willswheels' projects

willswheels

RMS Regular
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
Drives
BMW!
This thread is one we can keep updated with some of the projects that we have ongoing. Some are slow, some are dormant, and some are just so big they keep getting pushed back and back but as with every good project list, they will all be started some day!

Right now on the lift we have this 1991 E30 318is. It's an ex- lanes rally car, and it is absolutely disgustingly rusty. It was assured to us that is was sound but it is far from, but we're not going to let a little thing like rampant rot get in the way of putting an original NI low owner rare model back together.
Zc0WhQy.jpg

Even the suspension arms have rust!

Hiding out in the workshop for the last couple of years is this 1983 E24 628i. It's an original manual car but has been upgraded to an E34 3.5 engine, which is an increase in HP, reliability and availability of parts. It was bought in as a runner in sound(ish) condition but has had a "restoration" previously in it's life in England which comprised mainly of filler, so we've been working our way around it, knocking that out and replacing it with actual metal. It's about half done on the welding now, after waiting three years, then being started about a year ago. There's no rush.
0AQ79Rf.jpg


Next to the 628/635 is this 1985 E30 323i. It's a really nice original car, in metallic gold (Bronzit Beige), with brown cloth sports seats. It needs the smallest amount of welding done at the rear and then it will make a nice example for someone to tuck away. It doesn't need a lot but it'll stay indoors over winter either way so no panic just yet.
kdOD4KA.jpg


One of the more major undertakings - one that has got put away for a rainy day (or year!) - is this 2002tii. It's been started into to make it a rally car but the folks that were doing it backed out of it as they thought it would need too much bodywork. Everything is, or should be, there for it, but we have bought another, very rotten, 2002ti as a donor for it just in case.
vyZp5lu.jpg

It'll go back to it's original colour too, which you can just see on the dash area on the inside.

Rescued from the lower Sperrins, this is an original NI 1987 E28 520i, and it's only had three owners - it was in the same family from new until 2015. Unfortunately it went through the hands of a garage in Cookstown that do far too much shoddy work and so there are a few bodges underneath to sort out, but it bodywork terms it's almost perfect. This car should not take long to get ship-shape.
3MnoVxt.jpg


One other fun one is our 1976 E10 1502, which was owned for years by an old man near Omagh and painted in a lovely shade of Dulux green. It drives impeccably and the interior is really good, but the bodywork has suffered badly from being kept on a driveway and not a garage, so it needs a really thorough session with a welder. Weeks of fabrication involved mean this one is on the back burner, but, some day!
yyr7NfT.jpg
 

willswheels

RMS Regular
OP
willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
Drives
BMW!
Carrying on with the E30...
DMp44fi.jpg

GsHJhl3.jpg

NjJbjSy.jpg


First round of building up:
kggfyXX.jpg

oe2GpAk.jpg


Then those will all be ground flat, then gone over again where necessary, before paint prep. But at least at this point we now have it about 75% solid.
This car was very nearly too far gone. Only that we had too much vested interest in it already, plus it's a low owner, original NI car... but it's nearly there. Three weeks solid welding work so far! One more to go then we can prep it and send it out for paint... and start the process again with the black E24.
 

Michael44

RMS Regular
Messages
223
Drives
Lancia
This thread is one we can keep updated with some of the projects that we have ongoing. Some are slow, some are dormant, and some are just so big they keep getting pushed back and back but as with every good project list, they will all be started some day!

Right now on the lift we have this 1991 E30 318is. It's an ex- lanes rally car, and it is absolutely disgustingly rusty. It was assured to us that is was sound but it is far from, but we're not going to let a little thing like rampant rot get in the way of putting an original NI low owner rare model back together.
Zc0WhQy.jpg

Even the suspension arms have rust!

