Discussion
Huge thanks are owed to www.passionautofrance.com and J3Driveline for supplying a nice new LSD. I figured it made sense to have the whole differential overhauled, so it's a sintered clutch pack, 45% lock and custom 02 output flanges with a 4:1 CWP and re coated casing. I'd like to add a finned Alpina type rear cover eventually.
In an effort to at least keep the aesthetic looking period correct, I have a genuine Matter roll cage coming.
In an effort to at least keep the aesthetic looking period correct, I have a genuine Matter roll cage coming.
Some more progress yesterday and the finishing line (in as much as getting it running and mapped anyway!) is tantalisingly close now.
Due to trying to keep costs down and squeezing it in between other jobs, we opted to whip everything out again and prep the engine bay for paint. Fortunately it wasn't done all that long ago, when the car was still in Greece, so the prep work was pretty minimal. Better still, there was no corrosion to deal with either and this is all purely cosmetic. As well as painting the bay I figured parts like the servo, master cylinder and alternator could use a freshen up. The grubby plastic brake fluid reservoir, catch can and washer reservoir are also being binned for aluminium. That said, this isn't a show car and it'll be racking up the miles getting used (and sometimes abused) as often as possible. Yes, I want it to look good and kind of period'ish looking but more than that I want it to be reliable, nimble and revtastic!
I'm really looking forward to seeing what sort of power the m44/1.9 makes too? I'd be pretty happy with anything around the 170 mark, as 02's are pretty light anyway and mine has been on a bit of a diet thanks to aftermarket seats and suspension. Eventually I intend having Bruno at BDS open the head up a bit, raise the compression and see if it'll reach 200?
I also had to get some new lower ball joints up front, as the one's on the car were (like 99% of the mechanical components) pretty tired. Unfortunately OE are ridiculously expensive and best price I could get on genuine ones was £500 the pair plus VAT! Instead (on recommendation from James at JFi Classics) I oped for Moog ones at just £38 the pair including delivery from Germany!
I'm still in 2 minds whether to fit the Cibié up front? I love the look of an early 02 but the headlights are truly woeful. Candles in jam jars would be a significant improvement.
Anyway, off to get the daily back later so will hopefully get some pics of a nicely refreshed 02 engine bay?!
Due to trying to keep costs down and squeezing it in between other jobs, we opted to whip everything out again and prep the engine bay for paint. Fortunately it wasn't done all that long ago, when the car was still in Greece, so the prep work was pretty minimal. Better still, there was no corrosion to deal with either and this is all purely cosmetic. As well as painting the bay I figured parts like the servo, master cylinder and alternator could use a freshen up. The grubby plastic brake fluid reservoir, catch can and washer reservoir are also being binned for aluminium. That said, this isn't a show car and it'll be racking up the miles getting used (and sometimes abused) as often as possible. Yes, I want it to look good and kind of period'ish looking but more than that I want it to be reliable, nimble and revtastic!
I'm really looking forward to seeing what sort of power the m44/1.9 makes too? I'd be pretty happy with anything around the 170 mark, as 02's are pretty light anyway and mine has been on a bit of a diet thanks to aftermarket seats and suspension. Eventually I intend having Bruno at BDS open the head up a bit, raise the compression and see if it'll reach 200?
I also had to get some new lower ball joints up front, as the one's on the car were (like 99% of the mechanical components) pretty tired. Unfortunately OE are ridiculously expensive and best price I could get on genuine ones was £500 the pair plus VAT! Instead (on recommendation from James at JFi Classics) I oped for Moog ones at just £38 the pair including delivery from Germany!
I'm still in 2 minds whether to fit the Cibié up front? I love the look of an early 02 but the headlights are truly woeful. Candles in jam jars would be a significant improvement.
Anyway, off to get the daily back later so will hopefully get some pics of a nicely refreshed 02 engine bay?!
Unfortunately not. The dyno was tied up with some big power Nissan GTR thing and it made better sense to just get the engine out and stripped for a refresh. It took bloody ages to get the original water pump out as it had calcified in place and just wouldn't budge. It took some real brute force in the end! Whilst at it we opted to fit new bearings and all new gaskets throughout. The servo, master cylinder etc also all got a fresh coat of paint and there's only the fuse panel left to sort. I'm undecided whether to just try and find a NOS fuse cover or find a replacement panel with blade fuses to replace the bullet type?
scottos said:
I'm happy enough with the standard type to be honest, I have just replaced all mine and unplugged/ plugged back in the relays and lots of small gremlins have disappeared haha think it's just part and parcel of an 02!
