MyE28.com

Late in 2011, when I sold my Cannonball OLA and track e28 M5, I looked around the barn and saw a lot of e28 parts that I had accumulated over the years. So, late this past Fall I sold my M635csi and picked up a decent 535i and thought I'd tackle one more "project" car... plus, I needed something to do over the Winter.

Truthfully, I had really enjoyed the two other "big projects" I had been involved in many years earlier, e.g., the aforementioned M5, and my Inka 2002/M2... but, this time I wanted to be more of a DIY participant, and not just the planner and organizer who pretty much left all the hands-on work to others more skilled. Not to mention, I was looking to keep the cost down in this manner, and with no event driving a targeted completion date, I have no set time frame to get the car finished.... I'm thinking Fall 2013.

After taking inventory of my e28 parts, thinking about how I'd use this car and what I wanted it to be, I decided on a moderate resto-mod build, i.e., lots of performance and aesthetic mods with a cool euro look. So, with the help of a few friends we began this past November to tear things down, and I started finding and buying needed parts & mods, new or used. My end vision is a 300+ bhp, two-tone, euro styled e28 that will be a great driver (no track, no auto-x, no garage queen)!

Thus far the full interior is out, the dash is out; the sunroof, bumpers, lights, & grills are off; the front & rear windows are out; the exhaust is out; and most importantly the engine is out. The next immediate steps are: determine what parts need or should be replaced now that everything is somewhat accessible; have the head checked out and renewed as needed (compression and leak-down numbers were spot on); clean & paint the block ; dye headliner; re-finish engine parts that will be re-used; re-seal engine; install replacement dash; and clean, clean, & re-clean (prep for paint). And, in February I'll be picking up a parts car (nice quality & running e28) from a very good friend... this will provide many of the parts for the project car, e.g., euro lights, grills, misc. bits, after some re-freshening I plan to do.

Later in the Spring the under-carriage will be sand blasted and re-sprayed; the upgraded suspension will be installed (as well as fresh steering components); the upgraded brakes will be installed; the upgraded clutch & flywheel will be installed; the engine will be re-installed; the new exhaust system will be installed; and the TCD Stage II turbo system will be installed and tuned.

Sometime during the Summer to early Fall, I envision the paint work being completed; the new front and rear windows installed; the new trunk, hood, doors, & sunroof rubber gaskets/seals installed; lights, grills, handles, mirrors, etc. installed; up-graded wheels & new tires mounted.

Finally, a replacement and color-changed M5 interior, plus an upgraded sound system will be installed, along with any smaller items not completed earlier. I'm sure some changes to these plans will be made along the way and the timeline may be slightly different, but that's how I currently see it.

Here are some pictures of the car when I first got it and progress made to date. I'll post any meaningful updates and pics as progress is made. I've concluded, after doing this a couple times now, that the planning and the execution phases are perhaps more fun than the completion phase... I'm having a great time!!

-RoyW































http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=113146

Good for you, you'll feel a special connection to this car with the blood sweat and tears you'll have invested.

Have fun, i'm excited to watch the progress.

RoyW wrote:

Don't you just love seeing the crosshatching like it was done last month?

Nice Roy! I hope you enjoy the project.

You just know if Roy builds a car it is going to turn out two steps beyond perfect! I've yet to see one of his cars I'd not sell a kidney to buy!

It's gonna be drool worthy!

I'm excited to see the progress. Thank you for sharing!

This is going to be one helluva machine when finished!

Roy,

The cold start injector will not be used with MegaSquirt.

Todd

Will be keeping an eye on this thread !

That interior looks great....love resto's

Some one is having a fun winter! Nice find on the M interior, will you change out the carpet too?

Mab1957 wrote:Some one is having a fun winter! Nice find on the M interior, will you change out the carpet too?

Why would he change the carpet? Car started with a black interior, which is the best canvas with which to do something creative. Also, the seats aren't natur.

Very cool, can't wait to see how it turns out.

Looking good Roy! Will you be using springs in a certain shade of blue on this perhaps?

Karl

Exciting, looking forward to a great build.

This past week (mostly this weekend) we got a bunch of stuff done on the project car, including:

1) crack-free dash installed (mostly). Don't want to put the re-dyed, new color M5 leather interior bits in until near the end of the project (pics)

2) cleaned up the few superficial rust spots in the trunk and engine bay and then covered them with POR-15 and SEM chassis paint.