Hiding out in the workshop for the last couple of years is this 1983 E24 628i. It's an original manual car but has been upgraded to an E34 3.5 engine, which is an increase in HP, reliability and availability of parts. It was bought in as a runner in sound(ish) condition but has had a "restoration" previously in it's life in England which comprised mainly of filler, so we've been working our way around it, knocking that out and replacing it with actual metal. It's about half done on the welding now, after waiting three years, then being started about a year ago. There's no rush.
0AQ79Rf.jpg


Next to the 628/635 is this 1985 E30 323i. It's a really nice original car, in metallic gold (Bronzit Beige), with brown cloth sports seats. It needs the smallest amount of welding done at the rear and then it will make a nice example for someone to tuck away. It doesn't need a lot but it'll stay indoors over winter either way so no panic just yet.
kdOD4KA.jpg


One of the more major undertakings - one that has got put away for a rainy day (or year!) - is this 2002tii. It's been started into to make it a rally car but the folks that were doing it backed out of it as they thought it would need too much bodywork. Everything is, or should be, there for it, but we have bought another, very rotten, 2002ti as a donor for it just in case.
vyZp5lu.jpg

It'll go back to it's original colour too, which you can just see on the dash area on the inside.

Rescued from the lower Sperrins, this is an original NI 1987 E28 520i, and it's only had three owners - it was in the same family from new until 2015. Unfortunately it went through the hands of a garage in Cookstown that do far too much shoddy work and so there are a few bodges underneath to sort out, but it bodywork terms it's almost perfect. This car should not take long to get ship-shape.
3MnoVxt.jpg


One other fun one is our 1976 E10 1502, which was owned for years by an old man near Omagh and painted in a lovely shade of Dulux green. It drives impeccably and the interior is really good, but the bodywork has suffered badly from being kept on a driveway and not a garage, so it needs a really thorough session with a welder. Weeks of fabrication involved mean this one is on the back burner, but, some day!
yyr7NfT.jpg
I believe that E30 323i used to belong to a man just down the road from me. I think he bought it new or almost new.
 

willswheels

RMS Regular
OP
willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
Drives
BMW!
I believe that E30 323i used to belong to a man just down the road from me. I think he bought it new or almost new.
We were told that it was a one (maybe two) owner car from new. Your location isn't showing but somewhere south Down area is where it came to us from.
 

Michael44

RMS Regular
Messages
223
Drives
Lancia
We were told that it was a one (maybe two) owner car from new. Your location isn't showing but somewhere south Down area is where it came to us from.
Yes near Rathfriland. He had it in storage for years with the idea of getting it restored. That obviously didn't happen.
 

willswheels

RMS Regular
OP
willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
Drives
BMW!
Some more pictures coming back from the painter... Diamond Black now applied, over almost zero filler after all the welding was ground and buffed flat. Welding panels slowly, not trying to do a full length bead all at once, means that while the weld doesn't flow as nice and needs more cleaning up, you vastly reduce the chances of distorting the panel and therefore need to do less filling and sanding. And we want all metal finish if we can :relieved:

48275762_2052386661488615_7622692782821343232_n.jpg
48275762_2052386661488615_7622692782821343232_n.jpg
48368851_1953015251412827_4407733882854572032_n.jpg
48372783_374145303337976_5771930420799078400_n.jpg
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48368851_1953015251412827_4407733882854572032_n.jpg
48372783_374145303337976_5771930420799078400_n.jpg
 

willswheels

RMS Regular
OP
willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
Drives
BMW!
So this is where we are now with the 318is, painted, buffed, door hung and glazing back in...
BkbsgXS.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/BkbsgXS.jpg
Plenty of dust to be seen as the windscreen in the car had a chip and it cracked coming out, but thankfully we had a spare to hand - well, actually we had 17 spares to hand, but one is all we needed...

Now it just needs all the little details gone over, a minor tear-down on the engine to check it over properly, and get it ready for an MOT.

And then move on to the E24 (AT LAST!)
 

willswheels

RMS Regular
OP
willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
Drives
BMW!
Another project just in as a p/x is this 1996 728i running on LPG. A lovely driving machine with nice mileage and obviously well looked after but just needs lightly fettled before being ready for resale. Those horrid wheels are already off.
6wjwY1r.jpg
 

willswheels

RMS Regular
OP
willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
Drives
BMW!
Our 1990 318iS restoration is progressing nicely and we're getting close to seeing it finished. It needs the interior finished off and the engine serviced, and then the wheels fitted with new tyres and bolted up. We've replaced most of the rear end bushes and the rear axle went in today.
Jgs9Pns.jpg

The best news is, it is already sold! Don't worry though, we'll still do a comprehensive photoshoot with it before it leaves. The new owner intends to use it, rather than lock it away, which is great to hear.

