Project e23 B9 build - update 11/25/19

[Adam W in MN]

Looks fantastic Roy, you're really moving swiftly on this project!

[RoyW]

Nice.

I find the dolly interesting. That straps are used to hold it down. Where, precisely, are the legs of the dolly connecting to on the chassis?


Enjoy FL, Roy!

The dolly isn't connected to the chassis.... its just sitting on it (with blocks of plywood in the right places and the dolly adjusted in length and width to align where we wanted it under the car) and then they used wide ratchet straps thru both sets of doors and under the top frame of the dolly to hold it in place. Seemed to work quite well as it didn't move at all on the 1.5 hour journey home, nor when we unloaded yesterday out of the trailer, down the ramps, and into the AutoBahn... although it was a little nerve racking going down the ramps (thank god for the winch cable connected to the dolly cross-member to provide braking ). Special thanks to my neighbor, Darrin, his son, and my wife for helping with this frightening task.

Here are a couple pics of the B9 on the dolly and in the Bahn.... now for a lot more under-carriage and wheel well clean-up and some coating?, and major clean-up in the engine bay Also a couple pics of the bins and boxes of parts that all need to be cleaned up, evaluated, and eventually re-installed...daunting!!

-RoyW





P1060240 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060241 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060245 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060247 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060248 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr

[maybeillbuyit]

Roy, fantastic start to a really interesting project. Love your garage, love your friends/helpers. Very inspiring. Amazing a car like that is just sitting somewhere waiting to be redone. Great pics too. Subscribed! One thing though, shouldn't this be in eye candy? as it is candy for mine eye!

[RoyW]

Over the past few weeks, while the car has been strapped to the rolling dolly and in the Barn, I’ve been able to do more cleaning, refurb, and even some painting on either the under-carriage, the wheel wells, and/or the engine bay. Since I couldn’t work outside, had to used a pump sprayer (for water) to rinse the de-greaser and then vacuum it into the wet/dry vac from the multiple drip pans I had spread around… what a PITA Will probably do more freshening to the engine bay before the engine goes back in come April/May... need that power washer and the removal of a few parts.

Also picked up some new Bilstein HD struts/shocks (the struts were NOS and half price on eBay ) to be installed late next week when the B9 goes back up to VSR for the re-install of the freshened rear and front sub-frames…. currently sticking with the existing springs. Also picked up a good, cheap parts car that I’ll pick up next week… it will come in handy for those times (and there are always many) when you need a part because yours broke coming off, or is trashy looking, or is missing, or doesn’t work and you don’t want to spend for new one(s), etc., etc.

Plan to load the B9 into my trailer tomorrow (with help from the neighbors again ) and bring it up to New Hampshire (VSR) when/if the weather looks promising on Monday…. then bring it back home a week later where it will sit until Spring, as I’m off to FL until April

Here are a few pics of recent progress. Will post more when the sub-frames are in and she’s a “roller”. Also will have an update on the engine re-build, as Steve has it all apart and we are deciding exactly what needs doing and securing parts.

-RoyW

P1060266 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060307 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060308 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060316 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060259 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060264 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060299 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060300 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060302 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060303 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060305 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060287 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060290 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060319 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060320 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060321 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr

[tig]

Nice work Roy!

So you're not going to remove all that stuff before paint?

[RoyW]

Nice work Roy!

So you're not going to remove all that stuff before paint?

Probably will, but not until April

-RoyW

[RoyW]

Brought the B9 back up to VSR (NH) yesterday for the re-install of the refreshed sub-frames, new struts/shocks, etc. Expect to pick it back up late this week (more pics then). Continued on from there to Maine to pick up a parts car I bought for this project... got back late last night and unloaded it and into the Barn this morning for a better look-see It's a '81 733i, 5 speed manual, with 197K miles

Expect to use a number of items, e.g., windshield, battery (its newish), antenna, trim pieces, HVAC controls, maybe a couple of doors that are very good (from a rust down under the bottoms standpoint compared to the B9 ones, thus less body work labor), same with trunk lid, etc, etc. And, I'm sure many other small items will be needed and cannibalized during the re-build phase.

Have had several calls for parts from other e23 guys when done picking it over Has good tranny, pedal set, hood, sunroof, early nose, interior door cards (seats are pretty worn), etc. Figure to at least to break even in the long run.... but, its more about the convenience of a other e23 outside the door when the re-construction phase begins,

-RoyW

P1060322 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060326 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060328 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr

[Nebraska_e28]

I saw that has been FS for a very long time & even considered it myself at one point. Possibly interested in some interior bits when you get to the parting stage.

[RoyW]

I saw that has been FS for a very long time & even considered it myself at one point. Possibly interested in some interior bits when you get to the parting stage.

Be glad to share whatever we don't use. Won't be digging into until April/May. I'll stay in touch.

