The Alpina Project

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Discussion

Ashenhalen

55 posts

62 months

Wednesday 27th March 2019
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despite moving house i've still managed to collect some much needed alpina morsels. The all important front spoiler new, i got a very good deal on it! Theres more but i'm still in chaos here and car tinkering time is still a way off sadly

williamp

19,213 posts

272 months

Wednesday 27th March 2019
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Fantastic. Do you think if will be ready for the thread's 10th aniversary this october??

Ashenhalen

55 posts

62 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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that would be a great goal. I certainly think it could be a running moving car by then if that means its done, maybe not MOT'd or road legal, as theres stuff i have to contend with now that you wouldn't of needed to 10 years ago if it was done back then, Too long off the road for something like this, we humans don't live long enough for those kind of gaps!

Ashenhalen

55 posts

62 months

Monday 29th April 2019
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So a little, update a vain one but who cares as it helps with the inspiration!




I got this before christmas, my old saloon had the same wheel. Its nice and better than all the ste airbag efforts offered by BMW at the time. (Safety aside!)





I've got a bit less room here so i thought i'll fit the wheels then, i'm not storing another set!







took a long time as every rim was corroded onto the hubs so some violence was needed to remove the old metric rollers, much better?




So onto fitting the front spoiler, this took a long time to get it right, as i didn't have a stencil and there were holes that needed drilling! bit of picture dump here




interesting sticker for a geek, is that the date time said bumper was manufactured i assume



















The amount of cutting as seen in older posts is alot on a poor standard bumper. You could always go to Alpina cap in hand and buy all the specific parts they made for this, I simply don't have that budget and this fits well now








The money shot







I've got a pre facelift grill also. I think this looks better and you have room to fit a front bi turbo badge. Its more work though and i don't think the wide grill looks to bad now i've seen it in the flesh rather than pictures












Time for a well earned wash i thought yesterday













A bit better, I'll keep going with stuff until my more clever friends arrive and we can sort out why engine is not getting fuel soon. because with fuel it should start!

Ashenhalen

55 posts

62 months

Saturday 16th November 2019
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The eagle has landed, my mate runs a BMW specialist BMR. So I've had it recovered here and the guys are going to get this sorted and the engine running. just had to be patient and wait until they had cleared a few big projects out the way. Its cranking over with spark, but not getting fuel for some reason, pump is working

My old Bi turbo is here so a handy reference for them!

martin mrt

3,768 posts

200 months

Saturday 16th November 2019
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What an awesome project and it’s great to see it being finished

Your old car looks familiar, I’m sure I’ve seen it in Aberdeen at one point

Ashenhalen

55 posts

62 months

Saturday 16th November 2019
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yes martin you will have seen it as the current owner lives that way

martin mrt

3,768 posts

200 months

Saturday 16th November 2019
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Ashenhalen said:
yes martin you will have seen it as the current owner lives that way
I thought it was the same car, I recognised the registration.

Insanely cool cars these.

JakeT

5,406 posts

119 months

Sunday 17th November 2019
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10 years since Charlie started this thread. Mad. Looks like it's getting close to going now though. Excellent work.

Ashenhalen

55 posts

62 months

Thursday 21st November 2019
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just a random picture,

but more importantly she fkin runs! Obviously I've a major hard on now for money to get this into a state to drive, MOT, take to the ring, skid, etc.

williamp

19,213 posts

272 months

Thursday 21st November 2019
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Wow wow wow wow wow wow wow.

No ring please: take the alpina to the tip first!! biggrin Then pop round here for a coffee...pleaee!!!

AlpinaB5

72 posts

64 months

Friday 22nd November 2019
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Great thread! I can't wait to see this up and running. Back in 1989ish I had an E12 M535i which had a blueprinted engine and hot cam. I thought it was quick until another customer of the specialist I used rolled up in a B10 Biturbo. I was simply blown away by how much quicker it was. To that end I've lusted after Alpinas for about 30 years. Finally managed to get one last year a 2013 B5 Biturbo which is quick...... but thankfully I live in Germany now so I can use it!!

I also used to own an E34 M5 touring. Wish I still had that!

Good luck with finishing the project. We all can't wait to see it finished!

Edited by AlpinaB5 on Friday 22 November 08:33

Ashenhalen

55 posts

62 months

Saturday 23rd November 2019
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what a great story B5, and thanks internet enthusiasm from others helps inspire to get your arse in gear and finish the job!








