MDifficult’s E82 1M Coupe & Ariel Atom 3
Discussion
MDifficult said:
The more I've looked into it, it looks like one of those jobs where it's better to buy a solid subframe, clean it up, powdercoat, new bushes, arms etc all on the garage floor, then hand the whole lot over to a specialist to swap over along with the diff and the uprights, then sell off your old one to recoup as much as possible.
Previous owner of the 330i just bought a new one. He decided that refurbing this one or another was too much of a PITA.I think one of the worst areas, is the top where you can’t see it until it’s too late. Redish have done a few E9x cars now.
sutts said:
JaredVannett said:
greygoose said:
Mine hit 90,000 last week, it was my daily driver for the first 5 years. Had it polished up last year and wheels refinished, well worth the cost and still love the look of it.
wow beautiful - where did you get the wheels refinished if you don't mind me asking? - they look great like OEM.sutts said:
That looks like Kelly’s place in Gillingham (Kent) so I’d imagine it was Lepsons opposite his unit that did the wheels. I’ve had several sets done there and always turned out beautifully. Not cheap, but good.
greygoose said:
Yes it was Lepsons, very good service.
Thank you both, funny enough I have been there and seen their "alloy wall".We had the alloys for a mk7 Golf R done there, the finish was perfect.
@MDifficult - great thread!
A game of two halves on Sunday...
A friend of a friend had organised a run out to lunch at C&M and invited me along. As a few of us were coming from the same area I put together a dawn raid (well, I say dawn, call it 7am!) in order to get to the start point. I'd forgotten the joy of an eclectic mix of almost-strangers enjoying empty roads on a sunny morning.
I decided to take the Atom, then my friend in his 720S, an M2 (OG I think), and later added an Emira (every time I see one of these they get even better) and then a 993 Turbo - what a mix!
The day started at 7 and we took a long route (including having to overtake 50 members of the Porsche Dawdlers Club
) with a few stops and got to C&M for 11 - thankfully we'd timed it perfectly, all managing to score parking at the front.
Highlight of the day.. ripping along and seeing a Ferrari Enzo coming the other way. Pretty rare to see one, but especially getting blatted down an A road! After lunch and a few laps of the carpark, the first few spots of rain started so I decided to head home.
As it was warm, and the forecast didn't seem too bad, I opted for the waterproof jacket rather than the full romper suit.. big error.
My journey back across the Cotswolds, into Berkshire and through Reading to home was by far the wettest journey I've ever done in the Atom.. absolutely biblical rain, 6 inch deep rivers running across the road (seeing water come INTO the car through the drain holes is interesting), huge spray from big lorries going the other way. By the time I got home, after nearly two hours, I literally couldn't have been wetter - it was like I'd jumped into a pool.
One upside.. with no ABS or TC, I was soooo gentle with the throttle and brakes on the way home I apparently didn't use any petrol at all!
Here's a short, depressing video to give you an insight into the fun...
A friend of a friend had organised a run out to lunch at C&M and invited me along. As a few of us were coming from the same area I put together a dawn raid (well, I say dawn, call it 7am!) in order to get to the start point. I'd forgotten the joy of an eclectic mix of almost-strangers enjoying empty roads on a sunny morning.
I decided to take the Atom, then my friend in his 720S, an M2 (OG I think), and later added an Emira (every time I see one of these they get even better) and then a 993 Turbo - what a mix!
The day started at 7 and we took a long route (including having to overtake 50 members of the Porsche Dawdlers Club
) with a few stops and got to C&M for 11 - thankfully we'd timed it perfectly, all managing to score parking at the front. Highlight of the day.. ripping along and seeing a Ferrari Enzo coming the other way. Pretty rare to see one, but especially getting blatted down an A road! After lunch and a few laps of the carpark, the first few spots of rain started so I decided to head home.
As it was warm, and the forecast didn't seem too bad, I opted for the waterproof jacket rather than the full romper suit.. big error.
My journey back across the Cotswolds, into Berkshire and through Reading to home was by far the wettest journey I've ever done in the Atom.. absolutely biblical rain, 6 inch deep rivers running across the road (seeing water come INTO the car through the drain holes is interesting), huge spray from big lorries going the other way. By the time I got home, after nearly two hours, I literally couldn't have been wetter - it was like I'd jumped into a pool.
One upside.. with no ABS or TC, I was soooo gentle with the throttle and brakes on the way home I apparently didn't use any petrol at all!
Here's a short, depressing video to give you an insight into the fun...
d_a_n1979 said:
Haha good lad 
Least you had a helmet on and not just in sunglasses
I think the top of my scalp was the only bit of me that wasn't soaked! Least you had a helmet on and not just in sunglasses
Court_S said:
MDifficult said:
Court_S said:
Sod that….in shorts too. 
