Project E30: Self Inflicted Restoration

So, this weekend I chucked the KP out the garage and got the Beemer in.  I got a quote from the body shop to do the arch and lets just say it was erm, steep.  So I took it on myself and cleared the weekend to do it!

The splitter cam back from the shop too, so I had 2 days and everything I needed to get it back to as good as new/ before I slammed it and drove it through a ton of snow.

I re-shaped the arch and rolled the lip while I was there.  I got 95% of it out so I only had to use a tiny skim of filler.  I hate filler.

Primer and Paint and left to bake…

Quick flat/ blend/ polish/ mop/ luck

I put the splitter back and supplemented BMW’s own c-clip mounting system with some good-old zipties.

I also completed my ICE install…

Yeah boi; old skool Sony walkman and in-car tape kit.  I couldn’t bring myself to pull that sweet head unit out.  Retro chic or a step too ’90s?   Well, pretty much both and that’s why I love it.

Project KP30: 1st Coat Down! Respray Part #4

The sun shone today, so when the world had warmed up at lunch time I laid the first couple of coats down.

Mixing:

Started off with my Binks gravity fed gun; Just couldn’t get it to work right and give me any sort of fan.

Swapped over to the gun that came with the compressor and BAM: Awesome spray!

Put about a litre down so far which has covered all the primer and for the most part given a good finish.

When it goes off I’m going to wet sant out a couple of imperfections and then hopefully, Friday, shoot a final couple of coats.

Project KP30: Waiting. Respray Part #3

Well Thursday spray-day never happened as when it wasn’t lashing with rain, it was 100% humidity. Not good. I have spent the last couple of days prepping and painting the trims and rad; all the little nitty bits. As it stands now the weather is set to be good all weekend so I  masked her up ready to rock as soon as the sun shines:

Hopefully tomorrow is the day!

While noone was looking I threw my TRD harnesses in the washing machine; I think they came out pretty sweet!!

Project KP30: Rust is a crime. Respray Part #2

So, when I said the fuel filler was the worst bit, I was wrong: The front wings and the bonnet edge are the worst bits!:

The wings are not the original ones off this car; the original wings were used to restore anotherKP30 hence, the rest of the body is un-welded and immaculate and the wings are a bit well, rough round the edges!

As I hate body filler and don’t have the kit for lead loading, I used the trusty MIG and added new metal as required.

Here is the wing:

With al the pin holes plugged, I gave them a skim of filler, a flat, more flatting, knifing stopper, more flatting, more flatting and then primer.

The rest of the car is solid as a rock so no issues to deal with other than dent/ mark removal. The drivers door being the worst, having a bit of crease in it from someone opening their door against it! A little panel beating and some plop later and it’s silky smooth.

So that has been my life for 8+ hours a day for the last 6 days and this is how the car looks now:

It just needs masking and then spraying! Fingers crossed the big spray-day will be tomorrow (though the weather is looking like it has other ideas!!). Optimistically I have put up my spray booth:

Of course, when I say spray booth I mean “a load of tarps tied to my car port” but it does the job and keeps at least some of the paint off the neighbours cars!

I have also prepped the splitter so it can be painted at the same time:

And made a start of refurbing the light surrounds and trims:

Still aiming for the end of the month to have her on the road. Alls that is left to do tonight is watch the weather!