And we've taken his previous daily car in as part exchange. It's a schwarz M10 carburettor car which is showing it's age now and was victim to an attempted theft, so there's some work to do straightening a door and replacing the locks.
FJtloMW.jpg
 

willswheels

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willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
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BMW!
We're almost there on the iS, just some interior parts to replace including the carpet. Soon to be delivered, although progress is halted because we are also doing a customer E30 engine conversion at the same time.

As well as that, we've got the 518i sorted out - a couple of minor patches and some brake lines needed for MOT...
q4YQmks.jpg


and the 728i AND 328i Cabrio are both straight through an MOT after being well checked over and a few minor issues sorted. Oh, you didn't know about the 328i? That'll have a for sale thread real soon.

And lastly the 316 E30 in the last post, the p/x one - well, a conversation with a new customer from Dublin who was just calling by, turned into a sale of a car he has not even seen in the flesh, complete with us completing a rolling restoration on the car prior to delivery and perhaps a few tasty period mods, all of which we are able to advise on and even supply.
Just the usual to sort out first...
uuBUn7Y.jpg

E3DwEoo.jpg


No pressure...! (We could probably do with another mechanic/painter at this rate :laughing: )
 

Marty Lad

RMS Regular
Messages
989
Location
Tyrone
Drives
E46 M3
Only seeing this thread now, I was trying to buy that E10 1502 about 3 (or more?) years ago, you were quick on the ball, always wondered who beat me to it lol (y):joy:
 

willswheels

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willswheels
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148
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Dungannon
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BMW!
Using a tool for pushing in the locking bead, and lots of squirty fluid, the screens have been fitted in the 318is. The interior is rebuilt, and the polish has been applied. The engine has been serviced, the lights re-wired and all that is left now are the wheels and tyres and then MOT.
20190627_165923.jpg
 

willswheels

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OP
willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
Drives
BMW!
20190701_184417.jpg

The 316i is on the lift now, and we're dealing with it's issues...
20190702_002817.jpg

Which are numerous spots like this.

Still, we can manage, it's just taking 3x longer than it was estimated to. Just like every E30 of late, in fact.
 

Nicky Glanza

RMS Regular
Messages
3,687
Location
Lisburn
Drives
BMX
fantastic thread!! you may be the man to deal with, I am currently starting a 1984 Sapporo turbo in black project, its has been in the family form 1986, very rare car.
the issue I have with it is I wanted to bare shell it and soda blast it but the problem is the front windscreen if broken when taken out will be next to near impossible to replace as they don't make them anymore, my dad couldn't get a window for it early 2000s so I think in 2019 it will be impossible.
would you be the man to weld corners if needs be etc? and also what would you suggest I do with the underside, wire brush and paint just?
 

willswheels

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willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
Drives
BMW!
fantastic thread!! you may be the man to deal with, I am currently starting a 1984 Sapporo turbo in black project, its has been in the family form 1986, very rare car.
the issue I have with it is I wanted to bare shell it and soda blast it but the problem is the front windscreen if broken when taken out will be next to near impossible to replace as they don't make them anymore, my dad couldn't get a window for it early 2000s so I think in 2019 it will be impossible.
would you be the man to weld corners if needs be etc? and also what would you suggest I do with the underside, wire brush and paint just?
If you can't have it blasted, then yes you'll have to wire brush it. A rollover frame would be ideal in that case so you could really get at it. However speak to whoever you are thinking about getting to blast it - as soda is low impact media, it may be possible to cover the screen with something to protect it and have the rest of the car done.
Welding is no problem, just labour intensive, but we've never shied away from a welding job yet...
 