-RoyW

[RoyW]

Picked up the B9 yesterday after VSR had installed the re-freshed sub-frames and some new bushings, suspension components & brake rotors. Also went over to RimPro to pick up the re-finished wheels. Car is now in the trailer (no room in the Barn) and parked for the Winter… to be resumed in the Spring when I return from sunny, warm FL in April The parts car will be moved out by the trailer later this weekend, covered, and stored there for the Winter too.

I’ll be meeting Steve, whose bringing the block, head, and headers over to VSR on Monday.... block to be honed, head re-built, and headers jet-coated.

Meanwhile, my good friend Steve will be re-building the engine at his place… looks like, based on measurements, a full re-build is needed, i.e., new custom pistons, rings, re-freshed head, new bottom end components, polished crank, etc. Says he’ll have in done when I return…. fortunate to have a friend like that

-RoyW

P1060372 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060373 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060374 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060375 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060376 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060378 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060383 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060384 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060380 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr

[Ted in T.O.]

What color are the rear headrests Roy?

[RoyW]

What color are the rear headrests Roy?

Unfortunately, this car doesn't have rear headrests Ted. If it did, they'd be black

-RoyW

[BenGerman]

Sorry to hear about the engine. I hope there will be some pictures of the rebuild process!

[Pavel]

...and he's cheap (labor that is)

-RoyW

Very cheap!



I might be interested in some leftovers from the red car.

Enjoy the warmth of the South, Roy!

[RoyW]

We made it down to Ft. Myers Beach about a week ago... enjoing the sun, beach, and 80 degree temps.

The couple weeks before heading South, I finished up a bunch of stuff on the B9 project car... so here's a update:

Picked up the B9 at VSR (now a roller) and trailered it home, but left it in the trailer, along side the Barn, for the Winter, as the barn is full of cars (some mine, most other friends). Parked the parts car in front of the trailer and covered it over.

Refinished the wood trim for the center console and doors; refinished the front seats and upper portion of the back seat (cleaned, oiled, re-dye balm, and conditioner)... had to take the bottom of the rear seat to the upholster to be re-covered and re-built, as it was broken down with bad leather and faded.... will pick it up in the Spring along with a new full carpet set.

The engine has been torn down by Steve and is at his shop for the re-build. The measurements showed we were well out of specs with clearances in a couple areas, e.g., piston to cylinder wall clearance, etc., and had a couple warped upper rings, making for bigger out-of-spec ring grooves (despite good compression and leak down numbers when it was tested during PPI), also the crank needs to be polished... so it's a full re-build. The head is at VSR for re-build and the rest is at Steve's for re-build. Weisco will be duplicating the unique Alpina pistons and the bottom-end will be also be re-freshed, e.g., bearing set, etc., by Steve.

Steve will be replacing all timing chain components, water pump, clutch kit, numerous tranny and shifter components, etc., while working on the engine, so maybe when we pick back up in early April the engine will be all re-sealed and back together so it and the tranny/shifter will be ready to put back in the B9...we'll see?

Now, back to the beach!!

-RoyW
P1060390 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060391 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060392 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060407 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060398 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060403 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060402 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060393 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060394 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr
P1060396 by Roy Wicklund, on Flickr

[Motronic]

Hell yea! looking great so far Roy. Between Mario and Steve and you doing the interior bits the car is well on it's way back. Hope you and Mary enjoy Fla. I've just about had it with Winter. Sox headed for Ft. Meyers yesterday though, so that's a sign of Spring.

[offroadkarter]

Hey Roy,

pardon me if I missed this before but, when you cut the factory windshield out of the car, did you notice if it had any butyl in between the seal and the glass? I read that people end up doing that with aftermarket e28 windshields but I'm not sure if the e23 was like that stock or not. I just noticed tonight that my windshield is leaking into my glovebox so that gives me something else to fix


Loving the progress so far, gives me ideas of a level of perfection I'll never obtain on my car

[ElGuappo]

Ask Ivo for a new Saint Gobain windshield, I got one and its very nice...
Still have to install it of course...

[offroadkarter]

Ask Ivo for a new Saint Gobain windshield, I got one and its very nice...
Still have to install it of course...

Can he get BMW logo windshields new still over there?

and they'll survive the trip to the US?

[ElGuappo]

I was the only E23 guy to ask for glass, so he ordered one specifically for me.
Can't remember if it has a roundel or not.

[wkohler]

Unless it was NOS, it's probably a Sekurit without the Roundel. Nothing wrong with that since it's an OE-supplier windshield that fits!

[offroadkarter]

Unless it was NOS, it's probably a Sekurit without the Roundel. Nothing wrong with that since it's an OE-supplier windshield that fits!

Agreed, a friend of mine is putting Sekurit glass w/o the Roundel in his E39 M5 because that's all he could get. Better than PGW which is what my car has I think.

