qclabrat
Well-Known Member
This car will end up a daily driver for 7-8 months so need something with modern comforts. After living with MrsQ for over 20 yrs, I've become addicted to A/C, for then none of my cars had it.
Car-spotting thread
- Thread starter UtahJoe
- Start date
ekuhn
Well-Known Member
6 Years ago last week, I sold my 2000 M5 to a kid and his dad out of Pittsburgh. It was a great car, 400 HP outta the box, 6 speed, drove like it was on rails, and was a blast. Just sat in my driveway more than I got to drive it.
Well the kid emails me and gives me an update on the car. He's put some money into it and looks great. Replaced the front bumper cause PA doesn't have a front license plate, replaced the trim, refinished the shadow chrome wheels, updated some bits (headlight, radio), and did several iterations of paint correction. Its always glad to see your things go to a good home.
Well the kid emails me and gives me an update on the car. He's put some money into it and looks great. Replaced the front bumper cause PA doesn't have a front license plate, replaced the trim, refinished the shadow chrome wheels, updated some bits (headlight, radio), and did several iterations of paint correction. Its always glad to see your things go to a good home.
mfennell
Well-Known Member
That looks great. A couple of my friends rank the E39 M5 at/near the top of their list of favorite cars owned.
mfennell
Well-Known Member
Seen Saturday AM. I thought they were all pigs but it turns out you could get an LS2 and a 6MT the final two years.
Continuing down my path of ridiculously involved projects, I took the dash out of my Ferrari. It only requires removing about 900 screws, nuts, and bolts plus 50 electrical connectors that all threaten to break if you look at them wrong. There were no serious casualties, just a few minor clips removing some switches.
The trigger for all this fun was that one of the front defrost vents broke off. The vents are plastic with little plastic studs on the back. As the car ages, the leather shrinks, putting pressure on them until they break.
Since I can't do just one thing, I also sent a bunch of plastic parts out to a refinisher to clean off the nasty sludge that the soft touch rubber coating becomes and paint them. All the switches, the HVAC controls and markings, vents, steering column surround, etc. You can sort of clean it up yourself with rubbing alcohol but it's a huge pain and the results are a bunch of cheap looking shiny plastic parts.
Finally, since the 20 year old stereo is a 1DIN, I picked up a nice Pioneer with a flip out 7" screen so I'll have Bluetooth and Android auto.
This is probably 10hr work for a pro (minus waiting for the parts to come back) but I am slow-like-glacier. I think I've been at it a month in little hour-or-less increments because I have a strong aversion to breaking shit. When something isn't working out, I just stop and come back later. Took a very long time to learn that lesson.
Continuing down my path of ridiculously involved projects, I took the dash out of my Ferrari. It only requires removing about 900 screws, nuts, and bolts plus 50 electrical connectors that all threaten to break if you look at them wrong. There were no serious casualties, just a few minor clips removing some switches.
The trigger for all this fun was that one of the front defrost vents broke off. The vents are plastic with little plastic studs on the back. As the car ages, the leather shrinks, putting pressure on them until they break.
Since I can't do just one thing, I also sent a bunch of plastic parts out to a refinisher to clean off the nasty sludge that the soft touch rubber coating becomes and paint them. All the switches, the HVAC controls and markings, vents, steering column surround, etc. You can sort of clean it up yourself with rubbing alcohol but it's a huge pain and the results are a bunch of cheap looking shiny plastic parts.
Finally, since the 20 year old stereo is a 1DIN, I picked up a nice Pioneer with a flip out 7" screen so I'll have Bluetooth and Android auto.
This is probably 10hr work for a pro (minus waiting for the parts to come back) but I am slow-like-glacier. I think I've been at it a month in little hour-or-less increments because I have a strong aversion to breaking shit. When something isn't working out, I just stop and come back later. Took a very long time to learn that lesson.
your going to daily drive an old car? I wish you luck with that endeavor. Whats your plan? Last time you were talking about a restomod mustang?
@mfennell That looks like a blast....and ya i cant tell you have many night I spent under the dash of the mustang, got one small thing done and was like "well thats enough, ill come back tomorrow"
Dingo
Well-Known Member
never
rick81721
Lothar
This reminds me, I routinely ride by a car that is completely under a cover. I think I know what it is but it would be fun to guess. Will have to get a pic
360?
Which refinisher are you using? I have a couple of pieces of Porsche trim that have a similar type of soft touch rubber coating which isn't looking so amazing.
I work the same way. Once things start to go wrong, deep breath, walk away. Plus, you might as well enjoy your time working on projects like these. If you're stressed out and rushing through it, it's not exactly enjoyable.
Dingo
Well-Known Member
Actually it's a Plymouth Scamp, that really cool spoiler is the only dif
qclabrat
Well-Known Member
I've looked at Mustangs for the past year and ones with a Coyote drop are just too expensive, and even ones with a Holley Sniper systems for a 69 non Mach1 sportsback are currently so inflated. Can't wait for prices to drop so extending my search to F-Bodies, first gen. LS drops are pretty common on Chevy's but F-Bodies I hear are like early Mustangs and have floppy frames and horrible steering/suspension. Though there's lots of retrofit systems to fix the issue from Detroit Speed, Ridetech and Speedtech.
I'm sure you're right about daily driver, my commute is short and have the option to go local or highway. Next year I'm going to wish I had a Porsche....
ekuhn
Well-Known Member
5 Series E39s in general have a cult following. The flagship obviously being the M.
I do miss driving it alot. But the lack of driving it and sitting in my driveway I do not.
Ya were talking the first versions of uni bodies...terrible suspension geometry, steering boxes... Why I just left my suspension mostly stock, few small tweaks... I can put 10,000 into the steering and suspension of my 67 and after that, it would still most likely get lapped by my 160 hp Ford focus on an auto x course..... They all suck compared to anything modern, it's part of the old car charm.
I'd love to go cruise with @Carson @rick81721 etc... My car probably has the power to keep up on the straights, but first turn and they would put half a mile on me... And Jesus christ if they decided to hit the brake hard... Ug
GSTim
Formerly M3Tim
No photos from this?
E39 M5 and E46 M3 are among the most timeless cars of all time. Just about perfect. Then Bangle comes along....:-(
ya I have to say...that M5 and an M-shoe are about the only bmw products id have any interest in owning...maybe some 80's M5s too.
Kaleidopete
Well-Known Member
Grocery shopping today, Aston Martin
Magic
Formerly 1sh0t1b33r
We were busy driving. Maybe @rick81721 has some crash cam snips.
Great cruise. 168 miles round trip. Dee heard a noise at one point and asked what it was. It was @rick81721 and he was 100 feet back. @Magic the GTI was well up to the task, but no engine braking would suck big time. Shooting from curve to curve is my favorite part.
Strugglebus
Well-Known Member
Found this one from almost 9 years ago. Picked it up in Netcong and brought down to a warehouse in Monroe. About a month later I picked it back up in Monroe and brought it up to JFK to be shipped over to England. Got to move it around the parking lot at JFK but never left 1st gear. Didn’t get to give it the Gone in 60 Seconds test drive
i was always a little bummed when i heard that Chip Foose (whose designs I typically love) designed this mess
