had to use the restart button a few times after it died on me, but that from was leaving the car sitting for 4+ weeks, usually when I left an OBD2 dongle in the port [emoji2357]

Edit: Just saw that I already posted about the battery last year [emoji2357][emoji2357]

[ZHPizza]

Looks like I never posted my feedback on the Mason clutch pedal, so heres a throwback to January 2020 when I posted these pics on the now-defunct m3forum.

I had both pedals out of the car, so decided to align the pivot points and take some measurements since Mason can't be bothered to do this himself:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220221/3b91ab269e9a4efb035cd756f841a4fb.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220221/9f5960b101b2ab78fceca25724701d40.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220221/0dfe6e9d1df8d7f0ac8e199b8ec98f5f.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220221/669567ebdfc954d7241c662cba563111.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220221/653b7722b16ef48a69e36dea9f38fc9e.jpg

My pedal cover didn't match the curvature of the Mason pedal plate, so...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220221/ab523af2f94fc7d88f57db20badd5061.jpg

Bonk

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220221/606d037896afdc963b28e7b14468a2e2.jpg

Beauty

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220221/8834a3271ba50e95221b067d04d40999.jpg

And final comparisons. Stock, sitting higher than the brake pedal:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220221/ca1b2fe06d3c455a9ea09e23ec5603ca.jpg

Mason, now lower than the brake pedal:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220221/d91b1966b5e75a302e6fa232efb72e11.jpg

The throw is definitely shorter, but it's really slight. Mason's website claims a 1.5" reduction in overall throw, but I think this must take into account the lower starting point. You don't have to change the pivot points to achieve a shorter throw (that wouldn't be good for the master cylinder anyway). You can just reduce the lever arm length, which is what Mason does while also reducing the resting pedal height.

I installed it last night and immediately stalled the car on my test drive. I had the UUC clutch stop in and the grab point was right at the stop, which was bottomed out on the long threaded rod. I drove to work without a clutch stop this morning, cut/ground ~1/2" off the bolt, and reinstalled it bottomed out to the rubber. Much better.


I only have a 10 minute commute but I noted the following now that I could drive it with the clutch stop at a reasonable height:

- My left knee no longer hits the steering wheel. That's nice.

- With the clutch now lower than the brake pedal, I was able to move my seat forward a good bit. I've always struggled between comfortably reaching the wheel/shifter with my hands and fitting my legs under the wheel, so that was a huge +. This thing definitely isn't for short folks, though.

- I noticed that I now release the clutch and just twist my foot 30° to rest on the dead pedal. When it's time to shift, I just pivot on my heel back to the clutch instead of having to fully lift off the dead pedal. Another huge + for me.

- The result feels better than removing the cdv did. It got rid of the occasional jerk I would get at the end of the release due to the long engagement zone and pedal height. To me, it feels like the clutch in an e36. I dig it.

[RUS_ZHP]

You reminded me Jeremy Clarkson. His solution to all problems was a hammer.
Also, Sreten at M539 likes hammer a lot.


Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

Just came across these that I don't think I ever posted. Playing w corner weights on stock springs: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220326/5f32485efd71bf4d7a2741a0ba9a2463.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220326/ae2ae5045cf6bae9514bc02794a19156.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220326/b13d8c4bbb8366acd65f883dfac52307.jpg

Corner balances look great until you add the driver and see exactly why BMW put the 60lb battery on the opposite corner:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220326/974ee2a17f4b96825e10208f7192e421.jpg

[ZHPizza]

Posting a big thanks to @Galapolis for his help a few Saturdays ago. Dude drove 2.5 hrs, worked his ass off for like 7 more, then drove back. Hell I didn't even feed him.

We got my solid aluminum subframe bushings changed out to polyurethane though. I had a clunk that I don't think was the bushings now but too late.

