BMW Z3 2.8 - OEM+ long term project
Discussion
So small weekend update and then i'll have a mega update in a few days as something very very exciting (to me) has just happened
Was replacing the radiator on my mum's mini this weekend as her local mechanic wanted £300 for what is 2 hours work!
Friday and Saturday i rectified and modified my carbon (fake) centre console.
As you may have seen i have swapped in a complete facelift console and then wrapped it in 4d carbon. i was never happy with the wrapping and bought some proper 3M dinoc carbon to do it in.
all i can say is i'm 1000000000% happier and the 3M stuff is so much easier to use.
here's a before with the 4D stuff
and then the 3M dinoc
and i also fitted this awesome dual USB port that also comes with a voltage meter in it. I've replaced the cig lighter with it. love it and shows a spot on 14v when driving and 11.8 when off.
it even lights up the correct orange!
Was replacing the radiator on my mum's mini this weekend as her local mechanic wanted £300 for what is 2 hours work!
Friday and Saturday i rectified and modified my carbon (fake) centre console.
As you may have seen i have swapped in a complete facelift console and then wrapped it in 4d carbon. i was never happy with the wrapping and bought some proper 3M dinoc carbon to do it in.
all i can say is i'm 1000000000% happier and the 3M stuff is so much easier to use.
here's a before with the 4D stuff
and then the 3M dinoc
and i also fitted this awesome dual USB port that also comes with a voltage meter in it. I've replaced the cig lighter with it. love it and shows a spot on 14v when driving and 11.8 when off.
it even lights up the correct orange!
so this is really exciting for me. I've finally got the Style 24 wheels refurbed and mounted and i'm completely over the moon with them.
I started the refurb myself but quickly realised that was going to take far too long. a quick trip to MyAlloys in Basingstoke and they are done.
New centre caps from our good friends [USER=688]@Soper Parts Lincoln[/USER] and some eBay bolt caps and we are good to go.
They are BMW OEM Style 24 which came from a 1995 BMW M3 LTW
These are the rarest style 24s available as they are 1995 only LTW wheels
Forged
Perfect Z3 fitment (Same as standard wheels)
They weigh 10kgs (as a set) less than the originals so some good unsprung weight savings
My tyres are still cheap cack but have loads of tread so not going to waste that
also treated the car to some snow foam
next jobs:
Rear beam bushes
Rear trailing arm bushes
Front ARB bushes
Front ball joints
gearbox oil
I started the refurb myself but quickly realised that was going to take far too long. a quick trip to MyAlloys in Basingstoke and they are done.
New centre caps from our good friends [USER=688]@Soper Parts Lincoln[/USER] and some eBay bolt caps and we are good to go.
They are BMW OEM Style 24 which came from a 1995 BMW M3 LTW
These are the rarest style 24s available as they are 1995 only LTW wheels
Forged
Perfect Z3 fitment (Same as standard wheels)
They weigh 10kgs (as a set) less than the originals so some good unsprung weight savings
My tyres are still cheap cack but have loads of tread so not going to waste that
also treated the car to some snow foam
next jobs:
Rear beam bushes
Rear trailing arm bushes
Front ARB bushes
Front ball joints
gearbox oil
That's looking great with the new improved carbon fibre trim and refurbed alloys, I like the USB volt meter too.
You mention gearbox oil: On my (now sold) Z3 3.0 I changed the oil due to a stiff change, especially when cold and it made a huge difference despite it supposedly being long life and my car was at 60k miles at the time. I didn't buy BMW's oil though, instead I searched for the equivalent version which was about 25% the cost for exactly the same oil. If you haven't sourced the oil yet, let me know and I'll try to retrace my steps to find the supplier (I gave the receipt to the new owner).
You mention gearbox oil: On my (now sold) Z3 3.0 I changed the oil due to a stiff change, especially when cold and it made a huge difference despite it supposedly being long life and my car was at 60k miles at the time. I didn't buy BMW's oil though, instead I searched for the equivalent version which was about 25% the cost for exactly the same oil. If you haven't sourced the oil yet, let me know and I'll try to retrace my steps to find the supplier (I gave the receipt to the new owner).
OldSkoolRS said:
That's looking great with the new improved carbon fibre trim and refurbed alloys, I like the USB volt meter too.
You mention gearbox oil: On my (now sold) Z3 3.0 I changed the oil due to a stiff change, especially when cold and it made a huge difference despite it supposedly being long life and my car was at 60k miles at the time. I didn't buy BMW's oil though, instead I searched for the equivalent version which was about 25% the cost for exactly the same oil. If you haven't sourced the oil yet, let me know and I'll try to retrace my steps to find the supplier (I gave the receipt to the new owner).
