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Project: BMW E21.



Last night I wanted to clean up the coilovers. This was unfortunately stopped when the top nut, holding the top mount and subsequently the coil on, was stuck solid. I couldn't move it.

So tonight I went and bought an impact gun, which simply laughed at the nut and it was off in seconds. The right tool for the job...

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Also, the four adjusting bolts on the top mounts were also stuck solid, and due to the shape and size of the top mounts, I couldn't free them up. So I made a little vice/jig thing which stopped the top mount from rotating, and did the job perfectly :D

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Perfect :)

So out came a couple of buckets of piping hot soapy water, and a load of Tardis & G101. Some elbow grease later, and they went from this:

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To this:

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The lowers (bottom of the thread and down) need some paint, as they've got some surface rust. Probably a couple of coats of black will sharpen them up.

I've only done the front, as I got hungry and didn't fancy starting the rears. Plenty of time though :)
 

Heez

ClioSport Club Member
  Superleggera'd Bean
Top job. Once painted black they'll look dope.

Can't wait till they're fitted!
 
Same top mounts / coilover bodies as I had on the E30. One thing I never understood was Gaz claiming their coilover bodies were corrosion resistant coated... yet mine only did two trackdays and zero road miles, stood still in a unit between then and they were rusted/pitted to f*ck when I came to sell them even though they hadn't been used! What I'm trying to get at is, dont spent too much time pimping the coilover bodies up as they will more than likely go bad straight away again :(
 
  Saab 93 Aero Wagon
Not been on here properly for a long while. This thread has highlighted what I've missed - an epic car and the potential for a tastefully done, OEM-esque resto project......and lots of what I really don't miss - mongaloids with frankly crap suggestions of 'lowz and stance', stupid engine conversions and shoite wheels.

This sort of car really deserves.....no actually it needs to be restored in a way that keeps its patina (a strange word I know...look it up youths) enhances it tastefully and with a view to make it last for another generation.

Eddie...Pleeeeeease don't listen to most of the people in here. I beg you.

My pennies worth....modernise where needed and upgrade using old OEM BMW performance bits.
 
Same top mounts / coilover bodies as I had on the E30. One thing I never understood was Gaz claiming their coilover bodies were corrosion resistant coated... yet mine only did two trackdays and zero road miles, stood still in a unit between then and they were rusted/pitted to f*ck when I came to sell them even though they hadn't been used! What I'm trying to get at is, dont spent too much time pimping the coilover bodies up as they will more than likely go bad straight away again :(

Yep, they're Zinc coated, apparantly. Don't worry, all I'll be doing is scrubbing the rust off, and giving them a quick spruce up :)

Top job. I need to get me an impact gun soon.

In the meantime, if you want to borrow mine at any point, just holler.

Not been on here properly for a long while. This thread has highlighted what I've missed - an epic car and the potential for a tastefully done, OEM-esque resto project......and lots of what I really don't miss - mongaloids with frankly crap suggestions of 'lowz and stance', stupid engine conversions and shoite wheels.

This sort of car really deserves.....no actually it needs to be restored in a way that keeps its patina (a strange word I know...look it up youths) enhances it tastefully and with a view to make it last for another generation.

Eddie...Pleeeeeease don't listen to most of the people in here. I beg you.

My pennies worth....modernise where needed and upgrade using old OEM BMW performance bits.

I hear what you're saying mate, I really do. Engine wise, it will get some mild tuning, but the M10 is staying.

With regards to the rest of the car, I disagree to a point. The car has had 35 years of life, and the stages in the cars life, has been reflected by it's owner at the time. So owner number one looked after it amazingly well and (I imagine) it showed. Later owners left it to rot in the garage, as per the photos I was sent. The next owners partially restored it, but never fully finished the job. My ownership of the car marks a new chapter in it's life, a new patch on the quilt. I'm simply putting my stamp, on that patch.

The "stance scene" (a phrase I hate), seems to get a bad rep for people throwing coilovers and wheels on an otherwise rotten car. I'm not doing this, I'm getting the chassis/shell in top condition, then "stancing" it. All my mods are 100% reversible and everything removed from the car is wrapped and in storage for the next owner.

Ever since the first owner, this car has been left to rot, was rarely seen and never got the TLC it truly deserves, now it will. Surely car with reversible mods, is better than me buying the car, and leaving it on the drive to fall to pieces?...
 
  Saab 93 Aero Wagon
You've allayed some of my fears Ed.

Getting the bodywork sorted should be the number one priority, and then with perfectly reversible mods then you are onto a good thing.
Too many of these 'scene' t***s butchering perfectly decent original cars just for the approval of another loads of belt less baggy jeaned mongs.

Just make sure you box up and keep the standard stuff you take off.
Will be worth lots when you or the next inheritor of the car decides to go back to standard.
 
Yep, I'm very aware of the value of the car, and realistically, it's only going to go up. So nothing will be sold to fund the project. The coilovers are welded onto donor 323 struts, so even the struts will be original.

An original example will always sell for more than a modified example. Anything from the car that is damaged (the carpet for example, is ruined) will just have to be replaced. The only mods I will leave on will be BMW ones, so pop out rear windows, for example.

The bodywork is 100% my main priority atm. It will hopefully be getting resprayed early next year.

All other non BMW mods will be taken off and sold when the time comes to move on :)

Fear not, the car won't get cut to bits :)
 

Rob

ClioSport Moderator
Don't worry Ollie, I had the fear put in me when I first read Coilovers too.

Fact of it is, that an immaculately restored E21 on some coilovers and "modern" wheels should look great, and it's in no way ruining a classic. Wind the coilovers up and stick some other wheels on and you're back to a totally standard looking mint car. This is my favourite project on here and I can't wait to see more mate. Crack on!
 

welshname

ClioSport Club Member
Exactly. The sole reason the coilovers were bought I'd that not many come up second hand, so he snapped them up.

Fear not people, Ed knows what he's doing...although he's still not bought all the ignition stuff.
 
Exactly. The sole reason the coilovers were bought I'd that not many come up second hand, so he snapped them up.

Fear not people, Ed knows what he's doing...although he's still not bought all the ignition stuff.

Die.

I will buy all that stuff, tbf I'm now starting to save for the paintjob, so I'm not spending any more on "fun" stuff for a while now.
 
Get it mate, not only are you getting one before Welshname, but you're not even that far from him location wise.

You have my permission to royally piss him off :)
 

Matt Cup

ClioSport Club Member
  Leon Cupra
I've also been looking @ e28s of the M535i variety.

dogleg box ftw


impressive transformation on those shocks too. :cool:
 
Yep, interior now has only a headlining, that will come out when the windows come out.

Coilovers are now cleaned up and ready for a lick of paint, also going to order some new bolts for them too, just top mount bolts and things, just replace as good practice really. Might fit them once they're done, even though the car isn't driveable at the moment.

I'll be ordering a car cover soon so I can remove the windows without having to worry too much about water getting in. I know some will make it in, but the more I can reduce it, the better.
 


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