Note to others: just lowering the subframe to swap the bushings really isn't much less work than dropping the whole thing out. Just bite the bullet and drop that bish.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/8eb1541c73c03a417b4b6fe6fb27e931.jpg

[ZHPizza]

New project: top adjustable Koni yellows

The E46 never got a top adjustable rear in the Koni yellow kit because the little bitch baby OE rear shock mounts only accept a 10mm shaft which is too small for the adjustment mechanism to fit through and Koni is too cowardly to sell a 12mm rear shock that only works with aftermarket RSM's.

That or they realized they'd lose more money on returns by idiots than they'd make selling a dozen of those shocks a year to people that actually want to adjust them idk

Anyway, I wanted Koni yellows but knew I'd never touch the adjustment if I had to remove the shock from the car. BUT one night deep in the bowels of the internet I found some dudes on bimmerforum or roadfly or club penguin idk talking about how TC Kline used to sell a top adjustable shock for the rear of the e36 m3. Turns out it was just a rebranded Koni yellow for an old Porsche (maybe - they claimed it was custom valved but some of the penguins called bs).

I found the Porsche part number and gathered enough data to feel good about trialing this bad boy:



Koni Model
Part Number
Price
Adjustment
Extended Length
Compressed Length
Stroke
Diameter
Type


E46 FSD/Special Active
8245 1024
$110
None
23.4in
14.8in
8.6in
50mm
Hydraulic


E46 Yellow
8040 1271
$110
Internal
23.4in
14.6in
8.8in
42mm
Twin tube gas


E36 M3 Yellow
8240 1115
$118
Internal
24.3in
14.6in
9.7in
50mm
Twin tube gas


E46 TC Kline Yellow
8241 1200
$268
External
?
?
?
?
?


Porsche Classic
8210 1159
$167
External
23.3in
14.7in
8.6in
55mm
Hydraulic




Ordered the shocks, tucked them in a corner of the garage, and got started on the project two years later, not even remembering that I had put that data in an old email draft and going in blind, taking fresh measurements along the way:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/4770c1da67b68abdd3bdb820a9720fb9.jpg

Ok cool, no deal breakers. The 14mm lower bolt hole sucks, but I can sleeve that unless...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/dd2b946eb1d3416f3da90dc922fb8d18.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/bad2d24c855882e48d0112c9303367e1.jpg

Ohhh yeahhh. these bushings pressed right out and the dimensions between Koni and OE are the exact same, so no major issue getting the OE parts to fit in the Koni hole.

(You obviously don't want to go in dry)

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/2f7e342bde0a83d2ea6d4c22d6a81605.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/3b6c094ac72007bdf803d050317b0323.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/79d9c81592f217b92447b3f6840ab018.jpg

Hell yeah.

Then I lubed up a fresh OEM bump stop and mashed it onto that fat shaft:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/229f94b1818c78d7b91fc80798a339de.jpg

You can see here that the yellow has an extra inch of travel until you hit the bump stop, which I thought about adding a spacer for, but then saw that Koni included a bump stop that was about an inch shorter on their E46 FSD kit, so I guess they want the extra travel?

Good enough evidence to convince me to skip a step!

Next up was dealing with the 12mm shaft up top. The plan was to drill out the washers on my repair shop RSM's:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/1df4e7d72481abc2bf9715f1760dba35.jpg

...but Koni included these bits with the shock so...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/61304d67639c0b5d3a62871cc1b1e09f.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/1b716aa9da6d600141b326b4b0e1b11b.jpg

Yessirrrrrr


All assembled, I threw the shock in the car and THOUGHT I was up shit creek for a minute there with the dust cover contacting the upper arm, but it juuuust cleared it once I jacked it up into place:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/ba4872afa1965acebc789913c868ac50.jpg

Yes, that's a metal dust cover. Must be a Porsche thing because the rear engine would melt a plastic one.

Note that the OE plastic dust cover does (barely) fit over the fat body of the yellow, but kind of scrapes down the side. I figured the scraping wasn't worth the few ounces I would save over the metal so I rolled with it.