It's all BMW of that era and the bullet type fuses. Unfortunately they simply corrode and the connection can break. It's not a big deal, although losing wipers or turn signals mid torrential downpour can be a pain. You know those little moisture trap bags you get amongst the wrapping of some stuff? Well sticking one of those under the fuse cover slows the process. Also, the OE ceramic bodied fuses are way better than the plastic ones. They're getting harder to find nowadays but they are out there.Edited by 1602Mark on Saturday 11th July 20:20
Thanks. I know it's not to everyones taste but it's about as close to my 'perfect 02' as I can get on my budget. Although the base car wasn't the cheapest round tail light car I could find, I specifically wanted LHD and no corrosion to deal with. It'll be 48 years old in just a few weeks and it's remarkably solid when you consider that fact. Yes, I could have bought a UK car a bit cheaper but I don't have the patience or skills needed to remedy the kind of rot these cars usually suffer. I would have wanted it done to the sort of level that Gary71 has done his 911 and work like that costs.
This has been one of the threads that keeps me coming back to PH and his work and patience is up there with TonyBMW for me.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
As with my E30 M3 though, as much as I enjoy the build process, I want a car that I'm not afraid to use. Living here in Cornwall we are miles from everywhere and it's 100 miles to the nearest motorway! Now I have 5 gears those long journeys should be a little less frenetic. That said, it'll still be set up with country lanes in mind. Hopefully though, I intend on making one of the first trips a run up to Wales and JFi Classics. James has a similarly specced 1602, albeit with the added bonus of an Eaton supercharger, so the plan is to spend a weekend racking up some miles around the Brecon Beacons to iron out any gremlins.
As it stands today though, the M44 is stripped and all the parts are off at powder coat. This includes the engine mounts and custom front subframe etc. The M20 flywheel is also in the machine shop and I opted for a new Helix clutch. I did think about an uprated version but there's really no point. Once everything is back from coat it should be a relatively quick process building it all back up again. I hope anyway...
I know it's not to everyones taste but it's about as close to my 'perfect 02' as I can get on my budget. Although the base car wasn't the cheapest round tail light car I could find, I specifically wanted LHD and no corrosion to deal with. It'll be 48 years old in just a few weeks and it's remarkably solid when you consider that fact. Yes, I could have bought a UK car a bit cheaper but I don't have the patience or skills needed to remedy the kind of rot these cars usually suffer. I would have wanted it done to the sort of level that Gary71 has done his 911 and work like that costs. This has been one of the threads that keeps me coming back to PH and his work and patience is up there with TonyBMW for me.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
As with my E30 M3 though, as much as I enjoy the build process, I want a car that I'm not afraid to use. Living here in Cornwall we are miles from everywhere and it's 100 miles to the nearest motorway! Now I have 5 gears those long journeys should be a little less frenetic. That said, it'll still be set up with country lanes in mind. Hopefully though, I intend on making one of the first trips a run up to Wales and JFi Classics. James has a similarly specced 1602, albeit with the added bonus of an Eaton supercharger, so the plan is to spend a weekend racking up some miles around the Brecon Beacons to iron out any gremlins.
As it stands today though, the M44 is stripped and all the parts are off at powder coat. This includes the engine mounts and custom front subframe etc. The M20 flywheel is also in the machine shop and I opted for a new Helix clutch. I did think about an uprated version but there's really no point. Once everything is back from coat it should be a relatively quick process building it all back up again. I hope anyway...
Sf_Manta said:
Certainly looking tidy there Mark, is the M42 engine getting a bit of a lick of paint before it goes back in?
Thanks. It is, yes. In fact it out again and being done as I write. I opted to just have the block done black, along with bits like the subframe and engine mounts, but the cam cover and timing chain covers are going gold. I was in two minds but I'd like it to try and look a bit like the old Schnitzer M12 twin cams in period. I did suggest maybe doing the ITB's too but that might be more difficult and interfere with the butterflies etc I guess? One of the problems with my having someone else try and carry out my ideas is that I don't always appreciate the knock on effects and potential costs involved. The creep has been pretty significant already but I would have liked to add cams, up compression and open up the inlet ports a bit but that's added cash I just don't have right now. Really I just want it running and driving in time to rack up some miles before the summer ends. 
