Discussion
Lynch91 said:
Ok, how did you manage to smash your own window? Nice car btw
Thanks! Shut (frameless) door with a healthy shove, edge of body in the way, shattered glass everywhere. Queue jokes of all sorts...I am the sort who walks into doorways a bit.
Glass man did come through with a connection to a local glazier, though I now have wind noise that wasn't there before. Just needs a bit of adjustment.
I travel to the US a lot so I thought to use ECS with their great selection and website but ended up buying from BM mini parts who have a less slick website but still got me the parts. You new your chassis number then select parts from the BMW parts diagrams, that sends a request to them to quote a price, though sometimes the price shows. Then you can buy or not. Worth a look.
couple more pics of the old Alp, lots of updates to follow, have been busy with some small jobs and today she's in for new O2 sensors (threw the code and the 16mmpg economy, down from 23 was a little clue). interestingly, I did change the oil from 5w 40 to the Alpina recommended thinner 0w 30 last week and economy improved by a whole mpg! Looking forward to a healthy Alpina this afternoon.
As you can see, wheels refurbed, new badegs, new PS3s on the front, and facelift LED rear lights at the back
As you can see, wheels refurbed, new badegs, new PS3s on the front, and facelift LED rear lights at the back
Car is coming on nicely. Have you finalised a colour for when you paint it? Are there any specific period Alpina blacks? I'd keep the Champagne interior if it was mine as the black on black would loose something in my personal opinion. If you are able to change it to caramel as you see in some M3's, then that would be a different matter altogether though! 
Been a while and some updates are due.
Had Pilot sport 3's fitted at the back, due to some badly deformed toyos, and a new one on the front after a nail puncture (always happens when there is 5+mm of tread!). Also had it into Birds for a full checkover which revealed weeping dampers and diff, knackered bushes, and PAS fluid weeping from the pipes out of the reservoir.
Car is going in for:
Koni FSD dampers
Front control arms
Z4M front bushes
M3 rear trailing arm bushes
Alignment
Calipers (refurbed at BigRedd), discs and pads
None of this deals with the rust or the repaint I'm hoping will now happen in 2015, but it's all towards a much better car. Even if i am tracking prices and seeing these are worth peanuts- shame, they are great real world cars but I'll accept a bit juicy for the performance and need bushes and a new cooling system every 8 weeks!
I'm loving it, especially since fitting the Grom ipod kit and a Becker BMW professional head unit. Not an amazing unit but OEM and makes me happy.
Had Pilot sport 3's fitted at the back, due to some badly deformed toyos, and a new one on the front after a nail puncture (always happens when there is 5+mm of tread!). Also had it into Birds for a full checkover which revealed weeping dampers and diff, knackered bushes, and PAS fluid weeping from the pipes out of the reservoir.
Car is going in for:
Koni FSD dampers
Front control arms
Z4M front bushes
M3 rear trailing arm bushes
Alignment
Calipers (refurbed at BigRedd), discs and pads
None of this deals with the rust or the repaint I'm hoping will now happen in 2015, but it's all towards a much better car. Even if i am tracking prices and seeing these are worth peanuts- shame, they are great real world cars but I'll accept a bit juicy for the performance and need bushes and a new cooling system every 8 weeks!
I'm loving it, especially since fitting the Grom ipod kit and a Becker BMW professional head unit. Not an amazing unit but OEM and makes me happy.
Edited by Polynesian on Monday 20th October 16:16
Had the work done- also Rogue engineering rear top mounts and Meyle HD front top mounts. The Koni FSDs are a revelation. The ride is beautifully composed and tight and very gentle- the antithesis of modern BMW M-sport damping (I'm thinking of the E90, so my modern is your old for some of you).
Perhaps a small part of why the FSD dampers are so delightful is apparent here:
Untitled by [url=https://www.flickr.com/people/58146258@N00/]
Number 88 rumbles on. Need to get the Z4M bushes pressed into the lollipops and the rear discs and pads done (I ordered the wrong ones). It is nice to see the big 325mm discs from the 330i peeking out from behind the wheels. The calipers are refurbished in a factory finish which is very shiny at the moment, a nit too shiny maybe. My 328ci calipers and carriers are available if you have an E36 and want a simple upgrade.