[wkohler]

My E39 has a Pilkington and I'm very upset. It was replaced shortly before I bought the car and after 15k miles it now has a giant crack in it and multiple chips and looks worse than the 320k mile original windshield in my E34. Half the stuff that hit the E39, I never even heard. Glad to know the Sekurits are still available.

[vinceg101]

Roy: Odd side question but how do you like the Adam's Leather Treatment vs. anything else?
Anything about it make it better/superior to whatever you have used in the past?
Or is does the treatment solution not matter as much as the steps before that?

Project looks fantastic, BTW.

[Dubs]

such a good read

[RoyW]

Roy: Odd side question but how do you like the Adam's Leather Treatment vs. anything else?
Anything about it make it better/superior to whatever you have used in the past?
Or is does the treatment solution not matter as much as the steps before that?

Project looks fantastic, BTW.

Vince... I do like the Adams product a lot. I also like the Leatherique oil and Pristine Clean products as well as Griots leather stuff. The coloring balm I used on the B9 seats is British (can't recall the name, and I'm away from home so can't check). Anyway, as you said, the steps you take, depending upon the condition of the leather, is as critical as the products you use.

[vinceg101]

Roy: Odd side question but how do you like the Adam's Leather Treatment vs. anything else?
Anything about it make it better/superior to whatever you have used in the past?
Or is does the treatment solution not matter as much as the steps before that?

Project looks fantastic, BTW.

Vince... I do like the Adams product a lot. I also like the Leatherique oil and Pristine Clean products as well as Griots leather stuff. The coloring balm I used on the B9 seats is British (can't recall the name, and I'm away from home so can't check). Anyway, as you said, the steps you take, depending upon the condition of the leather, is as critical as the products you use.

Thanks for the feedback. I have been reading up on Adams' stuff and was curious as most of it is positive; but so much of car care product is like snake oil: in the end it's all about the same.
I have been looking for something to breath new life into the M535 interior (even if it's only temporary until the interior renovation) but also something to help out the E39 leather as it seems to be drying out.
Whenever you get the chance I am curious about the leather balm.

[delvin]

Was it Furniture Clinic by chance? I really like their product line

[Ken H.]

Depending on the condition of the leather, I've had good results with what follows:

1. Treat the leather to a good bath with Propert's Saddle Soap.
This is usually applied with a soft sponge, following mfgr's instructions. It make take a couple of treatments, but this stuff will loosen most stains and imbedded
dirt. Don't overdo having too wet of a sponge; you want the leather damp but not wet. Dry off with a terrycloth towel. Allow the leather to dry out for a day or
so, this to get rid of any residual moisture.

2. Now comes the fun part. Using Connolly's Hide Food, work this water-based lanolin paste into the leather. This is done by hand, using about a tablespoon
of the paste in the palm of your hand. It will have the consistency of sour cream. Depending on how dry the leather is, this will cover something around an 8" x
8" area. As the Hide Food is absorbed, the lanolin will be absorbed, leaving a small amount of water residue on the surface. Not to worry, let it be.

3. Continue to apply the Hide Food to additional areas until you have covered a couple of square feet. The leather surface will become somewhat tacky as the
Hide Food soaks in. Allow the stuff to soak in for 15-20 minutes. Using a clean terry cloth towel, buff vigorously with moderate pressure. A good deal of the
lanolin will transfer to the towel, making it sticky. As you buff, keep a fresh surface on the towel in contact with the leather. You're going to use several hand
towels worth in the course of doing your car. As you buff it will become smooth to the touch although it may also feel somewhat sticky. This is normal, and
will go away after further buffing and an hour or so to fully absorb.

4. As mentioned earlier, w/r/t the saddle soap, how much Hide Food will be absorbed depends on how dry the leather is to begin with. Don't be surprised if it
takes three or more repetitions to fully condition the BMW seat leather. Keep in mind that your seats are approaching 30 yrs+ in age and there's no way of
knowing what kind of care the leather has had in the past.

Hide Food won't make cracks or flaws in the leather go away, but the softening action will go a long way towards preventing further deterioration.
I've had best results doing the treatment with air temps above 70-75 degrees. Given the need to do a saddle soaping then several reps with the Hide Food, this isn't
a quick-and-dirty ten-minutes-and-you're done deal. It's a lot of work, but I think the results speak for themselves.

OK, so where to get the materials? Check Ebay and Amazon under "Propert's Saddle Soap" and "Connolly Hide Food." ISTR the saddle soap runs about $8-10, but a single can will do a couple of cars unless things are really bad. Now for the bad news. Hide Food will run you about $35-40 for an 8-oz. jar. I've found that going from scratch (first-time use) will take about a jar and a half for your average E28 or full-size sedan. After then pores in the leather get filled, call it a half jar every six months. Yeah, it ain't cheap and it's a lot of work, but you'll be glad you did it.

[vinceg101]

^^^
Thanks Ken! Excellent write-up. Perhaps this should be a sticky in the Tech FAQ.