FuturisticConcept Art BMW E36 with a V8 on a bottom dollar budget

[Jdesign]

How about just using the skeleton of another hood? The E36 hood has very little bracing under it.

[Earl]

[Jdesign]

Yeah that, but not that.

[Jdesign]

So I feel like an idiot for never checking this but this is my current predicament. I was going to go to the final drift event this weekend, but now that's looking like its going to be a stretch. 

I had a what I thought was a spare 3.93 open diff for this car that I welded and was going to install last night. Problem is that its not the same style as what is in the car. The front half mounting position only has one mounting ear to the sub frame and the one I welded has two. So if anyone has an open 3.93/4.10 E36 diff that has one front mounting ear, I will trade you or buy it from you.

For sale/trade-

• 3.93 Welded
• 3.91 LSD 

This is the diff/ subframe I have in the car:

This is the diff I welded:

I assume I cannot use this diff because the front mounting ears are not the same. Am I correct?

[Daggerty]

Idk if that is from an e36

[Jdesign]

With much headache and research I have discovered that the new diff I welded is for an E46. On the hunt for an E36 unit thats open in the 3.91-4.44 range.

[Jdesign]

Jdesign said:

With much headache and research I have discovered that the new diff I welded is for an E46. On the hunt for an E36 unit thats open in the 3.91-4.44 range.

@Daggerty to the rescue! I have another diff to weld, thanks again!

[Jdesign]

I plumbed the hydro handbrake and mounted it last night. Bent all the lines, flared them, and was able to secure them into the oem location for the most part. Im happy with the results, I just hope they don't leak. I was unable to bleed the system as I was by myself and too lazy to use the power bleeder. I also trimmed the silicone mat I made to cover the giant hole in the tunnel where the shift comes through. I plan on welding the new diff I got today and installing it asap.

On a side note; bubble flares suck. 

Bubble flare and adapter

Double flare and adapter

Hardline mocked up with grommets in the tunnel

Its hard to capture how well the lines are fit to the chassis of the car underneath but there is some factory formed areas that help tuck the lines away from anything that might snag them. You can kinda see that below. Note that I also added some urethane tubing to areas of the lines that could possibly rub on surrounding parts.

Final setup with the tunnel boot/mat trimmed and a joystick for a yet to be determined purpose. If anyone has and good ideas on what the joystick should do, please chime in  

[B C]

Rofl @ the joystick. You should connect washer nozzles on the roof that spray front/back/left/right based on the joystick position

You know, zombie deterrent.

[patsbimmer1]

Your flares look pretty good!  If you do it enough then i'd suggest a hydraulic flare tool.  They make a huge difference!

[Earl]

The trigger on the joystick should cause your headlights to flash violently and the car should make a childs laser sound=)

[Jdesign]

Snap said:

Rofl @ the joystick. You should connect washer nozzles on the roof that spray front/back/left/right based on the joystick position

You know, zombie deterrent.

HAHA good thinking! But thats also alot of thinking. Im not a programmer but im sure I can figure it out. I just dont know if I want to put that much time into it. 

patsbimmer1 said:

Your flares look pretty good!  If you do it enough then i'd suggest a hydraulic flare tool.  They make a huge difference!

Thanks! Ive done my fair share of hard lines in the past. The hydraulic tools are awesome and I have used them at CS working on Porsche's. Way to much money for how often I do lines though.

Earl said:

The trigger on the joystick should cause your headlights to flash violently and the car should make a childs laser sound=)

This is more in line of what I was thinking. One button is a strobe light the other is laser sounds. pew-pew-pew!

[Jdesign]

Also, I was going to make large uprights for the back of the rack and wing, allowing the wing to sit atop the roof rack, but seeing it just sitting on the trunk, I am starting to think differently. I added pics of random uprights and then the original pic.

Also maybe the Joystick controls strobeing LEDs inside of roof mounted cannon things? 

[Jdesign]

That'll hold.

Didnt make it to the event though. Other priorities and PO stupidities prevented an easy bolt in procedure. Remember the half a bolt head bolt in the diff? Yeah that's because someone drilled the diff out when they lost/stripped the original bolt. The sub frame was an easier fix and I was able to tap in new threads. Only problem I still have is that the subframe should be raised. With the 1pc driveshaft the universal joint will hit the chassis under heavy torque.

[jc43089]

I broke that differential mount bolt once, it was super fun.  I made a fancy bushing that is not necessary but you may have an easier time putting the bolt in the other way.  I had to grind some clearance in the casting to use a 1/2" bolt.

http://www.wibimmers.com/board/index.php?/topic/4778-fancy-stancy-325is/&page=3

[Jdesign]

jc43089 said:

I broke that differential mount bolt once, it was super fun.  I made a fancy bushing that is not necessary but you may have an easier time putting the bolt in the other way.  I had to grind some clearance in the casting to use a 1/2" bolt.

http://www.wibimmers.com/board/index.php?/topic/4778-fancy-stancy-325is/&page=3

LOL yup. That one. I bought a new Grade 10 bolt for the new diff that still has the threads in it. Worked like a charm and its driving again. 

Drove the car around the block  and the brake fluid light came on after a few hard stabs of the brakes. Totally still have air in the lines. I never installed a hydro brake before so I made a mistake. Apparently you are supposed to push the pedal and pull the lever when bleeding the brakes. Back on the lift it goes!

[Jdesign]

Well more GREAT (sarcastic) news. I managed to re-bleed everything, this time with a pressure bleeder and the eBay special hydro-brake I have is not only the wrong size for the rear calipers, it also now has "cylinder drift." This means the cylinder seal is failing internally as I have 100% no air in the lines, the brakes are firm and so is the level, but with enough force, the following happens: (*also note the quality creaking)

IMG_4849.MOV   <---------video

Attachments:

• IMG_4849.MOV

[jc43089]

Yea looks like the piston seals are junk.  Awesome ebay parts...

[Jdesign]

jc43089 said:

Yea looks like the piston seals are junk.  Awesome ebay parts...

Thanks! bought em myself. 

[Jdesign]

@KaiserRolls Is going to sell and ship me the hydro brake he claims he wont need. In the meantime I finally rearranged the cars in the shop and moved some of the spare wheels to the roof of the E36. I plan on building a large rack on the wall to hold all of the wheels and tires I have just sitting on the ground to free up some floor space. I was hoping I could fit more wheels on the roof, but depending on diameter, width, and the spacing of the bars on the rack it only holds about 3 rows.