06-24-2020, 08:06 AM | #1 |
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//Melon's Estoril Blue 328i Thread.
Hello all,
Allow me to introduce myself. First off, I normally always use the name "Melon" but it was taken, so I added a little BMW-ish flare. So, this will be my second BMW, the first being a 1987 325e that I did a full restoration on. I literally jumped in with both feet to the brand. I've owned a plethora of fun vehicles in the past, NC Miata, C5 Corvette, MK6 GTI, and a few motorcycles. My E30: Build Thread: https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/for...on-s-e30-build Current Daily: 2018 GMC Canyon SLT Will be referred to as "truk" from here on out. There is a Lady Melon, she drives a 2017 KIA Soul, and before you snicker, I drove it to Miami and back (12hr. drive one way) and it is seriously not a bad little car. |
06-24-2020, 08:09 AM | #2 |
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Now on to the good bits:
I haven't yet purchased the car, i.e. done the paperwork or taken delivery, I just have made an agreement to buy it from a really good friend that I've known for years. He posted it for sale, and I knew I'd regret it if I let it slip away. 2014 BMW 328i M-Sport w/ M-sport Brakes. 31,XXX Miles No other options, but he did get the bluetooth enabled at the dealership. Last edited by //Melon; 06-24-2020 at 08:29 AM.. |
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06-24-2020, 08:13 AM | #3 |
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So me being me, getting a turbo car out of warranty means I need to tune the mofo.
I've also got a few other modifications I'll be doing, nothing wild, just making a nice daily out of it. Planned Mods: Bootmod3 Stage 1 Tune VRSF 5" Intercooler w/ Charge pipe H&R Sport Springs Bilstein B8 Shocks Apex ARC-8 Hyper Black ET30 wheels BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 245/40/18 Tires Window tint of some flavor, undecided how dark I wish to go. And the car comes with a Borla catback. Already been getting parts in. Last edited by //Melon; 06-24-2020 at 08:30 AM.. |
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06-24-2020, 08:19 AM | #4 |
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One of the things I did to prepare for the car's arrival is to paint the intercooler black. This is purely for aesthetics, I didn't want a big silver thing on the front of my car. Before I get a lesson in thermodynamics, I've seen the McM and EE videos on the subject, and I'll take the 3% loss in efficiency. In Louisiana summer, nothing will keep it from heat soaking in the summer, I'm hoping this helps in the 60-80 degrees F range. Once it hits 80-90+ degrees here, no amount of cooling will help. It's just hotter than the surface of the sun.
VRSF Intercooler. It's a nice piece, well built, very good for the price. Taped off the ends, and tested a hidden spot with Duplicolor etching primer. The IC was painted when it arrived, so wanted to make sure there wasn't going to be a reaction. All was well. This is the paint I'll use. It's cheap and decently durable. I'd normally use a 2K Spray Max - Hot Rod Satin Black, but it was 3x the cost. Primed Painted. Came out well, I'm happy with it. Got bored and sanded off the VRSF logo. |
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06-24-2020, 01:45 PM | #7 |
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Drives: '15 328i (M) Wagon, '91 318is
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Hi Melon! This is mike.bmw from R3V. Looking forward to seeing what you do with your F30. I've been very happy with my E30/F31 combo. :-)
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06-24-2020, 05:13 PM | #8 | |
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Excellent, I hope to not disappoint. I'll be making cross posts for specific installs/items as well.
Quote:
Friend of mine and his wife recently picked up an F31 330i I haven't seen it yet in-fact but I'm sure it's nice. |
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06-25-2020, 01:07 PM | #10 |
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06-25-2020, 06:08 PM | #11 |
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Got with a friend of mine to give me the torque specs from the service manual. I noticed that BMW recommends nearly all of the bolts to be replaced, so I got on Real OEM and got busy.
Got the parts diagrams together and made a spreadsheet of the bolts that I'd be touching for reference. Nothing like making an order, and getting a bunch of miscellaneous pieces of hardware in with no guide. Since the car has relatively low miles, and if I keep it to 75k miles or so, I'll probably need to do a full suspension overhaul at that point, I decided to just get the "bare minimum." Got the major hardware, rubber spring seats and gaskets. Was much cheaper than the full kit from ECS, got it all with a spreader tool from FCP Euro for ~ $175 with tax. Parts diagrams for later reference: |
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06-29-2020, 02:17 PM | #12 |
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Great thread. Following to see how it turns out for you OP.
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07-06-2020, 11:05 AM | #14 |
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Didn't get many pictures due to it being a rather uneventful roadtrip. It's also been raining nearly non-stop since I arrived back at the house.
I did stop at the BMW factory in Spartanburg SC for some quick photos. |
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07-15-2020, 12:05 PM | #15 |
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Got the suspension installed, along with the intercooler and charge pipe.
All my replacement bolts and spring seats laid out. I'll post pics of the car after I get an alignment on Saturday, give the springs a week to settle. Charge pipe laid out, noticed more clamps than necessary, and no bung for the vac port for automatic cars. Ended up finding a plumbing fitting that fit snugly, sanded it down for better adhesion and used JB Weld to secure the fitting onto the bung. Not the prettiest fix, but better than a rubber cap with a hose clamp. I like it rough... |
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08-04-2020, 11:39 AM | #17 |
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So, I cooked the pads pretty quickly, I have StopTech pads on the way, but they're delayed until late September, around the same time as my wheels.
SAD! |
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09-09-2020, 10:17 AM | #21 |
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Got the new wheels on!
I'm going to get the windows tinted windows tomorrow, and I'll take some better pictures this weekend. |
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09-10-2020, 05:58 AM | #22 |
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Drives: '15 328i (M) Wagon, '91 318is
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The wheels look great. I was thinking about picking up something similar for my wagon.
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