Money shot:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/fc1b506226e002d636c1959a100198b6.jpg


No wait it needs the knobby:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/280006f00d49cb8dd00948cdef52e51a.jpg

[sillieidiot]

Posting a big thanks to @Galapolis for his help a few Saturdays ago. Dude drove 2.5 hrs, worked his ass off for like 7 more, then drove back. Hell I didn't even feed him.

We got my solid aluminum subframe bushings changed out to polyurethane though. I had a clunk that I don't think was the bushings now but too late.

Note to others: just lowering the subframe to swap the bushings really isn't much less work than dropping the whole thing out. Just bite the bullet and drop that bish.

[IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/8eb1541c73c03a417b4b6fe6fb27e931.jpg[/IMG

Man, you didn't even feed him? what kind of monster are you? lol

Nice work though. Any reason why you went away from the solid bushings? NVH?

[YoitsTmac]

I loved this car so much when I was younger, I love reading the updates now.

I didn't see your Mason comments until now. Honestly, so many people on E46F were like "oh man it's the best. I can't describe it but once you buy it you can't go back," but what you describe makes it sound like a much more minor update. I haven't installed mine yet personally.

Also liked to get the vehicle weights! I can't do Lithium but I applaud your weight savings.

Any reason you didn't go poly for the diff? Also curious why you went back solid subframe mounts. And my gosh, I'm shocked to see you haven't reinforced the floor, especially if you had it lowered! Props on the Yellow, Koni's, they look sexy! That's a lot of dedication but seems to have worked out. So the rears are adjustable, but what about the front?

[BMWCurves]

Nicely done! I'll never do this, but I'll tuck it away in my "cool things I wish I had time, money, or actual will power to do for my car" document. I remember the TC Kline modified Koni Yellow Porsche shocks that would fit the E46, but also remember there being something along the lines of an 80% price premium over the stock Koni Yellows.

As you said, I have made exactly zero adjustments to the rear shocks since I installed them and have no intention of ever doing so. Maybe the Koni Special Active (Reds) will be in my future. Did you ever have those?


Props on the Yellow, Koni's, they look sexy! That's a lot of dedication but seems to have worked out. So the rears are adjustable, but what about the front?

I can't remember what Nate has in the front for struts now (I hadn't realized he had taken the Red Rocket™ off daily duty :facepalm). If they're Koni Yellows, then they're easily adjustable in the fronts, as you probably know.

[Galapolis]

I loved this car so much when I was younger, I love reading the updates now.
And my gosh, I'm shocked to see you haven't reinforced the floor, especially if you had it lowered!

If there are no cracks and the top has been fully reinforced, then there is no need for plates. I run into SpecE46 guys at track days every once in a while and they always tell me that solid subframe bushings + top reinforcements are all you need. They race their cars with no problems.

[san]

I thought pizza man had the vincebar installed?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[YoitsTmac]

Should have noticed from the top of the shocks he has some rear shock mount that’s likely tied with subframe. My bad! I replied at like 3am because I couldn’t sleep, so just wasn’t adding one and one

[Galapolis]

I thought pizza man had the vincebar installed?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SME X-brace.

[san]

SME X-brace.

:thumbsup


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

Man, you didn't even feed him? what kind of monster are you? lol

Nice work though. Any reason why you went away from the solid bushings? NVH?

I never posted about it but two years ago I dropped the whole subframe out of the car and rebuilt it piece by piece. Every bushing got replaced. I went with solid aluminum subframe bushings from partsshopmox and never really trusted them.

Not because there's anything wrong with the product, but because I had wire-wheeled the bejesus out of the pockets on the subframe to remove all the melted rubber left by the OE bushings. I likely removed a fat layer of powder coat and some base metal, so the solid bushings just slid in loosely instead of being a press fit.