3) cleaned and dyed the rear parcel shelf with SEM graphite Color Coat. Also did some plastic parts with SEM (pic)

4) refreshed the bottom-end with new main and rod bearings (pics)

Still need to refresh timing components and pick-up head which is at shop being refreshed with bigger intake valves (for turbo)

Next on the project schedule is to bring the rolling chassis (no engine) up to VSR for under-carriage sandblasting and R&R of almost all suspension and steering components, plus install of Supersprint exhaust system Long way to go.

-RoyW

Looking good. Where do we sign up to let you work on our cars next winter

Looks like a fun fun project Roy ...and am sure it will be spectacular when completed.....I can not wait to hear more/see more detail on the motor brakes and clutch...and and see the custom interior .... and all the other customization goodies you will embark on for this...

David Frankel

Made a little progress the past couple weeks on small things, e.g., installed rear head rest brackets; dying of rear headrest to match recently dyed M5 interior; cleaned up engine bay some more; cleaned up small rust nicks in trunk & engine bay then covered with POR-15, etc. Also been taking parts car apart for needed items.

Yesterday, I put different wheels on the project car for transport (tie-down in the trailer) up to VSR on Monday for the under-carriage sand blasting, under-carriage painting, R&R of nearly all suspension components, and the hanging of the Supersprint exhaust system. Below are some pics of the parts that will be used and the car loaded in the trailer.

I expect to pick the car back up and bring it to the Barn in a couple weeks (along with the re-furbed head). Next steps will include a trip down to Todd's to pick up the Stage II turbo system, then the fun begins with the: install of the head; install of the oil pan and filter housing with necessary turbo bungs; install of some of the turbo bits before putting the engine back in the car; install of all the ancillary engine bits and remaining turbo system parts; install of the big brakes kit; etc. all of that should take me through May or June depending on weekend help (plus I'll be traveling much of April with a trip to TX, etc).

Progress is slow but steady.

-RoyW

Roy, are you removing all the rubbery (epoxy based?) sealer on the bottom of the car?

Coldswede wrote:Roy, are you removing all the rubbery (epoxy based?) sealer on the bottom of the car?

Nope.... we won't be taking the sealer off, just the surface rust that is on most of under-carriage metal parts, due to sit in a parking lot for a few years. Obviously, first removing all of the rusty suspension and steering components that will be replaced with new or upgraded ones will address much of this issue I'll be taking pictures and post them when this phase is done.

-RoyW

This thread is full of win.

Looks good Roy keep up the great work. To bad it won;t be ready for Tedfest in July!!! or Will it?.

Gary

Here are a few pics of the 535 project car up at VSR in a state of DE-struction, as all the surface rust on the under-side metal parts is to be sand-blasted, cleaned, painted (as necessary) and re-installed along with the all new suspension and steering components.... plus a couple handling mods. I hope to bring it back to the Barn in a week or so, and, after a two week vacation, start on the engine install in early May.

Still hoping for an end September finish date.... well see

-Roy

Painted the 540i front and rear re-man calipers yesterday. I decided to go with a charcoal grey color from G2... a nice kit... easy to use, 2 coats, gloss finish. Here's a before and after pictures.

-RoyW

My good friend Eddie (from T.O.) did a great rendering of what my 535i project car will look like when its completed... right down to the bumpers, trim, wheels, TCD turbo, and two-tone paint scheme it will have. It going to be bitchin' He calls it "Project Sepang"... I think I like that and will adopt that moniker during the build phase.

-RoyW

That's a nice rendering, the e12 touches give it an old school VS new school look.

RoyW wrote:My good friend Eddie (from T.O.) did a great rendering of what my 535i project car will look like when its completed... right down to the bumpers, trim, wheels, TCD turbo, and two-tone paint scheme it will have. It going to be bitchin' He calls it "Project Sepang"... I think I like that and will adopt that moniker during the build phase.

-RoyW

You’re welcome Roy. It was my pleasure.
I’m happy that I was able to reproduce your vision.
You’ll have one fine, classy machine when you’re done. It will fit in just perfect alongside your other stunning vehicles in your barn/stable.

I’d like to send out a thank you to Saliya for providing me with a photo he took and allowed me to use as a base to implement the extra touches to make this one unique and classy E28.

Why have you named it after a town in Malaysia?

VTR1000SP2 wrote:Why have you named it after a town in Malaysia?

...no idea why BMW named that particular color Sepang. It's a very nice color too!

The color name is after a track - the Malaysian F1 track which is in the town of Sepang as well (Sepang International Circuit).

Just like Daytona, Imola, Laguna, Dakar - i believe that in the late 90s BMW moved away from the traditional German names of colors to the track named ones.