Perhaps a small part of why the FSD dampers are so delightful is apparent here:
Untitled by [url=https://www.flickr.com/people/58146258@N00/]Number 88 rumbles on. Need to get the Z4M bushes pressed into the lollipops and the rear discs and pads done (I ordered the wrong ones). It is nice to see the big 325mm discs from the 330i peeking out from behind the wheels. The calipers are refurbished in a factory finish which is very shiny at the moment, a nit too shiny maybe. My 328ci calipers and carriers are available if you have an E36 and want a simple upgrade.
Edited by Polynesian on Wednesday 18th April 23:18
Since the last update I've had costs at both ends of the scale! The automatic gearbox flywheel cracked resulting in a frightening noise and a £1200 bill- but all sorted. And yesterday I treated it to 6.5 litres of castrol edge and oil and air filters. 152275 on the clock and it was only half way to the next service due but it's been a year. That was the cheap one!
It really is a relaxing place to be and always with a good noise and some acceleration available. 280bhp is a hot hatch these days, but they don't have extended champagne Nappa leather, lightened and balanced internals and that Alpina mix of comfort and sporting fun. The Koni FSDs are helping. That ability to handle broken London roads and stiffen in fast corners is an excellent complement to the overall Alpina experience.
It's old, thirsty (for the performance, at least, urban) and needs even more money spent, but it's my Alpina, and I sort of love it. It totally makes me want to do a R129SL style refresh, and then I realise I've already spent more than the purchase price on it. Nothing in the big scheme of things or for some of the acts of love on here but already a bit nuts!
It really is a relaxing place to be and always with a good noise and some acceleration available. 280bhp is a hot hatch these days, but they don't have extended champagne Nappa leather, lightened and balanced internals and that Alpina mix of comfort and sporting fun. The Koni FSDs are helping. That ability to handle broken London roads and stiffen in fast corners is an excellent complement to the overall Alpina experience.
It's old, thirsty (for the performance, at least, urban) and needs even more money spent, but it's my Alpina, and I sort of love it. It totally makes me want to do a R129SL style refresh, and then I realise I've already spent more than the purchase price on it. Nothing in the big scheme of things or for some of the acts of love on here but already a bit nuts!
Edited by Polynesian on Friday 5th June 23:34
One improvement I've been meaning to make since I bought the Alpina, interior restoration! The leather is now back to a nice pale champagne colour. Interior was cleaned, piping has been repaired/ replaced and a couple of new panels sewn in as needed. It's a dramatic difference and very matte now from what was shiny, dirty, knackered lambs/ kids (no joke, the alpina nappa was made from sheep or goat hides- not human children I should point out. That's an option on the B7).
Edited by Polynesian on Monday 8th February 22:49
macp said:
Great car !
I dont suppose it was Craig Pusey who sold you the car was it.
It was a Craig, not sure of his surname now. He had a red B10 3.5 which he'd restored. Worked at Continental, car came on 4 Contis that had majorly cracked inner sidewalls...I dont suppose it was Craig Pusey who sold you the car was it.
Edited by macp on Wednesday 10th February 00:00
It was the cheapest B3 on sale at the time, obviously a great spec but in need of lots of attention (read time and money!). My PH car blog isn't up to date, but at least at the end it will be one of the best B3's still on the road- about when petrol gets banned :-)
280bhp and a slushbox isn't much of a performance combo these days, but it is a very well reprogrammed box by Alpina and the point isn't max speed, it's a really, really good road car.
Just updated the blog on old Alp, I have entered the costs for the mechanical work underway ahead of time in an attempt to somehow control the final cost :-)
To think I could have bought a brand new MG3 or Hyundai i10 and no hassle, for the cost of the Alpina and her many titivations. What unrelieved joy!
Pictures to follow. Of an Alpina not a Hyundai.
http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showServiceHist...
To think I could have bought a brand new MG3 or Hyundai i10 and no hassle, for the cost of the Alpina and her many titivations. What unrelieved joy!
Pictures to follow. Of an Alpina not a Hyundai.
http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showServiceHist...
Edited by Polynesian on Thursday 18th February 18:45
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