I figured any tiny bit of slop would be taken up with preload from the 4 mounting points not being absolutely perfectly aligned. Afterwards I had a weird, loose sounding clunk when rolling over the lip of the garage with the clutch in. I also installed an LSD at the same time so it may just be the unloaded gears clanging around but idk it sounded like it was outside of the pumpkin. I also read one random comment on nam3f that said he had seen an instance where the subframe was able to move up and down slightly on the PSM bushings.

That comment lived in my head every time I heard that noise and I kept thinking about the less-than-press fit on those bushings and said f it I'll change them out for poly that I KNOW will be a tight fit. Haven't had a chance to drive the car yet and see if that was it.


I loved this car so much when I was younger, I love reading the updates now.

I didn't see your Mason comments until now. Honestly, so many people on E46F were like "oh man it's the best. I can't describe it but once you buy it you can't go back," but what you describe makes it sound like a much more minor update. I haven't installed mine yet personally.

Also liked to get the vehicle weights! I can't do Lithium but I applaud your weight savings.

Any reason you didn't go poly for the diff? Also curious why you went back solid subframe mounts. And my gosh, I'm shocked to see you haven't reinforced the floor, especially if you had it lowered! Props on the Yellow, Koni's, they look sexy! That's a lot of dedication but seems to have worked out. So the rears are adjustable, but what about the front?

The Mason pedal is pretty dope. The little ergonomic changes made a big quality of life improvement when driving this thing.

I didn't go poly for the diff because the consensus is that solid subframe mounts transmit little to no nvh, while any stiff drivetrain mount (engine, tranny, diff) will make your teeth chatter. Meyle HD was the choice diff bushing.

I think your other questions were answered below but I spent weeks conversing with Vince (of the bar) and others, tunneling through the rear chassis with a borescope, and drawing load path diagrams to determine the true failure mode of the RACP and how to address it.

Bottom side reinforcement is nothing more than a band aid to cover damage. The key is to anchor the subframe mount to the chassis rail by way of vincebar (best), x brace (adequate), or homemade solution (mine isn't great).

I did a mixture:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220503/cbdf031669b5da9eccc2b24fc725e97e.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220503/80ef975f1d544ab9992d7663c9762f0d.jpg


Nicely done! I'll never do this, but I'll tuck it away in my "cool things I wish I had time, money, or actual will power to do for my car" document. I remember the TC Kline modified Koni Yellow Porsche shocks that would fit the E46, but also remember there being something along the lines of an 80% price premium over the stock Koni Yellows.

As you said, I have made exactly zero adjustments to the rear shocks since I installed them and have no intention of ever doing so. Maybe the Koni Special Active (Reds) will be in my future. Did you ever have those?



I can't remember what Nate has in the front for struts now (I hadn't realized he had taken the Red Rocket[emoji769] off daily duty :facepalm). If they're Koni Yellows, then they're easily adjustable in the fronts, as you probably know.

I just looked up the TCKline ones and they're $268 each. I don't think they were even available 2 years ago or I may have considered it. They also look like they're using a mustang part number (8241-1200) that can be had for $165 so maybe there's a better solution than the Porsche shock now?

I wouldn't bother with the special actives. It's my understanding that they're the new version of the FSD and those just couldn't handle quick transitions.

I've had a company car for a year and a half so the red car has been driven like 1k miles in that time. In fact, it's probably spent more time on the lift than the ground :(

[ZHPizza]

Had the windshield on the wife's touring replaced the other day. I was out there chatting with the installer and talking about the old racer's trick of using window weld to fill gaps in rubber mounts to add stiffness.

Realized that I already had the passenger engine mount off to install the headers, so I popped into the garage and pulled the driver's side too.