Nicky Glanza

RMS Regular
Messages
3,687
Location
Lisburn
Drives
BMX
If you can't have it blasted, then yes you'll have to wire brush it. A rollover frame would be ideal in that case so you could really get at it. However speak to whoever you are thinking about getting to blast it - as soda is low impact media, it may be possible to cover the screen with something to protect it and have the rest of the car done.
Welding is no problem, just labour intensive, but we've never shied away from a welding job yet...
Ah not too bad might just risk it and get the window cut out and blast her, have you any recommendations who could blast it? Preferably NI, and will give you a bell re welding for definite
 

willswheels

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willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
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BMW!
We couldn't recommend anyone for blasting at the minute; we're actually talking to a new place setting up about getting them to do soda as well as glass and sand.
 

willswheels

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OP
willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
Drives
BMW!
67963105_2384157468521378_2572589069892583424_n.jpg


Update on the projects side of things. Right now we are working on a 318i E46 Pre-Facelift Saloon, because we have a customer base that isn't all pre-occupied with getting the fastest car possible for as little cash outlay as possible... not every BMW owner is a wannabe drift-king. Thankfully. So the owner of this car is up an down a lot of rural roads doing inspections from working in a civil service / infrastructure job, and what happened was that the nearside rear subframe mount in the chassis broke out. The outer skin of metal rusted and then the mount was unsupported and broke free.

67234588_2385732868195025_6124134270400200704_n.jpg


We cut away everything scabby in the area, and that gave access to get into the inner chassis. This area is triple-skinned so there was no going in from the top without cutting a section out of the boot floor - we could have done that too, but we gained enough access from the underside.
First we welded in the mount in it's original location.

67829830_2213708095587421_4604820852507148288_n.jpg

And then we welded a new outer skin on, seam welding around the face where it meets the internal threaded mount. BMW only spot welded this, so we should have increased the strength here a bit too. The new outer skin was made of 1.5mm plate, where BMW only used 1.0mm, and we brought it right across to the chassis rails so it's a lot stiffer than original.
We'll zinc coat and underseal that once it's been flatted down, and then we will fit a replacement used subframe, as the original is crusty and needs a replacement bushing anyway, and then a rear wheel bearing on the same side because that has failed too for obvious reasons, and we're also doing a clutch on the same car, and replacing the whining diff (also possibly a result of the subframe movement) - and we're also going to replace the broken exhaust with a good used one.


And on the other side of the garage, the E30 318is is just about finished restoration, has been for an MOT and only failed on a headlight being out of alignment. The rear brakes need cleaned up too as they only just made the grade - the car has been off the road for a year now so that's just lack of use, they will come round, but essentially this car is ready for the new owner to collect after the re-test next week.
 

willswheels

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willswheels
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148
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Dungannon
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BMW!
Admittedly the picture was taken with a slightly green potato, but the 318is is at last with MOT. Clean bill of health and ready to slide out the door.

68804901_2594680520577387_8747265166812381184_n.jpg
 

willswheels

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willswheels
Messages
148
Location
Dungannon
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BMW!
This last few days we've been sorting out an E36 328i Sport. The owner wasn't happy with some previous work done elsewhere, so brought it to us for remedial work including replacing the engine.

In doing so we found that half of the inlet manifold bolts were missing, and a third of the exhaust ones also. Both engine mounts were broken but set in place anyway - that could have happened lately though. And finally once we had removed the engine and box and checked the car over, we spotted a serious issue::
70253367_415836219047460_4572857705890316288_n.jpg


That's a cracked front subframe with the engine mount hole area completely broken away.
Thankfully we've a very talented welder here and was able to buzz that back together in situ, and make it stronger as well. It's a common failure point on the E36 that often needs addressed.

After that we also found a hilarious problem... which can only be explained by a picture, which is coming soon.
The customer could only say "You can see why I wasnt confident with the work carried out by the last fella" ... yep!
But he's very happy that all the issues have been found and fixed.

69518549_370740283826708_1259350089827090432_n-001.jpg


Fluids and road-test and we're good to go!
Then it's on to the next item on the agenda. Eight (or maybe nine?!) cars with major issues to be sorted this week, no let-up. Thankfully we've started two more mechanics in the last two weeks so we can keep up with the work coming in!
 
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