BMW E36 M3 - Reckless Restoration
Discussion
So nice to see E36s finally coming into their own. Always been my favourite shape of 3 series, and as a chassis they are incredibly underrated - lighter than an E46 whilst sharing the same basic chassis architecture. People seem to forget the E46 was basically just a heavily facelift E36 underneath!
t. Origin Unknown said:
Hello OP, Fellow '98 e36 M3 owner here 
What a cracking restoration you've completed there, looking superb!
Did someone mention Autocar and the M3 EVO?
Great article thanks for sharing. My father's old E36 M3 Evo had a 'Press Preparation' option listed on the original factory build sheet, couldn't figure out what it meant for the longest time; I was most amused to find a video on YouTube depicting his car in a group test on some TV programme, being driven by James May, Mike Brewer and Jason Barlow. It was satisfying to finally learn it had been a press car, and funny to hear the thoughts of the pundits. What a cracking restoration you've completed there, looking superb!
Did someone mention Autocar and the M3 EVO?
Hi All
Well an email notification informed me that people are still interested in my waffle about an overindulged old BMW.
So what has she been up to and where has she been? Actually there are one or two things to share…
First off let’s get this out the way; the leather has not been refurbished yet. The fella doing it has had a ton of work on so as I didn’t want it off the road for the first part of the summer (still waiting for the second part of “summer” - presume it’ll follow the misplaced autumn we’re currently enjoying), but I digress.
A job leftover from the engine work was to replace the fuel pressure regulator and the scabby return line. The part was on back order so I carried on without. Having now had the parts in the garage for a while, I decided to tackle the job back in May. So plenum off, fuel rail and injectors off and the solid line with unions could be replaced, along with that new Pierburg FPV for good measure (throws more money into the fire). The ultimate deadline to complete the work, was a trip I’ve had in mind for the old girl (she/her) for some time - Le Mans 24hr.
Work in progress - might have also given it a little clean here and there…
So all run up, tested and functioning well, she was ready for the trip. A few daft stickers were applied to the glass, breakdown cover renewed and off we set to lead a small bit eclectic convoy consisting of said old BMW, a highly modified Suzuki Cappuccino and a Bentley. Boot full of stuff, brother in the passenger seat and our old Dad in the back. You might wonder why cramming your elderly parent into the back seat of a coupe was in any way kind, but he actually chose that position over the rear of the Bentley! Can’t fault the old man’s taste.
Our daft looking group
At the PH show at St Saturnin, came back to find the great grand children had come to visit!
Half of Northern France’s insect population massacred
Second car show of the day at Mulsanne
As for the car, well despite temperatures of 35C+, some spirited driving and no small amount of traffic she performed impeccably and did us proud. What blew me away most was the positive reception she got wherever we went, people slowing on the motorway to look, multiple photos taken and people in newer BMWs flashing, waving and smiling. It really isn’t a very special car in the grand scheme of Le Mans, but she certainly got more than her fair share of attention.
So if you’ve managed to make it this far (top marks for stamina) you’ll probably agree that it was a fantastic 700 mile round trip over the course of the long weekend, but considering the scope of work carried out during the restoration, did anything go wrong? Well, kind of, yes. A little.
On the last night we overnighted at a cheap hotel in Dieppe prior to next days crossing and as I pulled into the car park, reversed back into the space the check control threw me a notification “check coolant level”. Uh-oh. Bonnet duly popped and the header tank was a touch on the low side, but not by much. Checking under the car, no drips or leaks seen - probably just settled down after 600 odd miles and some hot weather. Not quite. An examination next morning showed a 6” wide stain on the tarmac under the front right of the car, emanating from the radiator bottom hose to radiator joint. 5 mins later, half a turn on the hose clamp screw and 0.4l of water in the header tank = problem solved! Phew. Funny how it should leak after all those miles and having been fitted a few years back.
Well that’s it for now, I’ve got some more tweaking and fiddling to update on if anyone is interested, but for now, thanks for reading, some rather special cars from Woking need my attention in the morning so I’d better finish this scotch and go to bed.
Thanks all.
Well an email notification informed me that people are still interested in my waffle about an overindulged old BMW.
So what has she been up to and where has she been? Actually there are one or two things to share…
First off let’s get this out the way; the leather has not been refurbished yet. The fella doing it has had a ton of work on so as I didn’t want it off the road for the first part of the summer (still waiting for the second part of “summer” - presume it’ll follow the misplaced autumn we’re currently enjoying), but I digress.
A job leftover from the engine work was to replace the fuel pressure regulator and the scabby return line. The part was on back order so I carried on without. Having now had the parts in the garage for a while, I decided to tackle the job back in May. So plenum off, fuel rail and injectors off and the solid line with unions could be replaced, along with that new Pierburg FPV for good measure (throws more money into the fire). The ultimate deadline to complete the work, was a trip I’ve had in mind for the old girl (she/her) for some time - Le Mans 24hr.
Work in progress - might have also given it a little clean here and there…
So all run up, tested and functioning well, she was ready for the trip. A few daft stickers were applied to the glass, breakdown cover renewed and off we set to lead a small bit eclectic convoy consisting of said old BMW, a highly modified Suzuki Cappuccino and a Bentley. Boot full of stuff, brother in the passenger seat and our old Dad in the back. You might wonder why cramming your elderly parent into the back seat of a coupe was in any way kind, but he actually chose that position over the rear of the Bentley! Can’t fault the old man’s taste.
Our daft looking group
At the PH show at St Saturnin, came back to find the great grand children had come to visit!
Half of Northern France’s insect population massacred
Second car show of the day at Mulsanne
As for the car, well despite temperatures of 35C+, some spirited driving and no small amount of traffic she performed impeccably and did us proud. What blew me away most was the positive reception she got wherever we went, people slowing on the motorway to look, multiple photos taken and people in newer BMWs flashing, waving and smiling. It really isn’t a very special car in the grand scheme of Le Mans, but she certainly got more than her fair share of attention.
So if you’ve managed to make it this far (top marks for stamina) you’ll probably agree that it was a fantastic 700 mile round trip over the course of the long weekend, but considering the scope of work carried out during the restoration, did anything go wrong? Well, kind of, yes. A little.
On the last night we overnighted at a cheap hotel in Dieppe prior to next days crossing and as I pulled into the car park, reversed back into the space the check control threw me a notification “check coolant level”. Uh-oh. Bonnet duly popped and the header tank was a touch on the low side, but not by much. Checking under the car, no drips or leaks seen - probably just settled down after 600 odd miles and some hot weather. Not quite. An examination next morning showed a 6” wide stain on the tarmac under the front right of the car, emanating from the radiator bottom hose to radiator joint. 5 mins later, half a turn on the hose clamp screw and 0.4l of water in the header tank = problem solved! Phew. Funny how it should leak after all those miles and having been fitted a few years back.
Well that’s it for now, I’ve got some more tweaking and fiddling to update on if anyone is interested, but for now, thanks for reading, some rather special cars from Woking need my attention in the morning so I’d better finish this scotch and go to bed.
Thanks all.
I enjoyed catching up with this thread. I had a brand new E36 M3 Evo coupe in 1997 (P711FDP still going strong according to MOT history). It was cosmos black with 'modena natur' leather. I loved the trim colour, others werent so polite!
It was a great car, astonishingly fast and refined (almost too refined).
I px'd a lovely 911 Carrera Sport coupe for it, for £16k. One of my many poor financial decisions!
It was a great car, astonishingly fast and refined (almost too refined).
I px'd a lovely 911 Carrera Sport coupe for it, for £16k. One of my many poor financial decisions!
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