Dude let me borrow his goop gun and 5 minutes later I had basically turned my relatively new non-m mounts (fluid filled rubber w air gap) into m3 mounts (fluid filled solid rubber). Gave them a few days to cure before reinstalling. Free upgrade!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220515/f4f7bfe37c7efdb0ea2cbc1044645089.jpg

[ZHPizza]

Never updated y'all on my exhaust adventure from a year ago so here we go:

The plan was to make the Schmiedmann equal length headers mate up to the Borla catback exhaust system. I knew it would as going to be a headache with Schmiedmann doing their own proprietary flange and mating point to their exhaust system (which in hindsight I should have just bought that too and been done).

Anyway, first steps first, let's get these beautiful headers on the engine...

Flange is flat and clean. That's nice. I had to put a lot of work into the eBay headers to get a flat mating surface. This should be easy!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/6a780ced2bda1440e6392af8f35d8dd3.jpg

First problem: the headers are contacting that little square protrusion on the bell housing.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/f654fa0fe902373e8996e572252ee77e.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/e3705c1aaa7ea99cfa91d0a6f16b78d5.jpg

Welp...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/13e5d523c6d72dce814641b4f7cfcabf.jpg

See ya...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/0dc9c53a8db4b8a0aef4b77a36d1513b.jpg

Fit em up again and I'm still getting contact

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/d06e5c9b71cab7a3322fdcc59db763f2.jpg

Changed over to the flap wheel and ground down the side the bell housing some more whatever

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/d5367afc7d2951807e37e869d094131c.jpg

STILL RUBBING DAMN

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/b8298d0447487ee915b16c406428321d.jpg

At this point I'm out of material to remove on the bell housing, so it's time to focus on modifying the headers themselves.

I fit them up several times trying to locate the exact point of contact and finally got smart:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/e938eaf95f8a98f5dd04c28f26547c53.jpg

Covered the whole area in question with marker, set it in place, and rubbed it around on the bell housing. The marker was scratched off right where I needed to focus:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/3d62e5ef9e0f419b4b2672c772a70ef5.jpg

I started out thinking I could get a precise shape with it cold, but that didn't do much

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/5db1b340bc56adc9f0bb903ff61f4273.jpg

TORCH TIME

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/c8f7ad78e1a2e3801b3d1bb37fe3833a.jpg

MOAR FIE-YUH

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/0e038a0c6bd374fb42e2a3ca5a70ada3.jpg

My inner city garage was like a blacksmith shop with all the flames and hammering coming out of there but by god I made a fricken dent in that collector

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/80832e2a6ef8eaf57d30bfb4f5c78173.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/805faeb3e3220fa8c5b68a37da552ead.jpg

LOOK AT THAT CLEARANCE

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/73af43b0462f7cef27bf0f9010b6d9a9.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/fd088b2ac3e8c90583ddd0a28a0de2fa.jpg

Thank you Schmiedmann for making some beautiful, heavy walled headers that don't really fit a 6spd.

[Galapolis]

Wow, that's some commitment. Can't wait to experience them in person. :)

[ZHPizza]

Next up was to figure out how I was going to mate the headers to the rest of the exhaust. Here is what I was looking at:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/f2ac452a5e2ce994921fd9d296320f17.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/cf6b1aecc2eed9bd469a2dd853fc6923.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/4b684a65d08da0123e6a8af5a6cfab08.jpg
Large gap [emoji3581]
Different spacing [emoji3581]
Different flanges [emoji3581]
Flanges also off by 90deg [emoji3581]


The first thing I did, which was dumb, was cut the flanges off the headers.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/b604962b0b44320682841d5e6e3f4d08.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/c98b15963a5cb6c4b5ffa7a04feb2926.jpg

I couldn't find a good adapter to mate to the cone seal that Schmiedmann used, so I cut it off and sanded the flange flat so I could use OE gaskets.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/1dec122853a763bbb6f3d68349f5db69.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/6658e3ffa9a577512045f9e62921d0ab.jpg

[ZHPizza]

Side quest!

When I get stuck for while on a frustrating project like the exhaust, I tend to find a smaller side project to dive into. It gets me back into the flow of working in the garage and reminds me that I am a strong and capable man.

