ClassE 1989 325IS Build Thread

[ClassE]

Good day so far!

Picked up wheels from FedEx!

Front coils are all welded up and paint is drying right now. Hoping to have the front back together in acouple hours to do some test fitting!

[ClassE]

Had a good weekend getting stuff done!

Wheels are here and look great, front coils are welded up, painted, and installed. Rear springs and shocks are out and new springs are in for test fit.

Mocked up wheel spacers sizing as best as I could..... I'll be running a 16"x9" all around and I'm not sure if I need to add enough spacers to clear the coil body - or the lower spring collar. (I don't know how much springs will compress to set collar height yet). So still trying to figure that out....

[B C]

16x9 is a great size

[ClassE]

I'm still debating on posting a teaser pic of them mocked up.... Maybe I'll wait till they come back from paint next week. I think they'll look "ok" on the car.

[Earl]

Oh, they look better than "ok"

[ClassE]

Got my posi-lock toe and camber adjustment parts in from Ireland Engineering today!!!

Also got this thing out. Lots of cleaning and work to do!!!

[YoungCR]

ClassE said:

Also got this thing out. Lots of cleaning and work to do!!!

Looks pretty clean to me That will make the job easier.

[ClassE]

It's "clean" (as in no rust) and actually came out without too much of a struggle. Now it's gotta get cleaned, painted, hardware zinc coated, welding done, and reassembled. Gonna be some busy nights in the next week!!!

[KaiserRolls]

There is a guy on r3v who refinishes subframes, I think there is a core charge(?), but it gets a ton of adjustable bits added and also gets reinforced I think. (Don't quote me) Don't know what your timeframe is on the car but it's always an option.

[ClassE]

I've already got arrangements made to have the toe/camber adjustment plates welded on by this weekend. At this point - it's all cleaning and replacing as needed to get it back together and back into the car by next weekend!

[B C]

car looks to be in great shape as far is corrosion is concerned

[ClassE]

Previous owner brought the car to Wisconsin from Alabama... I'm having a really hard time finding anything I'd consider "rust" on this car.

First "Southern Car" I've ever owned.... Still amazed every time I go in garage and turn a wrench how good of condition it's in!

[ClassE]

Spacers and stud/lugnut conversion parts ordered today - gonna work on cleaning up subframe some more tonight and removing subframe bushings.

Wish me luck!

[jc43089]

Good luck! Best bet for knocking out bushings with the outer metal sleeve is an air chisel.

[ClassE]

How I did it:

Paddle bit around center - remove center. Score outer sleeve with sawzall, drive flathead between subframe side and score - bend edges in. Hit with "fine adjustment tool" until reach desired result.

First one took about 20 minutes (I didn't know there was a outer sleeve..... Shut up Earl) - second one took about 10 minutes.

Basketball in the living room time with my 2.5 year old! More tomorrow night.

[DrLeadFoot]

Where do you get the bolts zinc coated?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[ClassE]

The bolts above in the toe/camber kit came zinc coated from Ireland Engineering - I'm having some other stuff coated by a local company a family member manages.

[jc43089]

Yup, that's how I did it the first time, I don't have an air chisel, later I took a few parts to my neighbors auto shop and he just popped them out in 30 seconds.

[DrLeadFoot]

ClassE said:

The bolts above in the toe/camber kit came zinc coated from Ireland Engineering - I'm having some other stuff coated by a local company a family member manages.

If you could PM me the name of their shop that would be great. I need to do some bolts.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[ClassE]

Hit me up with a text John and we can get something arranged.

My air chisel didn't budge those bushings - I'll see how it works on the diff bushing today.

Final cleaning up of the subframe tonight in preparation for welding Saturday!