E39 Project
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Not sure how much I'll update this, but I felt I should put my doings somewhere. The M5Board guys just talk about how impossible all this is and the Bimmerforum guys are like jumpy Meth Addicts running around with torches wanting to Burn everything.
Up to this point my Mod list is pretty small but it has been fun since an 01 M5 is a pretty nimble beast to begin with.
I bought it near the end of 07 with 98K on it. Never saw a winter and was mint. Got it from a guy in Milwaukee who drove it back and forth to Florida all summer. He was a little guy so the interior even looked mint.
I stupidly drove it the first winter I had it and destroyed the front fascia and got it dirty. I fixed all that and swore never to let it see salt again.
Then I did the following over the next 3 years:
New Drivers side Vanos Solenoids
Most new sensors on Engine
Refreshed trans with any part that can be replaced
Replaced all replaceable suspension components with new OEM
Put Mono Balls in the rear control arms
MonoBalls in the front thrust arms
This winter the subframe and diff bushings will be replaced
New Axles
New driveshaft
New Guibo.....awesome word
Put in a UUC V-12 clutch conversion....it spins, so doing something different
UUC Short shifter with stabilizer.....had to modify becasue it wasn't as firm as I liked
The shop I frequent built a complete header back (everything but the headers) exhaust system with custom mufflers.
I put an Eurocharged Alph-N tune in the car......whopping 2 HP ooooooooooo
I had all the side and bumper moldings painted gloss black
Changed the brushed aluminum interior trim to gloss black
Add a Brembo big brake kit. 8 Piston Front, 4 piston Rear
KW Coilovers all around
There might be more little stuff, but that is the extent of it.
So, pretty light weight mods up until now. It currently has 135K on it. Engine is strong and the trans seems fine....other than the stupid clutch.
So, we are currently developing a plan of action to complete the following
Add 2 turbos to the beast
Front mount intercooler
New custom radiator and electric fan set up
New custom Intake manifold
Solid Front motor Mounts
Solid Diff Bushings
New clutch....possibly a twin disk
So, I will be posting updates. And pics when I get a chance. The Car is at a freinds shop in Green Bay......it seems this shop is not very well liked here, so I will leave the name un-mentioned. Personally, there is not another shop on the planet I would let touch my car......plus I get to do a lot of the work myself.
Thanks!
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Debating on what to do with the wheels. I curbed one, the inside lip of one of the rears has a slight bend and there is some flaking here and there. The color is What HRE calls Black Chrome. I like it, and want to stay with a dark wheel, but I'm not sure I want to jump on the flat black bandwagon yet. Maybe a Black Chrome type finish with more charcoal or possibly red tint than blue.
Thoughts, opinions? Oh, and a stretched tire is not an option, hahaha.
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Well, we got the pass side vanos figured out. Some leaky orings and a leaky Valve cover gasket.
In the process of reverse engineering the front motor mounts for solid mounts and the diff bushings for solid versions as well.
Talked to HRE about wheel refinishes. Not only do they not over black chrome anymore the prices are increadible! Might be better off garbage canning these wheels and starting over.
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REKIII said:
Well, we got the pass side vanos figured out. Some leaky orings and a leaky Valve cover gasket.
In the process of reverse engineering the front motor mounts for solid mounts and the diff bushings for solid versions as well.
Talked to HRE about wheel refinishes. Not only do they not over black chrome anymore the prices are increadible! Might be better off garbage canning these wheels and starting over.
I do not know your experience level and am not trying to put-down your ideas at all, but have you been in a car with solid engine+diff mounts? In my experience (having owned a car with solid mounts at one point) what you gain is very little compared to what you give up in regards to NVH/comfort.
again, not trying to tell you how to do your own car, but I just want to bring this to the table and see what your reasoning is.
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There are many wheel companies that can help you out with those HREs. I would offer to buy them but I am sure even in that condition they are out of my price reach. Google wheel repair, you will get a lot of hits. There are the mobile guys who can straighten the bend on site, or you can go with a company who can refinish all four wheels. The color you've got is going to be hard to do just one wheel, odds are they will need to do all 4 to have them match perfectly. How does HRE feel about powdercoating them? Are they forged?
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Snap Understeer said:
I do not know your experience level and am not trying to put-down your ideas at all, but have you been in a car with solid engine+diff mounts? In my experience (having owned a car with solid mounts at one point) what you gain is very little compared to what you give up in regards to NVH/comfort.
again, not trying to tell you how to do your own car, but I just want to bring this to the table and see what your reasoning is.
Yes, I've driven cars with solid mounts. Have had my fillings replaced a couple times because of it, haha. I was comishened to do this reverse engineering for a client, for other reasons. I'm using the info to make some mounts for me, I'm hoping I can come up with a design that will allow different materials to be used, everything from solid aluminum to rubber, to change the desired solid-ness. No worries on bring up points of concern. I appreciate it.
240sxguy said:
There are many wheel companies that can help you out with those HREs. I would offer to buy them but I am sure even in that condition they are out of my price reach. Google wheel repair, you will get a lot of hits. There are the mobile guys who can straighten the bend on site, or you can go with a company who can refinish all four wheels. The color you've got is going to be hard to do just one wheel, odds are they will need to do all 4 to have them match perfectly. How does HRE feel about powdercoating them? Are they forged?
I got in contact with the guy that runs the mobile wheel service at International auto. He has some finishes that he thinks will work. I want to get all 4 done, so matching is not an issue. I also go a hold of HRE. Not only are the prices over the top, but they don't offer any sort of black chrome anymore, not even poweder, and they won't repair a wheel. Any lip that has even the slightest damage is replaced. After adding up all the costs, I could buy a new set of HRE's.
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REKIII said:
I got in contact with the guy that runs the mobile wheel service at International auto. He has some finishes that he thinks will work. I want to get all 4 done, so matching is not an issue. I also go a hold of HRE. Not only are the prices over the top, but they don't offer any sort of black chrome anymore, not even poweder, and they won't repair a wheel. Any lip that has even the slightest damage is replaced. After adding up all the costs, I could buy a new set of HRE's.
That's good to hear. They are obviously far from damaged beyond repair. I am looking forward to watching your progress.
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Snap Understeer said:
Sounds like i've bumped into another fellow engineer on the forum here. So you do consulting?
I work as a Mechanical Designer, the company I work for does design Consulting (AKA, create mechanical packages on how to make stuff) we do a lot of work with point of purchase companies.
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