So this one was swapping out the OE washer fluid tank (which is large and mounted towards the front of the car) with a small tank that I could mount back near the firewall.

This one actually: https://a.co/d/9mwDYCf

I took almost no pictures of the process, but I have this one with my original plan: use rivnuts in the firewall to mount the bracket for the tank (green marks where I was thinking about drilling)

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/e4b0601a792b399f7a361e907a1134dd.jpg

I didn't feel great about drilling into that area as I wasn't sure what was behind it. I also didn't love the fitment of the tank there since it's kind of an angled wall, so I went with mounting it on the side of the bin with some through bolts.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/a80491819614ea00d15e40d1c23e559e.jpg

I don't remember a ton of the details but the hose routing was pretty easy (it runs down from the hood right along the fender - you can see where I diverted it in the bottom of the pic). The wiring wasn't a problem either and I think I knocked out the whole project in one evening.

Weight savings is idk but it opened up the engine bay to give you a good view of the headers and that's what matters kids.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/f788b5a9ca064e51072b88544f4670d1.jpg

[ZHPizza]

After a several month hiatus, we're back on the exhaust project. What was I doing in the meantime?
- travelling all over the US
- wrecking work vehicles/getting a new work vehicle
- buying a house and preparing to move
- teaching myself how to weld (stick weld of course, because I'm a psychopath)

Looks like I took ZERO pictures of the whole welding/fabricating process, but hey just pretend you skipped ahead in the video to see the results because it was a TON of fitting, trial, error, welding, leak testing, re-welding holes, grinding, more re-welding, cussing, etc. It was honestly an insane amount of work. I'll never do it again.

Anyway, headers are back in the car!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/f8291082c881f17490eecb2719e33ef8.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/6bd1cecf53c116fa3f13c8434bb82662.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/ff52f020f750fcac6561fc5991035cde.jpg

So the original plan was to modify the headers so that they would mate up to any standard e46 exhaust. If you look close in that last pic you'll see that the flanges are welded back in their original location after I realized that the pipe that Schmiedmann used was (1) slightly larger diameter than your standard 2in stainless pipe and (2) made up of some very complicated bends that I couldn't replicate by piecemealing angled cuts of pipe together.

So I abandoned the idea of keeping the Borla exhaust as-is, put the Schmiedmann flanges back to where they started, and went full bore into a completely custom exhaust. Great.

(Here's where we skip through the insane amount of work and jump right to the results)

LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL PIPING

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/f0edc9ee209abec961dbcdae7e23f184.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/b198cd2a080ff33e77b7516e0e992425.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/ac3b675de8d2d6b8fc4dde4e85867eb5.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/7b86c8ae8668078d1ad991433729ef6d.jpg

I literally finished this up the morning that we had to move and rolled the car out of the garage (for the first time in 6 months) to make way for loading the truck. Very typical of me. Very stressful for my marriage. Don't be like Pizza.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230417/8814c6cea84aa098cd8116fc17c7a4b9.jpg

[sillieidiot]

lol nice work and commentary. I'm reading it like it was me that did the work since it's like how I would describe shit :rofl

[BADCLOWN]

Purdy headers ya got there

[cakM3]

That's some seriously awesome work on your headers and exhaust. Looks amazing!

[squashman702]

Looks good! I'm sure the performance gain is worth the struggle. I went through numerous similar issues when I was trying to fit up CX racing headers to my LS1 in my E36. Lots of missing parts of the T56 and dents in the headers by the time I was done.

Props on teaching yourself stick welding first- makes it easier to learn TIG for sure. I learned MIG first, then did a tiny bit of stick, then back to a lot of MIG, then learned TIG last year at a class at a vocational school.

Any pictures of the bay? Would like to see what it looks like with the SAP delete and washer fluid tank moved. I think I bought the same tank for my LS1 E36 and mounted it in the trunk above the battery. Never had any issues with the pump.

