g8jka - 2.8 Roadster Progress Journal

[g8jka]

Haven't had my newly powder coated wheels on the car long because the weather has been crap and I needed to get the bolts glued in and I ordered some new badges.

I went with satin black for a change, wasn't too sure at this stage, I added some plastic gold bolts instead of silver.

A little better but still need brightening up a bit, can't really tell where the wheel ends and tyre starts. So it was time for some red Rimblades and a choice of either black & gold or red & gold badges.

I went with the red & gold badges to tie in with the other red touches on the car. Got the hubs painted from silver to satin black to match the wheels. Hardtop off and ready for summer, ignore the damaged front bumper it's the next thing to get sorted. I'm chuffed with them.

Not quite the perfect match between red and burgundy roof but it's down most of the time.

Also I've swapped the stealth DRL's and put them in with just the holders as one blew and water was getting into them through the tint film and rusting them up. They look a bit more stuck on and not as OEM now but hopefully they should last a lot longer.

 

[PHILIP BAXTER]

Those wheels look sharp.

 

[t-tony]

The Rimblades make the wheel/tyre combo work well Dave.

Tony.

 

[Slam]

They look great a real transformation

 

[g8jka]

The Rimblades make the wheel/tyre combo work well Dave.

Tony.

It needed them I think just to break the wheel and tyre and it brightens them up. I originally wanted to go with dark centres and a polished lip but it was either to much work for me to do or probably 5 times the price so I may as well have gone for a new set of wheels. These are the same set but completely different. Everyone thinks they are a new set of wheels. I am almost tempted to get the splitter done in satin black now instead of silver when it goes in to be painted with the bumper.

 

[t-tony]

I've been thinking along similar lines mate when I get to repair my front bumper, doing the lower section stain black which will "go" with something else coming soon. I've been looking for some small, discreet corner splitters/flippers/canards, call them what you will but they all some to big for what I want.
I had some on my Z3 which would've been ok but I can't find the seller on eBay any more.

Tony.

 

[g8jka]

I like the corner splitters on the Z3 but not seen any on the Z4. Maybe try some universal ones? Only thing we mine I think if it’s in black it might look like it’s just been stuck on and I haven’t been arsed to get it painted. I did like it in silver, it look naked without now. If I went for black it would maybe look better with one of the rubber type ones you had as they don’t look out of place not being painted.

 

[t-tony]

Fair comment mate, and they're cheap enough to try one. Found some alloy splitters so messaged the seller to ask about the profile.

Tony.

 

[g8jka]

Not updated for a while

Done a few things over the last few months as well as the Shropshire cruise, Santa Pod and Silverstone Classic so had to get the car in the best shape possible.

First thing was to fix the bumper and front splitter after my mishap in the snow. Took the old bumper off and fitted the spare I had which had been sat in the shed for ages, wasn't as bad as I thought condition and paint wise so I haven't bothered getting it repainted yet. I glued, filled and fibre glassed (inside) the splitter myself and it actually came it pretty good. It got a coat of satin black paint for now and fitted back onto the spare bumper.

Fitted and ready for the Shropshire cruise

At this point I was falling out of love with the car and a few things started to play up and I had a list of jobs that needed doing but I really couldn't be bothered as it seemed it was never ending. The joys of owning an old car which is driven daily was getting me down and I thought about selling. Seeing so many fine examples on here really didn't help as I want it like a show car which needed nothing and I could spend all my time just keeping it shiny. That's never going to happen being a daily driver and I can't afford to get something else so in reality I just had to carry on and do jobs as an when. The MOT was due in July and I was expecting a massive list of work that needed doing. @gookah changed the rear brake pipes as this was one job that needed doing prior to MOT, the front's didn't need doing so they just got cleaned up and painted. I adjusted the handbrake as it was pretty useless and got it holding fine again. I took the HID kit out of the low and high beams as it won't pass with them with the new rules and installed LED's, which so far I've been impressed with. They give off just as much light, the beam patterns seem better and the colour is spot on, plus there are no ballasts and extra wiring so also look tidier. Anyway, I took it for MOT and it sailed through, no advisories but the tester said the handbrake was right on the limit. I knew this as it needs new cables.

So then came Santa Pod. I took it down the strip and it performed well and just pipped last years best time. I thought since the remap it may have been faster but it was a very hot day which may have held it back a little. Still, I was faster than my Dad once again so the bragging rights are mine for another 12 months. Surprisingly it also won best in class! There were hardly any Zed's that went down and no 3.0's which was probably why mine won but I'm not complaining, got myself a nice little trophy! The love for my Zed then came back!

A couple of weeks later was the Silverstone Classic which was a great day and there was a huge turnout of Zeds, mine sat nicely alongside the zedcars. One major change was I decided to paint the front lip it body colour as I was unsure of the stain black. Turned out nicely considering it's a rattle can job but I can't decide now whether it should be titanium silver or satin black?

I had done a few things just prior to the shows which can be seen in the pictures:

Exterior
Mounted the cold air intake properly into the mesh grill in the front bumper, new badges with burgundy/black carbon fibre decals, new rear lip in black, rear badges and boot lift painted satin black, repainted side gills and added some 'limited edition' decals. Plus a couple of other decals which probably aren't to everyone's taste

Interior
New Kenwood DAB head unit, replaced rear speakers with new Vibe Slick's as one of the old Vibe's started crackling, fitted new volt / oil temp and oil pressure gauges in place of standard ///M ones and relocated an old OBC to the right hand side of the dash so it displays time, external temp. MPG etc.

I've probably forgot a few things but that's pretty much up to date and I haven't got many plans for it over the next few months apart from going to the National BMW Festival and Zedfest.

 

[TaffDaddy]

That looks superb. Love all the mods

 

[andyglym]

Very impressive stuff and well kept considering it's a daily runner

 

[Dino D]

Just when I thought it was finished!

I can emphathise with trying to run it daily and keep on top of things, hats off to you for doing so!

If you get a little runaround to use in winter/when you working on the Z, it it eases the pressure to get all done and running for Monday mornings, also makes no it more special to get back into.

To me yours really is a show car and the fact that’s it’s daily is impressive!

 

[Dino D]

Ps doesn’t your father have an old Z3 you can knock about in to work with

 

[Althulas]

You’ve suppased on how I’m feeling about my ///M but threads like this keep me positive on one day I will get mine back on the road.

I like the spoiler lip in the matching colour. I suppose you could get another for the spare bumper in black and swap bumpers around as you feel and treat the pesky stone chips.

How did you plumb in the oil pressure gauge? What are those two plastic items with the OBC?

 

[Rha]

Saw your fine Z3 at Silverstone Classic and the pics just don't do it any justice. All the little attention to detail makes your Z just sparkle Dave. Love it


RHA,Roy.

 

[gookah]

not a bad shiny shed .....

 

[t-tony]

Nice and economical with the praise there Pete

Tony.

 

[gookah]

mustn't 'over-complement'
That would not do.

 

[Rha]

Takes after his father as you can see by both their great Zs. Nice to see the banter and the competition between them.

RHA,Roy.

 

[t-tony]

Takes after his father as you can see by both their great Zs. Nice to see the banter and the competition between them.

RHA,Roy.

Absolutely Roy, I have said as much to Pete in the past. They remind me so much of me and our Gary.

Tony.