Yet another e36 328i sport coupe

[nosuchuser]

helix402 said:

I'd have a dig around your rear for more rust . Have you had the side skirts off and checked all the jacking points?

I've just dropped the trailing arm brackets.. I've got bigger issues...

[helix402]

Oh dear, as good as my E46?

before:



After:



These any help?

[ChrisDT]

Thats great news, and much like yourself I managed to get mine out for the weekend for the first time since owning it too - only did 38 miles but it was great to drive it!

[nosuchuser]

I've changed my rtabs to the Rogue Engineering ones.. It's been a journey of some horrible discoveries. Going to need more than some weld in reinforcement

That hole really shouldn't be there:


There's another nice hole just out of shot on the lhs. No holes on the n/s console but just as fked. Not good, not good at all. A lot of swearing. The captive nuts are still solid and at least they've not ripped out of the body. The repair sections for the rtab consoles are £250 from BMW but I'm thinking it might be worth changing the whole rear carrier going on condition of the subframe. This isn't going to be cheap bodyshop will probably need to drop the subframe, fuel tanks etc to weld the replacements in. Will be trying to get some quotes over the next couple of weeks. Might as well do the rear arches at the same time but that leads to respray.. I need to get the skirts off to check the sills more thoroughly, I dread to think what else I'll find.

Surprised it held together:


Post bearing removal, all the aluminium bearing carrier had corroded to the trailing arms:


Carnage after some fun with the angle grinder:


Cleaned up the trailing arms then installed new bushes. Removing the old ones wasn't much fun but the RE ones went in quite easily, mounted with new rtab brackets:


I've also added a 21.5mm upper spring seat on the o/s and a 10mm seat on the n/s to try and even the lean out:

[helix402]

Ouch! You do with a good fabricator like my friend who helped with my E46 rust repair, all these were made from 0.9mm flat steel sheet:

[nosuchuser]

helix402 said:

Ouch! You do with a good fabricator like my friend who helped with my E46 rust repair, all these were made from 0.9mm flat steel sheet:

Yeah, a good fabricator would be handy. Still need it welded in though!

I went down to a place in Rochester that had been recommended here. On the phone the guy said bring it down and we'll have a look. When I got there they said they had no idea how to do it or how much to quote it at.. This was to replace with the bmw parts. Mildly annoying.

The hunt continues... Everything else on hold while this gets investigated.

Insurance came round again. 270 with Flux via confused with the mods declared which was significantly lower than A-plan..

[nosuchuser]

Just had a long discussion with a mobile welder. Easy enough he says to cut out the old and replace with the replacement sections but I'll need to drop the fuel tank (which entails driveshaft removal which leads to guibo replacement, rear exhaust removal etc).

I may well have bitten off more than I can chew...

[Son. B]

Hi guys

I’m new to the chat and was just needing some advise. I have the oputunity to buy a 1998 328 sport manual coupe in techno violet. Only down side is he has just told me it is a cad d. Minor hit whilst it was parked. It needed a wing and front bumper. I don’t mind doing the cosmetics to bring it back to life but is it less desirable as a cat d?

Thanks

[shalmaneser]

Son. B said:

Hi guys

I’m new to the chat and was just needing some advise. I have the oputunity to buy a 1998 328 sport manual coupe in techno violet. Only down side is he has just told me it is a cad d. Minor hit whilst it was parked. It needed a wing and front bumper. I don’t mind doing the cosmetics to bring it back to life but is it less desirable as a cat d?

Thanks

Best to post in the car buying subforum really, but a Cat D is significantly less desirable. Would be looking to pay 1/3rd less or so when compared to a non-cat vehicle.