Had a chat to Joe at ARM BMW and once I’ve settled the engine install, go from there. The hardest task will be tubbing the rear end and I’d like the fit E21 rear trailing arms so that the track is a little wider and I can fit 323i rear discs, along with E30 callipers. It’s going to happen but just unsure when?
LanceRS said:
I’m just watching some programme where they are converting an 02 to electric power. I know which one I would rather have.
It’s all the rage nowadays it seems. Personally I have zero interest in electric vehicles and certainly wouldn’t want to butcher an 02 filling it with batteries. I don’t doubt it’d be quick but as far as going “green” I think recycling an E30 engine & box with modern ECU and injection is much better solution. MJK 24 said:
Great thread, great car!
What’s the thinking behind specificity choosing a LHD car to use in the U.K.? Just that they’re much easier to find in rust free condition or is there another reason?
There were a couple of reasons but the main one was my wanting to build an 02 version of my old E30 M3, the car it replaces. That’s also why I went with a 16v conversion on ITB etc. It even wears the same registration now. What’s the thinking behind specificity choosing a LHD car to use in the U.K.? Just that they’re much easier to find in rust free condition or is there another reason?
LHD also have some nice details, like the floor hinged pedals and the Alpina type dash pod for the auxiliary gauges only came for LHD.
I used to have another LHD 02 about 30 years ago! WUF 975S too.
I imported this particular car because it’s such a solid example. The underside has never seen a welding torch and the doors and rear turrets are also rust free. There was a poorly done repair on the near side rear quarter but I had that done some time ago. The mechanicals were shall we say “tired” but I’ve replaced pretty much everything now.
This 1602 was actually pretty well known in Greece and was used in local rally events. It was also in a few magazine articles there, which I think can be found early in this thread? I’m actually only the 3rd owner!
1602Mark said:
Nigh on a year to the day since I bought the donor Z3 and we're still waiting on completion. The cam and timing chain covers are still at powder coat and we're waiting on gaskets from BMW thanks to Covid-19 delays. 
The M20 flywheel has been lightened and balanced. I think they took off around a kilo or 2.2 lb's in old money.
The custom front subframe and engine mounts are already back from being coated black and I was toying with the idea of having the modified Z3 exhaust manifold ceramic coated but they can't do it till the end of August and they want it for 2 weeks! That would just be too much of a pain in the arse, so I may just opt for wrapping it instead? It doesn't really need coating but as it's a cut'n'shut job I just figured it would look nicer than it does now. I think it's going to be wrapped. In fact I've written to a company that produces a carbon fibre and Titanium mix so hopefully I can persuade them to let me review their product?
I still haven't sorted the wheels out as couriers have started getting way more strict on how they're wrapped. I've been looking at 13x6 Revolution but they're ET16 so I'm not sure they'll fit under the stock arches? I think they could look great though.
6Jx14H2 ET18 PCD 4x100
The only think I'm unsure of is the centre bore as I think they were from a Renault 5 turbo?
I went and saw my car this morning and we're still waiting on gaskets I believe. It's pain as at this rate a second summer will have passed me by without my being able to drive the bloody thing. It was never supposed to be a project car when I bought it. Anyway, it is what it is I guess? First world problem and all that.
I'm still waiting on the overpriced bit of plastic from Ireland Engineering too. I did get some period Marchal headlights cheap though.
The only think I'm unsure of is the centre bore as I think they were from a Renault 5 turbo?
I went and saw my car this morning and we're still waiting on gaskets I believe. It's pain as at this rate a second summer will have passed me by without my being able to drive the bloody thing. It was never supposed to be a project car when I bought it. Anyway, it is what it is I guess? First world problem and all that.
I'm still waiting on the overpriced bit of plastic from Ireland Engineering too. I did get some period Marchal headlights cheap though.
Robmarriott said:
1602Mark said:
6Jx14H2 ET18 PCD 4x100
The only think I'm unsure of is the centre bore as I think they were from a Renault 5 turbo?
60.1mm centre bore then, if they’re proper Renault forment and don’t need a spigot ring.The only think I'm unsure of is the centre bore as I think they were from a Renault 5 turbo?
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