[t.er]

Lol, I'm just picturing you working on the car while the wife is frantically packing :rofl

Hope your new place has a larger garage? Post some pics!

[fredo]

Good job, man! And welcome back.

[ZHPizza]

lol nice work and commentary. I'm reading it like it was me that did the work since it's like how I would describe shit :rofl




Purdy headers ya got there




That's some seriously awesome work on your headers and exhaust. Looks amazing!




Looks good! I'm sure the performance gain is worth the struggle. I went through numerous similar issues when I was trying to fit up CX racing headers to my LS1 in my E36. Lots of missing parts of the T56 and dents in the headers by the time I was done.

Props on teaching yourself stick welding first- makes it easier to learn TIG for sure. I learned MIG first, then did a tiny bit of stick, then back to a lot of MIG, then learned TIG last year at a class at a vocational school.

Any pictures of the bay? Would like to see what it looks like with the SAP delete and washer fluid tank moved. I think I bought the same tank for my LS1 E36 and mounted it in the trunk above the battery. Never had any issues with the pump.




Lol, I'm just picturing you working on the car while the wife is frantically packing :rofl

Hope your new place has a larger garage? Post some pics!




Good job, man! And welcome back.

Thanks guys! Definitely not worth it lol. Should have either stuck with eBay headers and bolted on the Borla, or bought the full Schmiedmann exhaust. I didn't do the latter because I read some reports that the midpipes would need to be cut/welded/extended to fit around the 6spd tranny and I wanted to avoid that headache...and here we are.

The goal was to keep the project as simple as possible, so when welding became unavoidable I got a cheap little stick welder on Amazon, thinking that it offered the best mix between the startup cost and flexibility for future projects. I was also able to weld stainless filler with it, which I don't know that you can properly do with mig, and obviously wasn't about to pony up for tig.

I'll try to grab a pic of the bay the next time I see the car. After the move, I signed the title over to my father and parked it at his house. We do have a larger garage but still no room for it at the new spot and the wife is adamant that it's not returning due to the absurd amount of time I poured into this thing over the years, with the cherry on top being this massive project when I should have been prepping to move.

@slater knows the situation very well

[san]

Thanks guys! Definitely not worth it lol. Should have either stuck with eBay headers and bolted on the Borla, or bought the full Schmiedmann exhaust. I didn't do the latter because I read some reports that the midpipes would need to be cut/welded/extended to fit around the 6spd tranny and I wanted to avoid that headache...and here we are.

The goal was to keep the project as simple as possible, so when welding became unavoidable I got a cheap little stick welder on Amazon, thinking that it offered the best mix between the startup cost and flexibility for future projects. I was also able to weld stainless filler with it, which I don't know that you can properly do with mig, and obviously wasn't about to pony up for tig.

I'll try to grab a pic of the bay the next time I see the car. After the move, I signed the title over to my father and parked it at his house. We do have a larger garage but still no room for it at the new spot and the wife is adamant that it's not returning due to the absurd amount of time I poured into this thing over the years, with the cherry on top being this massive project when I should have been prepping to move.

@slater knows the situation very well

Where is @704sw at, in all of this?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RUS_ZHP]

This thread is alive, so is the pizza men!
Amazing work and dedication.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

Where is @704sw at, in all of this?


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkBeing a deadbeat dad somewhere. Went out for cigarettes a few years ago and haven't seen him since.
This thread is alive, so is the pizza men!
Amazing work and dedication.

Sent from my SM-G960U using TapatalkWHAT IF WE LIVED IN THE SAME CITY AND NEVER HUNG OUT LMAO


@squashman702 I picked up the car tonight and grabbed some bay pics 4 u. Look at all that room for activities!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230506/af6f4f1ec734146fb365f13bb3b6cbe3.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230506/2ae390ccefd7af1b7b065c86f7e8942e.jpg

[slater]

@slater knows the situation very well

hoooooooo boy, yes i do. we are cut from the same cloth.

fortunately, after 5 years, lots of self-growth and marriage repair, things are better. and i know not to that kinda thing anymore. :)

(just catchin' up here - laughed along with the "so i bought a welder" bit, because, LOL, i did the EXACT SAME THING a few years ago)

[Will]

Great updates! I read it with the Benny Hill music in the background. lol.