Popped up to BMR to deliver some parts from the stash to help it along. The plan is to make it turn key start as such with the cooling system bled up. They're sorting the throttle pedal, some wiring and getting the brakes/clutch bled up hopefully without too much drama and I can get it back home as a moving live car and work from there rather than still a dead driveway ornament. I can't afford to leave it there for the full monty. Nice to see it there with my old car, no.445. Looking epic it is. Brought my daughter home from hospital in it after she was born. Also for a much healthier bank balance I should never of sold it!!

Bogsye

390 posts

151 months

Saturday 23rd November 2019
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Hat off to you - a really nice project ????

Ashenhalen

55 posts

62 months

Saturday 7th March 2020
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Well time for an update, its been a while but theres been plenty to report and 95% of it all good.




I went back around chirstmas time to BMR to drop off some more parts required. Some rear shocks and springs and other parts my memory escapes me - front spoiler!



found this alpina part in a box, it allows the towing eye to fit with the front spoiler fitted - quite handy then!!




She came home last week. I'm a bit short on pictures but i'll try and remember all the stuff BMR have done.






It actually moved itself to here on the drive under its own steam! Then I gave up as it kept cutting out and the gearbox isn't great but i'll come to all that in a minute






4 hours and BMR had her running

DME wiring needed a repair to a wire that was shorting out! So potential fried ECU but the Gods have been kind here, must of been a chaffed wire from the engine swap is a guess

Crank sensor was dead so no spark - new one fitted

fuel pump pipes were fitted wrong way round, which in turn when cranking over took out the fuel pressure regulator. As fuel was being forced upon it from the pump. M30s use the same normal 3.0 bar one as fitted to E30 325i's of which I have a few spare

Engine sounds healthy and backs up i'd say with the Bi turbos historys and suggested milege of around 130,000KMS or 80k miles before the crash. Top end sounds good but will check tappets in time




Cooling system has been bled and no big dramas here, this AUX pump was missing so a new old stock item found on german Ebay. Its used to cool the turbos after the engine is switched off. Not sure its job on normal BMW e34 e32s as its a normal part but is listed with a option maybe?

Also a new water pump and thermostat has been fitted, no over heating from engine and the heater is blowing hot




New PAS pump. The SLS system had some expensive and NLA parts from BMW parts missing. namely the levelling valve and pipework to it. Surprise!





Ebay again found me this non SLS PAS pump for M30 engined cars. Then it wouldn't fit as non SLS pump brackets needed to mount it to engine were NLA from BMW. Bmw breaker Tim pollock to the rescue here! Then after the pump was mounted it was found the pulley was different for non SLS to SLS! So Tim again to rescue with the correct pulley

So power steering sorted and now i'll need to use a normal shock spring set up on the rear. I'm planning on using bilsteins with some H&R M5 touring springs




Brakes wise, the system is bled up ok but one of the rear calipers is seized or rubber the line has collapsed but it stops on 3 which is fine for driveway work and the Alpina 4 pot brakes need fitting yet also which I luckily have. Its currently on the 525i brakes which are rather sad after all the years sitting




picture is from my old bi turbo,

clutch - again a few dramas it wouldn't engage when the pedal was pressed from what I can work out the clutch fork was seized on from all the years sitting. It was freed off and the pedal worked.

The clutch is supposed to be new from talking to Charlie the previous owner as he bought one, but until I take the box off I won't know for sure. The pedal doesn't feel it to me. Fingers crossed its there as a new clutch 6 years ago was over £1000





I've nicked this picture from my old car, Gearbox - had no oil in it same as diff.

At first after oil was added it wouldn't engage any gears at all. Great. Then with some work 3rd, 4th and 5th engaged with the car running on the ramp and some trade tricks

Then 2nd and 1st. but no reverse. That has since returned. although its hard to tell if you are in 1st or reverse and its quaite reluctant to engage 1st 2nd and reverse so I think i'm going to have to pull it out and get the box checked. Its like the detent springs are seized or something. I'm sure its age related to the fact its sat for years with no oil in it. The boxes are up to the job on these. It maybe of a case that the box needs some heat and driving to get it back into life


So that was the great work done by BMR a lot of work and knowledge to get us here and re light the fire to see it through after 2 years!




Ashenhalen

55 posts

62 months

Saturday 7th March 2020
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With the car home the direction i'm taking is to get the car ready for an MOT, which will be no mean feat but very much possible now




Last weekend I set to it and put the interior back into shape as its a bit of state





I've swapped the clocks to the normal ones as the alpina ones are fked and the temp guage has took a st, can be sorted later. Milege is incorrect. The cars done 270,000kms but the engine 80k miles? what do you do there then!