Sounds counter-intutive but wet skin is a lot less cold than wet jeans! What you can't see is the three inches of water I was sat in!
how much were your regretting removing the pussy panels? Honestly, the rain was so heavy, I honestly don't think they'd have made much difference. The footwell was actually filling up because it was coming in faster than the drain holes would let it out! When you're moving at speed, it's all good, but as soon as you're mooching, or at a standstill at lights, it just batters down on you. But that said, when I went right at a flooded roundabout it was amazing how much water came off the inside front wheel, through the side of the car and directly into my lap!
MDifficult said:
Honestly, the rain was so heavy, I honestly don't think they'd have made much difference. The footwell was actually filling up because it was coming in faster than the drain holes would let it out! When you're moving at speed, it's all good, but as soon as you're mooching, or at a standstill at lights, it just batters down on you. But that said, when I went right at a flooded roundabout it was amazing how much water came off the inside front wheel, through the side of the car and directly into my lap!
I do admire your dedication to using the Atom as you do, and even more so having had it a wee while.
Court_S said:
Richard (who was at Prescott) got caught out big time in his previous Caterham and it was so bad that he had to drill sone holes in the footwell to drain in. His car literally became a bath tub.
I do admire your dedication to using the Atom as you do, and even more so having had it a wee while.
I think that if you've ever ridden motorbikes, the lack of protection (weather or otherwise) in an Atom just doesn't seem that big an issue. It's basically the same, except you're lying down and comfortable, with reasonable wind protection shoulders down. It helps being on tyres that can cope with standing water and the soaking trackday at Bedford gave me a lot of confidence in the wet that the car isn't just going to spear off into the scenery as soon as you hit a big puddle. Compared to riding a motorbike in the rain, it's honestly a breeze! I do admire your dedication to using the Atom as you do, and even more so having had it a wee while.
The Atom is built for the bad weather too.. the tub, seats etc all have drain holes in the lowest point which work very well (unless, like me, your fat arse blocks the hole and the seat fills up with water! Even the steering wheel is even more grippy when wet than it is dry (although does leave you with black hands).
Wet I don't mind. Cold I don't mind. Both together.. forget that!
MDifficult said:
I think that if you've ever ridden motorbikes, the lack of protection (weather or otherwise) in an Atom just doesn't seem that big an issue. It's basically the same, except you're lying down and comfortable, with reasonable wind protection shoulders down. It helps being on tyres that can cope with standing water and the soaking trackday at Bedford gave me a lot of confidence in the wet that the car isn't just going to spear off into the scenery as soon as you hit a big puddle. Compared to riding a motorbike in the rain, it's honestly a breeze!
The Atom is built for the bad weather too.. the tub, seats etc all have drain holes in the lowest point which work very well (unless, like me, your fat arse blocks the hole and the seat fills up with water! Even the steering wheel is even more grippy when wet than it is dry (although does leave you with black hands).
Wet I don't mind. Cold I don't mind. Both together.. forget that!
Never done motorbikes, so I’m probably just being a big pussy! I did enjoy roof down motoring in the 125i cab but that’s rather soft in comparison.The Atom is built for the bad weather too.. the tub, seats etc all have drain holes in the lowest point which work very well (unless, like me, your fat arse blocks the hole and the seat fills up with water! Even the steering wheel is even more grippy when wet than it is dry (although does leave you with black hands).
Wet I don't mind. Cold I don't mind. Both together.. forget that!
I guess given the lack of protection, they need to build them for all weathers in case you get caught out.
Court_S said:
I guess given the lack of protection, they need to build them for all weathers in case you get caught out.
As I was jumping in the car to drive home and the droplets had started, one guy in the assembled crowd asked me "I always wondered what happens in one of these if you yet caught out in the rain?"I couldn't help but answer with... "Me too!"
JakeT said:
Driving through Reading in heavy rain is enough to make me suicidal even in a watertight car. Well done for doing it in a mobile swimming pool!
Cheers - yup.. apart from the opportunity to clog it under the railway bridge, it's all pretty depressing So PH25 is tomorrow and I've decided to go with the 1M - so if you spot me (or more likely the car) then please do say 'hi'. It's going to be a long day as the display cars have to be there from 8 until 4, so I'm going to be keen on any kind of distraction
Preparations have been.. frustrating. The recent MOT mentioned (verbally) that the rear upper arms bushings were starting to show signs of wear. As the car's still covered by the BMW warranty I figured this was something simple that they could take care of...
