clarkson's e46 m3 and previous cars - lots of pics
Discussion
HaydenS2k said:
Really admire the dedication and willingness to get your hands dirty op.
It would have been far to easy to give up and break her after the rod bearing failure.
e46 M3's really do seem to be dropping like flies, even with the future classic talk.
Look forward to more updates and any progress you make in the coming weeks and months.
Thanks mate really appreciate it It would have been far to easy to give up and break her after the rod bearing failure.
e46 M3's really do seem to be dropping like flies, even with the future classic talk.
Look forward to more updates and any progress you make in the coming weeks and months.
aka_kerrly said:
HaydenS2k said:
Really admire the dedication and willingness to get your hands dirty op.
It would have been far to easy to give up and break her after the rod bearing failure.
e46 M3's really do seem to be dropping like flies, even with the future classic talk.
Look forward to more updates and any progress you make in the coming weeks and months.
It would have been far to easy to give up and break her after the rod bearing failure.
e46 M3's really do seem to be dropping like flies, even with the future classic talk.
Look forward to more updates and any progress you make in the coming weeks and months.
Absolutely.
I LOVE mega DIY builds like this! The satisfaction of building it yourself and being able to paint so many parts and replace nuts/bolts/fasteners to make it better than factory finish is well worth it. I take the view that all the extra effort now SHOULD be rewarded by additional reliability & longevity plus the smug fuzzy feeling you get when you take a car that's had a full underside rebuild to a garage who will be expecting it to look like any other random E46 that they've seen in the last 20 years is rather nice.
I had a mk2 Golf that I'd completely stripped/repainted everything on the underside, had all new suspension/steering/braking components etc and had only done about 500 miles since finishing it when I got pulled over by the police who were running a mass stop/inspection operation.
When two coppers approached the car and began telling me what kind of faults they were looking for I was more than happy for them to crack on. One got down on his hands an knees ( awful cold/wet October night) flashed his torch under it and said "JESUS CHRIST its clean" just as the other looked at my new front tyre, new discs/pads painted hubs an so on.
30 seconds of inspection, five minutes talking about VWs and I was waved on my way - my most pleasurable experience with the police.
OP- Love that this M3 is getting so much attention, I would rather buy a car like this than one that's had 10+ years of being run on a "only replace the absolute essentials" maintenance plan with a underside that looks like a crusty mess
Just finding it time to get it done luckily the misses is off this week so I've been outside everyday doing bits it's nearly all ready to go back together !
There's a couple of snpaped bolts under the car from the exhaust brace and the v brace from subframe I need to get out which is the next job!
Edited by clarkson22 on Friday 12th February 15:53
Thanks guys
Got a few things painted today just got the rear springs and rear anti roll bar to paint and I can shove it back together
Making the brake line I cut threw!
Near enough
Rear anti roll bar brackets and rear body brace
Por 15
Lacquered this
I've painted and lacquered the parts I painted in por15 today there sat drying just forget to get some shots but you know what gloss black parts look like!
Need to remove a broken bolt from the underside and I'll start putting it back together!
Got a few things painted today just got the rear springs and rear anti roll bar to paint and I can shove it back together
Making the brake line I cut threw!
Near enough
Rear anti roll bar brackets and rear body brace
Por 15
Lacquered this
I've painted and lacquered the parts I painted in por15 today there sat drying just forget to get some shots but you know what gloss black parts look like!
Need to remove a broken bolt from the underside and I'll start putting it back together!
Haha yes mate I've got a compressor and spray gun I've just brushed the por15 and hammerite on but it smoothes out good if you don't slap loads on and use a decent brush .Let the hammerite go touch dry and spray it with 2k lacquer they don't need to be perfect but it will hopefully stop the rust!
The engine crane has many uses!
The engine crane has many uses!
Edited by clarkson22 on Wednesday 17th February 07:11
Got the last of the parts painted today will paint the underside next and it can go back together.
Springs sanded down and some por 15 applied
Both done and sprayed with some gloss black aerosol ontop of the por 15 a few hours later
My rear camber arms came so gave them a quick scuff with some 1200 and gave them a lacquer , all the lacquer used has been 2k I spray them in the shed and bring them into the garage when there touch dry ish after a few hours
Shiny
They had 3 coats of clear so should hold up well with rust.
Wire wheeling the anti roll bar
Same again por 15 and a few hours later some gloss black
Xenon brackets, the nuts didn't look healthy so I left the brackets on and por 15ed them
When the weather is ok I'm going to climb under the car and paint it and lacquer it all.
Springs sanded down and some por 15 applied
Both done and sprayed with some gloss black aerosol ontop of the por 15 a few hours later
My rear camber arms came so gave them a quick scuff with some 1200 and gave them a lacquer , all the lacquer used has been 2k I spray them in the shed and bring them into the garage when there touch dry ish after a few hours
Shiny
They had 3 coats of clear so should hold up well with rust.
Wire wheeling the anti roll bar
Same again por 15 and a few hours later some gloss black
Xenon brackets, the nuts didn't look healthy so I left the brackets on and por 15ed them
When the weather is ok I'm going to climb under the car and paint it and lacquer it all.
Painted the last 2 things , there the big washers that go with the bolts for the subframe.