Heres how this area looks on a normal bi turbo, with the boost dial and ASC traction switch







This was my idea for the touring, namely as the touring doesn't have ASC traction control fitted so whats the point in the switch? Its a quite scary/fun thought of this car with no traction control as they light the rear wheels up with ease in rain or shine with 400lbs of torque. Alpina gear nob needs a repair and is with my Dad.




alpina sill trims fitted. Drivers one is damaged, alpina will sell new but they are expensive






Its not looked like this for a while! Glove box hinges are missing so sourcing some now and theres a bit more wiring to do yet with the alpina extra guages before knee rolls can go in drivers side.





A friend was clearing out his parts and found this bi turbo undertray which was missing so a lucky find!





I've removed the spark plugs, nice to see 3 different types fitted. Also injectors off for refurb, along with the MAF but i'll update that next week or so as i'm going through the engine and sensors in an effort to get it running spot on. So I can park it properly and get my E30 out as its blocking it in at the minute





Here she sits and the buzz is back. Keeping the money flowing for it and dedicating time are the main challenges now but my aim is to have it MOT'd this year as the momentum is there now. The list is very long and lots of quirky expensive bits to buy and find but the end result will be worth it. I've also sourced some nice retro fits and upgrades which I'll get to later over winter. Nothing Max power fear not






JakeT

5,406 posts

119 months

Saturday 7th March 2020
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That's a hero job of getting it running, I reckon you're right and the box has just been sat for too long with no oil in it. At least it goes into a few gears though. Hopefully there's some images of it Embarassing newer stuff on the ring this year in classic fashion.

Ashenhalen said:
I've never seen a temp needle go that high. hehe

AlmostUseful

3,276 posts

199 months

Sunday 8th March 2020
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I posted this in the wrong thread earlier...

AlmostUseful said:
Love the dedication that it’s taking to get this thing back on the road. Hell of a project!
But definitely meant it to be here!

Ashenhalen

55 posts

62 months

Sunday 15th March 2020
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So the post man has been this past week delivering my get engine running well kit of bits. Refurbished MAF, new plugs, rotor arm, boost hose, lambda sensor, injectors refurbished, temperature sensors. Its a start This guys been going years, the MAF on these is shared with the Porsche 928 and the 3.6 M5 and also one of the audi quattros I think 20v ones. Handy to know of, my MAF was fked as the engine wouldn't run with it plugged in. So this is done on a service exchange basis injectors looked horrid from the outside but have come up trumps. Matey who did them said they flow a lot of fuel! So onto the new boost line, managed to find the exact same pipe is used originally This now runs to the inlet manifold So the ECU can read boost levels, and the guage in the car and see it. Except I've not wired it up yet. One less air leak also. Bloody fiddly getting pipe on as it doesn't want to fit easily! New Lambda in, always nice grovelling under the car injectors back in, always fun bit of WD40 and some wiggling coolant temp sensors. I thought I had bought them all but ive not got a brown one, my guess is that feeds the guage on the clocks? 6 new bosch, I went with the WR6DP0's this is amazing a new part fitted and not by me! 2015 stamped. So I've just replaced the rotor arm, as its the original 91 stamped. My "new" one has 96 or 98 stamped on it! refitting the MAF with a new air temp sensor so all back together...…………….turned ignition on and bam. Fired straight up and purred away nicely. Result, so ran it up to temp and all seems well or a million times better than before. I can actually move it about now!With the engine running nicely I can hear new noises namely from the gearbox, maybe clutch release bearing. Anyhow I think the box needs to come off as its very hard to get it into gear any gear and difficult. The clutch bite point is right at the bottom of the pedal travel. Its supposed to have a new clutch but I won't know that until the gearbox if off. But it moves now under its own steam. I've not done a sneaky drive up the road but I wish I could! The red LED light is on on the boost guage indicating that it won't fully boost if you drove it. That can be for another day might be to do with my non EML clocks fitted i'm not sure at the minute So to prove it I've turned the car around! I had to move it so I could get the E30 back in the garage as that's not allowed to get rained on. I've run out of money so need so sell parts etc raise funds sell my arse again and there still seems millions of jobs to do. Somehow with the engine seeming to run nicely now it all seems a bit easier so i'm happy

JakeT

5,406 posts

119 months

Sunday 15th March 2020
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I'd be interested in buying an E46 B3s touring if you did know someone selling... wink

I joke (slightly). If you ever did want to shift it I'd be interested, but hopefully it doesn't come to that sort of thing just yet.