1999 M3 daily driver running log

[Jdesign]

m42b32 said:

I haven't really messed with it. I actually have a can of color matched paint, that nicer catalyzed clear coat, and all the stuff needed for the repair as I was planning on doing it this past summer but that never happened. It's just easier to bolt on a new lid haha

I would just save the paint and bolt a new deck lid on too.

[m42b32]

My daily craigslist browsing paid off big time today! Picked up this engine bay candy after work today:

This isn't your average strut bar, it's an extremely rare (and legit, all the part number stampings are there) Genuine BMW e36 M3 LTW strut bar. I didn't get the shoulder nuts needed to mount it, but fortunately they are still available from the dealer for pretty cheap. Probably going to hold off on mounting it till the summer to keep the salt off it...

[KaiserRolls]

Turn it into a super fancy coat rack

[wasnt m3]

That is an amazing find! May I ask what you paid?

[YoungCR]

Nice score!

[m42b32]

wasnt m3 said:

That is an amazing find! May I ask what you paid?

Lets just say it would've been more expensive to buy a used aftermarket one...

[wasnt m3]

Very nice. I'm sure you realize that it's worth about $600. Guessing they had no idea what they had.

[m42b32]

wasnt m3 said:

Very nice. I'm sure you realize that it's worth about $600. Guessing they had no idea what they had.

Yeah I remembered seeing one for sale a few months ago for about that much, that's why I was so surprised at the listing! I think it came down to the guy just wanting a quick sale or not putting in the time to look up the value, especially since they described it fairly accurately in the ad. I paid the seller's asking price and we were both happy with the deal, so I guess as far as craigslist transactions go its a good result for everyone involved

[m42b32]

127k

Maybe I jumped the gun a little, but I was getting tired of wallowy snow tires so I put the BBS's back on!

Also, huge thanks to @YoungCR for bringing the craigslist ad for this to my attention:

Its totally rust free and the latch area isn't cracked at all, and it even still had some tools in the holder that included the final piece needed (The 10mm socket) to complete my set! It will be so nice to finally get rid of the old rusty trunk lid

[YoungCR]

Great deal!

[Daggerty]

m42b32 said:

127k

Maybe I jumped the gun a little, but I was getting tired of wallowy snow tires so I put the BBS's back on!

Also, huge thanks to @YoungCR for bringing the craigslist ad for this to my attention:

Its totally rust free and the latch area isn't cracked at all, and it even still had some tools in the holder that included the final piece needed (The 10mm socket) to complete my set! It will be so nice to finally get rid of the old rusty trunk lid

The illusive 10mm socket

[straight6pwr]

now its gonna snow just because you couldn't wait like the rest of us.

[m42b32]

straight6pwr said:

now its gonna snow just because you couldn't wait like the rest of us.

Its probably my fault we get snow in late March every year haha. Last year I had them on by the second week of March...and then it snowed. This year I waited a little longer and the forecast looked like we were in the clear so I figured why not.

Then this morning I checked the weather...

Lol.

[andyhundley]

m42b32 said:

Its probably my fault we get snow in late March every year haha. Last year I had them on by the second week of March...and then it snowed. This year I waited a little longer and the forecast looked like we were in the clear so I figured why not.

Then this morning I checked the weather...

Lol.

DROP THE BAN HAMMER!!!

[m42b32]

andyhundley said:

DROP THE BAN HAMMER!!!

Man you guys aren't messing around... I got a large, very red warning from @Snap pretty much immediately

[straight6pwr]

LOL i got an email notification "A warning has been issued by Snap" and i knew this is what it would be.

[m42b32]

127.5k: No more rusty trunk lid! 

[KaiserRolls]

m42b32 said:

127.5k: No more rusty trunk lid! 

That looks brand freaking new!!

[straight6pwr]

purty!

[m42b32]

128k

Did a few cosmetic changes over the weekend while the weather was so nice. 

Added an e46 m3 trunk lip:

I removed the front bumper and re-located the alarm siren to behind the bumper support. It was previously in the engine bay pointed upwards towards the hood insulation (didn't fit in the normal spot because of the ZKW's) and it was extremely muffled. Now it is much more audible so the alarm might actually deter some criminal 

I added some lightly smoked depo corner lights to finish off the clear indicator look. I like the clear tails and side markers, but on a white car, clear indicators just get lost and don't look right so these are a nice compromise. I decided to give french fog lights a try since I cracked one of my cheapo fogs. I used some krylon stained glass yellow that I had laying around from my old e36. I sprayed them in the dim garage and didn't realize till I brought them out in the sun that I did one too many coats and they got waaay too dark. I'll have to strip them and re-do it soon. My bumper has also been crooked since I bought the car, so it was nice to finally get it mounted up straight too. 

I had seen a few pictures of some e36's with sink drains similar to e39 M5's and kinda liked the look. I had an extra m3 mesh grill laying around so I got a pair of drains, chopped off the bottoms, and fit them into the grille. They make the front of the car look too busy when they are left silver, so I threw on a coat of black plasti-dip as it should hold up to rock chips better than spray paint. I was thinking of working out some ducting to the intake or something just for fun, but that'll be a project for a different day.