Time for an overhaul of my 1.9 '98 BMW Z3 Individual

[Matt Barnes]

You didn’t need to take the door card off.. wires come out of the back of the motor easily enough (as you have found) and they are colour coded too

thanks mate...I realise that now but I'm claiming the forensic approach... plus I need to spray the speaker grills black

 

[Matt Barnes]

thanks mate

Probably a bit late now but I have a topaz blue back moulding with the 4 posts intact …. but you would have to spray it !!!

thanks Malc.. I'll see how my JB weld mod holds up

 

[Matt Barnes]

ok not much happening today, but I did put the mirror back together.... looking FAR more like it now !.... and yes the over spray on the cable bothered me that much I sprayed the insulation black...

Now that I'm turning my attention to the body panels and trim.. I did an audit of my sprays...... I only have the offside sill to paint and what's left in that can isn't going to be enough, so at least one more can from my German friends is needed. The other cans here are 2K clear coat. When you puncture the base to mix spray with hardener, you have about 36 hours to use it.

Then I thought about the anti gravel strip that runs the bottom half of the sill. The stuff I have on the right isn't really textured enough although it could do

I know some people have used Gravitex on theirs so I might look into that.

 

[Matt Barnes]

right.... another weekend... soooooo....

went to put the Diff oil in... pulled the cap to realise there's no spout.... and I couldn't find me bleedin funnel.....so that got quickly abandoned........

then I thought... that's it.. it's time to clear coat the body panels.... firstly I had to retrieve them from the attic, and yes they were nice and warm !... didn't need a heat gun to warm those up !!

As it's been a couple of years I think since painting them, I had to scuff the surface with a scotch pad for the clear coat to stick

I thought I was being good by wiping the panel with Meths... but all it did was make it streaky, so ended up laying down another coat of Fiji Green !!

as it's quite warm in my garage today !... I only waited about 20 minutes before applying the Clear Coat

With the other panels I used Wet & Dry and squirted loads of water, gave it a good scuff, and wiped dry.

It doesn't look it, but had a failure with the nearside wing as the aerosol blew up a puff of dust which landed on the panel... I'm hoping I can use cutting compound to get the nibs out..

Then it was the turn of the rear wings.... again same routine, plenty of water and Wet & Dry to give a good adhesive base for the clear.

and for the nearside

As it's 2K Clear Coat... I now need to wait a WEEK before I can cut it back with compound... and no, I'm not putting them but up in the attic !

 

[Mazza]

Matt
that’s a lot of good work and aiming for the perfect finish

One thing to remember … it’s the wife’s car so you should be going with ………
That’ll do !!!!

 

[Matt Barnes]

Matt
that’s a lot of good work and aiming for the perfect finish

One thing to remember … it’s the wife’s car so you should be going with ………
That’ll do !!!!

Mrs B actually said.... "you've done so much on that it might as well be yours".........I'm going to see if I can get her to say it again on record

 

[Matt Barnes]

ok last day of the weekend, and I thought it was time to check the engine....

First off I removed the spark plug cover, thought I'd freshen it up and frankly ballsed it up...

As off the car

cleaned it up and with the scotchpad managed to put some deep scratches in it... so tried filler primer

Back with the matt Black and had the cunning idea of masking up the letters so I could spray them silver.....quickly realised it would bleed everywhere... so like an idiot tried painting the letters

I realised quite quickly it looks...... awful.... so that lot is coming off..... right onto happier things

Got the coils and plugs out and they look really good !

Then grabbed a 22mm socket and when for the engine turn.... there were a couple of squeaks from the defiant auxiliary belts that have slept for three years, but it turned over lovely and smoothly

Finally managed to get the petrol pump plate back on... what a faff that was !... anyway, it's back now... not sure what your solution to keeping the Access flap in place ? maybe glue it ?

Then finished up the afternoon tidying up the door card speaker grille

then refitted that damaged heat shield. Next came my comedy of errors.. trying to refill the Diff. Found a funnel with a flexible pipe. Had just enough space to have it upright. Filled half the funnel with oil and tried to adjust the pipe which led to the funnel tipping a third of it all over me.... so guess who needs to buy another bottle of Diff oil !.....


I'm taking another week off, week after next to hopefully get it back roadworthy!