After a jet wash
I hit it with a ton of degreaser and jetwashed it again but I faffed around drying it and then sprayed it so no pictures of the in-between
Silver
Then lacquered it , I did this with some 2k aerosol cans that you press the bottom in mix the activator I couldn't be arsed getting compressor and gun out and spraying it outside
There's a couple of runs but you won't see it when it's back together! at least it's well protected now! Going to spend tommorow putting the back end together and tapping the front diff bolt hole to M16.
Everything waiting to go back on
After a jet wash
I hit it with a ton of degreaser and jetwashed it again but I faffed around drying it and then sprayed it so no pictures of the in-between
Silver
Then lacquered it , I did this with some 2k aerosol cans that you press the bottom in mix the activator I couldn't be arsed getting compressor and gun out and spraying it outside
There's a couple of runs but you won't see it when it's back together! at least it's well protected now! Going to spend tommorow putting the back end together and tapping the front diff bolt hole to M16.
Everything waiting to go back on
Edited by clarkson22 on Saturday 27th February 18:43
Started the day by drilling and tapping the diff to M16
Cleaned the fuel tank and fitted it
Brake line done put a little kink in it but should be ok
Subframe and suspension on
Grease went on all bolts that went back in need to fit camber arms and brake stuff tomoz and then diff and it's back down on it's wheels ready for engine.
Cleaned the fuel tank and fitted it
Brake line done put a little kink in it but should be ok
Subframe and suspension on
Grease went on all bolts that went back in need to fit camber arms and brake stuff tomoz and then diff and it's back down on it's wheels ready for engine.
Got the disks swopped the right way round....whoops and pit both calipers on and put the camber arms on with plenty of grease on the threads
I've got to drill out the bush insert for the 16mm new bolt for the diff and I can fit that and get the rest back together and back on its wheels.
I've got to drill out the bush insert for the 16mm new bolt for the diff and I can fit that and get the rest back together and back on its wheels.
Managed to get the diff in what a ballache on your own I had to get my dad to come round today and help me lift and bolt it up
Sprayed this a few days ago
Torqued up the bolts
Drilled the bush insert for the front bolt on diff
Also managed to finish clipping brake line all up and finished
All bolts torqued to spec I was nervous about the front bolt hole I tapped to M16 as it's a big torque 200nm ! But it got there fine few undertrays to go on and itsback on its wheels tomoz!!
Sprayed this a few days ago
Torqued up the bolts
Drilled the bush insert for the front bolt on diff
Also managed to finish clipping brake line all up and finished
All bolts torqued to spec I was nervous about the front bolt hole I tapped to M16 as it's a big torque 200nm ! But it got there fine few undertrays to go on and itsback on its wheels tomoz!!
Well I got the valve clearances done and checked timing one last time bolted rocker cover on and everything else left and got it off the engine stand
Changed rear main seal
The clutch I had had only 5000 odd miles on it so to re use it you have to reset the pressure plate I forgot to take a picture during but you press the middle down with some 3 prong pullers and a socket and slide the 3 springs back till they lock and release the puller there's a few YouTube videos explaining it.
Clutch flywheel and gearbox and starter motor all back on
I'm going to put the engine in next weekend if one of my pals is available
Changed rear main seal
The clutch I had had only 5000 odd miles on it so to re use it you have to reset the pressure plate I forgot to take a picture during but you press the middle down with some 3 prong pullers and a socket and slide the 3 springs back till they lock and release the puller there's a few YouTube videos explaining it.
Clutch flywheel and gearbox and starter motor all back on
I'm going to put the engine in next weekend if one of my pals is available
One crusty frame , then some por15
Back in your home
Its all connected up apart from the rad pack propshaft and exhaust and I'm sacking the stacks off and putting it back the standardinlet manifold . I'll await some oil and see if the engine works....it should. of course I've lost bolts ,but thankfully just ones that hold clips and brackets here and there and I've lost the gearshift selector bush ,I didn't take it out but it ain't there anymore so one of them is on order so I can put prop and exhaust on.
Back in your home
Its all connected up apart from the rad pack propshaft and exhaust and I'm sacking the stacks off and putting it back the standardinlet manifold . I'll await some oil and see if the engine works....it should. of course I've lost bolts ,but thankfully just ones that hold clips and brackets here and there and I've lost the gearshift selector bush ,I didn't take it out but it ain't there anymore so one of them is on order so I can put prop and exhaust on.
Well went to connect the gear stick up and realised there's no bush , I didn't take it out and there press fitted in , so God knows
Take gearstick out of car and press bush in
New.prop gasket
All heat shields and trays on
I'm just awaiting new bolts and exhaust gaskets to put exhaust back on
Airbox on
Need to connect the wires for maf as I chopped then for the iat sensor for the stacks
It's nearly ready to start
Take gearstick out of car and press bush in
New.prop gasket
All heat shields and trays on
I'm just awaiting new bolts and exhaust gaskets to put exhaust back on
Airbox on
Need to connect the wires for maf as I chopped then for the iat sensor for the stacks
It's nearly ready to start
Well today I filled up power steering , a load of tap water for coolent and shoved 7 litres of 10w60 down it's hole and prayed to the gods crossed everything and turned the key.
https://youtu.be/6h-pfreYnH4
Happy days! Will update soon with the front end going together.
https://youtu.be/6h-pfreYnH4
Happy days! Will update soon with the front end going together.
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