rumatt's E46
Matt dropped off his E46 on Saturday with the goal of fixing everything that's wrong with it. This thread will serve to document that process.
This is a pretty special car for a few reasons. He's owned it since new, he took European delivery of it, it doesn't have a sunroof, and it's won an SCCA autocross national championship. Many of us have memories of this car back when it was younger. And when we were younger. I was surprised to see that it still had the double-adjustable Koni shocks, big front sway bar and Borla exhaust from back in the day. The patient. Next to the usual patient. Aside from needing a front bumper, it is actually in excellent cosmetic condition on the outside. The paint is really quite nice. http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...psyzfbcu2t.jpg It may be in need of a little maintenance, though. http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps0e2ihzcw.jpg Oil leaks abound http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...pshr4djyds.jpg Leaking oil filter housings are common. I'm happy that the oil pan doesn't leak, nor does the front main seal! http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...psuu262gth.jpg Underneath the valve cover looks very clean. http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...pstks46cnk.jpg It could probably use new control arms and bushings. http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...psbkxe4xed.jpg I'll try to do a better job of photographing things as I go along. |
:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
Context: the car has 170k miles over 13.5 years. Exterior: I obsessively applied Klass AIO and SG to the car every 6 months for about the first 3 years of ownership. I haven't washed it or waxed it since then. :speechle: I don't know how the paint is in good shape. Maintenance: I did just about nothing other than oil changes. I attempted to change it every 6-7k miles using Mobile-1, but sometimes forgot and it was more like 8-9k. That cylinder head sure look cleaner than I was expecting. :music: . |
Wow. Neat! :)
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Does anyone know where I can buy a leather e46 M3 steering wheel at a reasonable price? I recall buying one for $300 back in the day, and selling it to Bren's father once I discovered it was illegal for autox. Now I'm looking and they're $890 new. :shock:
I'm not seeing anything on ebay. I put a WTB on E46 fanatics. EDIT: Bren does he still use it or can I buy it back? :bustingup |
Nice!
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When are you coming back to get the car? I might have to try and find some time to run out there.... |
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When I traded my E46, the one condition I had was to remove the M3 wheel and reinstall the stock one. I went back to the dealership the next day and they had the M3 wheel waiting for me, and I gave them the stock one :lol: I think I sold it to someone here... anyone still have it and want to get it to another Matt? |
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The return date might be a ways out given that I missed the winter when JV actually had free time. But I'll let you guys know, maybe we can do beers or something. |
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I miss that wheel from my M3C. The M240 wheel is nicely shaped but very strange feeling alleged leather.
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I'll show up. I'm sure there are some bolts that I could neglect to tighten on that car. :)
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I thought the buttons were weird at first when I got my F30, but now on the 5-series I think they are fine. I actually like the wheel and how I can scroll through presets, song tracks, address book, etc. |
A reunion could be fun... I'm pretty free most of April and the early part of may...
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If restoring this car inspires a long overdue gathering of mudgeons, that makes it even more worth it (he says as he watches the parts bill grow larger and looks for ways to rationalize it :lol:) PS we're totally crapping up JV's documentation thread. At some point we might have to bribe Clyde to split these posts out into a TeamWTF reunion thread. |
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So are you going to fix the bumper?
And JV, why didn't you powerwash the engine bay?! |
Nice! When you're done with his e46, maybe my e46 could be next!
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Alex |
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This made me go back and look at some old pictures.
Alex |
Whose were the 4 M3s? I don't even remember anymore
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Alex |
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Love the M3 x 4 shot.
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A) holy cow, blast from the past.
B) I love how Bren is supervising while we're all working. :lol: C) Getting together to rip someone's car apart was fun. We should figure out how to do that more often. |
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The bumper will be fixed (by fixed, I mean replaced) |
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:D |
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I remember Nick fighting those bushings. |
And I will, of course, bring the official TeamWTF?! E30.
Edit: And the M3s were Alex / Terry / Bren / Terry's friend. |
The rear trailing arm bushings were pretty much welded to the trailing arms. But the rubber isn't actually in terrible shape. It's definitely dried out.
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...psahqdeazr.jpg http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...psbvpqtsse.jpg |
Wow. You got them out with that tool? That looks like it requires hazard pay!
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When it goes as planned it's fun. Then I end up staring at two parts that are fused together and not know what the fcuk to do. |
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