[Vard66]

Little update; the BMW is pretty much finished!

She was off the ramps on Saturday... only to go back up on the ramps for us to investigate why the gear linkage was making contact with the prop-shaft - something I suspected quietly when I reassembled it, because I couldn't remember, but I was fairly sure it shouldn't have been just clearing the prop by about 2mm...

Also because the new hydraulic clutch arrangement was somewhat... bodgetastic, the union in the slave cylinder having been slathered in Wurths chemical metal in an effort to seal it for good.

So now, one fresh piece of copper pipe flanged and fitted, and after some doubts and irritation, finally bloody sealed.

No.

More.

Brake fluid.



I cannot state those words clearly enough - if I never feel brake fluid on the back of my hands again, I will be a happy, happy man.

So now, she is off the ramps, WITH a clutch, WITH the gear linkage fixed, and going like an absolute train.

Also, by complete coincidence, we have managed to remove the odd, transverse roof bars. It turns out I could have had them off months ago, if I had been a fidgety, fiddling redneck type.

Like Ian.

While idly standing around waiting while I had a piss, before I moved the BMW out of the way so he could move Alex's Vitesse Coupé to where the BMW was standing, Ian decided he had a key in his hand, he should find something to poke it into, so he tried one of the locks on the roof bars, because one of the rubber covers wasn't on it properly.

And it worked.

Turns out you can use a Rover 800 key to unlock the locks on a 5er's roof bars. No, I wouldn't have tried it myself either, and I was equally gobsmacked when he showed me.


Yer man Vard is a happy fella.

[Dabsy]

[Vard66]

100 mile motorway/fast road/rush hour traffic road test today revealed a minor issue - the PCV appears to be fecked.

Other than the idle issues and smoking caused by that however, she's running a bloody treat, and pulling like an absolute rocket.

I was fully expecting to be underwhelmed by the power delivery after driving something with a T16 in it for so long - going from aggressive, lag-then-boost format power delivery to smooth V power curvature, but I am hella damn impressed.

It's progressive so it's not instant and neck-snapping, but I am damn impressed, and if I'm honest, rather enamoured at how it simply keeps piling the power on and on the more you keep your foot in it.

Tomorrow we are going to remove the PCV from the B40 inlet manifold, and see if the B30's PCV is intact. If it is, that's £60 saved, and it's not going to cost us anything to try it out.

[Dabsy]

All-in-all Still a great result

[Alex SBY]

I realise it's been some time since we updated this thread. Long story short, it's DONE! The PCV sorted the poor running/smoking issue, and aside a binding caliper (that was spectactular - a nice lot of smoke there too), once the PCV was done it was pretty much it done. The car came home with me to Devon a couple of weeks back.

Since getting this old beast of a car back from Vard I've concentrated on the stuff which is more my forté; namely detailing, cleaning and doing some of the lighter jobs.

I've waxed this car thoroughly, replaced the god-awful "angel eyes" (#one look and you're hypnotised#) headlights with proper original ones, and fixed the split washer bottle. All the latter parts came from an M60B30 engined E32. Amazing how many parts these cars share. Anyway, I diagress.

The BM came up a treat, and looked so much better with the new lights in. One strange fault appeared though:

The "Angel Eyes" (#You keep thinking, about his angel eyes#) had been fitted by the previous owner, and had seen the headlight leveling adjustment motors long since disappear. The E32 headlights we got had the motors in, so I duly undid all the bodged up lash wiring for the "Angel Eyes" (#he'll take your heart and you must pay the price#) and worked out how to put things back to standard, which I did no problem.

I fitted the drivers side lights, tested it all, fine. Proper job. Upon refitting the passenger side light, however, I turned on the ignition to test it all, popped the lights on only for the car to tell me that LITERALLY every single bulb on the car had blown (it hadn't).

I cleaned all the connectors, checked, double checked everything, and could find nothing wrong. Resigning myself to the fact this was a Jaguar XJ40-esque foible I'd have to live with I went in.

After a quick google, it transpired that there was a batch of faulty headlight leveling motors issued at some point. If these are fitted to the E34 (and ONLY the E34) they can be prone to throwing up random bulb failure warnings. Thinking this was tosh, I went out to disconnect the motors.

Imagine my surprise, when no fault messages came up on the dash! So, for now, it's being left with non-working headlight adjusters (no loss as the car did not have them anyway when bought), and I'll get some as and when I find them.

Jobs left to do now include:

* Source load cover blind thing for the boot
* Investigate and rectify that infernal "clonk" from the rear end. I think it's top mounts.
* Source another spare wheel - I kinda buckled one on the car (long story) a few months ago, so we had to fit the spare.
* Rectify aircon leak (a casualty of the transplant)
* Fit personal plate (I know, I KNOW)
* Investigate why it stalls every-so-often randomly. Always when approaching junctions under clutch down. It did this when it had the 3.0 engine in, too so this is rather odd. We suspect it is because it remains running an automatic ECU (the 3.0 engine also was being run by a 4.0 auto ecu) and it could be confusing things.

On the road, the car is driving splendidly (aside that occasional stalling thing). Power like you would not believe. Fuel consumption is, well, horrific. But I put that down to having a lead right foot. This car is, quite simply, EPIC.

[Alex SBY]

Here are some pictures, taken this weekend following epic polishing. I'll let them do the talking.





























Jobs on the list now are to sort the a/c, and I've decided to ditch the self-levelling suspension in favour of dampers. That clonk has to go!

I'm now pressing the car into daily use this week, also if anything materialises using it this week that will be attended to as well. Fingers crossed!

I advise you all buy shares in Shell. Their turnover will be a lot more this week!

[IanIOM]

This is fantastic to see it finished! and looking good!