What did you do for your ZHP/ BMW / MINI today? #2

[Hornung418]

Haha it took me way too long. Just stupid things going wrong throughout the process.

If I had to do it again, I could do it much quicker

I found that jacking up the engine to get the passenger mount out was the hardest part of the job wasnt sure how much tension the driver side mount could handle.

Having the special support bar would make the job much easier. Hoping my header install will go smoother.

From a GS3, this was sent.

[terraphantm]

I found that jacking up the engine to get the passenger mount out was the hardest part of the job wasnt sure how much tension the driver side mount could handle.

Having the special support bar would make the job much easier. Hoping my header install will go smoother.

From a GS3, this was sent.

Yeah that passenger mount was a pain. I basically jacked it up just enough to slide the old mount out and put the new one in. I figured the weight of the engine wouldn't be quite as bad as the actual acceleration forces.

Header install was a bitch - at least on the M3. Only because all those nuts are impossible to reach, and then chances are the studs will pull out (16 of the 18 studs in my case pulled out). Impossible to torque anything. Have to just hope for the best.

[Hornung418]

Did you have power tools? I actually managed to punch my self in the face when I was breaking the top nut on the pass side free. Used a breaker bar and a long screwdriver as a handle. Worked...but not with out violent pain.

From a GS3, this was sent.

[terraphantm]

Did you have power tools? I actually managed to punch my self in the face when I was breaking the top nut on the pass side free. Used a breaker bar and a long screwdriver as a handle. Worked...but not with out violent pain.

From a GS3, this was sent.

I used hand tools. There wasn't really anything so tight that a cheaterbar couldn't loosen.

The only power tool I used was my impact screw driver in an attempt to take the metal plate off from underneath the car (12 16mm bolts... they're torqued to 60Nm + 90º) -- I got about 3 of them off, but then the hex - 3/8 adapter just sheared off. Part of the bit is left in the impact driver with no way to get it out.

[Stu]

They turned the hoses off at the apartment complex. So what's a car guy to do?

- Fill up bucket with car soap
- Wash car in parking lot
- Fill up bucket with water
- Rinse car
- Get stared at by neighbors for being insane
- Have shiny car

[Jlastor]

Had been kinda lazy to write this up. But during the holidays I took some vacations and used about three days to work on the car. No mods, basically giving it some tender loving care.

Although I was not able to take pics of all the work done (had my hands too dirty to use the phone or any electronic device) I will try to explain the best I can.

First thing I did was take the bumper out to retouch the lower parts that had some scratches and plasti-dipped the grill. I actually found at Pep Boys a Duplicolor paint from Honda, called Milano Red, that matches almost percfectly to our Imola red. I used it to paint the areas that cannot be seen from plain sight, then used OEM touch-up paint from BMW to paint what is easily seen. End result was fantastic IMO.


While the bumper was out I cleaned all I could. Got some dry leaves out of radiator area, cleaned brake ducts, radiator ducts (it actually looks new/shinny black right now, had no idea it would look so good), aluminum bumper bar, engine bay, etc. If my had could fit, I cleaned it.
Pic is from before, have no after pic.


As you can see in the previous picture, I also changed my headlight lenses. WOW what a difference!! Makes any car look like new!
Before

After


Then as I got in the mood of getting everything as clean as possible I got the car in some stands and cleaned all four wheel wells. And cleaned the inside of the wheels while they were out.
Before

After


Thats basically all the pics I got. But afterwards came the interior detailing, exterior detailing including polish and wax. I spent about 1.5 hour on cleaning the alcantara steering wheel alone. Made a HUGE difference.

Then I did not want to use the car for several days in order to keep if clean. lol Kept looking at it to see if I could do anything else. But since I had only spent $8 on the can of paint I wanted to keep a low budget project. But I could no hold my self and bought a new windshield cowl. And that completed the "like new" look to the front of the car. I must say that i have found a new love for my car. lol

Ill try to give the car a quick wash this afternoon to post a pic of the final result.

[midlandtech]

They turned the hoses off at the apartment complex. So what's a car guy to do?

- Fill up bucket with car soap
- Wash car in parking lot
- Fill up bucket with water
- Rinse car
- Get stared at by neighbors for being insane
- Have shiny car

Been there. I used to hook a hose to my 2nd floor apartments sink then string it down off the balcony to wash the car.... People thought I was insane

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

[nike001]

Then as I got in the mood of getting everything as clean as possible I got the car in some stands and cleaned all four wheel wells. And cleaned the inside of the wheels while they were out.

Holy shit man. What did you use?!

[danewilson77]

+1

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

[Imola.ZHP]

Wow, I thought our undercoating was supposed to be black, not red? When I "cleaned" mine after rolling my inner fender lips, I re-sprayed them with black undercoating, lol...