Sadly, although the work was done fine, they managed to take two days to do the work (how?!) and also noted a second set of arms in a similar situation but because they didn't notice those straight away, and hadn't ordered the parts, it needs to go back next week for a third day's work. I don't really mind this stuff but it's all overlaid by zero communication from the dealership, umpteen chasing phone calls from me, miscommunication between the tech, the service advisor and then me. I just don't understand why such simple stuff has to be so complicated. I can't help feeling that BMW's current clientele just drop the car, go away, and come back at some point, pay the bill and collect it, with zero interest in what work was done and how. Oh well.
I'll need to find some time today to give the car a clean, then pack some stuff in the boot to clean it all over again tomorrow morning at Bicester I've just remembered why I don't go to too many car shows!
See you there (hopefully before the forecasted thunderstorms!)
Preparations have been.. frustrating. The recent MOT mentioned (verbally) that the rear upper arms bushings were starting to show signs of wear. As the car's still covered by the BMW warranty I figured this was something simple that they could take care of...
Sadly, although the work was done fine, they managed to take two days to do the work (how?!) and also noted a second set of arms in a similar situation but because they didn't notice those straight away, and hadn't ordered the parts, it needs to go back next week for a third day's work. I don't really mind this stuff but it's all overlaid by zero communication from the dealership, umpteen chasing phone calls from me, miscommunication between the tech, the service advisor and then me. I just don't understand why such simple stuff has to be so complicated. I can't help feeling that BMW's current clientele just drop the car, go away, and come back at some point, pay the bill and collect it, with zero interest in what work was done and how. Oh well.
I'll need to find some time today to give the car a clean, then pack some stuff in the boot to clean it all over again tomorrow morning at Bicester
I've just remembered why I don't go to too many car shows! See you there (hopefully before the forecasted thunderstorms!)
Sound’s annoying re the arms; at least they’re being sorted.
I’ll definitely bother you tomorrow because I too do y realise what a long day it was going to be! Richard is coming too…hopefully his Caterham will actually make it this time! He’s in the peasants parking so will probably do one early before the rain arrives!
I’ll definitely bother you tomorrow because I too do y realise what a long day it was going to be! Richard is coming too…hopefully his Caterham will actually make it this time! He’s in the peasants parking so will probably do one early before the rain arrives!
Taking the 1M was definitely the right decision! Not only were there Atoms aplenty (only saw one other 1M and that was in the carpark), but the weather on the way home took a real turn for the nasty, as demonstrated by the Soarer and DB9 that had a little tangle on the roundabout.
The event itself was great, with the usual PH 'vibe' and eclectic mix of cars, just on a much grander scale. Being on the 'Readers Cars' display also meant I was tucked away in the relative safety of the hanger. Great to see so many cars that I've followed on these pages, but also great to meet so many people (old and new) face to face.
Took a bunch of photos but they were all pretty poor, so best check out the other threads and see how the pros do it.. but MrTouring, MrsTouring and I managed to pull off a nice group shot on the way out.
Massive thanks to all involved.
The event itself was great, with the usual PH 'vibe' and eclectic mix of cars, just on a much grander scale. Being on the 'Readers Cars' display also meant I was tucked away in the relative safety of the hanger. Great to see so many cars that I've followed on these pages, but also great to meet so many people (old and new) face to face.
Took a bunch of photos but they were all pretty poor, so best check out the other threads and see how the pros do it.. but MrTouring, MrsTouring and I managed to pull off a nice group shot on the way out.
Massive thanks to all involved.
Edited by MDifficult on Saturday 12th August 17:57
MDifficult said:
Taking the 1M was definitely the right decision! Not only were there Atoms aplenty (only saw one other 1M and that was in the carpark), but the weather on the way home took a real turn for the nasty, as demonstrated by the Soarer and DB9 that had a little tangle on the roundabout.
The event itself was great, with the usual PH 'vibe' and eclectic mix of cars, just on a much grander scale. Being on the 'Readers Cars' display also meant I was tucked away in the relative safety of the hanger. Great to see so many cars that I've followed on these pages, but also great to meet so many people (old and new) face to face.
Took a bunch of photos but they were all pretty poor, so best check out the other threads and see how the pros do it.. but MrTouring, MrsTouring and I managed to pull off a nice group shot on the way out.
Massive thanks to all involved.
That's a fantastic line up! Bet it was a superb day The event itself was great, with the usual PH 'vibe' and eclectic mix of cars, just on a much grander scale. Being on the 'Readers Cars' display also meant I was tucked away in the relative safety of the hanger. Great to see so many cars that I've followed on these pages, but also great to meet so many people (old and new) face to face.
Took a bunch of photos but they were all pretty poor, so best check out the other threads and see how the pros do it.. but MrTouring, MrsTouring and I managed to pull off a nice group shot on the way out.
Massive thanks to all involved.
Edited by MDifficult on Saturday 12th August 17:57
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