[RUS_ZHP]

Being a deadbeat dad somewhere. Went out for cigarettes a few years ago and haven't seen him since. WHAT IF WE LIVED IN THE SAME CITY AND NEVER HUNG OUT LMAO


@squashman702 I picked up the car tonight and grabbed some bay pics 4 u. Look at all that room for activities!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230506/af6f4f1ec734146fb365f13bb3b6cbe3.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230506/2ae390ccefd7af1b7b065c86f7e8942e.jpgGreat update and love how clean and roomy the engine bay looks with all the mods.
Note about handing out in the same city is taken-:))))

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[ZHPizza]

Just got this car back so I could start prepping it for sale. Had to grab a pic in direct sunlight because RED
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20241117/76bb18a398f5128ce357b63c182dd127.jpg

[san]

Just got this car back so I could start prepping it for sale. Had to grab a pic in direct sunlight because RED
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20241117/76bb18a398f5128ce357b63c182dd127.jpg

What?s the replacement?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Galapolis]

Very sad given the iconic status of this car but I'm certainly a fan of the replacement. I think most E46 owners have probably considered one at some point as well.

[t.er]

Very sad given the iconic status of this car but I'm certainly a fan of the replacement. I think most E46 owners have probably considered one at some point as well.You wanna spoil the surprise?

[Galapolis]

I figured he'll let us know when he's ready.

[ZHPizza]

Lol such concern from you guys!

I picked up the replacement a year ago....a 2024 Subaru Outback!

Kidding but not completely -- that's been my company car that I've logged like 30k miles on in a year.

The actual replacement is a 2013 128i MSport, which I've driven less than 1k miles in the year I've had it and may just sell it too. Cars are only fun when you get to drive them!
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20241120/9b135ab3aeedd0a89fa172d83ee24664.jpg

[Vas]

Future collectible right there - Is it a 3 pedal example?

[t.er]

I tried my friend's car in more or less that exact spec. You really feel the "old school" BMW DNA in those like in our cars - just a bit more refined!

[ZHPizza]

Grabbed a few quick pics to do a pre-for-sale post in case anyone is actively looking for a very red ZHP coupe.

Will do good pics with the summer setup (Arc8s w/ PS4S) once I get some time to get her all gussied up.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250222/ad4d33b4bbd1c4473ee4879bfa61f30b.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250222/a799a107d229d3b5351c5e535addf472.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250222/44c27614c220a66e551b0325f5b2a8bc.jpg

[cakM3]

Beautiful coupe!! GLWS :thumbsup

[t.er]

the end of an era :(

[BMWCurves]

ZHPizza can't get it up for Red Rocket no mo?

[Galapolis]

Very sad but you picked a worthy successor.

[Aeternalis]

I picked up a 128 recently too. You might enjoy the color:

40679

40680

[ZHPizza]

Wrapping this piece is a massive pain in the ass but so worth it to flow with the rest of the brushed aluminum trim

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250331/c059c9f677f2990a8efd4826b3725290.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250331/a093f3d6571383c904e09e2c973e5e7a.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/TDB7RAy.jpeg

[Aeternalis]

Very well executed. Looks like it belongs there for sure.

[ZHPizza]

Should be the final post on this build thread:

https://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?25009-2005-330Ci-ZHP-Coupe-6MT-Imola-Red-Alcantara-Bulletproofed-Pizzafied

@BMWCurves -- Thnks fr th Mmrs music video?

[BMWCurves]

@BMWCurves -- Thnks fr th Mmrs music video?

I gotchu