Thanks for your message, i've gone for Redline ATF as prescribed by Opie Oils which should improve the gearchange massively as when cold its very notchyYou mention gearbox oil: On my (now sold) Z3 3.0 I changed the oil due to a stiff change, especially when cold and it made a huge difference despite it supposedly being long life and my car was at 60k miles at the time. I didn't buy BMW's oil though, instead I searched for the equivalent version which was about 25% the cost for exactly the same oil. If you haven't sourced the oil yet, let me know and I'll try to retrace my steps to find the supplier (I gave the receipt to the new owner).
+1 like the volt meter - where did it come from?
Like the Style 24s too, I just bought a set... and then sold them again. I've gone over to Style 18s for the moment as I think they look great on a Z3. I'm holding out for some more interesting aftermarket 5-spokes with a bit more shape to them, either Brock B1, Azev A or Racing Dynamics if I see the right fitment set pop up for the right money...
Carbon fibre looks nice. The carbon fibre gear knob I just fitted would finish the look perfectly.
Like the Style 24s too, I just bought a set... and then sold them again. I've gone over to Style 18s for the moment as I think they look great on a Z3. I'm holding out for some more interesting aftermarket 5-spokes with a bit more shape to them, either Brock B1, Azev A or Racing Dynamics if I see the right fitment set pop up for the right money...
Carbon fibre looks nice. The carbon fibre gear knob I just fitted would finish the look perfectly.
Podie said:
Mwstewart found the cigar lighter thingy and put one on his Ferrari.
The revised carbon centre console and the later ASC and hood switches look much better - really nice job.
Alloys look good too - and 2.5kg lighter per corner is not to be sniffed at!
Thanks, the car feels better with them on and the facelifted interior is so much nicer The revised carbon centre console and the later ASC and hood switches look much better - really nice job.
Alloys look good too - and 2.5kg lighter per corner is not to be sniffed at!
vsonix said:
+1 like the volt meter - where did it come from?
Like the Style 24s too, I just bought a set... and then sold them again. I've gone over to Style 18s for the moment as I think they look great on a Z3. I'm holding out for some more interesting aftermarket 5-spokes with a bit more shape to them, either Brock B1, Azev A or Racing Dynamics if I see the right fitment set pop up for the right money...
Carbon fibre looks nice. The carbon fibre gear knob I just fitted would finish the look perfectly.
eBay and it came from Hong Kong in about 10 days. Was the only place i could find with orange illumination. Like the Style 24s too, I just bought a set... and then sold them again. I've gone over to Style 18s for the moment as I think they look great on a Z3. I'm holding out for some more interesting aftermarket 5-spokes with a bit more shape to them, either Brock B1, Azev A or Racing Dynamics if I see the right fitment set pop up for the right money...
Carbon fibre looks nice. The carbon fibre gear knob I just fitted would finish the look perfectly.
So my exhaust tips were always horrible and i didn't want to pay the money BMW wanted for some new ones.
So i made my own:
Start with this
Take some 304 stainless pipe
chop in half
protect with tape, mount in vice and mark three holes, then struggle like crazy to drill the 304 with cobalt drill bits
mount your drill and polishing mop
get your uncle to weld on some nuts (stainless)
attach to the car with stainless bolts and spring washers
So i made my own:
Start with this
Take some 304 stainless pipe
chop in half
protect with tape, mount in vice and mark three holes, then struggle like crazy to drill the 304 with cobalt drill bits
mount your drill and polishing mop
get your uncle to weld on some nuts (stainless)
attach to the car with stainless bolts and spring washers
5harp3y said:
thank you, trying very hard to make it look relatively standard unless you know
You've definitely pulled that off! I'm doing some similar mods with my 325ti, although some mods are blatantly non-OEM (like the aftermarket wheels I went for). Next I've got lined up in mind is a M135i brake upgrade...Always liked the Z3, and kind of want one more now.
HugoFastmann said:
You've definitely pulled that off! I'm doing some similar mods with my 325ti, although some mods are blatantly non-OEM (like the aftermarket wheels I went for). Next I've got lined up in mind is a M135i brake upgrade...
Always liked the Z3, and kind of want one more now.
Tell me more about the brake upgrade? is that to go to monoblock style brakes? Always liked the Z3, and kind of want one more now.
if i needed a daily i'd be looking at 325ti, so much fun and massively underrated
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