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Helmut the e21

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Members BMWs
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  • ASTROCHIMPA
    ASTROCHIMPA
    ASTROCHIMP
    wrote on last edited by
    #9

    Not sure how much help this will be. But I found this today while browsing around bimmerpost looking at digital gauge options for my e90. No clue how good they are and the website has a really scammy name. But it claims to mate up to the maxx ecu.https://customdigitalgauges.com/products/race-cluster

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    0
    • retoropakR
      retoropakR
      retoropak
      wrote on last edited by
      #10

      ASTROCHIMP said:

      Not sure how much help this will be. But I found this today while browsing around bimmerpost looking at digital gauge options for my e90. No clue how good they are and the website has a really scammy name. But it claims to mate up to the maxx ecu.https://customdigitalgauges.com/products/race-cluster 

      I’ve seen it before. Their universal dash that talks to maxx ecu does not have bmw graphics but i am sure they could load it. 
      I am not sure about the support tho.

      I like aim’s flexibiity with CAN. You can define your own can protocols. Also aim has multiple pages that can be swapped. What i dont like about most dashes is that you cant use your own graphics . Most of em have predefined graphics and will allow only changes to some parts of the graphic and maybe a font size and color.

      Maxx Ecu has built in bluetooth and they have app for apple and android. I dont know how responsive the gauges run on a tablet would be.

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      • YoungCRY
        YoungCRY
        YoungCR
        wrote on last edited by
        #11

        Wheels turned out great, what paint did you use? I wish the style 7’s came in 16” as well.

        Chris Young
        BMWCCA #458972
        1986 528e/5  | 1994 530i/5 | 1995 540i/6 | 2013 X5 35d | 1998 C1500 Suburban | 1995 K2500 Suburban

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        • SteelBlueS
          SteelBlueS
          SteelBlue
          wrote on last edited by
          #12

          YoungCR said:

          Wheels turned out great, what paint did you use? I wish the style 7’s came in 16” as well.

          Would run these on my car if they did.

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          • retoropakR
            retoropakR
            retoropak
            wrote on last edited by
            #13

            YoungCR said:

            Wheels turned out great, what paint did you use? I wish the style 7’s came in 16” as well.

            Duplicolor cheapo laquer from Oraily it comes in quart size cans.

            I sprayed that with smaller touchup gun 1.0 tip. Just stirred it and shot it. 
            i was too cheap to buy a clear to go with it so i followed with rattlecan clear. I dont expect it to last.

             I will run em just for one season to see if i havent screwd something up  with suspension. If the car survives first season i will get some 16s with some beefier tires. 
             

            SteelBlue said:

            Would run these on my car if they did.

            I would love to have em in 16x7 and 16x8 or even 8/9”.

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            • retoropakR
              retoropakR
              retoropak
              wrote on last edited by
              #14

              I did some sway bar fitting tonight. 
              Where do i connect the links?Control arm as in e30 or strut tubes as in e36m3? Any pros or cones to either setup?

              Helmut

              I also got some goodies

              Helmut

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              • KaiserRollsK
                KaiserRollsK
                KaiserRolls
                wrote on last edited by
                #15

                retoropak said:

                I did some sway bar fitting tonight. 
                Where do i connect the links?Control arm as in e30 or strut tubes as in e36m3? Any pros or cones to either setup?

                Helmut

                id go for strut tube. I’ve ran both setups. When I was setup to control arm, I would bend the adjustable endlinks, they would bind, the bar wasn’t in a great position either because the adjustable endlinks were so short.

                Currently I’m mounted to strut tube, way more adjustment to get the bar in a better spot, links don’t bind, etc

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                • retoropakR
                  retoropakR
                  retoropak
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #16

                  Thank you sir.

                  KaiserRolls said:

                  id go for strut tube.....,

                  I whipped front bar mount today. Temporarily mounted the bar and the control arm link is a no go. Its too short and at weird angle. I will link it to the strut tubes. 
                   

                  HelmutHelmut

                  I also did one of the rear diff mounts and started to fit the rear bar. Looks like the rear will fit quite nicely. 
                   

                  Helmut

                  Helmut

                  Helmut

                  1 Reply Last reply
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                  • retoropakR
                    retoropakR
                    retoropak
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #17

                    I just welded the m42 vert mount oil pan. I hope it doesn't leak. I will fill it with water once it cools down and leave overnight. 
                     

                    Helmut

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                    • retoropakR
                      retoropakR
                      retoropak
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #18

                      So i water tested it and found 3 pinholes. Welded em shut and no more leaks. I got the drain plug bung and 10AN for turbo drain ordered will weld em next. Also the oil pickup will need some slight chopping and welding to fit correctly. 

                      Do you think I should baffle the pan since there is no sump for the oil pickup?

                      Don't mind the welds, looks like shit but will hold. For my excuse last time I welded aluminum was 2 or 3 years ago.

                      Helmut

                      I ordered poly rear sway bar bushings and mounts and stock diff bushings. I should have the suspension ready for paint sometime next week. 

                      I might even drop the motor in this month. 

                      Depending how bad the exhaust situation is going to be I might skip the headers and whole NA nonsense and go for turbo manifold right away. Stock m42 should be able to put 200-250 without much problem.

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                      • KaiserRollsK
                        KaiserRollsK
                        KaiserRolls
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #19

                        I would think baffles are a good idea

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                        • retoropakR
                          retoropakR
                          retoropak
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #20

                          Last week I test fitted the motor with the new pan. It looked cozy in there almost too ”sr20” looking when it sits straight. 
                           

                          Helmut

                          Helmut

                          Two feet clarance in front of the motor for that 4” thick  intercooler or maybe ac condeser🧐

                          Helmut

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                          1
                          • retoropakR
                            retoropakR
                            retoropak
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #21

                            I finished the front suspension. Sway bar  links are done. I painted the front subframe, strut housings and spindles. 
                             

                            Suspensions

                            Suspensions

                            Suspensions

                            Suspensions

                            I’ll finish welding rear subframe adjusters today and paint the rear tomorrow. 

                            Next will be the engine bay prep and paint. I will also need to paint rear wheel wells. 
                             

                            After that I can start fitting the engine. 
                            I got a mixed feeling about the vert mount. It will give me much needed clearance on the passenger side but will put the shifter 2-3” to the left. 
                            I can chop and rotate bellhousing but that will be not ideal in case i will ever have to replace the gearbox.

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                            • YoungCRY
                              YoungCRY
                              YoungCR
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #22

                              Good lookin' hardware.

                              Chris Young
                              BMWCCA #458972
                              1986 528e/5  | 1994 530i/5 | 1995 540i/6 | 2013 X5 35d | 1998 C1500 Suburban | 1995 K2500 Suburban

                              1 Reply Last reply
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                              • retoropakR
                                retoropakR
                                retoropak
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #23

                                New hubs and dust shields. I also have a set of reman calipers and brackets. 286mm brakes will do for now. I will look into some 4 pot wildwoods if the stockers will end up not sufficient.

                                Helmut

                                Freshly painted rear subframe

                                Helmut

                                I really like that SPI epoxy primer. Works great

                                And the part that I did not enjoy at all. Hate the prep work.

                                I need to wait for the radiator (e36 318i) to get the brackets fabbed and welded before I paint.

                                I will hit it with two coats of epoxy followed by couple coats of single stage urethane.  

                                Helmut

                                Helmut

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                                • retoropakR
                                  retoropakR
                                  retoropak
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #24

                                  I did another test fit of the m42 last weekend and the gearbox will not clear the tunnel at least not tilted 30 degrees. 
                                   

                                  So in order to vert mount the m42 i will have to cut and shut the transmission. 
                                   

                                  The plan is to use ordinary angle grinder mounted on a jig/stand that will move/slide on the flat table where the transmission will be bolted. I don't need a lot of precision at this point. I will need a gap between the two pieces to weld it properly anyway. 
                                   

                                  What is important is to have the transmission perfectly centered/ coaxial with the crankshaft and to do that i am going to use the throwout bearing guide tube that bolts to the gearbox  

                                  Below is the picture of the guide tube with a bit bigger tube slipped over it  

                                  the larger tube has perfect ID (1.5”) to fit snugly over the guide tube and 60.5mm OD to fit the main bearings. I will weld it together and use it to center the transmission.  
                                   

                                  Then a pass or two on the outside and another one or two from the inside should hold the bellhousing without much problem.  
                                   

                                  Stay tuned. I should have it bolted in the car soon.

                                  Zf jig

                                  Zf jig

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                                  • retoropakR
                                    retoropakR
                                    retoropak
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #25

                                    It felt wierd for a moment to chop perfectly good zf320 but oh well got to do what you got to do. 
                                     

                                    This is how much it will rotate.

                                    Chop chop

                                    A little angle grinder holder. It is also nice to have a flat table. 

                                    Chop chop

                                    Chop chop

                                    chop chop

                                    Chop chop

                                    And rotated. 
                                     

                                    Chop chop

                                    Now i need to pull my m42 block from e21 bolt the transmission and weld the bellhousing.

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                                    • retoropakR
                                      retoropakR
                                      retoropak
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #26

                                      Transmission is welded on the outside. I will finish welding the inside tomorrow 

                                      Bellhousing bolted to the block

                                      Gearbox

                                      Magic wand

                                      Gearbox

                                      All bolted together

                                      Gearbox

                                      And welded

                                      Gearbox

                                      1 Reply Last reply
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                                      • The Full BananaT
                                        The Full BananaT
                                        The Full Banana
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #27

                                        You are a crazy man, Wojtek! Looking good

                                        Tom - I have a few BMWs, an overworked Volvo 242, and now a YouTube channel called Drive, Revive, Tinker

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                                        • retoropakR
                                          retoropakR
                                          retoropak
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #28

                                          I finally found a driveshaft and test fitted transmission and motor. It came out that i made my oil pan 0.5" too long and will have to redo it. 

                                          A bit of CSB mount relocation will be required

                                          I started some engine mounts. I also ripped the whole wiring harness and will redo it along with the new fusebox. 

                                          I cleaned up and painted rear inner fenders and applied some brush on seam sealer for some extra protection. 

                                          E36 steering column is a pretty good fit. I will gain a cruise control stalk which I will need for some dash display controls. 

                                          Initially I got garagistic e30/m20 mounts but they are bolt thru which I am not a big fan of.  I ordered the revshift mounts.FCP shipped my radiator mounts and engine mounts and I should get em by Monday. I will finish the mounts next week and will modify the oil pan. Radiator and intercooler will be next.

                                          HelmutHelmut

                                          Helmut

                                          HelmutHelmutHelmutHelmut

                                          E21

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